Couch 250: An August Couch

Oh. A rib connector probably only applies to a fold-up umbrella. But it could be the little arms that extend from the central pole to the vanes.

Im sorry! I wrote my diy book on how to fix an umbrella in the pre internet times!

Also hope you had a good time with your family, Artie!

The proper term is “intercostal.”

No thats a hiway in florida. or was.

RIP Maggie Smith.

When grief and time combine, the result is effing chaos.

Earlier this year (I thought it was in the summer, but my photos app says different) I bought some postcards when I went to see an art exhibition.

We do an exercise with our creative writing students using them.

If the postcard is the middle of the story, what happened just before the picture was taken, and what happened after?

My colleague has a substantial postcard collection, and the ones I bought in the gift shop were supposed to be the start of mine.

I go back to work tomorrow, we're going to do the postcard exercise...and I can't find mine...anywhere.

I know I brought them home, because they were in a brown paper bag.

What I did with that bag is anybody's guess.

I have time to find them (hopefully) before the next workshop, but that's not the point.

Just venting, I guess...too much has happened for me to keep track of that kind of detail.

Quick couch poll. Situation: the cycling world championships are going on right now in Switzerland. Yesterday, a young woman crashed and was brought to the hospital. I tutored a student towards night and she told me about it, since they apparently were rather close friends. Today around lunchtime, she died. What would you do? Reach out to the girl in a bit offering condolences and whatever else is needed? Wait til our next session? Or not mention it until she does? My immediate reaction was to text her, but I so far waited with that so she doesn't find out from a text by me...

Oh CNS thats so sad. Maybe ask her if you can contribute to a go fund me or scholarship or whatever for the girl?

Honestly - I would do nothing until the person brought it up again. I would have been weirded out if a teacher had contacted me unbidden about a personal situation.

“Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life.”

I just sent this quote to a friend of mine who would fly to London and Ny to see Maggie Smith in any play he could find her doing.

That's really sad...I'm not sure how you should handle it. Are you supposed to meet with her again soon? I'd say wait a bit, maybe closer to when the scheduled meeting it, then say something like, "If you need a bit of time before meeting again, I understand" without specifically referencing the death? I don't know...

So Dr. T was in a boot today (on his foot, like a sort of soft cast for an injury--not sure if it has a different name in other countries). I was like, "What happened?" He said he'd had surgery for a repair. Later said it was Friday. I was puzzled at first, then realized I'd met with him virtually due to my own illness Monday and Wednesday, so, duh, wouldn't have seen his foot. He also had to shift me to an earlier appointment last Friday, so I guess that was why?

I still pushed forward and addressed some lingering feelings about what happened during his move. I think it was helpful? We did talk about how to deal with future situations where he might be completely unavailable in the future (with the move, he was bothered that I'd contacted his backup without asking him first, when...I was trying to avoid bothering him).* Which is probably a conversation we should have had ages ago. He said it's inevitable that it will happen at some point, referencing, for example, if one of his parents is dying. So we're going to continue that discussion.

*She was also moving, but he was the person in charge of the move, as he owned the new space and was in charge of the movers, plus had to set up things like the waiting room, kitchen, etc.

Im kinda bummed that the obits didnt mention her movies from the swinging 60s. I recently saw one with her and Michael Caine i think, where he was just awful to her, and i was like that is NOT lady violet. She was soooo beautiful.

ETA - it was neil simons california suite in 1978.

She won an oscar for best supporting actress in California Suite

Couch Workout Club day 57 (yesterday)

I got halfway through one of Adriene's yoga videos.

Day 58

Got some steps in when I went back to work.

Just an update on the girl I tutor, she textedd me to ask whether it's okay if she cancels in case she feels like she needs to a few hours before our usual sessions. Glad she hit me up, it feels really rude to not offer support...

Lost- I sometimes do Adrienne's shorter videos when I am pinched for time. I like her morning wake up, about 15 minutes, and I'll do the ten minute neck and shoulders when my neck is tight. Sometimes having those shorter ones bookmarked helps me when I am tired or not sure how much oopmh I've got in me. I think "I don't have the time or energy- oh wait, I can do ten minutes." I'm inspired by your commitment, by the way.

Thanks WFS,

I haven't had a chance to comb through them yet, but I would like to find a balance between challenge and something that my body will allow me to do.

Having this as a focus has been very helpful.

I had a good time with my sister, her bf and spent some pretty okay time with my mom too. Since I've been back home though, the depression that's been creeping back in has started getting worse. I may have to take pdoc up on the increase to 100mg sertraline which he offered last time and I said no. Or maybe I just need to get my butt out and walk every day again. I don't know. I am starting the medical weight loss program offered through work, hoping that working with a dietician and fixing my diet will help too. My poems are dark and sad the past couple days. I am feeling very broken.