Tuesday 11 November 2008

In Headaches and in Worry.

In the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations there is only one mention of stress.
'Sturm and Drang.'
Storm and Stress, suggested as a better title for Christopher Kaufmann's play published in 1777. There is also only one reference to worry.
'In headaches and in worry
Vaguely life leaks away.'
From 'As I Walked Out One Evening.' by W H Auden. 1907-1973.
Presumably stress is a modern phenomenon, previously simply known as worry, often self inflicted. Yet is it any surprise when one considers our lifestyle.
I changed doctors recently. The parking is abysmal, not helped by my choice of vehicle being a twenty foot plus motorhome.The waiting room is full of badly behaved children, clueless parents and wheezing adults who periodically pop outside for a cigarette, the adults that is. Though a couple of snivelling teenagers look and sound as if they are on something stronger than tobacco. I see the nurse, only she's not a nurse but some sort of health assistant. She takes my blood pressure, non too gently; not surprisingly it is sky high. I have to make an appointment to see a nurse; that is, a proper nurse. My tablets are running out and I also have to see the doctor before he will issue a repeat prescription. Not on the same day as I see the nurse, that would be too simple.
I see an advertisement in the newspaper for digital cameras. I never learn. Yesterday we trek to Long Eaton, via sat nav, in itself stressful, find the place and view in a freezing cold warehouse.
I take my wife for a relaxing evening at her oil painting class. Only there were road works and diversions last week but not this so I get lost again; that makes three out of four.
This morning is spent by and on the internet. The payment details sorted with great difficulty, my wife bids for a camera from a list of hundreds, in competition with other bidders. Note my wife bids, I honestly wouldn't have a clue and the stress of the situation has already got to us both. (My wife also suffers from high blood pressure.) Last minute bidders, professionals at this game confuse us. Not helped by the order of the cameras changing, a fact not noticed by us. The result, we are now apparently the proud owners of not one but three new cameras. E Bay here we come. Plus it's only Tuesday; roll on the weekend. They don't call me Grumpy Old Ken for nothing.

3 comments:

Stinking Billy said...

ken, I well remember Long Eaton and 'The Corner Pin', having spent many a night in there on my 17/6d pay in 1953/4, while stationed at Chilwell. I used to think then that we were in Nottingham, not Derby. However, I was also at Eggerton for a few months.

Clippy Mat said...

Ken: you have earned your name. Who can blame us? Sometimes life is just 'stressful'. and how we deal with it is the key to being non-grumpy I suppose.
Tell that to the birds.
Easier said than done sometimes.
I know I'm still a work in progress.
Keep up the good work.
:-)

Mad Asthmatic said...

What kind of cameras have you bought? i am on the look out for a digital camera.
I hate roadworks and diversons. even thinking about them gets me all het up.

MA