This Cold Is Completely USELESS

[rusty_armour]

The last time I had a cold (thanks mostly to Tylenol Cold Plus), I was able to write the first two parts of my completely insane Maurice parody, The Boathouse. Now, I'm feeling more sick than creative and I've accomplished NOTHING, despite the Tylenol Cold Plus. Hell, I crashed at 9:30 last night. 9:30. I never do that. Unless I'm feeling substantially better tomorrow, I'm totally taking a sick day. I would have done so today, but the super was going around to all the units in my building to make sure our smoke detectors were working and I didn't want to be around for that. In retrospect, it seems pretty silly considering how crappy I felt at work. At one point, I literally forgot how to carry out a step in one of the programs I've used countless times over the years.

Well, despite this USELESS cold, I did manage to finish reading Ariana Franklin's A Murderous Procession tonight. And now I'm going to read a shitload of fic -- or as much fic as possible before I can no longer resist the allure of my bed. If nothing else I want to read On Lestrade's Flawed Heart, and Other Slightly Damaged Things. I've been really craving it since yesterday, though I can't think why.


“How long have you had that cough?”

Lestrade looked round from his desultory snooping through the contents of Sherlock’s desktop, startled; he hadn’t heard John come up the stairs. He’d come by with some crime scene photos for Sherlock--a nice grisly double feature, husband and wife, looked like your standard murder-suicide, but Sherlock seemed convinced there was something they’d all missed on this one.

“Sorry,” he said, and cleared his throat. “Mrs. Hudson let me in. Sherlock around?”

John shrugged out of his coat and hung it up. “Bart’s,” he said apologetically. “Could be hours. Days, possibly. How long have you had that cough? Sounds nasty.”

[snip]

To break the silence more than anything, Lestrade started to ask if John knew what Sherlock was working on at Bart’s, but to his chagrin he didn’t get more than two words into the sentence before he had to cough again--and then again, painfully, one of the deep, wracking bouts that had been making his nights miserable lately. He turned away, holding up a hand.

"Really nasty," John said, glancing up from the teapot with a wince. "Getting better or worse over the past few days? Any fever?"

"Er...about the same, I suppose. Low-grade fever, off and on. Really, it's--"

"Nothing," John finished for him, nodding. "Yes, I know. Always is, with blokes like you. Look, you really do need to get that listened to. I've a stethoscope upstairs; get your coat and shirt off while I go fetch it."

Lestrade blinked. "Oh, that's--I mean, thanks awfully, but--"

John was already leaving the room. "Don't be an arse," he said offhandedly, turning back briefly at the door to give Lestrade a wide-eyed no-nonsense look. "I'm saving you the trip to the surgery. Coat and shirt; you can leave your vest on."


-----

Nope. No idea at all.

Comments

[crimsoncorundum.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sorry you're having a cold. I hope you'll feel better soon. Reading sounds likea a great idea though. Thanks for the tips, by the way. Both the book and the fic look interesting. :)

[grondfic.livejournal.com]

Sorry you're not well. Hear this - you should totes stay at home!

(*removes white beard and Dumbledore specs, drops out of Ancient-Sage mode and wanders off to sort latest slash epic*)

[funkyinfishnet.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your cold. I get them all the time and really hate how low they bring me. Taking a sick day is probably the best idea. Hope you feel better soon. And that fic looks like good medicine to me :)

[karen9.livejournal.com]

Yuk! I still have a cough after nearly a couple of weeks. When I felt really lousy I couldn't take a day off because a colleague was off sick for a week.

So, take a day off. You'll get better sooner. Reading is always an accomplishment.

I like the John and Lestrade sick fic!

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

Get well soon! xxx
And reading fic, any kind of fic, is good for you!

[njc2007.livejournal.com]

Feel better soon, my friend.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thanks, crimsoncorundum. I hope I do too. My mom is coming to stay with me in about a week and I've barely started cleaning. I did download a ton of podfic on the weekend, though, so I'm ready once I do start feeling better. *g*

I think you might enjoy Ariana Franklin. I ended up devouring all four books in the Mistress of the Art of Death series once I got into them. If you can get a copy, you might want to try reading the first book, which, strangely enough, is called Mistress of the Art of Death (http://arianafranklin.com/franklin-mistress.htm).

I don't know if the fic would be your cup of tea or not. Do you have a favourite category or pairing when it comes to Sherlock fic? I think you can probably find just about anything you may or may not imagine. I read a Lestrade/Irene Adler story the other night if you can believe it. *g*

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Sorry you're not well. Hear this - you should totes stay at home!

Thanks, grondfic. :-) I did end up staying home today. And I'll do so again tomorrow if I'm still feeling this bad. I would honestly rather go into work if it meant I was getting better.

(*removes white beard and Dumbledore specs, drops out of Ancient-Sage mode and wanders off to sort latest slash epic*)
(Reply to this)

YAY! As much as I loved the visit from Dumbledore, the prospect of a slash epic is even more exciting! Best of luck with that! I'll look forward to seeing it soon (or whenever you can manage it) at an LJ near me. :-D

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yikes! I'm sorry you get colds so often, funkyinfishnet. I'm usually pretty lucky and average maybe one or two a year. I think my last cold was in November and, while it was kind of a pain, I know it didn't hit me as hard as this one. I really do feel quite crappy. I honestly don't know if I could have gone into work, even if I was feeling more brave and selfless. I know I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on anything. I'm amazed I'm typing out whole sentences now. Maybe it's the three-hour nap I took and all the drugs. Speaking of which, I'm due for more decongestant. BRB.

Oh, I'm not a drama queen. Not at all. *g*

BTW, I'm beginning to wonder if that fic was such a good idea because I ended up coughing for a large portion of the night. I was up between about 3:30 and 5:00 (having gone to sleep around 12:30) and then awake again around 6:15. Of course, I guess the cough would have come whether I read the story or not. And reading has been good medicine. I swear that Stephen Fry's The Fry Chronicles kept me sane during those very early hours of the morning. It's a thick book, but I might be finishing it soon if I'm sick for much longer! ;-)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yuk! I still have a cough after nearly a couple of weeks. When I felt really lousy I couldn't take a day off because a colleague was off sick for a week.

If you feel anything like I do at the moment then I feel really bad for you. However, I honestly don't think I could have functioned at work today. It was a hard enough on Tuesday and Wednesday. In fact, just the subway and streetcar journey alone might have done me in. *g* I hope you manage to get rid of that cough soon.

So, take a day off. You'll get better sooner. Reading is always an accomplishment.

Well, being a total wuss, I did take the day off. *g* And I'm glad you see reading as an accomplishment. As I was telling funkyinfishnet, Stephen Fry's The Fry Chronicles literally kept me sane in the early hours of the morning when sleep became impossible.

I like the John and Lestrade sick fic!

Oh, good! If you enjoyed that then you'll probably like the sequel, The Adventure of the Dying Detective Inspector (http://thirdbird.dreamwidth.org/284618.html), which is not only hilarious but a brilliant take on Conan Doyle's "The Adventure of the Dying Detective". Oh, and if you're craving more Lestrade h/c after that then there's a whole list of recs you can check out. eldritchhobbit (in her great wisdom) has compiled (and keeps compiling) a post at dilestrade called Reclist for Wounded!Lestrade Fics (http://community.livejournal.com/dilestrade/47865.html). I highly recommend it. :-)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thanks, anitamaid! That's very kind of you! :-) And, yes, I think reading fic is good for you. I've also been aided by The Fry Chronicles, which has been keeping me sane. *g*

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks, njc2007! I'll do my best! :-)

BTW, in case I haven't mentioned it, I love Galaxy Quest -- and not just because of Alan Rickman. Hmm...I should totally re-watch it and soon.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hi again! I can't believe that I forgot to mention this to you (considering that you're a fan), but I'm totally lovin' Stephen Fry's The Fry Chronicles (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0718154835?ie=UTF8&tag=theadventofmr-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0718154835). If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, I know it's available in digital and audio forms as well.

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

I actually dreamt about Stephen Fry last night! How odd is that?
Haven't read the book though, I have Moab is my washpot, but it's collecting dust...
Am reading a good book though, Glenn Cooper's Library of the Dead.
Hope to finish reading it Sometime soon... My attention span isn't very good at the mo. ;-D

[boobamiaow.livejournal.com]

Get well soon! I'm suffering with hay fever and have had bunged up sinuses all day and now i've gone deaf :( Doesn't help that I work with a headset on and am on the phone a lot. I can barely hear my colleagues-i'll be learning to lip read before long ;p

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow! It's pretty freaky that you dreamed about Stephen Fry last night! I'm surprised I didn't considering how much of his book I ended up reading...I definitely recommend Moab Is My Washpot. I read it a while ago and then, after lending it to my mom, never saw it again. *g* I think The Fry Chronicles is a good follow-up to Moab. Surprisingly, while it does touch on some of the same events as Moab, it covers completely different ground for the most part.

That Glenn Cooper book sounds familiar. I'm guessing I've either seen it in a bookstore or have heard the title somewhere. I'll have to keep it in my mind. Maybe you can tell me what you think of it when you finish reading it.

Considering everything you've been going through, I'm not surprised your attention span isn't very good. It's hard to stay focused on certain things if you're stressed and/or distracted.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! Hay fever is never fun! I'm sorry to hear you're suffering from it, boobamiaow! :-( At first, I thought this cold might be bad allergies, even though we had a return to winter in late March, so it seemed strange that there would be anything that would really be effecting my allergies yet. Then, when the sinus congestion ended up being a lot worse than usual and I realized I had a fever, I knew allergies were no longer in the running. *g*

I hope you manage to clear your sinuses soon and restore your hearing. Is there a decongestant you could take? Decongestants can work wonders sometimes.

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

I love Stephen Fry, but then you know that ;-D
It was a very strange dream, but then I "follow" him on Twitter, so could be why I dreamt about him, but also he was part of a strange nightmare! Don't think I'll go into any details...

The Glenn Cooper book seems very good, although to be honest I've only read about 90 pages. But I think it's had very good reviews on Amazon!

I'll prob order The Fry C. once it's out in paperback.
Hopefully I'll get my reading mojo back soon!

Drink tea, stay warm and take care!

[crimsoncorundum.livejournal.com]

Thanks. He's great. I couldn't help noticing that the Kindle version is more expensive than the hardback! Outrageous. Fortunately, there will be a paperback soon. :)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yes, wait for the paperback. I'm sure it won't be long before it's out. I'll give you the heads up if I see that it's been released, though you'll probably know before I do.

Technically, my copy is paperback, but it has hardcover dimensions. It cost me $26 Cdn, though I think the price had been reduced a bit. I assume that the paperback paperback will have more paperback-like dimensions and a cheaper price.

Did any of that make sense? I have a fever, so I'm not sure what I'm saying anymore. *g*

[crimsoncorundum.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard of Ariana Franklin's books, but they sound fascinating. I've read another series of Medieval mysteries - or rather two - but since I love both mysteries and historical fiction, I'd love to get my hands on another. :)

I don't really have a favourite pairing when it comes to Sherlock and Sherlock Holmes (and related fandoms), so'm pretty much open to anything. (If it's done well, and judging by the short sample I saw, that fic definitely looks promising.)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

If you enjoy both mysteries and historical fiction then I think Ariana Franklin will be right up your street. I've enjoyed each of the Mistress of the Art of Death novels immensely. :-)

If you like the look of that one fic rec then I think you'll also enjoy The Adventure of the Dying Detective Inspector (http://thirdbird.dreamwidth.org/284618.html), which is clever and funny. And I'll include some more recs below. Uh, they all involve Lestrade in some fashion because he's my favourite character in Sherlock. *g*

Precious Things (http://community.livejournal.com/221b_slash_fest/12093.html) (I'm actually re-reading this story on my hard drive, which is why I thought of it.)

Sleeping Where They Fall (http://thirdbird.dreamwidth.org/291516.html)

Making Room (http://archiveofourown.org/works/109104?view_adult=true)

In Which Criminals Take A Holiday and Lestrade Tries To Get Laid (http://community.livejournal.com/221b_slash_fest/3840.html)

Single Father (http://community.livejournal.com/wheeeeefic/21007.html)

Esprit de Corps (http://community.livejournal.com/sherlestrade/10838.html)

Oh, and here's an ongoing series by fengirl88 that doesn't involve Lestrade at all. It's a bit dark but utterly fascinating. I think you might like it. The first story is Invasion (http://fengirl88.livejournal.com/32813.html). You can find links for the other stories at the bottom of this first fic.

[crimsoncorundum.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The titles look great. :) I love clever and funny.

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

Also Stephen Fry in America is on telly as I write! Scary. Is it a sign you think ? ;-D

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's a sign that Stephen Fry has his proverbial fingers in several proverbial pies. Well, that and he's popular, I suppose. *g*

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

LoL think you're right.
Also the Paramedic that can read people's minds is on at 8, CTV, your part of the world.
Wonder if they've bothered promoting it much? I want more...

My colleague told me that my shorttime memory is too good lol
too much RAM!

[boobamiaow.livejournal.com]

use aloe vera nasal sprays every day. I've had prescription ones in the past, but they're not good in the long term. I've just started taking marchmallow tablets which are supposed to help with sinus probs-will see if they help at all! Hope you're feeling a bit better?!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, boobamiaow! I'm glad the aloe vera nasal sprays have been working out. I hope the marchmallow tablets will help with the sinus problems as well. I'm happy to say that I'm feeling a lot better. I'm still pretty congested and have been taking a decongestant, but no complaints otherwise. :-)