It has become a regular event...

Since my recent bout with a respiratory virus, I wake every night with a tickle in my throat...

...and tickle sounds much too benign. It's more like...well, a cocklebur -- no, too harsh --...no -- more like a spider in my throat that triggers an unstoppable urge to cough...well, hack actually...not conducive to The Farmer's sleep, and he needs his sleep these days!

Since this has been happening nightly for a few weeks, I have established a routine response. And I will say here that I am encouraged that this has become a ONCE nightly event -- not multiples as at first -- and the spiders keep feeling smaller and smaller...Nonetheless, it still happens -- and once it does, I get up and fumble in the darkness for a cough drop. Then I head downstairs to sit upright on the couch while I consume said cough drop.

I have this inordinate fear of choking on a cough drop in my sleep -- and knowing The Farmer would think I was just snoring (again), he would give a poke and roll over, while I was giving the international signal for choking...slowing expiring...And my obituary would say that a cough drop had taken my life -- because I've told my kids that I want them to put how I died in the obituary because I want no mystery surrounding my demise. People want to know these things...at least, I know I do...

Spoken like a truly inveterate snoop...Apologies, my carnality is showing...

All this said to reveal that every night-time, I have a the length of a cough drop consumption to think...about the kind of stuff you think of in the middle of the night...And last night, having just attended one, I thought about graduation...

And what a bad aunt, mother, friend, community member I am because I always think graduation is boring. Even when my kids participated, though I admit that those years were less boring to me. I know the problem is my own, and perhaps it's just my distaste for routine that creates the problem...It's always the same stuff, and it always seems long. I mean, if you're going to do the same stuff, be efficient about it. Fortunately, there is usually a bright spot with some speaker who catches your attention, and makes you think...and I did see that last night.

Maybe it's just that I'm in what I call the "Ecclesiastes Phase" of my life...vanity of vanities, all is vanity...Cynicism and graduation ceremonies, a good combination do not make...

My observations lead me to believe that most of the participants aren't that excited about it either...Except for the silly string part...and that would be a lot more fun if EVERYBODY got to do it. I'd go just for that!

Once again, I expose my deficiencies by devaluing the solemn send-off of these young people. Oh, I do like all those kids, and really am excited to see what happens next in their lives -- and not just to compare it with what they THOUGHT was going to happen{insert sly grin}...And I love my nephews, and am so proud of them, and wish them all the best.

But I still think graduation is boring...and I really don't think there is any way to fix that without making it maudlin, or trivial.

And that's as far as I got as I ran out of cough drop...I'll bet you're glad I didn't need 2 of them last night...

Tonight, we have my favorite part of graduation: the parties!! My middle of the night musings will likely be about food...

Comments

Anonymous said…
My sides hurt...laughing too hard. I share your fear of the cough drop demise! :) The tickle seems to be rampant these days, I've had more issues with allergies this year than ever before and a return of mild vertigo...not a welcome visitor! Graduation...one cannot help but scan the list of names to see how long the roll call will be... :)
Tami said…
LOL
I'm going with natural causes no matter what, including if I choke on Good & Plentys, my vice, while reading on the sofa.

Grad can sometimes be awkward. That's all I'm going to say...
Holly said…
Such an accurate description of graduation!!!! I agree with you, and if my son hadn't decided at the last minute to walk, I wouldn't be going tonight! Had to go last night to see all of his buddies and former classmates, but I will soon be skipping them again!!!! At least LC's is civil...don't look forward to the cater-whaling at Lynden's. Oh well...mama's have to go. It's in the rule book!!
Love the cough drop thing! I'm a side sleeper, so I just tuck it up in my gums and sleep the night away. Never had a problem!!!
Good luck!!

Popular Posts