Man Flu
I am in Day 5 of Man Flu and just about feel strong enough to re-engage with the world (OK I did lunch with Darren Briggs and the lovely Sarah Curran of The Company Agency). But Monday to Thursday I have been as attractive as a used toilet brush.
Yet when I look back on the week I notice that for the first time in its history we published simply-communicate on the first Wednesday of the month rather than the usual Thursday, my emails are completely up-to-date and I've even been bothering people about stuff that is so far from my usual agenda that they are concerned I have been possessed by a particularly anal alien.
I blame it on a nifty bed tray I own that allows me to laptop dance round contacts and work without leaving the bed - let alone revealing that my eyes are gummed up with rheum and my reddened nose is visible to Google Earth.
On Monday I did forget to unplug my camera while Skypeing - not the kind of mistake to make twice. But once invisible I could impersonate a reasonably functioning human being (although with a typing speed that's not going to worry Stephen Hawking). Even on the mobile I could hide sniffs as poor reception.
But why did I bother; why not just succumb to the bacteria and die under the duvet? I know I've prolonged the agony and I'm sure nothing I've written this week has made sense let alone added to the sum of human knowledge. I guess it's that in the connected world, being unconnected is unthinkable.
Is this what's it's going to be like when I'm 80; immobile and suffering from online incontinence?
I too had this panic, but if you fight the almost overwhelming pressure to keep your Blackberry, and other annoying intrusions to life that masquerade themselves as "invaluable tools to support busy and very important senior execs", you'll find that there is a wonderful world out there, full of fun and relaxation - something that many of us have forgotten to include in this mad century.
Good luck giving up :-)
PS - Soup and soft bread, some Richard and Judy's book club, and a little sleep might help with your man flu.
Posted by: Nicky Flook | March 10, 2008 at 09:54 AM
Strangely enough Darren Briggs had the soup - and couldn't finish it. I think I've infected him.
Posted by: Marc Wright | March 10, 2008 at 05:42 PM
Your welcome.. trying to bump up your numbers so I can get in to see Ethan as he is only over for the conference - and he is our senior editor.
Hope you feel better.
Posted by: Karl Roche | March 19, 2008 at 11:25 AM