Less Facebook. More Faces and Books.

Last night, after not a whole lot of thought and deliberation, I decided to deactivate my Facebook account.

I know. Seems like a decision that deserves a lot of time and consideration. Regardless, I found my fingers easily clicking through the series of prompts and agreeing to disable my page. Rest assured, I can return at any time and everything should be exactly how I left it. Phew. But once I thought about what I had done I could feel my body relax and silently thank me.

Lately I've felt like there are two people living inside of me. The "Facebook Ashley" who broadcasts endless (but edited) experiences with the world and the shy little girl who quietly grew older to live a private existence. I spent my childhood holding my tongue and observing the world around me. Countless observations and a window into human habits have molded me into the woman that now sits to write this. It's been a long journey and I've definitely developed in the process. What I don't share on Facebook is all the thinking I actually do about the path of our existence and about philosophy and about my genuine fears. Often those things are hidden by youtube clips of puppies or the inspiring quotes from my students. Or the details of one of my disastrous falls into oncoming traffic. And I love being able to share my life in a fairly public setting in hopes that others will find my ups and downs amusing or entertaining. But I don't want to sustain that all the time.

At least, not without a little vacation. So it's time for some rest and relaxation. I'll be back to the fast paced life of Facebook soon enough but with all the time I spend Facebooking, I could actually be having more face to face connections. Or reading more books. It's worth a try anyway.

Acupuncture: A Jab Well Done

It was always my hope to put the pun in acupuncture. Now after finally experiencing it I feel like I'm one step closer to my goal.

I'm sure you're all on pins and needles wondering about my latest adventure. Well, as the title hints, it was a mighty trip. An activity that I probably wouldn't have considered without the aid of Groupon and a friend of mine who couldn't make his appointment. I completely lucked out with this opportunity and I'm amused to be so grateful for having had the chance to be stuck with a bunch of needles.

Acupuncture bases a lot of its principles around meridians. A means to connect internal organs with the external ones through stimulating specific surface points to encourage blood circulation and the flow of qi. To accomplish this, my doctor spent a few minutes feeling my pulse and reading the story enfolding with every heart beat. Apparently, my inner book is a "strong pulse that struggles with dampness". With only 30 seconds spent feeling this strong pulse of mine he was also able to decode things I had been holding on to emotionally. I try so hard to put on a brave face sometimes that it fascinated me to know that my mask really only runs skin deep; beyond the surface lies a truth that so often stays silent.

I then moved onto my back with a pillow under my knees and was quickly pinned down by a series of needles in my arms, legs, feet, and face. Each prick brought on a slightly different sensation. At times I could actually feel an immediate reaction with a tingle down to my toes. The doctor then put on a heat lamp near my legs, turned the lights down lower, and put on a CD of relaxing music featuring a wooden flute. He also gifted me with a neck message before leaving me alone with my thoughts and freely flowing qi. After he left the room, I was graced with twenty minutes of focused meditation in this new environment (that I quietly declared to be comically romantic) to dry up that defined dampness rumored to be dancing in my pulse.

When the doctor came back he asked me how I felt and I burst out, "it feels like my body is humming!" And he laughed. I guess patients don't usually articulate their sessions like that. But overall, I truly felt like my body had a chance to uncover a song that had gone unsung for a long time. He concluded our time together by rechecking my pulse and confirming that the beat of my heart seemed to be answering to a new medley. And I left with the regret that my insurance doesn't cover acupuncture or a recording contract for the tunes my body now wants to jam about.

But if you can get it covered or perhaps the next time Groupon offers the chance, I highly suggest seizing each and every pun that acupuncture can offer you. And sticking to it!