2 am. Still sick. About an hour ago, accidentally deleted part of the story I’m working on for the newspaper. Irrecoverable mistake. Must keep plugging away. Sleep is far away. Have been in same chair since 8 o’clock in what has become yesterday’s morning. Right nostril functioning currently to the point of actually absorbing and registering smells. Left nostril still useless.
If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear me blowing my nose. My father used to joke about that. The summer before he died, I remember, my family went on vacation to Block Island. The only way to get to this island is to take a ferry, and when the ferry arrives it makes that incredibly loud, all-encompassing MOOOOORRRRRGGGHHHT sound—you know, to alert everyone within a 50-mile radius that the ferry has entered the dock area.
Well, anyway, since it was the middle of summer, naturally I had a really nasty cold which included a nose stuffed beyond recognition. And so I blew and honked and tried every futile attempt in the book to regain air flow to my nasal passages. The best way to blow your nose—my friend’s mother taught me when I was in kindergarten—is to blow long and hard into the tissue. That way, she said, you get more out and you waste less paper.
So I was giving it my best MOOOOORRRRRRGGGHHHT when my father looked out towards the sea and then down at his watch.
“I guess the ferry is running a bit early today,” he said.
EDIT! Chelsea is having an intense running dream at the moment. I don’t understand how she has so much energy in her sleep, because when she’s awake she mopes around like Eeyore. Most dogs chase tennis balls to get their exercise. Not Chelsea. She just goes to sleep, and it’s all taken care of.Speaking of which, I heard of a guy who claims he lost 50 pounds by playing that Dance USA video game or whatever it’s called. Isn’t that hilarious? That reminds me of when I was a kid and my brother and I had a Nintendo system with a Power Pad. This meant that we’d get all geared up in our exercise outfits (sweatsuits and wristbands) to play World Class Track Meet, a video game where you literally had to run in place on the Power Pad to compete in different track events. We’d do it for hours. Never lost 50 pounds, though, which is a good thing, considering that I probably didn’t weigh much more than that back then.
26 responses so far ↓
1 SummerRains // Apr 18, 2006 at 2:39 am
There are actually a lot of people who have claimed to have lost a lot of weight playing Dance Dance Revolution. It has a workout setting just for that purpose. It can be quite aerobic and well anything that gets certain individuals to move more than they normally do will certainly helps. They have a version of it out now that includes arm movements as well as the feet stuff - or so I hear.
2 rubyblue123 // Apr 18, 2006 at 2:53 am
I think my hysterical laughter combined with rolling around on the ground watching my husband try to do Dance Dance Revolution could cause a few pounds to be shed. I always liked it when our old decrepit Brittany would run in his sleep because when he was awake he could hardly walk. But in his mind he was still a pup.
3 TimsHead // Apr 18, 2006 at 2:53 am
Since I seem to always have a cold, allegeries or some sort of sinus kerfuffle, I know that having two working nostrils is a luxury to be cherished.Ugh! Losing that much of the story sucks. It wasn’t quicksaved and/or there was no work copy available? Just ugh.Loved the ferry story.ryc: I didn’t realize MLB.TV was only $15. What a bargain. And a time-waster. Instead, I watch the graphic sort-of real-time thingy, where they show where the pitch was thrown and whether it was a ball, strike or hit. So I learn a Mariner rally dies when I see ball in play, out(s) recorded, and I’m left to wonder when Beltre will earn his large salary. Ah, baseball.
4 jaki_o // Apr 18, 2006 at 4:08 am
I know people who do DDR for exercise actually. They say it’s a ton of fun, but I’ve yet to try it out. I hope you feel better soon. Cute story about your dad.
5 geekgoddiss // Apr 18, 2006 at 4:56 am
ROFL!!! That blow your nose story is so funny (and hits a little close to home :-P).I used to do DDR. Geez, I sweated. I LOVED it though. So much fun. And you get so addicted that you don’t care that you forgot to eat.
6 squiddichino // Apr 18, 2006 at 5:49 am
The nostrils are definitely one of life’s finer points.My college actually gives PE credit for playing DDR.
7 ARboiWundr23 // Apr 18, 2006 at 5:55 am
50 pounds on DDR?!! I don’t believe it…well maybe not the 50 pounds part.
But you do have to admit that Dance Dance Revolution is a pretty good aerobic workout…with its calorie counter setting, you can really see how much. The other day it told me that I used almost 1,100 calories…so I guess with a healthy, low calorie diet one can lose some pounds pretty quickly…
8 Corbow // Apr 18, 2006 at 7:14 am
My stepdaughter has DDR and I WANT it! I have 50 pounds to lose and I love to dance–I think it would be just the ticket, but I don’t have the player. I look for one on eBay and craiglist occasionally.
Is there something going around in Portland? I’m coming down with something too, despite all the echinacea I took yesterday. Mine’s living in my throat insted of my nose, though.
9 Boowasborn // Apr 18, 2006 at 10:39 am
Oh, that blows to lose that kind of work! Funny ferry story, I think I sound like a fog horn when I blow. Ah, people get used to it. I hope. My dad once tried to hook the t.v. up to a stationary bike so we would have to ride it in orrder to power the thing up. Yeah, that did not last long and no 50 lbs. lost.
10 mas88 // Apr 18, 2006 at 11:49 am
I tried doing DDR in an outlet mall in Las Vegas. I am spectacularly uncoordinated. I wound up flying off the little machine, landing on my rear-end and rolling arond on the floor while moaning loudly, much to the delight and/or dismay of the gathered crowd of Asian tourists (who seem to have an intense fascination with outlet malls in the American Southwest).
Hope you feel better soon! The Block Island ferry reference made me wish Labor Day would hurry up and get here so I can be on Block Island again!
11 derf6179 // Apr 18, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Hope you feel better soon. I have this sore throat which won’t go away. I think I’m re-promoted. I don’t get the official word for another few weeks…
12 chublin // Apr 18, 2006 at 4:14 pm
aw the power pad was such sweet action. I never had one, but the sprents’s did and my little heart was filled with envy every time they talked about it.
13 kierplablo // Apr 19, 2006 at 1:31 am
World Clas Track Meet. That just brought back some crazy memories. Danyel Tobiska and I used to play that. I’d take the running sprints, Danyel would take the hurdles. I’d have never remembered that name without Power Pad.
thanks.
about the sniffles… even people at the bar tonight were talking about the damn sniffles virus going around.
remember a few years ago when suddenly there was a flu crisis? we didn’t have enough to go around? then suddenly the bird flu, a deadly virus that can transmutate and become unstoppable… I’m telling y’all what- I’ll see you down in Arizona Bay.
14 Rod_Lamour // Apr 19, 2006 at 2:16 am
Lovely story…feel better…Un Joe
15 x_defying_gravity_x // Apr 19, 2006 at 8:55 am
EVERYONE is sick right now…I really hope you feel better soon. I’m just over it today, I think. Speaking of that dancing game thing, I just saw some video online somewhere of some REALLY obese little kid going NUTS on that thing. It was hilarious.
16 Ed_Kaz // Apr 19, 2006 at 9:26 am
Which newspaper?Feel better.Your Xanga FriendEd
17 Ed_Kaz // Apr 20, 2006 at 2:02 am
ryc ryc see?Hey, could you email me some links to some of your other articles?Capnsmirky@aol.com
18 Ed_Kaz // Apr 20, 2006 at 9:30 am
ryc ryc ry etc.Hey that sounds like a cool gig. My daughter would love to work for an alternative paper in Oregon.Actually, so would I. But I’m busy toiling away in the mainstream…..Kaz
19 Ed_Kaz // Apr 20, 2006 at 10:05 am
Mo’ Ryc’sWhy do I want the links? Cause I wanna read your stuff.kaz
20 MaximaBella // Apr 20, 2006 at 8:32 pm
LMFAO at the eeyore reference..
and that dance dance revolution thing…when I worked at Jenny Craig as a consultant, I had a client who used this as her work out…I thought it was actually quite a brilliant idea
21 Boowasborn // Apr 21, 2006 at 7:36 pm
Dropping off some chicken soup sans chicken…. and soup.
22 kamomlise // Apr 23, 2006 at 6:46 am
VERY funny! Subbing, Lisa
23 Gabeisms // Apr 23, 2006 at 11:29 pm
I hope since this post… you’re feeling worlds better.Positive Vibes.
24 VirtuallySane // Apr 24, 2006 at 10:55 am
With the amount I like to sleep, having running dreams and getting in shape while sleeping would be my dream-come-true! Lucky Chelsea.
Hope you feel better soon :o)
25 juliebullybuttonskunk // Apr 24, 2006 at 2:10 pm
when my dad blows his nose, my kids duck. I know they are not aware of what a WWII air raid signal might sound like. . .it does, of course, sound like daddy’s nose… but i think everyone would automatically duck at that sound coming from someones head.
26 Jay_Galk26 // Jun 13, 2006 at 5:15 pm
See I’d play DDR to lose weight, but I know I’d look like a fucking dork.
Jay {Brad Pitt…in a robe} “Rawr”