Diagnosed

R&D both have colds, but I've never had a cold that made the area all around my ear tender and painful, including skin bumps under my hair and jaw stiffness. So I went to the doctor, and he says... shingles. Yikes. My grandma had this, and it caused excruciating nerve pain all over her face. At my age, it may not get that bad, but I'm still in the first stage. I now have pills to take every four hours, to minimize my chances of complications (like permanent shooting pains, nerve damage, or loss of vision).

I also stocked up on comfort foods. I've got a baguette and tapenade, and a bunch of Izze blackberry sodas, and even an avocado, though it's not ripe yet. And I can go lie down and watch the new Sense and Sensibility again - it is a very fine production.