Pizza is the Best Medicine

Wednesday 14th October 2009

AM

Least: At 8:05am, I once again woke in a flu-ridden fog. Although I slept well, I felt as if I'd been hit by a truck and there was no question of going to work sick again. The boring this was however, that without sick days like in most other jobs, I was forced to take a day off as 'leave without pay'. I would much prefer to take a day off when I feel like a human being rather that a stinking pile of virus shells.

Most: At just after 10:00am, I felt the exhilaration of taking a day off work. Suddenly, now that my time was my own, everything I did was more enjoyable. My time was no longer overshadowed by the thought of having to shower and dress up for an evening of teaching and stuffing tissues. I also found that the simple act of doing absolutely nothing instead of worriying about the time became the most interesting and satisfying thing about the morning despite my internal battle against the flu virus.


PM

Least: By 3:00pm, the flu was really taking hold of my sanity. Wave after wave of sickness sapped the remaining daylight hours and the next thing I knew it was dark. It also dawned on me that I hadn't left the house, not even to the extent of exiting the front door to check the mail. Being housebound it about as boring as it gets, even if you're in the crazy land of Japan.


Most: At close to 8:00pm, my lobbying to order pizza had paid off and food was waiting at the door. It as amazing how much better I felt was wolfing down the fatty wheel of dough, tomato, cheese and salami. The pizza had a stronger effect that any of the ineffective treatments that  I had ingested since Saturday. It would be incredible if someone could put the power of a pizza into capsule form - as long as it retained the taste.

This Week's Boring Surprise

AM

Least: At 10:37am, I once again found myself groaning at the thought of calling headquarters to learn of my shift for today. Although most Mondays usually ends in extreme boredem, there is always the chance of a horror shift with too many kids classes or an epic rail journey. Uncertainty is stressful, but it becomes boring very quickly despite the surprises.This week's boring surprise: Komyoike 3:45pm to 9:35pm.


Most:  Just after 5:24am, I unexpectedly got out of bed and took a whiff of the air outside to sample the weather. From our balcony I got a great view of the rising sun, which I thought appropriate given my current location. The sun dominated the urban sprawl and gave the usually boring concrete a pleasing orange glow. Next time I'll take a photo. Looking at todays astronomical forcasts I found that high noon with actually be at midday today and tomorrow's daylight will be two minutes shorter.

PM

Least: By 9:36pm, I was at the good end of a six hour stint underground. My tomb was also surrounded by a second-string shopping mall with muzak of muzak playing. It was like spending the afternoon in a cinema watching a movie about out-of-date wall postings. When I emerged from my burrow, the decaying concourse was dark and filled with dodgy looking loiterers.

Most: Sometime around 5:35pm, I began listening to the lamentations of a women in a loveless marriage. She had four teenage kids, a house deep in the country, a lazy spiteful husband and not many other options. Her marriage had been arranged and although she had serious doubts about her suitor, he and his mother, came to the woman's family home to ensure a yes vote. She enjoyed reading whilst lying on the floor, but lept to sit ladylike in a chair upon hearing her husband's footfalls. She said "I think he loves me". Interesting and very sad, and apparently not too uncommon.