A very virtuous Valentine
Concentrate on giving love to others, not just on receiving material objects
JESSICA FLANAGAIN is a senior
English and philosophy major
and a Daily Nebraskan colum
nist
Here we are. Three days out from
Valentine’s Day and not even a peep from us on
the opinion page.
Don’t despair, though. I have just recently
made some very interesting observations about
the way we approach Valentine’s Day, and what
that tells us about ourselves and am excited to
share it with you.
We set the day up to be a failure by being
selfish when we could find happiness in less
greed and self-absorption.
Overall it would seem that Valentine’s Day
has been designated as a day for everyone to
think about “ME, ME, ME.” What can you do
for me? What about my happiness? Or how
about, don’t you feel sorry for me, because /
have anyone to share the day with, and I’m
lonely and miserable....
Enough of the sniveling, folks! It’s time to
suck it up and stop feeling sorry for ourselves.
Why not focus on the happiness of others
instead of behaving as if, simply because it is
the 14th day of the second month of the year,
we deserve roses and romance?
Besides, if selfishness is all this day is
about, how is it different from any other day?
Think about what people really do on this
day.
In general, young women are doing one of
two things, both of which are self-centered.
A good deal of women are plotting to revolt
against this wretched celebration of love. They
are unhappily single and thus determined to
make all those who revel in their happiness feel
wicked.
These are the same women who buy a tub
of Ben and Jerry’s, rent “Sleepless in Seattle”
and send one another bitter cards about saggy
boobs.
Meanwhile, the women who have someone
to share the day with are desperately hoping
their boyfriends will think of something that
will warrant bragging rights to the girls when
they return.
Bragging rights are, of course, granted to
the girl who received the most outrageous gift.
Roses don’t really count because they’re
expected, but the sun isn’t going to rise if the
bouquet doesn’t arrive. Dinner? Of course.
The meal should be in an expensive restau
rant where she will see and be seen, and jewel
ry or some other lavish token of his affection
with compliments for dessert are also expected.
And as for the young men... it would seem
as if their foremost concern on this day is to
avoid the you-don’t-love-me routine, while
putting as little effort into the festivity as possi
ble. The gift is the suggestion of the blonde at
the department store, reservations made wher
ever she suggests and a shower and a shave if
the girl’s lucky.
If there is no special someone in his life, he
probably wouldn’t notice the pizza he ordered
was heart-shaped.
Do you see what I’m getting at here? By
serving our selfish desires, the day will never
live up to its full potential. The true meaning of
love will never be realized. The evidence of
love is not the biggest display of affection on
February 14th.
“Love is patient; love is kind. It does not
envy; it does not boast; it is not proud. It is not
rude; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily
angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the
truth. It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1
Corinthians 13:4-7.
Think of how gratifying Valentine’s Day
1999 could be if you lived Sunday for others
rather than yourself.
You can start by relinquishing that grudge
you have been holding onto so tightly. Then
afford a sincere smile to everyone you
encounter. Write that note of encouragement
you have been meaning to write and call your
grandmother just to say hello.
Those of you who have someone to spend
the day with, make an effort to brighten the day
of those who do not. Here is where the heart
shaped pizza could be put to use. Those of you
who are destined to spend the day alone, rejoice
for your friends who have someone.
Still down in the dumps? Read 1
Corinthians; whether you’re a believer or not, it
will lift your spirits. Donate to a charity; spend
some time volunteering with under-privileged
kids. Take your little brother roller-skating.
Give of yourself.
“Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians
16:14.
So this Valentine’s Day, take a different
approach. Spend the day trying to show your
loved ones, or those who seem to need love,
that you love them instead of worrying about
who loves you and how they show it.
Deb Lee/DN \
Pained parasites
Scabies sufferer elucidates solution to often overlooked infestation
MARK BALDRIDGE is a senior English
major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist
I celebrated my 34th birthday recently (I’m
a Sagittarius, thanks for asking) by finding out
that I, and about half the people I hung out with,
all had scabies. In fact, that was the going rate ai
my birthday party: fifty percent.
I have to say, it’s not the first birthday I’ve
spent scratching where it itches.
The culprit: Sarcoptes Scabiei
At first you think they are chiggers, ticks,
even flea bites - little red bumps that itch like
the devil. At night it gets worse.
As it spreads it may seem like a rash that
gets you between your fingers, on your wrists 01
underarms or breasts, between your thighs or
along the waistband and hem of your under
wear.
It’s maddening.
Scabies was the first disease of which the
cause was definitely known. The tiny mite that
causes the condition (Sarcoptes Scabiei) was
identified in 1687.
It’s a highly contagious infestation of micro
scopic parasites that burrow through the subsur
face of the skin depositing eggs, feces and dead
body parts as they go.
As many as two months may pass before an
allergic reaction (itching, rash or bumps) alerts
the host - by then the parasites have gained a
foothold and can be difficult to remove.
Once bitten, twice shy
Treatment is necessary and, because of the
risk of re-infection, action must be taken by all
members of a household together, even those
who do not yet show signs of infestation.
Usually, scabies is treated with a cream of 5
percent topical permethrin, which is only avail
able by prescription. Over-the-counter head lic<
medications like Nix can contain as much as 1
percent permethrin but have shown to be inef
fective in treating scabies.
The medication (scabicide) is massaged
onto clean skin from the nape of the neck to the
soles of the feet and left on overnight.
As everyone in the household must be treat
ed simultaneously, and all areas of the body
completely covered, this may be the opportunit
for a little togetherness among roommates or
family members. Besides, a massage can help
transform the feelings of shame, anger and dirt
ness that can arise at this time.
The next step: clean house.
Vacuum the floor, the sofas and chairs.
Wash all clothes. Clothing and other items (such
as children’s toys) that cannot be washed must
be sealed in airtight garbage bags for a week -
to starve mites to death.
As long as 14 hours after medication, a
shower or bath washes away the medicine but
not die eggs, fecal matter and (hopefully dead)
mites, as these are still beneath the skin. For this
reason, itching and other symptoms will not go
away immediately and may last for a week or
more, during which time a wait-and-see attitude
should be adopted.
Don’t panic
It might be a good idea to take garlic supple
ments (two to four capsules or a whole clove)
several times a day, as this is supposed to have
antiparasitical properties. Vitamin E will help
the skin heal.
: The body should be kept clean and the skin
healthy while you wait afiill 14 days to see if
reinfestation has occurred.
Only after this time period has elapsed
should any attempt be made to re-medicate, as
overuse of the medication (it is a poison after
all) may cause other health problems.
Caveat emptor
/ In the interest of good journalism and in
order to give you an idea of some of die alterna
tive methods adopted by desperate sufferers of
- scabies, I offer this summary of illegal, unsafe
and just plain inadvisable methods of scabies
control. I do not recommend any of this to any
one.
■ A young woman of our acquaintance has
attempted to recruit sufferers to ask for a refill
able prescription at the time they see their doc
tors, using refills to help friends who may not be
able to afford to see a doctor. This is in violation
of the law.
■ A young man, confronted with an early
and minor infestation, simply heated a small
wire (unwound paperclip) with a butane lighter
and cauterized the little bumps himself. This
method is pretty ballsy and should not be
attempted in the case of a large infestation, or
once a rash has developed. If attempted on
another person it could be considered practicing
medicine without a license.
■ A simple test for scabies (I haven’t tried it
myself) is to scrape away a layer of skin from an
infection bump with a sterile instrument and
apply a felt-tip pen to the site. Ink will fill up the
tiny under-skm trail by which the mite burrowed
in.
■A certain monk suggested to us that the
infected area be doused with gasoline, which
would then be ignited. As the parasites flee the
flames you can stab them to death with an ice
pick. This is a joke.
And God forbid anyone should constitute
any of this as medical advice. My major source
of information was die Internet, so you can
judge for yourself how accurate it’s likely to be.
By all means, consult a physician and all
medications should only be taken “as directed.”
Me, well, I take a hard line against invaders.
