Eezing My Misery

I get sick a lot. Why? We're not quite sure. But if you have a virus, I promise I will get it - despite having hand sanitizer on my desk at work, in my car, and in my purse - despite taking vitamin C tablets every day.

Echinacea seems to less my symptoms and I have sworn by it for years. But I recently found a new homeopathic treatment that has helped greatly with my three most recent colds. Usually I'm sick for a week, at least. Now I'm sick for three days - and not nearly as miserable.

Cold-Eeze

The medical community has done trial after trial and they're still not convinced. But here's the real reason why I think it works:

"The significant reduction in the duration of common colds with zinc gluconate lozenges may be due to the subjects' belief that anything tasting as bad as zinc and with as much aftertaste as zinc must be good medicine" (Farr and Gwaltney, 1987).

Yes, this stuff is good medicine.

Solidarity

I was a teensy-bit cranky on the drive home today. And then Mr. Blue Honda decided to pull out in front of me on Plymouth Ave. Normally I would lay on the horn in such a situation but I noticed his bumper sticker.
Bad driving forgiven. Let's get it done.

Sarah Palin Makes Me Want to Vomit/I Adore Tina Fey

That's a bit harsh, I guess. Sarah Palin doesn't make me want to vomit. The idea of Sarah Palin as VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES makes me want to vomit. I mean, really. What is going on??

8 More Shocking Revelations About Sarah Palin

RNC Protests

There's a whole lot to read about the protests during the RNC and the unwarranted violence and force used by police - not to mention the many, many illegal arrests. Feel free to check any number of alternative media sites.
http://twincities.indymedia.org/
http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/

But I'm glad to see that even the mainstream media is acknowledging the injustice - the video below is from the Pioneer Press. I'm guessing it's only because so many of their journalists were arrested but that's okay, as long as it's acknowledged.

It all makes me a little sick, really. I understand there's a fine balance between security and honoring the first amendment (and basic human rights, for that matter) but I'd argue that we definitely missed it this past week. I'm disappointed in you, St. Paul.

Families, Love & Summertime

A weekend with my family in Minnesota's beautiful lake country helps to remind me what matters.

I don't need to - earn six figures/end global poverty/travel the world/be CEO - to be happy.

I'll be just fine with-

a yard and some flowers ... kids and then grandkids ... church every Sunday ... birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, baptisms ... friends to grow old with ... someone I am in love with forever ...

and a summer day up north at the lake.

______________________________
at a little wooden cabin
up in northern minnesota
we ran together down to the dock
and you jumped right off it
and from out in the water
you called me to join you
and i said baby i cannot swim
if i jump i’ll surely drown you
you said life has no limit
if you’re not afraid to get in it

and oh baby i jumped to you
since then there’s nothing i can’t do

i'm never gonna give you up
what do you got if you ain't got love

If You Ain't Got Love, Mason Jennings
______________________________

I'm a large medium roast with soy milk and splenda.

Number of possible choices available to a customer at the average Starbucks:

189,520

"Starbucks is one of the most prominent cultural examples of providing people with an opportunity to create their identity by providing practically unlimited choice."

Starbucks, the New Coffee Culture, and Why it Reflects Our Changing World

Perspective

If we can shrink the world's population to a village of only 100 people, keeping all existing ratios the same, that village would look like this:

there would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere -- north and south -- and 21 Africans;

52 would be female;

70 would be nonwhite and 30 white;

70 would be non-Christian and 30 would be Christian.

6 of the 100 people would own 59% of all the wealth in the world, and all 6 of those people would be from the United States.

80 of the 100 people would live in substandard housing.

70 would be unable to read and write.

50 would suffer from malnutrition.

1 would have a college education.

Julian Bond
N.A.A.C.P. chairman
The New York Times: May 29, 2000

In Love with Love

The day Drive105 went away and Love105 took its place was a rough one here in the Twin Cities. I refused to listen to Love, and thought it was the worst premise for a radio station ever, until just a few days ago when I landed there accidentally.


Turns out it's the best mix of summertime music EVER. I think my mom once said something about judging a book... blah, blah, blah. Lesson learned.

This is the best of what I've heard so far:

Frank Sinatra - Beyond the Sea
Bee Gees - More Than a Woman
Neil Diamond - Cherry Cherry
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Frankie Valli - Grease is the Word
Bob Dylan - Lay, Lady, Lay

ps- Disco is back.

Mint Chocolate Chip

Best part of being a grown up (hands down):
ice cream for dinner.

I could probably do without the rest of it (business casual, 401k, moral responsibility) but mint chocolate chip anytime I want it makes adulthood a-ok in my book.

Sneezing Panda

This is definitely the funniest part of my week, so far.