The fire alarm box in the hallway is beeping loudly and showing this error message: Problem in system. I feel that. My personal system isn't beeping but it's making me want to whimper or cry or curl up in a ball: big red welts on my arm scream scratch me, scratch me while my scarlet nose begs for a tissue and my red scratchy throat howls for herbal tea.
Let the record show that I felt fine before the capstone presentations last night but by the time I was halfway home my throat was so sore that I had to call my husband and ask him to put the kettle on so I could have some soothing tea when I got home. My drippy sinuses and sore nose kept me up half the night, and then this morning I woke up with welts all down one arm. No idea why. I'm wearing two layers of long-sleeved sweater just to prevent me from scratching.
The capstone presentations are not to blame. They were great--my students made me proud--but probably the stress involved in making the whole thing happen opened the door to whatever virus happens to be going around. Or maybe it's an allergy attack. Maybe I'm allergic to sudden snow squalls, multiple late meetings, and driving home on wet roads in the pitch dark. Any one of those things could make me want to proclaim Problem in system!
My colleague and I reported the fire alarm problem and now someone has come over to make that bleeping beeping stop. No more problem in system--or at least no more beeps. So easy: press the right button and all is well. If only my own system could be silenced so speedily.
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