I think I found my first gray hair today.

I blame it on baby loss. I've never been more stressed out and anxious in my life. Nothing has ever come close and I doubt anything could ever beat it, either.

So what's a girl to do, huh?

I mentioned having acupuncture done and I've been going the past 3 weeks now. I like it. I don't love it, but I obviously like it enough to fork out the $20 each time and go 4 times.

Here's what I like:

• It's relaxing. I sit on a heated massage table or in a nice La-Z-Boy recliner for about 30 minutes with nothing else going on around me.
• They play nice, relaxing music that also gives me the sensation of wanting to urinate sometimes. When has water dripping ever been relaxing?
• I might be a masochist. I actually quite like the needles being pierced into my skin. 
• I fall asleep-- the true test of relaxation.
• It's fairly cheap.

Here's what I don't like:

• I'm not convinced it's not a load of BS. Does it really work, or is it just a mind game?
• It costs $20 each time. I know. It's not a lot of money. But it's $20 and I'm cheap.
• I have to drive there and drive back home. Sounds stupid, but driving in traffic and being stopped at traffic lights with people cutting you off (read: Chicagoland drivers are terrible) does not relax me. As soon as I leave, I automatically tense up behind the wheel. That, and since I'm obviously good at being a statistic of bad, rare news, I also fear getting into car accidents.

So there you have it. I've done 4 treatments and the acupuncturist asked me how I think it's been going and if I'd like to continue. He said there are 3 categories:

1. I hate it and never come back.
2. My "issues" are resolved and I don't come back-- at least not until the symptoms return.
3. I continue coming back but less regularly, like 2x/monthly.

I laughed when he said #2 because honestly, will my "issues" or "symptoms" of stress and anxiety ever go away? They'll obviously, hopefully decrease over time, but disappear? Hardly. I've always been a Type-A worrier with a schedule and a plan. Anxiety = me.

Here are some fancy photos I took before I started relaxing, but post needle injection:

Something Additional.

I did a blog search for other peeps who allowed themselves to become suckers ordered from The Something Store. Glad my husband is not the only sucker. Just kidding, babe. ;)

This was my favorite comment from someone who ordered. I laughed hysterically.

Well, I got a miniature briefcase that is for business cards. 
 Oh, I also got laughed at by my husband. That was free.

{Okay... the visual of a mini briefcase coming in the mail for someone to hold their business cards in? Imagine someone whipping that out in a business situation. Hysterical.}

OMG.

.......               .......               .......               .......               .......               .......               .......               .......               .......               .......                      

In other news... I took the plunge and had needles poked into my legs, arms, ears, and forehead! It was fantastic and I will surely be going back for another dose of acupuncture on Saturday. And Tuesday. And again the next week. I really did feel fantastic during/after. He gave me the traditional "stress cocktail" as he put it. I was really hoping for an old Chinese lady poking me with needles, but instead I had a white guy. Shucks. It is the Midwest after all. The table was heated, I was served tea, covered with a blanket, and given a neck adjustment/massage. It felt like he was working through my ridiculous knots in my shoulder. It was blissful. They even played serenity music for me.

Typing that word always makes me think of this:

Of course, then I subbed today with the worst group of first graders I've ever dealt with. I had some pretty bad eighth grade lit students yesterday, too. Looks like that acupuncture is going to come in handy for more than baby loss stress.