I’m sick.
It’s just a cold. And usually, they are mild colds. But not in China.
They come on the same way they do when I was back home. My throat always feels scratchy. Usually a couple days of that, then either the coughing or the sneezing starts.
But I got lucky this time. I was off work, plus it was the weekend.
I don’t know why I’m so bothered by this. I think it might be because I have so much I want to get done this summer. I’m accomplishing stuff little by little, but in very small increments. I think that’s part of the reason why. I’m spreading myself among various projects.
And what are they?
Curating photos for PicFair.
Thinking about putting together a Patreon.
Editing my novel.
Putting up a website to promote my white paper services.
Cleaning my apartment and getting rid of stuff.
Getting ready to move.
I still have several weeks, but I feel overwhelmed.
But I need to relax, because things usually turn out. I get started on those projects and I get stuff done.
And maybe this was the universe’s way of saying, “slow down.”
I’ve had pneumonia before, so I’m taking it easy while I can.
The last time I was sick, it was awful. It was extremely hot, and I was feverish. Why didn’t I stay home?
Because when I’d gone to Hong Kong in 2023 to renew my visa, my pay was docked, even though my employers made the appointment for me to go, and knew I’d be gone. I’d called off work every day while I was in Hong Kong to tell them where I was and to let them know how things were going.
When I came back from Hong Kong, a couple weeks went by and I got sick.
I knew well enough not to ask for additional time off, but thankfully, there was one week where I didn’t have to teach any classes at all and I took advantage of that to rest.
That amount of docked pay came to nearly half my paycheck.
Why they couldn’t schedule me during the week when I didn’t have any classes scheduled, I have no idea.
I knew better than to ask.
Hey! Do you know what chicken feet taste like? I do! Check out the video I made about it here!
No Way! Laowai! 