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Cutie pie,
At this point in the winter, most conversations include some chatting about colds, flus, infections, and snot. May this post be no different. Sources of pain from the last three days:

• Boy: what's wrong? Me: I HAVE A COLD! I JUST TOLD YOU THAT! Why can't you just love me enough to coo over me? Boy: I'm sorry, what did you say? Honey, what's wrong?
• My job spares no expense for tissues. Oh, no wait, they cost about 27 cents a box. And they feel that way.
• The sudden sneeze that sprays yellow gunk all down my chin and shirt.
• Why do my arms feel numb?
• When I eat, I taste nothing, so instead of just not eating much, I eat spicier things and have no way of knowing if my breath smells horrid (which it absolutely does).
• I'm so uninteresting; all I want to talk about is my cold.

Having said these things, now I shall share what I should be (and want to be) paying careful attention to, especially in my writing:

• Boy with new government job will soon be investigating the most serious allegations of child abuse/neglect in the state. He came home bothered and stressed after a day at Children's Hospital being trained on child sexual abuse. Step aside, I have a cold.
• Someone close to me has recently checked into rehab for a serious addiction and I haven't tried to reach him--not sure what to say or do, but I think of him constantly. I'll get around to reaching out when my head clears up.
• I know a very low-functioning woman who is trying to beat an addiction to meth while raising 7 children alone AND being treated for serious cervical cancer. I watch her and know that she can't do it. I have almost never felt that about anyone. Okay, no cold touches that one.
• A pregnant co-worker is miserable to be around (not due to hormones, due to history and personality) and I feel sorry that she seems to have no joy about her pregnancy and, soon, new baby. I feel even sorrier that her misery turns potential support systems away-- including me. I want to sprinkle my used tissues on her desk and see how her OCD craziness rages.
• One of my best friends is battling a recent MS diagnosis. May I rot in self-indulgent hell.

But really, I have a cold. And it sucks and I want and deserve to sleep through it Also? I just ate a box of Milk Duds. When you can't taste, make sure you eat a ton of useless calories that get stuck in your fillings--that's my motto.

Complaining,

p.