For the past several years, I�ve been on allergy medication of some sort or another pretty much from spring through fall. Not because it�s fun, and certainly not because I liked the allergy medication commercials so much that I wanted to try their products, though I admit that I am the epitome of why marketing works (ex: my obsession with Pepsi One, which had nothing to do with taste, just the pretty silver can). No, I needed it. Or spent the entire summer drugged up and drowsy from over-the-counter crap, in an effort to stave off the itchy skin, eyes, throat and nose and to cut down on massive Kleenex consumption. Over-the-counter stuff is expensive, and the fact that the warnings tell you not to operate motor vehicles due to the side effects is really something to which those of us who drive all the time ought to pay attention. Besides, in an age of modern medicine, I don�t think it�s asking too much to feel functional.

I�ve tried all of the major prescription medications in the past few years, because my HMO keeps changing their preferred drug, thus increasing the co-pay fivefold in order to stay on the medication that was previously preferred. Well, I recently received a notice from them that all allergy medications would now be off the preferred list. Why? Because they say that too many people are taking them. Seeing the stupid commercials of people frolicking in pollen-laden fields and asking their doctors to prescribe the medication. I though they were kidding. I was livid. But it�s ostensibly true, I�ve found.

Once again, I feel quite put out that I must suffer, when the rest of the world (doctors or hypochondriacs) can�t behave properly. Even if the stuff comes out in an over-the-counter version, I can�t afford to pay for that, in addition to the feminine products and birth control pills that aren�t much of a choice.

One day when I was in kindergarten, the class lined up, as usual, to walk to the milk cooler for our daily milk break. Someone at the front of the line started running, and everyone behind him (surely it was a him?) kept up. Except me, because I played by the rules, even then. What a fussy little kid I must�ve been. But my point is that it paid off. There was one chocolate milk left, and since I was the only good kid, it was mine. My crowning glory, right then.

Dammit, I want my chocolate milk. Being a grownup sucks (a theme to which we�re likely to return frequently).

Oh, so yeah, with my future up in the air, I�m hoarding the 25 pills I have left, dealing with the itchiness and feeling grumpy and gross.

But hey, on the bright side, we�ve got Jay Bennett and Edward Burch tonight, and I�m quite excited. You should really see them if they come around, though you might�ve missed �em already. This will be the first time I�ve seen them play with a full band. Perhaps some of our show pals will be there, maybe even the terribly young and earnest (not really young and fresh) fellow from the past couple of shows. It�ll be lovely.

Looking forward to beer, too. Already.