The morning of my birthday I ran two miles and felt great. I worked around the house in the morning and taught my journalism class in the afternoon. Sometime after I got home from school, I noticed a catch down around my right shoulder blade. It felt either like a pinched nerve or like I needed to pop a joint.

I ignored it, but it was back the next day. I can go for hours without noticing it. For instance I mowed the yard and felt nothing at all. Then I twist in a certain way and zing - a pain goes from the base of my neck to the bottom of my shoulder blade.

Today I decided that several days of ignoring the problem had not helped. I will have to be more proactive. I increased supplements that I hope will help and started stretching the muscles that seem to be associated. If it persists, I have an appointment for my annual physical later this month and I will see what the doctor thinks.

The thing that puzzles me is that I don't know what caused it…unless it was moving around the heavy boxes of yearbooks. The thing that frustrates me is that it happened on my birthday. It made me suddenly feel that I really was older.