Strep Throat to Make You Get An Attitude Adjustment

So after a 48 hour bout with strep throat that the strep was winning, I lunged off my couch to my new found freedom. Is it just me or through the humbling process of sickness, do individuals appreciate life more? We were chatting about being sick at work just yesterday and a co-worker of mine was just revelling in the fact that come Monday, she would have her license once again. She commented that she would easily go 365 days being sick but this last year of her life without her license has been unbearable. Hmmmm, not sure if I myself would chose the "be-sick-for-a-year" route but....I'll get back on track.

My case right now is that being sick does have its benefits as you'll see, perhaps a change in perspective, like an attitude adjustment. I always have liked what the Bostonians call Happy Hour, Attitude Adjustment Hour.

As I was saying, I lept off the couch this morning with my new found fervor. I had the energy to cook breakfast, walk my dog, and do other things I could not bear to do a mere 12 hours prior. So I sauntered into the street where my dog and I play ball. My neighbor was out on the steps in front of our apartment building and mentioned how put off she was that the free bus was only running every 40 minutes to our street. Ahem! My new found appreciation for life was not going to be shattered by this lousy surly lady's "I-got-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed" attitude. She then proceeded to ask with a snarl in her tone, "When are they going to go on the winter schedule anyway?"

Ok, backup and let's look a little more closely at this lady's gripes. We live in Vail, Colorado and are privy to a free Town of Vail Bus System, more on the magnitude of this later. In the winter, there are more people going and to and fro, with skis, out to dinner and into town. So in turn, the winter bus schedule notoriously runs more buses, maybe a bus every 1/2 hour versus every 4o minutes. Right now, there aren't many tourists in town (though the snow is great!) so they don't switch to the more robust schedule until close to Christmas.

Trying to stick up for the town and the bus system I appreciate I add, "I imagine since there are not a lot of tourists in town right now, they can't afford to run the bigger and better schedule." That ticks her, "Figures, locals are the last people the town thinks of", she adds. Not trying to add fuel to her raging inferno I tell her something I read recently, "They are actually considering abbreviating the regular bus schedule in the winter months a little bit to save money." I think I heard a huff out of her after my last remark. At this point in my life, the proverbial cup is overflowing and I guess my obnoxious optimism is too much for her. I continue, "They could charge us for the bus, at least they don't do that", but that doesn't bring her around. I guess when someone wants to be a Debbie-Downer, they will be one.

So let me paint you a picture of how unappreciative this lady really is being. The Town of Vail I believe has the largest free bus system in the country, maybe even in the world. It runs a myriad of routes - East Vail, Sandstone, Golf Course, West Vail Green & Red. Out of those 5 lines that I mentioned which is the abbreviated schedule for the summer months, 3 of the lines run from 6am to 2am. In mid-December they change to a more robust schedule as I mentioned. It is a wonderful service and I thankful for it. It keeps me from drinking and driving, from paying $20 a day at the parking lots, and it helps me in adverse road conditions. I guess Sally Sunshine is too damn happy about the free bus system and her ability to get off the couch. Maybe Debbie-Downer needs an attitude adjustment!