As part of my crusade to include exercise in my life, I went running this morning in Beijing’s smog. Unsurprisingly, it activated my cough. My current theory is that if I start doing the running regularly I will become immune to the smog.
I’ve had a cough for about a month.
It started when I went on a jet ski in Zhu Hai. I came back on shore short of breath, and remained that way for the rest of the day. I felt better the when I woke up the next morning, but the shortness of breath slowly morphed into a cough over the next few days. It was particularly bad at night and in the morning. I was on the road for more than two weeks after the it started, so I just let it fester and grow without going to the doctor.
By the time I got back to Beijing, the cough was almost comical. After about 9:30 each evening I could hardly hold a conversation with anyone because I would break out in a fit of coughing. I went to the doctor, who gave me an antibiotic and an asthma inhaler. He told me that the inhaler might make my hands shake. I got my yearly physical at the same time.
The antibiotic (or was it the inhaler?) changed the cough, but didn’t make it go away. Back in Beijing, in addition to the coughing at night, going outside seemed to activate it as well. I left work early one day because I was worried that I was bothering my coworkers.
When I went back to the doctor for the physical follow-up a week later, he told me that–aside from the cough–all of the tests showed me to be in great health. He gave me a new antibiotic and told me to use the inhaler more frequently or at a higher dosage. “Are you’re hands shaking?” “No.” “Then you’re not using it enough. If they start shaking, then you’re using to much.” “Oh.”
I just finished the second antibiotic, and I think it worked. I’ve still had some minor coughing over the last two days, but nothing like before. But as I look out my window at the smog that I’m about to enter into, I wonder if Beijing will ever let my cough go away.
My plan to have a thought every day has been thwarted by a variety of factors, including lethargy, a hotel without Internet access, and a laptop needing service.
It’s been great having Will staying with us. He’s been taking Chinese class at 7:20 in the morning, and exploring job possibilities. He also went to Xian last weekend, where I was giving a lecture, and got to see the Terracotta Warrriors.
I forgot to have a thought yesterday. I did have dinner with some interesting people and facilitate their work on an interesting project, but I still should have had a thought.
My brother Will arrived last night, and he’ll stay will us for the next couple of months. He’s been playing baseball in Lithuania, and blogging about his experiences here. We’re so excited to have him in town.
Today we took him on a walk around the neighborhood, went to Wudaokou to check out Chinese schools and gyms, and had dinner at a great Korean barbecue place.
I guess this entry doesn’t really count as a thought, but it provides evidence that I did in fact think today.
One thing that really bothers me is how it often seems impossible to achieve candidness in political dialogue. A great example of this is that I’ve never seen the question of whether or not the war in Iraq is “all about the oil” discussed in an open and honest forum by people who are in positions to make decisions.
Of course, it is a sensitive question, and I imagine that the answer is complex. It seems apparent that US engagement in Iraq has at least something to do with oil, but there are also other legitimate national security concerns, and even humanitarian reasons for the US to be in Iraq. And these concerns existed both before and after the start of the war.
Now, I am of the opinion that the proper response to the mix of resource, security and humanitarian concerns facing the United States before the Iraq war was not to invade Iraq. I’m also of the opinion that most prudent response to the mix of concerns facing the United States right now is not to maintain a large, long-term presence in Iraq. However, I also believe that supporters and architects of the war are honest in replying that it’s not “all about the oil”, and can empathize with their indignation in the face of that accusation. Their motives are certainly more complex.
I think it’s also important to recognize that those who count controlling oil reserves as one reason (but not the only reason) for their support of the war are not necessarily sinister in their motives. Misguided, probably. Fearful, almost certainly. But sinister, maybe not.
Unfortunately, it seems that anger and accusations make honest discussion between different sides uncomfortable and politically dangerous, so honest discussion about these sorts of issues rarely happens, and sides are driven further apart. It’s really too bad.
(All of this said, I’m pretty convinced by the argument presented in the article linked in the article linked above that oil is a primary motivation for the occupation.)
I’ve decided that I’m going to write something here every day. Something, no matter what it is.
I’m a voracious consumer of information, and am bothered when I think about how little I produce, and how rarely my reflection gets out of my head. I’ve thought to myself that the two most important habits I would like to establish in my life are regular exercise and regular reflection in the form of journaling. I feel like other habits would follow, and that exercise and written reflection would be a great place to develop from.
Unfortunately, regular private journaling hasn’t become a habit, so I’m going to commit to adding at least one thought to this public journal each and every day. Hopefully doing so will also spur me to delve more deeply into private journaling. In any case, it will prove to myself that I have at least one thought every day, and committing to place these thoughts in a public place will put some pressure on me.
I’m inspired by Overread’s 365 photo blog, which provides an interesting view of a daily discipline. I’m also inspired by Scott Adam’s daily thoughts on the Dilbert Blog. I’m not aiming for Scott’s wit or insight, but I like the idea of having at least a thought a day.