I have been ill for several days with a nasty cold that has plugged up my nose and seeped into my lung passages, or maybe it's a case of bronchitis. I can't very well diagnose myself, but I have a nagging cough that just won't go away and my asthma is acting up. Have you ever noticed the concert of muscle contractions involved in a single cough? My neck, shoulders, and chest ache, though I managed to drag myself in to work today (cough drops in tow).

What is it about sickness that brings a startling clarity to life? More later.