Remember, as a kid...

I used to WANT to be sick so I could stay home from school that day. I had strategies for this. My mom would bring the thermometer into the bedroom when I woke up saying I felt "bad" and when she left to go do something else I'd take the thermometer and stick it up close to the lamp's lightbulb by my bed. This was both genius but also a backfire, occasionally. My mom tended to not believe me when she came back and the thermometer said "180*" or something like that... But, if I could get the distance to bulb juuuust right, the temperature would be something believable. Voila!

Of course, when you're actually sick, you can't imagine EVER wanting to be sick. It basically feels as though you'll never be healthy again. You basically feel as though you will always be ''damaged goods.'' People have to take care of you, which you want but also don't want. Your normal routine gets put completely on hold. If you're an athlete, you kick yourself for missing scheduled or unscheduled workouts.

I am writing this (I'm sure you've inferred as much at this point) because I am currently sick with a fever. I've done a fair amount of reading as I've been waylaid in a far corner of the house so as not to get Christine sick. I finished the latest Jack Reacher novel and read Artemis today, the new book by Andy Weir (The Martian). Quick book review:

Reacher is still a fun character to follow. But each story (there's almost 20 at this point) grows a bit more predictable (in terms of story arc, not specifics). It's inevitable, I suppose. I can barely post a new blog once a quarter and this guy is putting out a NYT bestseller about once a year. Goals...

Artemis is an entertaining story, but there are some mildly odd factors present in its storytelling. Weird reliance on sex/vulgarity (for reference, there was no sex during the book, but it was discussed a lot) when it really contributed nothing to the story. It's hard to top that sort of: "Dang, this book is reallyyy entertaining and Watney is just a character that feels really...real and I really like rooting for him" when you finish The Martian.

Anyway, don't ever wish for being sick kids. It is no fun.