I won’t get sick. I won’t get sick. I won’t get sick. I won’t get…
OK, I’m sick.
This is hard to admit for me. I get sick about once a year and I don’t do sick well (pun? maybe). Something’s been going around in our circle of friends and it arrived in my head last night (so it wasn’t just the wine).
Are these spots normal?
So of course I’m sitting here in my studio today… working. Jenni, who is not feeling well, either, is still being the Mommy (to sick kids and cranky me), so how can I possibly complain about having the sniffles at my drawin’ desk?
It’s funny how working independently changes your perspective. I could just curl up in my chair today in my track pants, but I’m not. There’s no boss to question my degree of illness, no accrued sick days. It’s just me and my clients.
Being independent means I get to make my own decisions for my business. Interesting that the decision of what to do when illness strikes is to… handle my business.
Believe me, if this was more than a head cold and sort-of flu, I would have already let my clients know that I would be “down” for a day. Hey, I’m only human. But in this case, a little tea and my hanky will get me through the day. At least I’m not spreading germs.
One of my clients likes to use iChat, which is awesome considering that I sound like Boris Harris from Freaky Friday. I loves my internet technology.
I’m sure other independent creatives have their own ways of dealing with illness, even (gasp) not working for a day.
So what do you do in this situation? Hang it up or keep on truckin’?
And do you crave toast or is it just me?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
I always crave toast! Especially when I’m feeling punky. And I generally keep pushing through and continue working unless I’m practically at deaths door! I’m not saying I recommend it. It’s just what I do!!
I just had some toast and it’s 5:30pm. I don’t think there are too many other foods that come close to it’s cozy warmness and the delightful soothing golden brown scent. Toast and cocoa are good ways to help you keep going when you have a bad cold or the flu and need a way to pamper yourself while you keep on doing what you gotta (and love) to do! Feel better soon, David!
David:
You are to toast as I am to biscuits (not the English verision, either — Southern U.S. biscuits with homemade plum jam)
Most importantly, I’m sorry to hear that your fam is sick. Here’s to quick recoup from the funk. It’s bad enough when 1 is down, but when it hits the whole family at once is the worst. Been there…
Speaking of illness & how to handle that when you are a small operation… What we are doing (my biz partner & myself) are trying to be ahead on calendar related stuff (we’re about a month ahead on blog posts, for ex.). We are very methodical in selecting our clients as of late. That way, it is really a partnership – when one grows, so does the other.
You’re allowed a day or so (or 10) off, so do what you need to do and take care of yourself. Otherwise, Sparky may start lacking some “Spark”. And I would begin weeping…
Sick sucks. So say I. I generally fight it kicking & screaming like a little kid that doesn’t want to go to sleep. Like you, I usually find myself planted right in this chair, trying to work through the fog & sniffles. I do, however remember one time when I had the nastiest *ss flu anyone could have ever had in the history of the universe (or so it seemed to me at the time), coming in here, booting the computer and just slumping in my chair, staring at the screen saying, “What the heck are you doing in here?” I went to bed for 3 days and didn’t even think about the computer, work, food, changing jammies…. Sometimes you gotta shut down. Everything.
David Byrne (Talking Heads) once said something like, “Most people don’t understand the show biz life. You can’t call in sick when there’s a concert. The show must go on!” Take care of yourself though; as you get older (speaking from personal experience), “pushing through” can take it’s toll.
For me, it’s milk & Cocoa Puffs, or if I’m up to it, French cheese and crackers.
Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone. I’m actually feeling much better today and contemplating a St. Patty’s Day Guinness.
@David S.: Anytime someone quotes David Byrne I start to agree before I even finish it. It’s true, though. Independent biz is a lot like show biz. And it must go on!
@Amanda: A month ahead on blog posts? Really? Wow. I never thought of that, I’m usually writing them ad-hoc. Methinks I will borrow your idea.
@Robyn: Cocoa should be a food group. That’s all I’m saying.
@Chris: It’s nice to know another “push-through” advocate. :)
David:
You are to toast as I am to biscuits (not the English verision, either — Southern U.S. biscuits with homemade plum jam)
Most importantly, I'm sorry to hear that your fam is sick. Here's to quick recoup from the funk. It's bad enough when 1 is down, but when it hits the whole family at once is the worst. Been there…
Speaking of illness & how to handle that when you are a small operation… What we are doing (my biz partner & myself) are trying to be ahead on calendar related stuff (we're about a month ahead on blog posts, for ex.). We are very methodical in selecting our clients as of late. That way, it is really a partnership – when one grows, so does the other.
You're allowed a day or so (or 10) off, so do what you need to do and take care of yourself. Otherwise, Sparky may start lacking some “Spark”. And I would begin weeping…