Friday, October 31, 2008

Creativity

I spent four days in bed, recovering from a bout of gastroenteritis. During that time, I didn't even have the energy to read --- mostly I listened to the radio. But my mind was clear and active and extremely creative. I designed all kinds of art projects in my head and composed these entries to my blog. This experience verified what I've long thought: that some kind of deprivation, together with time to think, stimulates creativity. For example, if I read a lot, I don't write as much. If I'm deprived of reading material, I make it up in my head. When I visit someone else's house and find the decor unappealing --- that is, when I'm deprived of a satisfying environment --- I sit and mentally redecorate.

Think of the quilters from Gee's Bend who were isolated in so many ways: racially, economically, geographically. They were almost forced by these deficits to find a creative outlet in the quilts that were a necessity for their families. Many authors, artists and composers overcame physical and emotional handicaps or deficits to create the world's great art. An author I recently read posited that since the residents of the British Isles are geographically confined and no longer have a world-wide empire, no frontiers, they're forced to look inward and have thereby created great literature and theater.

Maybe as we live though a contracting economy and begin to feel deprived of material goods and even security, we'll notice an up-surge in creativity. More about that later.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Something I Recently Learned About: FLU

Flu, or more properly, influenza, is an upper respiratory disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include chills and fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness, and general discomfort.

What we commonly call stomach flu, is not flu at all. It's properly called gastroenteritis and can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or tainted food. Some of the symptoms overlap with the symptoms of real flu: chills and fever, headache, general discomfort. But the distinctive symptoms of gastroenteritis are diarrhea and sometimes vomiting.

There's no magic cure for either condition: drink plenty of water, rest, take ibuprofin or aceteminaphen to reduce fever and pain. Each disease will usually run its course. You may feel wretched for a day or so and weak and tired after the acute symptoms have abated. But except in the rare case of complications, you'll eventually recover as I have, after a recent bout of gastroenteritis.

Remember, if it's all in your head and chest, it's flu. If it's in your stomach and intestinal tract, it's gastroenteritis.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Old Women

One of the staff members at the exercise studio where I work out, was recently married. She's only 19 years old, and seemingly out of the blue, she came to work one day and said, "I got married yesterday." She seemed depressed, (though there may have been another reason for that).

In subsequent conversations, we've learned that her husband is in the Army and will be deployed to Iraq after the first of the year. It also seems that this was not a shotgun wedding.

I've been noticing how the women who come to work out --- mostly older women of grandmother age --- have been encouraging and supporting the young, new wife. We ask about the dress and jewelry she wore, we act excited and hopeful. We share our own stories of early married life. A picture of the bride and groom is now posted for everyone to see, along with a sign that says, "Congratulations!" As days have passed, we continue to speak about her marriage in a positive way. She's happier now.

Of course we have no idea how this couple will fare in years to come, but I'm glad to see that the age-old system of wise old women supporting young inexperienced women is still flourishing.

Grocery List

We keep a grocery list posted on the refrigerator door, a place where both my husband and I can write down items we've run out of or food we'd like to have in the near future.

This week, the items I wrote on the list included:
onions
bananas
potatoes
orange juice
cottage cheese
milk
bread
rice cakes
chicken

My husband added:
mayonaise
butter
sour cream
Ranch salad dressing

Has he never heard of cholesterol?