As usual, the first day of September and meteorological fall and I felt that tickling at the back of my nose that signals a cold. Sure enough the past couple of days have included a lot of sniffling and sneeziness. I should have known since I came down last year at this time with what ultimately turned out to be mono (I didn’t know it until almost after the fact, because I’m stubborn and hate going to the doctor unless I’m on death’s door.) Since then my sinuses have been very nitpicky (I’m unusually sensitive to things that never really bothered me like everyday allergens, cigarette smoke, dry air—this from the girl who’s really allergic to nothing.) So combine that with not getting enough sleep and the weird weather shiftiness, plus a couple sick people at work already, and I’m down for the count. At least no fever this time, thank god. Of course, I’ve given myself a pass on the thorough annual labor day housecleaning I planned this weekend, since I don’t feel up to all that labor and inhaling noxious cleaning materials that will only make things worse. So instead I’m being lazy and working on poems and reading. Maybe I’ll tackle my bedroom closet and the laundry, but I’m making no promises. What really sucks is I can’t taste a thing and was planning on having some yummy baked artichoke & spinach dip with french bread I’d been wanting all week, but now what’s the point if I can’t taste it. I might as well eat PB & J and save the good stuff for when I can enjoy it.
As always, I’m a little excited by back to school, probably even more so because I don’t have to be part of it and can watch idly from the sidelines again. It’s amazing how the campus goes from ghost town (which is nice for awhile til it gets boring) to absolutely buzzing. As always it’s the feeling of starting fresh, new clothes, new notebooks, new books, new shoes, new art supplies, new instructors, new people, that’s a little seductive. At least until November when everyone’s tired of it all.
My plans for fall are not too terribly complicated. There are four more dgp chaps and the wicked alice print annual I’ve just started thinking about. Maybe broadsides if I figure out the details. Plus I plan on mastering Adobe InDesign for helping lay out in the bird museum. Other than that, just writing new stuff and maybe getting a start on another collaborative project w/Lauren. I’m not sure what to do with all this blissful freedom. Otherwise I will be loading up on trashy horror movies (tis the season, but then again it's always the season), plotting out my Halloween costume, (very important and for the first time in years I haven’t a clue.) and no doubt craving caramel apples the size of my head.
