Not only a great song from the first of Helloween's trilogy of "Keeper.." albums, but also somewhat descriptive of my writing this entry. To quote Dante Hicks, I'm not even supposed to be here today. I was supposed to be in Sweden, pressing the flesh of some people I have tons of respect for, giving my award acceptance speech and concomitantly giving a 45 minute lecture on my research. I was also going to be given a plaque and a substantial amount of money. The speech was ready, as was the talk. I've even got a new suit, new shoes and - my new haircut.
Then yesterday after lunch, I got a high fever and a wicked pounding in my sinus cavities, plus an assortment of other, flu-related symptoms. A short conversation with my GP later, I was instructed not to go anywhere, and I had to make a very difficult phone call to the award committee, telling them that I was gonna be a no-show. Luckily there is one more awardee, but still. I'll still get the award and the money, and I might even get to go to Gothenburg to give my acceptance speech and subsequent talk, but it won't be the same.
On the plus side, I won't have to be away from my wife and newborn son for an extended trip.
There is something bery Alanis-like about me being knocked out by a viral infection, considering that a substantial amount of my talk was going to be on the use of viral transport peptides for targeting of diseased cells in nanomedicine. Hemagglutinin sure kicked my ass this time.
What am I thinking - of course I'm talking about tiny robots with small laser guns who cruise around in the bloodstream fighting viral infections in between changing the color of my threads to reflect my mood and enhancing the muscle tone in my biceps.
Then yesterday after lunch, I got a high fever and a wicked pounding in my sinus cavities, plus an assortment of other, flu-related symptoms. A short conversation with my GP later, I was instructed not to go anywhere, and I had to make a very difficult phone call to the award committee, telling them that I was gonna be a no-show. Luckily there is one more awardee, but still. I'll still get the award and the money, and I might even get to go to Gothenburg to give my acceptance speech and subsequent talk, but it won't be the same.
On the plus side, I won't have to be away from my wife and newborn son for an extended trip.
There is something bery Alanis-like about me being knocked out by a viral infection, considering that a substantial amount of my talk was going to be on the use of viral transport peptides for targeting of diseased cells in nanomedicine. Hemagglutinin sure kicked my ass this time.
What am I thinking - of course I'm talking about tiny robots with small laser guns who cruise around in the bloodstream fighting viral infections in between changing the color of my threads to reflect my mood and enhancing the muscle tone in my biceps.
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