Today was a day of ups and downs – literally! I woke up at 9:00am, spoke to Eric, and then thought about my friend, Tifney, and how nice it would be to meet her for lunch. I went on the computer and there was an email from Tifney, telling me she wanted to meet for lunch, but had to get her car washed, so she wanted to meet at a Shell station near the office where there is a great deli. She called it our “Ghetto Car Wash Lunch.”
Actually the truth is, the food was delicious! I had a Tuna Special on sourdough bread with sprouts, lettuce, tomato and avocado. It came with a bag of chips and a drink. The only drink they had that wasn’t carbonated was Lemonade, which was too sweet, but I just took a few sips anyway.
We sat outside at one of the few empty tables (this is obviously the place to go at lunchtime – get your car washed, eat good food – multi-tasking at it’s very best). The sun was shining and it was so glorious. I talked about how I’m so tempted to go back to NY earlier than planned, especially if I’m not working, but then I said, “Sitting out here in the beginning of January with the sun shining, is the only reason why I’m staying!” Tifney had to agree. The winter weather in San Diego cannot be beat. So, for now, I’ll stay put, but I still think I could move back in March or April, rather than May!
Tifney is great and I always have a lot of fun with her. Life with her is an adventure! We laughed a lot, filled each other in on what’s going on, and then she was back to work and I was back to the apartment. I was tempted to go to STARBUCKS, but I really needed to work on my typing project. So, instead of taking a long walk and feeling good about myself for exercising, I typed for a few hours and felt good about myself because I’m almost finished with the book. I actually finished the text and just have to type all the references, which are a pain, because it’s all names, dates, page numbers, etc., and then the Index and then “About the Author” and then – Fini!
I could sit for hours and type, type, type, because it doesn’t bore me or bother me, but my neck, shoulders and upper back get SO stiff. I try to relax and sit in a good position, but it’s hard to maintain and I find myself tensing up and my shoulders are right under my ears. I complained to my massage therapist that I feel extreme pain if I have to reach behind my back – like if you’re zipping up a zipper – and she said it’s because the muscles that connect my arms to my shoulders are shortened, because they’re always in a forward position, because of my typing, and very rarely in a stretched or extended position.
She showed me some exercises to do to try to stretch those muscles and tendons, but it’s SO painful that I can only do it a little at a time. Yoga helps, because inevitably we do one or another position that makes me feel that pain, but I just breathe through it and know it’s the only way to fix it. Anyway, typing for more than an hour or two at a time is unbearable, which is why this project has taken me so long.
I should be able to finish tomorrow, which means that I can start my decoupage project at last. I emailed the woman for whom I am making the box and apologized for not getting it to her sooner. I haven’t heard back from her, so she either didn’t get my email yet or she hates my guts and never wants to speak to me again! I’m pretty sure it’s the former, but I am so guilt-ridden because she gave me all the stuff to do the box before I left the firm on November 22nd and now it’s January 7th – six weeks! I know she’s not in a rush for it, but I still feel bad. It’s the old Jewish Guilt. Oy!
So, tonight I was talking on the phone with my friend, Susan, and she fell and she banged her head (right by the eyebrow) and her ribs. Thank God she didn’t split her head open, but she thought she cracked a rib. I felt SO bad, because she was distracted by talking to me and now she had to make a trip to the emergency room.
I just hung up with her and she said she was in and out of there in about an hour, which is great. They said the x-rays looked fine and she could have a slight crack but they don’t do anything except give you pain pills and something to breathe into, to make sure you keep breathing full breaths. A lot of times you take shortened breaths when you have a cracked rib and it’s not good for your lungs.
They just told her to limit her movement and try not to cough. I really am so worried about her and I hope she is able to get a good night’s sleep. Oy! More J.G. (Jewish Guilt!). I hope you feel better soon, Susan!!
I didn’t do much tonight, other than type and watch TV. I’m hoping to get to bed early and get out tomorrow for a nice walk to STARBUCKS, and then finally finish this book!