Midlife Musings

If the statement, ‘You are what you eat’ was true, I would be a _______.

What is the most important thing in any relationship?

Hmm, is cup of coffee totally not an edible? Ok, I would be a frozen entree, so everyone would know exactly how many calories were in me, and this would help them in their weight loss goals.

One piece of music? It would definitely have to be one that was religious in nature. Perhaps “I’m Going Home”.

Commitment and Discipline. More than emotion, more than fun, more than sex, the decision to stick with it, and the guts to continue in that decision no matter what are the most important things.

I realized the other day that it has been 15 years since I had a good cry. That’s kinda….weird. I mean, no wonder I feel so stressed, it’s because I am stressed. I always tell myself, when I am stifling my emotions, that I will cry later, at a more convenient time. Apparently, in 15 years, there has not been a convenient time.

Did you know that scientists have proven that our tears contain chemicals that need to be purged from our bodies, and that the act of crying allows us to release tension and stress and confront life feeling refreshed? Yeah.

From Wiki:

3. Crying or weeping (psychic tears): The third category, generally referred to as crying or weeping, is increased lacrimation due to strong emotional stress, depression or physical pain. This practice is not restricted to negative emotions; many people cry when extremely happy. In humans, emotional tears can be accompanied by reddening of the face and sobbing — cough-like, convulsive breathing, sometimes involving spasms of the whole upper body. Tears brought about by emotions have a different chemical make up than those for lubrication; emotional tears contain more of the protein-based hormones prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leucine enkephalin (a natural painkiller) than basal or reflex tears. The limbic system is involved in production of basic emotional drives, such as anger, fear, etc. The limbic system, specifically the hypothalamus, also has a degree of control over the autonomic system. The parasympathetic branch of the autonomic system controls the lacrimal glands via the neurotransmitter acetylcholine through both the nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. When these receptors are activated, the lacrimal gland is stimulated to produce tears.[2]

In nearly all cultures, crying is seen as a specific act associated with tears trickling down the cheeks and accompanied by characteristic sobbing sounds. Emotional triggers are most often anger and grief, but crying can also be triggered by sadness, joy, fear, laughter or humor, frustration, remorse or other strongly-experienced emotions.

Sometimes being able to “handle it” is not as good for you as you might think. Frankly, the only way to “handle it” is to stifle emotions or just shut them or, or a combination of the two, which is what works for me. But with stifling, the emotions are still there, under the surface, ready to pounce on you (the stifler), when you least expect it, and with shutting off, you end up cold and unfeeling. And that is how I came to be sitting here as a stone cold bitty, who explodes with negative emotions at the slightest provocation.

Yep, sucks to be me, but I am working on it.

It’s nice to see you! I thought you’d forgotten all about me over here. Oh no. That’s me who’s been missing, isn’t it? I am sorry, life has reached a level of interesting that only Chinese Fortune Tellers could appreciate, and there’s been little time for blogging. I’ve been having a hard time focusing when I could blog, and the result has just been…me being frantic. You know what I realized just a few minutes ago? I’d been forgetting to pray over my days. Or have my friend pray over mine while I pray over hers. I am telling you that it’s amazing how much difference that makes. The whole day just goes so much smoother! Frantic is not a style that suits me, I am much more comfortable in “classic”.

Classic. Like Kate Hepburn. Classic. Like Marilyn Monroe. Classic. Like Jane Seymour. Classic. Like Mariska Hargitay. Classic. Like Emily Proctor. You know all those ladies just look so…competent, you know? You never see/saw any of them running around with their head cut off. Well, except MM, but who can discuss classic without at least mentioning her, and off screen, she was pretty level headed. And they always look great! Regal even. In these gals, classic style translates to class, and thats … the way I want to be–both classic and classy.

What’s your style? Dockers wants to know, and they want to know badly enough that they are sponsoring a TV commercial contest, and the winner’s commercial will be played during the Tonight Show. How slick is that? Of course, I feel creative as a turnip today, and so all I can think of is a screen full of me walking away in a pair of their classic cut pants. That might be a little more of me than I want on national television, ROFL! Perhaps you can come up with a better idea for the Dockers contest. Or perhaps you are nervy enough to paste your backside in primetime. Either way, it should be fun!

Talking to one of my sons.

Seriously, I just misspelled seriously as seriuosly. That’s how bad my head hurts. It hurts badly enough that I am considering going to the walk-in clinic instead of waiting for the physical appointment I made for May 30th. And if I had health insurance, I might even possibly go to the ER. My eyeballs are bugged out from the pressure and pain, Walgreens Migraine Relief is my frined, and I am one unhappy camper.

The other day at the library I picked up a book. Amazing, right? A book at the library? And honestly, it was more like a month ago, but I just finished it Sunday. Let There Be Clothes by Lynn Schnurnberger is a magazine-like book that covers the world of fashion from pre-history to 1990. (As an aside, is there really such a thing as pre-history? I mean, history is the story of the world, and what came before that? Nothing. And so what’s to tell? Nothing. So there can be no prehistory. OTOH, people sometimes use the term to mean before recorded history, but they always use it in the context of “during prehistoric times blahblahblah”, so they are recording what happened. Ergo, it’s not pre-history. D’uh)

I enjoyed the book, especially once I quit trying to read it word for word, and just browsed it like a catalog. There are numerous pictures on every page, and they are well labeled so you know exactly what you are looking at. It’s a fun read for someone who is into clothes or history or just knowledge for the sake of knowledge (that would be me, on all counts). I don’t think I’d buy it, but it’s a nice book nonetheless. And hefty, weighing in at 432 pages! Set aside a lazy Saturday, and give it a look, if your library has it.

Who is the black sheep in your family/group?
If you were a character from a book, what character would you be?
What’s your favorite accent?

Yes, these questions are from last week. But that’s ok, I am ready to Manic Monday, and the new ones aren’t up yet.

Black Sheep: I have this uncle. No, I actually have two uncles, one on either side………and that’s all on that. I guess I might also qualify as a black sheep, depending on the family/group we are discussing. It just seems like my life is one interesting adventure after another, kinda like the Chinese curse kind of interesting, yk?

If I were a character from a book, I would be…leading an even more adventurous life than I already have! Seriously, who needs the extra drama (say that with the short a sound in the middle). The life I have isn’t easy, and it’s quite busy, but it’s the one God gave me, so I will keep it. Also, I identify with the heroine in almost every book I read, unless I am identifying with the hero instead, as happened in The Time Traveler’s Wife and Matrimony. Also, I maybe would not mind being Claire for just a few days, provided they were days where she and Jamie were comfortable ensconced in a cozy……..ok, done.

My favorite accent, is a British one, particularly as delivered by Pete. You ought to hear him read American history. Sounds nothing like Jamie. Verra different, verra good all the same. I read his blog, which is all tech speak, just so I can hear him talk. Yes, I “hear” blogs. I don’t “hear” books. Weird? Maybe so, although now that I have actually heard Diana Gabaldon speak, I imagine I will forever “hear” her as Claire.