Since getting back from the tundra, I've had a hard time getting motivated.  Work is the same old same old -- all swine flu (or, as we're forced to refer to it, pandemic (H1N1) 2009) all the time.  There's nothing quite like being forced to edit yet another report about some research team measuring genetic distances and comparing influenza viruses from New Caledonia with influenza viruses from Costa Rica to put a person to sleep at the keyboard in record time.  I'm missing the parasites, the 30-foot long tapeworms living in sushi aficionados, and other entertaining infections. Influenza's gotten old. 

Of course, when it comes to the flu, it is kind of fun to watch the competing packs of hysterics on the news:  the anti-vaccine crowd that is totally convinced flu vaccine will do absolutely nothing except introduce "toxins" into one's body, and the must-have-vaccine-immediately group that is panicking because there aren't a zillion doses available at their corner Walgreen's.  We are such a schizophrenic country.  We don't trust the government to do anything right while simultaneously expecting them to save our collective sorry asses everytime something goes wrong.