Catching Up - The Flu - And #59 for Me!

It's been quite a few days since I've posted, and mostly I'm going to blame that on the most horrible winter cold I've ever had, and in addition to me being sick, Scott also got the same thing, and we've been a terrible duo the past two weeks. I'm not going to say that the older I get the worse my colds are and the harder it is to bounce back, but . . . Thank heavens for Tamiflu, NyQuil, Flonase, Mucinex, steam, a comfy bed, and soup in the freezer.

But I'm back, and the past week has been packed with catching up - what a horrible way to recover! But student papers, classes, sick patients, and moving into a new office do not wait for anyone. Sadly, I've had so many students out with the flu - and I'll have to catch up with them too - which is so much work.

The good news is that it was my birthday on January 30! Born in 1959, and I turned 59 this year (as did everyone else born in 1959, so I'm not so special). There's a term for this - Beddian Birthday - for real! And crap - 59 years old! And yet, besides still recovering from the nasty cough, I don't feel 59, or what I think 59 may feel like. I'm at my prime - at the same weight I was pre-cancer, healthy with a touch of osteoporosis (a physical this week attests to this), active, clear-minded, in love, happy, and still deliberating over some of the big life questions I've had for years (and that's another post).

And yet - I'm also realizing that if I want what I want, I'm going to have to say no to some things that are disguised as what I want, including spending time working for the mighty dollar, so that I can take time off work to recover from a lousy cold. This is no longer making sense to me. And I turned down a nomination for a Faculty in Excellence Award from the English Department. I'm so flattered that I was nominated, but the paperwork - and I had to choose - make time for paperwork for the award, or spend the day with Jenna and Tommy and not have anxiety attacks. So I said thanks, but no thanks, and enjoyed playing with Tommy - who was so very excited to see me. Priceless.

And this weekend Scott surprised me with a night at The Homestead with Jenna and Cliff. We went swimming in the 95 degree water. We had a lovely low-pressured evening and a very nice time together.

So there, I'm caught up - just now trying to not get over-anxious about this upcoming week and the move into our new office space, two nights of teaching (never ever again will I teach 3 classes, nor an 8:30pm class), and chaplain meetings. I do feel like I zoom through the week on auto, then let down just enough to catch my breath before the work week begins again. And I think I've had enough of this.

Onward!