People with crap backs, mine has been hurty since Saturday with a bit better yesterday, and today after sitting at work (and in the car this morning seems to be the worst) it's back to being fairly hurty.

It's my lower back, practically butt, over into my hip, and at its worst, my upper thigh.

Any notions of what might help? (As an aside, a few shots and then bed seems to relax everything enough that I can get a good nights sleep and it feels better in the mornings).

bread and jam:

The assistant is the only one who knows how to use the fax machine and the signature stamp?

The guy seemed solicitous, but was ultimately useless. He told me to hope that she wasn't out tomorrow too, and that he couldn't put me through to the doctor. For unspecified reasons.

This is oh-so-not-even-ironic in light of the spoons conversation in Bitches. I only get enough for a workday, generally, if I have pain meds. I need to be able to work a whole freaking week, you know?

Timelies all!

It's been raining on and off here all day. As I got to work, drizzle. When I left work, no rain. When I went to the cafeteria in the next building for lunch? Raining like whoa.

It's my lower back, practically butt, over into my hip, and at its worst, my upper thigh.

Which side? And have you been doing any exercise lately that would aggravate your a) hip, b) knee, c) back?

I have problems with my iliotibial band [link] and the pain manifests itself anywhere from my knee to my lower back, centered on the buttbone and hipbone.

He told me to hope that she wasn't out tomorrow too,

Hope!? He wants you to hope? She and the doctor are both stranded on a desert island with no cell phone coverage?

I hope he breaks something and has to hope for medical attention.

I had an interview at The Store With Taxidermied Mice (as an admin)

I have one of those mice.

Hec, I'm honestly surprised that the nature of freelance work is that confusing to them.

I don't know if it's a cultural thing or what. Because we're smack in the middle of the Haight and there are plenty of freelancing types about. I mean, hell, Daniel Handler lives in my nabe. Though I guess he doesn't have any kids at Grattan, and he certainly makes way more money than me.

Part of it has to do with the bureaucracy of getting the extra aid. So I need to show that we need preschool, so I need a work schedule, so even though I'm freelance I have to say I'm busy from 8am to 6pm. But the forms and the checklists they have are all like: Check here if you haul trash; Check here if you work on commnission, etc. Or, it's geared towards somebody like Drew who has his own business and license.

Do you have a business license or professional certification? No, I just write shit and people give me money for that, but only periodically.

Anyway, I've made very little money in the last two years, which is what prompted us to lower our costs (move Matilda from 5 days a week to 3) since the income generation wasn't happening in this economy. The temp market I'd been exploiting for twenty years just dried up completely. Now I can job hunt again, but with less desperation.

Ideally I'd get a part time job for regular income and then could expand on the writing money. Hilobrow has been a good outlet and made my writing more visible and I'm working on my first longer piece for them. They definitely got a boost in readership when Time magazine listed them as a top ten website, so my piece could be a good calling card.

Which side? And have you been doing any exercise lately that would aggravate your a) hip, b) knee, c) back?

Left and knees maybe, because my family's knees are kind of famous for being horrible, but it feels like something pinchy stabby right at that spine/hip place and then burny achy to my outer hip, a bit above that and down into my thigh.

Hec, I'm surprised they don't just base it on last years tax returns.

Does the burning pain shoot all the way down your leg, DJ? Is there any numbness or tingling? Could be some herniation going on in the lower lumbar discs.

I've found that stretching the spine can really help take the pressure off of those nerves. Doing some forward folds and letting gravity stretch your spine out might help. Gentle yoga moves--slowly and with a bit of relaxation.

Hec, I'm surprised they don't just base it on last years tax returns.

Well, that is what we're turning in but I've made less money this year and that's where it gets tricky establishing our financial threshold.

Fortunately our bank has all my checks online so I should be able to get copies to indicate my income.