Hi, James... happy Twelfth Night, Epiphany, Feast of the Theophany, Gregorian   
   Christmas, or whatever!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:   
      
   AH>  [...] I recognize that I come from a long line of people   
   AH>  whose philosophy Elizabeth the Queen Mother explained quite   
   AH>  succinctly (IIRC) as "You just carry on."   
      
   JB>  Stalwart, stoic, good little soldiers are we to follow   
   JB>  the Queen Mum!   
      
      
              And do our duty, of course....  Q-)   
      
      
      
   JB>   Likely, the better lesson is how to tune into   
   JB>  those warning signs to better be *able* to "carry on".   
      
      
              I was a slow learner in PE... but I'll get there eventually.  :-))   
      
      
      
   JB>  [...] should we walk differently to develop more blisters,   
   JB>  or stop to dress the wound and put on a pair of dry socks?   
   JB>  (BTW, two pairs of dry, clean socks almost eliminates   
   JB>  blisters on the feet for those reading.)   
      
      
              Hadn't heard that one.  I've made a mental note....  :-)   
      
      
      
   AH>  If it hurts when I try to do such-and-such, maybe I need   
   AH>  to back off for the time being....  :-)   
      
   JB>  But, licking our wounds is seen as a negative trait.    
      
      
              Yet I've read that saliva... dog saliva in particular... has   
   healing properties!  Seriously, though... there are various ways of   
   accomplishing tasks which need to be done without shopping for sympathy or   
   dumping them on somebody else.  If my body objects when I persist in doing   
   what I've always done without devoting much thought to it, a closer   
   examination may be in order.  :-)   
      
      
      
   JB>  I used to be so encouraged that I inherited mom's low BP.   
   JB>  Now, I learned about all the other things I am likely to   
   JB>  have inherited from my parents.   
      
      
              OTOH, if you need medication for these things which raises the   
   blood pressure as a side effect you'll have one less side effect to worry   
   about.  ;-)   
      
      
      
   JB>  I suppose I *should* stop smoking, and cut down on the   
   JB>  sulfides and other bad foods. <...>   
      
      
              Ah... the tyranny of the "shoulds"!  Although I'm tempted to write   
   a long diatribe here, I'd like to get back to you within the current century.    
   In short:  Who is telling you what you should do?  Have they any idea what's   
   going on in your life right now?  And are you aware that generally accepted   
   ideas WRT "good" or "bad" may be influenced as much by the whims of fashion or   
   by a lobby group as by an increase in scientific knowledge?  I much prefer   
   Bernie Siegel's attitude... you'll do the above if & when you're ready.    
   Meanwhile there may be benefits from your standpoint which others have not   
   taken into account....  :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)