Hearing voices?

While driving down a congested divided 4 lane of a California highway with the flow of traffic I had the unique experience of "hearing a voice" that "told me what to do".

The speed limit in those days being 55mph the flow of traffic usually 10 over that...I noticed a highway patrol getting on the highway from an on-ramp a ways back, but checking my speed...noticed I was running about 65, usually tolerated, but I backed off of it any how just in case. My attention returned to whatever thought it was in before the alert, I failed to notice the rapid increase of speed in the Highway Patrol car as he rapidly caught up with me and was in my blind spot beside me when a booming voice coming from "out of the air" said:

"Now that you have adjusted your speed from 65 to 55 please maintain that speed"

Then zoom, the black and white sails on by, slowing by vehicles far ahead no doubt to give them their own "verbal warnings".

As soon as the voice began I looked everywhere for it. It wasn't the radio and I couldn't see anybody in any mirror...for a moment there. With my first born very near her birthday, the shock of this moment was intense.

That is the only experience I can recall like this one. So when someone talks about "hearing voices" at least there is a reference I can refer to as an empathic point of connection to dig deeper into their experiences.

That memory strides by every once in awhile in my mind.

Today started with a strong smell that is still just beyond my grasp...a chemical like smell but the only memory that flashed by with the smell involved a carnival.
Ahh..Phantosmia has grabbed me again. Did read a an article and a blog or two this time though about phantosmia as described in the experience of others. Mayo medical clinic talks of it as "olfactory hallucinations" . That is an interesting way to word it. Think that is why that old hearing voices memory came by...to help me understand.

Though there are those in some strains of thought that connect the cause of phantosmia as being the presence of another spirit, or even an attempt to channel through the person. Though that explanation chose too stubborn an old soul if they be trying to crash in here. "You don't want trapped in this one buddy, its a rocky ride". Makes me chuckle at the thought.

Saturday

Fixing to go out on the porch and kind of watch the sunrise...since my porch faces west, that is what i mean kind of.

It has been a very long week, especially being sick a few days, and then dealing with alot of heavier stuff. Maybe now things can go back just normal hearing impaired unemployed stress...the simpler stuff like chores, and paying bills, and getting groceries, and going to doctor appointments and forgetting doctors appointments.

It has been a good week though in some ways, my brother getting to enjoy his first full weekend retired. The weather hasn't been too horrible.

Sometimes that keep on keeping on just pops in my head. A principle walked into my 8th grade class, black horn rimmed gold tipped plastic glasses, a mostly balded top of his head, a thick almost wool looking suit, the wood floors of the school I could hear his quick pace even down the hall. He bursts into the room introducing himself, walking over to the chalkboard writes perseverance on the black board (pre green chalk board days)...bold cursive writing. "Who can tell me what that means".
Must have been a rhetorical question because he immediately turned back to the chalkboard to write "to keep on, keeping on". He said without perseverance we would fail at almost everything in life, but with it, we will eventually make it thru.

Mowed the grass yesterday, seems i went like 9 days this time instead of 7 so the kind little land lady gave me a write up sheet so i went ahead as soon as she was gone and mowed it...had to hurry cause my brother in law was on his way to borrow my mower...a deal the sisters and all were aware of but me, but was good to get a double shove to get her done.

Kinda been knocked flat on my back enthusiasm wise so I beg your forgiveness that I haven't been of my typical good cheer. I'll get that happy face back. May go for a walk today and see if we can't sneak in a swim at grandma's pool.

Then I gotta clear my work area, get some work done and maybe some sleep since I haven't been asleep all night. Haven't really been sleepy, just kinda feeling like just sitting here. So I hear young en up, time to go supervise him making his own omelet start to finish. He almost past yesterday...but think it will be a while longer before he can be trusted solo with the gas range, but he is learning the safety stuff as we go.

Todays lesson for little Mike

Two lessons evolved since we didn't get to the pool till nearly closing hours cause of errands i had to run to storage. First we worked on learning to look at the bottom to use a snorkel or else it is tilted back too far. Trying to get him to overcome his fears and trust me has been a challenge but he is making progress. But arriving late we left early we try to respect a 9-930 pool closure...and the boy was dissatisfied.

Here came lesson 2, when you close out your day, you look at the good stuff that happens, the fun stuff, the enjoyed stuff, not the what might could have, what you wanted what blah blah...look at what went well that day and smile about it.

Its a foreign concept for him. I wonder if it is for others...seems so natural to me.

Garage sales

you know the only thing about garage sales i don't like...is sometimes shortly after you bring your bargains into the house you have a resurgent combat period with roaches.