Yams and sweet potatoes are a different vegetable, though the names are often used interchangeably. Sweet potatoes have the same outside look as a yam, but have white flesh. Yams have orange flesh but are often called/sold as sweet potatoes. (vegetable pedant)

Then my mother always made sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and called them candied yams. I blame her for my ignorance.

connie, a good bed-side manner goes a long way for me with a doctor.

wrong thread

"Good night, Connie, good work, sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

If he had said that, he'd rank as the coolest doc in the world.

You yam/sweet potato Americans confuse me.

Our yams have a variety of colours of their flesh, running through to yellow (most are variations on white and beige). They're not that sweet. Sweet potatoes are light green inside, and sweeter.

I don't know what this orange stuff you eat is "really" called.

I don't think I'm OK and I don't know what to do.

Nora, what do you need? Do you need to leave work? Do you need to leave work AND have company?

Can you leave work and call Tom?

I can't remember -- do you work at MIT? Could you go to the campus health center? (Obviously that won't help you if you don't work there.)

I need to do work, otherwise I'm fucked. I think i can finally get some stuff done, and the situation isn't as perilous as it was before - although by the time we all figured it out, I was already cramped up in high anxiety mode. I think I'm ok. I can't talk to anyone right now, so that precludes leaving, but hopefully that will change soon. My stomach still hurts but I can breathe withour sobbing, so that's an improvement.

Jesus, what the hell has happened to me? You know it's bad when I am envying someone's SPRAINED BACK.

I'm sorry for inflicting this on all y'all.

((((Nora))))

You're on the East Coast, correct? Can you wander off for a lunch break?

I ran out at 11am and devored a burrito and an ice cream on a stick, which helped slightly until I came back.

I have a meeting, which is sure to be stressful, at 1:30. This should be interesting. If anyone has any ~ma to direct so that I don't start crying IN MY MEETING that would be great.

I can't talk to anyone right now, so that precludes leaving, but hopefully that will change soon. My stomach still hurts but I can breathe withour sobbing, so that's an improvement.

Well, I hope you can get out of the office ASAP, just to get a break and maybe chill a little (if that's possible).