Snail’s Pace

I’m working this week, but at a snail’s pace.  It follows on the heels of the overly productive faux ivory experiments, and new newsletter.  On Monday, I pulled a muscle in my back at Curves.  At the time, the twinge didn’t bother me much, and I figured I’d just work through it.  But it’s been getting worse as I’ve continued to push that muscle, and so today I didn’t go workout.  I need to go get another Thermalcare patch and take it easy this weekend.  It’s one of those cramped up muscles under the shoulderblade, and it’s tight enough that I’m mildly nauseated when I move.  I was thinking this morning that I might need to head to the chiropractor again (ugh) because it’s the same set of muscles that are associated with my neck injury from 25 years ago.  (Which makes me think I actually put my neck out of whack instead of just the muscle.)

So this week I’ve been concentrating on domestic duties.  Getting blankets laundered, going through the sock basket, cleaning out the pantry.  Things I can do without sitting for long periods like I usually do.  I took over the cooking for the week and gave the kids a break;  I made up a corn salsa (sweet corn, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, salt) last night, and I’m going to make a quesadillas with it today for lunch.  Just little things I normally don’t do, but that make me feel productive. 

It’s taking the muscle issue as a clue that I need a change in routine, and trying to use the time wisely in a balanced way.  Oftentimes my routine is NOT balanced – deadlines breathing down my neck, classes to prep for, canes to make, paperwork.  But when something like this happens that forces me to pull my head up from my desk and look around, I choose to see it not as a setback.  It’s a tough choice, because my tendency is to grumble at the bit in my mouth and paw at the ground.  I hate setbacks!

But sometimes they have led to great creativity, as my mind has gotten a chance to chew on less intense things.  So with that possibility in mind, I’m doing anything BUT clay this week.