Tag Archives: headache

Not About My Aches and Lame

People who complain about their aches and pains are tiresome. However, today is Lame Post Friday and I can do whatever I want.

I suppose that is not exactly true. If I want to be strictly accurate, I would say I can post whatever I want to post. Oh, all right, that much is true every day. Never mind, let’s get on with today’s post so I can get back to enjoying my Friday.

Hmm, does that make this an ironic post: I will complain about my aches and pains then get back to enjoying myself? That might call for some half-baked philosophy to answer. Can we truly enjoy ourselves through pain? Does overcoming pain enhance or detract from our enjoyment? In short, does pain make us better people or is that just a rationalization we use to help us feel better about the pain?

What brought all this on was that my day of enjoyment with my dear husband has been overshadowed by a migraine. It started out as a sinus twinge when I woke up. I had some coffee and hoped for the best. Breakfast at Crazy Otto’s Diner kind of sort of helped. Then we took Tabby for a walk in the cold wind and the pain got worse.

Undaunted, I picked up my notebook and the map I had printed off the computer, and we set out. Butternut Barn Primitives and Dyn’s Cider Mill. My headache felt a little worse. I got some hot cider at Dyn’s. Sipping it helped. Fly Creek Cider Mill, Rustic Ridge Winery. The headache returned as soon as I had finished the cider. I resolutely ignored it and managed to enjoy the Mill and the Winery.

As we drove home the headache got worse and turned into a full-blown migraine with light sensitivity and upset stomach. When we got home I aet a few corn chips, so as not to have an empty stomach, and took some Migraine Relief and a nap. Getting up from the nap and asking Steven to make some coffee (Pumpkin Spice!), my headache seems to be dissipating. Again, I hope for the best.

I intend to write blog posts about each stop on the trip as well as the trip itself. Right now, this is my post. Thank you for playing.

What’s Wrong with Foolishness, Anyways?

I said I was not going to make any promises about Lame Post Friday and how right I was! At one point I actually thought there was a SLIGHT chance that I MIGHT come up with something not too contemptible to write about, but, well, it didn’t happen. I spent my breaks at work trying to write a letter to my sister and working on crossword and cryptogram puzzles (I’m getting really good at cryptograms) (although perhaps I flatter myself).

In my defense (yes, here I go with the excuses again) (go ahead, shake your head, your finger or your booty; you know the drill), I have suffered from headaches all week. What’s that all about? The changing weather, I suppose. I will add that I feel fortunate that I went a long time with very few headaches and that so far none of them have reached what I think of as nightmare proportions. So much for complaining (my older sister — not the one I was writing the letter to — says the more you complain, the longer God lets you live).

So here I am rattling on, feeling a bit sheepish that I shall post yet more foolishness. Then again, I always say go with your strengths. And once again, a virtue of my silly posts: I try to keep them short.

A Day in the Life of Me

Alas, it is another Saturday without Saturday Running Commentary. I did not even take a walk with Tabby or write post cards to walk to the post office with. It was pouring rain and I had a sinus headache. I must say I felt rather ill-used about it, because I have had one every day this week (headache, not rain. I don’t mind the rain). At least, I don’t know if it’s sinuses. It could be a migraine or tension or cluster or just a common or garden headache. IT DOESN’T MATTER!

In light of my aches and pains, I will offer a brief summary of my day’s activities. I had some coffee and took a hot shower in hopes of alleviating the headache. I know there are also drugs for these things, but I have indifferent success with those so only use them as a last resort.

I spoke on the phone with my mother, one sister and my friend Phyllis. I almost always talk to Mom on a Saturday. I talked to my sister to get some feedback on whether or not I should have a Halloween party this year (probably not). I hoped Phyllis would accompany me to an exhibit opening at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts in Little Falls (she was busy).

I felt I should try to do something blogworthy in spite of my headache, so I went to a rummage sale going on at Christ Episcopal Church in Herkimer. This is where I go to church, when I go to church, so I knew some of the ladies there. They told me I should return at 11 for the Blessing of the Animals (I didn’t, which is too bad, because I could have written a blog post about it).

I looked all around the sale. I was hoping to find some clothes suitable for ragging up to be my Third Witch costume for the scene from MacBeth I am in later this month. I purchased a purple graduation gown for a person 5′ 8″ to 6′. I don’t imagine I will use it as a witch, but if I do have a Halloween party, can’t you just picture Steven as the One-Eyed One-Horned Flying Purple People Eater?

Returning home, my headache was no better. I thought, black and white movie, cup of hot tea, sit on the couch and crochet the day away. I chose Dementia 13, part of a collection of Horror Classics. I’ve seen it before, but there were many parts I did not remember. I paused it when Steven came home for lunch.

After Steven returned to work and I watched the rest of the movie, I changed my shoes and once again ventured out. For one thing, I had to pick up a prescription. I also got a decongestant. I don’t remember what kind, but I had to bring a card to the pharmacist for it. I haven’t taken any yet.

Then I thought, oh what the hell, and went to Little Falls. It was a nice drive down Route 5S, although with less rain I could have appreciated the colored leaves more. I had a lovely time at the exhibit opening. I intend to write a blog post about it (preview of coming attractions).

Before returning home, I stopped at the grocery store. I had neglected to bring the list with me with the result that I remembered everything except dog treats. Tabby was nevertheless happy to see me when I returned home (she isn’t completely out of treats anyways). My headache had subsided but not left completely. I determined to write my blog post while debating the comparative merits of coffee, tea and wine.

And that bring us to the present time. I think now I will compile a list of all my activities in the last week or so that I intend to write a better blog post about. Or I will watch another horror movie and crochet some more. I hope you’re all enjoying your Saturday.

You’ve Been There, Right?

Sorry, folks, but it’s Tired Tuesday. I do have a post on a cheesy movie mostly written in my notebook. But it is only MOSTLY written, and it’s running long, as these posts tend to do. I just don’t feel like typing in that many words and I am clearly incapable of coming up with any more. On that topic, anyways. Apparently I can come up with some for a Tired Tuesday post.

My heinous cold drags on. I am better but just not better enough. You know how it is, just when you think, “Oh yeah, I got this,” you go off into a huge coughing jag that give you a headache or a sore gut or, worst of all, incontinence (curse you, middle age!). And the lightheaded, macroni-legged, heavy, awful SICK feeling. I list these symptoms not so much in the spirit of whining (although I fully expect to be accused of same) but with an air of “We’ve all been there.” Um, you’ve been there, haven’t you?

Be all that as it may, my writing has once again stagnated. I don’t know if I should blame the cold, the Ann Rule book I still have not finished, or my own lack of oomph. I suppose I had better blame myself. After all, personal responsibility is an empowering thing.

Then again, why assign blame at all? What is it with this finger-pointing, anyways? Didn’t your mother ever tell you it was impolite to point? A better thing to do right now, I believe, is to never mind WHY I haven’t written, but to write right now.

And oh, look, I did. Over 200 words of a fairly silly blog post. We’ll try for that cheesy movie write-up again on Wednesday.

A Post in the Blog is Worth Two in the Notebook

It is turning out to be a Wuss-out Wednesday. I see no reason to apologize for this, as I seem to get more likes for posts about Why I Can’t Write a Post than I get for what I continue to think of as “real” posts.

It did not start out to be Wuss-Out Wednesday. Early in the day I wrote an entire post about an authentic Mohawk Valley adventure I had. Then I went to work. While I worked, I thought of something else to write a blog post about. I even started writing it in my head. When the buzzer for the nine o’clock break rang, I grabbed my notebook and wrote frantically.

Well, what can I say? Things happen.

What happened, you may quite reasonably ask. Oh, never mind. Explanations are so tiresome and I do enough complaining as it is. I did, however, end up writing a good deal more of the second post I started.

So two posts in the notebook, and crap on the computer. What’s that all about, you may ask, another quite reasonable inquiry. The answer is, I don’t think either one is quite good enough to share with you, my beloved readers (ooh, here’s a Freudian typo: I started to type “freaders” Could that be a combination of “freaks” and “readers”) (not meaning to imply anything and no offense meant).

Without exactly complaining, I will just MENTION that I’ve had a headache all day. It is one thing to write frantically. I am just not up to editing.

So out I wuss. Happy Wednesday, everybody.

Light-headed and Light-hearted

I’m thinking no one is surprised that I am indulging in Lame Post Friday, least of all me.

In fact, I had thought to make at least a Pedestrian Post about a walk I took with Tabby this morning. Then as the day wore on, the headache I had yesterday did not go away, as expected (I didn’t mention I had a sinus headache yesterday, I believe as a result of recent cold temperatures or perhaps of spring pollens. I was pleased with myself that I managed to make a “real” post yesterday, but we all knew that wouldn’t last) (in fact, I had intended not to even mention the headache, because people who complain all the time about their aches and pains are tiresome) (oops). Where was I? Ah yes, I took a decongestant and have been lightheaded ever since.

And yet, it has been a good day. Good Friday, in fact. For Catholics a day of fasting and prayer. Of course any day is a good day for prayer and reflection. But Mohawk Valley Girl tries to stay off of politics and religion. I know, I’m a big chicken, scared of a little controversy and hate. Well, I am afraid of hate, but apparently not afraid to admit it. Yay, me.

This post is beginning to ramble if not babble. Sorry about that. Blame the decongestant, which is as good as dynamite to my sinuses, although not as loud. I certainly hope my brain comes back (I can just hear somebody saying, “Why? You never use it.” Oh that is so droll. If I say you are a wit, I am half right).

The only justification of a ridiculous post is that it be short. Happy Friday, everybody.

Running (in place) Commentary

My Boilermaker ambitions suffered a setback on Thursday when it was too dreadfully cold to run outdoors. It had also precipitated quite a bit on Wednesday, so there was more ice than I wanted to deal with. So I ran in place on the mini-tramp.

Running in place on the mini-tramp is not as easy as running outdoors on the sidewalk. My knees go higher and the pace is less leisurely. I did not run for as long as I did outdoors. I thought that would be OK, because I intended to run on Friday as well. This would work.

Then Friday I had the most horrendous headache. Perhaps you read my extremely lame blog post. That was a result of the pain. Sorry about that.

Today (Saturday) I woke up with the same headache, only not as bad. I had some coffee, ate breakfast and took some OTC migraine medicine. It seemed to help, but I was a little lightheaded. I decided to take my schnoodle, Tabby for a walk. It was not delightfully warm, but warm enough for walking. I wore my flood boots so I could navigate the puddles with impunity. Tabby doesn’t care if she gets her feet wet.

It was a nice, long walk, but when I got home I was all lightheaded again. I piddled and puttered around for a while, not wanting to run and feeling dreadfully guilty about not running. For one thing, how can I POSSIBLY run the Boilermaker if I don’t train properly? Registration is in one week. I must make an irrevocable decision soon.

On our walk earlier, I had observed myriad puddles, many of them lined with ice. I thought the mini-tramp was safer. It had the added advantage that if the exertion was just too much for me, I would already be home. “Just try,” I told myself (go ahead and quote Yoda at me; just try works for me!).

I actually did pretty good. The DVD I had been looking at while I ran Thursday was still in the machine, so I could continue my viewing of Nosferatu (the old, silent version, possibly the scariest movie ever made). I didn’t feel lightheaded any more. I ran a little further than I did on Thursday. Woohoo!

Of course I felt lightheaded as soon as I stopped running in place. No, I am not capable of running in place indefinitely to avoid feelings of lightheadedness. But I did what I could. Maybe this Boilermaker thing will work out for me.

Tune in tomorrow, when I might tell you all about the walk I took with Tabby.

Just Saying

Earlier today I wrote the title of a blog post. Then I drew a line under it and wrote a paragraph of a different blog post. Then I turned the page and wrote pretty much an entire other blog post.

And here I am, typing off the cuff. Yes, I am taking another Blogger’s Sick Day. I have had a dreadful headache for most of the day. I know, other people have debilitating headaches and manage to write decent blog posts, or at least not to complain to all and sundry about them. Well, you may have noticed previously, in most cases, I am not other people.

The sad thing is that last Friday I had a much worse headache and actually managed a not bad blog post. Or do I flatter myself? Probably. In my defense, I had that post already written and had merely to copy it.

Ah, my astute reader asks, what about the entire other blog post you mentioned in paragraph one? Can’t you just type that one in? Somehow, I just don’t feel I can. You see, I wrote about how I MIGHT run the Boilermaker. Only, you see, I wrote the post, but I did not come home and run. How hypocritical is that? A whole post about running the Boilermaker from a person who did NOT run? I can’t do it.

I did take my dog Tabby for a walk. As I walked, I reflected on a saying I made up earlier in the week:

Standing burns more calories than sitting, walking burns more calories than standing, running burns more calories than walking, and walking your dog is just always a good thing to do.

I will now try to come up with a silly headline and wish you all a pleasant Non-Sequitur Thursday.

Not Even a Non-Sequitur

This is the worse case of Writer’s Blank I’ve had in a while.

And writing that sentence did not seem to help.

Good God, can it be that I’ve run out of things to say? Wasn’t I just writing last week that it wasn’t like a bucket that got emptied? Oh well, I think I stole that metaphor. After all, plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery (and I bet the person I stole it from stole it from somebody else).

I seem to be moving from Non-Sequitur Thursday to I Got Nuthin’ Thursday.

In fact, I had a minor adventure I had been going to write about. It involved my husband’s car getting hung up in a snowbank at the end of our driveway. When I got to work and shared the story with a co-worker, I finished with, “Now I’ll go write a blog post about it.” Another co-worker said, “Now you have something to write in your blog,” before I had a chance to say that (yes, I told the story twice; I really don’t have that much excitement in my life).

Could this be an example of what they say concerning fiction writing? Don’t tell your plots to people, because you won’t need to write them any more. Did I talk myself out of a blog post?

I’m thinking I did not. It really was not all that good of a story. I just said the blog line to be cute.

And I see I have now written over 200 words about, once again, not writing a post. In my defense, I have a headache and I have been striving not to mention it, because people who go on about their aches and pains are tiresome. I won’t promise anything better for tomorrow, because it will be Lame Post Friday. However, there is a chance we’ll have some Saturday Running Commentary. I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Can’t Think of a Title, Either

Yes, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday. Again.

I had not meant to have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday, and by “had not meant,” of course I mean “thought in a vague sort of way.” Oh, well, I guess we all knew I was likely to have my wrist to my forehead by this time. These things happen. Especially to me.

I did have a Mohawk Valley adventure this morning, which I had meant to write about. I’m afraid that must be a preview of coming attractions, however, because I just don’t feel capable of writing about it today. Why is that? I DON’T KNOW!

In fact, I had a headache for most of the day. I had not meant to mention it, because people who complain all the time are tiresome. But that is why I did not feel inclined to write earlier. My head feels much better now (you see, I don’t complain ALL the time) but still not capable of writing.

The writing has been going very badly for a while now. However, one must not worry about these things. One must persevere and wait until things get better. Hmm… That is probably a good rule for many things in life. But that sounds more like some half-baked philosophy suitable for Lame Post Friday. Now there’s something to look forward to.