I got a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot yesterday morning. I thought that I'd have to wait a while before becoming eligible, but a friend told me that teachers qualify because of greater exposure to risk.

The process went smoothly at a local Walgreens, but I had to fend off a pharmacist who wanted me to get a flu shot at the same time. I figured that a double goosing of my immune system would lay me low. The pharmacist backed off when I told him that I had to be functional the following night.

I ran several errands shortly after exiting the pharmacy as I knew that I'd feel progressively worse as the day went along. I went on a weekly grocery run and took my wife to a meeting at a bank. About one third of the shoppers at a Publix wore masks. That usually bothers me, but I had a more relaxed attitude after getting the shot. I realized that my customary annoyance with the unmasked or partially masked is tied to anxiety about personal survival. I was okay with them risking their lives as long as they didn't make me part of their collateral damage. Not sure about what that says about my basic human decency...

It took until 8 pm before a flush, mild nausea, and body aches arrived. Woke up twice during the night with a headache and sore joints. I got up shortly before 8 am and felt like I'd gone on a bender the night before: my head throbbed and my balance seemed slightly off kilter. Standing up required thought and preparation. I eventually staggered out to the dining room and greeted my wife. After observing me for a few minutes, she quietly suggested that I do the bare minimum today. The dogs kept giving me hopeful looks while congregating near the front door. I retreated to my bedroom to avoid the take-me-for-a-walk pressure.

Got coffee, toast, and Tylenol and felt a bit better. But whenever I got a touch of ambition to get something done, I ended up in bed with my eyes half-closed.

I do have to prepare for class, cook supper, and teach. But I'm not sure if I'll get to a demonstration drawing I'd planned to do. It's a complicated project requiring thought and judgment. Not sure whether I've got an adequate supply of those.

I'm having two shattered teeth pulled tomorrow afternoon, so this week may not linger happily in memory. But I do feel oddly cheerful right now. That might be because I've stockpiled key lime yogurt and chocolate pudding. They'll serve as soft food nourishment tomorrow. Sometimes a day off and the anticipation of a few sweets is all it takes to boost my mood.

I went ahead and started the demo. It's going to be a collage style portrait in which sections of the face are drawn from different sources. I'll probably refer them to collages by Hannah Hoch, the Dadaist artist who somehow managed to survive the Nazi regime after being labeled a "degenerate artist".

In the drawing below, I combined features from Joan Miro, Gloria Graham, Lou Gehrig, and Abraham Lincoln. Working on this began to seem oddly appropriate: the awkward shifts captured some of my queasiness and discomfort.

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