Phlegmfest

The new year ain't off to a great start. For one thing, I've been participating in the New Winter Season Phlegmfest™, categorized by—so far—four upper respiratory infections since mid-November, which is when I pretty much start counting off winter. The current one is particularly festive, offering up secretions in all sorts of vibrant holiday colors (clear, milky, yellow, green, and red) and textures (watery, runny, slimy, stringy, chunky).

Yeah, I know. Ewwwwwwwwww. That's my reaction too, and (remember, folks!) I have to live with it! But I never thought I'd go through a Costco-sized ten-pack of facial tissue this fast.

Second, and more significantly, there have been a spate of notable losses while I've been hacking up viscid crud and refining the tone of my nasal embrochure. I do not mean to diminish the tremendous devastation and human suffering wrought by the Sumatra earthquakes and resulting tsunamis, but I'm ill-suited to comment on those events. However, I may be able to say a thing or two about Hank Garland, Susan Sontag, Jerry Orbach, Artie Shaw, and Will Eisner. I'll try to do so as soon as it's practicable.

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