A N N A J O H N ' S D I A R Y: January 31: Back to work, pneumonia in tow

A wee programming note: some of the pictures I've used on my diary lately are part of a flickr challenge/group called "365days"; the goal is to take one self portrait each day for a year. That sounds easier than it is-- I'm already four days behind. Drat and double drat. This, you see, was one of my NYR.

I explain this because some of you may be wondering about the change in "format" here. Well, for the first time since its inception in January of 2004, this journal of mine lies neglected. This really bothers me, but the unpleasant truth is, I don't see AJD the way I once did (which bothers me even more). It no longer feels natural or obvious to dash off a few paras about my day.

There's a special place in hell for the person who has had such a depressing, lingering affect on me, not for causing me to turn my face away from this space-- but for making my friends password protect their blogs...when they aren't quitting them entirely. Innocence has been snatched away, leaving tatters of expressionism where inspiration once ruled.

I've been desperate to get back to diary-ing, and even as I feel that loss and disappointment, I'm doing this "365 days project"; those of you who were around five years ago during the glory days of flog knew that then, the composition of my captions was inevitably superior to the composition of my photos.

That has not changed. Though I don't think it's required, I find myself writing mega-blurbs for the daily photo project...and I know, these are the words I once would have typed here. So, instead of feeling bad about this or guilty over the one or two times I've cross-posted, I'm going to try and be proactive and expand on those captions I write daily on flickr...but I'm going to do that here. Start there, end here. That works.

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365- day twenty-seven: Polyptych, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

About the photo:

I created vertical slivers for a collage via the free and fantastic flickr toys at FD. These pictures were snapped as soon as I got home. Aside: it's challenging to keep coming up with different ways to take "self-portraits" daily...

Today was my first day back at work after more than a week of bed rest. MP is going to ask why on earth I disobeyed her and went back, but I was on unpaid leave, which is going to suck in exactly two weeks, when I barely get paid. Sigh. At least the antibiotics are working, eight days after I commenced taking them. Now, it only hurts a little bit to breathe and the coughing, while pretty inconvenient and unbearable, is improving.

My sinus infection is close to being gone (initially, I had sinusitis and bronchitis), which is a major relief because I started the year with the worst sinus infection I've ever had...I had it go away briefly, only to have it return with a vengeance. To me, sinus pain might be worse than migraines, which are something else I've suffered with for the majority of my life. Sinus torture is an excruciating feeling which leaves me curled up fetal, crying, with my head in my hands. So I'm ready to throw a party over the lack of THAT, hell yes I am.

I was pretty tired this morning; note the lack of makeup or hair-combing...yin fact, see: sliver three for evidence of my graceful, no-effort, no-style hairsytle, plus my need for a camel-colored beret...the kind you don't find, in a second-hand store).

This evening, at work, I was trying to leave my desk early, after seven hours or so, yet, I ended up being there for a total of nine. Sigh. I'm starting to miss bed rest...and I worry that I'm putting myself in harm's way by being out and about. At least I was a good girl and wore a hat to keep my head warm (I wore gloves, a scarf and a long coat, too).

Pneumonia...it's here, it inspires fear and I'm still not used to it.