one iteration

My encounter with a RNA virus was a quiet one. A tickle in my throat was its only signal. It was Thursday night and I was at home, feeling weird. The next day my throat was a little sore. “Damn those cells,” I said, “they must be having parties up in there while I’m sleeping.”

I had Chipotle for lunch with Lizzie, a friend from out of town. Then I said hello to Shilpa as she was passing through, and needed a spot of help with her trusty Powerbook. That evening my throat was sore and acidic, a unholy mixture of Influenza and Chipotle. But I wouldn’t know how unholy until the next day.

The next day came, I felt worse.  Paged Leah and we arranged that I’d pick her up (since I had the car).  So I did.  Armed with Subway sandwiches and movies we returned.  Not long after that, I began my descent into RNA hell.

A couple hours later I had a fever of almost 104 degrees.  I didn’t emerge from that thicket until four days later and two vacation days poorer.  Not once in those days did my body temp ever go below 100 degrees (maybe 99.9).

The influenza virus is not to be trifled with, mere humans.  Run and vaccinate yourselves!  While you can!

Just go here.

Face

Submitted by Paul Crutcher

In the modern world, most of our meat is so far removed from the animal that we only rarely contemplate the connection. This comfortable detachment is impossible with face. And in China, where I am, people eat it. Rabbit face looks strikingly similar to those pictures of people in front of a powerful fan, cheeks flapping, eyes askew. It’s almost indistinguishable from duck or chicken face in that, once you’re past the “I am eating a face” part, the experience is much like the familiar inane fight with the gristly bits of meat on a leg bone. Fish face differs because it’s often served attached to the fish. You contemplate the face after a good-natured Chinese friend has deftly decapitated it and dropped it into your bowl. You’re told that it’s a delicacy, and famous in this or that region. Then you’re left fidgeting with your chopsticks for tiny speckles of fish meat, trying to talk your way out of consuming the eyes.

From McSweenys.net 

Walking in the graveyard gives me the willies, but hey, anything for a photo.  Click below to see some nice, grave pictures. 

Hi faithful blog readers –

I’ve debuted a new feature — a photo album/gallery that’s all hooked up to my flickr account. You can access it by clicking “Photos” on my menu in the sidebar, or by clicking here.

In the album, you can click on individual pictures and page through them, or click on the slideshow link — which will take you to a Flickr-supplied slideshow. Cheers and enjoy.

P.S.  Debut album is New Orleans.  Here’s a taste:  SoHo Tullier!