Dear So and So

[Crankin]

My son and DIL had the norovirus a couple of years ago. It was going around Boston/Cambridge/Somerville like crazy. They are beyond the college aged demographic that mostly gets it here, in these outbreaks, but they do go out to eat a lot and DIL is the general manager of a restaurant. She was really sick and had to go to the ER. They are the only people I know who have had this.
I guess my allergies and asthma have kept the colds away? Those have been much better, too, since moving to MA. Phoenix is just full of dust and mold spores, the 2 things I am allergic to, not mention millions of people with the genetics for asthma, because someone back in the 40s or 50s told their parents or grandparents to move there! My son was on a nebulizer every 4 hours there, and I was pretty close to that.
About 10 years ago my pcp got all freaked out because she saw "something" on a CT scan of my lungs. I went to a pulmonologist who laughed and said "Cocci? When did you live in AZ?" I guess I had Vally Fever and never knew it, although I had been tested for it many times. I was really sick a few times, with what I thought was bronchitis, so I guess it was Vally Fever.

[emily_in_nc]

Phoenix is just full of dust and mold spores, the 2 things I am allergic to, not mention millions of people with the genetics for asthma, because someone back in the 40s or 50s told their parents or grandparents to move there!

You are so right. When I was diagnosed with asthma in early childhood (born in '61) I still remember my mom telling me the doc recommended we move to Arizona!

Valley Fever scares me -- we love Arizona, but that does scare me. Interesting that you may have had it without even knowing it. Strange!

Oh, happened to see this today -- looks like avoiding touching those elevator buttons is a pretty good idea:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/hos...tudy-says.html

Even though this study was done in hospitals, I am guessing hotels would be similar.

[Crankin]

Emily, I've heard that most people who live in the Valley have had it, and unless you get really sick, you never know. Not sure if this holds true for Tucson, but I would think so.

[Owlie]

If you're otherwise healthy (not immunocompromised or anything), it's often totally asymptomatic, or it has symptoms similar to the flu and resolves on its own.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks ladies, that makes me feel much better!

[ny biker]

Dear migraines, okay, I get it, you can still make my life miserable for days on end even though my hormone cycles aren't what they used to be. You can go away now.

[Catrin]

Dear Wannabe Thief

You saw my bike ad on Craigslist and sent me an email expressing your interest. Something troubled me about your email that I couldn't pin down. So, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and responded and told you that I would be happy to meet you at my bike store this coming weekend. Your response addressed me by name so I know you read it, but you ignored my location/date suggestion and wanted to meet later that day. I repeated my original message. Oh yes, at some point your emails suddenly were coming from a different person, though the email address was the same. Weirder and more weird to come. Also, outside of the first message, you never actually referred to my "BIKE", but to my "item". No questions about a $1,500 full custom bike, you just really wanted to check out my "item". I was pretty sure at this point that you weren't legit but on the tiny chance that there was a reasonable explanation I didn't give up on you just yet.

Lo and behold, yesterday came two emails from you. Apparently you suddenly were admitted to the hospital for "4 weeks radio therapy treatment for my labyrinthitis" and you really wanted to purchase my "item" for your Cousin (since she is a girl) and you would "issue a bank official check to cover the cost and also add funds to cover the shipping to where it will be needed". First I've heard that vertigo requires "radio therapy treatment" but I'm no doctor. I responded that I accept cash or PayPal, and of course if you are in the hospital (sure he is) PayPal would be much easier for you and I would ship as soon as the funds hit my bank. You then responded that PayPal wasn't possible and you were ready to send that check, and he really wanted my name, address and phone number for that purpose.

Yep, you want to steal my lovely bike. I did respond one last time, simply stating that I do not accept checks of any type. There are all KINDS of warnings about fake cashier checks and money orders. Surprise, surprise, I've not heard from him since then.

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So this is a cautionary tale, I think my days of attempting to sell on Craigslist is over. It was such an obvious attempt though, even if there was a very small doubt in my mind at first. The key is to trust your gut. Be careful when selling out there!