I'm fixating again

I have a strip of dry skin between my shoulder blades, right where I cannot reach it, and it is, quite literally, making me nuts. If I'm awake, I'm thinking about it.

It's caused by a combination of factors. Take it away, Mayo Clinic:

• Weather. In general, your skin is driest in winter when temperatures and humidity levels plummet. Winter conditions also tend to make existing skin conditions worse.
• Central heating. It's a dermatological disaster. Central heating draws moisture out of the air and out of your skin.
• Too much 'cleanliness is next to godliness.' When it comes to your skin, water is a double-edged sword. Inside your skin, it keeps the cells plump and moist, but it has the opposite effect when you're immersed in it. Frequent showering or bathing, especially if you like your showers hot and your baths long, breaks down the lipid barriers in your skin.

This illustration really has nothing to do with my dry skin -- which I am treating with a spray-on moisturizer, plus I've got a pair of humidifiers running right now and I'm trying to resist rubbing my back against the wall. But I've included it because I find skin fascinating. I mean, look at all that's going on under the surface! Isn't that neat?

Lurkers

One of the terrific benefits to Adsense (that little ad you see at the top right) is the free site meter it provides in exchange for that corner of my blog. This site has also become quite the moneymaker for me (Adsense has earned me a full 65¢ since May). Anyway, courtesy of Adsense I know that I average 13 hits a day, with as many as 40 on individual days.

I mention this for two reasons:
1) Ms. Hickory, if you want a similar counter that only you can see, go to google.com/adsense.

2) I suddenly became very nervous that someone who knows me in real life could be among the lurking 40. My village is on here, my cats' real names are listed, etc., so it wouldn't be hard to figure out that I am indeed ... me. Since I've been rather frank about feelings re: my family and coworkers, I thought it best to start referring to myself as "One Gal." There's something cathartic about keeping this electronic journal, and I am not at all sure it would do anyone any good if I wasn't able to be honest. On the other hand, I have no wish to hurt or embarrass anyone else.

Sky blue

Or white with clouds or gray or dotted with stars. Doesn't matter. I always love looking at the sky.

I also love watching my cats sleep. Especially Joey, my massive ol' gray and white tom. He sleeps so soundly, on his back, tummy exposed, legs splayed. He even looks like he has a smile on his face. His posture, his kitty body language, as he sleeps is so intensely relaxed yet trusting. It warms my heart.

We have a new oldies station here in the Chicagoland area. 94.7 FM. I can turn it on at any time, and hear a song that takes me back and makes me smile. Like "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Brook Benton.

I mention these things because my best friend has hit a bad patch. He's dissatisfied by everything and can't articulate why. I know how he feels. I've been there! I just hope he finds his equivalent of sky blue, or gazing at Joe or rediscovering a forgotten oldie. These tiny, daily miracles don't solve anything. But they do manage to make life bearable while we're on the way to solving things.