bookmark_bordera cold is nothing

Cold f-x

I almost never get sick … I pride myself on working through pain. Tooth infection? Nothing! Some pain killers and antibiotics and off I go to work. Ear infection? Nasty painful thing … but some more pain killers and antibiotics and off I go to work.

But today I felt just terrible. The nasty cold that has been brewing finally got me.

I had to leave work early today because I felt so stuffy and bad that I could not string a sentence together. I hate that. I don’t get sick! I just don’t. I am healthy and strong. I am a rock.

I grew up in house that did not allow for much illness or whining.

You think you’re sick? You don’t know sick. You just have a cold. A cold is nothing.
You will get better. Have some soup, take a Tylenol. At least you can walk…

Oh, the guilt. Okay, I am being a bit melodramatic. But I grew up with a very ill mother and sick was not an option. I had to help run the household and take care of things. A cold was not a big deal. A big illness would have been okay. My Mom was not uncaring but she did not have time for a cold slowing anyone down. A cold was nothing. But I never had a big illness. Just small annoying ones.

So, I went home early. I had a little a nap. I also had:

  • 3 cups of echineachea tea (yuck)
  • 6 COLD-fX® capsules (3 more to go before bed)
  • vitamin C
  • Advil Cold tablets

I feel a bit drugged up now but don’t feel as bad as I did. It is a cold. A cold is nothing. I am a rock.
I think I need to have another nap. And some soup.

Mind you, I am a bit worried about all this stuff I am taking. This COLD-fX® business is especially strange. It’s just ginseng so it’s not gonna hurt me … but will it help? I have a feeling it will.

bookmark_borderMy brief flirtation with the popular crowd

Grade 9 was the start of my flirtation with the popular crowd.

Somehow, I managed to wrangle my way into this clique of popular girls. Thinking back, they may have been the B-list — and not the girls from the grade nine stratosphere of cool — but they were very popular nonetheless and I was one of them. We smoked cigarettes and wore Jordache jeans — we were it.

Funny thing is, I ran into one of the girls (women!) last month on the way to work. She recognized me … I must admit I did not recognize her at first. (Christine Elias? Is that you?)

Too bad it was so early in the morning. I am not a morning person and I fear I was not very friendly. If it were not 8 am — we could have had a nice chat. I am hoping we see each other again so I can be warmer. Turns out she works in business … she was dressed for an office. I was dressed for work too but I did not look like I was heading for an office. It was casual Friday and I can take that literally.

All we managed to say is where we worked. I think she was a bit surprised I had a job job given my attire that day. She perked up a bit when I threw her my title. She looked quite grown up in a very smart suit. I wonder if she still runs with those girls. I wonder if they all work in offices, too.

I wonder what became of them. I don’t stay up at night and wonder or anything … not to worry. I am not one of those who peaked in high school and don’t spend time dwelling on the best years of my life — they weren’t. I enjoyed my high school years, but university was a lot more fun. And grown up life is even more fun given disposable income and the abundance of shoe stores in my neighbourhood. (More on this later. I also ran into someone a few years ago who did peak in high school. And that was an experience I will share in an upcoming missive.)

Anyway, I ran with that cool crowd until grade 11 or so. I am not sure if I was booted out in some “Mean Girls” brouhaha or if I just switched groups. I guess I would remember if it were traumatic … so I don’t think it was.