How did it come to be that the word “cold” refers not only to that which is chilly but also to a sore throat, aching head and the sniffles? Maybe the answer goes back to some old misconception that people only get sick when it’s cold out. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence.
Those stray questions floated through my head around this time last year as I performed my annual winter-anticipation ritual–scheduling the family flu shots.
It led to the acknowledgement that, while we can inoculate ourselves against a dozen strains of influenza and countless other ailments, there’s still no cure for the common cold. And likewise, no way to keep cold weather from coming–not to these parts, anyway.
Perhaps you infer from that train(wreck) of thought that I really should get out more. But I prefer to call it brainstorming, because it did lead to the theme of this year’s Winter Pleasures issue, “12 cures for the common cold.”
The package offers a variety of ways to keep the winter blues at bay, from hiking along the Skokie Lagoons to curling up on the couch with a fat book or music prescribed by our critics.
So come on, cold, we’re ready for you.
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dchen@tribune.com
