Deep Heat, I Swear

This weekend has been ridiculously productive. Some might say, I fended off a potential death, by battling a cold. Fun times in Ridgemont High! Usually when such a mundane event occurs, i.e you get the signs of a cold – blocked up, sneezing, lethargic and all that – you just plough on. Unless of course, you’re back in the days of going to school, when illnesses might somehow knock you out for longer than expected. No time for such blips now though. A few months ago, the best solution would have been one night of boozing, burn out the germs, and you’d be flying. Nicely hungover, but at least the cold would’ve been killed.

Unfortunately, in this economic climate, it is a completely new ball game. Global epidemics are floating about. Ever since swine flu has reared its ugly snout, gone are the days of just hoping for the best that a cold will sort itself out. You are now potentially fighting a life or death illness. Maybe not exactly, but more so than before. Better paranoid than sorry!

Have you ever turned to Google to diagnose your symptoms to see what they might be? Fair enough, at times it can be useful. However, if you are already a tad paranoid, it is the worst idea ever. Just gets you far more worried than needs be. Yes, I do feel lethargic. I do feel tired before I go to sleep. And I wake up feeling a bit tired too! Oh Jesus, do I actually have some life threatening disease? Yes, I do have a blocked nose… could that be related to a new strain of leprosy?! Dr. Google seems to say be hinting that way! Couple this dumbness with the paranoia levels of Woody Allen, and you have the perfect combo for a fun weekend! I have gotten advice from not one, but two doctors, just to be sure. Both have said I’ll be grand, just a cold, it will sort itself out. Still not happy with their diagnosis though. I will not rest until I find a doctor who will confirm my suspicions!

Battling a cold, head on, has at least given me something different to do this weekend. Catching myself now and again, standing in the same spot after taking a few pills, gritting my teeth, clenching my fists and tightening my muscles, as if to make my body work harder at beating the cold, has been fun and dumb to notice. I have also noticed that the minute you tell someone you have a cold, they will immediately suspect that you are hiding the truth. Which is, in fact, that you have swine flu. Kind of like trying to tell a girl that the rash is from the Deep Heat cream you used earlier that day during a match. Pointless. She has already put 2 and 2 together to come with 5. Fruitless really trying to change people’s minds.

Besides hopefully beating off any chance of getting the pig flu, it has been a quiet couple of days. However, as I reassessed the weekend, a quote from this great scholar came to mind…

“What’s the point of going out, we’re just going to end up back here anyway??” 

Earlier today, I pondered if I really missed out on anything by not going out Friday or Saturday night? Some spark, or big event that occurred perhaps? I doubted it. In fact, from reports I have gotten back from buddies, unsurprisingly, I was probably better off staying in. One person actually told me that they would’ve preferred to have been sick, at least they could’ve saved some money for themselves. Ha, which is a bleak way to look at things! What happened to life is beautiful?!!!

By doing absolutely nothing of note all weekend, something has hit me full on in the face. I realized, even if I had an excuse of making sure I got better… life is not being lived to the fullest at the moment! Sweet Lord, I am looking forward to getting back to a place that does not suffer from hypersomnia. The sooner, the better. It is probably just me, but I think I react to my surroundings. It can be tough to keep the eternal optimism burning the whole time. Has to be done though. Momentum is key to pushing on in life. I think you need motivation to get the ball bouncing, and then momentum to keep it tipping along. Big week ahead. Visa mating, and hopefully advances on the t.v side of things. Bounce on!

Look At Me – Mirrors

Alone – Dan Black 

Tags: Alone, Cold, Cork, Dan Black, Deep Heat, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Look At Me, Mirrors, Swine Flu