How optemetrists relate to Air Supply

The human mind's ability at associative behavior and cognition is just amazing. I remember learning various forms of associative psychology, behavior, etc when I was an undergrad and I was absolutely stunned how much of our thoughts can come from such a seemingly simple (almost mechanical in its automation) system.

Take the classic Pavlovian example. Ring bell, serve food to dog, dog salivates. Rinse and repeat. eventually ring bell and dog salivates.

Then we have things like coffee. If memory serves me right, coffee doesn't have any actual physical addictive changes in the brain unlike things like heroin. But the association between coffee and good feelings is there.

Even more stunning to me is when I can relate these theories to my own experiences. I went to the optometrist today to get new glasses and contacts. Since it's been a while, the optometrist dilated my eyes. I'm not sure if it was the pupil dilator or if it was the local anesthetic for the eye pressure test, but a) my eyes started to feel like they were watering b) my eyelids started feeling puffy and heavy lidded. Basically by the time I left the optometrists' office, it felt like I was crying. And no, they didn't *actually* make me cry... even though that eyeball pressure test was a bit unnerving... (I'm going to have this eyeprobe touch your eye!).

As a result of all of this, I'm sitting here a few hours after my appointment feeling kinda sad and morose. Nothing emotional happened - I think it's just the association my brain has between the puffy eyes and tired tear ducts (flushing out those chemicals...) to a post-cry depression. In other words, as far as I can tell my brain thinks it's time for me to be feel like I had been sad this morning.

Honestly though I should be happy - I have data to play with, I got free food and coffee this morning (albeit a bad cup... but it was free!), and the optometrist did not molest me. Aside from the ocular chemicals. But there's no morning quite like a morning with ocular chemical exposure!

Funny how these things work. Incidentally, I have this odd urge to listen to some Air Supply...