This talk of movies leaves me in the dust. Every month or so we join some friends to watch a DVD. DW and I are the best guests - we haven't seen any of the proposed movies so we're happy with whatever gets chosen. It does lead me to see some neat stuff that I'd never have chosen alone.

The little snow we've had has melted. Walking is easy - but so is finding parking spaces when the snow is gone, LOL. I'm so jealous of Dagmar's beach scene. In my next life, I'll live on a cliff overlooking the beach. (Around here, living on the beach is a ticking bomb.)

Morning all,

I felt inundated with football and football parties all weekend. As someone who does not give a fig about football, I was not excited. They were given by BF's friends who I don't know that well. Nice people... but that's it. And since I'm trying to avoid alcohol and fatty football foods that added another level of anxiety to the events. I attended one Saturday so I wouldn't just be sitting home alone, but took the dog for a long wog during the game Sunday and skipped the party. There is the relationship aspect, too. These are BF's friends. I have to hang out with them occasionally to please him, and so that I have leverage when I want him to hang out with my friends.

As a follow-up to our conversation last week about the "CLANK" as the 50-lb weight is moved from one side to another at the doctor's office, I saw an Alli commercial over the weekend where the female subject was talking about just that. She was talking about just what we were talking about. Clever marketing.

Bill, I'm right there in the dust with you. The nearest movie theatre is 60 miles away, and I just don't get there. When I do go to the city I have so many errands stored up I go to stores and little else, unless I'm there for work. I have Netflix but by the time a movie comes out on DVD I've half forgotten about it. Then sometimes I try to get things both BF and I will agree to watch... I wish Netflix offered more on demand. I use it more to catch up on my Dexter and other TV seasons. I've actually been thinking about checking out what hulu has to offer.

How was everybody's weekend?

I watched the Golden Globes and I can report that I had not seen one movie or TV show that was nominated. I have seen some of the actors in past performances but this year 0.
Oops....I did see The Hatfields and McCoys.

I'm grouchy at the scale (again)-- what's new?!

I experimented with doing back to back bikram yoga classes and then allowing myself an indulgent lunch (small cup of chili and a pesto chicken sandwich at a restaurant). You would think 185 minutes of heart pounding and sweating would offset one meal but the scale is still up! GRRRRR..... Gotta get serious about my food as my exercise is obviously there.......

Scale was up too much all weekend and has moved down again. Still this morning was ruined by spending 20 minutes trying to "go" to no success, and then realizing I had used up most of my gym time.

I shall try again (gym, the other thing is a lost effort) tonight. I want to look good in a swimsuit for my FL Keys trip, but standing between now and then, this Saturday is Wing Wars (where I WILL eat 20 wings, no matter what I tell myself).

The scale and I were also at war this morning - I was at a good weight this weekend and ate well and the scale decided to leap up this morning. I walked 7.5 miles on Saturday and ran 8 yesterday, so I'm hoping there's some DOMS and that's the culprit.

Movies - DH and I never go out to the movies. Last movie we saw out was "Paranormal Activity" - the first one - because we had a gift card to use. But we have a 61" tv, full surround sound, and a Blu-Ray and so we do watch the movies when they come out on DVD. And then I get to pause it when I have to pee!

I had a pretty productive weekend - trying to keep up with housework so that I don't have to do a massive cleaning that takes 2 days every once and a while. It was pretty easy this weekend, though, because I could clean while watching the football playoffs.

Talk about irony, Megan, I LOVE football and DH HATES it. He could barely tolerate me insisting on watching all the games this weekend, especially when he was subjected to it being on while we were working out!

Happy Monday everyone!

Jen

I thought that I had a quiet, productive day planned when my manager reached out to me through IM. She's creating a second team leader position within our dept, which is an entry-level management spot, and it's only going to be open for internal applicants for one week. She urged me to apply today. So there's that. And also buying an airline ticket to visit friends in Santa Fe. And also reviewing a couple hundred published docs from 2012 and breaking out for my manager what research areas they represent.

So I am overwhelmed ... and so tired ... I didn't watch the Globes, as I was trying to go to bed early. It didn't help: I still feel wiped out today.

I like to look at the dresses on the red carpet at the Globes, but don't have a lot of respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which gives out the awards. They once gave a best actress award to Pia Zadora. (Look her up if the name doesn't ring a bell.)

saef, did you apply for the position ?
I watch the Gobes mainly to see the dresses. I think many of them are quite ugly.
I remember Pia Zadora, shat ever happened to her ?

I happened to see Silver Linings Playbook yesterday afternoon so I did manage to see one nominee. It was great, BTW. Watching the award shows is my secret vice, although I generally mute the speeches. Never worn an evening gown or formal in my life, but I love looking at the fashions and seeing who was in the top 5 of the best and worst dressed. I can only admit that online where anonymity is relatively guaranteed.

Megan, that's funny about the Alli commercial. I'm going to have to watch for that.

Bill, we had a snow storm last week that dumped 3-4" and the dang stuff is still around in the form of icy packed snow. It hasn't been above freezing since, and it's supposed to be highs of around 22 all this week. Our sidewalk is clear, but so many aren't that going for a walk is downright dangerous. Crossing an unplowed parking lot is almost impossible without crampons. I decided to wait until it got to double digits this morning before I went shopping. Luckily the store I go to de-ices with a vengeance.

Anyone ever been a substitute teacher? I volunteer in a first grade classroom, and the regular teacher was out. I'd never seen the kids so amped up and wild. One kid actually whapped me on the butt. I felt sorry for the sub and had renewed respect for the regular teacher who keeps a tight, yet loving, control on her classroom. Subs really have a hard job.

We had a blizzard (-30ish C with wind chill) on Friday so instead of 4X4ing in the Honda Fit I took the day. I wasn't impressed that the boss just didn't cancel the day but...c'est la vie.

I don't usually watch the award shows, I don't know why. I do look up the dresses after the fact though.

However, I do watch a lot of movies, the VIP is a movie hound! His theatre is 138 inch HD projector (seriously, over the top geekalert!). He still loves going TO the theatre (I think it's the popcorn) but I find myself a series/tv gal. To compromise we buy old series and end up watching them one a night or two a night (depending on if I love the series).

We watched a marathon of the walking dead over Christmas...which isn't helpful at 4:00 am if you happen to wake up...and end up with silly racing thoughts about 'whatif'

We are currently watching Battlestar Galactica, a Canadian series. And I'm excited to watch Game of Thrones, even though I get mad at the books when I'm reading them

Hey folks! My minor cold turned out to be pretty nasty after all. By last Wednesday evening I'd developed a fever, so we called my OB who told me to take Tylenol and called in a Tamiflu prescription in case it was the flu. I haven't left the house since last Tuesday! But the fever broke Saturday night and except for a slight rise last night it doesn't seem to be coming back. Now I'm just stuck with the worst congestion I've had in years, laryngitis, and a nasty cough. Yuck!

It's funny, when I was fat I was sick all the time. Since losing weight and getting healthy, I've barely gotten ill at all, and when I do it's been very minor. I had forgotten how unpleasant it is. I honestly think this is the first fever I've had in the past seven years, and only the first or second time I've had to take a sick day off work. I'm working from home right now (took Thurs and Fri off sick) and planning on staying home at least until I can talk again. I figure there's no point in being there in person if I can't talk to anyone and I'm just spreading germs with all my coughing and nose-blowing. I can do all my actual work remotely.

I'm sad I was sick this weekend because the weather was beautiful when it wasn't raining. I sat next to an open window for a while to take advantage of it. Also, I missed out on seeing a special exhibit of Islamic art at the art museum, which was having its last weekend. Oh well, guess I should have gone earlier. On the bright side, DH is the best and waited on me hand and foot, including working from home Thurs and Fri to take care of me. Being sick is also so uncomfortable it made all the pregnancy discomfort I've been complaining about seem like nothing at all, which I'm not sure is an improvement but at least puts things in perspective.

The real question now is how to avoid getting sick with something else when I go back to work! Obviously the flu shot and washing my hands a lot was not sufficient prevention, and for whatever reason people don't seem to be capable of staying home when they're sick. I'm considering getting a face mask and putting a bunch of hand sanitizer bottles all over my desk. I don't want to be paranoid, but I also really, really don't want to get sick again, and all the news networks have been reporting on what a dangerous flu season this is. (Didn't help that when I went to look up whether Tamiflu was safe for pregnant women, the answer I got was basically, "Flu kills a lot of pregnant women, so it's safer for you to take the medicine than to get the flu.")

I'm still at home today. I'm feeling better, but still run down. Throat is much less sore than it was, head is still pretty congested. I'm still getting a little light headed when I cough or blow my nose too hard. I've barely eaten in five days, but feel bloated and icky from the antibiotics and all the sodium filled soup of the last week.

We did go see Shatner last night - it was probably unwise, but I saved up energy all day to be ready. The tix were the last part of DH's Christmas present and I didn't want him to miss it. It was AWESOME. Totally worth it.

Jessica, promise old granny bargoo that you will be super careful , it is not just you to be concerned about, I told you earlier about my getting a cold during pregnancy and it not going away until after my DS was born.
Wear a mask if necessary and use lots of sanitizing wipes and take time off if you can. This flu that is going around is nasty. Take care of yourself and the babies.

Shannon, glad the antibiotics are kicking in and you're feeling a little better. Sounds like you enjoyed Shatner!

Bargoo, I'm trying to think of a polite way to email my whole project team at work and basically say, "If you're sick or think you might be getting sick, don't come within 10 feet of me for the next five months." When I emailed in my status report last week I hinted about CDC recommendations for staying home from work when sick but I don't know if the guys got it or not. Most of them are fathers (or even grandfathers) so you'd think they'd know about these kind of things, but apparently not.

I think you should do that , not only for your sake but others as well.