Reader's Cramp

A nice case of Writer's Cramp is something to be proud of. It indicates a certain amount of hard work being performed by your hands and, possibly, your brain.

Reader's Cramp, however, is pretty much an affliction of the idle. Since I am naturally slothful, this is a condition I have experienced many times.

Including today, since I spent the better part of yesterday evening reading the latest Jasper Fford novel. The pain starts right below my ear, travels down my neck and settles in the spot where the neck and shoulder meet. Here it is the worst, but unlike me, this pain is not indolent and has traveled adventurously down my arm, all the way to my wrist. It has also wormed it's way into my shoulder blade and is doing a fair job of working itself into a tension headache as well.

This condition, of course, results from laying on a bed reading, with one arm propping me up. I will be taking an Advil, however, it will only be a stopgap as I fully intend to continue the harmful activity tonight. However, in the interest of my health I will take precautions... I will prop myself up using the other arm.