08 Feb 2004

Small pleasures

For four days, I've had a wracking cough. This has meant that I haven't got much sleep, and I'm constantly irritated by a dreadful, incessant tickling in my bronchi. I feel like my lungs are trying to escape. In an attempt to distract myself from these annoyances, I was trying to think about the kind of simple, pleasurable things I enjoy.

I remembered a cold winter walk I went on a little while ago. As I walked by the river, I found a big, white swan's feather. It was a body feather, and had the contradictory properties of strength, suppleness and softness. As I walked along, I slowly drew the feather between my closed index and middle fingers, pulling it gently against the direction of its natural curve and enjoying the soft snick sound it made as it slipped free of my fingers. I repeated the action over and over again, until it became like a sensual mantra, and was very soothing. I wish I had a swan's feather now.

  1. 1

    What Brings us Comfort I was reading an entry on bsag’s blog that made me think about the things that we do when we’re unwell; specifically those things that bring us comfort when we’re feeling grossly under par. And by unwell I don’t mean ‘a bi... -----

    by diachrony @ 09/02/2004 1:03 am • Permalink

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    Get well soon bsag

    by ThoughtBadger @ 09/02/2004 10:02 pm • Permalink

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    I hope you feel better soon. Our kids sometimes have coughs that rival those you would expect from a ward full of consumptives - but it doesn't seem to bother them too much. Whereas whenever I get one I find that I end up thoroughly miserable after a couple of days. So keep thinking about that feather grin Perhaps this will help.----- p. djn1: Thanks! I hate getting a cough because it wears you out so much, and you get no sleep. I suppose kids don't have to worry about staying awake at work... I love the photo you linked to. It reminded me that I had taken a similar one a couple of years ago (see next entry for more).

    by bsag @ 09/02/2004 10:03 pm • Permalink

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    you've got me thinking of joy luck club, now... oh, and i do, also, hope the cough clears up...

    by stacy @ 10/02/2004 12:03 am • Permalink

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    You're welcome grin

    by djn1 @ 10/02/2004 1:03 am • Permalink

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    > Goonshow oh magnificent then you'll love this: http://www.darcy.mailbox.co.uk/lib/rsrc/idiot.wav

    by Saltation @ 14/02/2004 10:02 pm • Permalink