There have been times, such as today, when I've experienced mild pains in may right hand and shoulder. Usually this happens after I've been mousing around for several hours, such as when I'm playing a game (currently Warcraft 2).

I have pushed it and kept going and regretted it. Fortunately no permanent injuries have resulted from my foolish actions. But some people have been seriously injured such that they can't use a computer anymore.

That is something that I can understand, to a certain extent. I've always thought that pain is a warning from your body that something is wrong. Nowadays if I get any sort of RSI pain, which is rare, I stop and rest. No big deal.

I have a harder time empathizing with people who keep going until they have a real Repetitive Strain Injury problem. People who can't take care of themselves kind of deserve what they get. Very callous of me, but that's life.

My personal philosophy is that my body can handle my mismanagement of it, at least for now. I don't like taking any sort of medication, and fortunately I haven't been seriously sick since high school. By that I mean sick enough that I couldn't get out of bed.

Don't get me wrong, I do get sick. I get colds, mild fevers, aches and pains. But as soon as I feel myself slipping I'll drink a bunch of orange juice or eat chicken soup. Lots of liquids help the body, since you're generally lose more water when you're sick.

Unfortunately, I don't actually drink much. I know that drinking lots of water helps your body regulate itself; without sufficient water you'll tire easily and feel more rundown. Still, I often don't drink anything with a meal and sometimes go through the day without a drink.

Conversely, sometimes I get really thirsty and I drink lots and lots of water, not getting enough to slake my thirst. That's also not the best activity for you, but it's better than not drinking anything.

Back to my health. I finally went to see a dentist six months ago. This is after some 8 to 9 years of not going. Luckily, I had no cavities, although my gums are not in good shape. Cavities are a classic bad sign, but gingivitis is just as bad but is not as dramatic an attention grabber.

I did have to get a root canal because a tooth died years ago and the root got infected. This is the tooth that I hit into the side of a swimming pool. I was swimming a race, won, and was coasting with a big smile until bang! I hit the edge of the pool and chipped my tooth. This was when I was, what, 14, 15? But it wasn't until the last year that the tooth became seriously discolored.

Anyway, the root canal was not that bad. The tooth is anesthetized, and the doctor drills along the canal in the tooth where the nerves and blood vessels go. This kills the nerves and such, but since it was already dead that was ok with me. It was a little tough since some calcium had formed and partially blocked the canal. There were a couple of moments of almost pain, but some more anesthetic took care of that.

I've also finally gone to the eye doctor as of a year ago. Again, after several years of not going. The only major thing left for me to do is get a physical checkup, which I haven't gotten around to since high school. For me these things take time, as I very slowly get myself to make and appointment and go. So maybe I'll get a physical this year.