Meet the new year, much like the old year, in which an increasing percentage of my time is spent miserable.

I’ve suffered a head cold for an entire week, with no sign of improvement. Now, thanks to the variety of medications I’ve taken in a (mostly) vain attempt to not feel quite so lousy, I itch. All over. It’s a mild itch, but it travels. You know that itch which, when scratched, immediately moves to a different, random point elsewhere on your body? Yeah, that’s the itch.

So not only has my throat been sore (in the “ow, it hurts to swallow” sort of way) for an entire week, not only have I been coughing and sniffling all that time, but now I’m afraid to take anything for it because I don’t know what medication (or combinations thereof) gave me the allergic reaction. Outstanding. And since I’m such a trooper, I’ve shown up at work without fail each day during this ordeal. (I burned too many sick days in the last few months for my comfort, so of course now I’m even more miserable than I was when I took those days. Go figure.)

As you might expect, what with the pain of swallowing waking me up all through the night coupled with an urge to itch one spot or another on my skin, I didn’t sleep well last night. It’s not like I get a whole lot of sleep normally, so this is just adding injury to insult.

I suppose the good news is that I might be able to afford a new mattress soon. Of course, the last time I made plans of that nature I lost my job…

Of course. Last weekend I had precisely two activities to really worry about: A date with Lil’ on Friday night and playing Santa (or at least Gift Delivery Man) for my kids Monday morning. (There was a holiday party here at the house on Saturday, but I didn’t have to worry about that, see?)

My plans for today and the days to come, as of yesterday evening, looked a little something like this: Thursday after work, visit rugrats. Friday evening, dine with Lil’. Saturday, visit rugrats again and also go help The Imperial Princess of Cute with some computer problems she’s having. Sunday, maybe, go visit folks for New Year’s Eve.

Through all of last night, however, I struggled with a sore throat. You know how it is when it hurts to swallow? That’s the time your mouth decides to produce endless saliva, of course. And then the coughing started, and the stuffy head, and the fever, and the whole NyQuil commercial litany through the course of the day.

Yes, I’ll be taking The Green Death shortly. Thanks for asking.

No kidlet visiting tonight. No date tomorrow, though in a weird sort of way that worked out well for Lil’ and Geoffrey. (I wholeheartedly approve of things working out well for those two, mind you!) Saturday is… up in the air. I’m hoping to kick this thing soon enough to be functional by then, but I can’t make any guarantees, especially since I’m also determined to make it to work tomorrow. I’ve been home sick from work too many times on this job already, for the short time I’ve been there. Argh. Maybe this illness is the dying affliction of a lousy year, and a sign that it’s going to get better after this year/cold is through.

Then again, I’ve had my faith in the prospect of an improved new year trampled over and over, so I’m not getting my hopes up…

Let’s see: Slept lousy, compounded by someone turning and leaving on the downstairs bathroom’s ceiling fan (which is right below my bedroom) during the night. Nearly-cold shower. Misgauged the weather, so didn’t dress warmly enough. Forgot to grab leftovers for lunch. My pathway from the Hillsboro Airport MAX station to work consisted mostly of deep puddles and mud. Just as I approached the Starbucks, the wind and rain came up, so no breakfast for me because I can’t carry a cup of cocoa, a sandwich and manage my umbrella, at least not without growing two spare hands or a prehensile tail. Unfurled umbrella to discover that the wind was stronger than expected, requiring two hands just to keep the thing pointed the right direction. It was all for naught, because one good gust of wind snapped the umbrella’s struts, right in my face. So I walked the rest of the way to work in the wind and rain, cold, wet, tired, hungry and angry. And since I’m the first (and only) person into the office, I can’t even duck next door to the 7-11 for something to snack on. If nobody gets here before 8 o’clock, I won’t get to eat until lunchtime.

So. Hopefully your morning’s better than mine.

Okay, so I was up fairly late on Saturday night, but I made up for it with a decent night’s sleep. I made a point of getting to bed at a decent hour last night. So could someone explain to me why I spent the entire day struggling to stay awake?

Seriously. The one day I’d prefer to do my job over the phone (an entire class of technology which I normally prefer to avoid) instead of via instant message and email, and everybody wants me to read instead. I could barely see straight, I’m telling you. Right now I’m typing this post out of sheer stubborn willpower. (I goofed off all weekend without posting; by the gods I’m going to get something out today!)

Anyway, my weekend in a nutshell goes something like this: Saturday, the kids and I tried out the Apocalypse Mod for Scorched (Earth) 3D. To say we “had a blast” would be both punny and appropriate, so… we had a blast! Bwahahaha. Afterward I went over to Lil’s for dinner, snuggling on the couch, watching bad television and reading that interminable rpg.net motivator poster thread. Sunday consisted of cleaning, shopping, cleaning, shopping, visiting with The Imperial Princess of Cute, watching the world’s cutest anime, and then playing games with the usual Sunday night crowd. Oh, and sleeping.

Mmmmm. Sleeeeeeeeeeeep. Pardon me, I need to go do that now. G’nite.