Remember the cold I thought I was coming down with? I really didn’t think it would last. I drank tea, I had chicken noodle soup. I got quality rest. This morning, it is a full on VIRUS. I am not good at being sick. I hate it, and I hate whoever spread their God damn germs in public so as to ensure I got this viciousness. I am contemplating hunting them down, ripping their arms off, and beating them to death.

A friend of mine is terrified of getting sick every winter, and I understand why, though I don’t usually contemplate it too much for myself because I don’t spend a lot of time around people that are potential “carriers”. Yes, that’s what I call the people I interact with, especially during the winter months. I want to dip all of them in Listerine at the front door and keep them and their germs at bay. We won’t discuss how many times I say “Did you wash your hands?” or “Where have your hands been?” on any given day. I’m a firm believer that most guys pay very little attention to what they touch. I’ve seen their cell phones, who are they kidding?!

Realistically speaking, colds and flu viruses have gotten so much worse than they once were. A really bad bout of either can take you out for two weeks, or longer. A very close friend of mine made me ultra aware of something going around last year, so I have been using antibacterial wipes on pretty much every surface I come in contact with. Especially in public. People stare at me as I wipe down shopping carts at the three different grocery stores I frequent. Hell, what do they think the wipes at the front door are for? I have no idea when someone last changed that adorable baby’s dirty diaper, do I really want to put my hands where they allowed that child to sit for God only knows how long? NO.

I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse, just in case a bathroom somewhere is out of soap. This happened to me once on a trip in a very touristy spot. Since that fateful day of no soap and no water in a tourist attraction bathroom, I have purchased purse size bottles of Bath & Body Works antibacterial gel and I keep it in my bag until I use it up. They’re small, but a little goes a long way at keeping my peace of mind. I usually have one in my nightstand and 2 others as purse back-ups, just in case. They’re inexpensive when you buy on-line in bulk, and at least then, you know your hands are clean. This also comes in really handy when you have to take your contact lenses out in public to clean them (Does this happen to anyone else during the spring and summer months?) and you don’t want to get your hands wet from washing them before putting your lenses back in. You don’t want to potentially lose a lens or have one stick to anything other than your eye, of course. Lenses that get foggy or sticky are unbearable to wear.

I contacted both of my clients this morning to let them know I am sick. It might have been an overly cautious measure, but I would rather be honest than have them not know I am delayed, even if only by a day or two. I do have plenty of time to complete both projects by their deadline dates, but I have no idea how long this virus from hell is going to have me down, so I know in my heart I did the right thing. I have been offered a long-term developmental job as well. I have absolutely no expectations there, but it was nice to see the offer when I woke up this morning. It was a nice bit of positivity as I sit here contemplating what to do based on how sick I am. A normal person would go back to sleep. Alas, I find myself wide awake, but my body is saying “I don’t think so, sweet pea!” I suspect I’ll hunker down with a book. I find myself incredibly bored with everything though, including the one book I want to finish. Perhaps I will hit my bookshelves for the beginning of my yearly Moral Instruments pilgrimage. If nothing else, it’s engaging.

copyright © 2015 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.