Allergies (Or: Mucus, the Scourge of Mankind)

It seems that I have a very responsive immune system. Which I guess is good overall.

Unfortunately, my body cannot distinguish between a malicious bug and ordinary pollen. This is bad because the main ingredient of the air this time of year is pollen. And so, my allergies are incapacitating me.

I just wish I could make my immune system understand that no, pollen isn't a threat. There's no need to go Red Alert, Condition One. Besides, what good does it do for my survival if my allergies make me unable to breathe or eat?

Sidelined by Semantics

Another post about the wacky and infuriating world of US politics.

First Barack Obama, then John McCain get themselves into hot water because they use the term "wasted" to characterize the deaths of soldiers in Iraq. Then the retraction - they meant to use the term "sacrificed" instead.

Let's look at the definitions:

• Waste: to consume, spend, or employ without adequate return
• Sacrifice:the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim

So which term you use should have more to do with your opinion of the war, not whether or not the term has a negative connotation.

The worst part of the semantic sparring is that it distracts us from having a discussion about the things that matter - what we are doing there, what we should do next, etc. You can spend tons of time arguing about "waste" vs. "sacrifice" or "civil war" vs. "sectarian violence", but nothing is getting done in the meantime.

Sigh.


[Listening to: "L' Incertitude d'Heisenberg" by Télépopmusik]

The Asian Tour of Pain

Nine months since the braces went on, and everything is going according to plan, though very slowly.

I'm in the elastic band stage, which supposedly helps line up my bite. The elastics my ortho gives out uses countries to identify the size and strength of the bands, which I guess is useful. I started out with Japan, which seemed uncomfortable at the time, but not too bad. I now realize that Japan is a far nicer place to be than Thailand. Thailand bands are small and extremely strong. It's not been fun.

I'm glad that ibuprofen is plentiful.

To Sleep, Or Maybe Not

The thing I really hate about insomnia is that it occurs only between the hours of 11pm and 6am. Any other time, I could fall asleep immediately. So it seems that I can only fall asleep when I'm not allowed to do so.

Fun times.


[Listening to: "Knock 'Em Out" by Lily Allen]

Thank God It's Almost Over

Election season, that is.

I am sick and tired of the incessant campaign commercials where Candidate X claims that his /her opponent is a psychopath who kicks puppies for fun and who, if elected, will cause America to be sucked into the Seventh Circle of Hell. Whereas Candidate X's election will ensure that your life will be filled with happiness and sunshine and no taxes.

What won't end tomorrow is the speculation about what the future holds if the Democrats manage to take back at least one of the Houses of Congress. Here's a hint - it won't change anything of substance. The government will be just as fucked up next year as it is today. But it may be more entertaining.



[Listening to: "Fly Me Away" by Goldfrapp]