One of the advantages/disadvantages of extreme focus combined with a crappy working/short-term memory is that I frequently get hurt, then can’t remember how it happened. I play pretty rough with myself in the course of my everyday life — a combination of velocity and some balance issues. I tend to go at a pretty brisk clip, at times, so I tend to collide with things as I go about my business.
And then I find all these bruises later on.
On the one hand, it’s a little disconcerting to find yourself all marked up for no reason that you can remember. But I’ve kind of gotten used to that. I just shrug it off and get on with things. As long as there’s no long-term serious damage, it falls into the category of “Oh, well”.
On the other hand, it’s kind of nice not to have to truck around all the recollections of the injuries I sustain on a daily basis. That would get to be a bit much after a while, I have to say. Not remembering how I got hurt frees up space in my brain for the things I really need to remember. Almost every single time, I’m bruised or cut or scraped through my own doing. Every now and then, it’s someone else’s fault, but 99.99% of the time, it’s my own clumsiness that’s the culprit.
In wintertime when shoveling, I often “gore” myself on scrapers, shovels, and my snowblower handles, but it’s not till later when I find all these little bruises at handle-height, that I realize just how much of a contact sport snow removal can be. And in the summertime, I get all scraped up and never realize it till later. I sometimes look like I either fell into a bramble patch or I had a run-in with a very angry animal with claws. But honestly, I can’t clearly remember what got me there.
It’s a problem at times with my doctor, who sees these bruises and scrapes and knows that my spouse and I have our differences at times. And they ask me how things are going at home, like it’s domestic violence or something. Once I said, “You should see the other guy,” but that didn’t go over very well. Note to self: Don’t joke about violence with the doctor.
Lesson learned.
So, anyway… my ear… I felt this rough patch a few minutes ago, and when I rubbed it, some dried blood came off, and then my fingers got all bloody. Weird. What did I do this time? I was out working in my yard earlier, so maybe one of those vicious biting flies got hold of me. That’s probably what happened. I remember mosquitoes flying around me, and some other buzzing, but I don’t clearly recollect getting bit. When I think about it, maybe I did feel a little pinch, but it didn’t leave a big impression on my mind.
It did, however, mess with my ear. If that’s what happened.
So, I got a Kleenex, applied pressure, and stopped the bleeding, and now it’s fine. Like it never happened.
Clean slate. It’s Friday. Happy weekend, everyone. Whew. That week went fast!
Broken Brain - Brilliant Mind 