Advantages and disadvantages of being sick

I've been a little bit sick the last couple of days. It's not my mental dysfunctions I'm talking about. They are permanent. I've got a flu or something similar, infected by little boy, I think.

Yesterday, I worked from home, to avoid bothering my colleagues in the office landscape with my sneezing, and to not infect them. I canceled the meetings, and just worked on what I wanted to do.

I spent some time on an interesting math problem, and then worked on a paper, about my recent research on magnetic inversion. I hope I can get it submitted before Easter. It's still a lot of work to o before it's finished. Then I had a Skype chat with a friend about rock magnetization. Very interesting and enlightening. Magnetism is a complicated subject.

Today, I rejected a couple of activities I would normally join. I always find it hard to say no to other peoples wishes. Today it was easy. I don't want to go shopping, and I don't want to see the art exhibition downtown. I don't want to go cross country skiing in the forest either. Sorry, I'm still sick. Convenient excuse.

So, now I'm at home alone, for a couple of hours, enjoying my sickness and solitude.

My throat is somewhat soar, I'm coughing and sneezing, and have a little bit headache. That's the disadvantages of being sick. Not much to complain about, and a some paracetamol helps.

(Some math notes from my recent investigations in the field of magnetic inversion. Very entertaining, and it even seems to work ... )

Coffee of the day for me too

Yesterday, I walked downtown to get a haircut at my favorite hairdresser. Machine cut as usual; quick, cheap and easy. Later I went to a coffee shop nearby (not the Amsterdam-type of coffee shop, but a place that just sells coffee).

The girl in front of me in the line ordered the coffee of the day, a blend of Ethiopian and Kenyan beans. “One for me too”, I said.

I picked up a newspaper from the shelf by the counter. It was the Saturday issue of what used to be the paper of the Marxist-Leninist party. It's still quite, and still quite good. However, they have given up the idea of armed revolution. Very good; I dislike everything armed.

I sat down by a small table and started to read. I read about a drunk 39-year old female politician. She fucked an even more drunk 17 year old boy in a farm field at a wedding party. Voluntary sex, no victim, no problem. I read about a male left-party politician accused of sexual harassment of women. “We always believe the victims”, says the party. “No need to hear the man's version, no need to investigate anything. He's guilty, no doubt.”

I had chosen a bad table, by the door between the outer and inner room of the shop. It was annoying when people passed through the narrow door. I happened to touch the big butt of a chubby woman. She had a nice ass, but it wasn’t my fault. She rubbed her chunky ass against my hand, probably not on purpose. I hope this will not be a #metoo, because anyone who claims to be a victim is always right. That’s the new law of the land.

(Picture taken yesterday while walking down to town)

The end

Today is the last day of the Russian Christmas, when they celebrate the baptism of Jesus, and stuff like that. The Russians first go to church, then jump into a lake through a hole in the ice, while saying prayers. Finally they drink vodka. And then it has come to and end, both here and there. Very good.

Tomorrow, I will put away my favorite Santa, which is not really Santa but more like a heathen gnome. He's probably a little bit like me. I got it from my best friend, and now he will rest till next December.

(I took this picture in Moscow some years ago, on a cold day in January, when the river was frozen)