relaxing.

We’ve had a busy last few days at our house.

Early on Friday morning Mike and I hopped on a plane to visit with my best friend and her husband in Washington, DC to celebrate the impending birth of their daughter in December. They had a co-ed baby shower at my favorite restaurant in DC and we had a blast! This was the first co-ed shower I’d been too, loved the idea, but one of the younger, posher attendees told me these sorts of things happen all the time. Who knew?

We came back into Denver late on Sunday night which meant not much sleep before heading back into work for either of us. Late on Monday morning Mike got a call from his oldest son’s school saying the boy was feeling quite ill and needed to be picked up. Four hours and a doctor’s appointment later we were told that he has contracted the H1N1 virus.  Whoa.

Despite exhibiting the other characteristic symptoms for this flu (sore throat, body aches, cough and congestion, vomiting is typically not associated) he did not spike the characteristically high (104F +) fever. His fever stayed under 100F and we are glad for that.  He seemed generally content, even if uncomfortable. Had the fever been worse I fear  the stress on his system and our sanity would have been overwhelming.

When I went into work this morning I found out that several of my co-workers’ children have contracted the virus recently and therefore many of them have been at home caring for them.  Apparently this virus has been whipping through the schools out here like a new fashion fad.  What is slightly comforting about that is I have heard repeatedly that there is no cause for serious concern. Yes, this strain of the flu is novel and alarming, but healthy individuals are at low risk and recovering well. Fortunately, we are healthy individuals.

After a day at home with his dad resting and playing video games to his little heart’s content, my stepson is recovering nicely.  He appears to have missed what could have been a much more severe case.  I am home now, too, sitting on our couch eating the delicious dinner Mike made, sipping chamomile tea and watching Fawlty Towers. I’m glad for it.

Love in the Time of Cholera

I’m sick again, and honestly, I feel sick and tired of being sick and tired

I think being on the road for the last month and being around lots of other sick people are to blame. I am also a bit of a workaholic, and when deadlines and overwhelming commitments loom (as they tend to do during the holidays) I put my health last.  I struggle to keep a regular diet and get regular sleep and exercise. I must be more diligent about it, starting now.

The biggest bummer (for me) is that someone I have been seeing for the last couple of months and I have repeatedly made plans to go on a weekend away…there are so many things we enjoy doing together…but then I have gotten sick, or the holiday schedule has gotten in the way. This weekend is another example…despite plans we made to spend the weekend together having fun, I am instead home sick clutching a box of tissues and my “favorite” cold medicine. So *not* romantic. I am convinced, though, that he sees these little “setbacks” as opportunities to prove his affection, since he has quite enthusiastically expressed his delight in spending the weekend taking care of me, instead (A little secret: I think he kind of likes it when I don’t feel well because then he gets the chance to pamper me a bit and be the hero, and a girl like me appreciates when someone *else* swoops in to save the day every now and again ).

I am off to the store to find vitamins and other healthy stuff. I am going to kick this cold’s butt!

I r sik cat

I’d not been feeling like myself for the last few days, and yesterday I came down with laryngitis and a head cold. I stayed home from work this morning because I also woke up with a fever. Ewww. This illness feels a little weird, though, because I’m sneezing all of the time. I don’t have a lot of congestion, or drips even, just constant, itchy sneezing. Sneezing and coughing so much is making my throat feel worse, too. I’ve opted to wrap a scarf around my face until the CDC removes my “germ bomb” classification. I’m also drinking lots of fluids and taking ibuprofen to help my throat. It feels really dry and puffy on the inside.

Having the day at home has helped me catch up on a few things I usually leave until the weekend, like returning phone calls (albeit, via email) and going through some of my required reading. I have yet to finish my ISO manuals from work and I’ve got Board stuff going on this week, too.

Cool thing happening: lunar eclipse tonight! I’m going to try my best to get out and see it with my night binoculars. It’s supposed to peak around 20:00 mountain time.

On Being Sleep Greedy – Part II

Addendum: So, after writing this entry on Saturday, it turned out that I was coming down with the stomach flu…icky.  I should’ve known, since sleeping for long hours like that is my body’s usual first line of defense when fighting a bug.  By Wednesday night I was terribly ill and left work early, even.  The previous week’s stress didn’t help much either, I’m sure.

I just slept for 13 uninterrupted hours.

This week has been demanding, time wise. I’ve been working longer hours at work, and I had to put my car in the shop – which means getting up extra early in the morning only to arrive extra-late at home in the evenings because I’m riding the bus. In addition to that, I’m preparing a short presentation to the Board of the non-profit I volunteer at, as a statement of my committee’s position on a pressing issue right now. That has meant even later nights due to meetings and planning with a bit of “Dear God, I have to speak in front of important people!” stress added.

On Monday night, I had a couple glasses of my favorite wine when I got home from work, then grabbed my bike and binoculars after dark to go stargazing. That always puts me in a better mood. By Wednesday, however, my energy level had dissolved quite a bit again. Lucky for me, I had dinner plans that night with a good friend who always puts me in a cheerful mood! Thursday turned out to be a late night, due to a meeting, and by Friday morning I knew I’d be keeping it low-key this weekend. I told a friend who asked about my holiday plans that “I only plan to keep to myself”.

But this is a holiday weekend, which means it’s all about being in a crowd. A dear friend invited me to her birthday party some time ago (the party was last night), and despite really wanting to go, I had to call and tell her I wasn’t coming. I would’ve been an unbearable grump, and nobody likes that! I needed to just go home and get much needed sleep, which she completely understood. I’m feeling much better now, although still a bit low-key, so I’ll just have to be extra careful to go with what feels good and say no the rest.

So, what does one do after sleeping for 13 hours? Make buttermilk pancakes for breakfast, of course! Happy Holidays

Catching Up

Hi folks, sorry for the extended absence. I’ve been feeling more introspective than usual lately, which means a lot of fast and furious scribbling in my written journal but not much on the blog. I also managed to catch a yucky cold last week, and that has slowed down the mental progress a wee bit While I go sip on some homemade chicken soup, here’s a quick recap of what’s been going on:

• During a visit to my advisor’s office a few weeks ago, we concluded that I can graduate in December!!! Woo hoo! I’m really excited and much of my attention has been absorbed with what comes next. My future prospects seem limitless, as deciding on what to do is both liberating and daunting. Being about the business of a having a career that has meaning and purpose is important to me. This begs the question, what exactly do I want? And how do I fit that into a reasonable goal? All circumstances point towards being absolutely clear on the answer and not being afraid of going after it. I predict more entries on this subject will follow.
• In my last entry I wrote about big plans for volunteering at the local hospital, but so far nothing has happened on that front. I had an interview last week Friday with the volunteer coordinator, but wrote it into my calendar as happening THIS Friday (doh!). I didn’t realize the discrepency until last Friday when I was in an airplane cruising at about 35,000+ feet above and a couple thousand miles east of Denver. Oops. Fortunately for me, the coordinator was very understanding and has re-scheduled my interview for two weeks hence. Whew.
• I’ve broken down and decided to purchase a car. I’ve been in Colorado for a little over 4 years without one, but the time has come. My schedule is so tight nowadays that the additional 4 or 5 hours I’ll save by driving to work/school a few days a week instead of riding the bus will be wonderful. This means more time at the gym, playing the cello or doing whatever else makes me happy and sane Ahhhh, sigh of soothing relief.
• A little over a week ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Stiles African-American Heritage Center in the Four Points area of Denver. It was an amazing visit, and I am eager to return and foster a closer relationship with its founder, Ms. Grace Stiles, and her community. I also made a quick tour of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library just 2 blocks away and was blown away by the rich history of the Four Points area. I regret that I’ve lived in the area for so long and have not connected with the community–and now, I’m preparing to leave it! I have the wild idea of interviewing several members of the Four Points business community and making a documentary as a testament to their acheivements and as a record of my experience there.
• Another tip of the hat goes to Denver for a wonderful spot in town called the Mercury Cafe (thanks Micah!). The decor, wine and food were awesome! I highly recommend the place to anyone who is looking for an eclectic, subdued dining atmosphere.
• Due to popular demand…well, okay, just one person’s comments (smile)…I’m working on adding a book review page to this blog. I’ve had the pleasure of reading several really good books lately, many as selections from a couple of book clubs I belong to. Stay tuned for that.

That’s it for now. I’m so happy to see the sun shining bright in Colorado again, so I’m gonna go out to get some fresh air. Have a wonderful day, everyone!