Ways to keep busy when sick

When I get sick, my body has very predictable stages. It's been this way for as long as I can remember. It starts off with a scratchy through one morning when I wake up. I always think that immediately downing Emergen-C will help fight off anything more serious coming my way and without fail, I always don't have Emergen-C.

Because of consistent fail, the full-blown cold that follows usually lasts for two weeks (yes, TWO weeks) and I find ways to keep my mind off it. Such as, but not limited to...

• Purposeless online shopping. This weekend I bought a slave bracelet (why? Because I saw Vanessa Hudgen's wore it. Obviously.), a bedazzled iPhone case meant for someone 10 years my junior, as well as various things from Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters that I'm ashamed to go into detail on because they found the perfect time to prey on me. I was weak.

• Go outside and spread your illness. I was that person on the train who everyone looks at like they have the plague (sorry). Somehow Bath and Body Works convinced me to buy 6 lotions, sprays, and body washes! What is it about President's Day that makes people think sales are appropriate?

• Clean. I thought to myself, "How can I make my life easier for when I finally get better? Clean the entire apartment!" Am I the only one who makes epic plans for after they recover from a cold? In a way, a cold is your body's way of telling you to chill the f*ck out and stop messing with it.

• Work out. You'd be surprised how motivated you can get when you have a cold. I was trying to sweat out the cold (does that work?), and also tell myself that since my body was trying to get rid of germs, it certainly could get rid of a couple of those pesky calories. What, like it's hard?

• Make your significant other feel like their sole purpose is to nurse you back to health. J was out of the country or on some school-related trip in New York (same difference) so every chance I got I reminded him that it was his responsibility to take care of me and he was failing as a boyfriend. Dramatic? Yes, considering I was shopping, cleaning and going out like nobody's business.

• Read that book that's been sitting on your nightstand. This was part of me "bettering myself" so that once I felt better, I'd feel like I accomplished something.

I'm backwards. I get motivated to do more when I don't feel well and now that I'm 96% back to normal, I just want to lay on the couch and eat mini cupcakes.