It’s a cold, wet day in Reykjavik

It’s a cold, wet day in Reykjavik and rather than risk pneumonia, I have decided to stay here until I at least go from completely miserable to just under the weather.  In case you haven’t been following me, I have a terrible head and chest cold.

For those who have been following me, you might get a slight chuckle out of the fact that rumor has it that my boss has been sneezing all day 🙂  Like I wrote, sometimes God does have a sense of humor!

I’m looking at the rain come down as I look out my hotel window, and, I must confess that I am sorry I feel so rotten and I am sorry that it is raining. Reykjavik, make that Iceland in general is an amazing destination, and, I wish I was able to get out and explore or perhaps take advantage of the famous Blue Lagoon Spa.  No I am not gay or Metrosexual, but, the Geothermal Spa at Blue Lagoon comes highly recommended, and, my motto is “when I Rome.”

But, no, I am stuck here waiting for yet another bowl of chicken soup to arrive, and, I’m still experiencing bad cold or flu symptoms.  And, I am still thinking back to yesterday and wondering how many people on my flight woke up with sore throats and colds this morning.  Again, I apologize if I infected you.

For now, I’m going to crawl back in bed, and, rest.  After all it is one of the best things to do for yourself when sick with a cold or flu.  Maybe tomorrow will hold the promise of feeling better.  I sure hope so…

Sometimes God has a sense of humor

As you know, I’ve been suffering with a horrible head and chest cold the past several days.  If it was later in the Fall or Winter I would swear I had the flu.  It hit hard and fast, and, I haven’t improved any yet.

So, I drug my shivering, feverish, sneezing, wheezing, coughing self this morning for my flight to Reykjavik (Iceland).  As I waited at the around I suffered in silence.  My head feeling it was heavier than my body, and, still shaking almost uncontrollable with chills.  But, alas, I HAD to make this trip.

My apologies to those who sat next to me and near me on my flight today. The cold you are about to catch isn’t good news. It will knock you on your ass and keep you there for days.

Well, not really.  The boss I had to meet today does not like me, and, believe me when I tell you the feeling is mutual.  I won’t go into the gory details but, it has to do with his lying and cheating and actual stealing (blatant plagiarism) to get to the position he holds.  This isn’t about jealousy on my part.  No, I am far happier with being a freelancer and, not being tied to a desk.  The point is the guy is an arrogant, self centered son of a witch (you know what I really meant to write but I’m keeping this blog PG) and, he knew darn well how sick I’ve been all week, and, this meeting was forced on purpose.

Anyhow, I board the plane and since God has a sense of humor.  I am stuck in the middle of a sardine seat.  On one side of me is a man who (without exaggeration) had to be 6’8″ or 6’9″ and on the other side of me a very attractive woman.  Then, as we taxi down the runway, I go into a sneezing fit.  Normally I am a multiple sneezer to begin with — with a cold — I must have sneezed 20 times in a row.

I could feel the eyes all peering into the back of my neck with disgust in my direction.  I dig into my coat pocket to discover I went through two packets of tissues and I had exactly three tissues left for a three hour flight.  Oh this would be fun!

The very pretty woman next to me started digging around her bag, and, like an angel sent from the heavens she had a full package of tissues and handed them to me and told me to feel better.  I didn’t catch your name my dear but if you happen to read this entry, I again thank you for your kindness!

As the flight continued, I sat quietly suffering from this horrible cold, and, the food and beverage service started.  Thank God!  Hot tea is what I wanted and needed.  And as the flight attendant asked what I wanted, I felt the sneeze coming on and as I spoke and sneezed at the same time it came out “A teaaaa”.  Of course, this was an utter embarrassment moment as my nose dripped disgusting discharge as I raced to find a tissue, and, I sprayed everything and everyone within a 5 foot radius with my powerful blast.  I was waiting for the Captain to come back, hand me a parachute and order me to jump off the plane!

Finally, 3 miserable, long hours later we arrive in Iceland.  I collect my things and go out to the brisk weather of Reykjavik and proceeded to wait for a cab.  It wasn’t raining or anything, but, a taxi driver did manage to find the only puddle in sight and splash me.  Yes, God has a sense of humor – I didn’t have time to change and went straight to my meeting.

I go into the meeting and shook hands with people who’s names or faces I cannot recall at the moment, and, as I wrapped up the introductions I felt another huge sneeze coming.  I had no tissues left and hand no choice to sneeze in my hand.  And, as my boss — the one who doesn’t like me — started to shake my hand, I announced that “I have a bab cold” and just started at my boss with an icy smile, and, made sure I sat next to him and sneezed and coughed in his direction for the following hour.

Yes — sometimes God does have a sense of humor! 🙂

 

Why do people say “It’s just a cold”

As I lie here in what I can only describe as my deathbed, I am dumbfounded that the common cold doesn’t get the respect it deserves.  After all, something that makes you feel this rotten is more than “just a cold.”  And, I am admit I am amazed that people toss that phrase around like you have a hang nail.

Few things in life can knock most people flat on their asses like a cold.  Yes, there are varying degrees of colds — some not so bad and others down right horrible.  And, why is it that when you do come down with a cold that’s when everything happens?  From your boss needing to see you to having to drag yourself to the grocer because you don’t have anything you need in the house.

I’ll never understand bosses and companies that do not believe in sick days.  I mean, come on, realistically, few people have such strong immune systems that they never suffer with colds.  So, if you know how it feels and how unproductive it makes you… WHY?  WHY DO YOU FORCE PEOPLE TO WORK?

The truth of the matter is that by dragging one contagious person into the office you are going to get everyone sick.  Does it make sense to have the entire staff sick and not get anything done over having just one or two people sick and not getting anything done?

So to the people who are forcing me on an airplane tomorrow, I look forward to our meeting upon my arrival.  I’m still in the contagious stage and I cannot wait to share this miserable cold with you!

Traveling with an aaaachooo cold

So here I am, day two of what has turned out to be a very rotten cold.  I’m running a fever and have chills.  I’m sneezing, coughing, and, overall just feeling pretty crappy.  It wouldn’t be so bad except for the fact I need to drag my sorry ass on a plane in just two short days, and, knowing myself, my system, and, my lack of ability to get over a cold quickly.  It isn’t going to be fun.

Yes, be warned my fellow travelers.  The guy with the contagious cold that you dread will sit next to you is coming your way.  Like most people who drag themselves to work — instead of staying home like people should when ill — I too am part of the population who help spread a cold around.

Granted, nothing would make me happier than to get a call from my editor telling me that assignment has been pushed back to another date.  I’d much rather stay home and nurse my cold.  (Unless of course I meet a gorgeous flight attendant who takes pity on me during the flight.  Nope that never happens.  Not to guys like me.)

And, so I know I will end up infecting one — if not more people as I travel to my destination.  I will apologize to you in advance and offer you my remaining tissue as token gift of the misery you are about to endure.

The sneezing, the coughing, the throat so sore you can’t swallow, the fever, the chills — the common cold.

I seem to have caught a cold

Well it was bound to happen (as it does to me this time of year.)  I’m finding myself sneezing and wheezing with my first cold of the 2012 – 2013 season.  This means Fall is here.

It’s funny.  Every year without failure between the last week of September and the first week of October I somehow come down with a bad cold.  I’m not the type that gets a cold and is better two days later.  I envy people with that type of immune system!

Unfortunately, I’m not one of those lucky ones.  I can always tell a few days before hand.  It starts with a headache that won’t quit.  Then I begin sneezing.  Not much at first, but, it gets progressively worse as the cold begins to attack my body. 

And within 4 to 5 days of the onset of the headache… It’s here… The sneezing, wheezing, congested, wish you were dead head and chest cold that will linger at least a week just to make sure I’m knocked on my ass good and solid. 

And to my fellow cold suffers, you have my complete sympathy.  But, keep in mind the best cure is rest and also to sneeze and cough on someone you don’t like… Hehehe  After all… Why not spread the love around 🙂

Ok, yes, that is a bit disgusting and totally lacking any class or manners, but, think about all the times you’ve been on a crowded bus or underground and someone (with an obliviously horrible cold) coughs and sneezes on you.  And, inventively you catch that same cold.  Wouldn’t it be great to be able to hunt that person down and give them back what was originally theirs to begin with?  LOL

Maybe this is the cold medicine making me write these things.  After all, normally, I am a very considerate person who would never do such things.  But, you have to admit — somewhere deep down in your sole, you are wishing that someone you know… That bully at school, that boos you hate or that girl that stood up for a date would catch a horrible cold.  It is a wonderful revenge that doesn’t last, but, it makes you feel so much better knowing that the person you dislike so much is having a bad week 🙂

AAAAAAAACCCHHHHHHHHHHHOO.  I hope you get this — you know who!!