Glorious Independence and the Sleep Cure in Everyday Ramblings

This are Kes’s sturdy crocuses. She sent me a picture a couple of weeks ago with them partially covered in snow but we are through that now and on the other side. This is the first year in a long time where I can say that I am truly enjoying the extra light in the evening because it hasn’t rained much.

Of course this is worrisome for the snow pack and the general health of our ecosystem but we all know we are adapting in big and small ways to climate change.

I walk home from class twice a week at almost exactly the same time and last night there was so much activity. People working out and standing around talking on the track and on the inside field, bearded men in kilts and boots with lots of tattoos (apparently that is a thing) and a whole assortment of gender fluid dressing out there.

And a lot of distracted driving. It pays to be an observant pedestrian these days.

Because of the weird shape of my ears I am having a time of it placing my hearing aids correctly. This week I finally had a makeup appointment (from a snow day cancelation) with my now beloved audiologist and she was able on multiple occasions to pop them in perfectly so I know they fit. We tested them and they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do.

So this is my challenge. I have about 7 weeks to fiddle with them every time I put them in to get them in there. I’ve said this before but I really mean it, if I can learn how to calmly stick an 18 gauge needle into my soul mate brat cat Sammy every day to give him fluids I can learn to get my darn hearing aids in properly.

I had a brief experience with this type of thing also this week because I did something on my Things I Don’t Want to Do List. I called my cable Internet provider and actually canceled my cable service.

It was everything I dreaded (call center in India), confusing terms, they actually deactivated my cable while I was on the phone and I lost the call because I was talking to them on my VPN phone. But I got it done.

Now I need to send back my remote and cable box. But I was stymied by how to actually remove the coaxial cables attached to it. First I tried pliers and then I employed YouTube. After that I sent an IM to Most Honorable. I kept thinking oh gosh I am going to need to get a cable guy out here just to take the darn box and upsell me on a new router or modem or something….

It all brought clearly into focus how much I value my independence and how fleeting I know it is, contingent on good health and financial resources.

After a dish washing distraction interlude I got an adjustable wrench from my handsome big red toolbox and took a deep breath and gathered all I had learned and figured it out. The cables screw on backwards from any other type of thing one would use this technology for.

If I can do that, I can learn how to get my hearing aids in properly, right???

Work is still awful but less intensely so. That is a major relief. I can pay attention to other things right this moment.

On Sunday I get to take a three hour yoga teacher training workshop with the yoga anatomy teacher I most admire. I have never met her in person though I have followed her columns for years and watched a number of her videos so this is exciting.

I am also this week doing these strength-building practices that involve isometric muscle engagement that are challenging to say the least. The other night I was trying to get to sleep and all these muscles I didn’t even know I had in my upper body were firing. It is cool, there is a Facebook page with folks checking in from all over the world.

Oh and speaking of sleep, I had four students in class last night and three of them fell asleep during the guided meditation and relaxation at the end! It made me laugh in a delighted way. If they fell asleep it means they needed to. Surfacing that is a very good thing.

And that they felt comfortable enough…sweet.