A Sick Day

     I took a sick day yesterday. And I'm taking another one today. I tried to sleep this illness out of me, but it didn't quite work. It's embarrassing how many hours of the day I did actually sleep. But here's hoping that a little NyQuil, a roasted chicken, and some white wine will beat this virus right out of me.
     One thing I didn't take a sick day from was Parks and Rec. Their Paleyfest panel was last night, and even though I'm on the wrong coast, livestream saved the day. So, this:

Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones
in the 2003 pilot for Philly Justice.

Sick and Tired

     I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I'm not actually sick, except that I'm so tired all the time, I feel like I should probably be sick.  There's no other good explanation.  I was attempting to go to bed earlier in hopes of getting more sleep and thereby not feeling so tired; it didn't work.
     It's been almost an entire 36 hours and I'd like to retract everything I said about becoming a different person.  The sentiment of it being hard is still true, but my desire to do it has seriously waned.  I think I'll still try to stop biting my nails.  And maybe I'll moisturize more.  But the rest of it is bullshit. 
     I suppose baby steps are the answer, but right now, I'm not concerned with the answer.  Also, there is a fine line between different and better.  I was careful to not say I was trying to become a better person- that's not really true.  Plus, better is relative.  In this case, different is more objective.  If there is something I was doing before, but I'm not doing it anymore, then it is different. 
     So, with the offer of a few chocolate covered pretzels and an overwhelming desire for burritos and coffee, I'm going back to my old life.  Where I wasn't sick all that often, and I was tired for a damn good reason. 

What I Miss When I'm Sleeping

     For the last three days, I've been getting home from work and going immediately to bed.  Well, almost immediately.  On Monday, I warmed up leftover chicken pot pie, put on my pajamas, ate the leftovers in bed, took some NyQuil, and then promptly fell asleep.  Tuesday was similar except replace the chicken pot pie with macaroni and cheese.  Wednesday I just finished a bag of tortilla chips.
     I wasn't convinced I would be tired enough to immediately fall asleep when I got in bed.  I knew I needed rest, but I also wanted to be entertained.  Monday night I went for Netflix Watch Instantly and chose something I had already seen but had enjoyed, so I wouldn't mind drifting off to sleep.  I made it about 45 seconds into the opening credits of I.Q.
     By Tuesday,  I had heard so much about Monday's episode of How I Met Your Mother I started regretting sleeping through it.  Of course, I had TiVod (I don't know what the past tense of TiVo is) it, so I was able to watch it while making the Macaroni and Cheese.  Then I watched Asssscat as I drifted off to Nyquil induced zzzz-land.  I actually made it through the whole thing, but fell asleep about 2 seconds after it was over. 
     On Wednesday I realized I slept through Parenthood.  I was a bit forlorn, but honestly, I usually sleep through this anyway, because it's just on too late for me.  So I didn't make a big deal out of it.  Instead I polished off that bag of tortilla chips and put in the second disc of season one of Mad Men.  I already feel years behind the rest of the world, but I don't actually get AMC and it just took that long for it to reach number one on my queue.  Anyway, I watched the first two episodes on the disc comfortably from my bed.  I'll have to rewatch that third one; I saw the beginning scene, and then the closing credits.
     I missed Modern Family  and Cougar Town.  I'll be a week behind.  Hopefully this sickness will be out my system by Saturday morning and I can resume the awesome custom of Saturday morning TV catch up.  I'll have to avoid spoilers, but honestly, that shouldn't be too hard.
     I also missed a phone call from my mother and a text from a friend.  I'd like to think that, like Tracy Jordan, when I go to sleep, nothing happens in the world.  Alas, this is not true.     

Sometimes I Squeak

     I took a vacation from my vacation, and wouldn't you know, I came back sick.  I felt it coming on slowly but steadily.  I tried to ward it off with zinc, and that helped a little, except it really just held it at bay for a few days.  Finally, it got to me.  So here I sit at my desk, my head in a cloud, tissues surrounding me.
     The weird habit I developed over the years is to try to hold in my sneezes.  I don't really know why or when this started, but now, it has become how I sneeze.  It's weird and it hurts.
     Sometimes, the noise that comes out when I sneeze is very much like a squeak.  I get odd looks from those near by.  Sometimes they don't know what it was.  "Was that a sneeze?"  "Did you just squeak?"  Yes and yes.  I can't really control it.
     Being sick is gross.  It makes me feel like a child, but in a bad way.  I become helpless and snotty- like a child.