A Wish for Less
I miss subtlety. I miss allusion, hints, intimation and mere suggestions. This is not a moment of wistfulness that is unfamiliar to me, but what brought about this latest attack of longing for a light touch was watching the trailer for Let Me In, the American version of Let The Right One In. The Swedish…
Parallel Reality
The first time I realized just how different my reality was from that of other people was several years ago when I was recounting a visit to my rheumatologist to a couple of friends. I talked about how one of the assessment tools she used in the physical exam was to press on the sides…
Accomplishments
It is my habit to write something thoughtful and pondering – although hopefully not ponderous – on the last day of the year, sort of summing up the theme of the past 12 months. This year, however, it could be argued that I’ve already done that – early this month, I wrote about finally getting…
Do You Lose When You Gain?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about learning to protect myself. About finally getting it. Finally acting in accordance with my alleged intelligence and bowing out of the celebrations for International Day for People with Disabilities because if I didn’t, there was a significant risk that I would lose several months of my life…
Larger Than Life
Those of you who – breathlessly? – follow the ramblings that I call my tweets – know that I spent last weekend doing two things: working and watching Lawrence of Arabia. I found out that I tried watching it once before and that I’d only made it about 41 min. in before abandoning the effort….
The Worst of Times and the Best of Times
For as long as I can remember, I have been the worst case scenario. When I was growing up, there weren’t a lot of options in terms of treating RA or JRA (now called Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis). And when I say there weren’t a lot of options, I mean there really wasn’t more than one,…
Ironies
This was the plan: on Saturday, September 11, a small church in Florida (very ironically called the Dove World Outreach Center) would commemorate the tragedy of 9/11 by burning copies of the Qur’an. Despite this church only having 50 members, the issue took over the media, as such a hateful act naturally should, people from…
What If
It’s been hard to ignore, but I’ve done my best, mentally erasing the implications of the two marks just below my left knee, the tiny ends of the suture waving back at me with a decidedly insouciant air. They’re right there, couldn’t be more in the my field of vision if they tried and every…
Ponderings upon Mole Removal
Updated June 11, 2022 Once, I spent some time in an outpatient clinic waiting to have two moles removed. I’d been there before, in fact, it’s the remaining two moles of the triangle on my leg that now need to come off. Largely for preventative purposes, I think — the dermatologist was moving very quickly…
Mindlessness
It’s official. I’ve totally lost control of my life. I get up each morning to email in two places and a browser filled with open tabs – love the wee buggers, but if you start the day with that much work lurking, it’s hard not to feel like Sisyphus. The last couple of weeks before…
Getting It
I was at the Market the other day, getting myself some red leaf lettuce, leaves crinkled into tight waves of deepest green and darkest red, put a yellow pepper next to it, watching the colors spark off each other. Waiting to cash out, I made funny faces for a little boy in a stroller, not…
Seeking Inspiration
I’m stalled out. Again. I overdid a bit. Again. I didn’t realize until it’s too late. Again. Will I ever learn? After a week of sitting as still as I’m capable in an attempt to heal, there hasn’t been much progress. I have thoroughly lost my sense of humour, but I’m not sure if that…