[VAR]iable expression

Even though I got a flu shot this year, even though I thought I’d managed to sneak by it this year, the virus decided to hit me upside the head this week, and only just this morning did I emerge triumphant from under the pile of blankets and used tissues. Eew.

Frequent question this week from friends and family: “How are you feeling?”

Loopy answer, thanks to a fun combination of feverish hallucinations and OTC drugs: “Congeeeeeeeeeeested”–sung ala the finale of Gackt’s “Redemption”

Fingers crossed, and weather gods willing, I’ll give New Hampshire slopes another go this weekend. Unfortunately this means I’ll miss out on the Silent Dance Project going down at Fanueil hall Saturday afternoon. I’m a bit bummed about it, but this is an event that’s gone down in many other cities already. Boston’s already got enough of the “me-too” syndrome, so I’ll be a lot more excited about flash mob*-type projects when they’re new and unique to our tiny, quirky city.

I’ve noticed an interesting dilemma crop up when folks try promoting these events on well-known local blogs and networks. At first, just a few folks in the media get wind of the event, but pretty soon the “flash mob” events lose all sense of spontaneity when they’re running in the Globe’s “Events” section. It seemed there were more reporters and photogs than participants at the pillow fight. Certainly you want to get word out so people can join, but too much publicity and media presence is something of a buzz-kill, isn’t it?

*And yea, I know, flash mobs are SOOOO 2001.

Oh yes, but before I came down with the flu, my friends and I had a lovely walk around the city on Sunday. Just randomly, this came across our path:

The State House and… a whatever-that-is.