Quiet

This has been a quiet day. Intentionally quiet, as a couple of things have stressed me in the last two days.

I'm moderately irritated to learn that I still cannot use the dental appliance to chew. I had expected some kind of limitation, but not to still have a complete one. Still, I've lived with this for the last four months, I can live with it for another four. Its bred a certain fatalism. And then there's the stock market, which is pretty depressing. I updated a financial spreadsheet, and was shocked to learn that we'd lost twice as much as I had thought. We're not in trouble, and its not unbearable, its just a bit of a shock to think 'well, we have this much money' and come to find out, ah....not quite. More like 85% or so. Maybe a bit less. My wife reminds me that we're in this for the long haul, and that stock markets do recover. I need to focus on that. (Investment people say that, too, but her, I believe. And not just because her long haul is going to be longer than mine.)

One or two other things, too.

So I thought well, today I'm not going to do much. I'll read -- finish one book that's been lingering for a while (Debatable Space), which is now done -- I liked it, but I can see why someone would not -- and work on another (Twilight), which I also like, though its beginning to drag just a little bit. Not so much an urgency to find out what happens next as a feeling of okay, get on with it. What amazes me is that this is the first book of a trilogy (at least); I have no idea how the author can sustain this plot level. And, to be honest, I'm starting to get just a little antsy about the main character. She's way calmer about finding out something astonishing than I would be.

In a little bit, I'll start cooking dinner, and tonight, I hope, we'll go for a walk. I need the exercise. Despite my vow, I did weigh myself last night, and -- well, it wasn't pretty. Better today, but I need to keep it in mind (and not think of, say, that tray of uneaten brownies that we brought back from the reunion, or the two cake layers that I made over the weekend, now frozen in the downstairs freezer, or the strawberry and blueberry cake we made, brought to the reunion, and then brought back, only a quarter eaten, or the rolls, or ...). Exercise is a good thing. I need to work on strengthening my leg some more -- I still cannot easily get to my feet from a kneeling position unless I brace myself against a wall.

But for now, a little quiet is a good thing.