Nose

[parasitegirl]

I have the time. I want to write something that is, if not profound, is at least worth something. But here I am and all I can think is “The congestion is mostly in my left sinus cavity and I am sick of drinking sick-girl tea.” It’s cedar season and cedar season is serious business in Japan.

You know what’s not serious business in Japan? Cutting down cedars.

Between the 50’s and 70’s Japan was all “OMG so much of our economy is about construction! We need more building materials! PLANT MORE GODDAMNED TREES!” and when those trees reached maturity Japan was all “OMFG, it’s now CHEAPER to import that shit than pay to harvest that lumber because our tree-slaughtering workforce is getting old, expensive and decreasing in number!” so cedar allergies get worse and worse each year. Some estimates I’ve read say that in the Tokyo area, one out of 3.5 people suffers from cedar allergies.

Even our monkeys are suffering ( http://sciencepal.blogspot.jp/2009/03/hay-fever-brings-grief-to-japanese-snow.html )...which doesn’t bother me that much. Japan’s monkeys are notorious honorable-souvenir-stealing people-attacking bastards. What bothers me is that I am suffering.

If you check out one of our lovely pollen maps today you can figure out where I live by looking for the RED EVIL POLLEN WARNINGS.

http://season.tenki.jp/season/pollen/

Although, thanks to the big quake, many of you have a solid grasp of where I am.

Allergy season started for me by completely removing my voice this week. There were a few days I couldn’t speak loud enough to be heard. After one day of trying to teach with the help of an athletic whistle (Attention 5th graders, Kathryn is about to speak. Calm down.) I had to take two days off. I didn’t have the volume for 2nd graders and I sure as hell had no ability to modulate my voice to help with general understanding. I might as well have brought in The Bone Machine album by Tom Waits and asked them to do listening comprehension.

“In The Earth Died Screaming, which of the following fish did not rain from the sky?

a. Mackrel
b. Snapper
c. Trout.”

My voice is back enough to menace my co-workers today as I work at city hall.

“The good news is, if I insult you enough in the morning then I won’t have enough voice to do so in the afternoon.”

But, still, all my thoughts right now revolve around my abused sinuses and estimations as to what is the best time to take my next sudaphed and antihistamines.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Comments

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

Oh nose. Thou art sick. The invisible pollen that flies in the night through the howling storm has found out thy threads of breathing joy. and its dark secret love does thy sinuses destroy.

Stupid allergies are STUPID. My condolences.

[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

Not so invisible, some cars get a nice yellowish coating.

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

Do masks help? Is it worth walking round with Michael Jackson face?

[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

Masks fog up my glasses and my eyes are too irritated for contacts.

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thought so. Plus, I hate walking around with a mask on as it's so offputting to others.

[tajidancer.livejournal.com]

Bummer----i'm thinking healing thoughts for you.

[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

Thanks. This is just what ceder season is like. sucks.