On Silence

I'm not sure what the problem is - lingering throat irritation from my bug, vocal overuse during the coffeehouse performances (and all the rehearsals leading up to it), talking too much at work, or just talking too much in general - but whatever the case, my voice hurts, and I'm making a concerted effort to keep quiet, at least as much as I can in a workplace that requires lots of conversation.

Avoiding unnecessary talking, as it turns out, is very difficult. I like to talk, but more than that, people kind of expect greetings in return, chatter while making tea in the morning, or somebody to talk to when you're sitting next to each other at the lunch counter.

I'm thinking of wearing a placard around my neck explaining my situation. But in the meantime, there are a few things you can help me do to rest my voice:

Please don't call me. While I'd love to talk to you, right now it's just not that comfortable, especially at the end of a long day.

If you do have to call, please don't be insulted if I seem rather short. It's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's that I'd rather not talk at all.

Send text messages or emails - or letters if you prefer. I love getting real mail!

Consider this a time to monopolize the conversation. Chances are, I won't interrupt.

Hopefully, the silent treatment won't last long. I've got a doctor's appointment on Friday, and I'm hoping she'll have a miraculous cure.