The best thing about being sick...

Getting sick or feeling bad is no fun. As a kid, being sick at school was the worst. Walking to the nurse's office, that pungent smell of latex, and the skeptical nurse looking you up and down sizing out your "illness." Then you'd lay on the uncomfortable tables with the thin cushion mat on top and the pillow that always grossed my out wondering how many other sick heads laid on it earlier. But the best thing about getting sick at school was seeing my Poppop walk through the doors to take me back to his house.

I have two working parents, so often times my Nonnie and Poppop would be called to take me out of school. Laying on the nurse room bed, feeling like pooh and in walks in Poppop. Then we'd drive over to his house and Nonnie would be waiting with a pot of soup on the stove and ginger ale handy. That was always the best part of getting sick while at school.

Now, I'm 22 and sitting at work. I'm not sick but I'm achy and I want to go back to bed. I keep looking to the door, hoping to see Poppop walk in to scoop me up and take me home with him... where Nonnie would meet me with a cup of hot chocolate.

Thank you Nonnie and Poppop for always taking such good care of me when I was sick!

The Workin' Blues

I graduated college. No more school, no more homework. The thought of never writing a paper again (well... unless I decided to go to graduate school down the road) excited me beyond belief. I don't miss that. I don't miss homework or papers, I don't miss meetings or "group work." Oh, how I loathed group work; the slackers dumping all their work on me. I don't even really miss the clubs I was in, they were one more responsibility, one more stress and one more thing taking up my time.

What I do miss is the flexibility of time. I kept pretty busy with the business fraternity, animal rights organization, volunteer work, rugby, and my entrepreneurship concentration; but I had breaks in my day. I could run errands in the middle of the day, schedule doctor's appointments on week days without having to worry about taking off work, and grab a quick nap if needed. What I wouldn't give to be able to spend some time outside. Its beautiful outside, I want to push the office doors open and let the cool, fresh air in.

I miss breaks; spring break, fall break, winter break, *fill in the blank* break, *break just because I needed it* break. I feel like I need to save up my PTO now for a time when I really need it. I don't ever take time off, unless forced to. Gee, thanks snow. I don't get a break anymore, I don't get a change of scene. Usually, I'd get tired of school and embrace the summer when I'd work. Then, by the end of summer, I'd be so tired of working, I'd embrace going back to school. Now? This is it; 8-5 with an hour commute tacked on to each end, day in and day out. I miss looking forward to a break or change of scene.

Which brings me to my conclusion. How will I fight my "being an adult, workin' blues?" I'm going to take a day trip to the beach. I don't care if its cold, I just hope its not raining. The first weekend day I'm free, I driving up and spending the day walking around, laying in the sand, and just soaking up my first "break" since I graduated.