Good news, everyone!

New episodes of Futurama. All glory to the Hypnotoad!

Later,

Warning: Squemish readers may find this post nauseating. Proceed at your own risk. You have been warned.

Does anyone remember the episode of The Young Ones in which all four roommates contract extremely mucusy colds? I believe it was entitled "Sick."

That very accurately describes how I felt all weekend. I considered calling in sick for work, but didn't for two reasons.

1) I am genetically unable to admit debility. If you know (or are) my family, you understand. If I can get drag myself out of bed, I can will go to work.

2) I am slightly paranoid. I worry somewhat that if I call off on a Monday, I will be branded a slacker.

I was slightly nauseous all day.

My nose seemed to be improvising on the theme of The Exorcist

My throat gleefully ignored the Robitussin and Halls, and became very sore from coughing.

I did manage to not throw up until I was walking to my car at the end of the day. Not having actually eaten anything solid since early Sunday, this wasn't much of a problem.

The problem is that the sneezing/coughing phase of a cold is, I think, the time when it is the most contagious. I should call off, if not for my own health, for the health of my coworkers .

I tried that argument this morning, am berating myself with it tonight, and will most likely try it tomorrow morning as well.

It didn't work today, and I don't see it working then, either. I guess I'm just a terribly selfish person. At least I feel mildly guilty about it. That has to count for something, right?

Later,

More B5

I am now on the second DVD of the third season.

Much like on Star Trek DS9, it seems that someone decided that a space station show doesn't have enough plot potential (this was true for DS9, but I disagree for B5). So Captain Sheridan and company now have a warship.

It is still a very good show, and this season seems to have less woo-woo than the last one (at least, what there is is attached to some sort of rational thought). The political maneuverings of EarthGov are a little too obviously Nazi-esque, but it is a TV show, so I don't expect a lot of subtlety. Especially not with Harlan Ellison as conceptual consultant.

I still don't understand why psychic powers are acceptable to popular science fiction. I know that they allow for creepy Orwellian plots, but Orwell managed just fine without them.


Later,

Babylon 5

I recently finished watching the first two seasons of Babylon 5.

I almost didn't rent the second season. The first was pretty good, but not great.

It would have been a mistake. The second season was really, really good. It could have been better. I don't understand why psychic powers are acceptable to popular science fiction, but I can tolerate it if the story is good. I wish B5 had avoided the mystical prophecy crap, though.

The first season mentioned the Mimbari prophecy, and hinted at the return of the Shadows (an extra ancient race). The Narn apparently have a similar prophecy.

That's all well and good. The Mimbari prophecy could just be a warning about the Shadow that got mysticized over the millenia. But it isn't (The Narn 'holy book' still could be). It becomes clear that it is an actual prophecy, and that Captain Sheridan and Ambassador Delen (formerly Setai Delen) are the Chosen Ones.

Okay, yes. I liked Buffy and Angel. But I like my fantasy and my science fiction separate. I hated the 'magic cum science' in the sixth season of Buffy, too.

Anyway, I'll be taking B5 season by season. It's good, but if the woo-woo (as James Randi callls it) gets to be too much, I'll drop it.


Later,

Low sodium diet

I seem to be embarking on a low salt diet. Not for any health reason, although it probably isn't a bad idea. I just keep forgetting to buy salt when I'm at the grocery store.

Later,

New computer

I bought a Dell Inspiron(tm) notebook.

It came with a lot of crap I neither need nor want, so I took some time removing stuff.

The hardest thing to get used to is the display. I was using 800x600 on my old computer.

This one is 1680x1050. It's kind of strange.

I like it a lot.

Later,