Ahhhhhh...take a deep inhale of that beautiful Spring air out there...

WHEEZE...COUGH...SNEEZE...AHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOO!! (Geshundheit!!!)

Quick!! Somebody get me a Kleenex!!!!

It's that WONDERFUL time of year again here in North Central Texas. Springtime. When all of the trees bud, when all of the flowers bloom, when all of the pollens IRRITATE THE CRAP OUTTA YA!!!!

North Central Texas has GOT to be the "Allergy Capital" of the World. I'm from Ohio originally and never had a lick of trouble with allergies. No problems whatsoever. Moved here around twenty years ago, and about three years ago, WHAM!! I'm attacked by cottonwood trees and mountain cedar. (Although I'm beginning to wonder if I'm also allergic to work...I get to work and immediately start sneezing. I KNOW I'm allergic to math...and pain.)

No warning. You're feeling great, and then, you feel LOUSY. Sneaks up on ya. All you had to do was breathe. Some annoying little allergen got into your system and is about to do a number on you.

You know what I'm talking about...your nose itches (great fun when both of your hands are occupied) and your nose runs (VERY embarrassing and annoying) and your eyes itch and water and turn red and your throat gets this...irritating...TICKLE...in it and you have to cough and your head feels like it's all stuffed up with cotton and you've got the world's worst headache and it will NOT go away and your glasses hurt your face because of the sinus pressure...WHINE! WHINE!!

Take today, for example. Even though I don't feel all that hot, I still went to work. Can't take anything for the symptoms because they knock me out (I'd hate to take something for my sinuses and be standing there, asleep on my feet, and just my luck, the boss would come in...BUSTED!! You're fired!!). I just have to suffer (poor baby).

One of the co-workers called in, because her sinuses are bothering her. Great! Mine are too, but they ain't gonna kill me!! Although the way my poor head feels, I don't know...I have a job to do, allergies aren't catching (I don't think...), I've gotta work in order to earn some money to pay my bills...I'd love to take a day off, but I have to work because you called in to say you don't feel good!! WHINE! WHINE!!

I just had to get this off my chest...let me go home and take some sinus medicine so I can get some rest and maybe get rid of this headache and try to get rid of this...annoying...TICKLE...and maybe I can stop coughing and maybe I can breathe through my nose (I got cottonmouth!) and maybe my eyes will stop itching and watering and turning red and maybe I can stop sneezing and maybe I can get rid of this cotton filled head and WHINE! WHINE!!