Loathing

I've been plagues by allergies since I was, I don't know, eleven or twelve. Since before there was Claritin (and I know, because I've taken it daily since it was a prescription med). I get the itchy eyes, the sneezing, the whole nine yards. Normally, the Claritin pretty much takes care of it.

But this year? This year we're living in a new place. And while I love this place (though I'm not so crazy about the landlord, but that's a post for another day)... the neighbors have this Tree. I don't know what kind of tree it is, so I just call it the Evil Tree. It drops gigantic bundles of pollen (apparently known as catkins) that look like this:


This tree drops so much pollen that my car, before the rain last week, was totally covered with yellow powder.

(Note: This is neither my car nor my tree-- owing to the Lack Of Camera mentioned earlier-- but the resemblances are uncanny.)

I hate, hate, hate the Evil Catkin Tree. Loathing, you understand. Unadulterated loathing. Hence the video. (*squee* to Wicked, though.) This tree is torturing me to the extent that yesterday, for the first time in probably ten years, I went to the doctor for my allergies. Since then, not only do I have my lovely Claritin tabs, but I also have Flonase spray and some antihistamine eye drops. To the tune of $40, I might add. You would think the insurance provided by a medical school to its medical students would be really particularly good, but no.

Let's hope they work, because otherwise I may have to take drastic measures. And I don't think the neighbors would appreciate me setting fire to their tree.