Life’s Curveballs

Sometimes you drift along, not paying much attention to anything, and then—WHAM—you get thrown a curveball. Can you hit a curveball? I can’t. I understand that’s the only reason many otherwise outstanding baseball players never make it to the majors. They can’t hit the curveball. I have trouble hitting any ball – even a golf ball – resting on a tee – not moving – so you can imagine what a curveball does to me. Without going into the gory details, my curveball is that I’ve been quite ill.

When asked, “How are you?” I normally say, “Perfect.” That usually results in a chuckle or two. Most folks are not expecting that response. They’re expecting a lengthy, more detailed response, “Woe is me, etc.” I learned long ago that no one really wants to hear much more than a simple, “I’m fine.”

My illness really threw me for a loop, but I learned from the experience. I hadn’t appreciated the simple joy of being able to do stuff – normal stuff-make the bed, do the laundry, wash the dishes, comb my hair, walk to the toilet without collapsing on the bed on my way there and back – and on I rave. I’m now on the mend, however, and getting better each day. I’m thankful for all the things I can do again without pain. I’ve even stopped complaining about not being able to do anything. How long do you suppose that will last? I’m already starting to waiver.

The recent Artemis II space launch was a great distraction for me. What a feat! Then I began to ponder what had happened to Artemis I. It went around the moon too – but that was about 3 years ago. Why didn’t I remember it? Well, it didn’t get that much attention because it was just a test run with no crew! So what does the name Artemis mean? Artemis is a Greek name from ancient mythology, borne by the goddess of the hunt, wilderness, wild animals, and the moon. Traditionally used as a feminine name, it evokes strength, independence, and a strong bond with nature. It’s becoming increasingly popular as a gender‑neutral name, climbing the rankings for both girls and boys in the US. I’m guessing we’re going to see a lot more young people named Artemis—probably going by Art or Artie, for short.

Is there a man in the moon? If there is, the Artemis II crew didn’t mention it. One pundit was offended that no one talks about a woman in the moon. Doesn’t NASA care about gender equality? Meanwhile, one national politician was busy complaining about the age-old military expression, “Leave no man behind!” Many cultures believe there is a man in the moon, but the reasons for his presence there vary widely. Some societies believe he is being punished for one misdeed or another. Perhaps that’s why it’s called a man in the moon rather than a gentle, loving woman!

Are there many songs about the moon? Yes—there are hundreds, even thousands, spanning all eras and genres. From romantic standards like “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra to rock classics like “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, the moon has inspired an enormous range of music. Many themed playlists include 30–50 or more distinct, iconic tracks, helping make the moon one of the most enduring lyrical themes in music history. Are there many poems about the moon? Once again, you may be surprised. Across centuries and cultures, thousands of poems have been dedicated to it. The moon is a nearly universal subject in literature, with prominent poets such as Emily Dickinson and William Wordsworth repeatedly referring to it.

There are eight phases of the moon. I won’t bore you by listing them all, since you probably won’t remember them anyway. What we notice is that sometimes the moon looks fuller than at other times—and the full moon is the one that gets all the attention. There’s the October full moon, which means winter is coming. In the past, it was known as the Hunter’s Moon. I’m glad we no longer have to worry about that. I can go to Costco for meat anytime I choose—full moon or not!

What about the old saying, once in a blue moon? It’s very rare—it only happens once every 2–3 years. But what is it, exactly? A blue moon is a second full moon that appears in the same calendar month. Is that second moon actually blue? Of course not. It’s just a term someone came up with long ago that stuck, and it captured people’s imaginations.

What about tides? The moon’s gravity pulls the Earth’s oceans into two bulges—one on the side facing the moon and one on the opposite side. These bulges are high tides, and the areas between them are low tides. As the Earth rotates, most places experience two high tides and two low tides roughly every 24 hours. It kinda reminds me of eating—a bulge after I eat and then low tide as my digestive system does its job.

My favorite poem is “Over the Moon.” I used to dream about it when I was a kid. The poem dates back to the 16th century. Just to be clear, I don’t date back to the 16th century— just the poem. It goes as follows:

Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

What a fun, foolish thing! Admit it – it makes you smile!

I hate to do it, but I have to dampen all this joy about the moon. One bad thing did happen involving the moon. In my sickened state, I glanced at the TV one day. Delirious, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing on the screen. It was a close-up of a large, round object pockmarked with numerous craters. I thought Hubby was playing a joke on me by posting a TikTok of my butt – cellulite and all! Thankfully, I had the sense to ask him what it was. He admitted it was indeed a backside, but it was the backside of the moon that Artemis II sent back to Earth!

Lucky for him. Lucky for me, too!

Trying to stay occupied during my illness, I read books and watched a lot of TV. I enjoyed a few of the recommended books, but was sorely disappointed by several that were supposedly highly rated. When I was younger, I would force myself to finish those books anyway. Not anymore! If someone asks me about them now, what should I say? I could lie and say I didn’t read them, but that would lead to more lies. I can’t say that I liked them either. So, at my age, I don’t worry about it. I just say, “I couldn’t finish it.” As a result, very few people recommend books to me now—and I’m okay with that! What caught my attention on TV was a fairly new series called The Pitt. Hubby enjoys it too. The Pitt is set in an emergency room in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Having recently spent considerable time in emergency rooms myself made the show feel especially relevant and realistic.

I’ve asked numerous healthcare workers if they’ve watched it. Most have, and said it’s true to life. I definitely found the series stimulating, but experiencing it in real life is something else entirely. One thing is certain: I have a deep appreciation for these dedicated caregivers. What a difficult, exhausting job! This also includes the EMTs—rushing to a house, not knowing what they will find, administering various life-saving procedures, dealing with whiny, cranky patients, and, on top of that, lifting dead weight (no pun intended) onto a stretcher. To make matters worse, an ambulance is not the most comfortable working environment. The ambulance I was in needed new shocks. If my back was okay before the ride, it had more than one kink in it by the time we got to the hospital.

There are a few interesting things I learned during this time. Did you know you can be weighed while lying in a hospital bed? How do they do that? And have you seen the latest barf bags? They’re really an improvement over the ones they give you on airplanes. These are long plastic bags, sealed at the bottom, with a firm plastic ring on the top. The outside is marked in ounces so you can see exactly how much you’ve contributed. To top it off, they come in beautiful colors. It just goes to show there’s something good in everything—though a patient isn’t really in a position to appreciate it. I did take a couple home and enjoy seeing them in the cupboard.

Hubby was a great caretaker. He doesn’t like it when I brag about him, but that’s too bad – he was great. One of his responsibilities was to make me food that I could eat – broth, soup, rice, anything bland. Once, he heated a can of soup from the cupboard for me, apologizing profusely for not making homemade soup. I didn’t care. Well, a few spoonfuls into the soup, I realized I couldn’t eat it. When I put the cup of soup on the kitchen counter, our cat Gypsy Dawn jumped up on the counter and sniffed it. She then circled the cup, turned her back on it, and started scratching with her paws to cover it up, as she does with her stuff in the litter box.

Yes, my cat reinforced my opinion of the soup. She voted with her paws! So even when life throws you a curveball, there is always an unforeseen chuckle or two!

I sincerely hope that all my readers are healthy and happy, and I look forward to receiving any comments you may have.