I understand what you mean. I'm very easily thrown off by changes in my routine as well. I'm a routine person to some degree. I have to be with taking the meds I take. I think, really, I'm a person who wants be a more routine and structured person😂. Maybe it has something to do with the nature of chronic illness? I know that every time I try to keep a more ridged routine I usually get a flare that throws everything off. Sometimes I feel like an accidental improv comic that just has to make stuff up as I go along and pretend that it was all part of the plan.😄😂

I tend to return to shows like Fringe, Buffy, Community, or The X-Files. Sometimes, if I'm having a really hard day (like today) I'll put a nature video up in the background or listen to an audiobook while I sleep. Nature really grounds me when I'm overstimulated. Audiobook-wise I tend to return to books from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files (which is kind of Buffy or Angel-like), Harry Potter books (cause I grew up with them), or sometimes something classic like Sherlock Holmes stories or Moby Dick. I also, sometimes, will listen to a spiritual book or self-help book. IntraConnected is an interesting listen.

I'm Steve Schleuder. What’s my business? Good question. I’m still figuring that out. 😂 I currently sell digital art through my Etsy store, LightheartedLunacy, do freelance graphic design, write on Medium, and serve as President of a nonprofit called Next Generation of Cystinosis. The original idea was to build a collection of income streams—active, passive, and everything in between—that could keep working even when my health makes it difficult for me to work. I ended up here because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, I worked as a retail cashier at Home Depot while trying to build a freelance design career. My chronic illness, and the pandemic, made doing both increasingly difficult, and eventually I had to leave the job. I tried remote contract work, freelance design, Etsy, and eventually writing. Some worked better than others. 😂 Etsy has paid me about $6 and Medium about $10 so far. That $6 from Etsy felt really good, because it was my first sale after a couple of years of trying to do Etsy. I rediscovered writing after attending an international cystinosis conference in Manchester, England, in 2024. I initially wrote mostly for therapeutic reasons. I seemed to be getting some attention, so I decided to see if I could turn it into another passive income stream. It also eventually led to my nonprofit leadership role. One of my peers noticed I was writing about aspects of living with chronic illness that often don't get talked about and offered me a Vice President position. That eventually became the President role when our former President left unexpectedly. The condition I’m navigating is called cystinosis. It’s a rare genetic disease that causes cystine to build up inside cells and damage organs throughout the body, especially the kidneys and eyes. I was born with more than 50% of my kidney function already gone. Over time, cystinosis can also cause muscle weakness, light sensitivity, swallowing difficulties, thyroid problems, diabetes, and other complications.

@Izzy Smith thank you! You're welcome. Thank so much, that means a lot. I actually got into Graphic Design as a kid because I used to make greeting cards for people. I'd love to see your store. Yeah, I suspect your right. Best wishes to you as well.🙂