Random 5 for January 28 – Boogers, water, habits, dehydration, aging

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No, not this kind of bloom.

Blooms and gloom – When I was a teenager I could depend on getting a zit in a prominent place for any special occasion. I get zits a lot less but the tradition continues in different ways. This coming week I will be judging presentation skills. To celebrate I got something going on in my eye. It may be a hidden sty on the lower lid. Hidden doesn’t mean you can’t see it. You can’t see the main event but my eye is bloodshot and watering. It’s the kind of eye that makes your eyes water when you look at me. Let’s hope it’s gone by Wednesday! Maybe some stylish colored glasses will work!

A difference of age – Between my new gym and walking group, I’ve noticed a big difference that separates the ages. Water bottles! The older folks (just for the record I barely fit that category – barely!) don’t carry water bottles all the time. ALL THE TIME! At the gym the young folks carry one from equipment to equipment. They will set it on the floor if they need too. (We older folks think floors are dirty places to store anything that goes into your mouth.) My walking group is all older and no one carries water. People walk for up to an hour at a moderate pace. They may have water in their cars or like me stop at Starbucks to fuel up afterward.

Why is that? – I don’t know. Older folks need more water than the young’uns. When I was a child (during prehistoric times) water didn’t come in bottles. It came out of a faucet or (gasp!) hose. (Please note this is after the pre-prehistoric era when water came from lakes and streams.) Kids were outside most of the time. We went in for a drink and came back out quickly. No fancy bottles, thermos, or anything else. If we had one, it would be lost within the first hour. Amazingly we survived.

One more water story – I went strawberry picking with a friend a few years back. She convinced me to take water as it was a hot day. I also took sunscreen and a large (but stylish) hat. I put my water bottle at the beginning of the row and went on to pick. We picked for an hour and left. My water bottle was still untouched at the place I put it. (The hat was still on my head!) It’s habit. I do drink water but rarely during an activity. I wait until afterward. (Keep in mind that I don’t run marathons!) I’m blaming this on my mom. She had a strict rule that you weren’t allowed to drink water with a meal, only afterward. She said it would fill me up and I’d whine about being hungry an hour later. That doesn’t at all relate to exercising but I’m blaming her anyway.

The old gym crew! – Several of us from the gym that closed last August met for lunch this past week. I am the youngest in the group. I don’t see them often so I can see the effects of aging. One person walks with a cane and several others are struggling with new health issues. This is a change from a few months back. Very sobering lesson to make every day count.

So how was your week?

 

 

64 thoughts on “Random 5 for January 28 – Boogers, water, habits, dehydration, aging”

  1. Well, it’s definitely too late for your meeting on Wednesday, but the next time you’re fighting with a sty on your eye (in spite of being such a nasty thing, it always makes me smile to say that: ) make yourself a pot/cup of tea and fish the bag out to soak the eye while you relax and drink your tea… Of course you’ll need to wrap it in a tissue or two to take up any dribbles and mitigate the temperature, but I believe it’s something about the tannic(?) acid that’ll help get rid of that nasty irritation: ) Boric Acid powder can also be purchased at the pharmacy for the same (and many other) use(s). Take care, Deb

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    • I read that (after the fact). It started with both upper and lower lid sore and swollen. I wasn’t sure if it was allergies or a sty. By the next day I knew a sty was brewing but wasn’t sure where. It’s still visible although not too gross and it’s day 11 (not gone yet). I’ve talked to my eye doc before about them. Last time he gave me antibiotic pills which screwed up my GI system. A few years back, I had a really bad one and had to go to a walk-in place on the weekend. I was given some miracle drops and it went away in about 4 days. For some reason my eye doc doesn’t prescribe those. I will try the hot tea bag early next time. I never had them until 3 years ago. Now I get a few times a year. This one wasn’t real painful but I’ve had doozies where it scrapped my eye and made me sensitive to light. Thanks for your suggestion!

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  2. It’s an interesting observation about the water bottles, Kate. I do take water with me almost everywhere, but like you’ve observed, I tend to drink it AFTER whatever the activity. I suppose I’m concerned I will need it, and then just don’t. Hmmm. I’m very aware of the aging taking place in a few of my older friends. I have several who are 15 or more years older than I, and I see the shifts and changes taking place and as much as we kick and scream, time is always moving us along that conveyor belt! Yes indeed…cherish each day!

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  3. I was a child in the 1970 and a teen in the 80s and we didn’t carry water bottle around for the less than an hour walking/running/activity we did back then either. I can see if you’re doing some high action sport in the hot sun, but really? You must carry water around with you all the time? It’s…weird.

    But here I am a parent of tweens who carry water bottles everywhere they go.

    🙂

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    • When I worked (I’m retired now) some people carried it around all day — for meetings, out to lunch, etc. To me it was just extra baggage to carry for no reason. No meeting went so long that you got thirsty.

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  5. I take water with me everywhere I go. I love the stuff, but am becoming more cognizant of the fact that I need to be aware of where I might find the closest bathroom now. Didn’t used to think about that at all.

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    • We didn’t carry it when I was younger and now it’s just a hassle. I don’t like to drink too much during an activity because of bathroom runs and I rarely work hard enough to dehydrate quickly. It’s a healthy habit though. Maybe if I liked the taste better….

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  6. I don’t drink water while in the middle of activity either, but not for the same reason as you. My reason is due to a small bladder. 😉 Sounds nice to visit with your past gym friends, but difficult to see how things have changed with their health. Yep, gotta make very moment count.

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  7. Oh, floors are filthy, and “don’t fill up until you eat your meal” all ranks up there with “Wear shoes outside or you might step on a nail or get worms (with can happen in this climate) I can’
    t help cringing seeing barefooted kids away from home in public…flip flops can make me nervous in some places like crowds or escalators…mom drilled those lessons in deep right?
    FYI: Coke company pays local municipalities like the city of Houston to put their water into Coke owned water bottles (Dansani) for sale. We have refillable bottles – metal and some supposedly BPA free (but who knows if safe – for a long time BPA was just fine…). We filter what we can.Water here is brackish due to close to gulf/wetlands, but good filters help
    After husband and many others in the old neighborhood came down with the same cancer, I found out about the high level of lead (“Acceptable” to feds) which is a primary suspected cause. I keep an eye out on water sources and their levels of chemicals now. NO ONE is watching out for the individual and local water supplies….local Govs are allowed to mix a certain amount out water from bad/contaminated wells as long as their total composite numbers for the company/city stay within certain limits…and many of the potential dangerous contaminates are listed as “other/unregulated” on that yearly water quality pamphlet you are supposed to get each year.
    Even so, I learned to drink more water and carry it with me after getting really sick and needing medicine with mandated lots and lots of water. Kept the habit as it seemed to eliminate bad headaches, too. But, never on the floor or near feet!
    (sorry about the long comment – water regulation is terribly scary now)

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    • Yikes! Scary yes! Other than occasionally our water tastes like Clorox, I think it’s ok. There is a local community on a well that’s been on a boil water alert for a month. Maybe I’ll stick with margaritas. You are right about headaches and water. It’s good for low blood pressure too. If only it tasted better! 🙂

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  8. I admit I carry a refillable water bottle everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Even to the pool.
    {as I take another swig of water while I’m typing this}
    Some days I seem to drink a lot. Other days, not so much. I’ve noticed in part it’s a question of how bad my allergies have been. But I always have water with me.

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    • I really think it’s how I was raised and how lazy I am. Even if I took a bottle with me, I wouldn’t take a sip. There have been a couple of occasions where I thought it would be prudent to take water and never drank it. It was just a burden carrying around. However, I don’t do long hikes away from civilization where it would be important. At the mall there is always a Starbucks or pizza joint to get a drink! 🙂 I have noticed that when I walk with the mall walking group, I am thirsty at the end. They are hoofers!

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  10. This obsession with water is mindless trend following. There is no evidence that we need the excessive amount of water that we drink or even that confers great benefit to do so. And I’m one who drinks to excess. I probably drink close to 100 oz a day. But rarely from a water bottle. I just have a giant thermal mug with ice water.

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    • I don’t drink a lot of water. I talked to my doc and he wasn’t concerned. For a medical test I had to measure all the liquids I drank in a day and I topped out at 64 ounces. I also eat a lot of fruit and veggies which are high in water content. The only time I have to worry is late afternoon when I have a slump. My blood pressure (and my sugar count) drops and keeping hydrated helps that. So does a good nap! (after the water of course…)

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  11. I am a HUGE water drinker for absolutely no reason other than that’s who I am. At the gym, I use a stunning glass water bottle entrapped in rubber, so it doesn’t break, and I fill it twice which leads to the need for a diaper. Why is being healthy so complicated?

    It’s so lovely that you met up with your crew for lunch but sad to learn that your friends are having difficulties.

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  12. I could never carry a water bottle the gym… like you, I hated setting it on the floor, plus I had a habit of forgetting it. The water fountains worked perfectly fine. I can’t imagine not being able to drink water during dinner, though. I’m pretty sure I would have been constantly asking to be excused so I could sneak a gulp.

    Best of luck that your eye clears up soon. You might consider wearing an eye patch… arrrrrgggg!

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    • I would use a water fountain if needed but I’m only there a half hour and there is nothing I do that overexerts me (maybe I should be embarrassed to say that…). The eye feels better but it has fully bloomed now. It looks like a red zit on the rim. Not a good look. Won’t make any centerfolds this week. 🙂

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  13. Sorry about your eye! Hope it heals up quickly!
    I agree about the water. I don’t go to a gym, but even at work there are people who walk around all day with water bottles. I drink a little bit of water or herbal tea when I think about it, but that maybe adds up to 2 cups a day, after the morning coffee, of course!

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  14. John is addicted to coffee, not Starbucks, just coffee. We drive to town for groceries, and his travel mug is the first thing he thinks of. Might forget the shopping list, but the coffee is there. He takes one or two sips, and that’s it. I’ll never understand.

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  15. I always love your connected-themed randoms. I’m finally on a full water consumption-for-life water kick since my last kidney stone surgery. For too long I’ve paid lip service to it but never really increased my intake. Your comments do remind me of a great George Carlin riff on people carrying water around all the time. He finished the bit with an expressive, “Just drink a damn glass of water when you get home!” 🙂

    I do hope your eye clears up. That’s bad timing! – Marty

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    • Water bottles separates the young from the not so young! I need to drink more but I won’t be carrying it around. I try to make it a point of drinking a specific times. If I wait until I’m thirsty, that’s around happy hour! 🙂

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  16. I have warm/hot water with lemon every morning before my coffee and I try to drink a few glasses during the day but I am doing it to help with weight loss, not because I feel the need to hydrate. When I did go to the gym (two or three times several years ago) I did bring a water bottle with me and would sip occasionally. LOL about the Pringles.

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  17. I drink a ton of water, always have. When I was little, my mother had me tested for diabetes, thinking I was thirsty, too often. I just love water. I don’t drink it from bottle, I use my “Bubba.” It’s a 64 oz plastic cup. I have one for home/travel and one I leave at the office. While exercising, at home, Bubba is always nearby. Drinking water is so important. It’s easy to become dehydrated and not realize it. Also, dehydration has been linked to memory issues, so water is especially important as we age. Cheers!

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    • I worked for a woman who drank water like you did. I encouraged her to get tested too. She wasn’t diabetic but lived most of her life in Louisiana where it was considerably warmer. I really don’t like water and wished I would drink more, just not at the gym. It’s very easy to get dehydrated and not know it. The symptoms are tiredness and non-energetic. I work to stay tuned into that.

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  19. I should really start to drink more water again, like instead of eating or just before a meal in order to try and get my weight back under control. Grrr.
    Had to laugh at your gym and water bottles Kate. My mind went off on a tangent for the ‘older ones’ and I had visions of HOT water bottles being strapped to strategic places to help their arthritis! Hubby’s fault, I’ve gotten into the habit of putting one in the bed at 8.30 before we retire so that the sheets are warm for his feet before he gets in. Meds are still giving me the furnace flushes at night.

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  20. I don’t drink as much water (as I am told that I should). And I agree that water bottles can be cumbersome to lug around. But somehow now I am suddenly very thirsty…for water!

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  21. I don’t exercise in a gym . . . but I expect I would bring a water bottle with me and take a swig between machines.

    But this is all speculation on my part.
    And, on the credibility ladder, speculation is just one step below hearsay. 😀

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  22. I don’t take water when I walk, either. Which is dicey when it’s dry out here, actually. But I walk pretty early, and I have leashes to carry. 🙂

    I have a bottle for the gym, though. Something to do between sets or while waiting for equipment, I guess.

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    • Water is used regularly by the weight lifters and I understand that. At least i think I do. They have big discs on their bars, grunt a lot, then take a swig after each lift. However that is all speculation on my part. At the time I go, I rarely can’t get on the equipment I want but I’ve seen some people use their cellphones between equipment. I’m never sure if it’s a habit, addiction or they have apps that apply to their exercise. Most of the young people (and there are very few) are on the treadmills and ellipticals and I don’t do either of those. The gym I go to is large (by my standards). There are close to 30 treadmills plus a dozen ellipticals with multiples of most other equipment.

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  23. The nouveau riche gym goers look like ads as opposed to us oldies, but goodies who, well I won’t speak for you Kate, look like one of The Boat People. When I leave my house I expect to be back in a hour, unless a hawk gets me, so preparing like I’m jogging cross country with supples, ain’t happening. Okay, is a water bottle considered excessive? Yes….in my humble opinion. Whew, glad I got that off my chest.

    The difference between you and your fitness alumni is, your self-care is up. It makes all the difference.

    I’m sorry about your eye but sure it will heal itself. We Italians can predict the future you know.

    Here’s to spring, and the reopening of your pond, that is right around the corner.

    It is so…:)

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    • I’m like you. I never bought new clothes for the new gym and I won’t unless I need them. At the time I go (which is when it’s mostly us oldies) no one comes in matching outfits. We all look like boat people with well-worn sneakers. Locally it’s drizzly but warmish. Actually smells like spring out there or is that an overactive imagination? I may see some frisky fish in that pond! Birth control fishies! No more fish!

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  24. I like to be hands-free when exercising. Even when I trained for a Marathon, I wouldn’t carry water around as I ran. I’d leave it at the end of the drive. Every time I passed by, I’d take a swig. I have to go a good 45-60 minutes before I drink when I’m exercising, or else I drink too often and it feels like things are jiggling around in there as I move!

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    • I like to be hands-free too, nor do I like something strapped to my body and I’d never remember to move it with me. I drink about a half glass of water before I go to the gym (it’s at least 10 minutes before I start to actually exercise) and nothing until afterward. Even when I dig my garden, which is hard work, I don’t take water down. I’ll work for a couple of hours, then take a break. There are people at the gym who exercise for a minute, take a drink, then exercise again. I, too, get gurgly inside if I drink to much before. I know people at higher altitudes need to drink more but we are close to sea level.

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  25. As a teenager I would get sties all the time… owieeeee! Hope your leaky eye clears up. I drink a lot of water and it is all out of Sam’s water bottles sold at Walmart. We have a well and I am not drinking the water out of the well. We even have a fancy water purifier but it just doesn’t taste right. Of course, I know what the filter looks like… ewww. And yeah, I know, the water from Walmart probably comes out of someone’s water faucet that isn’t as purified as ours. I think I have convinced myself with this comment to just drink our own purified water… maybe. Trying to make every day count… for sure. My week was a house full of repair people… crazy. Why do appliances and stuff all want to crap out at the same time? My dryer is making a ticking sound like a time bomb!

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    • You can stop drinking water and switch to wine. That must be filtered in some way! Dryers can’t flood. That’s the good news! Appliances collude to annoy people all the time. They all do fine. Then they break at the same time and each one says “fix me first!” Good luck!

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