Five things

supergee got this from hammercock and I saw it there.

Five things which lower your bloodpressure, "Things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level? Make a list, post it to your journal... "

1: Cooking. The kitchen is my place. There are some kitchens I can use, even a couple of people I can share a kitchen with (it's a rythm thing) but cooking, even under pressure; when I'm feeling cranky, is calming.

I do a gig at the faire, which is a cooking gig, sort of. I serve a picnic. A picnic as a viscount would perceive it, as false as a pastoral, and fulfilling, in the same way. It's a lot of work. I do some of the cooking, and all the stage prep, because showing the work of prepping, and then serving, is part of the show.



2: Taking pictures. Again, this is my place. I am in control, mostly, and when it's done there is something to show for it.



3: Writing. Esp., when I am on a tear, when something has annoyed, pleased or surprised me so much I have to share it with people.


4: Reading something I wrote really well.


5: Fencing drills, dry-firing, going to the range, archery. All of those require manufacturing calm. From 30+ plus years of shooting I have discoverd that the rituals my uncle taught me have real world value. I've never had the oddities of "buck fever" when I've had to point weapons at people; with deliberation. When I've had to make snap shots, those can be pretty wild (all in paintball) but on the few occasions I've had to look across the sights at someone, calm was the order of the day.

and, because that's not quite the whole short list

6: Playing the pennywhistle. This isn't quite the same as the others, because if I am trying to do it, and I am screwing up, it can lead to a rise in BP, and loss of calming influence. But more often than not it works.

If you want to do this, feel free, but there is no onus, as the man said, this is about things you do because you want to.