Friday, August 29, 2003

Eaten Alive but Feeling Okay About It For the Time Being

I’m getting nibbles.  It’s not that I’m trying to sell anything or looking for work or to hire somebody.  These are actual nibbles.  And since I dont’ do the icthycide thing, you know it’s not my rod and reel that are getting the attention - not even euphemistically.  What I have, rather, is a series of three little welts on the back of my right hand.  Wednesday morning it was one at the base of my thumb.  Thursday I awoke to find a new one a bit below the knuckle of my index finger.  And now today, it’s yet another one down on the side of the ball of my palm. 

(Aside, to those who have negative opinions on housepets: One thing I’m pretty certain of is that these didn’t come from a parasite that lives on our dog or cat.  The dog gets treated monthly and is very clean.  And I actually bathed the cat last night since she’s a fat lazy slob, and I saw absolutely no flea dirt or that sort of distastefulness.  Whatever it is, it ain’t the pets.)

All three are in a tidy straight line.  I’d think it was one bite, travelling around - but as I type up these notes (which I wrote on the bus) I see all three making a bug-bite exclamation point.  And they itch.  Or, more accurately, each of the itched when I discovered it.  In my wisdom and restraint I have attacked my itchy bites until I de-epidermized them.  Benefit: less itchy.  Drawback: a tad gruesome.  It amazes me that all the bites are in the same area, in a line, since I slept in different positions and totally under the covers.  But nature’s majesty knows no bounds, neither in the loftiest peak nor the smallest bloodsucking parasite.  Oops - lost my equanimity. 

Regaining equanimity: Tomorrow Kel and I return to Philo for two days and nights of quiet, clarity and relaxation, thanks to gracious and generous friends with a lovely warm cabin on 20 unfenced acres.  We’ll walk among the redwoods, visit the banks of the Navarro river; we’ll eat wholesome food and we’ll breathe air that the trees have just exhaled.  The dog will accompany us, which gives me great satisfaction - such a good dog deserves a hillside to romp on, off leash and laughing as dogs indeed do laugh. 

(Noted in my notebook: The bus just unexpectedly turned up Larkin at the Century Theater-and-25-cent-video-arcade (("Military: No Cover! Coming Soon: Summer Cummings!)) - something has apparently caught fire on O’Farrell and it’s caused us to make a route change due to the hook-n-ladders and pumpers in the middle of the street.  Hmm.  Those sound like, respectively, the performers and clientele of the Century.)

It’s been a bit of a grind of a week, as perhaps my posts suggest.  Lots of heavy stuff, long nights, full days.  I’m not complaining, but I’m ready to rejuvenate - but I still have one more full day to endure and I need that powerburst to lift me over this last set of hurdles.  My dream last night (in which I was criticized harshly for having stained and discolored teeth) for some reason still bothers me; I un-set my alarm somehow and woke up late, leaving me no time to do my yoga and clear my mind.  So instead I will recall a few nice things people have said to me in the past week or three:

* You’re such a nice deviation. (From the office manager of a non-profit where I volunteer, who stopped by to drop off some work for me to do.)

* You look fly today.  (From a coworker who is youthful and stylish.)

* We owe you so much - here, have some chocolate.  Really, have more.  (From boss and co-worker in a planning and strategy meeting.)

* 33 (from a stranger-cum-new friend who asked my age and was told to guess first.)

* You’re the first one who’s really listened to me.  I appreciate that.  (From a friend facing a big decision and getting a lot of advice that wasn’t too helpful.)

* You’re a life-saver!  (Accompanying a Starbunks gift certificate, given to me by the ED of a program we fund for doing my job, which is helping people fill out forms correctly so I don’t have to call them later and make them do it again.)

* Hmmm.  Nice apples.  (Context omitted due to modesty.)

That feels better.  I’ll see you all next week, and for all of you Aussie tennis players, Happy Laver Day.