daily whine

it all started a couple of weeks ago. i work at a health food shop, so i see a lot of sick people on a daily basis, and i hear all about how bad this year's flu is and how it goes on for-fucking-ever. i reflected on the fact that i always come down with the flu on xmas eve, or on the first day of my winter vacation, thus ruining precious time off.

a week ago, i thought, "what if i just gave myself permission to get sick *before* the holidays this year?"

instant success! \o/

went home early on friday, was told to stay home saturday so i could "get over it" by monday, in time for one of the busiest weeks of the year. well... this morning saw me on the phone, booking an appointment at the local clinic.

legally, my employer is supposed to pay for basic privately provided healthcare. in practice, however, this isn't happening, as it's "too expensive." what happens when you use the municipal health services, though, is that the first appointment you get is to see a nurse, who will write you up three days' sick leave (or, in my case, four, so i could have a week's break with the christmas holidays). after the three days, if/when you're still sick (and i haven't actually managed to get over my yearly flu without antibiotics for a sinus infection ONCE in the past ten years), you can call in again and get a dr's appointment for meds and another three days to a week of sick leave.

PAID sick leave.

you'd think my employers would have caught on by now as to how it'd actually end up being about a week's worth of my salary cheaper for them to just let me fucking see a doctor. but, hey, an extra week off *and* i'm not too sick to knit? bring it on!

so, yeah. i'm at home, snorting salt water, chugging cough syrup and knitting.

i also got myself a christmas present. i think i deserve it :}