Thursday, February 2, 2012

Sore but grateful and happy

Tonight, I am sore, but grateful and happy. Yes, I ended up coughing more today, especially before orchestra, which certainly didn't help...the muscle pain for awhile extended through to my back as well on the right side, but now it is less. I can still play my flute though, to me, that is really what matters.

My facebook post read "Sore, but today was good :) Did I mention that I LOVE Mahler? And singing? And learning? And green tea? And being with my fellow musicians? And playing my flute? And a million other things? (and no, I have not had any green tea since about 3pm...this is just me :)" 

If I were to look at things in a purely health-wise way, today was not amongst the top days lately. Some of the stomach issues that had seemed to be under control came back somewhat today. Particularly frustrating was eating the chickpea and red lentil stew that I made on sunday and that has done well for dinner sunday, monday and tuesday and then having it react kind of badly and start up a mild stomachache/gas cramps. I ended up buying a cookie simply to have some sort of starch to absorb some of the spice and/or acid, and it helped. The reason I couldn't buy anything else is one, I was short on time, and two, the convenience store on campus (which was pretty much the only place open at that point that I could get to in time to get to choir) did not have any of my 'safe' granola bars or something else like that in stock. 'Safe'...a term that I used to use a lot more for food, and unfortunately am falling back on. However, safe in regards to granola bars was something I started using when I was only 11 years old, the first time I can remember reacting badly to food physically. That particular day I had a granola bar for breakfast, and ended up with a killer stomachache, which I fortunately treated by going back home from my bus stop and curling up with a heating pad for more than an hour on my left side until it passed (I had learned the hard way earlier in the year that that kind of killer stomachache could end very unpleasantly). Since then, I have been uncomfortable trying granola bars, especially on an already touchy stomach. 

My breathing also had some messed up issues today, even before coughing...the breathing I had noticed a little bit before in the day, but really noticed in choir, and I was getting some of my warning signs-my hands were tingling a bit, I couldn't take a proper deep breath, my stomach was a bit unsettled. I did my relaxation techniques so as not to focus on things too much, because even if it's not stress-related, stress does make it worse. It worked well enough that I lasted until I needed to leave for orchestra, which I should not have rushed to...but did...can you say hello coughing? Yep...a wonderful set of coughing episodes at the start of orchestra, and even a few random mild coughing things at a few other times throughout. Before orchestra started, I did put my head between my knees for a time after coughing, and that was all well and good...except that I straightened up onto my music stand. Not exactly the most fun thing to do...but as I once posted, most of my injuries come from music stands! 

Today was a more tired day, but I think it was that way with everyone around the faculty! I had an almost-nap this morning from about 8:20-8:50 on one of the lounge couches while listening to some music...and it was very comfortable. I then went and practised...I came back to the lounge at 10 something, and found three people asleep/almost sleeping! It made me feel not quite so bad...actually, I didn't really feel that bad about resting, except that I missed some of my practice room time. And I was much more awake and focused in philosophy of music today...monday some of my notes are a bit illegible. Which doesn't thrill me. 

Perhaps the best news for today is that my research for my Research Methods paper is most likely finished! I am hoping to get the whole paper finished by sunday, but that might be pushing it a bit...I don't know. Have to wait and see. Tomorrow evening after I finished teaching my Moonbeams One class, I sit down and start organizing all those notes I took, and making them into an outline or rough draft, whichever seems to work best then. 

I am happy and grateful. All in all, despite some 'yuckyness' stuff, today went pretty well! And orchestra in particular, once I was breathing okay and not coughing, was quite good. Did I mention that I love Mahler? We are playing Mahler 4, and it's absolutely amazing...we ended the rehearsal by running through the first movement completely, which I will post a link of, because it is well worth watching. 

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