Personal Touch

One of my e-friends was talking about losing her Personal Touch razor and regretting it. I have one but can't find new blades for it in the stores. Instead, I bought some handles and heads that are re-usable disposables, if that makes any sense. I got the package at Whole Foods. But those are to shave the parts that women usually shave. I don't want to shave parts women don't usually shave.

Previously, I wrote about bristles appearing on my face. I haven't had one in awhile, but I go on pluck patrol often. So, then, how did I miss a couple of soft hairs on my neck under my chin? I was stroking my neck because I have had a couple of blemishes there recently. What's up with that? Why there and why am I still getting acne along with the wrinkles and soon-to-be scrawny neck? These soft hairs were about three-quarters of an inch and half an inch long. How did they get so long without my noticing them? I have to say, I have seen men stroke their beard the way that I found these two hairs. Help! I'm not a male and not likely to stroke repeatedly and definitely do not want a beard. Quickly, I plucked them out. They have been there weeks at least to grow so long. I am a brunette. The hairs were dark. Why hadn't a member of my family pointed them out to me? (Daughters and husband, if you are reading, please do mention anything out of the ordinary if you see it!)

I may as well mention some other concerns I have. These are not major things, just concerns. I have inherited my Dad's hooded upper eyelids. As he grew older, they almost sagged to obscure his vision. I don't want that. My eyes are going to disappear! Here's another one. I got myself some new bras. I was unhappy with the ones I had because with today's more defined t-shirts, my nipples tend to show through. I've even seen mannequins with nipples protruding where they never did on any mannequin of my acquaintance before. I don't like the look for me. So, I went bra shopping. I also need to avoid ugly bulges around the edges. You may know where. The ones I got, though labeled lightly padded, can stand up by themselves. Almost armor. Also, this morning, as has happened a few times recently, I awoke terrified. Someone commented that they were up exceptionally early a few times and wondered where all those old people were going so early in the morning. To be sure, some of them are early risers just out for a morning walk or to get the paper or coffee. Others, I now conjecture, were terrified awake, dressed rapidly and they are walking swiftly into the light to turn away the demons that appeared so vividly moments before.

Now, I want to know, are these all signs of normal aging? Or am I already bonkers? I don't know if I want you to tell me. Maybe not.

Rigidity

Alan is getting more and more adamant that he has certain times to do certain things. He says he likes to plan his days. Well, ok, who doesn't? The thing is, he wants to name a certain time, such as 5:22 p. m. to get on the treadmill. I told him to get on at 5 p. m. today when we got home. He kept stalling, trying to do it at precisely 5:22 p. m. I made him wait until 5:25. He was fairly angry with me. I had to tell him I would not do something he wants if he didn't get on. He kept insisting that the time was missed and he wasn't going to go on the treadmill at all. He finally did get on, only because I told him I would not do what he wanted if he did not use the treadmill then.

He keeps saying that I am trying to break up his rigidity. Yes, that's right. I don't think it will serve him well to have a particular time to do something and if that time is missed, he can't decide not to do it that day.

He also says he wants to be a demagogue dictator. Despite the redundancy, I think he is using both words for emphasis. This kind of control, making other people bend to his will and to work around him, will not serve him well in life.

Here is another instance. Previously, he said he could not get on the treadmill until after the mail arrived. It happened to arrive today while I was at home for a few minutes between going to the post office and going to Curves while he was at the Teen Center. I deliberately brought the mail in and set it on the table. When we got home and he discovered I had brought it in, he tried to get past me to sort through it first. I made sure I got to it first and I sorted it in front of him. The mail does not belong to him, nor does the chore of bringing it in. While allowing him to get the mail in was cute when he was smaller, it somehow has given him the idea that he controls the receipt of the mail.

There are some times he can control and that is fine for him to do so. For example, he announced recently that he wakes himself up at 5:55:55. Yes, down to the second. This is a handy skill, waking oneself at a precise time without an alarm clock. He likes to go to bed at 9:15. Why 9:15 when it used to be 9:16? Now he wants to go to sleep fifteen minutes before half past the hour. He is fifteen. He used to go to sleep at fourteen minutes past the hour when he was fourteen. At least he can be flexible about that going to sleep time when he is out of the house. He recently went with the family to Wicked at the Pantages Theater. It didn't begin until 8 p. m. and he was sanguine about that.

Finding ways to help him with his rigid thinking is challenging. Don and I are addressing it as best we can through RDI. We also need to be able to convince Alan of the usefulness of flexibility in certain areas even before he gets to the stage in RDI where he will be more flexible due to the emphasis at the time.

Managing My Health

Being the mom of a son with autism and a grandma of a grandson with special needs has been especially stressful for awhile now. I do what I can to make time for myself and not get lost in the problems. My usual way to deal with anything is to find books on the subject.

For my diet, I bought You on a Diet by Michael F. Roizon, M. D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M. D. These doctors make a lot of common sense. The book is chock full of ideas, some of which I have already incorporated into my life and some that I need to consider. I can certainly recommend their book. For me, I do not consider myself "dieting." Rather, I consider myself finding ways to nourish myself optimally.

For my mental well-being, I took a useful book out of the library and I am going to take it on my trip tomorrow. It is Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How to Create a More Peaceful, Simpler Life from the Inside Out by Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey. I have read other books by Carlson. Dewey Decimal system number is 158.

My dad used to quote the phrase, " The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." This is on the jacket of the book. Mom used to say, "Do you act or react?" I react too often to the climate of what is going on around me.

I know that as I get older, it is usual for one's blood pressure to rise. At the same time, mine has gone up too fast in a short time. I am determined to learn and practice ways to stay calm in the midst of many things going on that I am responsible for and many more that I am unable to affect but that I care greatly about.

It is important for me to get healthier and to stay around for many more years. I need to remember to stay in the moment. I used to have a word posted on the wall in my kitchen: mindfulness. Just thinking of the word brings me back to the present moment.

Getting Healthy Again

I am over the pneumonia and residual weakness. I returned to Curves today and did a full workout. I will go back on Wednesday and in the meantime, I will also use the treadmill. I do hope to get the yoga tape in the machine, also.

Alan has biceps! Cate had him show Jim his new biceps. Alan has been going to gymnastics since last May. He goes twice a week to BMod Fitness. Jerry is his coach. Jerry says that special needs kids can do everything typically developing kids can, for the most part, given encouragement and time. He is building Alan up physically and mentally. Alan also is faithfully using the treadmill. Even on days when he gets other forms of exercise, like today when he was at the Teen Center, he fits in time on the treadmill.

Don also used the treadmill tonight. We are all trying hard to get strong and fit.