The weather in the Mid South has been unseasonably mild since I got home. We've had Fahrenheit highs in the 80s, and the overnight lows have been below 70. The humidity hasn't gone anywhere, though. Having been in the much more arid American West, I can't not notice the humidity here. Even light chores get me sweaty in a hurry. But I shouldn't complain: the weatherman says oppressive heat will be returning next week, so I'd better enjoy this break while I can.
I had an odd morning on Tuesday. I'd woken up in the wee hours with considerable discomfort in the area where my left triceps muscle meets my left lat, approximately. I was hoping maybe I'd just slept on it wrong and it had gone to sleep, but later on when I was up having breakfast the pain persisted. I couldn't think of anything I'd done to hurt that area and I hoped it was just a mild strain as opposed to a tear or worse.
After breakfast I went over to my rental property and worked on replacing some rotted-out siding. That took my mind off what was happening with my left arm/shoulder. Then I went down to the riverfront to paddle, and it was then that I realized the discomfort was just about gone. Lest I become too elated, a hornet flew up and stung me on my left elbow. Hornets like to make nests inside the more rarely-used kayaks, canoes, and rowing shells that are stored at my marina. I shrugged, got in my boat, got a good long warmup, and did eight 12-stroke sprints at two-minute intervals.
Since Tuesday that arm/shoulder issue hasn't been entirely absent--I can feel a hint of it when I move the joint around--but it hasn't been as bad as it was when I woke up Tuesday morning. This morning I went back to the river and did something similar to Tuesday's exercise: six 12-stroke sprints.
Why all these 12-stroke sprints? Well, I have another race this Saturday. I haven't been talking about it here because I wasn't entirely sure I would have another driving trip in me so soon after my Wild West adventure, but I've decided to go ahead. It's The Paddle Grapple race on Fontana Reservoir in western North Carolina. It'll take me a good eight hours to get over there, but I really like the event. I like the distance (6 miles), and there's usually plenty of solid competition there. And the Nantahala Gorge is a place I've enjoyed visiting since I was a kid.
Meanwhile, following up on earlier posts, I've continued playing around with my digital movie-editing software. I've always wanted to star in a music video, and what follows is my first. Be forewarned: it's dumb. D students in film school are making better ones as we speak. Seriously, don't even watch it unless you truly have nothing better to do for the next three minutes and ten seconds.
Okay, if you did watch it, and if you actually like the song, you can buy the album it's on here.
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