Winter 2015 December 23 Wednesday

60 degrees this morning.  No walk, still have head cold, now with a heavy cough.

Somehow, being sick with a head cold has become a way of life.  Really has only been several days, but it seems like forever and my life of walking, swimming and bicycling has somehow faded.  

I know it will come back and this will seem like a bad dream, but I know after this I am definitely going to see a medical clinic when something like this happens, especially if I develop a cough.  

This is actually much more than the simple head cold I though it was as a dry heavy cough has developed.  At least it is not all the time, in fact it is infrequently, but it really bothers me when it comes and I wonder about the effects.  

I am debating whether the Sudafed may be causing the cough.  The internet is almost useless anymore for health advice, since it has been overtaken by the drug companies pushing their medicine.  Probably “useless” is the wrong word, it has just become a lot more difficult to find information.  

Maybe I’m not asking the right questions.  

I have to wonder if the “ethics” classes that were such a big thing at business schools, political science, sociology etc. were taught right, at least at the “business schools”.   Or the students got the wrong message. 

“Ethics” now seems to be to plunder as much as you can, especially from the poor and ignorant and sick (and buy off politicians as much as possible so you can do so).  

Of course the example of the person who raised the price of the drugs (now arrested for “illegal” activities) is a prime example. 

I read yesterday about vulture companies that buy old debt and the sue (even though they may be be able to prove who actually owes the money), usually the poor, ignorant, very elderly etc. who don’t know enough or are unable to go to court.  They  then garish their wages.  If the victims  try to sue them for their illegal and unethical tactics, they hide behind “arbitration” clauses.   The “old debt” is literally purchased for pennies on the dollar.  That is sick and unethical,not “good business”.  

Of course that is one of those things I can’t do much about and “what goes around comes around”, so to speak.  I still get angry about it, even if I can’t do anything about it!

We decided to live dangerously and eat at Chipotle  Mexican Grill last night.  (Also I had a gift card for there I wanted to use!)

At a time when there usually is a long line and the restaurant is full, this time there were just a few customers.  I hadn’t realized the impact of the E. Coli matter on Chipotle.  

We discovered Chipotle several years ago, actually at a family reunion in Topeka, Kansas.  Aliene had been diagnosed as not being able to eat gluten and hadn’t really planned on ordering anything. 

To her surprise, when she told her she was unable to eat gluten, they changed their gloves and the spoons of the items she was going to eat (to avoid contamination) and had strict rules for handling food.  Chipotle quickly became a favorite place, so the E. Coli problem is surprising, although I have heard the fact they use fresh food may be part of the problem.  

Today is the last day of work, and then a four day weekend for Christmas.  Hopefully I will feel fully well enough to enjoy the time off and getting together.  If it difficult when you are barking with cough, sneezing and worried about infecting others!  However, I am feeling a lot better and expect to at least feel well enough to enjoy myself.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, December 23, 2015.