and then tomorrow

I think I'm okay to go do the bee fieldwork tomorrow, and to get soil on Wednesday. (We have a short week this week; it's mid-level assessment testing so we've been asked to cancel classes on Wednesday morning. I also have no classes Thursday because the lab I teach is cancelled).

I'm going to go get some colloidal oatmeal to help with the aftereffects of the hives, and mix it with Epsom salts (for the sore muscles) in a bath.The bee work isn't all that strenuous so I think it will be fine.

I went and re-enrolled for health insurance today. (I am sure there is a reason for making everyone do this, even if you have no changes at all, but it would be nice to just send back a letter saying, "I don't need to change my coverage, thanks" and be done). They did give out flyers on the "health points" dealie where you can get some bucks knocked off your deductible for doing a long survey. I think....I think I am going to hold off this year and see what other people experience. The list of information they wanted was extensive and a lot of it was stuff that I would meet with an abrupt "That's NONE of your business!" if someone other than a health care provider asked it. (As it is, I'm not so sure about giving some of the details to my insurer).

I also want to see how much intrusion enters the person's life. I read between the lines on the flier and it sounds like taking part gives them the impetus to give you "advice." I am not sure how frequent or intrusive it might be. I could see them coming after me for:

1. Weight loss
2. Stress reduction/hypertension reduction
3. Possibly reducing risks of Type II Diabetes (family history of it but no hint of pre-diabetes here at this point, also I try to eat healthfully and I exercise)
4. ???? I'm sure there's something else I'm doing "wrong"


And you know? I don't need that. I know that I could go on a shakey diet plan and starve myself for a few months and be more "perfect" in terms of what my BMI was. Or I could devote more time in a day to exercise. Or I could go all crazy about refined sugars like I had to about salt. But I don't WANT to. Life is short. I'm already under several dietary restrictions (limit salt, no carrots, no celery, no raw cucurbits, no cashews or pistachios, watch out for mushrooms and other fungal foods, lots of veggies....) and I really don't want to undertake more. I guess the frustration for me is that I want to be able to say "I'm doing enough, dang it" but really, it's NEVER enough. You could eat another plate of plain green beans. You could cut out another carbohydrate. You could start lifting weights....and life is just too short.

So I'm going to hold off and see. If colleagues of mine do it and they don't wind up spammed with "advice," I will do it next year. (But it looks like it could take a couple hours to do, and you need everything from your immunization history to your waist size in inches for it)