Sometimes you go la di da di da di da da

I had a really stellar time this past weekend, it was packed with a balanced array of hanging out with various friends, being outside, eating tasty snacks, being at home, hanging out with DYA, cooking, even writing. I've been writing a lot, I'm on a self-imposed deadline which is partly why I haven't been writing here. I'm not sure I'm going to make the deadline, but I will get as close as possible. Also, last week, about 6 days into my antibiotics, I spent almost an entire day outside in the hot humid sun, and shortly after a rash appeared, mostly on the inside of my arms but with a few splotches on other body parts, including my right temple and around my eye, a few spots on my belly, and a few surrounding the giant scaly thing on my left calf that is an infected bug bite. Now, all this means that every time I sit down to write here, all I can think about is how obsessed I am with this rash and my amateur diagnoses from copious googling. I was mostly sure it was a reaction to antibiotics, that I'm mildly allergic to penicillin as well as the sun exposure. But today, after breakfast, I decided that actually I got west nile virus from the bug bite. This would also explain the fever and aches and chills and swollen lymph nodes of two weeks ago. But the prognosis for either west nile virus or antibiotics allergy is basically....wait it out. Seriously. Apparently west nile virus isn't actually that bad in most people -- 80% of people who have it are asymptomatic. And if anyone tells me to go to a doctor, I will crack my elbow into your skull, even if you live in another state. It is on my plan of action for later in the week to go to a dermatologist if things don't change, but I have no inclination to run to one immediately and have more prescription medications assigned to me. Especially since I do have a history of getting rashes/hives after being sick with infections (its just been so long since I had one, I forgot). Luckily the the rash doesn't itch too terribly, the weather is cooling off and I can even possibly wear long sleeves if I'm too self-conscious about it.

Last night at work, after radio silence for a week, I got bombarded with isht to do. I put the radio on NPR to listen to the democratic convention. The main correspondent kept doing this thing while interviewing people, where they would say something and she would "huh", in this slightly high pitched way that seemed to indicate a cross-between "huh, I never thought of that!" or "huh, you sound like a crackpot and I don't believe you." So she sounded either completely ignorant or completely condescending, depending on the "huh". She really needs to break that habit.

And while Michelle Obama's speech was nice and all, Ted Kennedy was the story that interested me more. Because I might not agree with everything Uncle Teddy has done in his life, but damn if he hasn't spent every moment living his passion, which is for politics. When he said he would be there on the senate floor in January for Obama's swearing in, I got a little choked up, at either the prospect of him fighting hard to sustain himself that long, or at the prospect of him dying before that can happen, but he'd probably go down while sitting there attending some vote he wanted to make sure would go through.

Ok, I'm a sap. I'll stop now. Maybe I should just go back to talking about my rash.

(no subject)

I'm weirdly wildly curious about Hillary Clinton's speech tonight at the convention. I might be setting myself up for a punch in the gut. Like going out for a drink with an ex when you think enough time has passed, but they turn out to be still really bitter and a little crazy about the breakup.

I say that as someone who has been on both sides of this scenario.

ETA: I raced home on my bike and walked in the door and immediately turned on the tv and there she was, in an orange suit (my favorite color!) introducing herself. And you know what? She did pretty fcking alright.