First, allow me to say that things could be much, much worse. Even with the minor, rather sucky, annoyances I will whine about, life is good.
Theft
Actually, I had a minor foreshadowing of the suckiness-to-come the day I arrived in Chicago for BlogHer in late June. That was the day I had my iPad and the Logitech cover and keyboard that I used with it and that I loved were pick-pocketed while on the blueline L train from O’Hare to downtown. That sucked big time. The Sheraton staff person who checked me in gave me a room on the 34th floor to make my stay a bit more pleasant after that unfortunate start.
Old and Wearing Out
But I thought I dealt with the loss admirably and continued on with my itinerary without a hitch that day. The next day I woke up with a migraine. Lots of migraine-formulated aspirin allowed me to see the Fashion, Modernity, and the Impressionists at the Art Institute that day and go for a fireworks cruise that night. The day after that I still had a headache but managed the morning sessions of pre-con ViewFinder Day at the conference, but had to bag the afternoon sessions so I could sleep and recharge for the Generation Fabulous get-together at the hotel bar after the early evening vendor floor extravaganza… and get to bed early enough to still make the 6 a.m sign in for the 5K.
By the first day of the actual conference the headache had lessened to the point where there were only twinges of headache now and then. That was very good because I participated in and finished the 5K. I fast walked the course, but still I completed it! That evening and the next day were no problem, full steam ahead. Later in the day I noticed that my right ankle was swollen, a problem I’ve noticed when I stress the joint since early this Spring when I sprained it rather badly. This kept me from wearing a really cute pair of high-heeled slides I had purchased just for the conference.
Crowd-sourcing a Chest Cold
After the migraine dissipated, sniffles and stuffiness replaced it. I’m not sure whether I caught it on the plane, the L, Watertower Place, the hotel, the convention center, at a conference buffet, hugging a writer friend outside a talk, in a taxi, at a bar… the list goes on and on. I live in a cave much of the time. I need to expose myself to the viral mix of the world more often so I do not become instantly ill during fits of mingling.
The cold morphed into a lung-thumping viral attack on my primary breathing apparatus by the time I traveled via Amtrak to visit my daughter at her home in Minneapolis. While we did fun stuff, I spent the third day there in bed all day at my daughter’s behest, as she gave me a recycled dose of my own parenting medicine. But the Goddess is fickle. She became ill as I recovered.
Home, 3 Steps from a Bathroom
Secondary and tertiary problems developed when I came home. Not even mentioning (ahem) the fact that while I was away for 2 and a half weeks one of my cats moved under the bed and only came out to: 1) eat or 2) shit on a fluffy throw rug of her choosing. My chest cold came back with a vengeance and another inconvenient set of symptoms tested my intestinal fortitude and put me in bed for several days.
Just as I am getting back on my feet, Hubby and Cat both go wacko. Hubby is preparing for business travel and the beginning of university classes as well as addressing research and personnel snafus. When Hubby ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. I’m talking primadonna central. During times like this he erupts in many and varied ways. This time was no different. Angry declarations such as how I should be sick next week and other irrational actions showed how much stress he was under. I’m used to it – we are in the 25th year of our stormy marriage and the 40th year of our friendship. Deep down we are both wounded children and we show this to each other at times. This is never easy either.
One More Tech Problem
Then, the day before my husband leaves for his lecture series at a University in the NW, my cat decides to barf on my laptop’s keyboard. Into the shop my laptop goes. No iPad, no laptop, and a desktop that is in desperate need of a total re-install, wipe, and rebuild. Oh fudge! Yes, I used the f-word. Repeatedly!
I will turn this situation into lemonade, but I may have to take some antacids every few sips.
Good grief, no wonder you are feeling awful. You’ve had a rough time of it. Hang in there (like what choice do you have, right?!) as it sounds like your life is shaking out for better days.
Hey Darlene! Ups and downs are normal. I once wished for super-human powers, but now, fully astride mid-life, I will settle for normal, at least for today. Tomorrow will be better than average.
I believe you already looked on the bright side of things:
1) 34th floor (what a view);
2) Plan to come out of your cave;
3) Recognized recycling of your own mothering skills (yeah you;)
4) 40 year friendship is cause for celebration;
5) You can fast-walk your way out of a headache and a tender ankle’
6) Your cat’s love is undeniable;
7) Blog on- with or without tech.
8) Sour situation seems better sprinkled with a little salty language.
Those lemons of yours hardly need any sugar at all.
Reframing is Uber important! And your restatements do help reinforce a more positive perspective. #8 also reminded me that a margarita might be called for this evening. 🙂 Thanks Adela.
I was fully prepared to give you a pep talk packed full of encouraging words and witty suggestions. And then the cat barfed…. A few “at-a-girls” and “you can do its” can’t come close to touching that…. So, sending my sympathies and hoping that next week brings you some honey to sweeten that lemonade!
Thanks Ruth! I do believe that the absurdity of life’s predicaments and the ability to see that absurdity can be sanity saving! Glad to see you here, welcome. I crunched my cranium on your site the other day! Fun!
Now THAT’S what i call “piling on”. It can only get better from here, right? right? God, I hope so. Sending all sorts of white light…
http://www.carolcassara.com
Yes, I am thinking that it can only get better, and it is. I will post about that soon when I quit bitchin’. Sorry I didn’t respond immediately. I had to rescue your comment from my spam filter, probably ’cause of the url.
Yuck, Nancy! I’d be cranky after all of that, too. I am in total sympathy about the migraines since I suffer from them, too. Poor you. <3
Migraines suck, Helene, I’m sorry to hear you experience them. The frequency of mine have decreased dramatically since I had nose surgery to allow me to breathe through both nostrils. Oxygen is important. Who knew?
You really did handle the loss of your iPad well. I never felt like I acknowledged your loss the way I would have wanted mine to be acknowledged. Having so much going on AND not at your best – you really are a trooper!
Aw, thank you Chris. I felt weird talking about it at all. I wasn’t hurt, it wasn’t a mugging, they didn’t get my iphone or wallet. It could have been so much worse, and I am thankful that it wasn’t. I really do try to focus on the positive aspects of situations, so I felt like a whiner. It is always challenging to balance what is necessary acknowledgment with positive focus. But that is life. So I have decided to trade in my lemons for limes and have a margarita!