It's like calling a 900 number

Today, I went to the doctor after I coughed so hard, my left eye protruded 5 inches out of its socket and caused a bad headache. I thought it was asthma. No, apparently my lungs are just fine... except for that cough which is the result of a virus. I got lots of cough suppressant related meds which make operating things like a forklift or controlling air traffic very dangerous. I napped both before and after my appointment and made jook (or congee) for dinner. Thing is, I'm still coughing. Not as violently as before, but now it is much drier. I've had so much water, New York is on drought advisory for the summer. Even so, still, very dry cough. This, as I've learned over the years, leads to the development of a very raspy voice. I usually replace answering machine and voicemail messages when I get my Kathleen Turner voice. Why? Because I can. Many of my friends call this my "900 number voice." I assume that my normal nasally drone is not as attractive as my laryngitis-like rasp. I'll have to remember to change my cell phone message tomorrow. I'm hoping I feel better enough to head to work. I know, that's a weird request, but I do. Mostly because it means I've stopped coughing enough to keep my eyes in my head and not have a throbbing headache. I've been popping 800mg of ibuprofen to fend the throbbing which has now been so kind to envelope the right side of my head.

On a tangent, I'm trying to plan my trip to Japan for this summer I'm hoping so I can climb up Mt. Fuji. It is a strange desire, I know, but I'd like to do something exciting with my free ticket--send mail from the post station at the summit, eat saimin with other climbers, walk around the crater, get my walking stick engraved, take breath taking photos. It is supposed to be a very moderate climb due to a very well-defined trail--nearly 200,000 people climb Mt. Fuji in July and August. The downside is I haven't been able to find a soul to come with me. Most of my friends are saving for weddings or have a family or boyfriend to spend that week with or don't have the funds. So now I'm thinking of going solo which is a pretty scary and sad thought. Scary because I'm going to a country that speaks a different language than I do at breakneck speeds as a lone woman and sad because it is kinda pathetic to have to go to the top of Mt. Fuji at sunrise with no one but yourself and having to ask strangers to take pictures of you or to a hot spring in Japan or to the many ancient castles and dining on kobe beef... alone. This is kinda a plea to my friends to come out and be adventurous and come with me to Asia. Skoshi nihongo o hanashimasu. Okay, maybe a little more than a little. I can ask for the toilet, the library, tea, and say 'shit' and 'damn' and call dirty men 'pervert' in Japanese. That's probably more than you reading this! Unless you're Japanese of course. *sigh* I will persevere on to find someone to climb the tallest peak in Japan... or at least sit in the hot springs with me between visiting the great castles. Else, it may be a spring trip for next year to see the cherry blossoms, but then I can't climb Mt. Fuji. Kusa!