Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Christmas Lurgy

It’s been dubbed “The Christmas Lurgy” – at least by Facebook users anyway, and as lurgies go, it’s a good one! Not quite flu – but more than a cold. So much more. Starting with incessant sneezing, a totally congested head rendering logical thought impossible, it morphs into a constant hacking cough that keeps the sufferer and everyone in the local vicinity awake all night. People keep telling me it’s flu – but I’ve heard so many people say they’ve had a flu jab but still had it. Whatever it is, I’m well into week three now – and it’s certainly taken the shine of Christmas.

Three weeks ago I wouldn’t have thought that possible. An early Christmas present arrived - my course result for AA310 (Film and TV History). Not spectacular in itself, but it was my last course towards my BA (Hons) in Humanities with English Language. I then had a lovely (pre-lurgy) week with a flurry of activity – booking the degree ceremony, receiving lots of congratulations cards and messages, and I did something I promised myself I’d do when I finally achieved my goal – I ordered an OU scarf. I was hoping it would make me look intelligent. Somehow it would have super powers so that when I looked at myself in the mirror I wouldn’t see the rebellious disruptive schoolgirl expelled, more years ago that I care to reveal, after a vodka incident.

The scarf is certainly warm – great for those trips to the chemist for tissues, lemon drinks and cough medicine. It did strike me the other day however, as the medicine shelves were almost empty (although not as empty as Woolworths shelves) – that Boots, Superdrug, Lloyds and all the other chemists must be doing very well out of this. The cynic in me wonders if these viruses are released into the wild on purpose, perhaps by the chemists to keep themselves in business – or by the government to keep our minds off the credit crunch.

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