On Friday afternoon I wrote an e-mail to Carolyn informing her that I was not feeling well and wouldn't be attending her get-together after all, and could I please take a rain cheque. I was exhausted and my throat was extremely sore, and all I could think of was being in bed with a hot cup of tea. So don't ask me why in the world I changed my mind, or how on earth I ended up partying as hard as I did. Wine, appetizers and more helped to loosen everyone up, and after hours of laughing and talking a bunch of us were dancing - particularly to the Beck CD that Dana-Eve and I actually went to fetch at the Murray Street apartment at one point. And did I mention that we were walking around the market area giggling and talking too loud, with the photos of Beck and Visionary Boy taped to the front of our jackets? It was all too hilarious, surreal and enjoyable. The image of Manon surfing was actually taken at the party; we thought she looked like she was surfing so we had fun creating an image around that!

And then came the paying of the price the day after. My voice is reduced to a whisper, and my cough is only worsening. I spent the day at my folks'place with Manon, sleeping and lying around. Then we watched Hotel Rwanda - talk about a sobbering film. I had a lump in my throat the entire time, unable to wrap my head around the atrocities we were watching. And now as I'm preparing for bed, I know I will probably have vivid dreams inspired by the movie. Well, maybe not. I will perhaps do a mini zen session to relieve these thoughts and to think of the more pleasant stuff going through my brain these days...

On that note, I'm off to clear my mind. I also have plans to meet with Maggie at 10 a.m., followed by the ever-evasive haircut I've been trying to get for the past two weeks, so I should be well-rested for that...