Acupuncture...sure I will try that

I love trying new things! Sometimes, this results in great experiences (ie. inter-tube water polo, sliding through ice caves, and eating escargot). Other times, it results in kind of awkward experiences that have good stories (ie doing a cannon ball into mountain water so cold that my muscles froze up, being a mascot for inter-mural sports, and taking a clogging class). This week, I had another new experience, you can decide if it was great, or awkward good.

On Wednesday, they offered free acupuncture at work. A new experience! Of course I wanted to go-although I knew about it was they poked needles in you, and there is evidence that it is effective...in some kind of treatment. I think I heard that it was supposed to be relaxing. 

Excited to be poked by needles, I hurried to the conference room, where the needle sticking was occurring. After checking in, and stating that I had never that this before, I was sent to a station, where I sat in a chair with pillows and propped up my feed on another chair. 

The acupuncturist, asked what I came in for. My response, "...umm, I've never had this before, and just wondered what is was like, what kind of things can you use acupuncture for?"  

Acupuncturist: "Well do you have trouble sleeping?

Me: "Normally not, but this last week I did have some trouble."

Acupuncturist: "Were you feeling stressed?"

Me: "A little"

Acupuncturist: "What about headaches?"

Me: "I don't get them a lot, but I did have one last week."

Acupuncturist: "You must have been stressed"

She continued to ask me a few more questions, feel my pulse on both arms, and then pinched my feet and asked what foot felt more tender. She then proceeded to place a small needle in the foot that I said felt tender. (The opposite of what I thought she would do.)

Actually, the needles going in really did not hurt. I don't even know if I could say everywhere that I had needles in me. I know I had 2 in each foot, at least on in my forehead, multiple needles in my ears, and a few in my fingers.

After the needles were placed, she left me to "count my breathing." Luckily, I had taken a yoga class at the hospital, and knew exactly what that meant. Believe it or not, it was super relaxing, sitting here with silver bits of metal sticking out of my skin. Although I did notice that my feet were starting to get really cold. I was slightly jealous of those with blankets, but I really didn't want a blanket over the needles.

Eventually, it was time to remove the needles. They came out easily, and there wan't much blood (maybe a drop). However, after the acupuncturist went to help someone else, I realized my feet were asleep!!!!  This wasn't like, "my feet area little tingly, but this funny," it was, "I don't know if I can get my feet back into my adorable yellow shoes." 

With a little bit of patience, and a lot of using my hands, I was able to get my feet in their shoes. They felt funny, but I thought I could hold my weight-WRONG. A few minutes later, I tried again and with a lot of concentration (left, right, left, right) was able to get my feet to take me out of the room. Then, they stopped again. I wish I could have seen myself, hugging the wall and giving my legs a pep talk.

"Come on legs, You can do it! Left, Right, Left, Right. I'll even let you take the elevator if you can get that far." Eventually, they listened. However, they listened too well. It was like my legs became weightless. It would fly up super high, yet it was able to hold my weight when it hit the ground. Then, suddenly, they were back to normal. I didn't even have to take the elevator.

The ironic thing is, that I did not sleep well last night. And, I had a slight headache at work-which may have been due to the awesome, hot pink, headband I wore to promote fitness at a meeting at work. However, I felt extremely tired all day, so maybe the acupuncture takes a day to work.

Overall, I am glad that I did it. In fact, if given the chance, (for free), I would do it again. 

Shakespeare, you're wrong

Picture a lovely Saturday morning. You wake up, slowly move around, and finally flush your toilet. Then you hear the tinkle... downstairs, near your washing machine (in your living room=gross). This sound might make you panic, but it happened less than a month ago. You know, that the pipes outside are backed up (or frozen) and that any water you use will join you in the living room. There go your plans of showering, laundry, and doing your dishes.

If you are anything like me, you might have felt frustrated. While it is nice to have a valid excuse to put off being productive and turn to a day in your pjs, it doesn't help you prep for the upcoming week. However, there is a flip side, It's almost like being rich. Rich people have on-demand waterfalls in their entry way, right?

I know it is ridiculous, but thinking of my nasty toilet geyser as a waterfall helped me to enjoy the day. I wasn't someone not using water to stop a mess, but something with the option to turn on a waterfall, but choosing not to. Changing names matters. We don't name kids, Annoying, Over-rated, or Animal, because it affects our psyche. Ideas get in our subconscious. Instead, we can choose to use this power for good.
For instance changing asparagus to  "Volcanic Asparagus" makes it more appetizing. Who doesn't want to increase the vegetable consumption of the world?

As I pondered names, I realized how often I rename things to make them more exciting. In high school, every Friday was "National Elizabeth Day." My friends submitted theme songs and the winning song was sung every Friday for almost 4 years! While Friday is a cool day, "National Elizabeth Day" is even better. The real difference, the NAME. Besides singing and the occasional cookie, it was just a Friday.

To conclude: William Shakespeare's character was wrong. If roses were called trash, they might smell ok, but it would taint our perception. However, if you call trash a treasure hunt, going through your neighbors stuff might be fun. With this in mind, I am going to pay more attention to what I "name" things.

Life in the Postcard

I live in a beautiful place. There are majestic trees, stars that shine bright and clear, and I even have a swimming hole in the summer. As I was taking out the trash tonight, it dawned on me that I live in a postcard!

I love postcards!! It is away to capture a place you or a friend have been, or dreaming of visiting. I have postcards from trips that I have been on that capture a moment. I can almost feel the hot humid air (which is nice in subzero weather) when I look at a postcard from Savannah.

However, postcards never capture the whole story. Imagine that I started selling postcards of my house. While they would sell well and make me millions, few people would imagine that the very violent (yet deserved) execution of the two spiders that tried to sneak in my shower the other morning. Nobody could comprehend the awesomeness of my "clean the kitchen" dance.

On the other hand, I think that is what makes postcards magical. They hold imagination. As I was thinking about "postcard" moments, I thought about a very awkward moment on a wintry day.

STORY EXAMPLE

 When I was college, I worked at a cafeteria, ~ 2 miles away from where I lived. For 3 out of 4 years, I didn't have a car, and this was a great chance to "stretch" my legs. While I typically worked the breakfast shift, I worked a lunch/dinner shift every 3rd Sunday.

One particular Sunday, my friend, who was working the same shift, invited me to her ward, since they held their Sunday morning early. After church, we would drive to the cafeteria.

I could tell that this was going to be a good day, so I got ready with a "skip" in my step. I got dressed in a cute skirt/top combo and some adorable shoes that used to belong to my grandma. My backpack was loaded with my work clothes and a blanket to nap with during the break in between lunch and dinner. Luckily, my backpack was big and could hold a lot off stuff, even if it stuck out a foot.

Prepared to face the day, I bundled up and started for campus (where her church was held). For anyone that has never been to BYU, campus is on top of a hill. I took a short cut through the duck pond. As I started to reach the first incline, I noticed that it was a little icy. However, there was a handrail that I could "pull" myself up with.*

This worked well, until the "shortcut" ended, and I reached the sidewalk. As I took my first step, I noticed that the incline was steeper. I also noticed that my grandma's shoes had NO TRACTION. Finally, I noticed that I had not moved up the hill, although my feel were moving, as if I was walking.

Unsure of what to do, I kept moving my feet, as if I was gaining ground. This only resulted in my falling to my knees, scrambling to get up-while wearing a skirt-and being very aware of how large my backpack was. Finally, I made it back to my feet, only to go no where and fall back down. At this point, I did not know what to do. Should I sit and slide to the bottom of this hill? Stay until the ice melts? Keep doing the same thing and hope that something changes?

While pondering my predicament on all fours, I noticed a group of ~ 5 guys, in suits and ties, watching me. It was kind of awkward, but all I could do was pull myself back onto 2 legs. There I continued to "walk in place." Finally, one young man came to me and asked if I needed a hand. It was obvious that YES, I needed "a hand." The very chivalrous young man grabbed my hand and we walked up the hill. I tried to make small talk, to make him feel more comfortable, but that did not seem to work. For a moment, I wondered if he thought something was wrong with me. Then, I remembered that the only thing he knew about me was...I could not walk up a hill.  As soon as we made it to the top, he dropped my hand and left with superman speed. I wonder if he was on the track team...

Luckily, I made it to church and to work. Unfortunately, it is difficult to capture the full awkwardness of the situation. I wish I had a postcard of it. While it would not capture the whole story, I can guarantee it would make me smile :)


*Note, if you ever notice that you are having difficulty making it uphill due to ice, TURN AROUND. Handrails do not last forever. Take the stairs!