Caged

Sickness gets monotonous. Even after a rough night of unsleep, I got out of bed determined to will myself well and do something. You know how it is? Who cares that my coughs are turning me inside out, I have a choice, right? I washed my face, brushed my teeth, cracked an optimistic if germy smile at that really strange-looking woman in the mirror, and . . .

I made granola.



Isn't that the first thing you think about doing when you've been down for a few days? Me neither, but Rob and I did need something to eat for breakfast (okay, brunch) (okay, okay, lunch), and for some reason, I thought granola would be a cinch.

And it was till I was about halfway through the stirring part and realized my energy was gone, baby, gone. So much for the rest of the day. But the granola turned out nicely, even so. Need the recipe?

I spent the rest of the day glued to the couch reading, resting, and watching John Cage videos on YouTube. They were a perfect distraction today. When Rob brought me home a box of Kleenex with Lotion, I was almost in heaven. You tend to lower the bar when you're bronchially-challenged.

I got a call from a friend and I actually answered it. I watched a home movie of my New Yorkers ice skating to a Sigur Ros soundtrack. I received a care package containing a letter and a beautiful hummingbird egg cradled in rose petals from my favorite Hawaiian. My sweet mum-in-law showed up and dabbed my wrists with some mysterious and good-smelling healing potions provided by a mutual friend, and then gave me a bowl of cooked onions which elderly Minnie Somebody-or-other swears should be applied to a congested chest. (I ate them.) I had Family Home Evening with Rob, ate grapefruit and the rest of my onion poultice, and watched a Stargate movie. Not a bad day for being down and out. Not bad at all.

But let's get back to John Cage for a moment. Do you like him? Do you get him? I found I gained a new level of appreciation for him today as I read about his life, and watched some online performances and interviews. What really pleased me was his controversial composition 4'33". I especially loved watching the BBC Symphony Orchestra perform it in a tribute concert.

If you've got time, you might enjoy at least one or two of these videos. I'll start with the most likely to float boats, and you can say when as you need to.