Z-Pak Holiday

Back in November I had a debilitating  phlegm-y nasty cough for the majority of the month. I kept convincing myself that it would get better on its own and I couldn't possibly break from my busy schedule just to see a doctor. Then a new hire, on his third week of training said: "You know you've been sick since I met you."

I tore myself away from my Saturday of coffee drinking/leaf watching/rain avoidance to go to my local Minute Clinic. Lifesavers those RNs. Ten minutes later and I was out the door with bronchitis and four different medications to get me through the rest of the week.


I got home, took the medications and despite their lack of codeine fell instantly asleep on the couch only to wake up and hour later and discover that the cough medicine had "disagreed with me". As I was hugging the porcelain throne, I lay there uncomfortably warm against the cool tile waiting for someone to come in and ask if I was okay. But Roommate was out and the Captain can't move, so I crawled back out to the living room and nestled myself back on the futon. All at once I just wanted my mom.


24 years old, independently moved out to Chicago to pursue my own goals, have the ability to pay rent all by myself and yet, I still need my mom. Running Buddy and I laughed about it: college degrees, full time jobs, almost to our thirties, and I still want my mom to check up on me and bring me ginger ale. Of course when I'm sick isn't the only time I need my mom. Other times include when I want to see that new musical/romantic/Brad Pitt movie and no one will go with me, when I can't figure out how to switch a magazine subscription, and when my new healthcare plan just doesn't make any sense...

That's why I'm pumped to be seeing her on Sunday!

New Leaf

Do you know how hard it is to get out of the house, much less your pajamas, when you have no where to go? Yesterday I spent the majority of the day watching movies under a blanket and slowly but surely leaving an ah-mazing butt print in the green arm chair. I answered e-mails, checked blogs, and did manage to make myself a tasty dinner. Roommate has been working this past week so it's just me and good old Captain Dusseldorf scaring each other in the hallway at night (oh wait...that's just Dusseldorf). Such is the life of a freelancer.

Last night in an attempt to unblock myself I realized that this couch potato behavior was no longer relaxing me, it was making me edgy and unhappy. It's been too hard to write, exercise, and sleep despite the fact that these are all things that make me happy. In the spirit of my 24 Before 24 list I'm making a couple changes to my routine that I hope will get me back in to the swing of things and complete my list faster.

First, I'm going to start morning pages again. In college I had a wonderful professor who taught playwriting, and she gave us two books to help expand our creativity. One of them was Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg which I have read multiple times (whenever I'm blocked). The other was The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. When I first read it I got too hung up on the semantics and dismissed it, but after re-reading the first couple chapters last night I'm going to give it another shot. The book recommends writing three pages every morning when you first wake up to drain your negative thoughts and give your day a fresh start. Although I nearly forgot this morning (coffee haze) I'm going to start making a regular habit of it. I have to fill five notebooks with writing some how.

Second, I'm going to start running again. Back in high school and middle school I ran cross country competitively and it's something that made me feel extremely fulfilled and relaxed. I am one of those people who needs something to be accountable to other than myself, so my friend and I are joining a "fun run" group that does 3-6 miles three times a week. We haven't even gone yet and already my running buddy wants to go again tomorrow. I told her if I'm not dead I'll think about it.

Last, I'm actually going to start getting ready in the morning. Not just rolling out of bed and putting slippers on. I'm going to make the bed (so I can't get back in to it) put on some big girl clothes and do my hair and make-up. Even if I don't plan on going anywhere I want to look presentable just in case I do decide to venture out. I think that getting ready in the morning has a lot to do with self confidence, and I want to feel my best as well as look it.

Anyone else feeling the winter funk? The jobless-ness funk?

P.S. Here's a picture of Captain Dusseldorf for reference. He lives in our hallway and scares off evil spirits (as well as people that want to use the bathroom in the middle of the night).

Pictures that are not mine: via 1, 2, 3