Well, it had to happen.

I haven't been ill for a couple of years.  Despite a relatively sedentary lifestyle (I'm the last person you'll ever see at the gym or swimming laps at the local aquatic center) and a stress level that would crack a "top gun" test pilot, I'm usually a pretty healthy person.  Ah, but when I do get sick, I get really sick. 

I've been down and out for about five days now.  Despite the energy level of one of the living dead, I managed to get out and see a few things:  a house concert featuring our friend Tom Keenan, a showing of Buster Keaton's "The General", my son Liam, wrestling in a local tournament...but it's been a struggle.  Stiff upper lip and all that.

Well, since I can't do much else, I've been watching a few movies (posted about it on my film blog) and reading a couple of good books, including Richard Russo's magnificent second novel, The Risk Pool (blogged about it here).  Thank God for Harold Lloyd and the genre of science fiction.  "District 9" and "Rocketship X-M" helped me forget just how sore my nose was getting from continually blowing and wiping it.  "Safety Last" took my breath away--one can immediately see how, at one time, Lloyd rivalled Chaplin in terms of popularity and stature.

That's it for now--make sure to gobble some vitamins, eat your zinc or whatever it takes to avoid bugs like the one that's got me in its foul clutches.  I'm going to need a $#&@ing skin graft for the tip of my poor nose...