What color is your phlegm?

I know that phlegm is a disgusting subject for some people, but in Chinese medicine, it is very important. My acupuncturist got me in the habit of checking the color of my phlegm. Yesterday it was brownish yellow, which I didn't think was good. It should be clear. So, I decided to pop open the Z-pack.

The Z-pack is the latest medical innovation. My doctor prescribed it before I left in case I came down with anything. It's a 5-day course of antibiotics. The first day you take 2 pills and then every day after that you take one. I decided to take it because of the color of my phlegm and also because Anna wrote to me that she had been sick (she came down with the same thing that Larry and I have) and she took the z-pack and feels better. After hitting the ants with a shock and awe campaign, I decided it was time to do the same with these germs. Hopefully, they are the type that will respond to antibiotics. I did feel better yesterday so I think they are working.

The ants are gone. Last night I saw one lonely ant wandering around looking lost. It reminded me of that Twilight Zone episode where the guy is the only one who survives the nuclear bomb attack (I think it was Burgess Merideth). From now on, I am definitely using cinnamon.

I went out for a walk yesterday and it was a very nice day. The polar freeze seems to have eased up and even though you could still see your breath, it was not as cold as it has been. I found a pair of shoes that I ended up buying and really like. They are Italian sneaker-type shoes made of leather. I liked this little shoe store and the clerk complimented me on my Spanish! I think I'm going to have to go back there and get some more shoes. I was comparing the prices to those on Florida Street and they are a lot cheaper. They are having a liquidation sale and it's an outlet! You'd think the shoes would be free, but they aren't. Still, the prices are decent.

After lunch, I walked down to Florida Street and it was a busy Saturday full of people shopping, tango dancers, street performers, etc. It was fun. I enjoyed walking around and taking pictures. I'm beginning to appreciate the very touristy areas of Buenos Aires as well. There is something fun about them, even though they aren't "Argentina", they are, because it is like Argentina for sale - all of the gaucho gear, the tango performances (for money), street performers, etc. I guess I can understand now why tourists like to go to Fisherman's Wharf, even though I hate it. It's like this living museum of what you think the culture is, but in fact, it's all show. Fisherman's Wharf is not San Francisco (the way I live), Florida Street is not Buenos Aires (the way portenos live), and yet, it is.

The funniest thing I found was one of these human statues. They sit (or stand) there and look like statues until you give them money and then they come to life. There was one who looked like an angel and there was this big crowd standing in front of him. I decided I wanted a picture of him, but couldn't figure out what the crowd was. It turned out it was a huge family that was standing there and one by one, they would go up and give him money and then get their picture taken with him. I got a picture of grandma's turn. It's very cute. It's on my photo blog. I wonder if they thought he was a real angel!

Basically it was a lazy Saturday. I walked around a bit and took some photos. I took the opportunity to explore some of the streets near my apartment that are normally choked with traffic during the week. It's so nice walking around on the weekend. I came home, had a very nice nap, watched a little TV and then went out to get something for dinner, until finally coming back and settling in for the evening.

The cold seems to be getting better, the weather is warming up and the ants are gone as I head into this final stretch, which is going to fly by very quickly.

Today we are going to the Feria de Mataderos, which is a weekly fair in a town called Mataderos, which used to be where they slaughtered animals (I don't know where the slaughtering is done now). There are supposed to be lots of gauchos, people on horses, and traditional Argentine food and crafts. It will be fun because this is a school organized trip and we'll have our guides. Also, Claudia is coming. Look at you!