February 17, 2004

Damnit!

When you have a cold or the flu, the polite thing to do is cover your mouth when you cough. It's not hard. It takes about 10 extra muscles to do so. People in this city (as I'm sure is the case everywhere) are either fanatics about hygiene (see the funky white masks?) or gross, unhygienic festoons, coughing, spluttering and sneezing onto other people with wanton abandon.

Blowing your nose in Japan is taboo, they say! Well, it's sure as hell better than seeing drips of snot suspended from the tip of your nose. Or snorting chunks of mucus back into your throat to fester into a bigger sickness that you then generously farm out to others.

I've had a lot of the latter this past week, so it's no surprise that I've caught a cold. I hate colds. They really fuck up my day. And I hate them even more when I know I've probably got this strain from an obnoxious, snorting festoon. Ugh. Pass the Kleenex.

Posted by Kinki at February 17, 2004 05:57 AM

pump yourself full of echinacea, vitamin C & lemon tea...it works wonders. Hope you feel better soon!

Posted by: nicole at February 17, 2004 06:45 AM

girl, sorry to hear you have a cold. I do have some echinacea tablets for you though. yeah, i hate the snorting on Japanese trains - whenever I feel the need.. I blow my nose proudly and loudly!!!!!!

Posted by: kat at February 17, 2004 10:40 AM

I always wondered if those who wear the masks are the actually still not ill people who try to defend themselves from the sneezing mob. : )

Posted by: Katalin at February 17, 2004 03:08 PM

Meh it all sounds terrible to to me, imagine not being able to blow your nose! Drip drip... Ugggghhh :-/

Anyway just thought I'd let you know that I've linked you on my site. Interesting blog, hopefully I'll be over there by the end of the year.

Posted by: ashlar at February 17, 2004 04:13 PM

Some guys at my job keep snorting every minute all day long. I always feel like throwing my tissue box at them. They probably think that tissues are meant only for wiping you ass in public toilets.

I had to take the day off today because of a bad cold too. I hope you feel better soon!

Posted by: Patrick at February 17, 2004 04:25 PM

What? You mean those tissues aren't for blowing your nose on? Guess I should start using my sleeve then.

Posted by: Kinki at February 17, 2004 07:44 PM

I know what you mean Patrick. It can't really be called a snort. It's more like there is some primitive instrument made of rubber and phlegm, and it is played by lodging it in the back of your throat and then trying to breathe through the confined aperture so that the phlegm flaps up and down as loudly as possible. Eeww!

Posted by: mattymcg at February 17, 2004 10:53 PM

*Whistles*

Disgusting thread of the day: this get's my vote.

Feel better!

Posted by: Christopher at February 18, 2004 03:14 AM

Ah, an instrument, that's the word!
Makes me think that maybe I could sample that guy and come up with some new in sound... or maybe not. :)

Posted by: Patrick at February 18, 2004 11:32 AM