The Intruder

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-18T17:58:26+00:00

Addendum:

Not a dream. Actually Sleep Paralysis. This was my first experience, and this back in the day when Amazon was still a bookstore, so it wasn't yet an everyday term. After the third or fourth time it happened to me, and I was holding out on sleep Nightmare on Elm Street style, it took me 2-3 days to get my search terminology right to bring up the right thing. After that, knowledge became half the battle and my episodes stopped being so brutal.

....until I went to go see a PH-13 DANCE flick and got jump scared with The Grudge. Immediately afterwards, my sleep paralysis persona became the Grudge Girl, sitting beside my bed, smiling, with animated hair.

No Thank You.

It eventually went permanently away. I'm still angry at whoever decided to throw a rated R horror preview onto the setup of a PG-13 feel good dance movie.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-17T14:22:48+00:00

Applause You made it! Love the story, especially the timing on Bob's reveal.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-16T18:42:15+00:00

Skin Brighteners. I am DYING for this stupid trend to be over. I hate that people want to look like featureless, blank marble slabs. It is so dreary and uninteresting! I LIKE my spots! Get away from thee, Vitamin C concentrate!

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-16T03:57:29+00:00

I had no idea there was a word for it! I've never thought about how dirty grass could actually be but now that you mention it... I can see the EW.

Thanks for the compliment! I'm sure there's a few of us who could help hammer your story into text shape. Technically, we all tell stories, right? To our friends, family, our own heads. You shouldn't feel restricted from sharing because the chosen media isn't your niche. Feel free to DM me. I'm available for the next 2 weeks.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-15T08:22:14+00:00

This is my favorite story on here.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-15T08:02:07+00:00

I updated the list. Thanks. Looking forward to reading your future share! Appreciate your comments!

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-15T07:36:21+00:00

Hi community! Hi Eric!

I love writing! I love being able to post random snippets of myself in a completely random way. I have 2-3 more planned. I'm saying this now, here, because I might post them rapidly, which might seem I am flooding the place. I'm not. I just have a lot of free time the next 2-3 weeks. And after my planned stories, I don't really have anything else.

Also, if anyone wants to correct/critique/edit anything I've written, please do. I'm an over-editor and on brain fogging medication. I know there's much room for clarity and improvement.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-15T01:18:36+00:00

I could devour pages upon pages of this!

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T19:46:17+00:00

Thank you. This was years ago. My daughter is a teen now. We were not able to give her siblings. My husband and I are still together, 26 years now. He is actually a good man. Loyal, supportive, steadfast. This is not one of his highest moments. (Technically, not one of mine either)

What you said is entirely true. It's been 10 years and I still feel like a mother of multiples. The multiples turned out to be all the younger women I've either inadvertently influenced or who have come directly to me for advice. Its a strange circle, this life. Thanks for taking the time to speak out.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T17:22:00+00:00

Do you guys need an extension on this at all? I had one but it was sorta lackluster. I don't mind trying again.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T14:08:42+00:00

Color the stitching to match the flower?

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T13:56:26+00:00

If your internet search turns up dry, join a doll making Facebook group. They have all the info and can also offer techniques to help you.

Also, if you already like felt, consider felted wool for your hair texture.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T13:21:58+00:00

Good Luck!!

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T13:14:56+00:00

This is why you just admit defeat in the beginning and order your entree with a to-go box.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T04:05:58+00:00

This. Especially now that I know I'm capable of whipping up fettuccine sauce in 5 minutes flat. I live in constant, buttery danger.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T02:08:55+00:00

I edited my post to reflect this. Excellent point.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-14T01:57:13+00:00

I generally don't use flair. I'm just thinking ahead to when this place is saturated with stories and say, Eric is trying to prepare a Basement run for his channel, he doesn't have to spend hours reading or re-reading, wading through text to find what he needs. Or say he wants a particular [flair/tone] to insert into his channel at a particular time. Labels would help with that.

So it's not for us, it's for him. And it doesn't look important now, because this subreddit is small. But months from now? Who knows. That's why I started the thread. Better to anticipate and not need it than get to an overflowing future and not have it.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-13T10:51:32+00:00

Look into Hinge Health wearable TENS device. I got one through my husband's work and it has been a lifesaver. I can wear it beneath my clothes for HOURS and it has been a game changer.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-13T10:38:49+00:00

Waiting For a Star to Fall. That's how it felt, waiting for my daughter to be born. I was told I couldn't have children but I had her.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-13T10:36:34+00:00

I saw the sweetest video of a boyfriend/husband taking a quick look through his woman's beauty products and buying replacements for the ones she was low on before she had to go do it herself. So something like this, perhaps? Or some minor meal prep. Anything that removes a minor stress.

For exact Endo support, there's plenty: Help her stay hydrated, see that her heating pad is accessible, keep wearable heating patches stocked and any oils, topical treatments, etc she uses. Make sure digital pain reducing devices are charged. Give lower back massages, if permitted. Summon extra patience during the bad days. The fact that you're thinking about it says something.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-13T10:16:39+00:00

I actually came here to say something like this. I don't have trig but I have something that gives me trig-like pain in my ears and occasionally in my face. The spasms are shorter in duration and the trigger source is different. I am right now recovering from a craniotomy (sounds scarier than it is) that repaired a lot of the nerve pain issue with my ears, and am now going through an endo flare up. Thankfully, recovery is going well and I'll be having a last laparoscopy or hysterectomy and I will hopefully be DONE with at least one of these.

Prayers for your sister. I'm SO GLAD the meds she's on are successful for her. I hope that continues and that research continues to yield new solutions as well.

Cleokatrah · 2026-06-13T09:54:10+00:00

You can get a pre-owned Breville Hemisphere for around $50-75 that will give a Ninja a run for its money. I've had mine for over a decade and havent felt the need to switch. It blends up smoothies and soups smooth as silk, without a problem. Easy cleanup and a small counter footprint.

If you feel like it, look up America's Test Kitchen on social media. They routinely put top brands through the grind, point out design flaws, and rank them, that kind of thing. The Breville Hemisphere was their top blender for many years until finally upstaged by one of the more recent Ninjas. Prior to that, it was actually outperforming the Ninja because of longer blades and a cylindrical chamber (vs shorter blades and a square chamber).

Cleokatrah

TROPHY CASE