Flu shot

It's that time of year again. Last year, you may remember, was the H1N1 panic. People were lining up for hours to get vaccinated. High risk groups were able to go first, and by the time I was able to go I had the flu and couldn't go.

This year, it's back to normal, but it looks like some things were learned from last year. Most clinics in the city are first come, first served, but the one closest to me requires an appointment. I'm not really sure why this one is special, but it worked out nicely for me.

I made my appointment online on Monday. Tonight after work, I went to my appointment. I found a place to park and walked through the doors.

That's when I realized that the current City of Ottawa building used to be one of the offices for the big high-tech company I used to work for. I mean, I knew that at the time, but it has been a city building for years and I'd forgotten.

As soon as I saw the badge readers, it all came back to me. I don't remember ever being in that specific building when I worked for that company, but it felt the same as the other offices we built during the high-tech boom. The immunization clinic was in the cafeteria (with the required Tim Horton's).

The whole vaccination process was pretty straightforward - fill out the paperwork, wait a couple of minutes for a nurse, get the shot, wait 15 minutes, leave.

I usually get the flu shot the day before boxing, but this year it's two days before boxing.

Expect to hear a lot of whining on Saturday.