Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!

I’ve reached the stage in my trip where I am absolutely desperate to hear an Australian accent.

I mean it. Everytime something even remotely sounds Australian on the TV, I stop what I’m doing and come running. The Sunchip ad is my favourite, although I’m still trying to figure out why they have an Aussie doing their voiceover.

Australian characters keep popping up in television shows and, instead of thinking about how unbelievably ocker these people sound, I just think, “Yep, that’s the stuff.”

I can’t listen to American radio, strangely. I’ve been trying to figure out why. I think it’s because I’m so used to hearing American accents on the telly at home, so it’s no big deal, but I’m not used to hearing them on the radio. I won’t even listen to the American Top 40 at home, so I’m not about to start here, I guess.

I’ve recently started watching the morning news suite on ABC2 on-line. Mind you, it’s an afternoon broadcast for me. It’s also one way to get a look at what is happening in the world, rather than just what is happening in the USA. The reported lack of US news about international affairs is not exaggerated back home. The only time you hear about anything happening elsewhere is if it is in direct relationship to the USA.

Quite strange for anyone who has grown up with balanced, neutral journalistic standards – cause they don’t exist here either. In fact, I find myself appalled at the absolute contempt with which a lot of the commentators treat their listeners (esp. on the conservative side of things), but that’s another post I think.

I am feeling much better. I woke up feeling quite ill and weak, with a high temperature and excruciating joint pain, especially in my hands and wrists. The pain is still there but, as of about an hour ago, I feel much better over all. I also have doctor friends emailing me at regular intervals to check on how I’m going – so sweet!

I think a nutritious meal and a good night’s sleep and I should be back to – almost – normal.

Then back to the manuscript tomorrow, hopefully.

ttfn.

S.

I’m a chicken when it comes to swine flu.

Okay. So I didn’t go to Fiesta after all.

I finally managed to catch up with my friend yesterday afternoon for coffee and a chat before he heads off into the wild blue. That was nice. I came home, showered, changed, primped and preened a bit (only a bit) and switched on the TV to check the weather. Rain had been threatening all day.

Danger! Danger! Warning, Will Robinson! The sky is falling!
<insert relevant pieces of hyperbole here>

The newscasts were full of the outbreak of Swine flu over the border and a few cases that had popped up here in San Antonio. There were a thousand known cases in Mexico, 60 confirmed deaths and 40 suspected ones. The number of infected people in America was in the single figures and no deaths had occurred. (Phew!) None of the people here had been anywhere near pigs and all of the cases had responded to standard flu medicines.

Then they cut to overhead footage of NIOSA. Lots of people. Really close together. In a very small area. Ummm.

I decided not to go.

Influenza and MS are a really bad mix, even when the virus isn’t zoonotic in origin. The immune system reacts quite strongly to it – in fact most of the deaths from Avian flu strains in the past (aka The Spanish Flu etc..) were in young healthy people. Their peak-of-efficiency immune systems over-reacted to the virus and generated what is known as a cytokine storm – which killed them.

My old Neurologist forbad me to even get vaccinated for the flu. Anything that kicks off the immune system will also kick off an MS relapse. The last thing anyone with an auto-immune disease needs is to stimulate the immune system.

SO STAY CLEAR OF ECHINACEA. Please. Don’t let anyone talk you into taking it under any circumstances!

Sorry, momentary lapse of self-control there.

Anyway, I still needed to get out and about. So today I went over to the Alamo Quarry Market and visited Borders Book Store. Ahhhhh! It was so nice to be surrounded by books again. I miss all of mine. I know them all by name and who’s in their cliques and … um, forget I said that.

I bought a writing magazine, Writer’s Digest, and a book by the founder of National Novel Writing Month here in the States, called No Plot? No Problem. I figured that made the trip count as part of my writing efforts, a business trip, if you will. And I’m sure you will.

I would just like to state here that I definitely have a plot for my novel. I have mapped it out and know what is happening when and where. I just thought that particular book might help kick me out of my perfectionist rut and back to getting the actual story down before I edit it to my satisfaction.

Okay? Are we clear on this? Good.

Then I wandered into Old Navy and bought some light clothing. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of glancing into the mirror in the changing room before I had all my potential purchases in place. (Gotta love alliteration.)

Major bummer, dude. Not to mention the thighs and … never mind. I just thank heavens that a homeless man had paid me a compliment yesterday which got me over this bump and kept me from a complete emotional breakdown in the changing room.

I was heading into the HEB in the morning when it started to sprinkle a little. I saw this guy on a bench near the door and thought I’d cut off any request for cash by talking first (and keeping on going). So, when I drew near I said that I needed windscreen wipers.

He replied, “What you need to do, girl, is become a model and treat the world to that walk!”

Yes, I realise he’s sleeping rough and probably doesn’t see all that well, but it made me feel good.

So there.

I’m going to read my purchases now. Right after I wash my hands. (Thank you, Libby!)

ttfn,

S