Just wanted to post a quick update. I've been pretty quiet lately. I've had a lot going on though.
During the Christmas blizzard, I fell in the garage when I was starting my snowblower. My feet flew right out from under me and I landed directly on my spine.
I was furious when it happened too. I had been close to pain-free for several months. I heard all my vertebrae crack and felt my whole back go out of whack as I landed. I suffered through it though, with a little help from the apple moonshine I bought for the holidays, and a little weed, it really wasn't so bad.
Then a couple weeks back I was dog-sitting for a friend and was playing my guitar all day on their uncomfortable couch. I was trying to learn a new song and spent the entire day hunched over a piece of sheet music because I didn't have my sheet music stand with me. I could feel my back aching as I was learning the song, but insisted to persist in the pursuit of learning the song by the end of the day.
The following day, I could barely get out of bed. It was awful! Nothing worked, weed, shine, I could barely walk right. No matter what I tried the pain persisted.
So I pretty much spent the last two weeks laying on my floor watching TV. No reselling, very little trading, and no guitar. Just The Dood, a TV, and a ton of crappy streaming entertainment to choose from.
I just didn't feel like talking to anyone. I don't really do depression, but I can honestly say when the back pain gets like that, how can you not get depressed?
Ironically, I discovered something else about my back pain. If I sit and write all day, sitting upright, not hunched over, straight back. The back pain seems to go away after a couple days. It's the second time I got tired of lying on the floor like that, and decided to write a short adult fiction story. Don't ask me to post it. It's definitely not something I'd want to be associated with my Hive account. I have been looking into erotic publishing companies though.
Surprisingly, I learned a lot this time around.
When my back gets out of whack, don't work through it for two months until it becomes unbearable. Start stretching, lie on my back, and focus on proper posture (I'll admit it, I'm a sloucher.)
My back pain is a huge diet-killing trigger. It's not so much about the food. It's the preparation. I start eating more takeout and comfort-style meals simply because I don't want to be bent over a stove cooking.
They say recognizing your triggers is the first step. That second one was a huge realization for me.
So, after about 2 weeks of self-care, I think I'm finally back on my feet. I mean that in the most literal sense. Spent today cleaning the house, and thought I'd drop a quick post here. I should be back to posting regularly again.
I may start posting some short fiction stories to Hive soon. One good thing that came from all this, I decided I want to start writing more. Especially since it's the one thing I enjoy doing that doesn't really screw up my back or cost me money.
Hope you're all doing well.