50

Fifty years after Sputnik launched! Let's see; I was 10 years old then, and already reading science fiction and non-fiction books about astronomy and rockets. Still have some of them on the shelf behind me, in fact. I remember seeing Sputnik a couple of times; I think that was one of the occasions where Dad hauled us all out on the patio to look. I remember the beep.

I was one of the beneficiaries of the space race -- the US reacted to Sputnik by sharply raising the priority of science and math education. Junior high and high school were fun! Well, except for PE and history, of course, and finding out just how lousy I was at learning languages.

Fifty years ago. Wow!

(E.t.a.: excellent picture at APOD, by the way.)

Walks and pains

(cross-posted to healthy_fen)

Thanks to the fantastic shoulder massage I got Wednesday night from bookwyrm172006, I now suspect that some of the problems I've been having with my shoulders may be mostly due to muscle spasms. Probably from a combination of keyboard, mouse, and tension.

Running shoes and wrist weights for my walk today; didn't get more than a mile before my arms got too tired, but I kept the walking pace up to the top of the hill at about 1.5 miles. Just barely. Most of the pain this time was in the back of my calves, so it's probably not shin splints. Still hurts, though. Felt a lot like the pain in my arms, come to think of it.

I seem to have gained back four or five pounds, probably traceable to having stopped taking a stimulant-based decongestant. I seem to be sleeping better, though.

Numbness in my lower legs persists; I have a neurology appointment Monday morning.