Channelling the Ghost of William James
This has been a very odd week. A number of strange things going on, including a mild case of blogger burnout. Being unsure of what that's about, I decided simply to not beat the begebus out of myself over it, and just observe what's making me not-tick at the moment...
It's been interesting, to say the least. I've wanted to read a lot more--probably because reading recharges my batteries--maybe because I just need some new thoughts in my head. I've also been wanting to talk more with people and had a couple of different kinds of meetings this week--one associated with a conference I'm working on, another with the head of a technology and economic development initiative (the notes from which will make a very good article.)
I've got three networking events on the agenda for next week. Let's see what happens.
and I'm going out to MIT tomorrow for a one-day conference deal. Will see lots of folks I know...
Maybe, too, I'm tired of writing for nothing and just want to move on--or just do more kinds of work where I'm guaranteed to get paid for it. Right now I have a couple of outstanding invoices, and I've peeved about not getting paid. So, yes, on some level I've had it with working independently....
This is, though the second case of blogger burnout in six months. Last time was back in September, when I thought I'd be working on some other projects and just kind of walked away from things for a bit. The other projects didn't pan out--but I kept mum anyway.
Another important thing I was able to observe this week was food allergies. We had chinese the other night--greasy spring roll and some fried shrimp sesame sauce thing. I knew something bad was going to happen when I started itching and getting a headache, so I took a couple of benedryl and advil before going to bed. But that didn't help what happened the next day--which included trouble breathing, passing out, skin aching (had to wear very soft clothes). Even my hair hurt.
That reaction was a combination of canola and soy. The canola makes me itch, the soy....well...
No more chinese food for me!
Last night I went out with friends for sushi. With soy sauce. I hadn't had a problem with soy sauce (that I was aware of), but noticed last night that I felt kind of like I was drunk, even though I hadn't been drinking. When I woke up this a.m., I felt like I had a really weird hangover--headache, tight throat, labored breathing, mental fog. Mental fog is part of the soy allergy (I know that part pretty well) but had never drawn a correlation between the labored breathing and throat tightening. I wondered what else in the sushi--rice perhaps?--I was allergic to.
Oh, and my eyes were watering a bit. Watery eyes are usually part of the egg and canola allergies.
And while I'm observing all this, I'm realizing that it's bloody well labor intensive to monitor what the heck I'm allergic to every time I eat something.
I'm begining to look at food with trepidation, and only feel good when I'm eating yogurt, fish, and fruit.
Who can survive on yogurt, fish and fruit?!?!?
Eating's getting to be a drag. I don't know when I'm going to get bloated, have horrific gas, feel like I'm choking, or wake up feeling like I want to pass out. Nowadays I feel that when I walk into a restaurant, I'm walking into a mine field full of edible, time-dealyed bombs. Who knows which one will go off once ingested...
It would be a lot easier--and less time consuming--if I could get a battery of allergy tests to have something of a clue as to what not to eat. To me, that would be a lot easier than eating something, having a reaction, thinking about what I ate, then trying to determine what it was that set my body into a reaction.
In some ways, it's like William James watching his mind figure out what to do in the morning--if getting out of bed was a viable option or not.
But I also step back and look at the bright side--and there is one. At least I know that part of what's going on is my food allergies....
getting rid of the writer's block, though, is a whole different thing. Right now, I can't pinpoint that one.
It's been interesting, to say the least. I've wanted to read a lot more--probably because reading recharges my batteries--maybe because I just need some new thoughts in my head. I've also been wanting to talk more with people and had a couple of different kinds of meetings this week--one associated with a conference I'm working on, another with the head of a technology and economic development initiative (the notes from which will make a very good article.)
I've got three networking events on the agenda for next week. Let's see what happens.
and I'm going out to MIT tomorrow for a one-day conference deal. Will see lots of folks I know...
Maybe, too, I'm tired of writing for nothing and just want to move on--or just do more kinds of work where I'm guaranteed to get paid for it. Right now I have a couple of outstanding invoices, and I've peeved about not getting paid. So, yes, on some level I've had it with working independently....
This is, though the second case of blogger burnout in six months. Last time was back in September, when I thought I'd be working on some other projects and just kind of walked away from things for a bit. The other projects didn't pan out--but I kept mum anyway.
Another important thing I was able to observe this week was food allergies. We had chinese the other night--greasy spring roll and some fried shrimp sesame sauce thing. I knew something bad was going to happen when I started itching and getting a headache, so I took a couple of benedryl and advil before going to bed. But that didn't help what happened the next day--which included trouble breathing, passing out, skin aching (had to wear very soft clothes). Even my hair hurt.
That reaction was a combination of canola and soy. The canola makes me itch, the soy....well...
No more chinese food for me!
Last night I went out with friends for sushi. With soy sauce. I hadn't had a problem with soy sauce (that I was aware of), but noticed last night that I felt kind of like I was drunk, even though I hadn't been drinking. When I woke up this a.m., I felt like I had a really weird hangover--headache, tight throat, labored breathing, mental fog. Mental fog is part of the soy allergy (I know that part pretty well) but had never drawn a correlation between the labored breathing and throat tightening. I wondered what else in the sushi--rice perhaps?--I was allergic to.
Oh, and my eyes were watering a bit. Watery eyes are usually part of the egg and canola allergies.
And while I'm observing all this, I'm realizing that it's bloody well labor intensive to monitor what the heck I'm allergic to every time I eat something.
I'm begining to look at food with trepidation, and only feel good when I'm eating yogurt, fish, and fruit.
Who can survive on yogurt, fish and fruit?!?!?
Eating's getting to be a drag. I don't know when I'm going to get bloated, have horrific gas, feel like I'm choking, or wake up feeling like I want to pass out. Nowadays I feel that when I walk into a restaurant, I'm walking into a mine field full of edible, time-dealyed bombs. Who knows which one will go off once ingested...
It would be a lot easier--and less time consuming--if I could get a battery of allergy tests to have something of a clue as to what not to eat. To me, that would be a lot easier than eating something, having a reaction, thinking about what I ate, then trying to determine what it was that set my body into a reaction.
In some ways, it's like William James watching his mind figure out what to do in the morning--if getting out of bed was a viable option or not.
But I also step back and look at the bright side--and there is one. At least I know that part of what's going on is my food allergies....
getting rid of the writer's block, though, is a whole different thing. Right now, I can't pinpoint that one.
posted by Tish Grier at 5:59 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Tish -
Sorry you're not feeling well...Esp. if you love, love, love sushi like I do! It could've been anything in there if you were eating rolls, you know?
I for one, could live on fish, yogurt and fruit quite nicely if we throw salad in the mix too. :)
Hi Rebecca...
you know, I'm almost to the point of accepting my dietary limitations--just because I don't want to feel like crap for an entire day anymore. I've got too much to do!
If it means sacrificing sushi, oh well. I'm sure I'll find something else that won't zap me :-)
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