Howard Hughes coughs up a lung.

[greygirlbeast]

Well, this is going to be very short, because, as it turns out, I'm sick as a dog. Whatever that means. I mean, why dogs in particular? Wait a second...with a quote, I attempt to answer my own question:

There are several expressions of the form sick as a ..., that date from the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. Sick as a dog is actually the oldest of them, recorded from 1705; it is probably no more than an attempt to give force to a strongly worded statement of physical unhappiness. It was attached to a dog, I would guess, because dogs often seem to have been linked to things considered unpleasant or undesirable; down the years they have had an incredibly bad press, linguistically speaking (think of dog tired, dog in the manger, dog’s breakfast, go to the dogs, dog Latin — big dictionaries have long entries about all the ways that dog has been used in a negative sense).

At various times cats, rats and horses have been also dragged in to the expression, though an odd thing is that horses can’t vomit; one Nineteenth-Century writer did suggest that this version was used “when a person is exceedingly sick without vomiting”. The strangest member of the set was used by Jonathan Swift in 1731: “Poor Miss, she’s sick as a Cushion, she wants nothing but stuffing” (stop laughing at the back).

Er...anyway. When we left for the dentist on Wednesday, I had a cough. Thought nothing of it. I never get sick. I mean, not germy sick. By the time we got back to Atlanta that evening, I had a sore throat. By Thursday night, I was achy and running a fever of 100F, which feels like 101F for me, because I'm a freak and my normal body temperature is actually 97.7F (Spooky, also a freak, averages 97.3F). And since then, I have bounced feverishly up and down, mostly slept, moaned, bitched, cursed microbes, and annoyed Hubero with my mountains of snot rags. Too woozy to sit up for very long, I have not written. This is officially my worst "flu/cold" sort of crud since 2003. Anyway, at some point, Spooky took the following humiliating photograph:







Erg. Here comes gravity again. Maybe by tomorrow I'll only feel like ass.

Comments

[octoberland.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's an adorable photograph. :) I am sorry you are ill though. Something seems to be going around. I'll try and send healthy thoughts your way.

[activistgirl.livejournal.com]

Ugh...sorry yer sick on top of everything. If it is any consolation that sounds like the bronchitis-like crud that is everywhere this year. I had it about a month ago and, aside form allergies, I don't get sick but once a decade. Just don't push yourself too hard, this crud's a tough one to shake! Saline nasal spray helped a bit with the sore throat and congestion, if you're open for suggestions.

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

Uh, where's your face? I think I can identify the bangs, but I see no facial features below them.

Hubero must've eaten it. Ours do that to me all the time. Damn face-eating cats. And then you have to chase 'em around the house with cat treats to get 'em to drop your face, and it's got cat spit on it...

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

my normal body temp is 96.6. so if my temp is 99 degrees I am dying.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Feel better soon.

[girfan.livejournal.com]

Get well soon!

I'm a nerdy vet tech full of useless info

[sarahravia.livejournal.com]

"horses can’t vomit"..
Horses are unable to evacuate their stomachs by vomiting. They need naso-gastric intubation to avoid stomach rupture.
Actually, horses CAN vomit but it's usually right before they die.

And having seen dogs dying of parvo..yeah sick as a dog.

Incidentally, normal temp for dogs (and horses) is around 101 degrees. Maybe you ARE sick as a dog!

Re: I'm a nerdy vet tech full of useless info

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Maybe you ARE sick as a dog!

Indeed! ;-)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Oooh, if you saw my recent post, you know I understand where you're at right now. Actually, you're the first person I've heard who seems to have come down with it in the exact same stages too! Ummm, congratulations on that dubious distinction? :P

There *is* hope. Unfortunately, you're going to have to go through the phases of Darwinian evolution first. Give it a week and you'll feel hope again.

And eat frozen fruit sorbet bars. Numbing, hydrating, and feel like you're kind of eating.

*much love*

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

There *is* hope. Unfortunately, you're going to have to go through the phases of Darwinian evolution first. Give it a week and you'll feel hope again.

Oh. Joy.

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

I just swigged some OJ in your honor. Heal well and happily and quickly.

It's good that at least we can have pets nearby when we're sick. (And for what it's worth, that is a pretty cute photo, sickness notwithstanding.)

Signed,
Chris
another person with lower-than-98.6 normal body temperature (nice to know it's not uncommon)

[cailement.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better soon. Echinacea and Cold Ease for advice if you want to boost your (obviously) already high immune system to fight off the evil plague of doom and destroy the germs on a micro-bacterial level. Works for me, anyway.

[seph-ski.livejournal.com]

Sure looks like a comfy nap. Sorry you're not feeling well enough to enjoy it. Eat lots of garlic, hot soups, some swear by curry, and if you can find any, cherries are chock full of vitamin C. Hope you're feeling better soon!

[humglum.livejournal.com]

I just bought us a bottle of Elderberry extract, as I have only had the barest indications of symptoms, and suddenly remembered today that it is supposed to be good for decreasing the duration of the flu and boosting immunity.

Kind of wishing I had remembered this tidbit, oh... back on Thursday.

[sovay]

May you tomorrow only be sick as a cat (since the one in the photograph looks rather contentedly curled up). Feel better.

[daydreammuse.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean getting sick! I had the same fever and I am a freak too, but in the other regard. I am always extremely cold. My temperature is always below the normal. Low blood pressure people say.

Anyways the photo is cute. Look so like curled up like that.

[loki1978de.livejournal.com]

not humiliating. actually it looks kinda cute

[allaboutm-e.livejournal.com]

Sorry you're miserable. Hope you're on the mend soon.

under the weather

[deekskusting.livejournal.com]

Hope you are feeling better soon. Seems like half my friends in SL are under the weather right now. Miss Capalini of New Babbage (just across the street from Miss Paine's Ogdred Weary House) has been battlling strep throat for a week, but she's on the mend.
Sending good vibes your way from Brooklyn (and Babbage, of course)
Even I have had an emotionally draining past few days in SL due to a recent portrait I did.
I'll tell you about it sometime in-world, but I must warn you it is a sad tale and at the same time very inspiring.

[reverendcrofoot.livejournal.com]

Sorry about you not feeling well, and I'm sure whether I say it or not, you will feel better soonish.

Uhm, question. Since you are an professional writer and all, do you know what kinda of binding the A Series of Unfortunate Events has, is called. The one where all the pages look like they were cut by someone not very good at there job, and they decided heck just let it go.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Since you are an professional writer and all, do you know what kinda of binding the A Series of Unfortunate Events has, is called. The one where all the pages look like they were cut by someone not very good at there job, and they decided heck just let it go.

I have no idea whatsoever.

[sclerotic-rings.livejournal.com]

Coughing up a lung? Amateur. Come back when you're coughing up urine like the rest of us.

Seriously, I desperately want to meet Huberto: paint him black with white chin, paws, and chest, and you have the Czarina's cat Tramplemaine. The color may be different, but the attitude shines through.

[reverendcrofoot.livejournal.com]

It was worth a shot. Trying to find one word (possibly two. No more then three. Four would be just too wordy.) In case I ever get to decide things like what type of binding I want, and in my world, that's something an author gets to decide.p

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

In case I ever get to decide things like what type of binding I want, and in my world, that's something an author gets to decide.p

Well, if you stick with certain small presses, it's not entirely out of the question...