Sirens outside, neurological theatre inside, and the inconvenient discovery that one’s own nervous system has a flair for drama

Observations from a Nervous System with Opinions

It is a truth rarely discussed in polite society that the human brain is an unreliable narrator.

Most brains merely exaggerate things. Mine occasionally stages a full theatrical production.

Sherlock Holmes famously observed that when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. This works splendidly in detective fiction. It works less well when the improbable culprit is one’s own nervous system.

The morning begins innocently enough.

Coffee. Emails. A brief but emotionally charged disagreement with the toaster.

Outside, Israel is doing what Israel does best: functioning with determined normality while someone somewhere is attempting to lob unpleasant objects in our general direction. Sirens come and go. People move toward shelters with the weary competence of commuters who have accepted that stairs are now a lifestyle choice.

We treat it like cardio with geopolitical overtones.

Inside my skull, however, a more private investigation is underway.

There is a sensation that sometimes precedes a seizure. Neurologists call it an aura, which sounds........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)