back to normal-ish + week(s) reflection

Remember that game, “Never Have I Ever,” which involved a rotation of players stating some outrageous fact in the hopes that they would “catch” a friend admitting to that said outrageous fact when that friend(s) took whatever action meant that they had done that thing (in my experience, this has involved taking a drink of alcohol).

Well, 30s-something me (okay, okay — it’s probably time to say late 30s) recently played a different version of that game. Never have I ever been so knocked out by the common cold that it’s taken me almost three weeks of recovery and I’m still not 100 percent. Commence drink — of cough syrup.

I feel like such a wimp when I talk about how crappy I felt for the past two weeks. But, as my doctor so eloquently put it, “you have an ear, sinus and everything-else infection.” I basically had a cold on steroids paired with a bunch of infected crap that just knocked me on my ass. I missed three days of work, mostly due to the razor blades in my throat that inhibited me from speaking louder than a strong whisper, and spent countless hours vacillating between the bed and couch.

Not only did the sickness mess up work and personal plans, but it also turned me into a binge-watching freak. Looking back, I wish I had taken the opportunity to read instead but I’m giving myself some slack because I really just felt like shit. (In case you’re interested, here’s what I watched: OOITB (season six), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (season 4), Friends From College (season one and two), Splitting Up Together (season one), The Good Place (season one and two), Grace and Frankie (season five)

The good news in all of this is that I’m finally feeling so much better. In the past few days, I can finally hear from both of my ears and my cough only shows up maybe a few times a day. And, while this cold was obviously no fun, it was a good reminder of how important our health is and that ________________ (fill in the blank) can wait until you’re feeling better. The work will still be there. Your friends will understand. And never should you ever feel guilty about taking care of yourself.

“The most important thing, as an old Norweigan saying goes, is not how you are, but what you make of things.” ~Erling Kagge, Silence: In the Age of Noise

week(s) in review
read: Silence: In the Age of Noise
abandoned: A Man Called Ove
reading: The Thing About Jellyfish
copious amounts of rest + healing
girls’ weekend with two of my favorite humans
played tour guide + visited favorite bookstores, shops and restaurants
caught the final weekend of the Dior exhibit (amazing!)
February review + March intentions
pampering + hair appointment
celebrated National Grammar Day
two lessons of Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing
started Growing the Good
binge-watched basically everything
changed my blog template (do you like it?)
missed the hubs while he was at a music festival
pretended I was a developer + attended ServiceNow symposium
puppy meet-and-greet (wasn’t a good match)
enjoyed lots of snuggle time with my favorite pup
wrote + posted week(s) reflection

weekend happenings + intentions
catch up on all the things I didn’t do while sick
attend friend’s going-away party
date night + The Play That Goes Wrong
attempt a cycle workout
complete one lesson of Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing
enjoy nicer weather (finally)

open tabs
The ‘Friends From College’ Soundtrack Will Give You So Many ’90s Feels
Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing
The Everywhereist Blog
How to Spend a Big Fat Weekend in Austin