My drug of choice is...

Theraflu, specifically the Daytime Severe Cold version of the medicine. This stuff is crazy. I have no idea what they put in it to make me so hyper and full of energy but it works very well. I mean it makes me want to just do chores all day long. The only thing that kept me from cleaning everything in sight was the knowledge that I was in fact sick, despite how I felt, and that my incredibly runny nose would just spread germs as quickly as I cleaned.

That's my only complaint, it decongests and therefore does not stop a runny nose. As soon as it wears off, I remember why I took it in the first place, but until then having a head cold does little to stop me from doing more, with more energy, than I ever do when I'm perfectly well. I think I already feel an addiction forming, so hopefully I'll be fully well by tomorrow(and I won't have an excuse to use it). I'm having trouble resisting the tempting thought that this could be rather useful, for those days off when I just don't feel like doing chores.

The problem with whatever energizing ingredient they put in this version of theraflu(it isn't listed, at least not that I can tell) is that it makes me want to stop resting and do something, anything to keep from being idle. The benefit is that it helps me focus. Yesterday, after finishing up making a delicious pot of soup, doing the dishes, taking out the trash and fighting off the urge to clean the entire top of the fridge(believe me it is nasty) I was able to read for a couple of hours with such focus that I finished way more than I expected to. It doesn't make me feel the way caffeine does. I know this because all caffeine does is help me not focus and frazzle my little nerves.

What is in the theraflu? Can I get huge amounts of it? How much does it cost? Is it highly dangerous and addictive? I think this could be useful if I ever get to grad school.

Perhaps I'll just have to start saving up all my nasty chores for when I'm sick and have an excuse to take this delightful drug =)

If you ever feel too nerdy...

...just follow me to LA on a super nerd shopping trip. We went to a Japanese bookstore with tons of manga(all in Japanese), three giant robot stores, two comic book shops, the giant Amoeba in Hollywood and a few incidental places such as a very yummy sushi place, a pinkberry, a cute Japanese things store, and a bohemian cafe.

It was fun but tiring. We so rarely leave the house that it felt so nice to actually see another city. LA has some great places and is packed full of more options than anybody could ever use in a lifetime. That's why it's a great place to visit but probably not a place for me to live. I like the tension that one finds in cities such as Portland and Seattle(none to be found in San Diego though) but LA actually has too much of it. It is too busy, dirty and crowded, but all that provides some great shopping options.

A moritorium on food

The Fancy Food Show is amazing. But I think I burned out the taste receptors in my tongue. I know I ate too much chocolate because I actually told Matthew not to let me eat any chocolate for at least a week(didn't last but a mere 24 hours). Dinner last night just tasted like nothing to me. Everything was so bland yesterday. So strange. What a horrible feeling; it just makes eating no fun.

The kindness of strangers

I always complain about how rude and unhelpful people are, but then I find out that I, in fact, might need just a bit more help in life than others should be expected to give me. The other night, I left work, backed out of my parking spot, drove around a couple of corners, over a few bumps, stopped at a couple stop signs and while waiting at a stop light felt a slight bit of terror as a very nice, elderly man tapped on my car window to let me know that I "had a mess of bread on the trunk of my car." I thanked him profusely, grabbed the bread and headed on my way, amazed at my stupidness and thankful that there are very nice and observant people in the world.

christmas stress

So, I've traded work related holiday stress for family and bad weather related holiday stress. we'll see how well I survive this year =)

Santa San

So, not sure if it's the time of year(actually I'm sure it is) but the face on this picture of the gastrointestinal tract looks exactly like santa claus.

I've come to the conclusion as to why I don't like Christmas as much as other people. I hate Santa Claus. I have no cheery memories of believing in him or thinking that he would actually bring me presents(we didn't even celebrate xmas until I was 3). So, in my mind he exists simply as a rather creepy lie that adults, particularly parents(who are supposed to be the most trustworthy people), tell children. Presumably to control them, at least that's must be how it started out, during the tedious, cramped indoors months of fall and winter. These adults, in fact, go to great lengths to keep the children in the dark about the fact that he isn't real. And we wonder why people in our society grow up without an honest bone in their little bodies. I can't believe all the deception and tricks that people pull on sales clerks around this time of year. It's rather appalling, even at our tiny shop for rich people we've had quite the round of dishonest maneuvers from customers.

So, Matthew picked up the Sufjan Stevens Christmas boxed set which is fantastic. X-mas songs are the only part about christmas that I really like(that and chubby stockings hanging about the house) so I was very excited about this set. It is fantastic, and did not disappoint in any way. The funny part is that one of the songs is titled "Get Behind me, Santa," which I took to be a play on the Biblical phrase, "Get thee behind me Satan." Now that I look a the title and words I don't really know if that's true. But my new catch phrase for this year is "Get thee behind me Santa!"

In my flurry of making gifts for people and working extra so that I can buy gifts for the people who I can't make them for, I have had little time to blog. Perhaps that'll pick up after the dreaded holiday, which actually proves to be potentially pleasant. It always does and it usually disappoints. But, you never know what could happen =)

I'm a complainer...

not a solution maker, like these people. Apparently I'm not the only one who worries tremendously about my old socks and their place in the world.