My issues, let me show you them
So, I have a problem with certain words*. It's not that they're vulgar or anything, it's just that they have certain connotations that squick me out. I also have a problem with bodily functions, ie, admitting I have them. Seriously, I stared at the 'Clean Digestion' trait in Eclipse Phase with undisguised longing for about three minutes when we first got the PDFs. I was raised to see them as embarrassing and shameful and I can't seem to kick the mindset. Whatever.
Combining those two things, you can imagine what kind of trial 2008 was, with my ulcerative colitis acting up and me trying to stammer out, "Well, I'm sorta bleeding...yeah...food...doesn't stay, err, in...and uhh...lots of urgent bathroom...can I stop talking yet? Maybe substitute vague hand gestures?" Being in the hospital with an endless round of people who felt they had a right to barge in and interrogate me about amount, frequency, consistency, and anything else they wanted to know about was a trial, but it did enable me to get a little more comfortable discussing these topics. Sorta like how burning yourself constantly will eventually lead to a lack of feeling in that area.
Let's just say it helped build character, wherein building character is defined as "being forced to do activities that you'd really rather pay to avoid all while being told that it's good for you." In other news, I hate building character.
Still, it stood me in good stead this morning when I took Islay to the vet and had to say, "We're here because she'd secreting an oily discharge from her anal glands" without flailing or looking like an ass. I did it, I just couldn't look directly at the vet as I did so.
Shut up, it's progress.
Go me.
*Yes, I am aware of the irony implicit of a writer who fears words. Don't judge me.**
**Well, okay, feel free to judge.
Combining those two things, you can imagine what kind of trial 2008 was, with my ulcerative colitis acting up and me trying to stammer out, "Well, I'm sorta bleeding...yeah...food...doesn't stay, err, in...and uhh...lots of urgent bathroom...can I stop talking yet? Maybe substitute vague hand gestures?" Being in the hospital with an endless round of people who felt they had a right to barge in and interrogate me about amount, frequency, consistency, and anything else they wanted to know about was a trial, but it did enable me to get a little more comfortable discussing these topics. Sorta like how burning yourself constantly will eventually lead to a lack of feeling in that area.
Let's just say it helped build character, wherein building character is defined as "being forced to do activities that you'd really rather pay to avoid all while being told that it's good for you." In other news, I hate building character.
Still, it stood me in good stead this morning when I took Islay to the vet and had to say, "We're here because she'd secreting an oily discharge from her anal glands" without flailing or looking like an ass. I did it, I just couldn't look directly at the vet as I did so.
Shut up, it's progress.
Go me.
*Yes, I am aware of the irony implicit of a writer who fears words. Don't judge me.**
**Well, okay, feel free to judge.