Libertad's Journal

03/15/2011 17:59 #53834

My first kiss

I don't think much of my first kiss maybe because I didn't really like it. I think I was about 13 and it happened with my next door neighbor, Kelly. It was more something that had to be done rather than me wanting it. One day we got off the school bus and it happened in her driveway. I don't even remember who initiated it, I barely remember having a relationship with her or even how it ended. It's strange, I don't really remember a lot of things and it is maybe because I don't want to.

I'm sort of mad that my first kiss was like this. I suppose they are always awkward and often forced but I wish it was with a guy. It was very hard to deny who I was and to pretend to myself and to everyone else. It was just a very difficult time in my life filled with a lot of confusion. It didn't help that we lived in the country and I didn't really know what was normal until some time after I left. Why am I telling you all this?

P.S. I like the topic suggestions.

metalpeter - 03/16/11 16:53
I like the suggestions to but haven't done one yet............

libertad - 03/15/11 20:58
I do remember now and she initiated it. It wasn't entirely bad either. So strange to even think about this, I don't think back and laugh.

paul - 03/15/11 20:25
I added that one because I really don't remember who my first kiss was.

tinypliny - 03/15/11 20:06
That is very poignantly funny for some reason...

03/12/2011 09:42 #53810

Sigh of relief

This is how close our family cottage came to flooding. The river (Susquehanna) crested late yesterday and is now going down. In the flood of 72 the water reached the top of the second floor! We are all relieved not to have to clean up the mess.

03/07/2011 20:06 #53780

My gut is shrinking

If I start going to the spinning classes 2x's a week it should be gone by the time I go to Florida at the end of April at the rate it has shrunk already.

The one thing that might get in the way of my work out routine and my life in general is my wrist. I started getting dull pain in the right wrist about 6 months ago. My right wrist is my dominant and I believe it is related to repetitive actions and working on the computer. It freaked me out a bit and I started taking glucosamine. So far I have taken a 100 of them and the pain has been on and off since then. Now the pain is on and I am recently out of glucosamine and am not sure if it is worth continuing. From what I understand glucosamine really can't harm you but the scientific data is inconclusive as to whether it really helps with joints or not.

I definitely need some help in ergonomics at work and at home. I'm pretty sure the first thing I need to start with is the mouse. Not sure what I should do really. I question going to a doctor for this particular thing because I'm not really sure what they can do for me. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what to do? Any kind of advice about ergonomic mice or whatever? I don't know if it is carpel tunnel or if it is the beginning of arthritis or what.

libertad - 03/08/11 18:41
Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I appreciate it very much.

tinypliny - 03/08/11 07:56
I am not sure that glucasamine has successfully been cleared by clinical trials especially for the indication you seem to taking it for. Please be careful. Most of the time, non-drug routes are several times more effective than popping a pill and I know that you definitely know that.

tinypliny - 03/08/11 07:53
You could try a tablet and a stylus as a mouse replacement. It's like using a pen (that does not involve lateral pressure on the wrist joint) for mouse activities. I absolutely LOVE my tablet and stylus because it has completely eliminated the shooting wrist pains I used to have earlier. However (e:Jim) did not seem to like it so much, so it depends on what you prefer, really.

Ergonomic placement of keyboards is also an extremely important point. The keyboard should be placed so that it's at a slightly lower level than your elbow joint. This is so that your forearm can slope naturally towards the keyboard in a "drapey" fashion without any muscle tension anywhere.

Also, it is important to remember that RSI is not altogether computer-related. If you use the lateral wrist movement with pressure all the time (for eg. cleaning, scrubbing, knitting, other small-range repetitive movements), your carpal tunnel will bear the stress and shear. It's a good exercise to make a count of all the activities that are small-range repetitive and see how you can modify them with ergonomic solutions - like using long-handled cleaning implements to shift the fulcrum away from your wrist or knitting with a ton of breaks and thicker needles...

paul - 03/07/11 22:15
...and congrats on the gut shrinking ;)

paul - 03/07/11 22:14
They have special keyboard that should be massive help with this. (e:jim) has one. I used to have wrist problems a long time ago, they went away a lot once I started typing with both hands and more fingers. The one thing that still bothers me is push ups. I have to do them gripping two hand weights instead of palm flat down.

heidi - 03/07/11 20:19
I've had that twingey wrist problem before - I can usually make it go away by immobilizing my wrist(s) while I sleep so that the tissue can heal. I've been using skater wrist guards, although I'm guessing that any drug store would have cheap braces. I'm always shocked at how quickly it clears up with just immobilization.

I also try to improve the general ergonomics of my workspace - 90 degrees at the elbow, 90 degrees at the knee, mouse close by, etc. Here's a text-heavy Cornell guide :::link::: and mouse tips in particular :::link:::

02/26/2011 23:05 #53741

Creep Center Market

Mike and I went to the Clarence Center Flea Market today. Here is a bit of the creepy.

Still have the post mortem photos for sale. I'm sort of surprised nobody snagged those yet. I'm not sure I would buy those for $35 for the entire set even though I sort of want to see the rest of them.