Failure to launch

I have been in agony the past week for 2 reasons: I caught another monster cold that I can't seem to shake off (the kind that comes with an ugly, raspy cough and calls for a large supply of Kleenex), and I couldn't access Blogger because of the DSL troubles we've been having (you have no idea what a relief it is for me to be blogging now). So far, 2007 is not getting off to a pleasant start. In fact, within just 6 days of the new year, I've already had 2 unwelcome kaisiao offers. Mercifully, I have managed to dodge both, 1 thanks to my being sick, and 1 thanks to my mom's birthday. However, I don't think I can run from them forever, so there's this sense of dread hanging over my stuffed-up head, making me feel even worse than I already am with this goddamn cold.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still open to the idea of meeting people (as my dear cousin Abi says, at the very least, you get a free meal out of it). I'm just really tired of getting set up every other week, as if I'm on this merry-go-round from hell that's stuck on hyperdrive, and I can't get off. I may be single and available (and it may be stamped on my forehead for all to see), but "desperate" and "running out of time" are NOT implied, never mind that I'm turning 26 very soon. But I digress.

Thanks to my cold, I also had to cancel a dinner on the 4th with my student Jo, whom I haven't seen in ages, before she flew back to Boston (I'm sorry Jo! =( next time you're in town, ok?). Then on the 6th, my first day of Business Chinese class at Ateneo's Dela Costa campus, I spent the 3 hours intermittently blowing my nose and accumulating a horrifyingly huge pile of balled-up Kleenex in the shelf under my desk (my classmates must think I'm some gross carrier of germs). The following night, I barely tasted the food I ordered during my mom's 50th birthday dinner (we ended up not throwing a surprise party anymore, because we were all so drained from entertaining guests over the holidays, especially Mom). It doesn't help that whenever I get sick, my parents revert to treating me like a 6-year-old, forcing me to drink warm calamansi juice or ginger tea, telling me to go to bed early, making me wear a jacket even if I don't feel cold. All this parental concern is smothering me. It's a good thing my mom's in Bangkok this week (she took 1 of our brand managers with her instead of me, thank God), at least I'll have 1 less parent fussing over me.

If I don't kick this stupid cold, I may have to postpone some engagements I've got lined up this week, but I am determined to feel better by Wednesday night at the latest. I'm not going to let a bug bully me into completely surrendering my social life. 2007 has to start improving at some point, and it should begin getting better with me getting better.

At least I'm able to access Blogger now. Now that's a start.