MeghanIsMe

A week ago, I set up my bicycle trainer in the condo as an attempt to get more regular exercise. Sub-freezing weather and low motivation was keeping me from doing much outdoor riding. During that week, Danae was understandably a bit put out by my stuff having taken over a lot of the living room (I had a big [musical] keyboard on the dining table as well). I feel a little silly taking the bike back outside after only a week, but it was in the low 40s here today; warm enough to not have to put on gloves and thermal underwear. I didn't ride nearly as far as I thought I might; I am sadly out of shape compared to last year. But it was so satisfying to be out riding fast on smooth tires and clear roads. I'll make that as close to a daily thing as I can.

Piper is recovering well from her hip dislocation. She doesn't seem to be in much pain, and this morning she pooped for the first time since the emergency vet visit on Thursday. I was starting to be concerned about that. We carry her everywhere: at outside time, I carry her from spot to spot and set her down until she finds somewhere she deems appropriate for her needs, then we go back in. When I'm alone with her, she has to be in a crate so she doesn't move around. She whines about that a bit, but has been fairly accepting overall. She's getting lots of attention from Danae and I when we're around and have time and that seems to mollify her.

I did go with Posi to Minneapolis this past weekend. We were visiting for the wedding of a family member of his. I really enjoyed meeting said family member and his now-wife. She is a doctoral student of neuro-psychology, and there was a heck of a lot of conceptual overlap between her work and the linguistic and cultural sub-fields of anthropology. We talked briefly about the nature of perception and language, understandings of faceblindness as an absolute vs. a spectrum (and confusion thereof), and other interesting things. As we talked about language, I thought of the Pirahã, who I'd learned about in the linguistic anthro class I took and asked her whether she knew of them. It turned out she'd just taught about them the week before in her class! They're the sort of people I'd love to be social with if we weren't six hours away.

We ate at the Wisconsin Dells both on the way there and the way back. The dells look so sprawly to me these days. I feel like they're being homogenized, losing their distinct character. A few things are left that I get the sense have been there for decades, but so much seems new and indistinct from other touristy areas. I commented to Posi that I wish I could have an experiential knowledge of the dells fifty years ago, before the influence of the interstate highway system and concomitant urban reorganization happened. Though he couldn't give me that, he did tell me a lot about what the place was like thirty years ago when he was there with his family as a kid. It was so nice of him to talk to me about those experiences, and listening to him was a treat.

I'm still having trouble concentrating on reading. I started Jeremy Black's Maps and Politics, and then a biography of Robert Moses, but it's hard to spend much time at a stretch with them. I have a vague feeling that it has something to do with learning to tear through a minimum of a book a week for grad school, but I'm not sure. It's a little hard to get myself to sit down and slowly take in the text rather than dash through for highlights and then dig into particularly relevant bits. (Posi suggested I read a children's book or two to remind my brain that there are other ways to read. The idea is strange, but somewhat appealing.)

Instead, I've been concentrating on learning some music. I got my keyboard from my parents' place, printed out some sheet music for a few songs from games that are dear to me, and have been making some slow progress with them.

One of my favorite moments in helping Posi move today was parkouring down a stairwell around two people and a mattress who were blocking the stairs so I could hold the door at the bottom open for them. I put my right foot up on the handrail and slid down, pushing off from the side of the mattress a couple times to get around everybody, then hopped down to the floor. I wish I had more opportunities for that sort of silliness.

Anyway, it was a good day of moving. I saw a handful of people that I haven't seen in a few years at least. One of them, in fact, for at least six years, because I don't think I'd met Danae when I last saw Magicpaw, on a trip in to Chicago for a day of wander-fun with Posi. Zell and his partner Sciffy (who I know less well were there), and I'll be seeing more folks tomorrow too. I didn't realize that Posi was doing more moving of stuff tomorrow, but it'll be another day of large-scale relocation and Posi's old place is three floors up and without elevator access. I can manage lots of trips up and down stairs pretty well, and I know some of those involved can't, so I want to be there to help. You know how when you own a pickup truck, you often get a lot of requests to help people move? I think being in better than average shape may have the same effect. *grins*

Mentally, I've had a really good week. Its the first week since some time before leaving Syracuse that I haven't had at least a day or two where I was mostly or fully non-functional due to anxiety and depression. I think part of that has been thanks to therapy, as we talk about how to self-assess my state of anxiety and how to stop negative cycles of thought.

Yesterday, housemate N and I took a ride together down to Rogers Park to scout out a way for him to bike to work. It was a fun, leisurely ride. A lot slower than I'd go on my own, but worth it for the company. I've been riding basically alone for four years, so I look forward to him joining me semi-regularly. I have to overhaul his brakes though. And mine too, while I'm at it. I've never actually managed to get mine perfectly centered, and I'm going to go the whole nine yards and use emery paper to smooth the mounting studs and then grease them.