Well, hello there, poor little
neglected blog. Why have I abandoned you so? Why are there
tumbleweeds blowing about? Why is spaghetti western music playing? It
is chilly and desolate around here. I am clutching my ragged shawl
around my shoulders and making the long trek back to the deserted
farmhouse to compose a blog post. It's lonely around here.
Let's see – last fall I had two
English classes, and seemed to be working on at least one essay every
weekend. English is my major, so I loved it (it definitely beat the
tedious, math-oriented personal finance class I took last year, my
least favorite so far as an adult college student). But the last
thing I wanted to do in my spare time was to do more writing, even a silly
blog I do just for fun which doesn't really require great writing quality. (All this, of course, while working 40-plus hours a week,
as usual.) Immediately after the semester ended in December, it was
the usual Christmas madness, a sugar'n'carbs-crazed rush of shopping,
socializing, and gorging on ginger cookies and eggnog. Then, the first week into the new year, I played a show at Taix. (See www.facebook.com/carolynedwardsmusic for more on that.)
And so here we are, in the
post-apocalyptic new year. The Christmas decorations have been put
away. all carbs and processed sugar are banned from the household,
and I am suffering from the common cold. I know it's incredibly
boring to hear people talk about being sick, especially with
something so mundane as a cold. It's like sitting around with your
grandparents, listening to them complain about their various
ailments. But when it happens, it's so all-encompassing, and I want
so badly for it to just go away, that I can't focus on anything else.
It's not so much the stuffy head – it's the fatigue (becoming
exhausted after doing the dishes, for example) and the spasmodic
coughing (I'll feel a little tickle in my throat, followed by a cough
that won't stop; my eyes water and tears stream down my face). Even
the low grade fever (never higher than 100 degrees) knocks me out,
making me feel achy and weary.
It is also unnerving, when
one can't stop coughing and hacking, to turn on the news: “Flu
deaths are on the rise! Some states are declaring an epidemic!” So
I obsessively googled “flu or cold?,” and the general consensus
on medical websites seems to be that the common cold often comes with
a low grade fever, whereas the flu is accompanied by a fever of 102
degrees or more. The last time I was sick with something like this, I
went to the doctor – I thought since I felt so miserable, there
must be something he could do - but since it wasn't the flu, the
only thing he could do was prescribe a cough suppressant. As such,
with the help of over-the-counter cold remedies (plus a lot of garlic
and chicken noodle soup), I'm on my own with this thing; an
antibiotic won't kill it. But at least it's not the flu!
On Facebook, I asked people to post
their favorite amusing videos so that I might be entertained while
staying at home. They responded generously, and I am grateful. I
would like to share some of the hilarity with you:
- Bing Bang Boing! A commercial for a 1972 game, which was sort of a Rube Goldberg contraption. (I can't picture kids today having the patience or attention span for it.)
- Who doesn't love this clip from “Young Frankenstein?” My friend who posted it said, “Very little brain power, with high cheer up power.” Perfect for curing colds.
- From 1970 – the most fabulous commercial for soup ever, starring Ann Miller. When I think of soup, I usually don't think of Busby Berkeley, but I will from now on.
- 1966 commercial for “Wham-O-Wheelie.” No helmets. One kid is riding barefoot. This sort of thing that would bring on thousands of lawsuits from outraged parents nowadays. But that's what kids did in the 60's, and the recklessness continued into the 70's, when I was a kid. Helmet, schmelmet.
5. “Darth Vader Being a Jerk.” Very
short and very funny.
- “Vampire Barnabas Scares Abigail Collins to Death.” From “Dark Shadows,” that glorious vampire soap opera from the late 60's/early 70's. My friend who posted this said: “You may have a terrible cold, but Abigail is having a much worse day.”
- And last but certainly not least, my favorite new band!
Until next time (when I can hopefully breathe freely again),
Carolyn
