Hack! Cough! Cough!

     Well, it's finally here in Southern Indiana... the H1N1 virus!  I swear, every other person in and out of the restaurant today either was hacking up a lung, or wearing a mask.  I think some of them were using the masks to save the lungs for later reinsertion.  One of my customers told me that his doctor, on the advice of the CDC, no longer tests specifically for H1N1, just for the flu in general, as treatment is the same for all types of influenza.  Kinda scary, but the CDC, from what I've been reading, has been swamped with every flu swab that has been done in the country, it seems, so it makes sense.  I just wonder how they get the numbers and figures for the percentages of infection that they post if this is the case! hmmmm... surely the gov't doesn't make things up!  *snickers*
     This is not the time that I relish working in a "service industry"... well, after 33 yrs doing this, I don't really relish it ANY time, but that's another blog subject.  Heehee.
     I have been sick for about 10 days, now... a nasty sinus infection that resulted from allergies, and has spread into my tear ducts, and my lungs.  Fortunately, it's not contagious, so no missed work! (or MONEY!)  I think I'm finally on the "other side" of it, but have had two relapses already.  My three waitresses have been passing the "sniffling, sneezing snots" back and forth, rotating taking time off.  Asoniel has been a Goddess-send, SL and RL, putting up with codeine cough syrup reactions..(makes me REALLY bitchy!), hacking in voice chat, and just generally me not being "on" most of the time!  Nice to have such a patient, understanding partner. *hugs*
     For those of you who have been asking for an update, Mom's doing better.  She's pretty much recovered from the stroke, after a bit of therapy, but this was the second one in just over a year, so it will never be the same, of course. At least she's driving again, which is a VERY good thing....unless you're behind her 15mph car. *snickers*
     It's becoming obvious to me that my priorities have shifted somewhat where SL is concerned.  Although it's where Aso and I met, and continue to spend time together, our RL connection has changed how I view SL a bit.  Phone calls, voice chat, Emails, Facebook ..... I've made friends on SL that are now for the most part RL friends as well, and that I cherish greatly, as I continue to cherish the ones that are still "SL only" friends, of course.... i.e., those that choose NOT to share their personal lives, and just live out their fantasies on SL.  That is certainly a valid purpose to the game, as well.  I know... I've done it at times my self~!
     I will probably give up the Keep after the end of the current rental period, or maybe at the end of November... haven't made a decision yet as to a time frame.  Since Aso and I partnered, well, going back to my LAST partner, I've spent less and less time there, as the local lag has driven off all of my tenants and most of my sim buddies, as well as other reasons.  It's becoming a financial necessity, as I'm looking to perhaps purchase my own sim after the first of the year, and I'm damn near paying a full sim's tier now, for only two parcels, and only using about 1750 of the prims that I'm actually renting!  I figure, after the initial layout, with careful management, I will actually be able to support my SL addiction with the sim, as long as I follow the advice that I've been given by some successful sim owning friends here.  I will divide it into a few sections, with different themes:  Medieval, and perhaps set up the Keep there...(I will keep the group active, of course... y'all have become TOO important to me, and would miss the constant haranguing that you give me!  *Loves his online family!*), a Neko area for Aso and I, as I've become quite accustomed to my tail..(get yer mind outta the gutter!  hahaha!), where he can move his main store for his clothing line, and an Elven area, or maybe that one will be a homestead sim, attached to Seven Isles... I've been talking with some of the Elders there about that, too.
     Though I personally am not that big on RP, it is nice to have our friends around in "character"..... it keeps Second Life a LOT more interesting, you know, as it frequently becomes "same ol', same ol'"... (you can only dance and shop SO much... exploring new areas is about the only "new" thing to do, usually!, and we won't EVEN get into a discussion of S(l)EX here, which pales immensly when there are REAL emotions and REAL futures to pursue, although, I'm NOT knockin' it, TRUST ME , on that one!  lol), and some of them have developped them to the point that they ARE the characters a lot of the time.  Tel is just "me", usually, as Asoniel is just "him"... well, Tel is certainly prettier than I am... can't say that of Aso and the puppetmaster behind him... both are pretty damned hawt! *grins*
     Some of my friends and family don't understand how we can just be "us" here, and be open and honest about our RL selves, but that's just our nature, I guess.  Most of our best friends here are the same way.  We only go "in character" for RP events.  It's a LOT of work being a medieval lord/neko/satyr/human/elven thingy!  HAHAHAHAHAHA!
     Anyway, as I said in a previous post, I'm following the lead now of Mistletoe, Asoniel, and many of our other friends... this blog will have both RL and SL updates now, as well as whateverthehell I wanna post.... rofl.  Music, photos, ramblings, quotes... you name it... Ecclecticism is a GOOD thing!
Wishing the peace, joy and happiness that is in MY heart to you all,
Tel