valerian root:

y'all are missing out.  I like plants that do things to the body.  Also chemicals.  Things that do things.  We cultivate them en masse, a leftover primitive impulse refined and humanized in that innumerable-strings-attached way.  I like having control over my body.  Losing it is a fear.

I need to stop this birthday indulgence; already it's a day stale and I'm still letting myself eat all the cheese I want because "hey, birthday."  

But I really didn't do anything on my birthday, except get a wicked sore throat that's persisted.