I have been hit with the “summer flu” and there is no way to describe it except to say, it blows. I’ve spent the past two days home from work, most of the time in bed, and at this rate a day three is a real possibility. (In case you were wondering, it is, in fact, possible to type on my laptop while lying horizontally with my head on a pillow!) But thinking about the concept of a “sick day” makes me fondly remember the sick days of my youth – and what I wouldn’t do for one of those kind of days now!
First, I do have to say I have been very fortunate regarding work these past two days. Outside of actual surgeries, my sick days as a professional have really been glorified work-from-home days, only on the couch and in sweats. Most of the time I end up putting in more hours than I would have if I just sucked it up and went into the office. This week for whatever reason things haven’t been too crazy – sure, I’ve called in to numerous conference calls, written up a report or two, gotten out some work I needed to get out – but I have also been able to fit in some of the rest time that I need (albeit, with the BlackBerry sharing my pillow).
How different from the sick days pre-working life! Sick days were awesome! (outside of the pesky little bug or whatever it was I was suffering from). Sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket watching cartoons, reading a book or two, playing video games – all while mom would bring soup, pudding, cookies, juice and whatever else I needed to feel better.
Ah … those were the days.
Sadly, those days are a distant memory. Which is a shame, because I can think of few things that would make me feel better than a John Hughes movie marathon or Harry Potter book marathon. But between saving my energy for the laptop and devoting my offline time to napping, those things seem like guilty luxuries that I cannot afford (not to mention the throbbing headache, body aches and the fact that it hurts to blink make the thought of reading or watching TV less than appealing).
However, once I am healthy again, I think I am going to look for an available date to take a good old-fashioned sick day – a Saturday or Sunday will do just fine. There are so many movies to watch, books to read, and Super Mario Kart races to dominate. The glass of juice will likely be replaced with a more adult beverage, but the outcome will hopefully be the same – I will feel better. And that will make it all worth it.
Super Mario? The most obvious insights so often pass right through me.
Yes. Sick Days were called Sick Days for a good reason, and not because they had anything at all to do with ill health. It’s sort of like labeling vs reality in today’s culture of alleged grownups. Whatever it’s called, it’s not that.
I recall these sick days, many of they rainy like today, to be bonding experiences with other humans, facilitated by… whatever we could get our hands on. Brief voyages of discovery and adventures.
Some damn memorable days, and good training in forgery. A bitch to get busted, though.