Laid Out Flat

 

I so desire communication here, so I am writing.  But I have basically been "laid out flat" since Friday.

Briefly:

• Thursday at the Retiree's Cigar Group was "nice" but I did not get the full relaxation and enjoyment from the afternoon because I was feeling keyed up because my usual Friday is that it is an unstructured day where I can do a helluva lot of writing, grading, and preparing of things for the next week.  But, last Friday I was (very unfortunately) committed to attend an all-damn-day, "educationese" conference at the U.  At the Retiree's Cigar Group, instead of relaxing and enjoying, a sizable chunk of my mind kept whirring on about how to try to get all the sh*t I needed to get done on Friday... done.  
• I worked diligently on my computer Thursday night (again instead of relaxing) to try to get some things done for the next week.  I finally went to bed ~2:00am.
• I ran OUTSIDE to get running earlier than the indoor track would open so I could get to the U earlier than usual so I could spend time in the lab before the damnable "educationese" nonsense started.
• I skipped out of both the "breakfast" meal and the "lunch" meal at the "educationaese" nonsense so I could rush back to my building and talk and work briefly with my research students
• But, I never got caught up.
• My wife and I had a late afternoon appointment to get our flu and covid vaccines.  We did this.
• And.... as in other years, I ended up being LAID OUT FLAT by the vaccines.  I experienced chills/sweats, strong body-wide joint aches, muscle fatigue, a headache, and lots of mucous..... and the symptoms felt stronger than other years, perhaps due to changes to the vaccine.
• I did not move from the bed, other than to go to the bathroom, all day Saturday.
• By Sunday afternoon, I had symptoms lessen somewhat, so I thought all things would be fine and back up to snuff on Monday.... but no, I also started to lose my voice Sunday afternoon.
• I have had laryngitis both Monday and Today (Tuesday).  Monday I powered through as best as I could.... but that probably made the outcome today, where I can barely talk in any regard.  A professor who cannot talk feels awfully damn useless.

I am still feeling awfully behind.  I got a scientific poster one of my researchers is going to present at a conference this weekend.... to the U's graphics center later than I should have because of the crap on Friday.... so I am also nervous if they will be able to get the damn thing printed in time for the student to head out of state. 

I just want to sleep, and I want to sleep to get well. But too many things are pulling at me. I am utterly exhausted.

PipeTobacco