Dale Miller

Happy Hogmanay, everyone.

flintlock
Originally uploaded by Dale Miller.

I’ve spent a lot of time recently watching “One Piece”. I love the juxtaposition of technology. They have sailing ships and fax machines, radiotelephones and swords, etc.

One of the scenes featured this interesting device. I’ve been trying to come up with a way that a flintlock revolver could be constructed. Maybe a powder charge in a bag that is rammed to the back of the chamber. When the cylinder is rotated to the corect position, a knife blade cuts into the back of the bag, spilling sufficient powder into the pan for flint to ignite it. It’s still a silly idea, but it would make an interesting collector’s piece.

I have rarely been one to try to make New Year’s resolutions. I’ve always thought that if I want to change something about myself that I should do it then rather than waiting until a new year. Somehow this year seems different. I’m more at peace with myself than I have been for quite some time. For some reason, I feel like I should try to improve on that even more. With that said, here are (so far) my 2006 resolutions:

• Worry less.
• Take more time to stare at sunrises and sunsets.
• Exercise more.
• Concern myself more about the present than the future.
• Enjoy myself more.
• Smile more.
• Greet random people I see on the street, the sidewalk, or in a store.
• Play with my cats often.

Drat. I took a bag of garbage down to the street and one of my neighbors rode past on a motorcycle. So I have now seen another person. Still, a bit over 5-1/2 days without seeing anyone else is still interesting. For a person who isn’t particularly fond of being alone, I seem to do a good job of it.

It is so pleasant to wake up and be able to breathe. I still have a bit of sinus gunk, but it’s occasional rather than constant.

I realized this morning that between holidays and feeling lousy it has been over five days since I have seen another person. I’m thinking of staying in through Friday night and make it a full week, but I’m not sure that’s something to strive for. I wonder how many people in our present society can say that they have gone a week without seeing another person? I suspect it’s a rather small percentage, even including those that are blind and can’t see anyone.

Ah well, back to watching One Piece.

I never did get out today, and I’m still coughing (more than I have been, actually). so it’s one more dose of NyQuil — the coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, why-is-the-room-spinning medicine.

I’m hoping by tomorrow to be back to something approaching normal.

My accomplishment for today has been to watch up through episode 93 of One Piece.

Another windy and unseasonably warm day in central Arkansas. I feel, while certainly not well, considerably better than the past two days. I’m still seriously clogged, but I’m at least no longer headachy and sore. I should probably get out of the house today and find myself some good decongestant with no additional drugs. I’m starting to run low on food, so a trip to Kroger would be appropriate in any case. It’s too bad that grocery stores don’t deliver (yes, I know there are some that do, but not around here).

I really don’t like being sick. I took NyQuil last night so I could sleep, and it worked. Of course I woke this morning with a NyQuil hangover and a head that was more stuffed-up than ever. Well, there’s nothing that I particularly need to do today, so I’m just taking it easy. It certainly is boring, though.

I dose of DayQuil™ and a hot bath can improve one’s outlook on life.

I still have a sore throat, stuffy nose and headache, but my ability to use complete sentences has returned. I think I feel even worse today than yesterday. I’m not supposed to be sick during my vacation. That’s not any fun at all.

Merry Christmas.