What possessed me, at 11, to do what HW recc'd and try the heat for 30 minutes? Still going to get a tech in, but I've spent the last 90 feeling up radiators and vacuuming out the one in the master, which was FILTHY.

I've got to be in early. I'm gonna hate the morning.

I bet self-checkout ends up slower too, due to customer fumbling and bagging and less counter space.

God, I'm slower in self-checkout, even when there's no line. Just wrangling things so I can use the bag I brought without setting off their theft sensor is a pain in the ass. Don't they know we're trying to be green now?

Ralph's no longer has handles on their paper bags. They say that small change will save a ton of paper. No doubt--paper bags are nigh-useless if I have to carry them in armloads. There's only so much I can move that way. Or I could get paper in plastic. That'll save the environment. ::hugs Baggu tight::

I know. I'm usually good about bringing my bags, but it does wreak a bit of havoc.

Oh, and they hate my veggie bags. I keep telling them I don't mind absorbing the extra cost of the bag's weight, but it gets them all off kilter and they want to reset the tare.

oh ita, your poor mom! (wow, that's not something I ever pictured myself saying)

Noah is PAINfully adorable with his singing and his muffins.

One of my colleagues brought in his wee tiny 4 mo old son today. He was utterly delicious. Oh le SIGH. I love babies.

Target now give me 5 cents for every bag I bring of my own. They hardly blink.

Raley's has gotten a lot better about the self-checkout being cool with my reusable bags. I figure that whatever time I lose with the wrangling myself is made up by the not having to chat to the people checking me out factor. Sure, they're all friendly, but I know they are secretly judging my cream and Splenda and eight kinds of yogurt.

Target now give me 5 cents for every bag I bring of my own. They hardly blink.

Safeway gives me 3 cents, but not per bag.

no one gives you money for bringing your own bag in NYC. in my neighborhood, they are forever surprised by it and look at you oddly.

I love the research applied to the checkout line problem. It's the new traveling salesman's dilemma! Sadly at TJs most of those rules don't apply.

Shamless pimpage! These are awesome grocery bags, and they're on sale right now. [link]

After 6 months or so mine are losing their ability to stand up on their own as nicely as they used to, but that may be because I am prone to crumpling them up when they're empty. Anyway, they're nifty and I have gotten compliments on them from the clerks.

And these are great too, while I'm pimping. They're bags with a built-in stuffsack so they'll fit in a purse or backpack but opened they hold quite a lot. [link]

msbelle - Have you tried hot & sour soup? When nothing else works I've found it will at least stop the sniffles long enough for me to inhale properly and feel sane again for an hour or two.

msbelle, you should go to bed.