This is us right now. Presenting at work? Terrible cough! Packing for a conference? Pink eye! Fingers crossed that thirteen days of a ridiculous, hanging-on, day after day, hack-up-a-tonsil cold paired with three, yes, three cases of pink eye is almost gone.
Having lived and worked in North Dakota for several years, missing consecutive days of work feels like a cardinal sin. This is a place where the ultimate compliment a person can receive is to be called 'a hard worker,' so missing work hints at a character flaw.
But really, what can you do? Spread the wealth and make everyone else miserable? That's not much of a character strength, in my opinion. So blankets, couch, medicine and tea it is.
Now go wash your hands, this post is probably contagious.
