This past week has left me with a lot of questions. Is it worth it to pick this fight? Why is this happening to me? Do I have COVID or am I just allergic to air? Does my dog have epilepsy?

The answers have been fascinating. In order: yes, because it was bound to happen eventually, you are allergic to air, and no.

Is it worth it to pick this fight? I would argue yes, especially if it is a fight you have been suppressing for a year. When it comes to how someone treats you, you have to stand up for yourself eventually. “Is it worth it to initiate” is completely circumstantial. I have decided to defend myself this year, especially when I recognize abusive behavior. Gaslighting ain’t it for me anymore, and I am seeing it more and more in men I thought I trusted. I also don’t love being told I am stupid for not agreeing with a man, which has been a problem for as long as I can remember. Regardless, stand up for yourself because literally no one else will unless you are friends with a Virgo.

Why is this happening to me? The age-old question when multiple shitty circumstances happen all at one time with no space to breathe in between. Someone hurts my feelings twice in one week, my coworker tested positive for COVID, and my student that I work 1:1 with was a butthead to me. It piles up. The world is too expensive to also have personal problems on top of it all. All of these things were bound to happen. People fuck up or say a hard truth at any given point in life; people test positive for Omicron at alarming rates; teenage boys are time bombs. All of these problems were bound to happen, they just, unfortunately, all happened at once. Thank goodness I don’t also have schoolwork right now or I would actually explode.

Did I test positive for COVID? No, thank goodness. My negativity streak is still going very strong! I have a sore throat from allergies and cold weather, mainly because I wear two masks while at work and only have my mask off when I eat or drink outside. Living the dream. But really, I do not have the privilege of being a selfish asshole during a pandemic.

Kelso had a seizure on Friday at 10:00am at the dog park with no prior warning. He was completely fine afterward and has been completely normal since. It lasted twenty seconds and occurred two days after taking Bravecto for the second time. My dog is a resilient little dude, but he also uses his head to navigate the world, which often results in him banging it against surfaces and people. He also puts every single thing he finds interesting into his mouth, which would also account for the seizure. We have an appointment with his vet tomorrow morning but at this point, it doesn’t seem like brain trauma or an ongoing condition, just a weird chemical reaction to his highly potent medication.

I just feel like this last week was testing me in all of the worst ways. I had to have patience and courage, but I wish I could have relaxed more for this 4-day weekend.