Sunday, June 12, 2005

Sick

I woke up officially SICK today. I am rarely sick and it's a good thing because I'm not very good at it. This is an earache that started yesterday, got worse when I was in the studio last night and was full force this morning. My throat was so sore I could hardly swallow, but it all seems to be coming from the left ear.

I got up this morning and took some psuedafed and realized I'm almost out. I'm sick rarely enough that I always have to go buy more every time because the other has expired and I've tossed it. Well, of course, getting psuedafed is nearly impossible.

I called Walmart - they said I could get it from the pharmacy until 5. It was 5:07. Hello!?!?!? I called Target - yeah, it's on the shelf. Well, they have something called psuedafed on the shelf, but it's a "new formula." I don't want the freaking new formula. I want the crap that works.

Of course, it's because of meth that we can't have these simple things - like cold medicine that works. I understand all the reason. But, I'm sick and I'm grumpy and I want my damned psuedafed. The fact that law enforcement can't do their job is not a good reason for me to not be able to buy cold medicine.

I know... grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. But it pisses me off about every 18 months or so when I go to buy some and it's some huge ordeal to lay my hands on it. You'd think it's the illicit drug. It's an odd situation when I guess I need to buy the psuedafed on the street.

I just want the simple little red pills. It's fine if you only want to sell me a dozen at a time. I'll be well long before I use all those, but it annoys me that I can't buy something that works wonders because other people abuse it and the system that's supposed to stop the people who abuse it doesn't work well. OK... I'll shut up about that.

Greg and I went to Lone Star for dinner and I was hungry, which I take as a good sign. It was pretty funny - they had so many people working they were actually bumping into each other. Our server had someone following him that he was training. I really want two things from the server when I eat out - my drink full and my food the temperature it's supposed to be. At one point my glass was empty and I counted 9 employees in my field of view, none of whom seemed to be doing anything. A manager visited our table three times. I don't need you to be my friend. I need you to fill up my glass. But, you can't help but laugh. It reminded me of going to Fazolis. I love their product, and everyone seems to be working, but no one is doing anything that is related to me getting my food.

I have felt better as the day has progressed. If my ear isn't much better by in the morning I'll go to the doctor - no easy decision for me to make - but it will be necessary. I don't have time to be sick this week with the garden tour a week from today.

Of course, it's pouring rain here today so I hope that is not the case a week from now. That will be very bad for us. The extended forecast is good but it's hard to have confidence when we're under a flood warning now. I'll just hope for the best - obviously I can't control the weather.

Well, I think it's back upstairs for me to rest for a bit. I took my temperature - although I didn't feel like I had any - and I don't. It's 96.5, which is low, as mine normally is. Norm Shealy would have something to say about that.

Guilty Pleasures

I believe television runs people's lives far too much. Now, that's not to say that I don't watch TV. I do. But I don't "just" watch TV. I have it on while I'm doing other things - working on the computer, painting, cooking, etc.

I make it a point to not know when specific shows come on. I catch them or I don't. I don't ever rush home for a show, or schedule around it. That's way too much control for television to have over my life.

OK, all of that said... I have a new guilty pleasure - "Meet the Barkers." I generally eschew reality shows, but this odd couple draws my attention. In case you haven't caught this little gem, it stars heavily inked Travis Barker and his playmate/Miss USA wife. Travis is the drummer for Blink 182 and considered one of the great musical talents of our time - so drum people say - I wouldn't know the difference, myself.

I don't know when it comes on, but whenever I've caught it I've enjoyed it. OK, I've only seen it a couple of times, and I wouldn't want to be best friends with these two, but it's interesting to peek into this world.