Oww

Somehow I managed to hurt my neck this morning while sitting on the couch planning out my sightseeing in Rome. I sit down fine, and get up forty-five minutes later with intense pain in my neck if I look to the right. Thank you, universe. Of course that didn't stop me from going through with Test Pack Number Two, after which I was able to eliminate a few items of clothing I decided I wouldn't need. I always try to pack as light as possible, but since we'll be moving around in Spain a lot, and without the benefit of the car we had in Greece, it is of extra importance not to be bogged down with crap!

Now I need to type up my notes on a few of the readings I need today, including St. Theresa of Avila's autobiography. Now, people have always commented that her description of the beautiful angel who pierced her in the heart with his spear repeatedly until she reached an ecstatic state sounds like lot like she was just having an orgasm, but combined with her description of the way she could be almost paralyzed, unable to move or communicate, for as many as three days after one of these experiences, sounds like something a little more medical and less mystical. After all, she herself acknowledged she was pretty sickly, and she died fairly young, so maybe she was just having some sort of seizure/hallucination combo? I also rolled my eyes when, after her endless reiteration that only people who are awesome enough to have experienced this pain/pleasure could ever hope to understand it, she also snarkily mentioned that if someone doesn't experience this exactly as she did, then their experience is coming not from God, but from somewhere else-- ie the Devil. Come on--if you believe God so omnipotent that you think he can stop time while you're getting your spiritual jollies(which she mentions), you really don't think he could manage to manufacture a variety of such experiences? Is he just that uncreative, or are you just that nuts? (Answer: the latter).