(Monday)
So if the temp pushes towards 90 and the humidity is too... recalling -20 kind of helps, but not much? I got 'caught in the heat' more than I wished today, considering I was wearing black jeans in a black car and the blower fan is currently in-need-of-repair (i.e. not working). I can look on the bright side, because a previous black car in hot summer had an overheating radiator that forced me to run the heater on high when I drove until I could get it replaced - mobile sauna, basically.
Yet today's trip synchronized in unexpected ways. I drove out in the area by the farm I grew up on to check on a deep freezer that was offered, but it was too big for my car and getting quite aged. I meandered a little bit, and happened to be driving by the end of the farm driveway as a car was preparing to turn in. We talked through the open window, and I told the lady my dad used to own the farm. She asked if I lived nearby, and when I said I'd been looking a freezer, she said...
They had several from an auction and wanted to clear some out, if I'd like one for free. Aside from a small freezer that fit easily in my hatchback, we visited on the farm! I shared a few stories of the buildings, things my dad had done, where the black-raspberry patch used to be (now grown in weeds, previous owner didn't take care of it). They purchased it last fall and this is their first summer, so she was glad of the information.
Okay, so I also gathered some more stinging nettle since it was near the barn and I had my gloves with, and her son gave me some extra rhubarb and her name is Sarah (my daughter is Sera). It's the first time I've been on the farm since 1998 and it was a totally awesome 'chance meeting', but I didn't stay long -.
On a more worrisome note, Val's been sick with a fever for two days; moderate headache and achy. This afternoon her fever was pushing towards 104, she was trying to get under quilts despite the heat and chills set in; I was told to cool her off in the tub (poor kid, it was 'lightly warm') to get her fever down. Tylenol took her fever down to around 100, but at bedtime her foot was twitching like a muscle spasm. This relaxed out, but it'd happened in previous night too. Sigh.
Call me a Nervous Nellie, but our local Public Health Nurse was busy when I tried to call (easy way to check for 'what's local') and the clinic triage nurse was also 'on hold'. My daughter called for Urgent Care appointment, and - they had absolutely no appointments available. Despite my reluctance to recommend ER, when Val's temp spiked again by 10 p.m., she was back under several blankets shaking and after her foot / ankle spasmed again for several minutes... I did recommend she go in.
Without typical signs of strep or other causes it seemed unusual enough for concern. Stiff neck, headache, some chest pressure, no gut disturbance - I just don't know what this adds up to and chose to err on the side of caution. Hopefully it's just a passing bug, but when this kid's 'too sick to complain' - she's sick. I 'net searched with her symptoms to see if there was a match within the state since mosquitoes and ticks are thick along with swine flu. I can usually get a handle on this, but sometimes it's beyond my experience.
(That was Monday evening. Granddaughter & daughter came home around 1 a.m. with a potential diagnosis of Lyme's - our area is known for it. No rash or other typical indication.)
Today I've been watching The Kid after a quick run in to fetch her prescription home, and took her to Dr. Hand (chiropractor) in case of pinched nerve / foot connection. She's still knocked out by whatever it is and hasn't moved much today. Heat and humidity are high, but storms passed north of us - I watched them go by; my son in southern Minnesota called while tornado sirens were sounding there. I managed to minimize the Grande Disaster growing in the kitchen after yesterday and if things get a little more normal around here I won't mind!
Yes, my assignments will be late, despite starting them this weekend. I didn't get back on them in the chaos and lost time and sleep while baking myself silly in a hot car - mentally drained, but recuperating as much as Val is. Truth of it, we're in better shape than much of the world, and for that - I can be grateful. All I need now is my mind back.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Subtle Mind Meditation (class) and a Little Life... :)
Subtle Mind meditation: focusing on breathing and letting go of thought, about 20 minutes.
The practices in this meditation are common to many teachings, especially those of eastern cultures. Bringing your awareness back to your breathing helps the mind allow random thoughts to wander through without hanging on to them. Breathing is to be done in a normal, relaxed manner instead of a controlled, forced pattern frequently advised.
I agree this can be beneficial, but this will depend on the person and the moment. If there's much physical or mental discomfort occurring, trying to force yourself through the practice is nearly impossible. Attempting to do so then will create a sense of failure and self-judgment, which undermines the goal of the meditation. Allowing yourself to experience the meditation within your own comfort levels while persisting in the practice will generate better results - I think. This may be ten minutes or simply recognizing your mental turmoil, but this itself is worthy progress.
Part of the goal of this exercise is for the awareness of breath to calm and slow the mind as the two become balanced. I'd recommend people that are new to this to personalize it to their needs and not allow any sense of failure as they work with it. Also, I've found my focus on breathing is most relaxing if I extend it through my whole body - head to toe, like a balloon filling. This seems to help relax all muscles for me.
_______________
And the rest of life in my world...
"Sera, can I deprive Valleri of her senses?" - This question tended to cause a bit of a disturbance, but I was exploring the Ganzfeld experiment of sensory deprivation and needed some test subjects. I figured a kid that isn't yet locked into preconceived notions would be a good volunteer, and if necessary it wouldn't cost much to bribe her.
She's not unwilling, but her mother is a twitchy-type (hard to believe this if you know her mother, hm?). Sera instantly recalled an episode of "Paranormal" where the investigator used a similar device to better tune in to the negative energies haunting a young girl; this led her to empathatically declare she'd never risk 'opening her mind in case Evil was lurking!'
I'm not sure why she thinks a pack of spiritual nasties are waiting to leap on her, but it may have something to do with her frequent reading of Stephen King and related authors. She drives through a fog growing nervous as she recalls a story by that name; I drive through a heavy fog hoping to come out in the Emerald City. You see the difference in our thinking.
I haven't Ganzfeld-ed enough to have an opinion yet, and any interested readers can google "Ganzfeld" for more information - also DIY (do it yourself) Ganzfeld will return homemade methods. Anyone with experience on this, please share?
__________________
On the home front, the pond-to-capture-runoff-from-the-driveway is working fine. Just it filled completely and ran over the other side anyway. I found a used sump-pump last summer, and it was the first opportunity to test its practicality. I dropped it in the pond, carefully plugged in the connections after drying the rain off them, and wow! Within a few minutes the level was drastically reduced, thus allowing the pond to refill again.
I will need to figure out filters, in that we continually get wash-out coming from the neighbor's; a lot of sand being carried down with the rain. I could get creative with a half-buried drain line covered with landscape cloth or something? "Water in, sand out."
At least I'm not 'on call' to monitor a puddle forming outside my bedroom door or trying to shovel the water away; if anything, I can simply plug in the pump and take the pond down a few inches. And if we lose power, I'll send Val out with a bucket to bail. :)
While it rains, I'll work on assignments.
The practices in this meditation are common to many teachings, especially those of eastern cultures. Bringing your awareness back to your breathing helps the mind allow random thoughts to wander through without hanging on to them. Breathing is to be done in a normal, relaxed manner instead of a controlled, forced pattern frequently advised.
I agree this can be beneficial, but this will depend on the person and the moment. If there's much physical or mental discomfort occurring, trying to force yourself through the practice is nearly impossible. Attempting to do so then will create a sense of failure and self-judgment, which undermines the goal of the meditation. Allowing yourself to experience the meditation within your own comfort levels while persisting in the practice will generate better results - I think. This may be ten minutes or simply recognizing your mental turmoil, but this itself is worthy progress.
Part of the goal of this exercise is for the awareness of breath to calm and slow the mind as the two become balanced. I'd recommend people that are new to this to personalize it to their needs and not allow any sense of failure as they work with it. Also, I've found my focus on breathing is most relaxing if I extend it through my whole body - head to toe, like a balloon filling. This seems to help relax all muscles for me.
_______________
And the rest of life in my world...
"Sera, can I deprive Valleri of her senses?" - This question tended to cause a bit of a disturbance, but I was exploring the Ganzfeld experiment of sensory deprivation and needed some test subjects. I figured a kid that isn't yet locked into preconceived notions would be a good volunteer, and if necessary it wouldn't cost much to bribe her.
She's not unwilling, but her mother is a twitchy-type (hard to believe this if you know her mother, hm?). Sera instantly recalled an episode of "Paranormal" where the investigator used a similar device to better tune in to the negative energies haunting a young girl; this led her to empathatically declare she'd never risk 'opening her mind in case Evil was lurking!'
I'm not sure why she thinks a pack of spiritual nasties are waiting to leap on her, but it may have something to do with her frequent reading of Stephen King and related authors. She drives through a fog growing nervous as she recalls a story by that name; I drive through a heavy fog hoping to come out in the Emerald City. You see the difference in our thinking.
I haven't Ganzfeld-ed enough to have an opinion yet, and any interested readers can google "Ganzfeld" for more information - also DIY (do it yourself) Ganzfeld will return homemade methods. Anyone with experience on this, please share?
__________________
On the home front, the pond-to-capture-runoff-from-the-driveway is working fine. Just it filled completely and ran over the other side anyway. I found a used sump-pump last summer, and it was the first opportunity to test its practicality. I dropped it in the pond, carefully plugged in the connections after drying the rain off them, and wow! Within a few minutes the level was drastically reduced, thus allowing the pond to refill again.
I will need to figure out filters, in that we continually get wash-out coming from the neighbor's; a lot of sand being carried down with the rain. I could get creative with a half-buried drain line covered with landscape cloth or something? "Water in, sand out."
At least I'm not 'on call' to monitor a puddle forming outside my bedroom door or trying to shovel the water away; if anything, I can simply plug in the pump and take the pond down a few inches. And if we lose power, I'll send Val out with a bucket to bail. :)
While it rains, I'll work on assignments.
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