About once a year I get deathly, deathly ill. Last year, it happened in the first week of second term, and I was so sick I couldn’t stand up without passing out, and my parents had to come pick me up and take me home. This really sucked because I was excited to start writing for the Et Cetera, and was not impressed about missing the first week of stories. Plus, we only got one “freebie” to miss a deadline without losing marks, and I was bummed about using mine so early in the year.

I’m not that sick at the moment, but I do  I feel like death warmed over- no wait, that would mean I have to feel warm. In fact, while my skin is warm, and I have a lovely temperature of over 99 degrees (Fahrenheit, it’s the only way I can tell if I have a fever or not) - I am freezing. Currently bundled up in a hoodie, pj pants, super warm slipper socks, and blankets galore… and still cold. I hate this!

Things I have learned today:

• Standing in line outside, in -25 degree weather, for 2 hours while really sick is a dumb idea.
• Advil Cold & Sinus works great for a stuffy nose and sore throat, but does dick all for a fever.
• Tylenol is my friend - I think my fever has dropped since I took it, and my body doesn’t ache as much as before.
• Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray is amazing. And possibly my new best friend (Sorry, Amanda).
• There is nothing I want to eat when I’m sick except Lipton’s Chicken Noodle Soup. Yum!
• Cleaning the pot every time I want to make another bowl sucks.
• Ocean Spray Cranberry juice does indeed go bad, so check for weird floaty things before drinking it. Euuuuyck.
• Doctor’s offices either a) close ridiclously early on the weekend, or b) are so busy they stop taking patients ridiclously early.

Mission for tomorrow: Find a doctor, and get some meds! I’d like to be better for school on Monday, we’re doing a whole switch over of positions for the radio show so it’s kind of important to be there. Although if I do get better in time to go, I’ll probably be bitter all day that I was sick over the weekend (the worst time to be sick - and so not fair) and healthy for school.

What were you doing at 13?

Not having babies, I hope.

The Sun, a British Tabloid, has reported that a 13 year old boy is now a father – his 15 year old girlfriend gave birth on Monday.

The boy – whose name is Alfie - looks even younger in the pictures on The Sun’s site. If I saw these pictures without the article, I’d assume that was his new baby sister – not his daughter!

According to the boy’s father, Dennis Patten, Alfie didn’t understand the consequences of unprotected sex. “When I spoke to him he started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex, that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that could come,” Patten, who’s 45, was quoted as saying in The Sun.

Apparently, Patten is going to sit down and educate his son on “the birds and the bees”, although (and he admits this) it’s a bit late for that.

There was controversy in Britain last year when education officials announced sex education would be introduced earlier in schools. Beginning next year, kids in kindergarten will be given basic sex ed.

If 12 years olds having kids isn’t enough to stop those who criticized the decision, I don’t know what is!

Even worse, Alfie is not the youngest boy to become a father in Britain. In 1998, a 12 year old boy became a father when he impregnated his neighbour, a 15 year old girl.

Yikes!