Thursday Thirteen #255

 A disgusting Thursday Thirteen. Since covid, I've taken note of sneezes and coughs I would have ignored before. Which is why I have assembled 13 facts about phlegm.

1. Phlegm is made of water, salt, bacteria and other debris that your lungs decided they didn't want.

2. It has an important job to do. Phlegm traps harmful things that you breathe in, like pollution.

3. The consistency of your phlegm doesn't really doesn't reveal as much about the cause as the color.

4. Clear phlegm means ... nothing. It's normal. Your body is just whisking the bad stuff away.

5. Yellow phlegm means your body is fighting off an infection. The color is from white blood cells.

6. Green phlegm is creepy, but it's not so bad. Your body is just working a little harder to fight off the infection.

7. Pink or red indicates there's blood in the phlegm. A lot of sneezing or coughing -- especially in dry air -- could lead to broken blood vessels. If it goes on for more than a day, the blood in your phlegm could be from something more serious and you should call your doctor.

8. I've never seen brown phlegm, and I'm glad, because it means more serious bleeding. Perhaps in the lungs. Call the doctor.

9. Black phlegm? It's bad. It's a sign of a fungal infection in your lungs. When you call the doctor, it's a good bet they'll want to see you.

10. Breathing dry air can irritate your airways, so if phlegm is a recurring problem for you (or if it creeps you out), you might want to invest in a cool-mist humidifier.

11. Breathing cool air helps your respiratory system, and so does drinking warm liquids. Decaffeinated tea is your best bet.

12. It's not an old wives' tale: chicken soup really does help.

13. Doctors are still recommending one of the oldest remedies in the book: gargling with salt water.

I hope this helped you better understand that icky stuff.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

My dinner with Aaron

Wednesday was my free day in Hollywood. First I checked into The Hollywood Celebrity Hotel. It was charming. Quirky and, perhaps, in need of an upgrade. But safe, affordable, original and dedicated to providing good service. There's something nice about staying in an independent hotel, not a chain.

Then I had dinner with Aaron. My former boss. The best boss I ever had. He made me feel valued and heard. He moved to Los Angeles before Thanksgiving and working EST hours was just too hard so he left our agency in January. I've missed him dreadfully. Even more, I wanted to thank him.

Three of us -- Aaron, his girlfriend and me -- had dinner at an Italian restaurant near the Celebrity. I am pleased to report all is very well. He loves Los Angeles and even more, he loves his girlfriend. They were so cute, holding hands and gazing. He's very proud of her career, which is why they relocated to LA. He's also starting a new job in May. 

It was wonderful to see him again! Then back to my hotel. Right outside my door were movie posters featuring two of my favorite actresses: Kate and Marilyn. How did they know? And in the middle wre exotic plants. I was happy.

More to come!

God, I love baseball

I've been away from blogging for a while, but not from baseball. Anthony Rizzo had a career game yesterday, three home runs.

This cost me $15. I've pledged $5/home run to The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, to help families dealing with pediatric cancer. 

I am still a Cub fan, of course. But the team disrespected Rizz and he deserves all good things in the Bronx. I hope he's enjoying this new chapter of his life. He represents the best in baseball, and baseball is the best of us.