Vegas, work, sick, and an MRI

So, I'm back. Can't say that I ever want to go to Vegas again. I was working the entire time. Working hard. Even when I was out at night eating dinner with Sharp executives and riding home in provided limos all by my lonesome. It was hard work. I started feeling sick Thursday night. My throat was on fire. In the mirror I could see little red pustules on the back of my throat. Where'd you come from? Go away. Don't you know I can't be sick right now and having you hanging out on the back of my throat? Probably didn't help that I didn't drink near enough fluids. I can't help it. I'm not naturally thirsty. Plus, the water in Vegas tasted like crap.

So while I ignored my Urban Times work to work on work work in Vegas, it was a pretty solid trip (read: boring). I came home with a inch-thick stack of business cards, some more industry perspective, put faces with names, and met some other writers and editors with competitor publications. Only in a room full of journalist can you debate the merits of Chicago style vs. AP style. I'm sure Sharp was amused.

Once I got home, I rushed to wrap up Urban Times. Tried to get a little extra sleep to get rid of the sick and the little guys hanging out on the back of my throat. I also went to a wedding, which was fun, but the last thing you want to do when you're sleep-deprived, needing to work, and just plan cranky from traveling is go to a wedding. I'm learning these things. Next time, I will not plan back (work work) to back (freelance) to back (wedding) events in a row. It's no wonder I'm sick.

The icing on the cake: Getting up at the crack of dawn this morning to drive to KC to go get my yearly MRI. I've finally figured out what sound MRI machines make (they're very loud; if you ever get one, just be prepared for "loud noises."): MRIs are like a compilation of jack hammers, hammers, loud humming...basically any noise you'd hear on a construction site, but 20 times more repetitive and loud. Thankfully, I only had to get an MRI of the brain this time, not of both the brain and the spine. It was only a mere 45 minutes instead of an hour. I could be exaggerating, but not having a watch, that's how long it feels.