On my walk to work I added up a number of personal truths to reach a better understanding of my life.
1 – I live in a freakin’ desert. For those with visions of golden sunshine and spunky cacti, let me remind you that “desert” is generally defined as a place with little precipitation (though I also did stumble across the definition “[Formerly] any unsettled area between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains thought to be unsuitable for human habitation.” Unsuitable for human habitation; that’s where I live.)
2 – Since there’s little water, I haven’t seen any mosquitoes.
3 – Mosquitoes are the major carrier of West Nile Virus.
Conclusion – Despite a record raise in numbers across the nation, and even in better-hydrated portions of Wyoming, I have little to no chance of catching West Nile in my backyard.
Granted, with my lifestyle, I’m statistically more likely to be killed by a motor vehicle or overdose on Skittles candies. But becoming a West Nile statistic – I think not.
Take that places that have year-round standing water!
Later, in transcribing these thoughts, I realized nothing had really changed.
When I lived in places surrounded by rivers, lakes, creeks, etc, I never worried about catching West Nile.
I technically could have, maybe should have. In working for the Department of Conservation I saw animals that supposingly had died of the virus. I even knew people who had contracted the disease (not the serious brain inflaming strain, but the lethargy causing one. All the pleasures of Mono without having had an initial make-out session with an infected party).
Still, no West Nile-related increased use of bug spray. No avoidance of water holes. No real concern or worries. I simply knew about the possibility, ignored it and eventually came to forget about it.
Today, living in a mosquito-less dessert, my sense of ease has not really been increased by this added knowledge. That status quo was simply further reinforced; no more, no less.
The original premise of this post was a lie.
Oh well.
No personal truth for today.
I guess I’ll just eat some more cookies and forget about the whole West Nile thing, again.
