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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Fingers are Amazing, Man!

Don't worry. I'm not tripping on anything!

My former career focused a lot on the upper body and regaining the use of functional movement of shoulders, arms, wrists, and fingers. It's not surprising that the thought should come to me about just how much we rely on our fingers but give them little recognition for all they do.

For instance, I couldn't type all of the nonsense I do without them. Or make the typos. And then correct them. And then edit. And then change my mind and get rid of it all and start over.

We do everything with our fingers from creative arts to pick our noses. I know. Gross.

They'll do whatever we want without being conscious of asking them to do it until we concentrate and then become all 'thumbs'. Thumbs seem to be getting ALL the attention these days.

Unless we are training them for a task, such as learning an instrument, we only paint fingers as if they are canvases to be hung in museums. We wear rings to decorate them. We treat them as accessories, whereas, they are major body parts.

They are the body parts we use the most and yet rarely exercise.

http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-Your-Fingers

We have actual memory in our fingers that bring forward actions we thought we'd long since lost. Then you discover, you used to do that and there it is!

We play games with them with children like "Here's the church, here's the steeple..."and "Got your nose!" (which is fun and freaks little kids out. That can be fun). How many of us still make shadows on the wall? Make the duck, the dog, the snake, the bird! Get a piece of string and try to remember manipulating Cat's Cradle. See what your fingers recall. Does anyone still fart with their hands?

http://www.wikihow.com/Category:Finger-and-Hand-Tricks

Do people still do these things? I've noticed fingers still come together in prayer. They, sadly, form fists and 'give' the finger. They 'High Five' and make Wu Tang symbols. I know the superstitious still cross them for good luck and we make "OK", Peace signs and thumbs up without realizing we do it. (You just did those, didn't you? Haha!)

Are we showing younger generations how to use their fingers to do anything other than text and take selfies? Unless you are hearing impaired or regularly use your fingers to communicate in that way, we often neglect their significance in our everyday lives.


Activities using your fingers can delay or prevent stiffness and ailments, such as arthritis, will relay information to your brain to keep it in working condition, and keep them flexible, supple, strong and in good use well into old age. That's why it's nice to see knitting return as a hobby and braiding, woodwork, quilting, leatherwork, pottery, sculpting, weaving, painting, Calligraphy! There are so many hobbies to choose!

I read an article that said our thumbs are actually changing due to the way they are being used with "smart" phones. They are changing. Pretty soon, we won't even know how to hold a pen, let alone how to write with one. The use of the phones in 'thumb-typing' is even changing our brains over time and causing motor function injuries to thumbs, index fingers, wrists, and even, elbows. "We were made to be hunter-gathers not digital data micromanagers.”, a critic of the overuse of smartphone technology, noted.

http://www.science20.com/news_articles/smartphones_are_changing_how_our_brains_and_thumbs_work_together-151805

Meanwhile, fingers are still providing pleasure through hand massages and touching others. I like that we haven't lost that. That will never be ignored. We shake hands in greeting (when we aren't trying to avoid germs!) but when we touch a baby's cheek or hold the hand of a loved one, or stroke a pet. Nothing tops that. It resonates through our senses and our hearts like nothing else. It lowers stress hormones, blood pressure, and has a calming effect on every part of our body.

There's comfort in these hands. There is assurance of love and acceptance. There is connection. We need to touch and be touched. It's a psychological, physiological, and spiritual need.

Don't forget the fingers today.
 

Monday, April 6, 2015

Never Lose Your Enthusiasm for Life

The "E" word I was going to use included 'egg' but I discussed that in concubines cracking their heads against walls like eggs. Let's try for something more, uh, positive and less weird.

Wouldn't this be a dull World if no one showed enthusiasm for anything?

I'm awake this morning. I woke up above ground, as the Old Folks say. I should feel enthusiasm about what this day may bring.

So, why don't I?

Enthusiasm is so very easily killed by a small action like a phone call to a personal criticism to reading or hearing of tragedies in the news. It can be slowed by a personal argument. It can be stalled by a medical or emotional health issue or medication. It can be brought to a complete halt by a person or persons that desire to kill it in you for their own amusement. After all, Misery loves company.

I've had that experience of working around the negative who don't care about what they do and it's contagious!

How do we prevent that wonderful enthusiasm we had as a child from becoming the stale feeling we have as adults?

As a child, watching an ant was fun. Playing with a large cardboard box brought enthusiastic delight in what to 'make' it become for us. Drawing was fun! We danced with enthusiasm if not talent! Discovering that we needed to learn a task brought enthusiasm to learning that task. It did to the point we would say, "NO! Me!" or "Let me do it!". We wanted to do it and do it right. This same work we put into an action then, is slowing or has stopped. Why?

What happened to us? When did we allow the World and those in it to stomp the enthusiasm out of us and Why? Did we weaken? I don't think so. I think we just weren't paying attention.

We have settled for watching others have fun and work towards their goals. We prefer to watch celebrities 'act' enthusiastically on television, instead of going outside and doing our own thing. We had our lives taken from us slowly and deliberately by increasing technology to the point we don't get excited when the phone rings and are annoyed by texts. We don't want to interact and we rarely have hobbies. We used to have HOBBIES. We used to play. Now, we just trudge and work and want to sit and rest. There is not a thing wrong with rest. We need to rest. But we, also, need balance. Too much of work OR rest OR play leads to an unbalanced life.

What do you show enthusiasm for in your life? When you work, do you do it with enthusiasm? You should want to do your best, not to mention, you are also being paid to do it. If you mop floors for a living, those should be the cleanest shiniest floors in town. In caring for yourself, be enthusiastic because your body and mind are the only ones you get. Is there enthusiasm in your play? Do what you do with fervor and enjoy it that much more! Me? I get enthusiastic about naps. I'm only half-kidding.

Think of the last time you felt actual enthusiasm in your daily life? I say daily life, because it's easy to feel enthusiastic on vacation or holiday.

Challenge? Reboot your Enthusiasm for life whether it involves a person, place, or thing. If it's only being enthusiastic those first few minutes of the day, try to maintain it throughout the day. I wish everyone well in their efforts.

Cheers!

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Delights?

The English language is confusing. Ask anyone trying to learn it. I am a lover of words. I am a student of learning about words and their origins. Inquisitive?  Alright. I'm a Big Ole Nerd. I used to read dictionaries as a kid. I think I covered that in the post about Strange Children. Moving on...

Any word that begins with the prefix de- will usually mean there is a reduction, a negation, a removal, an undoing, or a reversal. Words such as decrease, devalue, degrade, delete, and deter display this 'rule'.

So what's up with delight?

Delight should, technically, mean less light. It should mean darkness. It should mean shutting off the light.

Instead, delight gives you pleasure, lifts you, gives you enjoyment or satisfaction. It pleases you. It brings light.  It's the only word I can think of right now that means the opposite of what it should mean. There are others, I'm sure.

In Spanglish (my word) it would be broken down as such: De (of or from) and light (obvious). Therefore, it would be something or someone that is of light or from light.

Light is always a good thing. We couldn't exist without natural light. We wouldn't want to exist without seeing Light in others. We try to be a light to others. We diet to become lighter. Light is good. Delight is good.

What brings you delight? Is it a good meal, finishing a tough task, discovering a new talent, or having a good time with a new friend?



I feel delight when I see children, when I think of my daughter and husband, when I hear beautiful music, and especially when I wake up and am able to get out of bed in the morning!

There should always be a delight in our life. I say, 7 times per day we should be able to say, "That was delightful!" and mean it! "It was full of delight and I felt it! I wonder what delights tomorrow will bring?" Just keep it to a level that won't bring on the nice men with the white jackets that tie in the back. Although, basket-weaving can be delightful!

Reboot Challenge?

Think about and discover what delights you and pursue it with all your energy. People say life is short. Life is just Life, however long we have it. Make it count. Everyday open the box and see what delightful treat is inside meant just for you!



Happy Easter and Pasach Sameach, Y'all!
 

Friday, April 3, 2015

The Concubine Crashed Her Head into the Wall!

The other night, since I've been on a foreign movies and series 'kick', I decided to watch a Korean film titled, The Empresses of the Palace. The story is about an Emperor in the 1700's and his concubines. It sounds pornographic but it isn't.

The film was set in a province ruled by an Emperor whose Empress, the sister of his other deceased wife, was unable give him another Crown Prince to rule after his death. Therefore, she is charged with the task of overseeing six to eight concubines of which the "Emp" could, uh, date?

He would send for a girl and the servants would carry her in, wrapped in a blanket like a giant burrito.

The Empress was like the Manager and another of the concubines was like a Supervisor. She was unbelievably mean to everyone, except Emp, of course. She did a lot of kissing up to him, annoyingly. It turned out she had a pretty sad backstory that 'made' her that way, so I gave her some slack even though she had a maid killed and dropped in a well for hurting her head with a comb. Bosses can be rough.

A new concubine was a particular irritation to her. The Mean One, along with her clique of concubines and servants, did awful things to everyone like poisoning, torturing, causing others who did become pregnant to lose their babies. Just awful!



The new concubine became the favorite of the Emp and the Mean Girls didn't like it.

The newbie goes to visit Meanie and reveals something to her. They are both made up and clothed in beautiful silks with golden ornaments in their hair and jade jewelry and look stunning. Meanie gets so crazed and in despair at what she hears that she suddenly jumps up and rams her head into the wall!

Again. She RAMMED...HER HEAD...INTO...THE WALL!

I was up late and alone watching this and just sat up and yelled, "WHAT!" because I was truly stunned. Well, not as stunned as she was...she was dead.

This is not normal behavior. There is no other reason than pure fascination that made me continue to watch after that.

There was the usual intrigue, battles, spies, politicking, and love affairs still going around the outskirts of the drama in the harem. I continued to watch. What more could happen, right?

More drama. More poisonings. More secret meetings. More "gotchas". And then...you guessed it.

The Empress takes off running and plows her head into a wall, too!


Whiskey...Tango...Foxtrot!!! Who does that?

Of all the knowledge they'd shown with herbs and combining them for every purpose in the food and medicines and tonics, this is the way these ladies chose to off themselves?

I just stared at the television with my mouth open at this point.

I don't think I've been that shocked by a movie since Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. And, with that one, I was only shocked at how bad it was. OK. It's kind of funny when the guy spying on them dressed like a tomato asks for the catsup for his hotdog and is busted.

I've decided to show this movie to my husband. The next time he says anything that upsets me, which, thankfully, isn't that often, I'm going to jump up and run toward the nearest wall.

Let's see if he stops me. No one even tried with the Concubine. Poor Thing!

It didn't do well in North America, apparently. I can't imagine why. It has lovely scenery, costumes and women cracking their heads on walls.

I'll never look at an egg the same way.