Page 27 - November 2019
P. 27

FIELD NOTES




 Of Phlegm, Mucus, & Other




 Things Green






 James Wantz, DTM






 I’ve been sick for 3 weeks! That’s 3 weeks of   - I became a bedroom troll and did my part to   am pleasantness challenged right now.

 health I will never get back! I am, frankly, sick   increase the profits of cold medicine companies    I miss the positivity that I had before
 and tired of being...yeah, you’ve heard that one.   everywhere. I was home so much my cat was   the season of the sickness. I would really
 Creativity goes right out the nose when I’m sick...  on Catagram looking for a new living situation.  like my eyes, nose, ears & throat to return
 along with mucus. After expectorating, I wad up   I need my infrequent social interactions like   to their intended function (with no more

 my creativity and toss it in the garbage (turns   native Oregonians need Vitamin D supplements.   goo bursting forth!). My thoughts go out to
 out, creativity, when sneezed out the nose is   My club meetings keep me connected and   you if you have the crud this time of year.
 green...who knew?). My world became very small   positive - sickness meant I became disconnected   Content yourself with this one fact - you get
 - survival mode one might say - and I missed   and negative. I even started writing an anti-social   better faster if you infect another person

 going to work, evening activities, and - worst   manifesto (it is national novel writing month   (it’s true!)...and drink lots of fluids (gin
 of all - my home toastmasters club meetings! I   after all) but was too tired to finish the first   & tonic doesn’t count according to
 know, dreadful!   paragraph (which is actually good - the world   my doctor).
 I am an introvert who does a very passable job   doesn’t need another anti-social manifesto from   Next month

 of acting like an extrovert in Toastmasters. I love   a sick white guy).  maybe my
 speaking to groups, presenting to audiences, and   I’ve stopped taking cold medicine, and I   article will be
 facilitating training sessions. But the last month   thought I was on the mend (and planning to   more positive
 has been a series of activity belt tightenings   attend my club tomorrow) when my coworker   and socially

 my Google calendar hasn’t known since we   said, “You were much more pleasant when   connected...yeah right!
 were introduced several years ago. I cancelled   you were drugged to the gills.” Just because   At this point a baby unicorn
 everything non-essential...except headaches,   I get irritated at every little sound (I slapped   with a litter of kittens on its back could prance
 earaches, & throat aches (which kept coming   that yoghurt right out of her hand! I detest the   by me and I’d yell, “GET OFF MY LAWN!”

 despite me pointing to my calendar to show   plasticky scraping of her spoon in the single   Oh...how I look forward to feeling better.
 them they weren’t scheduled...EVER). This   serve Greek yoghurt cup!) and glare at everyone
 sickness removed all vestiges of my extrovertism   doesn’t mean I am unpleasant. I prefer to say I















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