Torrefaction

1. I will not be going to think_galactic  this weekend, boo.  Persistent sinus infection is persistent, and so a weekend of rest is in order.

2.  The Chicago chapter of the Society for the Appreciation of Train Schedules* had the pleasure of meeting up with Jo Walton for dinner earlier this week.  As I was talking with one person I heard Jo say to another person, "Human society is basically good,"  which surprised me a bit. Once I tuned in properly, however, it emerged that she was talking about programming for a future con, and saying that the "Human Society" track was pretty well set for panelists, i.e. basically good.  Heh.

3. I have an asthma action plan!  I have singulair and xopanex and a peak flow meter.  I have a followup appointment in a month to see how the singulair works for me--since my asthma is mostly allergy-triggered, I am hopeful that I won't need to step up to a flovent or advair, but if I do, the clinic will hook me up.  The peak flow meter is a thing you blow into to measure your air flow.  For a person of my height/weight who does not have asthma, the expected number is about 630 on a scale of 800.  Right now mine is 400. Whee!  Really I'm supposed to measure against my own personal best, not that 630 number, but I have to wait until the sinus infection is gone to get a good measurement.   The meter is a cool thing, because it gives me an empirical basis for determining if I'm in distress, rather than just how I feel.

*me, Neil Rest, beamjockey , ashnistrike and Nameseeker.  Jo's train was rather late and Nameseeker's train was elusive.