Or, lessons learned from noisy, hidden crickets in my bedroom

Somehow in the last three weeks, one cricket after another has been sneaking into my bedroom and shrieking its head off at unpredictable times.  The gorier details of these confrontations are chronicled here.  I can’t use any kind of bug spray because the smell always makes me nauseous.  So my choices were either to put up with it and hope for the best, sleep in another room or use earplugs.  After trying all three, I best recommend the earplug route. 

However, last night at one thirty in the morning (and stuff like this always happens at one thirty in the morning, doesn’t it?), my ears were so sore from the plugs that I had to take them out.  That means I was awake until the cricket called the concert a night (or day…or whatever…)  Boy, was I worked up.  My sleep has been so constantly interrupted in the last weeks that I was having more headaches than usual and I couldn’t spend as much time writing and that means less money made and that means I might not have enough to pay my bills and that will keep me awake and that will give me headaches….

(My thoughts went round and round like that.  I think I was a hamster in my previous life who spent a lot of time on that little wheel.)

How I Managed To Relax

 I tensed up my body as tight as I could and went "Ahh!" This woke up my dog — well, more accurately, my dog’s bladder.  I had to take her out.  She rolled around in a happy greeting to see me, tense or not, before I snapped the lead on her collar.

After her bladder was taken care of, then suddenly my bladder needed taking care of (Power of suggestion, I guess).  My ears were really sore.  I wondered how I was going to get all my writing assignments done, especially all of the tea assignments.  While on the toilet, I had a brilliant idea (come on — I know I’m not the only one this happens to).  I’d have a cup of chamomile tea and use the tea bag as a hot compress for my ears while sipping the tea.

After the tea was brewed, I gingerly wrapped the hot teabag in an old dishtowel and put it to my ear.  The relief was instantaneous.  I watched my new fishtank bubble, the dog sleeping and felt the lack of pain in my ears.  Suddenly, I was about the most relaxed I could be and still remain sitting upright.

Then I thought of all of the situations where you have to tense up before you can relax.  Sneezing, for example.  Lying down for a massage and being scolded, "RELAX!  You’re too tight!"  Just tense up as tight as you can, and then let go.  Going into a two second tantrum after receiving bad news.  Sometimes the relaxation that comes is deeper and more satisfying than if you just tried consciously to relax.  Use this technique in the ways that it fits into your life.

Hope this helps.

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