Janet D. Stemwedel (whose nom de blog is Dr. Free-Ride) is an associate professor of philosophy at San Jose State University. Before becoming a philosopher, she earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry. Email her at dr.freeride@gmail.com.
I have not been well. Indeed, I had a few days where I was not fully convinced of my own humanity. (Also, I was having febrile "dreams" in HTML.)
I think I'm on the mend. However, I seem to be unable to crank out an actual blog entry. Rather, I'm coughing up language in 17 syllable chunks. The course of my illness after the jump. Just in case I'm still contagious, don't lick your keyboard.
Started like a cold
Tickling trickle of mucous
Concrete in my throat.
Soreness in my joints
Fatigue grinding heavily
Knocks me off my feet.
Fever sets up shop
Brain strains to find coherence
Worn out from delirium.
Fever breaks at last
Dreamless sleep seems possible
But now, the couging.
My phlegm-filled skull
Thick green sheets choke all breathing
Drowning in my head.
Immune system mocks
Eyes reddened, limbs unsteady
May I blog now please?
Comments
Wow. I think the stanza beginning "my phlegm-filled skull" may be the most disgusting haiku I've ever read. Congratulations! And I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by: trillwing | April 15, 2006 6:33 PM
I'm surprised it wasn't Fibonacci verse, but get well soon, whatever the magic number of syllabyles.
Posted by: sciencewoman | April 15, 2006 7:21 PM
Dreaming in HTML... are you sure you haven't caught a macro virus? (Sorry, it had to be said> :-) )
"Don't lick your keyboard" To steal a joke from Mr. Conley: "I can honestly say the thought had never occurred to me. But now I'm having trouble getting it out of my mind".
Seriously, get well soon...
Posted by: David Harmon | April 15, 2006 8:53 PM
I was going to say that "my phlegm-filled skull" was my favorite. What's disgusting about it?
I had this flu-like thing a few weeks ago with the most awful diarrhea, accompanied by gut-wrenching multicolored emesis...I could probably top that haiku, but then we'd start a haiku war and drive away all the readers, and Seed would go bankrupt.
Posted by: PZ Myers | April 15, 2006 10:00 PM
The on that frightened me most was about trying to blog despite the phlegm filled skull. Get some sleep!
And get well. We'll all be around.
Posted by: helmut | April 16, 2006 12:41 AM
I've dreamt in HTML before. I inevitably get very annoyed that the dream doesn't validate and wake up.
Posted by: Thomas Winwood | April 16, 2006 4:29 AM
if you can't say it
in seventeen syllables
it isn't worth saying
Posted by: GrrlScientist | April 16, 2006 7:54 AM
We have the exact same sickness! It must come from that building we both frequent.
Posted by: JM | April 16, 2006 11:30 AM
I love the word "febrile." Glad you're feeling better!
Posted by: Katherine Sharpe | April 17, 2006 3:58 PM
That horrible cold
I caught it two weeks ago
It ruined my spring break
Posted by: Jenna | April 17, 2006 11:16 PM