Friday, February 22, 2013

Like One of Those Victorian Fainting Women

There was nothing romantic about this February. Usually I enjoy writing V-Day posts, usually cataloging all the fun, single things I do in order to make the most out of the lace-and-chocolate holiday, but this year was different.

On February 14th, I was writhing in agony on the couch, suffering from food poisoning turned stomach virus. I had to call in sick, miss the conference panel I was supposed to be on, and ate nothing but saltines and toast. I couldn't even read!

Me, calling into work at 5:00 am: 

"Hey _______, it's me again. I'm still not better. In fact, I've somehow taken on a fever overnight and the stomach pains are getting worse. Clearly, I have no shame talking about this. But I'll make it quick. If I were to come into work today, I'd either slump into a pile of goo on the floor, like one of those Victorian fainting women, or excuse myself multiple times each hour. Don't worry, though. I'm going to the doctor today..." 

Through the haze of pain, I daydreamed about the travel writing panel I was missing and the stack of handouts that were now all but useless since no one could hear me speak about my experiences in England and my travel writing tips. Booooooo. I also wished for many things: a new stomach made of steel and stocked with an ancient Greek army, chocolate cake, a book that wouldn't make me woozy while trying to read, and a nap.

"No naps," my intestines said, contorting into the shape of a rubber band ball. "Sleep is for the healthy."

The awesome poster in question.
But it's been about a week since then and I'm almost recovered. It is so good to be back at school, to say hello, laugh, and look at a computer screen without feeling faint. I have great friends in the program too, including the incredibly talented and frilly Namie of the blog "Good Morning Lovely." (We're BFF office mates at school, haha). She gave me, like, the best get well soon present ever when I returned to school: a Doctor Who poster that has a very witty saying on it that makes me think - well heck, maybe time traveling would have been a better cure for me than antibiotics.

Grad school takes no prisoners and my thesis is no exception. I'll be working on my last set of revisions this weekend before starting another ream of paperwork and getting the poor thing formatted. In other story news, I've been starting to get chunks of free time that, thankfully, have allowed me to write more of the current Figment stories I have up. I want to continue posting chapters in a timely fashion and I feel as if my characters, long dormant under the wild Thesis Sea, are starting to rise again to the surface.

A tiny story of mine called "Her Body Was Map" has recently been published at Lightning Cake, a brand-new lit journal started by Figment's very own, Linna Lee. Linna even illustrates the stories that get published and I can't convey how ecstatic I am with the one Linna made for my story. It. Is. Brilliant.



So happy belated V-Day. As I sit here, sifting through the chocolate that had to wait, I guess I can't complain. It feels amazing to be well again - or, at least, to be able to dash up a staircase, eat a whole sandwich, and laugh until it hurts while watching crazy-fantastic Food Network shows.

How has your February been?

6 comments:

  1. Oh my god what an AWESOME poster!

    Also, congratulations on hitting the last set of revisions stage!! The freedom you feel after being done with formatting is staggering, I promise :D

    I really wanted to do that "Her Body was a Map" justice, so I tried to do something simple but would hopefully evoke the dreamy feel of the story. I am so glad you like the illustration!

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    1. It's probably not that big of a deal, but I'm shaking in my boots before the ETD formatting, haha. Well, the sooner I get started, the more time I have to fix little mistakes. Gads.

      You did it more than justice. You, like, knocked that illustration out of the park. I can't gush enough about it, haha :D

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  2. Boo to viruses and no chocolate. Yay to getting better and Her Body was a Map! It's gorgeous, Kim. I so rarely get a chance to read anything nowadays that's not a textbook (I know, I know, freshmen shouldn't be complaining, haha), it was a total treat to have a few minutes with your story. :)

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    1. Ahhhh, I remember those days *is in fact still in them* I'm sure you're reading so much stuff that it's incredibly difficult to read something for fun - but I'm glad you got to read "Her Body Was a Map." Yaaay!

      I know, right? Anything that prevents the consumption of the chocolate is bad news.

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  3. Hey there! Glad you're feeling better.

    This Valentine's Day *was* kinda . . . flat. I think I spent it on tumblr? Sooooooo totally productive. Though, my sole crowning moment for V-Day is that year my friend gave me an origami heart. So. *shrugs*

    Anyways, that poster. I want it. :) And "Her Body Was a Map" was fantastic. I always smile when a new story of yours pops up somewhere. Especially the short-and-sweet ones. I'm a little envious of people who can write such wonderful short pieces. Me, I'm like, "Short story? OK . . . (200 pages later)."

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  4. I love the phone message you left. XD I think only you could leave such an amazing message whilst sleep-deprived and ill! I am glad you're feeling better. I just got over a cold, but having a stuffy nose is nothing compared to matters of the stomach and intestines.

    I read "Her Body is a Map" the other day and just... to put it in tumblr vernacular: ASDFGHJKL. Hehe. Seriously, I've never read anything by you that hasn't blown me away.

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