It's 9 degrees here. When I woke up (5:30ish) the windchill was -10. I don't know if it still is.

I am sad I missed Alton Brown on Chili. I really enjoyed his show on pickles.

I'm not a fan of chili anyway, so I have no opinion on Cincy versions.

This is why I am a secretary and not a costume designer. I know I can eat I know I have health insurance and a roof over my head.

Sophia, this theory makes a hell of a lot of sense to me.

It was minus -18C (-4F) with a windchill of -39C (-38F) when I walked to work this morning. Still, it felt warmer than walking around yesterday. I think it's because I put my boots on the heater before I put them on today, and gave my feet a little boost.

I'm not sure why we don't hibernate.

Excellent Paul Krugman editorial in NYT exposing the Bush lie that the current Social Security program is unfair to blacks.

I liked the actuary humor:

Mr. Bush's argument goes back at least seven years, to a report issued by the Heritage Foundation - a report so badly misleading that the deputy chief actuary (now the chief actuary) of the Social Security Administration wrote a memo pointing out "major errors in the methodology." That's actuary-speak for "damned lies."

In fact, the actuary said, "careful research reflecting actual work histories for workers by race indicate that the nonwhite population actually enjoys the same or better expected rates of return from Social Security" as whites.

juliana, I agree, Sophia's theory makes a lot of sense to me, too.

I have been trying to post, but it's very hard to post when you're playing circus train with a four year old. I wanted to sit somewhere other than the floor and have a cup of coffee, so I told him I had to go do some work in the train station office, but I keep getting called back to consult.

It was 3°F this morning when I left for work. In my stupor, I said, "Hey, that's three times warmer than it was yesterday!"

t slinks away to stalk the wild coffee pot

another single digit day here. That is wrong.

I agree with Sue that hibernation should at least be an option.

also? I should be able to call in "hibernating" and not lose vacation days.

last night's OC left me flat, but then I watched Monster's Inc. and I got silly happy. KITTY!

topically, I am having some of my homemade turkey chili today for lunch. It has beans, but no pasta or tomatoes.

I will go and order some turkey chili today for lunch in solidarity with msbelle.

I figured out how the guy got my number -- I had the same phone number at that address as I did at my following address, and that number now has a change-number message giving my cell phone. But still!

I need to go to Home Depot to buy paint. Then I need to paint. Will I actually have time to paint a room today, and still go out this evening?

The lesson of this week's ER? Kinda weird, and I can't believe the doctor in question needed to learn it.

Also? Luka? Still hottest doctor ever.