I'm lovin' life now. That lingering sinus infection and all the coughing up of phlegm, spit, air and all the other stuff ... it ended last week for good. For awhile, I mean.
I can breathe without a second thought that I might start coughing incessantly again in a second. I can sleep at night without a drip from my sinuses to my throat. No more coughing at 4 a.m., hacking up enough to empty a box of Kleenex in two nights of "sleep."
it's nice to be normal again. I love it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Lovin' Life ... not quite there
A good pal of mine just told me, well by IM, that he just finished another annual vacation trip. This year, he went to Las Vegas, San Francisco and the Philippines.
He's consistent about this. With a high-stress job, he likes big-fun trips. Vegas for gambling, San Fran for friends and family, and P.I. for more family. Me? I haven't been out of the state in five years and it's really starting to show. I'm so complacent about this routine, which is heavily oriented around my family. The routine has been in place for several years now, and I find it nearly impossible to leave town for more than a day or two because of my elderly mom's limitations.
I just get the feeling, between that situation and pulling out of some other great circles of activity and friends due to lack of time, that I'm just not loving life enough.
Love. It's about loving yourself, too. I gotta get back there one day.
He's consistent about this. With a high-stress job, he likes big-fun trips. Vegas for gambling, San Fran for friends and family, and P.I. for more family. Me? I haven't been out of the state in five years and it's really starting to show. I'm so complacent about this routine, which is heavily oriented around my family. The routine has been in place for several years now, and I find it nearly impossible to leave town for more than a day or two because of my elderly mom's limitations.
I just get the feeling, between that situation and pulling out of some other great circles of activity and friends due to lack of time, that I'm just not loving life enough.
Love. It's about loving yourself, too. I gotta get back there one day.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Love is ... Oxytocin?
Prairie dogs benefit from it. Humans have produce it naturally, releasing it during, well ... you know when.
Oxytocin is, in many ways, a love drug. The "hormone of love" works in a variety of animals when injected. A website called oxytocin.org lists a number of benefits, both physically and mentally. In Sweden, the use of massage supposedly raises oxytocin levels, creating a positive emotion.
I am totally ignorant about this hormone, and all hormones for that matter. In this world of instant pharmaceutical "solutions," I wonder if oxytocin has been used in more drugs and treatments than I could possibly imagine.
Wikipedia defines oxytocin as this:
Oxytocin (Greek: "quick birth") is a mammalian hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. In women, it is released mainly after distension (sp) of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, facilitating birth and breastfeeding, respectively. Oxytocin is released during orgasm in both sexes. In the brain, oxytocin is involved in social recognition and bonding, and might be involved in the formation of trust between people.[1] Also, oxytocin has been known to affect the brain by regulating circadian homeostasis, such as a person's body temperature, activity level, and wakefulness [2].
It almost goes without saying that I'd love to feel the rush of such a pleasant hormone rather than spend time reading about its multitude of scientific details. For more, check out the Wikipedia page.
I'm going to guess here that chocolate may have a certain level of oxytocin, but that's a whole 'nother story worth exploring.
Oxytocin is, in many ways, a love drug. The "hormone of love" works in a variety of animals when injected. A website called oxytocin.org lists a number of benefits, both physically and mentally. In Sweden, the use of massage supposedly raises oxytocin levels, creating a positive emotion.
I am totally ignorant about this hormone, and all hormones for that matter. In this world of instant pharmaceutical "solutions," I wonder if oxytocin has been used in more drugs and treatments than I could possibly imagine.
Wikipedia defines oxytocin as this:
Oxytocin (Greek: "quick birth") is a mammalian hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. In women, it is released mainly after distension (sp) of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, facilitating birth and breastfeeding, respectively. Oxytocin is released during orgasm in both sexes. In the brain, oxytocin is involved in social recognition and bonding, and might be involved in the formation of trust between people.[1] Also, oxytocin has been known to affect the brain by regulating circadian homeostasis, such as a person's body temperature, activity level, and wakefulness [2].
It almost goes without saying that I'd love to feel the rush of such a pleasant hormone rather than spend time reading about its multitude of scientific details. For more, check out the Wikipedia page. I'm going to guess here that chocolate may have a certain level of oxytocin, but that's a whole 'nother story worth exploring.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Love: A Definition
Too many of us were influenced, even scarred, by pop music as kids. Shoot, according to our radios and vinyl records, love was pure romance, lust and sex all rolled up into one. If you owned (or still own) a Prince album, you know what I'm talking about.
But love is more than that. In the Greek translation, there are five interpretations of love.
• Love is eros, the passion, the "falling in love" syndrome. It's real, can't deny that. It's the spark that ignites. It's about two people who forget everything else and consume each other. En fuego.
• There's love as philia, a love between best friends, the people you enjoy in company and fellowship.
• Of course, there's agape, the unconditional love that knows no limitations. It is the love of the New Testament, as opposed to the fire-and-brimstone flavor of the Old Testament.
• Storge was a definition relegated to relationships within family.
• Thelema is desire, a desire to do somethng, be occupied or be in prominence.
The ones we relate to most today, from old folks to toddlers, are the first three. As a younger man, I didn't think twice at the word love. But as I get older, it's clearer to me how complex it really is, and that multiple definitions are accurate as opposed to the stuff we used to hear in music.
That's life. It's complicated sometimes, and the simplest way to understand it is to know the differences. That's why love is a strong word.
But love is more than that. In the Greek translation, there are five interpretations of love.
• Love is eros, the passion, the "falling in love" syndrome. It's real, can't deny that. It's the spark that ignites. It's about two people who forget everything else and consume each other. En fuego.
• There's love as philia, a love between best friends, the people you enjoy in company and fellowship.
• Of course, there's agape, the unconditional love that knows no limitations. It is the love of the New Testament, as opposed to the fire-and-brimstone flavor of the Old Testament.
• Storge was a definition relegated to relationships within family.
• Thelema is desire, a desire to do somethng, be occupied or be in prominence.
The ones we relate to most today, from old folks to toddlers, are the first three. As a younger man, I didn't think twice at the word love. But as I get older, it's clearer to me how complex it really is, and that multiple definitions are accurate as opposed to the stuff we used to hear in music.
That's life. It's complicated sometimes, and the simplest way to understand it is to know the differences. That's why love is a strong word.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Yes
Is love a strong word?
Is hate a strong word?
Yes and yes.
But love and hate are not polar opposites, as is commonly believed. It is apathy that is the true opposite of love. Love and hate are actually closer in nature than we could ever imagine. And therein lies the rub.
There are such a multitude of forces operating within us, within those around us, that the invevitable truth is this. Finding balance is difficult. It is a matter of chemistry.
Is hate a strong word?
Yes and yes.
But love and hate are not polar opposites, as is commonly believed. It is apathy that is the true opposite of love. Love and hate are actually closer in nature than we could ever imagine. And therein lies the rub.
There are such a multitude of forces operating within us, within those around us, that the invevitable truth is this. Finding balance is difficult. It is a matter of chemistry.
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