February 21, 2026 — Saturday

The body behaves like a minor House within a large and aging Imperium—functional, stressed, governed by compromises rather than strength. Pain is present everywhere, but never in sufficient force to justify alarm. It is systemic, not dramatic.

The knees respond poorly to inefficient movement. Shuffling triggers resistance; proper extension restores a measure of cooperation. Even flesh obeys rules. Ignore them and the cost is immediate.

Ordinary actions require strategy. Putting on a shirt exposes how limited the body’s operating range has become, joints moving as if constrained by unseen protocols. The head pain originates not in chance but in environment: the downstairs couch misaligns the neck, and the consequences ripple upward. Ecology determines outcome.

The fingers are stiff, but they are improved compared to last year. This is remembered. Adaptation occurs slowly, often unnoticed, yet it is real.

The feet remain swollen, holding excess like overtaxed infrastructure. When left unburdened and uncovered, they remain quiet. Apply weight and pain asserts itself at once. Pressure reveals the weak points in any system.

This body is not in collapse.
It is operating under suboptimal conditions, awaiting recalibration rather than rescue.