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Thursday, February 21, 2008

On Living in a Petri Dish

W Union Square
Photo by myself, at the W Hotel in Union Square.

The bar downstairs, Olives, is always crowded and serves great food.

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Mark says there are 31 days until Spring. And he reminded me yesterday that there are only 8 days left in February. Woohoo!

You wouldn't know it. After an almost balmy weekend, the last couple of days have been bone-chilling, with brisk, icy winds. People at my office have been coughing and sneezing. Mark has already gone through two rounds of very bad colds this season.

I have to wonder whether the crazy weather has something to do with how sick people are. I don't know what's happening on a germ level, but I've been carrying hand sanitizer with me, along with Airborne and multi-vitamins.

There are people I know who don't ride the subway because of the germs, and those who take the trains and don't touch anything. They lean against the pole, making it difficult for everyone else, who then have nothing to grab onto. Or they hang onto other people, or they just stand without holding onto anything, swaying and tumbling onto fellow passengers.

Yesterday on the way to work, I was sandwiched between a baby carriage and a guy in dreadlocks. Trying to avoid the man's swaying hair, I could barely grab hold of a nearby pole. I kept shooting hateful looks toward the mother, who had parked the stroller awkwardly in the train, but she was too busy feeding her other child crackers and cheese with the little plastic red stick that comes with the package.

Goodness. Sometimes I wouldn't mind just driving to work in my own, sanitized car!

10 comments:

Ha Ha Sound said...

I think it's this way every winter, but I can't ever remember this season being so brutal and unpleasant. I really want it to end. I had the worst cold/flu of my life a few weeks ago, and the weather has just been unbearable.

That said, in a few weeks it should really start to get nice out. I can't wait for that.

Great pic, BTW.

Kitty said...

Thanks Ha Ha doll!
It's funny, we've had some extremely mild days, so you wouldn't think we'd want winter to be done with already.

Ugh on the flu. I had the worst cold I've ever had this season as well. It seriously feels like some kind of survivor outbreak movie.

Spandrel Studios said...

The temperature extremes this winter are awful - at least if it would just stay really cold, we could get used to it after a time.

And germy subways, ugh... makes wearing surgical gloves seem like a good option!

Anonymous said...

there have been some very nasty bugs over here this winter. Lots of people I know (including all my children) had this horrible flu thing with high temps and terrible headaches - it last for weeks and weeks.

We've not had proper snow here for nearly 2 years now. We had a smattering a few weeks ago (it lasted just a few hours) and a tiny bit at some point last Feb but not enough to sledge on since Feb 2006.

I never bother with hand sanitisers though - if I want to avoid germs I'd have to hide from my children! Sounds quite tempting actually!!

fishwithoutbicycle said...

Hey Kitty, touch wood I've managed to escape a cold, but I feel it's inevitable I'll succumb :-( Stay warm.

Ruvym said...

I can't tell you how many times I've been whipped by other people's hair or how many times I've tripped over awkwardly placed strollers. I can't tell you because it's happened THAT MANY times. Oh, a "fun" incident that occurred (one "r" or two? I never remember) a couple of weeks back. I was on the 4 or 5 downtown to Bowling Green and this older dude, well dressed, walks in and grabs the pole near my hand. I feel something scrap me. I look down and see he has ENORMOUS fingernails. Like women's length. Sure they looked relatively clean, but still, I was grossed out.

Kitty said...

Spandrel, lol, I think if someone wore the gloves, the whole care would freak out, as if there were an outbreak.

RB, your poor kiddies! though I think when adults get the flu, they really get the flu.

Fish, I recommend Airborne at the slightest feeling of weakness. It is magic!

Ruvym, I see I've hit a nerve! Yeah, you're forced to encounter all types, some more gnarly than others. I particularly hate when people read their papers and swat you with their pages, or hit you with their bags. It's completely disrespectful.

Your nail guy sounds icky.

Mom Knows Everything said...

I think it's the weather. It's warm then it's cold and it's wreaking havoc on everybody. I used to use hand sanitizer all the time then I read an article about a child would almost died from ingesting it, so I don't have it in the house any more with all the kids around here. Have a great weekend!

Ming the Merciless said...

I was sooo sick with the flu two weekends ago that I called in sick Monday - Wednesday. Flu = nasty, nasty bug.

Kitty said...

Tammy dear, I had no idea about the hand sanitzer. Eek!!

Ming, hope you're better. We get some killer strains here, don't we?