DM Lady of Pain Life Update: 2021

[Arya]

Hi everyone,

First, happy 2021 and also happy Lunar New Year! (Happened a few days ago.) 

Good news, I am out of a very toxic work environment (department was great, people in administration not always). I am finding myself feeling refreshed with the new work environment even if I am going to be taking a little more out of my wallet to live here. My mental health took a toll,  but once my insurance kicks in, I will be working on that.

Another bit of good news. Despite my wallet potentially weeping, it turns out that food is at least cheaper and sales taxes are already figured into those, so I am paying at least less sales tax for food only. 

More good news: I am able to take one small quest arc (1-2 shot; no more than three). Per my DM profile here, I will be prioritizing sign-ups for my queue. An addendum to that, I will also be focused on people who receive less DM attention per our stats we are keeping for the sake of serving you. 

Bad news (kind of): I am in a timezone two hours behind US/Canada Eastern. MT, now, like I was in Colorado. And I am feeling it.   I suppose at least I am getting up earlier?

At some point, I am going to figure out time to get back into my writing-writing that involves more my own projects. So, stay tuned, I suppose.

Love you all!

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

Updated my DM profile here. 

I am not currently taking other plots. If anything major changes on this, I will say so, but assume until then I need to step down or away once I complete this set as indicated earlier, at least until things drastically change. I am learning about some sliding scale therapists in the area that may make insurance a non-issue. We will see if I can find a proper match, as my circumstances require specific specialties and community focuses.

Thank you all for understanding, and the kindness you have shown - it is more than I feel I deserve. I am sorry again for any inconvenience or distress I have caused. 


Best,
Arya

[Arya]

Another update. 

Found a therapist, I am getting my medical needs established, and I will be seeing a psychiatrist this coming Monday. I am hoping I can get on some medication that will work. My goal is now to: 1) stop blaming myself for everything that happens; 2) reduce how much I take responsibility for other people's feelings and emotions. These two major factors have fed into my dark place. Tied to all of that, I am going to do better about both drawing and enforcing my boundaries. Speaking of...

Between April 4 and April 18, I will NOT be doing anything involving DMing. I will also ask people to not ask me about or discuss plot requests with me in this timeblock. This will be time for me to take the break I said I am going to do, to do a step away. However, until the 4th of April, I will be fine with scheduling something ahead of time. Just nothing between the 4th and 18th of the month. (Gushing over what has happened in stories is always allowed, of course. :heart: )

I am also asking the same for my birthday on the 25th of March unless I bring something up, since I want to use that day to recharge. Short of a workshop that day, I am taking time off work that day, as well.

Thank you all who have sent me kind words, messages, and support. It really means a lot. I am just trying to take the step back I need! 

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

Updated my DM profile here.


Please pay special attention to "Specialties," and what I want to avoid. Because of some of the content I have been DMing lately, I have needed to re-evaluate my preferences. 

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

Starting at midnight after this post, MT, I am on my DM vacation! I will only be supervising one event next Saturday on the 10th because I agreed to it before deciding which time to block off my time away from the client. Beyond that, I want people to avoid bringing up anything to me requiring DM attention until the 18th, including plot ideas and requests.

People in the plot Discord I am DMing for: feel free to continue your roleplay. I may peek, under the understanding I am not obligated to look or reply. <3 I do love watching people roleplay, promise!

In kind, I may not be replying to DM-only channels. Otherwise, please feel free to gush and talk about storylines that you have been up to and all. I love hearing about that! :-)

Thank you all for understanding! I just wanted to have my 14 days (for the most part) of DM-free time.


Best,
Arya

[Arya]

I am back on DM duty officially. Please see here to look at what I am doing. For now, I am not taking any solicited storyline requests because I am waiting for 1-2 personal plotlines (one a sub plotline) to be approved and I want to spread the love.

Thanks! I also appreciate people's patience and understanding, and look forward to tormenti--I mean, greeting -- you in-game! 


Best,
Arya

[Arya]

Please note in my DM Profile my boundary after my Miscellaneous Notes colored in purple, content bolded, italicized, and centered. This boundary is to help keep storylines at a healthy pace in the future and make for easier scheduling for everyone else. :-)

New boundary when scheduling is tight for quests: unless it is a personal plot where we agree on something in advance, I will be continuing with scheduled quests when the majority can make the time. I will find a way to fill people in or keep them involved if they miss. This is to make for easier scheduling, so I can free time for additional plotlines.

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

Due to some questions I received this week, I am adding clarity on what I meant by not taking "solicited quest requests."

~*I Am Currently Not Taking Solicited Requests. On Whim Only, I Will Check Quest Requests.*~

Thanks! I hope this helps.



Best,
Arya

[Arya]

I did a little clean-up and add-on to my DM profile.

Please pay attention to "Wishes to Avoid" (both the Playstyles and Content section), "Miscellaneous Notes," especially the bottom bullet points, and then the first two paragraphs of the "Storyline/Quest Queue." There have been some changes. 

I also updated what I have been working on inside my queue, including the progress on some plots and stories I have completed.


Best,
Arya

[Arya]

June 08, 2021 Update:

I updated my storyline queue to let people know where I am on my questlines.

As a heads up, from July 1st to July 14th, I will not be scheduling any events. I will be doing something for 4th of July and I think I want to take advantage of a go-easier-on-me period.

If I am topside, I am doing an adhoc (on a whim), working on items, or answering questions. I will be avoiding as much DM time as possible in that period, to make sure I pace myself properly. There has been no drama or anything! :-)


Thanks!

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

June 14, 2021 Update:

Come June 19th, I will be heading either to North Texas or to southern New Mexico to visit family. My in-game time will be sparse for a few days, but I will be available for RP on Discord. I will be back on Tuesday just in time for ALA (Library association, not Anime LA!) Virtual Conference 2021.

Thank you!

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

July 13, 2021 Update:

As noticed, I am partly back on DM duty again. After Avenging Mother Dearest and a private questline wraps up, I will be likely taking another few weeks of downtime. I am going to need to have a moment before I start my next big plot. Depending on when the epilogue of either happens and when my mother decides it is time to head to Washington, I may be off DM-duty a little longer. Hopefully though not too much longer. I will try to do something in-between to keep some activity.

The Wasington part is up in the air for now.


Best,
Arya

[Arya]

July 26, 2021 Update:

• My DM Profile has been tidied up. Mostly the same content, but tried to remove a few words under playstyles and personalities I rather avoid, content I rather avoid, and the miscellaneous notes. Some minor rewording, etc.

• I have updated my Storyline queue. I am still not taking solicited quest requests because I have a lot of other DM responsibilities to take care of in the next few weeks, and save energy for two personal questlines and a bigger storyline.

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

July 27, 2021 Update: 

In addition to updating the sections on playstyles and personalities I rather avoid, content I rather avoid, and the miscellaneous notes to be more concise and approachable, and updated my Storyline queue, I have also updated my Specialties section involving things I am excited to learn about. All of this is in my DM Profile. 

You will see me posting a bit of plots, for I am about to wrap up a lot of arcs so I can get started on some others. 

Best,
Arya

[Arya]

September 25, 2021 Update:

Take note of my quest queue update here.

Also note, though I am far less occupied with questlines right now, I am in the most intense, tail-end part of committee work that requires I read dozens of chapter books before November. Between this and wanting to reserve energy for an upcoming big (but not server storyline) plot plus another multi-prong story, I will still not be taking anymore storyline commissions.

Anticipate that I will be doing a slow-build on those hinted storylines right now, and will really start kicking off in the following year if I do not reach anything in October. 

Best,
Arya