Thursday, January 14, 2010

Random grumblings and snotty nonsense

Geez, colds suck. I guess I haven't had one in ages, because yesterday was just the most miserable day I've had in I don't know how long...

They make Puffs tissues with the Vicks vapor stuff built in. I find this both helpful and hilarious.

I call them Dad colds. Dad and I both used to get colds that were attached to one eye. You get tingles in your nose and then both that nostril and the corresponding eye run. It's a blast. Weird thing is, with Dad, it was the right eye; with me, it's the left. That's also my lazy eyelid, so I end up looking like I'm on drugs or something. Which I kind of am. Been trying several remedies since the shocker that Drixoral is no longer on the market in the States (yeah, that'll stop the home manufacturing of crystal meth, good call, jackasses)...the Sudafed non-drowsy 12-hour was good for keeping me awake and relieving the sinus headache, but disappointing in the nose department. Today I'm trying Publix's brand of Claritin, but I think the Zicam chewables and sleep are doing the most good. Crashed for 2 hours when I got home yesterday, and slept a lot better last night. Patience...thank goodness the week is coming in for a landing.

Haiti...I wish I could donate. I wish I could fly down there and help. Bandage a wounded person, hold someone in my arms while they cry. I've felt a special something for Haiti ever since Oprah "discovered" Edwidge Danticat 15ish years ago and spotlighted Breath, Eyes, Memory in her book club. Danticat writes haunting novels; she's a tremendous talent.

That said, anyone of the Christian persuasion who comes out and says that Haiti's getting what they deserve is a flaming asshole. There oughta be a special voodoo doll out there with Pat Robertson's name on it this morning. Close-minded, self-righteous moron.

Had my aversion to the death penalty tested for about 5 minutes yesterday. My mom came really close to being a juror in a high-profile trial here in town this week. Back in 2006, an 8-year-old girl was murdered in a drive-by shooting. The story goes that she died because she shielded her young cousins with her body when she heard the bullets start flying. Three brothers are standing trial for her murder with at least 2 up for potential death penalty sentencing, because this is Florida after all, and we're trying to catch up with Texas. But it's one of those stories that makes you wince, and wish you could beat the suspects to a bloody pulp yourself...or it tests your humanity by making you wish that they at least get life in prison so that they have years of being butt-raped to look forward to. That can't be a thought much more humane than pro-death penalty. But then I gave it a real think, a step-back think, and my pacifism is intact. Killing bad people doesn't stop the killing, any more than incarcerating them for the rest of their lives does. But the peace I believe in and search for won't happen in my lifetime, or my children's children's lifetimes likely, so we do the best we can for now. If that keeps me off juries in the future because I can't shove a needle into somebody, so be it.

Heh, did I call Pat Robertson self-righteous earlier? Better take a glance in the mirror after this post /:)

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