Somehow I was a little sore today. Sore-backed. Not really sure why. I reminded myself: it's a momentary ache, not, say, fibromyalgia, or one of the many other ways our bodies can kick our asses. Um. So to speak. Anyway. For me it's not chronic. It'll pass. It could be worse.

I resisted going outside today. Winds were strong in Portland, especially in the afternoon. Finally I did go out, though just to the corner coffee shop and back, in my Big-Ass Sandwiches hoodie plus my yellow coat. And walking there, I reminded myself of the much stronger winds Southern California's having, on top of the bad fires around Los Angeles and in Ventura County. Holy crap, it could be worse. I'm not breathing fire-flavored air, the way we Portlanders did this summer.

It could be worse.

"It could be worse" isn't a reassuring answer, but it's there.