Random musings

[aadler]

Ever notice how, when other people describe the dreams they had, it’s never really that interesting? And yet our own dreams are intensely interesting to us. Probably because the dream-mind bypasses the judgment filters of our conscious mind, and hits us at an emotional level.

Last night I dreamed I was spending time with the first girl I ever dated (I won’t even say how many years ago, because just thinking about it makes me feel ancient). In the dream, she’d spent most of her life as a nun but just recently left the cloistered life behind, and she and I were suddenly getting along really well (whereas in real life she lost interest in me very quickly and never regained it). However, I also had to deal with the awareness — which kept resurfacing, even in the dream — that I did have a wife in the background that was going to pose a problem for any gauzy fantasies …

Boring, right? But it sure kept hold of me while it was going on.

***

My work week starts on Saturday, so now I’m a week and a half into my work-from-home stint. It’s better than the first time I did that, for three reasons. First, our central air is working properly again, so I’m more comfortable in the room I use as an office; second, the overhead light got repaired, so I don’t have to use a pole lamp in the corner for illumination; third, remembering the previous stint, I made sure to bring the large computer monitor and keyboard this time, which makes everything a lot easier.

I hadn’t really recognized at first how lucky Susan and I were, until the shutdown became more widespread: we’re able to work from home, so the change has affected us very little. In fact, contrasted to those who’ve had to dip into savings or even face genuine hardship, we’re actually saving money, because 1) less spent on gas, 2) more time spent cooking at home.

I don’t in any way feel that we’re undeserving, but I am aware that we’re not necessarily more deserving than so many who don’t share our fortunate positioning.

***

Out of nowhere — no stress, no injury, nothing to trigger it — my right knee got stiff. Then it got more stiff. Then there started being actual pain in there. Just over three days, it got so bad I could barely hobble. This afternoon, I got a couple of naproxen from Susan, hoping that the anti-inflammatory effects would help …

It was a friggin’ miracle. Within two hours, I was almost back to normal.

It’s been easy to take my good health for granted. No fun to be reminded just how fragile that can be, or how quickly it can change for no visible reason. Still, for now I can go back to rejoicing in ease of physical motion.

***

I caught Blow the Man Down in streaming video over the weekend. Weird little movie, quite nicely done. What felt strangest, though, was seeing Annette O’Toole with gray hair and wrinkles. Time flies, and poops on us on the way over.

***

No idea what’s coming next in my life. Let’s watch and find out.