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Allergy Season

"Allergy season" is an incredible misnomer. For those of us who experience "seasonal" allergies, it really means that we have reactions to different allergens at different times of the year. Does that make it easier to treat? I don't know. As far as I can tell, seasonal allergy sufferers just have to suck it up and go to the doctor, or hope that their favorite antihistamine is available over the counter.

As for me, after coming back from our wonderful trip to Colorado, my allergies really flared up. It felt like my head was stuffed with cotton, and none of my medication (including the prescribed Allegra) was working. So, I made a trip to the doctor, who gave me three, (count them three) prescriptions to take care of my allergies. I'm apparently working slowly up through the arsenal of antihistamines and nasal steriods in an effort to stem the sniffling and sneezing.

So far, things seem to be working. This is in light of the fact that the medications will not fully kick in until later this week, but for now, at least I can draw a breath through my nose. Its the simple things... like breathing... that we often take for granted, I suppose.

HowStuffWorks.com has this to say about allergies (a small part of the article titled How Your Immune System Works):

Allergies are another form of immune system error. For some reason, in people with allergies, the immune system strongly reacts to an allergen that should be ignored. The allergen might be a certain food, or a certain type of pollen, or a certain type of animal fur. For example, a person allergic to a certain pollen will get a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, etc. This reaction is caused primarily by mast cells in the nasal passages. In reaction to the pollen the mast cells release histamine. Histamine has the effect of causing inflammation, which allows fluid to flow from blood vessels. Histamine also causes itching. To eliminate these symptoms the drug of choice is, of course, an antihistamine.

Surprisingly, the Aventis pharmaceutical company has a great online resource for allergy sufferers, and does not preach or advertize their particular products too much (at least not the current web site, or unlike the sites for Allegra and Clarinex). See Keeping Allergies Under Control for an example.

Anyhoo, the new regimen should take care of things for a while. If not, I guess I'll just have to buy a wet/dry vac.

2003 Vacation to Colorado Springs, Colorado

We got home yesterday afternnon from our trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado. We had a great time and took lots of photos. I'll post some photos soon.

Euripides

I'm re-reading A History of Knowledge, written by Charles Van Doren. I was impressed by the following passage, taken from Euripides' Suppliant Women:

When the people vote on war, nobody recons
On his own death; it is too soon; he thinks
Some other man will meet that wretched fate.
But if death faced him when he cast his vote,
Hellas would never perish from battle-madness.
And yet we men all know which of two words
Is better, and can weigh the good and bad
They bring: how much better is peace than war!
First and foremost, the Muses love her best;
And the goddess of vengeance hates her. She delights
In healthy children, and she glories in wealth.
But wickedly we throw this all away
To start our wars and make the losers slaves -
Man binding man and city chaining city.

The above translation is somewhat different from the one below, but tells the same story.

For whenso the city has to vote on the question of war, no man ever takes his own death into account, but shifts this misfortune on to his neighbour; but if death had been before their eyes when they were giving their votes, Hellas would ne'er have rushed to her doom in mad desire for battle. And yet each man amongst us knows which of the two to prefer, the good or ill, and how much better peace is for mankind than war,-peace, the Muses' chiefest friend, the foe of sorrow, whose joy is in glad throngs of children, and its delight in prosperity. These are the blessings we cast away and wickedly embark on war, man enslaving his weaker brother, and cities following suit. (see The Suppliants translation by E. P. Coleridge )

I'll not expound on my thoughts at the moment, because I need to let them simmer a bit, but the substance of the message seems to ring true: Imagine voting to send yourself to war. Reasons may prevent us from doing so, but it certainly changes the game when we are involved, when we are not just spectators. I would have a hard time voting myself onto the battlefield, but I can see and imagine reasons I would do so. Conscientious-objector status notwithstanding, self defense is self-preservation, both for myself and my family. I reserve my right to defend my own life, liberty, and happiness. When it comes to sending others to fight, unfortunately, it's much easier to "send" armies to war than to "lead" them into battle, or even personally participate, something that Euripides was able to articulate in 422 B.C.

No, this is not a political statement on my part. No, it does not represent my feelings about the current conflict in Iraq. It does, however, bring to the forefront of my mind the idea that we owe it to ourselves to learn from the past.

Good Humor

You are probably wondering why it's Good Humor when there is no ice cream to be found here, right? Well, if you want ice cream go to Dairy Queen or Friendly's. If you want to laugh, read on.

For years, I've been reading columns and books by Dave Barry, a strange, but very funny guy who writes for the Miami Herald. He takes everyday topics and turns them on their ear, or sometimes flat-out right-side-up, and causes me to laugh. Sometimes uncontrolably. Sometimes in public, like at the airport.

My mom had a few Dave Barry books aroud the house when I was younger, and she suggested I read one. I now know why my dad won't let her read them in bed, since I think my wife feels the same way. Laughing out loud at 12:30AM when your spouse wants to be sleeping is not a good way to keep them happy. Despite my thoughts to the contrary, she really does not want to hear "just one more" and often just wants me to read somewhere else, thank you very much.

Dave Barry has a lot of material with which to draw his musings, and often from the curious social/cultural behaviors of Americans. I sometimes react by lightly chuckling. Sometimes by outright chortling, and sometimes by taking a big gulp of air and letting it escape machine-gun like through my lips, hoping that I don't 1) snort, or 2) let loose with laughter loud enough to wake the neighbors or alert the boss that I'm doing something non-work related. Oh, I mean research.

See She's the Life of the Potty or Dirty Thoughts Could Lead to Cleaner Clothes -- just a couple samples of the hundreds of funny columns. Read through the archives or flip through a few of his books in a bookstore and you'll quickly laugh yourself silly.

Relaxation

"What is that contraption?" you might ask the first time you see one of these things. I had the good pleasure of relaxing in a SKY Chair a number of years ago in Massachusetts. I've been enamored with them since, but never took the opportunity to buy one.

So I've been checking out their Web site (www.SKYChair.com), contemplating colors and options. Some of you may say, "hey, don't you already have a Pawley's Island Hammock? Why do you want a SKY Chair? Let alone two?"

Well the answer is simple. I love my hammock and believe it needs companionship. Just kidding. I've been contemplating buying one for my wife for her upcoming birthday. Personally, I love taking naps outside, bathed in warm sunlight and the truth is, I fall asleep in the hammock every single time I'm in it but sometimes I just want to sit up and read a book, or watch the neighbors do yardwork while I'm relaxing (that feels great). So, do I need something new? Probably not. Do I think it would be a fun thing to have? Yup. Consumerism at it's best. And hey, it's really not very expensive.

And what a great gift!

So I have to decide on the color and a couple little options (do I want the footrest and swivel attachment?) but then I think it's a done deal. I'll post a couple pictures after it has arrived and I've put it up.

Not Playing in Theatres

Yesterday morning over coffee, the comment "When will the war be coming out on DVD?" was recounted to me. It was surely a comment made in jest, but amplifies the general feeling that the conflict in Iraq is not fully regarded as a "war" as we are accustomed to either defining a state of war, or visualizing what war "looks like."

Just like so much "entertainment" these days, I'd rather spend my time doing something else like taking the dog for a walk, jogging, or getting a root canal.