*suffers loudly*

[ratbones]

I have the cold to end all colds. It's the cold from the clip art of a sick person in a bathrobe with an ice pack on their head for some reason. It's the cold from cold medicine commercials. I haven't been sick in two years, and I had the flu two years ago, which really must have been worse, but there are so many unwelcome fluids in my head, throat, and lungs right now. The snot is backed up to the point of leaking out my eyes. I'm a mess.

This all started up on the goriest day of my period, too. I thank my menstrual cup for being the best object in my possession every month -- seriously, I'd give up my laptop before I'd give up my Lunette -- but never has it been more of a lifesaver than when I was sneezing up a storm and coughing up a lung but not fearing I would bleed all over the sofa.

In other fuck my life news, my phone fell about a foot from a low shelf to the floor and the screen cracked, never mind that I've accidentally thrown it down the stairs twice to no ill effect before. The cracks are almost entirely above the LCD, yay!!, but one does go across the front camera. My selfies look like I've put some ""retro"" filter on them. Because I have the kind of job and life where my phone is in regular proximity to water, mud, and grit, I probably need to get the glass replaced. Cheaper than replacing a year-old phone. But substantially more hassle than ignoring the problem.

What else, what else. Writing news? I've given up trying to predict how many chapters are left in All-Consuming. Very few, but I said that weeks ago. I could explain myself, but what it comes down to is that I am a words monster and I can be relied upon to underestimate my word count. I'd say nobody is complaining, but my comments are, in fact, mostly pained wailing at this point. (Yes, I'm quite proud of myself!) I have a few other pieces of maybe-news regarding me and fic and related things, but I guess I'm withholding it in case any of it falls through.

I'm obviously not doing the Snowflake Challenge, which has generated a lot of fantastic posts but looks super difficult, but it has reminded me that I need to update my intro post. Badly. So...that. Is coming. Sometime soon, probably.

Sneezing is very tiring after a while. My cat won't leave me alone, as if I might keel over if she looks away for a second. She just licked me on the eye. She is precious but a little bit of a mother hen.

Comments

[naye]

Uggggh feel better soon! (The ugh is of sympathy, not because I mind reading any of this!)

And also OH NO on the phone. What a frustrating annoyance! Especially on such a new phone. I hope there's somewhere you can take it where they can fix it without it costing too much.

I am doing pained wailing at not being caught up with All-Consuming but also it's an absolute delight to have it to look forward to and I think about it...probably every day. :D

Fingers crossed for the other maybe-news about fic and related things!

I know we've talked about Organized Fun before and won't shove Snowflake Challenge at you, but the nice thing about it is that it's not on a schedule, and you don't have to do all of them. (Or any! So you're doing great with that.) You can't "miss" days or "be late" because there's no schedule, no bingo card, no minimum and no requirements. In other words: it's my type of challenge.

Finally: ALL THE LOVE to your wonderful caretaking cat, who sounds wonderful if a little overly enthusiastic about the licking thing. ♥ What a darling!

[ratbones]

Ahh, thank you for the sympathy ugh, it's a very ugh situation. As is the phone thing - I guess it was the combo of past abuse and hitting the exact wrong spot on the corner.

I am doing pained wailing at not being caught up with All-Consuming but also it's an absolute delight to have it to look forward to and I think about it...probably every day. :D
AW SHUCKS. I'm so behind on reading right now! Your fic and a bunch of others. And I will still not be caught up when the Sundial collection goes live. It's much better than having nothing to read...but why isn't there more reading time in the day?

You can't "miss" days or "be late" because there's no schedule, no bingo card, no minimum and no requirements. In other words: it's my type of challenge.
...This does sound like a challenge for Us People. I should probably take a look at the list and see if I want to just...do a couple with zero commitment to do the rest.

Finally: ALL THE LOVE to your wonderful caretaking cat, who sounds wonderful if a little overly enthusiastic about the licking thing. ♥ What a darling!
She is such a sweetheart and so visibly concerned about me that it melts me a little bit.

I got your card, by the way! Thank you so much for the tremendously sweet words and the wonderful adorable sticker! It absolutely made my day. Week, even. <3 <3

[naye]

It's much better than having nothing to read...but why isn't there more reading time in the day?
I knowwwwwwwwww! I thought I was doing well but it's been a week since the Sundial Exchange and I still have a quarter of the entries left - all of them the longer fics because I was saving them for later...!

...This does sound like a challenge for Us People. I should probably take a look at the list and see if I want to just...do a couple with zero commitment to do the rest.
*nods* Yes! As you can see from the fact that I'm here many days after getting your comment, it's fine to just do things when they happen. I've done days 1-7 of Snowflake, and even though it's February now I really like most of 8-15, so I've got them on an actual "to do (because I want to)".

You can check out the themes in this master post now that they've posted all 15.

(And yay, glad the card made it all the way! Good job, postal services.)

[ratbones]

I thought I was doing well but it's been a week since the Sundial Exchange and I still have a quarter of the entries left - all of them the longer fics because I was saving them for later...!
I have a couple of the longer fics from Yuletide still marked for later. :') It's been a rough month, though. Hopefully I'll be getting caught up now? Unless there's some fresh chaos on the horizon?

As you can see from the fact that I'm here many days after getting your comment, it's fine to just do things when they happen. I've done days 1-7 of Snowflake, and even though it's February now I really like most of 8-15, so I've got them on an actual "to do (because I want to)".
Thanks for the link! And for all the reassurance. I'm such a slowpoke sometimes and then I feel like I'm just "too late," but that doesn't seem to be how things work in this part of fandom (except for stuff with actual deadlines obviously) and that's really nice.

[naye]

I have a couple of the longer fics from Yuletide still marked for later. :')
You've read stuff from Yuletide!? (I've read the ones I betad and that's it. It's. On my list??)

Unless there's some fresh chaos on the horizon?
As far as I know February will be chaos free, but WHO KNOWS.

I feel like I'm just "too late,"
That is a feeling I am familiar with, but - no! Do your thing whenever you want to! It's supposed to be fun, not homework.

[forestofglory]

Oh no! I hope you feel better soon;

[ratbones]

Thank you <3

[extrapenguin]

Oof, illness sucks! I hope you'll get better soon. And that your upcoming wordcount, whatever it may be, comes smoothly.

[ratbones]

Thanks! The words were going quite smoothly before the illness hit me like a freight train, so with any luck they'll continue once I feel a bit better.

[xparrot]

I have had this cold, years ago but I still remember, the oozing from the eyes, ugh why!

Am jealous of your feline attentions, I had bronchitis and my kitty abandoned me, between the coughing and the humidifier my bedroom was just Too Much. But a cat nurse, aww!

Anyway I hope the ailment passes soon! And that the phone screen proves an easy fix! And that the words keep coming!

[ratbones]

It's so gross, it's the grossest cold I have ever had, apart from also feeling miserable. You survived, so I probably will too! But. Urgh.

Aw, I can understand a cat getting overwhelmed by the trappings of human illness. Mine is just very very concerned. She's a sweetie.

Thanks for the well-wishes! <3

[china_shop]

:-(

Hope you feel better soon! *sends hot lemon, honey and ginger drink (or other restorative beverage of your choice)*

[ratbones]

Thank you! Your comment nudged me to make myself this exact beverage and it felt really nice.

[china_shop]

♥!

[clevermanka]

Ugh. I hope you find yourself on the mend soon.

[ratbones]

Thanks! Me too. Bleh.

[umadoshi]

Gah, that sounds like an unbelievably awful cold. ;_; I hope it passes quickly. And I'm glad you have such an attentive kitty nursemaid!

my comments are, in fact, mostly pained wailing at this point. (Yes, I'm quite proud of myself!)

And rightly so!

[ratbones]

Thanks for the well-wishes. The cold can't last forever...and till then, I've got the bestest kitty looking after me!

And rightly so!
hee <3

[frith_in_thorns]

Ugh I'm so sorry, colds are absolutely dreadful and it sounds like yours is especially dreadful :( I really hope it starts getting better soon!

[ratbones]

Thanks <3 I haven't been this sick from a non-fever thing since I was a kid. Blah. Can't last forever, though! One assumes. (Hope you're feeling alright yourself.)

[frith_in_thorns]

I think colds are one of the worst things because you *feel* so miserable. At least when I've had fever things I've mostly just slept, but colds I'm awake and suffering and also feeling that objectively it's trivial so I should suck it up. (I do not advocate this!)

Hope you're feeling alright yourself
Hahahahahahahahaha I AM NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN

[ratbones]

You've nailed it! That's the difference, when I had the flu I was barely conscious for most of it. This cold, with the obstructed breathing, has flared my insomnia, so I'm very awake to experience the exciting array of symptoms. And also tired. Whee! I'm trying to give myself leeway to be unproductive.

Hahahahahahahahaha I AM NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN
:( I'm so sorry. In my book, you're a total badass for doing it in the first place. And the fact that you're putting energy into this community (into making me feel better about my cold, even?) when you've been feeling this ill for this long is extra badass and so deeply appreciated and I hope you're getting enough rest. <3

[rlyqueer]

Oof, being sick is the pits. I hope you feel better and that a very rapid recovery is on your heels!

Also here's to an easy, affordable fix for your poor phone. It always sucks when one of our high-use machines take a blow like that.

At least you're being very well looked after by your kitty caretaker! 😂

[ratbones]

Thanks! Yeah, the phone thing is just adding insult to injury. I haven't even started dealing with it. One annoyance at a time, please!

At least you're being very well looked after by your kitty caretaker! 😂
She's trying SO HARD, haha.

[rlyqueer]

Oh yeah, that's super valid. Gotta take things one step at a time!

And she is—so hard she's lickin' eyes! A very dedicated worker lmao.

[tinny]

Oi, noes, I hope you feel better soon!

I'm not feeling the Snowflake pull this year, either. The sundial exchange took up all my time.

I also need to get back into Guardian fic headspace so I can finish/catch up with your wip (and everyone else's).

[ratbones]

Thanks for the well-wishes!

The fandom is so very busy and active right now - it's awesome, but also a little overwhelming. I'm behind on reading as well, there are just so many good stories and I don't want to miss any of them!