Cruising, as in Taking a Cruise

If you can live without a broadband Internet connection and no cellphone and no mail and no newspaper and no cable/satellite service and no local restaurant/cafe and no pets and no car and no home and no hobby things for 14 days, then by all means, go. If, on the other hand, you're tethered, stay home and enjoy it. Home sweet home really is true. I think I'm done with cruises, and maybe international travel as a whole. The REALLY scary thing is, what if something really collided with the earth or whatever. There would be no way of getting back home, short of swimming or trekking for two years! Also, like here in the OC, the LAST places in SoCal I would venture to, either day or night, are the same places people from 'round the world are visiting as we speak! Just like me when we travel to the big cities of Europe. We are such suckers of all the travel hype. The romantic and scenic locales of Europe. Yeah, yeah, yeah, already. After two weeks max, please take me home on Business Class!

The Flu

I have been laid low by the second worst flu attack on me ever. It might have been floating around the Lufthansa flight on our return from Barcelona-MUC-LAX flight on 5/4/2014, LH452, MUC-LAX, 11 1/2hr flight. On Monday, 5/7, I had malaise and whole body weakness. Starting on Tuesday, painful pharyngeal symptoms: like shooting pain from dry cracks in my throat, that gradually moved to my nasal areas. I was so desperate for relief I had to stand over a pan of boiling water for some respite from the pain. Then persistent hiccuping began after uncontrollable bouts of coughing. Nothing gave me comfort, and I became fatigued from walking around the house to escape the pain and misery through self distraction. What is the purpose of flu? Why does it exist to torment us? I am pissed! It has ruined my life for almost two weeks now. I certainly hope I haven't passed it on. So far, the only victim seems to be Claudia, bless her soul. She tried everything to avoid breathing in my germs at work, but the flood of aerosolized virus particles finally got to her. Today, Thursday, I noticed she was sneezing and dribbling. Yup, she got it. Damn it! I really hope she doesn't suffer like I have...the intractable coughing and hiccuping is torture. It's exhausting to the point of emotional collapse.