Singulitis
Information about something that is said to sometimes even begin in the womb!
SGHolland Feb 2017
My mind wandered today — the day before my 80th birthday, for heaven’s sake — and why shouldn’t it? Why shouldn’t I reel a bit when I walk, and why shouldn’t I forget the name of that poet I studied under at college?
My mind is nearly always full of a true swarm of things that sometimes are active 24–7, all eddying around and nudging me into small essays or essay questions in my head. They often get me up and at it immediately, however untimely they are.
So today, trying to think what might describe my current brain activity, I thought of the word “hiccup.”
You can see why I think this would be a good book to collect, given my busy gray matter. It is full of information for people like me.
Well, the reason the word hiccup came to mind was to describe the state of my whole direction these past weeks. After an intense focus on reading big books about politics, philosophy, and history for several weeks and writing a bit about it all, my mind stopped wanting to do any of that. It didn’t even want to paint about it! Usually such a blockade spurs a spate of expressive artwork, but my brushes and paint are stashed and I have no impetus to get them out.
What IS the matter with me?
I gave myself the benefit of the doubt, knowing that these things happen and are not terminal.
I began watching the Olympic Games on two channels, and watching the Hays Bald Eagle Cam, live in Pittsburgh PA. Between the two of these visual activities I am spending time at all hours of the night and morning and daytime keeping up with the gleaning of medals and the laying of eggs.
Should I be ashamed of myself?
No.
It’s singulitis! It even has a scientific name, everybody! And is perfectly normal, even in in-womb two-month-old human fetuses! Imagine GERD at that primitive age!
I used to have a lot of hiccups as a young child. My mother tried all sorts of home remedies: scaring, drinking water, holding my breath, and then she would press the third vertebra down from the top of my spine (and she probably prayed while she did it.) Hiccups are so intrusive and noisy.
I still get them. I do all of the above, and find that stomach breathing while massaging my third vertebra seems to be the best approach. I sit here in the desk chair with my back straight and my shoulders back, rubbing and breathing in and out without moving my rib cage. It’s all in the tummy area that the breathing is happening. Most of the time it works rather quickly.
So why am I writing about hiccups?
It’s my brain that is having singulitis. It goes over the same material day and night — and interferes with my other projects. I don’t want to quit writing because I am afraid I will get out of the habit of writing, and it’s good for me, I know. Like painting is good for me. I don’t dare get out writing or painting materials unless I have something to convey.
So I’m conveying here about my singular discovery about another name for hiccups.
I hope it’s not entirely boring and tiresome.
hic hic…..SGHolland ©Feb 18 2018
POST SCRIPT
Such a dear gathering with my kids and grandkids around a festive table at a Mexican restaurant.
