I would recommend a cocktail in the evening.

Alcohol does make me sleepy, but when it wears off I'm often wide awake, so I've been avoiding alcohol as a sleep aid. Still, I'm more likely to notice this with beer than other booze, so maybe I should pick up some vodka or something....

For me, one drink really does often help with random anxiety. But as noted, that is just me!

I just finished watching Independence Day during treadmilling. For some reason I like that movie, it's hokey as hell, if they had a science adviser he must have been drunk through most of the production, and almost everything is implausible. Yet I still like it, though I kept wanting the first lady to airlock one of those aliens.

The sleep hygiene handout my doctor gave me when I was suffering the worst of my insomnia (aka before the Ambien) recommended no caffeine at all, and no alcohol near bedtime.

recommended no caffiene at all

That's just crazy talk!

Well, Yesterday and today I've had half my usual coffee in the morning. (One big cup instead of two.) Maybe I'll try that for a few days, and if it doesn't help I'll cut out coffee entirely.

There's one co-worker that I occasionally hug after a vacation week or somesuch (we've been friends for over 20 years), and longtime business associates/friends from NYC and Florida that I always hug on the rare occasions we meet in person. In theory I'd be fine with hugging any of the relatives I work with, but none of us are touchy-feely people outside of family gatherings.

I've still got 22 hours of PTO left, and I don't know when I'll be able to take them. My boss is taking today and Friday off, so those are out, and starting next week, my other co-workers are taking off at least some if not all of the days until the end of the year, so those are mostly out. I'm going to see if I can get in a half day on Thursday with possibly a few more half days next week.

25% off sale at Borders.com today. Doesn't look like we have an affiliate link there though.

Usually the 24th is a work day, but we're furloughed the 24th and Jan. 4th this year, so that whole stretch everything is closed (and they turn off the power and lower the heat and basically shut all the way down, the whole campus.)

Huh. We're off the 24th and 25th, open 28th-30th, forced vacation day on 31st, closed on 1st. Most people are taking the 28th - 30th, but I am not, as previously noted.

tommyrot, did you post that coilhouse link here? B/c now I have a fantasy RockLove shopping cart that has $277 worth of jewelry in it, damn you. And I'm in serious lust with Blue Anchor, as well. Speaking of, check these out for your favorite True Blood fanatic... [link]

We're off starting the 23rd, and don't come back until the 4th. And we're complaining because it's only 12 days. Like flea's U., the heat is off during that time. Spoiled!