The return to Michigan for the holidays was different this year. Not only was I staying for two weeks, but I was also returning as a student. Whenever I come home, I always get nostalgic, but at the same time I get this urge to clean things out. I found a bunch of old pictures and miscellaneous items in my room that brought back some memories. Sadly, I think I’m the only one that wants to throw things out. My brother and Mom are packrats and have managed to build quite a collection of things since I’ve moved out over 20 yeats ago!  Lots of things pile up and there are plenty of arguments about what to keep! I’m not sure this is a battle I can win. We finally got rid of: an old 200 pound trinitron TV, my old scooter, and some junk moved out of our house. I did find some old CDs and DVDs I can still use in Houston.
I always go to the movies with my dad whenever I come to Ann Arbor. My bro, my dad, and I saw The Last Jedi the day after I arrived. Only fitting because we saw Return of The Jedi together in 1983. That movie solidified my geekiness and also turned me into a fan of seeing films movie theater. Anyways, we also saw Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle but my curiosity was piqued after the movie. We saw the movie in “D-box” seats. They basically are seats that are synced up with the movie and move/shake with the action. I did notice something interesting… I usually have trouble using my crutches walking out of the theater after being seated/stationary for hours. After experiencing the movie in the d-box, I was able to use my crutches to walk out of the theater. This got the physical therapist in me thinking… Was I less tired today? Was the outcome a result of specific environmental conditions? Was the increased sensory input affecting my balance? Was it simply the result of being stimulated for 2 hours instead of sitting like a bump on a log for 2 hours? Will the same effects happen again if I watch another d-box movie? Will have to continue this experiment in Houston… HAPPY NEW YEAR!