Tense.

After yesterday’s post I was TENSE. I had a very low mood all weekend and tons and tons of work to do still couldn’t get my neck and shoulder muscles to calm down so I could work.

So since I am prone to severe anxiety I decided I am going to start doing things about it. Here are my three things:

• Exercise. I took up light jogging over the summer as a way to manage my asthma. Well now I needed it as a way to manage my anxiety (and asthma). My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, my breathing was irregular. So I walked over to the gym center and the indoor track, where it was less likely for there to be a ton of people. And there weren’t and I jogged 3 laps and walked 2, and didn’t run out of breath. Not bad at all for a month since I tried jogging. So I’m jogging MWF and taking pilates TTh. And if this keeps up as a way to manage anxiety I will SO be ready for the zombie invasion.
• Knitting. Wow. You know, not until this summer did I really see the value of knitting for its’ own sake. Before it was knitting to socialize, knitting for the garments, knitting during television, knitting during class. Then suddenly I really got into just the KNITTING. I get it suddenly. Why you can knit for hours, even just stockinette. I am loving it. Especially with my current sweater. It’s amazing me.
• Talking to friends that make me laugh. Always always always a good thing.
• Lastly, Origins Peace of Mind on-the-spot relief stuff. This stuff is AMAZING. I have teeth grinding/TMJ problems. I was certain I would wake up this morning with a serious headache and shoulder ache from grinding all night. I put the Origins stuff on my temples last night to see if it would help me at all. WHOA. I woke up and while my head still hurt because of the tenseness I haven’t truly gotten rid of, it doesn’t feel at all like I ground my teeth during my sleep. Which is amazing. I need something bigger than .1 fl. oz. It’s (oils of) peppermint, basil, and eucalyptus apparently, so someday I will make friends with someone who makes oils or moisturizers or soaps or something and ask them to brew me a concoction just like it. But until then I’ll send my mom to Origins to get me a bigger tube of this stuff.

And so I begin my quest to control anxiety.

I also went to my school’s yarn club tonight! I am the sock knitting person, it seems. Another person asked if it would be okay if she asked me questions as she tries to knit socks for the second try. YES!!! I am so excited. I may be losing my sock-knitting mojo but I am more than happy to spread the sock-knitting love. This same person also said she wants to knit Thermal as her first sweater, after she tries socks, mittens, and makes herself a cool winter scarf. I told her she was braver than I. (I almost wanted to say HEY! LET’S DO A KAL! but since I won’t be around next semester, it seems silly to suggest now. Maybe if she hasn’t done it by next semester!)

Quick note:

Okay, so my math/econ class talked today about exactly what is going on with the economy, and I get how the $700 billion is supposed to revive the economy. However, I think the Swedish plan I linked to could be useful: the idea that the taxpayers should be paid back when the government sells the property back to the market, specifically. Also, the Dow went back up 450-something points today. Let’s not panic here. (Seriously, Stephanie.)

The sweater is MOVING! I will probably start the sleeves soon (either tonight or tomorrow—hopefully tonight; I’d like to show a more interesting progress picture tomorrow).

Oh, and I had 95% local food today. SO DELICIOUS. Best day in the cafeteria evar.