Now that I have the time to write a proper journal entry here it is.

Yes, I am back! To submitting art. I will still not be too socially active through this page. I have that reserved to Facebook. Nor am I always open for a chat.

A summary of the more pertinent life events:

I am still good friend with my art teacher/mentor/adopted father Ray. His health has stabilized and he's able to hang around with me, go out to eat, or just coming over to watch movies, as along as he takes care of himself and takes his meds. Something which he does not do every now and then.

In July 13 this year, it'll be 3 years since I started a relationship with SABERJ2X (Alberto), and moved in with him.

I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia officially (finally) and also been approved a prescription of Lyrica, which it's worth is over $300 a bottle. It is this pill that has normalized my life some as it's the more efficient for my kind of pain management at a dose of 150mg.
I will still feel mild constant pain that's bearable as my pain threshold has increased a lot. When a doctor asks me how much pain I'm in I actually have to do several things to know the real answer. One is concentrate in the kind of pain I'm feeling, then put my hands in front of me and slowly rotate them. If they tremble, the amount tells me how bad it is. Another is makes fists and see how hard I'm able to squeeze them and lastly touch around my shoulders and back for muscle spams.
Why do I have to do this? Because Lyrica blocks pain. I won't feel it, but my body still shows the damage. Sometimes I realize I'm in a lot of pain just because I feel miserable and depressed and I'm hunching.
And of course, when it's too much damage my body will let me know when I move around by giving painful twinges if I stretch the hurt muscles and stiffen up my bad enough that I can't bend too much. 

This condition has been an over the years research of learning the signs of damage, the physically manifested symptoms and the sensations of different kinds of pain (joint, tendom, muscle, nerve...) I knowing exactly what a fibromyalgia pressure point is and realize that it has also affected my eyesight and cognition. I also learned why there's a symptom called Fibro-fog. When I space out to the point it feels like I'm in a dream. And that something I did mere minutes ago feels like a distant memory that I have trouble telling if it was something I dreamed about or it did truly happen. I often ask my partner a question, and then I have to ask it again because I can't remember what his answer was.

And lastly. As I am currently unemployed and not receiving any sort of monetary aid because our government and health insurance and handicapped aid are SHIT. I am no more than an extra expense to my partner, who has to cover all my medical bills along with having to feed me because I can't cook and every other thing I might need or just want to have as well as regular bills. I only get foodstamps, which I give to him to buy as the cook and I add my comfort foods and cravings on the side. And he only has a part time job so he's not exactly full of money either.

So, I am now taking PAID commission requests. I've done several now as well as art for a comic con. You can see them here: 1drv.ms/1P6GMBm
Most are WIPS and photos. Finished, scanned and watermarked art will be uploaded here as well.

If interested contact me at any of the following:

maramatsg@hotmail.com
www.facebook.com/MaRaMaTSG (personal account, be sure to let me know you know me from here! I only add people I know already or are interested in my art)
www.facebook.com/MaRaMaTSG.Art (art gallery)

Any and all money I make will be used for my own expenses as well as ease the wallet of my partner by saving him the money by buying my own stuff and also make me feel freaking useful and purposeful instead of just being a waste of money and space. :/
Maybe take my guy out to eat or buy gifts so I feel I'm returning something back as well.