it may look like a holiday, but it'snot

I sort of expected the new job would be bad for my hand pain and migraines. I'm driving way too much and not sleeping enough. I am using way too many spoons trying to follow imbecile orders because I am afraid of pushing back (saying either "I am too disabled to do that," or "That is a waste of time and nobody should be doing it.") The company shuts down for December 24th and 25th. Even though they don't pay new employees for holidays, and even though I was rather uncomfortable with the dozens of questions about my plans for Christmas, I was really looking forward to having 4 days to recover from my first week of work. I planned on 4 days to stock up on rest and daylight, and cleaning the apartment, and making lunches I can grab out of the freezer without effort or thought. 4 days of not writing, not using a mouse, not using micrometers, not driving.

I didn't expect this kind of being sick. ( disgusting upper respiratory details )

It does not feel at all restful to be sick like this. I'm not even relaxing emotionally. I keep thinking I need to get better soon. I really need to get over this before Wednesday. If I turn up with my nose running like this, the cleanroom supervisor would throw me out with spectacularly good justification, and it would cause a lot more delay than last time (which was just, "You have hair sticking out under your cap. Go out and fix it. Remember to change your gloves.")

It's midwinter. I think I'm going to make some tea and spend the rest of the afternoon in bed with Will Stanton.

computer question

Using a mouse is problematic for my hands. I don't want advice about ergonomic mice--I've tried dozens and they have all been more or less disastrous. I have an old Fellowes touchpad that works pretty well. (I think it works for me because it lets me do all the pointing with the fingers of either hand, without calling for opposable thumbs.) One is supposed to plug it into the mouseport of a computer, and use it instead of a mouse. When my new employer set up a computer for me, Thursday afternoon, I noticed it did not have a mouseport. It has lots of USB ports, instead.

I need to buy something that will let me plug the 6-pin mouseport thingee into a USB port. Where could I buy such a thing? (Either, what kind of store, generally? Or what specific store around Cambridge, that is open tomorrow or Tuesday? Or what specific store around Canton that is open early Wednesday morning?) And what is the thing CALLED? Transformer? Adapter? A search engine, or even a frazzled, overworked store clerk on Dec. 24, is likely to take keywords like "USB" and "mouse" and point me in exactly the wrong direction.

Ordering online and waiting a week is not an acceptable option.