7 Quick Takes Friday: The Flu Edition

I’m feeling dull and still flu-ish, though thankfully the vomiting has stopped, so these might be dull and flu-ish as well. Sorry.

#7

The Plague

I’m not so sure that reading Connie Willis’ Doomsday Book was really a good idea for me. I have a horribly overactive imagination, particularly when it comes to my children, so since reading that book I’ve been checking their armpits for buboes anytime they have a runny nose. There’s something wrong with me.

#6

Outbreak

Do you guys remember Outbreak? This movie began my pseudo-survivalist paranoia that I now battle on a daily basis. But leaving that aside, I’m sure this was Patrick Dempsey’s finest hour. Everything else he’s been in has pretty much sucked. Especially Grey’s Anatomy. Haven’t they canceled that show yet? Even Katherine Heigl couldn’t make it better, and when she can’t make something better you know it’s doomed.

#5

H1N1

This time last year, my mother-in-law was pretty upset with me for not getting the H1N1 shot. But I just couldn’t do it. I don’t trust pharmaceutical companies, and the fact that they distributed a practically untested vaccine against a virus that had just appeared a few months before really made me nervous. Add to that my general inclination against unnecessary vaccines and my knee-jerk reaction to not do something when the government tells me that my children and I will die a horrible, horrible death if we don’t, and you can see why I didn’t go for the H1N1 much-hyped vaccine.

#4

Vindication

Then I was vindicated when, in an episode of V, the government (which had been infiltrated by giant lizards disguised as humans) puts some sort of genetic component into our flu vaccine. Leaving out the part about giant lizards, this is not implausible. I mean, it could happen. And it makes me really suspicious that the government is so heavy-handed about pushing a flu vaccine that, at best, protects against maybe half of the various flu strains that bounce around each season and can’t possibly have been thoroughly tested since they change it every year.

#3

You Might Call Me

a conspiracy theorist. You might be right.

#2

Personally

I think characters who are conspiracy theorists are easily the most fascinating and entertaining characters. Take Hodgins from Bones. In it’s worst moments, he’s the only person that makes the show worth watching. In it’s best moments, he’s still the most enjoyable presence in the show. I’m not sure if that charm translates into real life, though. This actually could explain my recent dearth of friends. Maybe people think I’m less a charming nut and more like

#1

A Crackpot

So in an attempt to make amends for these lame-duck quick takes, here’s a heart-wrenching video in honor of Veteran’s Day.