Remember that Dristan Cold I had this time last month? Well, THIS month's good news was this season's Flu Strain. Coral got it first, so she recovered first, then me, then Laurie...

This is suckin' the life right outta me...

I have developed, at the tender age of 38, a tendency to migraine headaches. My beloved wife is a Tylenol and Advil fan, which I cannot fault her for, but this means there is no ASA or Aspirin in the house. Tylenol and Advil do nothing for my migraines, even combined. Aspirin is and has always been completely effective. I discovered something else that was similarly efficacious: Icy Hot. Desperate for relief, I recalled a news story on a medical implant used to control migraines by cutting off neural signals to major nerves under the scalp. I applied Icy Hot to the back of my neck, the area shown in the news story, and 20 minutes later, my entire scalp had gone numb; the nerves were still inflamed, I just couldn't feel 'em...felt a little strange to have the 'ol bean still pounding a little, but unable to feel any pain, or anything at all, really. The effect lasts about 4-6 hours, and I may rely on it more in the future, since Aspirin also disrupts my sleep somewhat.

Anyway, suffice to say that L and I are in day 7 of what is probably going to end up being a 14 day ordeal. I have a feeling that I should be fairly functional by day 10; which is good, because I have to go back to work! The total irony here, of course, is that even though Laurie went and got the Magic Flu Shot a few months back, and she has been on antibiotics since about two days ago, I cannot tell that her recovery is proceeding any quicker than mine; and of course the primary irony is that she got this flu in the first place, after being "immunized". Further Irony is the kids: Coral's total down time was only 8 days, and Colin, we believe, contracted this strain about two months back and spent only 7 days with it. Of course, he's immune...people hacking up a lung all around him, virii everywhere; and little boy is still his same happy, cheerful, bounding self - which can be very irritating to mommy and daddy when they're sick...

I did indeed get a proper light system from Laurie for my bike: now, if I can just muster the energy (and lower my blood pressure) to go out and install it on the ATB. I will be riding the ATB again come next week, once I get those gumboots...

I really have three priorities this week: Get some waterproof footwear that I can ride in, get the hardware/software for a broadband internet hookup (granpa has offered to cover half, he says is really worth his while), Get my home teaching done...

I am going to detail a demo I did for my Sunday School kids on walking (living) by faith. It was part of a lesson I prepared called "some things must be believed to be seen". I started out telling them about the physicist Foucault. He of the famous Pendulum experiments. I told them the story of how he discovered that a pendulum of sufficient mass would describe an arc over a 24-hour period, the size of the arc dependent on one's latitude between the equator and either pole. They found this mildy fascinating. I then fixed a small screw clamp to the track on the suspended ceiling, and hung a golf ball from a bit of string with some masking tape. I laid a line on the floor with the tape and asked for a volunteer. I told the volunteer to stand with his toes on the line, and he was not to move at all unless I told him it was alright to do so. I then pulled the bob of my improvised pendulum back until it touched the bridge of his nose. I released the bob, and it swung away, on the return swing, he (the volunteer) flinched away (well, not too much, I myself actually reacted much more strongly when I tried it out beforehand). On the second trial, we proceeded exactly as the first, except I had him cover his eyes...

He didn't flinch.

Why?

Because he couldn't see it coming, of course.

In this situation he had only the following actions open:

First, he had to trust that what he had already learned in school science class about pendulums was true: namely, that a pendulum mass never returns to its precise point of release (as long as it has been released properly).

Second, he had to adhere to the conditions of the experiment: if he allowed his weight to shift forward even a little, it was going to put his nose into the path of an approaching golf ball...Er, I mean, pendulum bob.

Thirdly, he had to trust that the person in charge of the experiment (me), wasn't going to put extra acceleration on the pendulum mass, thereby allowing it to return with sufficient energy left to hit him. ie: he had to trust that I wasn't going to smack him in the face with a golf ball...

How does all this apply to living by Faith?

Simple: In life, we really are blind most of the time; we can't see what's coming at us day-to-day. So we can either get smacked in the face...or:

Trust what we have already been taught about Life, God, Good & Evil, and start living and learning like all that and more really mattered and had real consequences...because it does.

Obey the ground rules the Person (God) in charge of this experiment has laid down for our safety.

Trust that He has our best interests at heart and does not wish to smack us in the face with a golf ball...or see us unnecessarily hurt in our lives.

Anyway, that demo probably constitutes the most creative thing I've done since my attempts at becoming a writer...but it was a LOT more fun.

Even if I didn't actually smack anyone in the face with a golf ball...

Leaving the posting a little late this month, eh?

Worry not, friends 'n neighbors, 'tis the holiday season and there should be plenty to write about over the next nine days...which I have off work, btw.

What to do with all this free time on a sudden?

Well, tomorrow we're going to see the Polar Express (which reminds me, I need to look into getting advance tickets). We'll probably go out to dinner as well and enjoy some good "comfort food". Coral is finally over her cough and Colin seems to be doing ok, so it should be a merry (and healthy) Xmas after all.

We bought a toy...a portable DVD setup for the car...and now L wants to return it as she can't see us USING it all that much. We'll probably blow some of the ca$h back on a night out and put the rest on the vi$$$a card.

I've got all my gifts bought, and almost none of them wrapped - aigh! I managed to hit the high points on Laurie's list and I know she tried her best for mine. I really need to think about upping my "Xmas fund" donations for next year.

I haven't rode the bike to work lately. I need a proper light system - which I believe L is going to provide - and some sort of waterproof footwear. The gumboots I have in mind are common to any surplus store, but I haven't been anywhere NEAR a surplus store lately. I'll find 'em. Meanwhile, my weight has plateau'd again and I may be wearing my belt out another notch soon. GOT to get back to riding in the new year! HAVE to!

My new course of study for my new Sunday School class is Church History, specifically the D+C. I am sure I will learn as much as my students!

Bro. Cassel has re-commited himself to Home Teaching, and he's taking me along with him! Bless him, his commitment makes up what I lack.

Mom and Dad are away in San Diego doing the tourist thing...feels a little strange not having them around.

Anyways, will right more later as the mood strikes me.