My thoughts are all a-jumbled. And, being a big ole external processor, I am using this place to iron them out a bit. Thanks, y'all!
I am getting sick. My tonsils feel like rocks, my head is pounding, my emotions are running amok and I am weeping at the drop of a hat whereas usually it takes dropping something at least a bit heavier than a hat--like scuba gear or an armadillo-- to get these eyes to tear up. It's not PMS, so I'm gonna have to go with the germ theory, which is really shoe-in since my friends are dropping like flies lately. In a spectacular show of bad judgment tonight, I decided that since I am getting sick but not quite there yet, I better sneak in my long run tonight before the sickness goes all-out, so ignoring Elizabeth's better judgment, I dragged her out for what is soon to become our traditional run/bike extravaganza: she rides while I run a stretch, then she chains up the bike and runs a loop with me, then she gets back on the bike and we run home. Pretty ingenious, really. The less-than-ingenious part was me ignoring my body signals. Ahem. I will do better!
Next Friday, I fly home for a whirlwind five-day "adventure", of which two and a half will involve me packing in as much fun and socialization as possible, and the other two and a half will involve a highly stressful professional-type thingamadoohickey at which I have to be well-prepared and articulate and convincing and emphatically not jet-lagged. I am both wildly looking forward to it and nervous as crap (about both parts). Have I finally managed to idealize "home" beyond all recognition? Are my friends as fantastic as I remember them? Do they still love me? Can I do all that will be required of me during the professional portion? How much will reverse culture shock paralyze me? And when will I sleep?
The answer to that last question, at least for tonight, is NOW.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Anticipation
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
Your friends DO still love you! Your friends are as fantastic as you remember! Your friends have great confidence in you! You will be able to do all that you need to do for the professional "thingamadoohickey" (I like that word by the way) to go how it is ultimately supposed go. It's trust thing here, Jess.
As for the sleep, I can't answer that one, but I'm guessing that your extroverted self will be so energized by being around people who love you that you'll be fine while here and then crash upon your return to Germany.
Enjoy your trip! Looking forward to hearing about it!
Wow, thanks, honey. :-) That does make me feel better. And you are probably right about the sleeping, too. I can sleep here; why bother doing it elsewhere? :-)
Heh. So your Resident Introvert was right, eh?
Well, at least you got the long run out of the way... and you can't sit next to me at the Stammtisch tonight, either. I don't want to get sick. Sit by Steffi and Felix, the other sickies, since I assume that Elizabeth won't want you to sit next to her, and you aren't allowed to sit near anyone else ;)
Heather--I'll sit next to Jess at Stammtisch. Our apartment is probably crawling with germs (no offense, Jess)--so if I'm going to get sick I might as well face the germs with exuberance and spunk rather then fearfully pretend to avoid them.
Jess--You mean you're not going to be up for another run tonight? Darn. I was soooo looking forward to it.
Heto-- yeah, my Resident Introvert is pretty failproof. :-) I and my germs will do our best not to invade your space tonight, if the germs even allow for the possibility (eck, I feel icky and tired right now).
Elizabeth-- not only are you a saint; you're a martyr too. :-) And gosh, if you were so looking forward to a long run tonight, how about *I* bike and *you* run? That should work out fine! ;-)
Ugh. Trapped in my own sarcasm!
Let's wait until we're both feeling better, and then hit the pavement together.
Oh, no! I'm so sorry to hear that you are sick. :( Been there, done that already this week. Empathy coming your way!
On a brighter note, I may get to see you next week! What day, what hour works best? Should I try to ALSO be at EWALU? (because there just won't be enough going on yet for you?) Are you going to attempt to see Nat's baby? Let me know the time and place, and I'll be there! :) Love, Amy
we still love you. just not at close proximity right now. =)
are you coming to chicago next week?
Oh, no, Jess, I know someone who tried to do some kind of sport while he was sick and...well, it turned out to be a really dangerous decision.
Now that you've pushed yourself a bit too far, get nice and comfy and rested, especially on account of the upcoming "highly stressful professional-type thingamadoohickey." Don't worry about it--you'll do great... even though I don't know how well you do at thingamadoohickeys, but I have a feeling you excel at them.
All this bitching and moaning was a bit preemptive, I'm sorry to say. I am feeling, if not entirely 100%, at least fairly decent. Only a drippy nose and some overworked tonsils. :-) So, no worries, guys.
Amy... Hooray! Hmm...I don't know what would work best. Do you feel like coming to a concert at EWALU on Friday night? That might be fun! Otherwise, yes, we are definitely going to try to see Payton and Nat in IC, probably Sunday, like early afternoonish? This is probably best worked out over e-mail... so I will get back to you that way. :-)
Thanks Rae!! :-) I am flying in to Chicago, going on a brief roadtrip that weekend, and then attending a whole slew (that how you spell that?) of work thingies from Monday through Wednesday... How close is NWU to the Lutheran Center? Maybe we could do lunch or something???
Rachel, thanks for caring about me. I promise I will do my best to make fewer bad decisions in the future. It's possible I could excel, I guess-- I will have to get back to you on that one. :-)
Jessica, I am glad that you are not as sick as you thought that you were going to be and I hope that you continue to feel better. Have a wonderful trip! I have only confidence that you will do well at your "highly stressful professional-type thingamadoohickey."
P.S. Sorry I took your title. I didn't notice until I went to make this comment. What you said must have stuck in my brain and then came back out when I wrote my post today.
Carrie, maybe I will see you at the concert next Friday! And you are welcome to share my title, no problem. :-)
Post a Comment