Die Perfekte Welle...

d.h. die perfekte Grippe Welle.

Yes, yes y'all, a vicious wave of influenza is sweeping the northeast of Germany. Guess where it started? Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, of course. Guess where it's at it's worst?...Berlin, natch. So far, I'm taking it like a rock star. The only problem is, Stephan's been lying on the couch looking like death for the last four days. Seriously, folks. I have no experience with fever and other flu-based nastiness. The only thing I'm an expert in is gastrointestinal whatnot, and this has apparently nothing to do with that. The Europeans like to sweat this sort of thing out. You know, ninteenth century style, wrapped in blankets which get soaked in sweat so that you have mountains and mountains of contaminated laundry. Some people like to drink whiskey with some herbs in it, as they maintain it accelerates the sweating-out of the fever. Others prefer the sauna...I prefer meds. I picked up some paracetamol at the pharmacy Friday after things kept getting worse, and unfortunately it didn't help. So I went back Saturday morning and begged the pharmacist to give me something that would actually HELP. She gave me this shit called aspirin complex. I don't mean to get all advertise-y up in here, but it seems to be working, at least half decently. Stephan is able to make jokes and occasionally leaves the couch, which was more than we could claim in the name of progress Thursday, Friday or Saturday. 

The thing is, as much as I love him--he's milking this. I don't say that because I've been drawing him hot eucalyptus baths, buying fresh kiwis and apples at the market and preparing them on little plates, brewing endless pots of sage and fruit teas. Nooo, I'm saying that because NOW...now that he's feeling better, I'm being forced into watching MISSION IMPOSSIBLE THREE on television. Grrrr. It's not only that he's sick, although that's his major point of leverge, but there's nothing else on for which I could even remotely make a case for. Sadly. So I'm blogging in protest. I've found out that's a red flag. 

Anyway, aside from this mini epidemic we've got going on here, I can't really complain. Keep your fingers crossd for me that I don't catch it. Tomorrow is allegedly the last day the symptoms could pop up. I'm not sure how much stock I put in that, but I've got a two week buffer before my adult ed courses start where I could technically be sick. I know these things are inherently unplannable, but I like to exercise what little influence my free will allows. My personal theory is that I was the carrier monkey that brought the pestilence into our environment to begin with. I do get sneezed/coughed/snotted upon on a regular basis. Hopefully that's created a certain level of immunity.  

However, in order to support whatever immunity I may or may not have against this really nasty flu virus, I'm going to sign off for now. Hopefully I'll remain healthy and be able to post again soon. 

Take care, Kinnners, stay healthy and warm!

xoxo

So Kinders...

Enter standard opener here-- (I know, people it's been forever, I'm sorry, I know you have better things to do than follow my blog, etc. etc.)

Anyway, out with the old, in with the new! Welcome to 2009--better late than never and all that. Things here started off well--we rang in the New Year with Lenny, Natta, Stephan and Vica and a few others eating wayyyy too much raclette and watching the ridiculous amounts of civilian fireworks around midnight. We then ventured to an artsy hipster houseparty somewhere near Ostkreuz (me in leather gloves, a woolly hat with a pom-pom and a bottle of Tanqueray and Tonic)--it was freaking freezing. Unfortunately, the cold sobered me up to the point that I had no patience for an overfilled apartment filled with über-hip hipster types wearing mostly black with those heinous plastic-rimmed glasses that are part of this intentional ugliness thing that I'm not sure I'll EVER get. Whew. So we jetted after like, an hour tops, leaving Lenny stuck waiting for Natta, who, as an art therapy major, has some kind of connection to these people. I think we were home around four. The next day was entirely wasted--I think I spent a total of six hours on the couch in some kind of sleepy, half catatonic state, watching skijumping and biathalon with Stephan. 

That's how it was, folks.

And here's how it is...

So the New Year is getting into week 2.5, I've survived my first full week of work/school, I get paid this week...things are good. I've got no new VHS (adult ed) classes to teach until mid February, which is fantastic. I actually have TIME to get a jump start on the New Year's Resolutions I've made (hit the gym more, be less of a whiny nagging bitch in private and less ragingly gluttonous) before things get all stresstastic up in here. I'm at a new gym now, with a new trainer and a new fitness plan that eerily resembles my first one at my old studio, but whatever...a start is a start. My plan is to spend the time that I used to devote to being exhausted and unmotivated on my couch to reattaining my foxy form. I'll let you folks know how I progress. I do have to say though that since I started two weeks ago, it's gotten easier. Beginning is the hardest part? We'll see, I guess. 

In other news, I got my first exam results back on Thursday and I aced the damn thing. I had expected to do moderately well, but the fact that I perfect scored the sunofagun overshot my expectations. It's good to get  positive feedback--apparently my studying methods still work. To be fair, though--it's not like the material is difficult. It hasn't gotten much harder since the last time I posted. School still really blows. I was more excited to go back to work after the Christmas break than back to school. I don't feel in any way challenged--but at the same time, there are people in the class who are hopelessly overwhelmed. It's crappy to think that pretty much no one's needs are being met by this circus. I spent an hour and a half this afternoon putting together a powerpoint presentation about Ben & Jerry's...it's my grade in a class about making presentations. Not like I know anything about that...working as I do in education and all. I try to avoid going if at all possible. I've scheduled a doctor's appointment for Tuesday during a class called "promoting health". It consists entirely of the students presenting on topics for which we won't ever be held accountable. I often ask myself what the point is. 

Enough about that, though. I hope you all rang in the New Year healthy, happily and in style...with any luck, you won't have to wait as long for my next post. Ha ha ;)