You know it's so true. I am also on another chat on MSN and it sure has been a great place to vent and learn about life and yorkies as well. I have made some really nice friends on here.

Things will turn around for us sooner or later. God only gives us what we can bear.

Hope you feel physically better as well soon.

:hug:

The dizzy spells come every now and then. I have a place in the back of my neck that goes out and that's all it takes, a visit to the chiropractor and it's better. It used to happen quite often when I slept on my right side, but then I started sleeping on my back. That helped. But it still happens once and a while when I'm pushing to get stuff done and work too long on the computer. I spent years and years doing close work, with my head bent forward. Oops, got to go eat.............more later.

Linda...

ALPHY AND I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! CHIN UP!!!!!!!!

I could use some of Alphy's slobber kisses right now! How about some new pics. He looks so much like Reggie and I miss her so much. And since I will never see my Reggie again, my big oaf Alphy is as close as I can get to her. Babe' Love doesn't look like her but is starting to show some of her traits. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part because I miss her.

more on dizzy
 

I relate the dizzy spells to that of carpal tunnel in the wrist. A nerve gets pinched from repeated motion, or lack there of. I would spend 12-18 hours a day working on dolls, sometimes 7 days a week, for over 25 years. My body paid the price and the dizzy spells told me to take a rest..........rather I wanted to or not. One time I woke up and couldn't get out of bed and being the first thing in the morning, you know what I had to do. After beating on the floor several times I finally called my son-in-law and had him call our house to tell my husband to come upstairs and get me up so I could go to the bathroom. When my neck tightens up like that, I have but one position, horizontal and on my stomach and if I do have to move, I have to crawl with my head as far forward as I can get it. Anything else is like riding a boat during a hurricane, I simply can't stand up straight. Heck, I'm a pretty cheap drunk on one glass of wine and even after two or three, which rarely happens, I can walk better than when the dizzy's hit. When it happened in January, I had to call my husband home from work. I couldn't even stand up at all and he had to carry me. Big mistake! We got to the door and he stood me down and told me not to sit down on the steps while he opened the door, which of course, I immediately did and began to throw up. That was the first time it ever made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't straighten my head up, or even look upward with my eyes. My neck was out of joint right at the base of my skull. One crack from the chiropractor and I could straighten my head up and look forward. Weird! I went home and slept on the chair the rest of the day, in an upward position because I was afraid to lay down and not be able to stand up again. As bad as that was, I once had it happen while I was driving. Talk about scarey and I was passing a semi-truck on the left and there was a car behind me. Somehow I managed to get back into the right lane and pulled off the side of the road. My son was with me and he had to drive the rest of the way home, but that's another story. It was stress that triggered it. Fortunately it doesn't happen very often, but when it does.........YUCK YUCK YUCK!!!!!! or substitute a word that rhymes.

I am sorry too that this yr has been a toughy!
 

I am glad that you can share it with us. It not only helps you to vent but it really helps us aswell because sometimes it just puts things into perspective...Sometimes I feel so alone in these kinds of terrible and financiall difficult times. I keep it to myself feeling worthless and sharing the wo is me complex -(Often forgetting these kinds of problems happen to everyone else too..) I have to remind myself that things could totally be worse.
( It doesn't really help but it is good advice to give..LOL! ha ha I am laughing at this) Also another pt-seems like life is like a rollercoaster or a wave, if you are on the bottom now you are only bound to go up. Seems like I have been onthe bottom now for 3yrs!???:eek: what is going on??
I truley wish that I could spare some $ to help you or atleast buy that beautiful Star that I was really interested in too. I keep thinking if it is meant to be she wills still be there by the time we can come up with the money..( It is unbelievable that you still have these cuties! They are soo beautiful!)
Anyway, I hope that your dizzy spells get better, I have had Vertigo before and it is terrible! I feel your pain. Alls I can say is that we are listening...;)

Oh Linda!!!! I had no idea!!! You know you can pick up the phone! When it rains it pours girl! And it sounds like you are getting more than your fair share of the storm!!

I'm so sorry that its coming down on you so hard right now... But just you wait for that rainbow! It may be a ways off... but it'll come! Sure as the sun will rise... and you know it!

I have had a few clouds lately, but it sounds like most of the real weather is out in your neck of the woods.... I miss ya Linda.... You are the brightest person I know... If anyone can chase away a storm as tough as the one following you... Its you!!! ;)

Black Cloud
 

Yeah, my share of the little black cloud following me and I'm sick of it. This year has been the final straw. After almost 25 years as a professional artist/designer in the doll industry, everything turned sour in 2000 when I found my registered copyright dolls being ripped off by five different companies. It was like a double edge sword. On one hand I wasn't making any money from it and on the other hand, damn, I must be good if they are ripping me off. Sounds like easy pickin' and I should be living in luxury. WRONG! I had them dead to rights when I discovered they had reproduced my doll....WITH MY NAME INSCRIBED ON THE BACK. Searched high and low for an attorney to take it on a contingencey bases, couldn't find one. I spent the better part of three years in the fetal position, unable to laugh or talk about it without crying. When you are an artist and creativity is your livelihood and you can't create...... Don't get me wrong, I had ideas but when it came to doing them, I was so "I don't know" instead of my usual click-click-click and everything would fall into place. When I finally kicked myself in the ass, I tried other medias. I enjoyed painting on canvas, which I hadn't had time to do since before I began doing dolls. But that went no where. I did paint the entire wall of a restaurant, pic attached. Pretty proud of that. But now the restaurant is closed down. I did some repaint makeovers where you take a vinyl doll, remove all the paint and repaint it, maybe change the hair or add hair. That was fun and gave me a creative outlet. Then I finally returned to sculpting and doing my own dolls. But after 3 shows in a row with no sales, we are at 2006. I haven't touched a doll or sculpted anything since January. And now working at Home Depot just to make ends meet, which they aren't, I'm too tired when I get home. Then add all our problems this year and you can see why the WO IS ME is hitting me hard. I try not to think about it because it only makes me crazy. And then I have to tell myself, things could be much worse. At least we are healthy and have a great family and lots of yorkies lovin'.

Pic of Tony's Pizza

Thats an awesome wall!!!!! How long did that take????

I worked on it for a week during the day when the restaurant wasn't open. It was quite a departure from painting a three dimensional doll head that I could hold in my hand to a wall 22 feet long. You can see some of my other paintings on my business website: http://steeleoriginals.com. Look in the "products" section for paintings.

Beautiful work. Such talent. I hope and pray that things turn around for you real soon!

The wall painting is beautiful. Any possibility you could do more of this type of work? You know your talent isn't for Home Depot, you need to be painting. I am sorry things are so bad right now for you, I understand really bad years as well, and hope yours gets better starting today.:love:

The wall is gorgeous. Hoping that the sun shines and chases away the clouds for you too.

Thanks! I would love to do more of things like this, however, we live in a very rural area. If I was in a big city, I know I wouldn't have any problems getting work.

We understand, my husband is a wildlife artist at heart, blessed with a good job to support us. I want so much for him to be able to pursue his art career, but like so many others, you have to provide a living first. He will get a custom type job now and again, but the mortgage company expects $$ each month.:) We are also in a rural area, not known for art venues. I don't know how far you might have to travel to find other jobs, but would advertising of some sort help? My husband even gave art lessons for a brief period for a little extra income. Good luck and don't give up!!:) I'll wait for a update.