A week and a day ago, roughly 7:30 pm:
Me: Hi Mom! Sorry I haven’t called in a week. I’ve been kind of hosed.
Mom: Are you sick again? You sound really sick.
Me: Yeah…
Mom: Have you been taking your Flintstones vitamins? Are you drinking orange juice? Have you been sleeping?
Me: MOM. Yes, I’ve been taking my vitamins. And I’m on my third carton of orange juice in a week and a half. I haven’t really slept in a while.
Mom: Sleep might help.
Me: Probably.

So my immune system’s always been a bit shoddy. Like, I had walking pneumonia at least twice in high school, have managed to be ridiculously sick on several major holidays throughout my life, and once caught a cold in 90 degree weather. I’m still not sure how that last one happened. But consequently, I’ve decided that I am likely down to a single white blood cell, lovingly known as Theodore.

(Actual text from a friend a few weeks ago during a different contamination: Hey, how’s Theo doing? Does he need more orange juice or soup or anything?)

To put it lightly, Theo’s been putting in some major overtime this semester. I mean, not to blame him or anything, he’s been doing a great job considering how understaffed he is, but I’ve been sick pretty much every other week since I got here with some mild case of the plague or another. That, plus MIT being about 11 on my buddy Mohs' scale plus Sailing practice just wrapping up last Thursday has contributed to the lack of bloggage. For that, I mildly apologize. Ish.

But seriously, so many bloggable things are happening this week that it’s fantastic. Like a Burton Jew Thanksgiving tomorrow with these two weirdos that I live with:

Yeah, that’s right. Get excited. I’m back, and I’ve got orange juice.

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Droan Rishi on November 22, 2008

Animal hats are awesomeeeeeee.

(so Asian, too, though)

Posted by: Oasis '11 on November 22, 2008

Third!!!

Such cool hats i have never seen in my life.

Posted by: Navdeep ('13?) on November 22, 2008

haha flintstones vitamins. I remember those. haha flintstones vitamins. I remember those. <3 Chewables

Posted by: llpitch on November 22, 2008

my god. i loved that moh's scale reference.

Posted by: 0 on November 22, 2008

Your writing style is fun. You should update more often. ):
And that would be "my buddy Mohs's scale."

Posted by: Anon on November 22, 2008

Oh man! I want crazy animal hats!!

Posted by: Judy '12 on November 22, 2008

I hope you get better! I'm sick too, it's like my immune system's permanently on vacation. Although I do have a friend whose dad is convinced that vitamin C is the cure for all ailments.

Posted by: Claire on November 22, 2008

everyone gets sick their first semester or two. you'll get better someday

Posted by: 0 on November 22, 2008

Dear Shannon,

We regret to inform you that you and Theodore just lost the game.

With 1.008 grams of love and half a quart of orange juice,
Steph and Mob of Lymphocytes, otherwise known as Mol (5.112? yes, 5.112)

Posted by: Steph '12 on November 23, 2008

Keep on fighting, Theo! You can do it!

Posted by: Cam on November 23, 2008

I don't understand the concept of using animal hats...

Posted by: Hiral on November 23, 2008

your thoughts are ingenious. you're my most favorite blogger in the whole wide world. we should be sisters...

Posted by: shikha on November 23, 2008

Hold on, Theo...!!

LOL!!

Posted by: Cathy on November 23, 2008

Yabadabadoooooooooooooooooo!

Posted by: Ahana on November 23, 2008

Getting sick (Theo! keep up the good work, and make Shannon better!) got me miss several contests (LithMO, LithOI to be exact). One good cure is garlic. You slice some garlic in to a bowl of boiling water. And then you breathe the vapor. So, get well

Posted by: Vytautas on November 23, 2008

^^^^^^^^Hey you spammers, stop bugging us and post your pictures somewhere else. This is an educational institution site and not a zoo.

Run Away!!!

Posted by: Navdeep (13?) on November 23, 2008

1. Captcha
2. Captcha
3. Captcha

Please! This spam is weird.I'm Asian...but can't find any animal hats. Humph.

Posted by: Ahana on November 23, 2008

When the actual spam has been deleted, Navdeep's comment looks offensive from my point of view :D

Posted by: Vytautas on November 23, 2008

Wow, guys, sorry about the spam. I think I got all of it. And yes, captcha would be ace.

And @Anon- you're right, it should be Mohs'. FAIL.

@Everyone inquiring about the animal hats- My roommate Robin brought back like, 5 of them from Korea. I guess they could theoretically work as actual hats, but they've only been used for ridiculousness. Like that photo.

@Steph- No words. But I did indeed lose the game.

Posted by: Shannon on November 23, 2008

i can definitely relate a lot to your unfortunate situation concerning immune systems (however for some reason im feeling the name Larry for my lone white blood cell), but for some extremely odd reason, i have yet to get sick at MIT!!! i tihnk vitamin water is responsible for this. but im kind of scared that larry might die of overworkedness pretty soon and i'll just have a cold for the next 5 months.

Posted by: 0 on November 23, 2008

Aw man, Steph's comment made me lose The Game. :(

On the plus side, finding someone whose Mohs' scale goes to 11 totally makes up for that.

Posted by: Terry on December 6, 2008

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