Day: October 25, 2013

Caveat: adios opioids

Banalities & Journaling / Cancer

Since Thursday, I've stopped taking the prescription painkillers. I'm not sure I was really ready to stop, but during my visit with Dr Jo he seemed surprised I was still taking them, and, since I've always preferred to be "ahead of the curve" on these things, I thought to myself, "maybe there's a bit of a habit aspect to it." So I stopped.

I do still have a lot of discomfort, but it's mostly tolerable. This morning my mood was surprisingly positive and good – enough that I've decided the opioids were probably depressing me a little bit, or affecting me in some way like that. I know that was the case with the really heavy stuff, which I'd stopped some time back with the feeling they were too much of a downer. Anyway, now I'm prescription-free.

Caveat: Teacher, I think that is very serious

Banalities & Journaling / The Wonders of Work

I have some cute plush bendy-snakes. I bought them for 3 bucks each at a stand outside the Korean Folk Village some weeks ago. I have been keeping them at my desk at work. One is lavender and the other is neon green.

My younger students stopped by my desk earlier today and arranged them in an intertwined way over the cubicle divider. "They are couple," one girl explained. All Koreans know the Konglishism "couple" – even 8 year olds.

"I see," I said, thinking nothing of it.

Later, I was sitting at my desk, and a 6th grader (about 12) named Sangjin came by. He studied the snakes with a sort mock shock or disgust on his face.

"Teacher, what is … happening?" he asked, gesturing at the snakes.

"My younger students did that," I explained. "They said they are a couple."

Sangjin nodded sagely. "Teacher," he said, with a pregnant pause. "I think that is very serious."

He got the intonation exactly right, too, dropping his already-changing voice a near-octave on the word "very."

I doubled over, laughing.

2013-10-25 19.50.45

[daily log: walking, 4.5 km]

 

Back to Top