Under the Weather, Again

Today is day 23 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese. Today's prompt is "Absurd". Visit Nicky's post to read stories from the other participants.

This is a repost from several years ago, and it seemed fitting for today.  You see I contracted yet another nasty bug, and am somewhat under the weather today, so the mere thought of manipulating words seems positively absurd.

Ever wonder where the expression "under the weather" came from?

With everyone waxing poetic about the beauty of fall, there is also a down side of this lovely season; it heralds the coming of the cold and flu season.  When we fall prey to these nasties, we tend to say that we are "under the weather".  Just this past weekend, I used that phrase myself and began to wonder of its origins.

The phrase "under the weather" dates back to the 1800s.  When sailors would become seasick, they would be sent below deck to get away from the weather, thus literally being "under the weather".  Author Donald Grant Mitchell was the first to use this phrase in his 1850 book Reveries of a Bachelor, and it has since been used for everything from being "ill" or "indisposed" to "financially embarrassed" or "drunk".

Some state that the correct term is "under the weather bow".  The weather bow is the side of the boat being hardest hit by the nasty weather.

Also there is the belief that the weather can affect one's health, so a sick person is deemed to be "under the weather".  From this theory, it stands to reason that the weather can also influence a person's mood, rendering them under the weather as well.  This is documented as SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, which I touched on last fall in my post Just Another Monday.

We all know the steps to staying healthy during the cold and flu season, but here's a recap so we don't have say, "Sorry, I can't.  I'm under the weather."

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, or use hand sanitizer when you can't wash.
• Do not touch your face - nose, eyes, mouth - that is the germ's way into your system.
• Keep your distance from those are already sick.
• In turn, if you do get sick, stay home away from others.
• And of course, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough.

Sleepless

 It is day 22 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese. Today's prompt is "Compulsively".  Visit Nicky's post to read stories from the other participants.

Alone in the dark

Compulsively counting sheep

Til dawn breaks the sky

Deadlines

 It is day 21 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese. Today's prompt is "The Last Train".  Visit Nicky's post to see who else is participating in today's train ride.

Jeannie stared at the pile of papers littering her desk. The blank computer screen was agonizingly bright as she rubbed her tired eyes. The deadline loomed, and the old clock the wall went tick, tick, tick... The newspaper was an unforgiving beast and, like the mail, it too has a schedule to maintain.

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She pulled a paper from the pile. "Dear Jean, my son is engaged to a lovely girl. She's smart, funny and well educated. The problem is that she is Jewish. Our family is Catholic..." We are okay with it, but her parents are threatening to cut her out of the family if she marries my son. How should we handle this? Signed Distressed in Duluth."

Another one reads "...my husband is planning an surprise 40th birthday party for me. I am not fond of surprise parties. My cousin let it slip the other day, and it is apparently an elaborate affair. I love my husband, and don't want to disappoint him. Should I say anything or try and act surprised and happy? Signed Party Pooper."

Jeannie ponders these and other letters, searching for the right mix for reader interest. She's been a columnist for 10 years, and had noticed that while the times have changed, technology has advanced, and life grows more complicated, people's problems remain the basically the same. Relationships blooming, relationships falling apart, children, bullies, money problems, he-said, she-said, and who's fault it is.

Finally she chooses two letters, one about a young man who finds out his fiance is actually his half sister, and the other about meddling grandparents.  She dishes out sound advice from her many years of experience, insight and imagination. Yes, columnists must be creative and imaginative to keep from giving out cookie-cutter advice. Each response must be fresh and individual.  Some days this is a struggle.  "Have I been doing this too long?" she wonders to herself.

The sun is now setting, glowing golden against the wall behind her. She finally taps out the last words, hits save and sends it to the Lifestyle department. Done!  It is Friday and the weekend has begun. She glances at the clock. If she hurries she'll have enough time to meet Seth at the bar for a drink before catching the last train out of the city. 

The Other Shoe

It is day 20 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese. Today's prompt is "The Other Shoe".  Visit Nicky's post to see what the other participants cobbled up.

Do you ever wonder about the etymology of some of the expressions we use every day without thinking about it?  How and where did they originate, and what they mean?  Let's find out.

Fred lived on the ground floor of an old 1950s walk-up.  Jack, his upstairs neighbor, was a youngish fellow who worked evenings in a textiles factory, and it was late when he stumbled in.  After his shift he would stop at the Raging Bull Saloon for a drink - just to help him sleep, you know.

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As Jack got ready to turn in he sat on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes.  His work shoes were heavy, and as he kicked off the first one, it fell to the the floor with a resounding THUD.

This awakened his slumbering neighbor downstairs.  Even in his groggy state Fred cursed the rude interruption. He lay in the silence - knowing that there was another - waiting for the second thud.  

However in the apartment above, despite the several pints he'd consumed, Jack realized he could be disturbing his downstairs neighbor, and so he eased off the second shoe, and it slipped quietly to the floor.

Fred, still waiting to return to sleep, finally yelled, "For crying out loud, will you drop the other shoe already".

And that is where we get the expression "waiting for the other shoe to drop".

Remember the Little Things

It is day 19 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese. Today's prompt is "Little Things".  Visit Nicky's post for a little more of this and that.

Unlike the big events in our lives, your sweet 16 birthday, first job, once in a lifetime vacation, or the new sports car, it is the little things that add up to form our lives.

So revel in a beautiful sunset with someone you love, or laugh or cry at a good movie.  Savor the taste of ice cream on a hot summer day, or a steaming cup of coffee to ward off the cold.  Watch a butterfly gathering nectar from a flower or a puppy frolicking in the grass.  These are the moments that make up our lives. 

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault