The timer is set for 15 minutes, because I need to get up and walk around. I have occasional lower back issues, and this past week was a doozy. I can’t focus enough for a cohesive piece of writing, particularly because I can’t sit for too long. So it’s a stream of consciousness type of post, in an effort to hold onto that slippery writing mojo.
*****
When the only comfortable position I can maintain is lying on my side, I turn to television. Over the last two weeks I watched both seasons of Red Oaks, an Amazon Prime original. I loved it for many reasons:
- Each episode is about 25 minutes, and each season has ten episodes. It’s binge watching that doesn’t bring the rest of your life to a screeching halt.
- It is a comedy.
- It is set at a New Jersey country club in the summer of 1985. The hairstyles alone are hysterical.
- The only actors I knew were Paul Reiser, Jennifer Gray, and Richard Kind. The men were both on Mad About You, which is my favorite show ever, until it jumped the shark and they had a baby named Mabel.
*****
I’m attending a cocktail-attire event on Saturday, and my typical four-inch heels are painful at best, but most likely impossible. I ordered four pairs of lower heeled shoes online, and one of them will work. They are lacking the fashion-forwardness I enjoy in a pair of shoes, and it hurts me to sacrifice fashion for comfort. But at least I am now standing upright.
*****
We went sofa shopping on Saturday, and while comparing two, the full-of-sh*t salesman likened them to a Subaru and a Maserati. One was double the price of the other, and Matt continued the analogy by saying, “They may be a Subaru and a Maserati, but I don’t need a Maserati to drive to the grocery store.”
We ordered the Subaru sofa.
*****
By Monday I was able to put on my own socks. In my world, that is newsworthy. Oh, and my timer just went off, so excuse me while I get up and walk around for five minutes.
*****
Our guest bedroom is the one room in the house (besides the laundry room) that has never been painted. I finally hired someone to paint it, but when I told him the color, I accidentally gave him the wrong color number. Fortunately it’s only one shade darker, and it still looks good. As my family would say, #TypicalDana.
*****
I participated in a heated discussion about pronunciation the other night, and I posed this question: Are these words pronounced differently? Mary, merry, marry. To me, they are pronounced three different ways. Mary with the “air” sound, merry with the “eh” sound, and marry with the short /a/ sound. Not everyone agreed with me, and a lively debate ensued. Each party refused to budge, but we laughed a lot.
*****
Between the two of us, Matt and I can handle most things. We are fairly intelligent and knowledgeable, and even when faced with the uncertainties of parenting, at least one of us can usually figure out how to muddle through.
We met our match: rush. Or is it a proper noun, Rush? As in our college freshman rushing a sorority, which is an expression I didn’t even know existed until recently. Neither of us have ever felt so clueless, even when that freshman was a crying, pooping, peeing newborn. Fortunately, our baby is perfectly capable of navigating her way through rush; she is now pledging a sorority, and is thrilled with her new sisters. I’m relieved that I can start feeling a little bit smart again.
*****
To close, I have a dilemma that I’m hoping one of my three readers can solve. I love reading, but the state of my back demands that I no longer lounge in bed or on the sofa with a good book. I’m contemplating various hands-free book stands that would allow me to sit upright without holding a book up in front of me. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!
Until next week…when hopefully my head will be in the game and my back will be spasm-free.
I have never watched dRed Oaks, but a guy I graduated high school with is one of the screenwriters!! He also wrote the screen play for the movie The Campaign that starred Weill Ferrell & Zack Galifinanakis. 🙂
That’s so cool! It’s a great show.
Ok, so when I started to get back issues and couldn’t move without swearing a blue streak, I finally caved and booked a chiropractor appointment. As the daughter of a pediatrician this was SO not on. But. After taking 20 minutes to walk to the car and get myself behind the wheel, I was so ready for help. One procedure and poof! She was my new best friend. I could have kissed her. My back felt remarkably better. She asked me a zillion questions and I told her I suspected pain due to all my sitting I do. She smiled and said yes and also attributed it to my 2 inch heel boots. New boots. Gave me several exercises to do and while I’ve had pain since (latest bout a result of exuberant snow shoveling) it’s been better. I do hope you’re on the mend.
Sorry to hear about your back. Mine has also been annoyed with my sitting and blogging so I stood at the kitchen counter to work last week. This week it’s cooperating more.
My mother-in-law’s name was Mary and my father-in-law pronounced it as you do with an emphasis on the MAIR, almost as if he were singing it. I pronounce Mary like marry, and merry like you do. I grew up in the south and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I finally realized that pin and pen should be pronounced differently. I always had so much trouble with phonics, but I think you can understand why… 😉
I just ordered myself a standing desk, so I’m hoping that will help!
It never occurred to me that pin and pen would be pronounced the same, but that’s because I’m not from the south! (Regardless of what my northern neighbors say, Maryland is not the south.)
Dana, I’m so sorry I’m just reading to this now. My week was a doozy last week, and I totally understand back pain. My low back gives me trouble sometimes too – yet another thing we share. 🙁 (**sitting up straighter at my writing desk now, 90-90-90***). I hope by now you have some relief and could enjoy your cocktail event on Saturday.
Don’t apologize, Julia – thanks for your well wishes. The event wasn’t bad; the shoes helped. I’m still recovering, but I’m getting there.
Ugh I’m so sorry about your back! I have no good ideas for reading alternatives but I bet someone does.
I loved Red Oaks! I’ve been binging on Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce
I’m off bingeing for awhile, but I’ll keep that one in mind! I may get one of those reading stands with a telescoping arm so it can be at eye level, or even face down so I can read on my back. I do see more audiobooks in my future though!
I’m soooooo sorry about your back. And I hate that it affects your reading. That just sucks. I don’t know what I would do. I never rushed, but my roommate did. Girls have it much easier than guys!
They really do! I did hear of one sorority hazing, but it was not the one Gwen is pledging.
I feel you on the back pain, Dana. It is no fun whatsoever and quite debilitating. Praying for a speedy recovery! I laughed at the Subaru/Maserati analogy. I can just imagine you wanting to smack the crap out of that salesman! LOL
I kinda did, Alison! He was a nice guy, but he was full of it – stereotypical salesman.
Oh no, I’m so sorry about your back! 🙁
I definitely pronounce Mary, merry, and marry differently, though I suppose it’s subtle.
I’ve heard of rushing a sorority, but I think I knew that from movies. Wesleyan had exactly one sorority and I didn’t know a single person in it, so my knowledge about rushing certainly wasn’t from my own college experience 😉
I’m learning that it’s not necessarily like the movies. Gwen has a good head on her shoulders and knows what she wants, so I’m confident that she’s doing what works for her.
Oh, the Mary, merry, marry debate is so interesting. I think I say them all the same way…
You’re not the only one!
My mom always talks about the Mary, merry, marry thing. I thought I said them all the same way but now I need to go pronounce them aloud alone in the bathroom! Cassidy will like that.
Sofa shopping is not my favorite!
Sororities are not my forte – I wish her much happiness with the Greek life.
Thanks, Tamara. She’s loving meeting so many new people – it helps make a big school seem smaller.
Loved reading your thoughts (even thought I was privy to them on recent walks- it is like I got an advanced copy of your blog!) lucky me!
I’m sure you’re tired of hearing all of my thoughts, Erica!
I recently started reading your posts and am thoroughly enjoying them. I especially appreciate the suggestions for books to read.
So sorry that you are having back issues. Hopefully you will feel better soon!
Thanks Andi – and thank you for reading! Hope you are doing well. 🙂
Please help me Dana! Recently you described about 6 books you liked. I can’t seem to find that blog. I think one of the books was by local author Laura Lipman. It was not the blog called My Top Seven Books of 2016.
Several of them interested me and I wanted to buy one or 2 for my kindle. We are leaving Thursday and traveling to Cuba and so I needed some new books.
Thanks so much. Hope your therapy is helping your back.
Do all writers have lower back issues? Me too! What about audio books? Not the same, but it could break it up.
For the record, I believe there are two ways to say merry/marry/Mary. The a way and the e way.
Stretch, ice, and breathe.
I think the back issues are from sitting too long, so I’m working on taking frequent breaks. I do listen to audio books, especially when I go for walks, which is my only form of exercise right now.
Omg, I am right there with you. I have lower back issues, too and this week my back also flared and haven’t had an episode since last July. So, not sure why this week and couldn’t pin point it, but all been taking more time away from the computer because I can’t sit for too long of stretches either. Sorry to hear that you too are suffering and sending some good thoughts your way that this too shall pass for you, as well now.
Thanks, Janine. Yes – definitely take breaks from sitting. That’s one of the main reasons I have back issues!