Hung Truong: The Blog!

Flu: The Shot

I forgot to write about this, but I got a flu shot last Friday. Now, the flu shot is a prophylactic (site note: I am impressed with myself for spelling that word correctly WITHOUT a dictionary or any other spelling aid) against future sickness. But did you know it can sorta make you sick!? It can.

Apparently the process of makin’ antibodies can give you the side effect of fever and also making your arm (the one that is shot) sore. I was pretty much out of commission with a huge headache and general blah feeling on Friday evening.

I was thinking about the flu shot. It doesn’t contain all of the flu strains; just the ones that “scientists” think will be around during flu season. So these “scientists” just pray that the flu strains they picked will be the ones that people will be inoculated with.

This kinda doesn’t make sense to me. If a large portion of the population is immune against many different types of flu, wouldn’t that make less competition for a strain that isn’t in the flu shot to take control? It’s basically like giving one flu the monopoly on humans. I’m not sure it works that way, but it seems to make sense. I suppose there’s very few strains of flu so that makes it less likely that one flu would take over. Plus tons of people don’t get the shot anyway. I’m not an epidemiologist or anything, so don’t take my word for it!

Either way, I hope I don’t get knocked on my ass by the flu like last year!

John Hodgman Book Signing at Ann Arbor Borders: #1165

John Hodgman is a pretty funny dude. I’ve previously listened to his book on audio and also borrowed it from the library to read the charts (much funnier in chart form). So when I heard he’d be making an appearance in Ann Arbor at Borders #1, I was really stoked.

I got there on time at around 7:00pm, but apparently John wanted to teach us a lesson in punctuality? Actually, someone should teach John a lesson in “Michigan Time,” being 10 minutes late for everything. As I got there, he was saying some random funny stuff about the guy who directed Hancock having two (!) copies of Frank Herbert’s Dune in his bag in an airplane. Wow. Then some Q&A about voting machines and mole men. And he read some words. Out of the very book I was to purchase!

A line formed for signing, and I kinda got there at the end because I thought I needed to grab a book for him to actually sign. I must’ve waited maybe an hour or two? Probably closer to two. When my moment came, I made sure to point out to John that I had corrected his spelling of Albuquerque, only to have him burn me by spelling it even more incorrectly. Then he wrote “Sorry about New Mexicoe” in my book. What a bastard! Just kidding. Apparently John counts the number of books he’s signed. He yelled the number of the next person in line to prompt them to approach. I’m #1165.

I should also add that Hodgman was really nice. Very polite and receptive, even to crazed fans. I guess minor celebrity hasn’t gotten to his head yet. Except for the random ALL CAPS words he throws into his writing. THAT IS ALL.

Oh, and about the picture, I dunno what happened. Maybe Hodgman is shrinking or I am entirely tall, or maybe he was just leaning over a bunch? It’s totally going to be my Christmas card!

The Amazon.com Garden Gnome Saga, Part 2

Amazon.com is apparently in possession of a number of Garden Gnomes that it seriously needs to offload quickly. Because they mentioned them again on their homepage:

I can see how you might buy a female Mighican Gnome cheerleader when you buy the male Michigan Gnome, but WTF? 6% buy an Ohio State Gnome with the Michigan one!? Are they trying to cover their bases or something? Honestly, what business does an Ohio State Gnome have being on the same lawn as a Michigan Gnome? Amazon.com, you disappoint me.

Did You Know Amazon.com Sells NCAA Garden Gnomes?a

Neither did I, until Amazon thought it’d be a good idea to notify me of this.

Mega Man 9 Observations

I got Mega Man 9 for the Wii about a week ago. When I first got it I played it for a while and beat no one. Then I tried again today and so far I’ve beat three bosses.

Mega Man 9 was made in the tradition of the old-school Mega Man games. So there’s instant death spikes. Question: Why didn’t Dr. Wily make “Spike Man?” That’d pretty much make it impossible for Mega Man to beat him.