Control Quality

My hands are really dry. The nail beds are chapped and small shreds of skin are peeling down toward my knuckles (that word is more than a little tricky to spell). There is little moisture left in them. I woke up yesterday and felt a familiar tightness in the joints of my fingers: It must be raining, I thought.

There are people who take really good care of themselves. They come into my work and I can smell their Shea butter body lotion and creme rinse conditioner above the smell of coffee and frying eggs. They glow and smile and drink plenty of water.I chew ice and sleep on my stomach, leading to terrible aches and pains through out the day. I know it's bad, but habits are formative and hard to kick.

There are other people who sit at booths and reek of unwashed clothes and bodies. I breath before I take their tofu to them, setting down their plates as quickly as possible.

I like to think that I am somewhere in the middle, not a fanatical moisturizer but also a regular bather. I brush my teeth and use fancy face cream twice daily. I don't carry a tube of compressed vitamin lotion in my purse, nor do I always carry a purse. Since I am at home and my hands are so dry, I think I am going to go upstairs and take care of my digits and maybe, change my socks while I'm at it.