So today was supposed to be a record low / snowstorm / blizzard in Southeast Michigan. 24hr warning period. Everyone was prepped. Schools closed, no one planned to show up at work, facebook statuses flooded with expectation of a whiteout. Snow started late yesterday, almost completely stopped by noon today. Ha ha. Once again, Michigan fooled Ann Arborites.
Me, I wasn't expecting anything. I can drive pretty much in any amount of snow as long as there is no gust. I knew I was going to work.
But I wasn't sure if I was going to tango, which is my regular wednesday evening routine. The reason isn't the weather, I am sick. After such a joyful tango festival, on the very last day, finally I fell sick. I am sure some guy or girl at the festival was sick and still came, 'coz many of us fell sick during the weekend. That's the curse of tango: it's so hard to stay away, even when you're sick. But then again, when you press your upper body against someone else's, you'd better make sure you'are not carrying something contagious. Damn you unknown sickness source!
So for the last two days my head is heavy, my glands are swollen, my lungs are full and my nose is runny. My voice is so cracked that it scares off people. Someone actually said I sounded like I was dying. It offends, you know, when you feel better than you look! I think this was the first time I was told I looked like I was dying. The closest one was 7 years ago when I was staying alone at my brother's place and someone threw a chair at the living room window at 2am. I ran up to the second floor to the landlord's door. First thing the wife said to me when she opened the door was " Oh dear you are green". She didn't even know me and those are the first words I heard from her. But that's another story. Still, I'd rather look green than like I'm giving my last breath.
Anyways. So I am sick, but I can still work. It was a good busy day at work, and after the snow disappeared, I was even thinking of staying late at work and finish up some stuff. Then my friend who goes to Bikram Yoga, who was also sick a few days ago by the way, told me she was going to yoga this evening. I told her I wanted to come back to yoga but I was sick, and she suggested I still go. She said she felt better when she went to yoga even though she was sick.
So I got pretty motivated, plus I had this awesome coupon for Bikram Yoga, so I packed my things early at work, came home, got ready: I got my towels ready, put on my exercise outfit and layered on my winter clothing, kissed my cat good bye and left. Little did I know I had forgotten a crucial piece of clothing I would need after the shower. But that too is another story.
I was scared about being sick, my nose running more now, being already dehydrated enough. But something kept pushing me into the studio. So I walked in, with a huge bottle of water and a pack of tissue. It was warm and nice inside, and unusually (!) not too horrible to the nose. It felt good to be there again. And interestingly, as we moved through postures, I felt better and better. Yes my nose kept running, and I kept drinking water maybe a little too much. But at the end of it, I felt healthier, I felt like I could do another 90 minutes.
I don't know what it is about breathing and stretching in the hot, but it worked.
At least for a while.
Now I'm back at home, and after the initial buzz of yoga wore off, my sinuses started to get congested again. Peh.. Headache returned.. So now I'm sitting on my favorite armchair, my feet upon the coffee table, and a warm mug of decaf green tea with mint and honey next to me.
As bad as my sinuses feel, the warmth of home and tea when it's white outside is priceless. My fingers on the keyboard and my cat curled around my neck - even better. It's time to go to bed, with my fake fireplace on my tv, but real warmth inside. Now if only my nose stops bothering me..
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