Headaches, Distractions and Leaving The Shy Behind

Harumph.

I have a headache. Not that I usually don't, and not that my headaches haven't been a blessing to me -- I thought I was dying from one, and in the aftermath started writing seriously -- but with the babygirl riding along, I can't take the meds that help with them. And so here I sit, trying to focus above the pain and work...and right now everything looks like the picture.

Don't stare too hard, you'll get one too. Nothing is wrong with my head - I've had more MRI's than is safe. All is good in my brain, it just hurts. Which makes me want to distract myself...

Usually I turn to writing, reading, or TV...not so great when your eyes are funking out. And so...I close my eyes and type. Can work. Sometimes.

I think today's headache is worse than usual because I overdid it a bit yesterday. I gave a workshop at my local RWA that went fairly well, me thinks. Had lunch with my writer gals, and then came home just in time to take the wee one to a birthday party.

At lunch we got to talking about promotion and having to overcome that hurdle of putting yourself out there. I hate speaking in public, anything that forces me to make eye contact really, and yet I do it. So well most of the other authors couldn't believe it.

I'd love to act introverted, it comes naturally to me to hug the wall and watch. But the headaches have made me someone different. Someone who wants things that have never come easy to me. And so I type with my eyes closed as a distraction and lead writing workshops when I would rather stay home in bed with an ice pack on my neck.