I Can't Talk, So I'll Have To Write...

In the grand scheme of how sick people can be, I'm not very sick at all, but I honestly don't remember me being this sick in forever. I've had bad turns like labyrinthitis but that lasted only a day etc, this current virus/cold/flu hit me Saturday morning and Wednesday it's still here with a vengeance.

I hate being sick, forget manflu, realistically there's nothing more pathetic than Courtneyflu. I'm totally flattened with an apparent fever (which a doctor's assured me doesn't exist yet I still feel on fire) and what is left of my working vocal chords are being used near exclusively for whimpering and making sad squeaking noises.

The worst thing is not being able to speak, I really like talking. I hate silence so have no dramas with filling the space in with the sound of my own voice nattering away about anything and everything. I'm going to have so much catching up when it comes back. I might just pick up the phone book and call everyone for a chat so I can test it out.

I feel bad because I was supposed to represent my office and give a presentation at an external client gathering today, however I couldn't do it, because I didn't think they'd appreciate me trying to act out our processes with hand puppets...as amusing as that would be.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

So I feel a bit guilty, I also feel guilty that I've left my team for the first time. Not that I don't think they can cope without me, but it's just my nature to feel like I should be there. I dragged myself to work on Monday and yesterday morning for that reason but I had to go home after I just felt so miserable. I was especially miserable as I was supposed to go to Duran Duran but I was too sick :( Woe.It did mean my Mum and Dad unexpectedly went though so hope they had fun!

 

One thing I've noticed while being home is that I have no idea on what to do on a sick day, this whole lying around in pyjamas or in bed thing is so foreign to me. I don't really know how to relax. I can't just grab a book and lie around reading it, I have to be doing something, even if it's just typing on a computer, I feel I'm doing something. I can't even sit around just catching up on tv, I just don't know how to switch off. I'm the same on weekends, I go stir crazy if we're at home all day. It's something I really need to work on. It's probably a good thing that I no longer have access to work email because I always check it. It's funny that someone who's as lazy as I am, struggles to relax! So for anyone reading this, how do you relax when you need to?

I'm too tired to write anymore, so I won't. I'll post something upbeat next blog :)

 

 

 

 

The Reason I Don't Blog Too Often

As you've noticed by now, I'm not really a regular blogger. I want you to know that this is a good thing because trust me I'm sparing you. Otherwise you'd be stuck with the mundane tales of my terribly straightforward life. (A straightforward life I'm very grateful for.)

Eg, the most interesting story of today, is that I, being the master of coordination I am, managed to shut the tip of my finger in the freezer at work while grabbing a lean cuisine - again, evidence that "healthy" food is actually bad for you - and 9 hours later it still hurts. Yup, that's the big news of Courtney's day. I hope you were sitting down.

The other thing stopping me from blogging regularly recently has been work. Most of my life really does revolve around work, which is kind of scary! I'm far from a workaholic but I'm usually thinking about it or spending most of my day. It also has a huge effect on my mood, which has also stopped me blogging a bit, because I've been exhausted from adjusting to the new job and my new role as a manager. I never ever saw myself in a management role as I barely handle managing myself, let alone others. I just never thought I had the personality for it. I think after 6 weeks of it though, I'm beginning to do okay, and I'm realising that I'm more suited to it than I thought. (Still lots to learn and improve though.) It's the first week I'm not coming home exhausted and confused, which means I have a clearer head to blog.

I can furnish you with a general update on how things are rolling along though.

•  The search for a new hairdresser has taken a positive turn. I had a reasonably good experience on Friday. Sure I had to re-trim my fringe, and I didn't love the girl like I've loved other hairdressers, but the colour's nice and it was half the price of my last appointment and is downstairs of my building so terribly convenient. I also got through another appointment without asking the hairdresser to chop my hair off so go me.

• We didn't see The Phantom Menace as planned, but I did see A Few Best Men for a charity screening so I've seen a movie each month as planned. Don't know if I'll get to one in March though. A Few Best Men was reasonably terrible but thankfully not as horrible as I thought it may have been.

• I still don't own a Rubik's Cube.I'll get to that later in the year.

• Ah that whole eating healthy and exercising thing... can you hear the sound of it crashing and burning in the distance? Yeah it did. A combination of my laziness and the way I felt with the job change, eager for comfort food and too tired to exercise. Now I'm sane again, we're trying again. Plus it's 5 and a half weeks to the trip, and I just want to be a bit fitter so I'm starting again. Sort of.

•  My finger really hurts

• I had a moment tonight when I just realised how lucky I am and how happy I am to have made some great friends over the internet. It's really amazing to realise you have friends around the world and can share in their experiences, and laugh and enjoy stuff together etc. Playing Draw Something on my phone with a group of my friends is just highlighting that, playing silly games across the world is a great experience.

• I'm stressing about budgets for the holiday at the moment, it's obsessive. I'm worrying so much. Especially as I'm a bit worried my leave is going to get mucked around as I transfer officially between jobs. Of course I'm not actually worried that we won't be eating, I'm worried about our shopping budget, so it's something shallow that's stopping me sleeping! (I have my eye on a range of Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade handbags...)

That's kind of it at the moment. Things are good.

Have a great rest of your day and/or a fabulous Thursday depending on when you read this. 

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Yes, I'm talking about the trip again...

This blog wasn't intended to be about the trip but once I start talking about it, I don't stop easily, so I'm going with it.

I feel like a year has never flown by as fast as this one has. I assume it's the new job that's made me so sidetracked, but maybe it's just because I'm getting older. Normally the time before a holiday starts dragging, but it feels like it's racing towards us. In fact, we're close enough for me to start thinking about packing lists.

I love making packing lists for a few reasons. It makes me feel organised, it makes me get excited about the trip as I think about what will suit what excursion/event etc, and very importantly it gives me an excuse to shop for the "gaps". ("Gaps" = clothes that I decide that I need and usually don't end up taking anyway, because I'm adorable like that.) Currently I've identified a gap in my jumper collection. I think Aaron's disputing this call.

Oh and then there's the excitement of being able to book restaurants for while we're there now, or in places where you don't book, just reading their menus and thinking about where we'd go. Seriously I'm so excited about the food. There's a good chance that in Chicago and New York City we'll just food place hop and forget sightseeing. So many delicious choices, so little time.

We've been talking a lot about the last holiday and how while it was great and there are some memories that I'll always be excited by, it wasn't really successful as we spent a lot of it irritated and stressed. It's not normal on a holiday to be so tense, that when a place says they've run out of meatloaf you burst into tears at the table. (It wasn't about the meatloaf, though the Daily Grill's meatloaf is really good
.)
 
We've realised that we tried to rush things, or put too much pressure on doing things special and then when things didn't work we got so frustrated. So we've really tried to not put much pressure on us and the sightseeing spots this time. I'm not scheduling a lot as a result, as I'm scared of overplanning.

But here's some of the things we're definitely going to do/see while over there...

New York City 

• Serendipity 3 - one of my favourite eateries ever. Partly because it's where John Cusack was in Serendipity and because of the Frozen Hot Chocolate... (Speaking of Serendipity, remind me one day to tell you about how my sister and I snuck into the Waldorf Astoria and recreated a scene from the movie!)
• Broadway shows - We've got tickets booked to Book of Mormon and Rock of Ages
• Restaurant Row - A street full of varied cuisine restaurants, we're looking forward to just turning up and seeing what's available
• Empire State Building - We went up at night last time, we're going to go up during the day this time
• Brooklyn Bridge - I really want to walk the Bridge, okay well at least stand on it... 
• A Night On The Town Tour - http://www.graylinenewyork.com/tourpage.php?item=NOTT
• Ray's Pizza - the best pizza ever created.

I think with New York, we're just going to take things very easy, there's so much to just walk around and enjoy. I still live in some hope that the Maury Povich show will send us tickets!

Philadelphia
Philadelphia is where we have the most scheduled.

• Independence Hall - we have tickets for a tour
• Independence Hall Archaeology Lab - Every trip Aaron and I have to let out our inner nerds, this is one of those times. We've booked a tour of the Independence Hall site with an archaeologist who'll tell us about artefacts found etc.
• Liberty Bell
• Elfreth's Alley
• The Rocky Steps and Statue
• Mini-Golf at Franklin Square - As well as our nerd side, we also have childlike competive sides, so we rarely miss an opportunity for mini-golf
• Perhaps the Philadelphia Zoo

Chicago
Again, like New York, I think Chicago will be pretty easy going. I'm going to meet a friend while I'll I'm there so am most excited about that. Here's some things we're planning on seeing though.

• Shedd Aquarium
• Adler Planetarium
• Field Museum
• Wrigley Field (Save Ferris!)
• Navy Pier
• We're booking a table at the Signature Room on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock Center, the views should be amazing.
• The Skydeck Chicago - I am very eager to step out into the glass window boxes they have...in theory...

Anaheim

The plan in Anaheim is very much centred around Disneyland. I love Disneyland. Love it. Pretty much we'll spend most of our time there. We might head off to the San Diego Zoo or do another tour of somewhere in the area but I'm not sure.

Sorry, that was long. So long, but for those curious there are some things we've thought about seeing. Anyone reading this have other suggestions?