It’s only a wracking cough and a fiery sore throat. Try not to worry about me. I’ll be just fine, as long as I can get eight hours of sleep tonight and a stress-free Monday. That’s not to much to ask, is it? For the sake of my health?

It’s not really that bad (or so I keep telling myself). My energy level is better than you’d expect after hearing the list of symptoms. My appetite is just fine (darn the luck). And I’m no more tired than I usually am at the end of a weekend when my bad sleeping habits get even worse.

Besides, I’m actually looking forward to the new challenges that I’ll start facing tomorrow. It’s a whole different kind of payroll that I’ll be doing for the first time, and I don’t even know how much to pay these people until I talk to the Boss, who has been on the road and unreachable since late Thursday, and whose new phone number (and fax number) I don’t know yet.

It’s like a puzzle, or a test. I have to find the solution, or at least the answer key so I can cheat. I’m eager to get started, but it depends too much on input from others, so I have to wait until tomorrow. I just hope I wake up feeling this good, but better.

I’ll tell you one thing I’m not ready for, though. I’m not ready for the holidays. Everyone else seems to be finished with shopping and making big plans, and I’m sitting here waiting for ideas to drop out of the sky, but without the time or money to follow through, even if they do. I’m sure it’ll all come together in time, just like every year. But I’ll be on pins and needles until it does. Just like every year.