Swine don't you just call it what it is....

The current swine flu pandemic has caused some common things that annoy me to resurface. Well, actually just one main thing. Throwing up and other stomach related symptoms are not symptoms of the flu. I realize we call it the "stomach flu," but that is just a euphemism for diarrhea and throwing up; it has nothing to do with the influenza virus. I'd like to say that I'm just privy to this information because I come from a family of doctors and so I'm in on some sort of secret that the rest of the population just doesn't know. That's not the case though. I honestly don't think this piece of knowledge has anything to do with my family's background in the medical field. My knowledge about Hepatitis C, acid reflux and colonoscopies can all be attributed to the family business, influenza cannot be. Rather, I am simply just an average laymen who reads the newspaper. Without fail, every single year before flu season gets underway there is an article in every single news source about the symptoms of the flu. The symptoms are much like those of the common cold, accompanied by a high fever and body aches. You'll also learn that antibiotics will prove useless against the flu virus because, well, antibiotics only help against bacterial infections not viral ones.

So folks, pick up a newspaper, turn on CNN, go to wikipedia, read WebMD like the hypochondriac you are...I don't care how you do it, but once and for all learn the facts about what the symptoms of the flu are. Oh, and be sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water...we don't need to be catching swine flu.

Make it a sad one

Sad songs are interesting. They have a strange power about them. While they bring you down, maybe make you cry, make you get introspective, you can't help but listen to them over and over again. On my drive home tonight, I was listening to Neko Case's cover of Don't Forget Me. Before I knew it, I had listened to the song at least eight times and was crying. I remember the first time I listened to it I was about two blocks from work and all over a sudden had this over whelming emotional reaction. I don't know what hit me that first time, but now the song makes me think of a variety of people and events -- lost friends, missed opportunities, things I never said.

Songs that make me cry, no matter how hard I try not to:

1. Neko Case- Don't Forget Me



2. Jimmy Buffet- Little Miss Magic


3. Mariah Carey- Hero




Don't make me cry, but might as well because they make me think of sad things, yet I love them and can't stop listening to them:

1. I'm From Barcelona- Treehouse


2. Patsy Cline- Crazy


3. Bonnie "Prince" Billy- Easy Does It

Writer's Block

I've been trying write my story about air handling systems all morning. So far, I've gotten six sentences down. Woo only 1,200 more words to go. To help me get through, I've been listening to Peter, Bjorn & Johns' album "Writer's Block." It's not really helping, but I still like it.

I couldn't find a video for the song Writer's Block, but I love this song and it brings back happy memories. Enjoy.

100,000 and counting

Today at 8 a.m. somewhere in Johnson Creek driving along Hwy 26, with The New Pornographers playing on my stereo, the 3 (my car) hit 100,000 miles. The big milestone came just 3 years, 10 months and 23 days after buying my car. Together the 3 and I have been on quite the adventure. Hundreds to thousands of trips back and forth between Milwaukee and Fort Atkinson, hundreds of trips between Milwaukee and LaGrange/Chicago, two trips to Louisville, Ky. and all over the state of Wisconsin. My original Illinois plates (KIME K8) still reside inside the 3. I just recently moved them from under the driver's seat to tucked nicely in the pocket behind the driver's seat, comfortably next to the Jim Bean license plate dad brought me back from the Jim Bean distillery. We've seen our fair share of problems too. I remember the first scratch the 3 got. I was going to Sarah's place when she lived on Kane. It was super dark out and raining. I was parrallel parking on the east side of Farwell. There's a tiny nick on the back bumper from where I hit the car behind me. The next sent of scratches are along the trunk. These lovely specs of yellow are from the 102.1 scooter we tried to fit in my trunk when Katie was moving to Knoxville. After much shoving and some love taps, we thankfully gave up and the scooter didn't find a home with me. There's some hail damage on the hood from when I lived in Wauwatosa and had to park outside.

We've shared some pretty intense winters together too, me and the 3. Let's not forget the blizzard of 2006. I quickly learned the 3 was not built for Milwaukee winters, but we've made it through. A few more bad winters followed, but I was more prepared. A shovel and an emergency kit (never used, knock on wood) have found a permanent home in the 3's trunk. Not wanting their daughter to get stuck in the snow again, my parents gave me some tread things that also have a permanent home in the trunk. The most recent adventure in our love hate relationship came last week when I brought 3 in for her 90,000 mile check up with Mazda. Just $1,450 later I hope she appreciates all I've done for her. I thought I was showing her enough attention, but I guess I was wrong. I promise to treat you even better, 3.

With recently new tires, new windshield wipers, new rear breaks, a fixed front passenger side wheel, the 3 and me are set for at least another 50,000 miles.

Take my breath away

I've known since I was 18 and first came up to Milwaukee that it was going to be worse for my allergies than Chicago was. Every year in September I would get a sinus infection. Sophomore year my room flooded and I soon after developed a severe headache problem. After several trips to Student Health, a neurologist and an MRI, I was diagnosed with "atypical migraines". Translation, we're not sure what the hell is wrong with you. It was suggested that the flood could have caused a mold problem. I told the school and they said they had checked and found nothing. I don't believe they really checked, but whatever. Flash forward three years. After graduating I moved out to Tosa and started getting strep throat and tonsillitis like most people catch the common cold. Once again a mold situation seemed to be the problem.

Milwaukee is constantly under a air quality warning. All summer long I am one of those people who the recommend stay in doors. Today, I'm in the midst of a wicked asthma attack. Luckily I had my inhaler with me. I took too puffs and went back to working. About half an hour later nothing had changed. I went out in search of a trigger. No one around me has flowers. I'm just sitting at my desk, and it's not like typing is particularly strenuous. I took two more puffs. Back to work. Twenty minutes later, there is still no improvement. I decide I'll go step outside for a little breather in hopes the fresh air will help somehow. Boy was the air fresh, it reaked of cow manure and I didn't last very long. I bent over in hopes of that helping, but mostly I just got dizzy. Two more puffs and then I returned inside. I sat in my chair with my head between my knees looking like a crazy person. Here were are probably about an hour later and my chest is still tight, I'm coughing every few minutes, which then makes me gasp for air and I'm all shakey from taking my inhaler so much. Partay.

My asthma as gotten increasingly worse over the last four or so years. When I was first diagnosed it was strictly exercise induced. Now it is more random and I often can't place the trigger, other than poor air quality and polution.

It's actually bad for my health to be living here. Check out the No. 2 city on this list.

Goals

Just a list; that's all.

1. Run two more 8k races before the end of the year in under 60 min. (Al's Run and Turkey Trot)
2. Run a 10k
3. Finish the short story I started in August
4. Get the hell back to Chicago
5. Only drink coffee in the morning; no more than two "cups."
6. Make it to at least 5 Sox games, not counting Opening Day.

And now some words of wisdom from the White Sox.

Grinder Ball Rule 17: Never be satisfied with what you have achieved. It pales in comparison to what you can achieve.

Acting like adults

I think the car ordeal is more or less behind us. The guy downstairs was taking the dog out when I was walking in last night, but I was on the phone telling my friend she could come get her car. We gave each other an awkward hello and I said the car would be gone within the hour. Then I continued on my way still on the phone. I immediately made a second phone call to RSVP for a party when there was a knock on my door. He had brought up my mail for me. I finished up my call and we sort of talked things out. I was way nicer than I had to be, but frankly prolonging any sort of feud is not worth my time or my effort. I made it clear that the slab is meant for two cars and one of the spots is mine. I said sorry again. We both agreed that we didn't want to have a poor neighbor relationship and it would all be in the past. Hopefully the girlfriend who was the problem in the first place feels the same way. I wouldn't mind an apology either since I've apologized tenfold and didn't technically do anything wrong.

And then we go back to 4th grade

Last night two of my coworkers crashed at my place after the three of us went to a concert. Since the parking slab behind my place is meant for two cars and one of those spots is technically mine, I told my friend to park her car back there. I was sure to tell her to park as close to the garbage cans as she could so that my neighbor downstairs could fit her car in. Seems normal, right? Last night around midnight my neighbor came stomping up the stairs to complain about someone being in her spot. Ok fine, there normally is no other car there so ok. I apologize and say I'll move my car to the street or the slab since it's smaller and she can park in my spot in the garage for the night. Ok fine. So I head outside, leaving the back door open behind me. After a few minutes it becomes obvious that she's not coming out to move her car at the same time as me. I go ahead and park on the street and assume she'll move it later. Instead of parking on the street or squeezing onto the parking slab, she has parked my friend in. Fast forward to 5:30 a.m.: the car is still there. After much hassle, I track down the guy who lives downstairs phone number from my landlord and politely ask if he can give her a call and ask her to move the car, as my friend needs to go to work. He tells me he'll call, but she won't move it because she's mad I didn't move the car last night. What!?! How was I going to move the car when she was blocking it?! As of 10:45 the car still had not been moved but my friend had her boyfriend pick her up. If the car is still there at 6 when I get home tonight, I will once again politely ask them to move it if they are home. If they are not, the city will be called.

Oh, and did I mention my neighbors are in their late 20s-early 30s? Yes, they are actiling like they are 10.