This Is A Whiny Post. Consider Yourself Warned.

Below you will find a rundown of last night. The Set-Up: I am housesitting by myself, with only my dog as company. I spent most of yesterday asleep with a killer sinus infection, and got nothing at all done, despite my grandiose plans for the day.9:30 P.M.: Walk dog, going slowly because pulsing headache makes moving difficult. Dog goes on lawn of neighbor who hates us.10:00 P.M.: Back in house, dog suddenly starts barking and growling at the door. Grab house phone and cell phone, ready to call 911 if need be. I pick up both phones, mind you, because horror-movie logic dictates that one of them probably will not work. I also have planned out escape routes, depending on where the attacker is coming from.10:10 P.M.: Determine dog was growling at neighbor's stupid cat. Feel appropriately idiotic.11:00 P.M.: Decide to go to bed, since I have to walk the dog at 7:00 A.M. This way I'll be able to get sufficient sleep, and maybe my hideous headache will abate a little. Set alarm, check all locks, and basically act like the zombie apocalypse has come and I am fortifying myself in for the long haul.11:30 P.M.: Friend Emme calls. I forgot to call her yesterday, because I was busy being unconscious and dreaming of Edward Norton. So I pick up, figuring a few minutes of chatting will be good.12:10 A.M.: Finally end phone conversation. Am now so tired I don't know my own name, but I do remember it's my amazing friend Kay Jay's birthday [HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!]. Send her a text and settle down for sleep.12:30 A.M.: Hunter freaks out, starts growling and barking at the door to the bedroom [which is locked]. I freeze, listening for anything that might be upsetting him. Even me, paranoid as I am, cannot hear anything. He continues to bark for another half an hour at NOTHING. Headache grows worse.1:00 A.M.: Hunter abruptly stops barking and collapses into a deep sleep. Jerk.2:30 A.M.: Another barking fit.3:48 A.M.: Another barking fit.4:39 A.M.: A serious barking fit, complete with howling like he's auditioning to be the goddamn Hound of Baskerville in the new Sherlock Holmes movie. I'm near tears by this point. I just want SLEEP. DEAR GOD.6:30 A.M.: Hunter wakes me up by nudging me with his nose, because he needs to go for his morning walk. I am sleep deprived, unable to even coherently speak, and got barely a few hours of sleep. I want my family to come back from California, not because I miss them [it's nice to have a little break from the nagging], but so that someone else can deal with the dog's severe and crippling emotional problems. I need SLEEP.So yeah. And now I have to write all the E-Mails I would have written yesterday if I weren't in pain, and my sinus headache is barely reined in by a heavy dose of Tylenol, and I swore to myself I'd spend the day writing. Even though typing this blog post took a horrifyingly long time, and isn't exactly strenuous. Also need to look at NYU class book thing. Bleargh. Even words are failing me now!Oh, and I need to read an essay my neighbor gave me yesterday. And call people. And do stuff. So I apologize in advance if anyone who interacts with me today finds me especially weird and twitchy. Blame it on my dog who, while adorable and very sweet, is the most annoying animal on the planet, and is currently nipping me because I'm not scratching him correctly. I mean come ON.OK, time to do stuff.- LV

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