A woman that I work with, cute, quiet, smart, and bookish, came into work yesterday with a really juicy cold. She looked healthy, but her voice was slightly congested, and she kept sniffling, wiping her nose, and sneezing.

I totally want to steal her cold! If she's at work tomorrow, I am really tempted to snitch some snotty tissues from her wastebasket and infect myself. It is such a deliciously sniffly, drippy, sneezy cold.

Lord help me, I think I need a team of experts to deal with me!

Um I hate to put a downer on this but if you do manage to infect yourself, don't expect to get the same symptoms. In my experience the sypmtoms you get are more dependent on the person than the virus: it can effect people in different ways. I know that whenever I get a cold I always get an awfull cough because that's what I'm succeptable to, regardless of the symptoms of the person I caught the cold off.
Just a thought
By all means go ahead and prove me wrong.
Silver x

Haha, sounds crazy to me... but fun too. I have to confess to doing similar things - but as SilverBirch says you don't always get the symptoms you expect

Keep us posted!

If you really want it you will not catch it from her.
Whatever you do it does not work like that...

I wish you good luck anyway - and keep us posted !

C

No need to steal anything! Just arrange for someone to hold you firmly in place
while she sneezes all over your face...

Hmm... looking back at what I just typed... if you find yourself some experts, perhaps send them over

You know, you guys aren't exactly dissuading me. I'm hoping that she comes in to work all miserable and contagious instead of calling out sick.

Hmm . . . where exactly does one find "team of experts" in the yellow pages?

Try this guy :
http://www.cf.ac.uk/biosi/subsites/cold/eccles.html

And tell me if he has the fetish too - he is so intriguing.

C

Great! now we need a yellow pages expert too

One of his key publications is:
"Acute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms"

Seems like someone has been reading a list of inducing methods and picked a more exotic one

Now let me get this straight.......You want us to dissuade you???????????













Well of course you shouldn't do this, you might start sneezing messily or something, and that would be most unpleasant.

i say go for it, whats the worst that could happen, u end up w/ a sneezy drippy cold urself?

I don't think you'd need the tissues, which is kind of to me (but not to others, yes, I know).

Just watch her and see what doorknob or other object in the office she touches, go over and touch it, and touch the mucus membranes of your own eyes or nose. That should transfer enough virus to do it. Then make sure you stay up REAL late and run yourself down so that you're susceptible to being sick. I bet that would do it!

We are a team of experts!

Good luck in trying to catch your co-workers cold. And if that doesn't work, I think I'm coming down with a cold myself, so maybe . . . ?

The plan is underway! The dear thing did show up to work again yesterday, and confessed to "lots sniffling and sneezing -- and now my throat is sore, too." I brought her a cup of tea, and managed to filch a couple of her used tissues -- one from her jacket pocket and another from the waste paper basket. They weren't very snotty at all, but I think her nose is leaking watery stuff and not gooey stuff.

I rubbed my nose really well with the tissues, and kept them in a little plastic sandwich bag (from my lunch) tucked into my cleavage, to keep the little viruses all warm and cozy. Over the next several hours, I'd take them out now and then and rub my nose and sniffle in them.

I'm a firm believer that you get colds from exposure to germs and not from getting chilled, but, just for insurance, I made sure that I got good and chilled, too. On my drive home, I kept my winter coat off, the air vents blowing cold and hard, and kept the window rolled down. And I took off one of my boots, so that I'd have at least one cold foot (I needed the other shoe on for driving). And I smoked a couple of cigarettes, because I heard that smoking makes you more susceptible to colds (although that did make me a bit nauseated).

So far, I feel just fine. If this doesn't work, I'm going to nominate my immune system for some kind of medal.

As for not getting enough sleep -- well, I hardly ever do in the best of circumstances. I will keep you perverts posted on how things progress.

This may just be the sickest, freakiest thing I've ever done. Y'all are a bad influence on me, you know that, don't you? You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

You're fine. To each her own

lets us know how ur cold develops

If this does not work you should do the opposite : stay clear of people with colds, eat healthy things, go to bed early, and most of all dress too warm. I believe that is the best way to catch the cold of a lifetime !

C

OK, it's been 30 hours since my rendezvous with the little viruses, and I feel just fine. What kind of wimpy, pathetic pathogens are these, anyway? I mean, I gave them an warm welcome to the hospitality of my mucus membranes, and they are totally snubbing me.

How long does it take to catch a cold, anyway?

I don't really know all that much about viruses, however, I did see this really cool show once about them. It showed the progression of the flu virus. It was so long ago, I don't remember details, but I think it takes at least 72 hours to show symptoms. I could be wrong. But I don't think 30 hours is giving it enough time. Unless you happen to have had this particular virus already, then you more than likely won't get it again. But, the chances of having it before are slim, since there are bazillions of different cold viruses. Do I at least sound like I know what I'm talking about?

I think that, right now, they are multiplying inside of you, and you will soon report to us how lousy you feel.

yes i also heard it takes several days, possibly 3-7 before you show symptoms... srry about the wait ... LOL

My boyfriend caugh at cold on December 24th and he had it until the 26th (yeah, guys have colds for 2 minutes, and we have it for 2 weeks..). I started showing symptoms on the night of the 28th. I'm not exactly sure at what point the virus entered my body, but I'm pretty sure it was fairly fast, as I didn't stay away from him (actually it was exactly the opposite ).

So basically, I'm thinking it took around 3-4 days. Hang in there !

Good luck Sneezster, and God speed.....

But, but . . . on the fetish fiction side, everyone always gets a cold right away.

I am creatively visualizing the little viruses invading and multiplying. Go, little guys! I'm rooting for you!

Yes, if your life was a fetish fic, you would be in day two of your cold already. And that only happens in fics because as authors, we can make them have the cold right away!

And I'd be having incredibly hot sex.

and someone to bring you chicken soup, and to catch that cold from you...

Life is not a fic, my friend !

C

Omg, I SO wish I was in a fetish fiction

When I got my cold, I had to get on a plane and have my ears almost explode, then I had to lie in my old very uncomfortable bed at my mom's place for 2 days while she kept commenting on all my symptoms (I died a little), and my boyfriend was reading a book next to me for the entire time, totally unable to do anything because it wasn't his home.

I wish there was some "cold fetish" virtual reality. HEAVEN

Anyway, I wish you a very "cold-fictionny" cold with all the sex with all the fluff

It's been 56 hours since I introduced the little cold viruses to my tender and welcoming nasal mucosa. I'm still feeling absolutely fine. Not a sniffle has been heard.

I've been doing all I can think of to encourage the little guys to take root and blossom, but so far, they are being conspicuously quiet.

I'll continue to keep you all updated on the viral countdown and any developments on the nasal front.

84 hours since I met the viruses. Nothing yet. And I've been up for the past 28+ hours. And there was something I was really planning to get out of this weekend because I was planning to have a cold. Looks like all plans are on, no excuses or sneezes from me.

Unless I manage to succumb tomorrow. We can only hope.

You're clearly far too healthy to succeed in this enterprise. Or can it be that you missed out on the contagious stage of the cold? You said the sneeziness was at its height on the day before your experiment. Can this lady's sneezes be so efficient that they expelled all the irritants on that one day, so that by the time you got hold of her hankies it was too late [you said the hankies you got were not obviously infected]?

As for Professor Eccles, I suspect him of being primarily a cough man. His oeuvre does not seem to have enough about the fascinating question of the manifold reflexes involved in the lovely sneeze.

Aww, I'm sorry it's not working for you. Although it's a good thing that your immune system is so good, it's impressive !! At least it'll keep you away from much more unappealing viruses like the flu, or stomach bugs and such. Gotta see the positive in all situations hehe

It always seems like when you WANT to catch a cold, it never happens. At least it has always been that way for me. I always catch a cold at the least opportune time ever. It probably has something to do with stress, actually.

If you can "induce" stress, you should try it, lol. Although, don't put yourself in a bad situation for this

Anyway, good luck to you, hopefully those weak little cold virus will win the war tomorrow and get you a nice, sneezy head cold

Four and a half days since my stunt, and no cold symptoms. I'm thinking that Judy (the lady with the cold) must have an extraordinarily puny resistance to colds if she managed to succumb to as innocuous a virus as this.

Stress? You have no idea. My life has little room for more of it. Daily baseline levels are quite sufficient, thank you.

OK, apparently it takes five days to catch a cold. I'm starting mine now. So far, I'm up to the scratchy throat, tickly feeling in my nose, ears and throat, along with a tickly kind of cough, and a wet nose. I keep sniffling and dabbing at it.

It's about time.

Congratulations ! (Wow I feel weird saying this to someone who caught a cold )

Enjoy it

Congrats from me as well! That's real determination you showed there. You should put it in your CV. Now I hope you manage to enjoy it after all that effort!

(I just sneezed twice, right after I typed that - the first sneezes for several days. I think it's just coincidence, but...!)

Rhino

Now you owe us some good self obs !

C

Exactly!

i've acttly tried that once. well, not exactly, but if someone's sick, i will try to get as close to them as possible w/o them noticing. for a few reasons. all easily guessable. unless it's this one guy i kno, then i will only do that shortly & then sit on my hands ass to keep myself from doing something.... incredibly stupid.

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!

have fun!

Now I'm starting the good parts (and some of the not-so-good -- like a headache). My nose is getting congested and I sound like I have a cold, which is, by the way, one of my favorite sounds. When I telephoned today to beg off of the thing I was hoping to get out of this weekend, before I got to the begging off part, they said, "Are you OK? You sound like you're sick." And I got to admit that, yeah, I'm starting a cold.

I'm sneezing, mostly doubles, and sometimes a double, a pause of almost a minute, and then another double, with the second set stronger than the first. My normal sneezes are all pretty and girly-like, "Hitch-CHEW!" or sometimes "Hip-TCHEW!". But today my sneezes are heavier and pretty wet. "Huh-CHUUH!", and they make my tickly throat more irritated, so they are invariably followed by a bit of dry, tickly coughing, then some sniffling and nose-blowing, which must be a pretty sick-sounding combo, because whenever I do that, I earn the comment that I don't sound so good, that I ought to have some tea, go lie down, and do I feel up to going to work.

Earlier, I was feeling chilly, and my husband offered to snuggle with me and put his arms around me to warm me up. My head was nestled in his chest when I felt like I had to sneeze. I kind of burrowed down towards his belly, and curled up and did my little "Huh-CHUH! Huh-eh-CHUUH! cough-cough-sniffle-sniffle-blow-blow . . . eh-eh-HUH-CHUUH! cough-cough-sniffle-sniffle-blow-blow . . . sniff . . . sniff . . . sniff" routine. I've been keeping a hankie clutched in my hand for catching the sneezes and for blowing. My sneezes are pretty juicy, and I've already gone through my lady-hankie (embroidered with flowers, and embroidered scalloped edges), and moved onto a big hankie. Although, I think I may need to retire that one as well and move on to yet another. My husband just stroked my hair and murmured "poor baby -- you're sick". I snuffled and nodded in agreement.

I think I'll bring my cold in to work, and show it off there, as well.

Well done on securing your very own cold - I'm very jealous! Although I too have a scratchy throat, I think it's just down to stress no fair; but I guess you did work hard for yours... lol

I brought my cold in to work to show it off. Everyone noticed, even if they missed the heavy sneezes and coughing, because my voice has gotten all husky and congested. One guy said that I sounded sexy (clearly, we share some peculiar tastes, no?), but just about everyone else thought I sounded awful. And I do sound like I've got a terrific cold. Somewhere partway through the shift, I started feeling that uncomfortable heaviness and burning in my chest that heralds a sojourn there for the little viruses. However, they haven't yet given up their residence in my nose, and I made some mighty and powerful sneezes into the handkerchief that I kept clutched in my hand, pretty much all the time. The sneezes are chaotic -- no pattern to them anymore. I'll sneeze a juicy single, sniff and blow my nose and be done, and later a rapid-fire triple, followed by an encore double. Some have big buildups that lead people to bless me before the sneeze even emerges, and others burst on the scene with no introduction, barely giving me time to catch them in my hankie. I did sneeze a few times in my shoulder or arm, when an unusually precipitous sneeze gave me little warning, but I prefer the handkerchief, because the sneezes are pretty wet and leave a soggy snotty spot on my sweater. My coloring is pale, but my eyes have dark circles underneath, and my nose is very pink. It is the classic "bad cold" look.

That's the good part. The not-so-good part is the chills and headache, a bit of an upset tummy, and that burning feeling in my chest. But, hey, I'll take the bad with the good. I'm also feeling very low-energy, but a cold like this is a good excuse for a nap. As soon as I came home, my husband tucked me in with the thick down comforter, put a heating pad on my feet, and brought me some herbal tea for a sore throat.

I predict chicken soup in my future.

Even though I am careful to cover my coughs and sneezes, and wash my hands a lot, and I would never deliberately infect anyone (because I am not a mean person), I do admit that I am interested in seeing who will get this cold next.

And I hope that you are enjoying my recounting of this cold as much as I'm enjoying having it.

Fancy a forum party????

Hey, this one's mine. Get your own!

Ah, is it YOUR cold I am getting ??
(pulling hanky out for another wet blow...)

C

This is so wonderful; congrats on your success! The lady-hankie sounds lovely. And your account of your little sneezing routine is perfect! As is the comparison with your girlier sneezes.

It's such a shame that you're gettin g the bad symptoms now; still, you knew what you were in for, and there may be soup to come!

Congratulations!

Sounds lovely. I especially envy your chaotic sneeze routine.

Good luck with the chicke soup!

I have been reading and then was swamped this weekend. It's so weird to say...but I am glad this worked out for you! Thanks for the greats obs and I do hope you feel better with the ickier parts of your cold.

My voice has gone beyond husky and congested and is now deep and raspy. Oddly, even though my voice is weak, my sneezes are very loud now. I don't recognize them -- they sound like man sneezes, very powerful, like this: HUUUURSH-UH! AAH-HUUUURSH!

However, I'm sneezing less than I was yesterday, and coughing more, which is making my voice worse. I really sound dreadful. I'm also feeling lousy and wiped out, so I'm going to keep this observation short and go have some tea and a nap.

You will just have to let your sick imagination fill in the rest of the sick details.

I hope that the unpleasanter symptoms pass quickly now you have started to sneeze less. Any signs of it spreading yet? And I hope you are still being looked after.

I have always thought of it this way: if a girl lusts a guy for his body, it is generally socially acceptable to try to get him to take off his shirt in summer. So, if a girl lusts a guy for his sneeze, shouldn't the same rules apply? I would go to the hottest guy in the place you work and ask to like, borrow his stapler or something. and inconspicuosly breath on him.