Ill in New York

I saw Harold Brandt on October 18 (it seems like it wasn't that long ago) and discussed my recurring sinus and respiratory symptoms. He advised against getting on an antibiotic and recommended using a saline solution on my sinuses. Unfortunately, I failed to get the saline and when I arrived in New York City very early Friday morning (230am instead of 10pm Thursday because of Mike Pence's airplane skidding off the runway at LaGuardia), I found myself with worsening symptoms. I decided not to attend ABCT and to rest as much as possible.

Nonetheless, the time in New York was fairly pleasant. Mary Lou and I spent yesterday with Jenny, venturing out to the new Whitney Museum down in Chelsea. The Carmen Herrera exhibition was a visual treat and there were many other beautiful, interesting, stimulating and iconic pieces on display. The lemon cranberry scone from their cafe was delightfully light and buttery. We had tickets to the Broadway show Front Page a block from our hotel (Marriott Marquis) but I could only tolerate the first of three acts due to relentless nasal drip and my aversion to the cynical attitudes of the characters toward capital punishment.

Jenny spent the night in our room Friday and Saturday. We slept in after Mary Lou left and now I'm on my way home between Atlanta and Baton Rouge. Lying in bed last night I contemplated the unfolding universe. Human beings mistakenly think the whole thing revolves around us but we're wrong. "Man is the measure of all things" I recall from a film strip about the Greeks and their interest in philosophy and science. From a human standpoint that's true. We evaluate everything, of course, in terms of ourselves. But that doesn't mean we're more important than any other aspect of the universe. Yes, our existence and our capabilities are amazing- from our own standpoint. From an objective standpoint, is anything more amazing than anything else? It's all about our subjective judgments and what happens when we realize our own perceptions have been narrowly conditioned by culture.

Am I becoming progressively more passive? Perhaps I am. I find it easier and easier to tell myself that the things we get excited about, up about, down about, angry about, frustrated about are mostly a result of our desires and expectations. We can reframe them as "not all that important" and tone down the drama. Georgia loses ignominiously to Florida in the Cocktail Party and I don't really care. Detroit loses to Houston and I feel mildly disappointed even though I follow Detroit closely. I care and I don't care. I've got a coherent perspective that's pretty astute. I realize there are limits to what I can accomplish. I'd like to help the human race become more cooperative and less self-destructively selfish and violent. I'm motivated to survive and take care of myself and stay as healthy and functional as possible. I like encouraging and helping people when I'm in a position to do so.

Today, Mary Lou left early this morning and took my green plastic medication organizer with her. It contained my Adderall as well as my atenolol and finasteride. I was somewhat annoyed because of my issue with people not being aware of and considerate of my needs. But I took it philosophically. I take almost everything philosophically these days.