Today is One Of Those Days. We were supposed to have some sun and reach fifty degrees. Instead, it is (again) grey, gloomy, 43, and we are under a wind advisory, so with the Wind Chill Factor, the real-feel temperature is more like 36. I feel cheated and fussy. On top of all of that, I am on Day Two of Not Sleeping Well, so I am achy and crabby. I desperately need some sleep, or I am in for a Major Headache Event. Why not just grab a nap? I hear my Dear Readers asking. And Today's Post Is Born.
Here are
3 Basic Things I Wish I Could Do, But I Cannot
1. Nap. I have never been able to sleep during the day. It is impossible for me to do. I can't even simply Lie Down unless I am ill. All that happens is that I see or think of things that Need To Be Done, perseverate over them, and then get up and do them. I can't even imagine being able to actually fall asleep during the day.
2. Drink Soda. Because I am on Topamax (medicine to help prevent migraine), I cannot drink anything carbonated. Do you know how many nice cocktails this eliminates for me? Do you know how I crave a Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Root Beer every once in a while? The reaction of the Topamax and the carbonation not only tastes horrible, but the foaming in my mouth is bizarre.
3. Back A Car Out With Confidence. Oh my god, this is the worst. First of all, turning around to do it hurts my neck like crazy. Second of all, I worry about the front of the car hitting whatever is next to it. Finally, I have zero depth perception/distance judgment. We have lived at our residence for thirty-two years, and I still dread backing out of our driveway which, in my defense, has a goofy jog in it and is bordered by a fence on one side and our house on the other. Nightmare.
See how lucky you all are? (And talented!)
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I think that this comment may make it to you. The google system is once again showing my name above the publish button, as if it intends on allowing me the privilege of commenting here. Sorry about your weather, hope your head feels better.
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--Yep, here you are! So far, my head is fine. Thanks for the kind concern.
ReplyDeleteClearly you need help! First, you may be a prime candidate for learning mind/thought control — whatever it takes — trial and error with different interventions, including meditation, or instrumental only music of a calming but pleasurable type you enjoy, other means. Secondly, I would never recommend carbonated beverages, so just put that out of your mind. Select some warm beverage to your taste if you must drink. Finally, back into your drive so you can drive forward when you leave. Well, what-the-heck, it’s worth a try! I would now predict you will come up with all sorts of reasons to justify why none of these suggestions will work for you. Ha!
ReplyDeletejoared--But...I still have to back in to the drive, so it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. I should have been more specific--backing in or out is my nemesis.
DeleteI agree that drinking soda is bad; I only miss it once in a great while, and I would love a vodka tonic every once in a while, or as I said, the rare Dr. Pepper or root beer. I get insanely bored with water; I dislike tea.
You know I had heard that Topamax made sodas taste weird but I don't notice it; kind of wish it did as I need to cut them out. What dose do you take? I just started a week ago
ReplyDeleteRose--I take 300 mg. twice a day, but even at 100, I noticed it immediately. I was stepped up very gradually, but even then, I got lots of side effects very severely: rapid weight loss/anorexia, severe sinus infection, disorientation and short term memory loss. It's a tough drug, but for my chronic migraine, it was a blessing. If it wasn't for something so severe, I'd have never continued with it.
DeleteThat would suck to have the taste of something you enjoy changed by a medication you need.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a napper either but once in a while---like 5-6 times a year---I seem to have no choice but to lay down and get a couple of quality hours of sleep. Sleep is a battleground for me, too. I don't get enough.
The not having the ability to fully turn your neck when backing up was enough to make sure my last few cars all had back up cameras on them. I even had an after market one installed for $700 on one. They are wonderful! Joared's suggestion to back into my garage didn't work for me because my driveway is uphill and it was impossible to see the garage while trying to do that.
Jean--My son got a new car a couple of years ago, and he has a backup camera. It was hard for him to get used to using it, and I don't know if he fully does, even now. It sounds like heaven to me, and worth the money.
DeleteBacking in and backing out are the same thing for me. Not sure how they would be different.
At the risk of Mansplainin', ..... Rear cameras aren't the end all be all, just another tool. You shouldn't have to turn your head, except to check for cross traffic, ideally you should be able to use your mirrors. Finding and using landmarks can work for regular places. You can buy 'stick in the ground' reflectors. When looking in your side mirrors, use the side of your car for perspective as to how close you are to things, and what you are headed for, try to keep the two sides even between the reflectors/pavement etc. It's not a race, go slow, you'll probably get better with practice.
DeleteWhat can help me with sleep is monitoring my breathing, the rate and quality. I've heard patterns to use, but I find as long as I pay attention to however I'm breathing it helps (This is basically meditation) I may think "In" "Out" with each breath. If (when) my mind wanders, I just go back to paying attention to my breath.
BTW I gave up commercial carbonated drinks as part of my Dolt 45 protest when it became president. I also closed my Wells Fargo checking, because they have been caught screwing consumers before and since. Moved my money to a Credit Union.
DeleteSillyak--Ah, yes, the Use Your Mirrors theory. Reminds me of all the parallel parking wisdom I got and tried frantically to wade through--pointlessly--failed it, then did it achingly slowly, holding my breath and winging it before I finally passed. If I Used My Mirrors, I would never get out of the driveway, ever.
DeleteMy current sleep situation is one where I am waking in the wee hours with hiccups or pain. Broken sleep is my enemy. I have several strategies to get myself back to sleep, but the quality of the sleep after I awaken is poor.
I love my teachers' credit union and have been a member for decades. And, like you, I have a list of companies and products that I don't use because of their practices and politics. I vote with my money as well as my ballot!
Ahh, the broken nights sleep, I consider that one of nature's cruel hoaxes. My whole life I looked forward to the time when I could sleep in late, all I wanted etc. 8+ to be sure (6 is most common now)
DeleteI have a rear end camera, and it is very useful. It is most useful to me when backing out of a parking stall, especially if I am surrounded by huge SUVs that I cannot see past. Are you in the market for a new car? Most new ones have them standard now. Or heck, a new to you car that has one will work too!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry your head is bothering you. I hope you can stave off an attack.
I never used to be able to nap either, but then I had my daughter and boom, napping in the middle of the day happens more often than I would like. I sit on the couch and just doze. It's kind of nice.
Have we had a discussion about melatonin? I feel like we have. But it also seems to be very much an individual thing, it works wonders for my daughter and me, not so much for my husband and son.
Gina--Not in the market for a new car as of now. Our cars are really reliable and have been terrific performers. They are both hybrids and have not needed anything other than regular maintenance since we got them in 2007 and 2010.
DeleteMy neurologist has recommended slow-release melatonin before, but I haven't used it. I don't have trouble falling asleep, just staying asleep every once in a while. These cycles pass, and then I'm okay. And I hate to introduce One More Thing when I'm trying to get my D and B12 levels under control.
I'm glad you can nap! I know it's very restorative, and it's highly recommended.
Ugh, I'm so sorry about your dreary weather and that you're not sleeping well. When I don't sleep well, I'm a wreck. I am a talented napper, and often grab one on my lunch hour (working from home has benefits beyond not needing a shower to work, and no commute).
ReplyDeleteWhat if you pulled into your driveway/garage as usual, and then Rick went and moved the car, backing it in for you? That wouldln't help you in a parking garage or parking lot, but at least at home you wouldn't have to deal with it. I also have crappy depth perception, but thankfully I can turn my head and don't have trouble backing out, unless I am surrounded by SUVs, as Gina mentioned.
J@jj--I think you should add that to your resume: Talented Napper. Love it.
DeleteI know that if I asked Rick to do that for me, he would, but I would feel like a snot. "Hey, Rick. After a long day of work and a 35 minute commute home, would you then park your car, pull mine out, and back it in? Thanks from your retired wife who just wants a little bit easier day."
Here in Ohio, Land Of Huge Trucks And SUVs, where my Prius is an oddity, I am always parked next to an Urban Assault Vehicle. This is why, in parking lots, I almost always A. Park far away and enjoy a walk to the establishment; and B. Commit the sin of Pulling Through The Empty Space Ahead Of Me. Jared especially hates the fact that I do B., but I am always careful and observant. It's just safer than trying to back out blind next to two massive SUVs or pickups.
My wife is impressed (she says) with my backing ability. I drove a Fire engine, so you have to have a few skills. However, I pull thru into MT spaces when available, and I seek them out, because it's JUST EASIER and safer.
DeleteWhen we lived in Xenia I learned to back out using my mirrors - I was amazed that it actually worked! Although the downside was that I would often forget to check the sidewalk to make sure there wasn’t a pedestrian behind me (!!!!). My father backs into every parking space wherever he goes - maybe the 35 years of working at UPS instilled that into him? I don’t do that because I’m in too big of a hurry at all times and it takes, oh, about 30 extra seconds. Although, as we know, I can’t really park very well. Maybe backing in would improve that?
ReplyDeleteI very rarely nap. I find that it either makes me nauseated (why?), cranky, or disturbs my sleep at night. Which is having enough trouble these days thank you very much. When I was a child my other learned pretty quickly to not let me nap - she decided that a kid who slept at night was more important!
*mother* Ha!
DeleteBug--Oh, those UPS drivers! They are expert drivers! I've never seen one park anyplace but on a street or up against a commercial building, however, and gum up the traffic works. LOL.
DeleteI worry that a nap in the day would, indeed, take away from my nighttime sleep. Or make me groggy if I set an alarm for the recommended 20 min nap. See how complex it all gets?
I can't nap either - even if I am drop-dead tired, if I lie down, I'm WIDE awake!
ReplyDeleteBridget--See, you get it!
DeleteI can't nap either. I'm not sure if it's my New England puritanical upbringing or my mother's (imaginary) voice, but I just can't lie down during the day without feeling guilty (unless I'm horribly ill, in which case I feel awful which is nearly as bad as guilty.) The same applies to watching TV - I can't bring myself to turn it on and sit down during the day (I actually don't do it alone at night, either - the systems we have now are so complex that it requires something like 4 remotes to turn everything on -including the stupid surroundsound speaker that MrL insisted would enhance our viewing pleasure and which does nothing for me.) I'm not going to talk about backing in except to say that one of the banes of my existence here in England is that I have to parallel park in the street in front of my house every time I come home (pretty standard here in England, where space is limited). I am probably much better at it now than I was when we moved abroad (there was a lot of that in Korea, too) but I still Hate and Despise it. Also,on the off chance you missed it, I want to encourage you to go to McSweeney's internet tendency (website) and find the article, "DANTE’S NINE CIRCLES OF HELL, REIMAGINED FOR LINGUISTIC TRANSGRESSIONS" (sorry about all caps, I copied and pasted and am too idle to bother to go back and retype) and pay special attention to the 6th circle. It's like they had read your post. Happy two days before Thanksgiving! x
ReplyDeleteMsCaroline--We recently got a SmartTV, recommended by Sam, our youngest. I hate it. I just want to turn on the TV and that's IT. This thing is a SmartAssTV, which makes me feel stupid and keeps NOT doing what I want it to, instead acting as if it has No Idea what I'm talking about, and doing something else or nothing at all.
DeleteSurround sound would make me nuts. One year, Sam (again!) hooked up our stereo speakers to the television, assuring us we would love it and it would be great. It was not great. Not great at all. In a matter of moments after he left and we tried valiantly to watch an entire program with the sound behind us and all over the room, I gave up. Never again.
Just zipped over to McSweeney's and read DNCoHRfLT (Circle 4); thank you and how delightful. I keep forgetting about that site and how much fun it is.
xo
I have a backup camera. i am elated about how much this helps. the worst fear is that some little old lady (other than me) stops to chat with a friend behind my car. because my neck is fried too.
ReplyDeleteMary--Hee hee. At that point, you put it in park and walk over to ask them to move along. Don't use the horn if they're too old!
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