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Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Way down yonder in the Land of Cotton
Posts: 231
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Way down yonder in the Land of Cotton
Posts: 231
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Mark,
Well...let's see. Things to do to keep yourself from going totally stir crazy blinking bonkers this Winter. Hmmmmmm. What do I do? Well....the verdict is out as to how successful I have been at keeping myself Uncrazified all these years (ROFL!) But....maybe I can come up with a thing or two?
There have already been some really good suggestions! Puzzles are good, because they aren't too bad on troubled hands, and you can get them in different sizes and difficultly levels and what not. I have a couple of those put up to pull out later on, myself. Although, I guess for anyone with TOS symptoms/problems this might not bee a good choice, because of posture problems (ie, hunching down over the puzzle on a table top)?
I can't knit...but I can crochet. That is pretty easy, once you get the hang of it (or at least it was for me, I figured out how to do it while I was talking on the phone...LOLOL...see? I talk WAAAAY too much! Just ask Liz! Heh!). Is something that will tire out your dominate hand quickly, or at least it does mine...but then that is where I have RSD. To me, there are a few of added benefist in messing around with a craft like this, because (1) it DOES exercise my hand and as long as I am careful and smart, it is something that I can use to try to keep my hand useful and moving..(2) It helps to keep my hand from being so very hyper sensitive (the yarn...even though I got "the good stuff", nice, soft yarn, and not the cheap, ruff itchy kind...it still helps, because of how you have to handle it)..and..(3) I can make a blanket that covers me up while I am working on it!  Of course, I have been working on the same friggin blanket for the past 5 years now (like I said...I have to be very careful and smart, stopping when my hand says so! And, I don't work on it at all when it is warm or hot outside...it is strictly a "cold weather" project type thing for me), but that is Ok, as I am only doing this for myself, and not for anyone else. One day...in a few years down the road, I will have a beautiful blue varigated and white, very thick, very soft, and very warm afghan to wrap myself up in, or to do whatever else I want to with!
Another thing that I LOVE to do, and have since I was first inroduced to it as a 13 year old when we first moved here, is Cross Stitching! This works on fine motor control in hands....and I understand how it might be nearly impossible for some folks with bad upper RSD to do. But, there small kits that you can get that come with everything that you need...well...except a hoop, and those you can get for next to nothing. The different "counts" of cloth mean how small or large the stitches will be. So, for larger stitches, get a SMALLER number, and for smaller stitches a larger one. The "count" is how many squares there are per inch on the cloth (which looks like cloth graph paper). The largest "count" is 11. Most Beginners projects are done on that count. But, other things are done on that also. Anyway..it is pretty easy, really. You have a pattern on paper...kinda like graph paper, that is a picture made up of all kinds of symbols. Each symbol stands for a different color embroidery floss (the instructions that are on the pattern will tell you how many strands of floss you need to use). You just put that on your cloth...in "x"s. You make a row of "////////////" and when you reach the end of that particular color on that row or area on that row, you then go back over it with "\\\\\\\\\\\\" so that when you are done you have a row of "XXXXXXXXXXXX". Wa-LAH!
Again, with cross stitching or any kind of needle work, you have to be careful if you have upper body rsd, and LISTEN to what your body is telling you. If your hands get tired....stop. Don't over do. And...do simple things....and don't stress about it, because you aren't trying to make works of art here...this is for YOU. If you look at it like that, you will be surprised what happens!
Ummmm....then, there is COOKING! YEAH! I LOVE cooking, baking, whatever! Evidentially, there is a difference? I didn't know that until just the last year or two...I thought that if you know how to cook...it meant that you know how to prepare food, rather it was cakes and cookies or meats and veggies, or pasta and chicken and sauces...or whatever! ROFL....evidentially not. I like to do both...and this is the time of the year when I can go crazy! Er...well...a "little crazy" anyways. LOL. Not as crazy as I used to. But, it does give me and excuse to do more baking, as during the rest of the year I don't...for a couple of reasons (1) It heats up the house and when it is super hot, the kids complain when I make it even hotter in here, and (2) I don't need a bunch of baked goods laying around here all day...with only me being the one home alone with them all the time. ONE of us isn't going to survive...and we all know which it will be. ROFL, I certain do not need any more help putting any more "junk in my trunk", or any where else for that matter, thank you very much! 
But, this time of year I can bake, and give stuff to neigobors...or even send some with the kids to the dreaded and much disliked Monster-in-law when they go over there for their "holiday Festivities". Shoot...they might not like ME, but that bunch of...erm....beingnice here.....people....will not turn their nose up at food, that is for sure. LOL. They love to eat...and I am a good cook. They might say a lot of other stuff about me...but they can't dis my cooking! ROFL!
Other than that....there is ALWAYS reading! Reading is what I always fall back on when everything else hurts to bad to do, because I just hurt to much everywhere, and my very bones ache with the cold. There have been times when we have tried to get some threads going about books and movies and such going on here. Usually, it is during the Winter when that happens. Everyone is looking for something to do. Reading....and Watching movies. I have BIG libraries of both in my house. LOL. I am book worm and movie....erm...I don't know what? Movie Moth?  Hmmm...
If reading is too bad on your eyes, there are audio books. I have found that I actually like those, too. Especially if I find an actor/artist that I enjoy hearing/listening to. Sometimes, I really enjoy listening to an author read his own works, when that is possible. Anyway....this might also be something that you can look into if your eye sight is too bad for reading, or you find that the strain at times is bothering you. Audio books, or large print. I know about these things, because I have explored them myself at different times, for different reasons.
Then, there is always coming here and seeing what we all are up to and talking about...or getting up on a virtual trip again....or doing some other something like that....and PLEASE don't forget that you are our Prick Policeman! We really need that around here (Meow! ROFLMAO!!). And, if you just can't find anything else to read....you can ALWAYS come here and find one of the novelettes that I write...it should be good to chase some time away, long winded (er...."fingered"?) as I am. ROFL!
Wondering if you made it this far......we will see....LOLOL. You shouldn't be able to help yourself, if you did.  ROFL
Hope I helped?
((Hugs))
Jose
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