Yesterday I spent most of my day trying to drain my body of stress. I woke up early and by early I was having my dreaded pulsing shoulder pinch. I relaxed, breathed, ate, drank some coffee and then it got worse. So I wrote to the office that I would be WFH (working from home). And I promptly slowed down.
I took a short but elaborately prepared bath, with warm water, candle-light, 600mg of Naproxen Sodium and about a hit and half off a six month old resin ball. The best part was the water and music. I listened and was nicely transported by Blonde Redhead’s “Misery is a Butterfly” album. I can never spend too much time in the tub, so I got out when the water started getting cool. That bathtub is only big enough for an eight-year-old anyway. I tend to feel a little ridiculous having to keep my legs and feet perched on the sides in order to get my torso under the water without sending all of it into the drain. Never the less I was nicely able to listen to music while bathing so I’m still quite grateful for my luxuries.
Then I made myself a little tuna-fish salad and sat to watch some internet-tv.
All the while I’m trying to do things to calm this dull throbbing pinch in my right shoulder. It’s NEVER lasted this long. Eventually I went back to bed for an hour or so.
I tried a cold pack, until I read that what I really need is a hot compress. That was difficult to achieve because I didn’t have a heating pack. I just had to warm and re-warm a washcloth.
I had a great mexican dinner by myself at Cafe Moose? Why mexican food? because both rice and beans and avocado are all high in fiber. One of the points of stress comes from trying to poop when you have a low fiber diet. I didn’t think of that originally, but it was a good discovery.
The moral of the story is that I hit a big wall. The writing on the wall says: no more than one cup of coffee per day, eat WAY more vegetables than you’re eating, get back into the gym, and you’ve got to start meditating at home, rather than “working.” Meditation, the hot pack and the ibuprofen worked wonders.
The pain is still here by the way. It’s not as bad right now, but since I’m at work, we’ll see what happens. I’m going to make an appointment with the in house masseuse.
For a change of subject – here are some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve come across in some time. I’ve been listening, like I mentioned earlier, to Blonde Redhead a lot lately. The lyrics below are from my favorite song, “Maddening Cloud” More than the lyrics though, the sound of the organ’s chords climbing while the guitar descends is kind of maddening and charming, and despairing, like two tumbling lovers struggling against love.
“Maddening Cloud”
Sure you can look back
If it means moving on
And you can take me back
But you must come home
We are both in a maddening cloud
And you can touch me there
Just don’t leave me alone
And you can call me softly
When I dream and ask for more
You can slow and fold and mold my mind
And she said
I can’t feel my toes
And she must be alone
And far too cold
And he stares
Like he doesn’t see
He must be scared
And far too lost
Under and over
We must have glanced
Face to face
We’ve had to dance
We’re both in a maddening cloud
Sure you can step back
If it means moving on
And you take me back
But you must be alone
You can choke and smoke and rock my mind
Listen -
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Good to read what you are up to. Hope the pinch is gone!
I have taken to buying “All Bran – Bran Buds” and sprinkling them like topping on whatever other cereal I am eating for breakfast. My wife taught me to be a cereal mixer, I just use it to keep me regular. If you don’t eat breakfast…. you should. Takes the edge off of coffee.
I listened to that song you quoted here, then had to go buy the whole album. It’s beautiful and eerie, and that Maddening Cloud song is probably the best song on the album.