Aaah, the irony ...

Over the course of my 40+ years I've learned that life is full of fun little ironies.

When I was in college, I would pull the inevitable all-nighter studying for a test, only to discover the test was the next Wednesday or Tuesday or whatever. I remember sneaking in past curfew in high school to find both my parents sound asleep and then, banking on that happening all the time, intentionally staying out past curfew only to have them both standing at the door when I got home.

This year I've learned -- twice -- that my body is in on the joke, too.

For the second time this year I've broken out in shingles -- a skin and nerve disorder brought on by the same virus that causes chickenpox. A person can't "catch" shingles -- the virus lays dormant in your body and some people get it and some don't.

So who gets it, and why me?

Shingles is most common in adults over the age of 60 (that's not me), cancer patients (not me, either) or those who are under stress (oh, there I am).

Now, here's the kicker: shingles is caused by stress. It causes such nerve pain that I stayed home from work for two days last week -- both deadline days, no less -- because the thought of driving 30 miles and sitting in an office without a heating pad was not an appealing one. Staying home from work and potentially missing deadline causes me stress.

See the problem?

Life is just so funny.