I swim laps at the Y as well as take an intensive water aerobics class. This morning I was going to take the class but when I got to the Y, I decided to swim laps instead. I have a lot on my mind and my body needed to do some hard swimming. Plus, I didn’t want to talk to anyone or worry about hitting someone accidentally as happens in the class. I jumped in my lane and began saying my mantra as I swam: “God is here. God is here.” (see Feb. 16 ) I actually couldn’t remember why I had that mantra so I had to look back at my blog entries until I found the story buried in my post on disease. I need to figure out a way to keep track of where I write things since I often cannot remember the stories!

There is a television set in the locker room which drives me crazy since I cannot filter out noise (see May 9). Why do people feel they always need to have a television on? I never watch T.V. at home. We have one to watch DVDs on but right now, we have a picture leaning on it. We haven’t hung it on the wall yet so now it serves as a shield for our T.V. Whenever we want to watch a DVD we simply move the picture aside. Frankly, I like the looks of the picture better that the T.V screen!

I cannot carry on a conversation with someone with the T.V. noise in the background. When I visit someone in a nursing home or even their homes, I always have to ask them to turn it off because I can”t concentrate on what they are saying when it is on. I understand people who use hearing aids have the same problem. And it seems today T.V.’s are every where. There is even one in the post office so folks who wait in line have something with which to pay attention. I wonder when people have become afraid of their own thoughts?

I drove somewhere new today which meant I needed to use my GPS. I always like to have some idea of where I’m going so I don’t rely completely on it. Nevertheless, I become really spacey when I’m going to a new place. At least I’m prepared for it now so I kept telling myself, “Okay, remember you’re going to feel out-of-sorts until you find the place but you’ll find it so relax.” Fortunately I didn’t have a specific time when I had to arrive which took some stress off.