Headache

 

Too much "mousing" and not in the fun, furry-rodent style of mousing I much prefer, unfortunately.  My "mousing" today has been just the computer kind.  It is VERY GOOD that I NEVER, EVER even remotely considered a career in IT.... because I would go insane if every day was just clicking a damn mouse and typing all day.  

I have been trying to get a lot of work accomplished in preparation for my courses for Fall.  And this requires a helluva lot of fussing, and finagling with documents, including the "learning management systems" (aka the electronic classroom) the new-fangled "gizmoey” creation that has now become the normal repository for documents for students.  

Working on a computer all day causes these sorts of discomforts for me:

• Even though I TRY mightily to keep my jaw loose and NOT clench my teeth.... somehow I still do so, and it aggravates my TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder).  I need to wear my bite splint, and yet, I did not think of it for the first few hours, so I am wearing it now to try to mitigate the jaw pain.  
• My "mouse hand" is stiff and my fingers feel aggravated and tight from all the mouse-clicking.
• My eyes feel blurry and tired, and I have a headache behind my eyes and in my forehead region from staring at the damn screen all day.  I am not sure, but I think I need my eyeglass prescription to be changed.  While I do have bifocals, bifocals are not good for use at the computer.  I tend to prefer to wear single vision glasses most of the time anyway,  and so I have a pair for distance, and another pair for reading.  But, I think my reading glasses may need a new prescription as staring at the screen, while clear, seems to be very taxing on my eyes (causing the headache, I am presuming).  In theory, I think I have an eye exam coming up sometime in August, and I will investigate. 

Enough about the mousing.  Other thoughts...

• The Canadian Forest Fires have once again played havoc with the air quality in my region.  There were advisories again today, so I had to hoof my miles this morning, inside.  I ran 11.1 miles (~18 km) at the indoor track.  I had wanted to get my day off to a quick start, and had planned to be outside on the trail by 5:00 am..... but the poor air quality had me have to wait.  I was the first person on the track this morning when the facility opened up at 6:00am.
• My wife and I are planning a day trip tomorrow if all goes well.  I am looking forward to it.... hopefully it will occur.  
• I believe my wife and I may be able to swim this afternoon as well (fingers crossed).
  
• My real work (with my living creatures) is limited at this time...... my research organisms are available, but I have only a limited number of research students at this time of the Summer, as they need some rest and recovery to gear up for the Fall.  So.... the research organisms are at somewhat of a stasis currently as it would do no good to begin a new experiment without enough folks to collect data with me.  My other real work is also non-existent at this time.... my teaching "organisms" (aka the students I teach in classes).... as I am not formally teaching a class, I do not get to expound to them all things biology at the moment.  
• In the delightful, yet no longer tangible..... "good-old, golden days" when I would have a taxing and head-achy day like today.... I know I could resolve it expeditiously by traveling a bit in my trusty stead (my old pickup) to visit my FIL.  The talk, the banter, the laughter.... along with a delightful drink or two.... and a few (or several) strong, tasty, mind pleasing pipes..... would cure what ails me on such a day.  It is difficult to adequately express how I miss those good-old, golden days.    
  

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