I can't tell...

I can't tell for sure, but it's possible the sinus issues I had last week were the stealthy start of an atypical cold. Yesterday, my nose ran like a faucet - I went down to the ladies' loo and appropriated what was left of one of the big rolls of tp and now have it in my office. And I have a scratchy throat, which could suggest cold (or could be a side effect of the steroid nasal spray, or could be post-nasal drip).

The good news in all of this? My teeth feel a lot better and the feeling of doom about that one front tooth that has a "calcified channel" is going away. (Also good news: apparently that tooth is NOT dead, based on the amount of pain it gave me in the past week)

***

I am going to do something scary in a couple of weeks. A Krav Maga (a form of self-defense, sort of like martial arts but not) trainer is coming to campus and doing a workshop. And I figured, heck, given the stuff that can go on on a campus, it's probably worth knowing the right way to drop someone who comes at you and also some possible techniques for someone who has come on campus with a gun. (Yes, I know. But if someone walks into a classroom bent on shooting people including me, I'd rather go down fighting than just get slaughtered. And we're a fair piece from Campus Police, so the "good guys with guns" wouldn't get here too fast)

Well, I got the instructions last night. I am to buy a mouthguard (eeep). And they want to know about medical conditions. And I am to bring a gallon of water, and "an extra shirt for the drive home might be a good idea." This sounds very physical and I hope I'm up for it. I did e-mail the guy back, emphasizing my age (maybe they meant this for students?) and the fact that I have high blood pressure and somewhat dodgy teeth and some arthritis issues. And he e-mailed me back, all very reassuring, but it will still be kind of scary.

I do work out, and I can do stuff like lift and carry fifty-pound bags of sand, and I can pull myself up onto my roof using mostly the strength in my shoulders and chest, so maybe I'm okay. (He said the oldest student was 67, so at least I won't be the oldest).

And anyway - there's some dude accused of murder who escaped from the (sadly fairly porous, it seems) county jail, and they think he's still in the area (Apparently, they suspect a friend or relative is helping him). And while I probably couldn't drop HIM without my having a weapon (he's almost a foot taller than I am and leaner), still, knowing self-defense might make me less worried about that stuff because I know what I could do. And apparently the training contains aspects of learning situational awareness and avoiding bad situations as much as being able to fight your way out of one.




(Actually, I suspect my situational awareness is pretty good, or at least good compared to many today - I don't walk and text, which just seems incredibly foolhardy to me. And I had all that training back in the day as a college student about "look around yourself when you're walking alone; if something feels hinky it probably is so get to a place where there are other people you can trust, don't feel bad about turning around and loudly confronting someone you think is following you, etc." I've never had to DO any of that other than the looking-around part (and, okay, there's been a time or two when I detoured into a store or campus building when something felt hinky) and I tend to walk fast and with my head up. But still.)