sj, I would love if you sent me info on arm exercises. Thank you!

I am home from PDX. I brought a Cass with me, because we have another MCR show tomorrow night.

Since moving to New Orleans, I've noticed that many African Americans are suspicious at best of dogs they don't know to downright frightened. I don't know if the catering person was white, black, asian, hispanic,none of the above, all of the above, but it's possible there was some of that in the mix. Or not. I don't know.

I can't really speak to whatever cultural implications are in play, as I'm not in the situation, but it is something I've noticed over the past year. Correlation is not causation, of course.

People with hazel eyes, does the brown or green become more ascendant depending things like mood?

I've always believed it was a matter of lighting more than anything else. But what color you wear does sometimes seem to "bring the color out".

I may change my mind, but as long as I don't have to remove snow I think I'll like winter better than weeks on end with the heat index in the 100s and high humidity.

I find this to be imminently true. Not having to drive makes it even better -- you won't have a subway, but shoot for a short commute!

Bear in mind that Australian possums are not closely related to New World opossums. They're more closely related to kangaroos. (See, for instance, the pic on this page: [link] This is a brushtail, the species that was introduced into NZ.)

For starts, they're not evil.

What helps me a lot with packing for trips is to continually remind myself that if I forget anything it will not be the end of the world. I can buy stuff wherever I'm going if I need to (camping and backpacking is different of course, but I am semi-professionally trained for that and it doesn't stress me out).

My sister applies this technique liberally. "We're going to ______, not Turkish prison."

I'm a proudly light packer, but in recent years I've had to bring lots of shoes when I go to shows because my feet would get bigger each night. By night four of a festival I'd be in shoes two sizes larger than normal. BUT NO MORE OF THAT!!!!!

sj - it's tree nuts, too. So we'll be marching the Other Protein Train

There is Soy Nut Butter, don't know if it's any good. [link] And there is always creamchees and jelly mmmmmm.

Guys, I've lost like 12 pounds since January! From working really hard; I haven't done anything! I have a waist again -- it's very dippy. I love my dippy waist. Thatsa a nice curve.

I love your dippy waist too!!!!

I've dropped 10-15* lbs. since I got home from Florida (so that's the weight I put on there and a bit more) and my waist is back too!!!!

* Will I EVER have juse one weight? I suspect it will always be a range. Like, in the course of a week. Oy.

I am very jealous of all this weight-losing! Hopefully the planned working out with trainer (started today! sore) will help that. Though I need to seriously get the eating under control too. After some weird stomach issues the past few weeks, I decided to try going gluten-free for a couple weeks. One website was claiming to feel better (if you're going to) you have to be on a gluten-free diet for like, SIX WEEKS, but another said only a couple weeks. Anyone know? I'm willing to try a couple weeks and see how I feel, but if I won't know for six weeks, fuggedaboudit. Especially since I'm really kind of hoping it doesn't help, since then I'd have to give up gluten!

After all my travels, I am like unto ND, where I can get up, get ready and pack a bag, and leave for the airport 20 minutes after my alarm in the morning. I find the key (and often hardest part for me, if there is more than just work planned) is shoe selection--I always want more pairs, but they take up so much space.

Anyone awake? Very sore back/neck after a chiro appt today (it's still all locked up from the car accident) and a brain that won't shut up equals insomnia. I took 600 mg of ibuprofen but no love, and I'm out of Flexoril. Blah.

Well, I'm up, because I'm at work, and I had to drive through A BLOWING SNOW BLIZZARD (which is redundant, but) IT'S APRIL 3RD! SPRING FOR REAL AND FOR TRUE! WHY WAS THERE THREE INCHES OF SNOW ON MY CAR THIS MORNING!

Oh, yeah, mountains.

Oh, Pix, I hope you got some sleep eventually.

Oh, yeah, mountains.

Around here, it's "Oh, yeah, Minnesota." Or, as I was wont to filk when I lived in Ohio, "I'm dreaming of a white Memorial Day..."

I do not have strep throat

I don't know whether to congratulate you or not, beth. I'm glad you don't have to worry about spreading strep around, but not glad that you are feeling so crappy that it was a possibility.