I wandered through some other posts, and boy do they get vicious towards women who aren't plus size. "Soft femininity" also cropped up in more than one place. More power to the plus sizes, but there's an undercurrent of "only plus sized women are real women, because they're soft and feminine." I'd rather be plus-sized and kicking ass. Fat woman with a gun--or sword, I'm not picky, but I do get out of breath faster.

I'm back. We're done. I won't be going back to Hartsville TN ever again. Wow, that feels weird. Not sad, really, just strange. That place that's been an integral part of my life for 43 years is now just memories and a random assortment of furniture and stuff. Of course I *can* go back to visit, any time I want, but I know that I won't. I'm done.

ChiKat, my sincere condolences. Peace and strength to you and your friend's family.

Aims, as much as metaphorically pushing that professor down the stairs would please you (What? I said metaphorically!) you're probably better off shaking it off and moving on. You're a good person and a good student; that one grade won't make a big difference in your life.

Steph and Jilli, death to the vile microbial invaders that are making you sick!

Windsparrow, I offer blankets and hot cocoa in retrospect. I hope Daniel's safely home by now.

More power to the plus sizes, but there's an undercurrent of "only plus sized women are real women, because they're soft and feminine."

Her disdain for the waifs made me think of the weight talk on TT, where there was always someone saying "But I already ate a sandwich. Step off." It's a little blanket. Attack the society and media promotion of it, but leave the less heavy alone, will you?

More power to the plus sizes, but there's an undercurrent of "only plus sized women are real women, because they're soft and feminine."

It's still policing the bodies of women, it's just aimed a bit differently than the OMG fatties are gross version.

Zen, just sending a good feeling your way, for completion and closure.

Bonny - saw your press post and i have subscribed to your newsletter (and cat food/litter delivery). OMG, how wonderful to not make that drive every month. Going through my credit card statements to see how often to sign up for delivery i realised just how much i spend on the furry beasts every month! Someday they might redeem themselves. Might.

Smonster, stay the (*&%*&%^*& home from work until the PI clears up. Adding stress to the mix is gonna make healing even slower and more miserable. Plus cranky time=less effective teacher/leader.

Istas! Get/Stay healthy! Ok, cold-weather tips from years of working at a natural foods stores: some people swear by echinacea, but most newer research debunks it. Plus it can be an allergen. (Same with goldenseal). Oscillococcinum=gold for early stages of the flu, but you gotta start taking it at first symptoms and it is spendy. I do not trust fungus but hear amazing things about that stuff mentioned upthread. Zinc helps some people by shortening duration and lessening symptoms. Every form makes me nauseaus so i avoid it. It's very very difficult to OD on vitamin C and it does support immune function (plus preventing scurvy!) so dope away with vit c/ascorbic acid. Too much might make your pee expensive but it's not gonna lodge in your brain or do damage. Getting adequate Vit D and B complexes is vital in keeping that immune system healthy. Check w/ yr doc on how much you need- most people are deficient in Vit D and I know my morning dosage of 3000 iud is a better energy boost than a shot of coffee. You can od on B vitamins so just make sure that you're getting 100% rda in supplement form since it's super easy to miss it in food.

Heck, if you aren't taking a good multivitamin you should. Really. Worth consulting with a nutrionist (who is not making comission on vitamin sales) on what's gonna work for you. Me, i ended up with Soloray children's chewables - all varieties of pills just went straight through me.

Some people sweat by netti pots (uck! water up the nose!) and there are even crazy people who will try to sell you on ear candling. Give that the scepticism it deserves; ear candling is hooey and can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

Yoga, meditation, clearing out quiet alone time...even if it's just 10 minutes a day...is extremely effective at lowering stress and boosting immune system. I know people who lock themselves in the bathroom for 15 minutes every day because it's the only place they can actually be alone. Not ideal, but better than being a frazzled stress ball. Stress leads to sickness. Sickess is bad. Therefore stress is bad.

I do not trust fungus but hear amazing things about that stuff mentioned upthread.

I went to the natural food store at lunch, and after talking to the woman there for a long time (about my allergies and other general health stuff), she recommended astragalus, along with the fungus. So I got only the astragalus, since I never like to start 2 things at once, in case I have a weird reaction -- if I start 2 at once, I wouldn't know what caused the reaction.

I also got the damn albuterol inhaler from CVS finally. Sheesh!

I hope your situation works out okay, Aims. Almost don't know what to say. The way you're telling it, that prof sure seems like an asshole to me and that would be reason to appeal it. At UCLA I got an incomplete that turned to an F because of some utter bullshit on the prof and TA's parts. Only F I ever got in my life. But I managed to graduate just fine and no prospective employer has ever brought it up. Heed the words of those more experienced than me, though. My career in life has hardly been exemplary. Go you!

Regardless of the reactionary words of the site that was featured on, DJ, congrats to your friend for getting a good modeling gig, esp when she was having a tough time in LA. Good for her!

But angles can make all the difference.

Bingo. Even when I was a svelte athletic teen, I hated my chin. It didn't go straight back like Katherine Hepburn's (who, oddly enough, didn't like her chin/neck and hid them a lot), but instead the muscle attaches pretty far down the neck. Looks a little double-y even when I'm skinny. Now that I'm fat there's no hope.

Stayed up WAY too late dealing with fallout from the Gawker thing. And in a lot of RSI pain. So I slept late. Got up, helped with some chores, volunteered to do some grocery shopping, pedaled to TJ's and Pavilions. One of the things I most love about my Xtracycle is that I'll go shopping with my bike helmet on and such and the cashiers go "Uh...um..." about how many groceries I'm getting. They'll politely point out that maybe I'm buying too many groceries to take home on a bike and I can say, "Oh no, I'm fine. I've got a cargo bike." Hee!

Put groceries away, watered plants and I already feel like I've failed at getting my own agenda done today because it's sunset. I should force myself, though. I really need to get this sty of a room cleaned and organized. Still very much living out of boxes.

Too much might make your pee expensive

Damn, is there some sort of black market for pee? I've got to get on this. And then take a shitload of vitamin C.

I hope your situation works out okay, Aims. Almost don't know what to say. The way you're telling it, that prof sure seems like an asshole to me and that would be reason to appeal it.

Honestly? I'd let it go. I'm not sure what an appeal would be based on. (Other than compassion, and that's not nothing.) It sucks that's she's being a hardass about it, but, kind of the breaks.

And end of the day, you'll still be coming out with a far above average record. Assuming your next step isn't Harvard Law, this isn't going to make a difference.

Actually letting it go, emotionally, will be harder said than done. But I suspect it's your best course.