Let Me Clear My Throat

Not only is this a "hit" song (according to my husband) from the late 90's, but it's a problem that most singers encounter.  As a singer, I seem to have a knack for catching any throat related virus, bacteria or controversy that circulates within 1000 yards of me.  I guess it's a gift.  Some people catch butterflies, I catch strep.  

This recent bout of throat-itis is puzzling.  My throat doesn't hurt per say, but I feel like my voice could go at any moment.  I don't know where my voice box would travel too, but it would surely leave me in a bind as it's the reason I'm employed at the moment.  I think it's every singers worst nightmare to lose their voice.  I need not bring up the Julie Andrews story.  Just goes to show that it could happen to anyone.

Living on a ship, the air conditions are less then lovely sometimes.  My room at one moment can smell like citrus and green tea, (thanks to my Febreeze flame-less candle) and then gasoline and bacon the next.  Paint fumes are my second favourite, and then the illusive mystery smell that emanates every once and a while.  I steer clear of the smoke soaked crew bar as much as possible, but living in such a confined environment creates for a serious bacteria pool that I don't want to think a lot about.  I'm actually surprised I don't have more problems then what I'm facing at the moment.

Regardless, I have enough herbal cough drops, throat syrups and sprays to start a store in my cabin, but this one issue doesn't want to seem to budge.  I am so immune to Buckley's cough syrup, I can actually take a shot of it in-between songs without wincing.  I attempted to douse my throat in garlic hummus yesterday, hoping it would if not kill the bacteria, create such a horrible smell my throat would have no choice but return to it's normal state of health out of disgust.  We'll see how it goes.  I've also tried my sister-in-laws favourite remedy- soaking my throat in beer.  But alas, no matter how hard I try I am still not at 100%.

So, let's hope that I get through tonight's shows without squeaking or cracking.  If anyone has any other remedies that can be accessed while in Alaska, I'm all ears.  Until then, it's back to beer, hummus and my paint fumes.