Hi, CV!

And I agree -- Allyson was very eloquent. (And if you go to Jesse's link, read the entire column -- the answer to the second letter is perfect Miss Manners.)

Kathy, I didn't realize it was that much!! 191?!!? WOW.

Actually, I've been eating really badly for the past month, and my weight loss has stalled out. I've been hovering around 290 on the scale since mid-August. So, I'm back on a no-more-ice-cream, no-more-pistachio-fluff, back-to-what-worked-before food plan. And I have got to get back to my exercising, which I've been blowing off for the past week. I'll be in the pool on Friday night and the rest of the weekend, for sure, and I'm planning on bringing my workout clothes to the office so I can get on the treadmill after work on Thursday night.

My stomach just pitched another fit. Despite the zantac and the peppermint. I'm giving up on food.

Allyson, any chance it's something more specific than IBS, like a dairy or gluten issue? (It could be IBS *and* something else, also, which is unfair.)

The CIO just asked what her favourite band is, so there's a lot of reply all going around. She's getting sass.

Go Allyson!

Hi CL!

That's tremendous, Kathy. And I need to get my own self out there exercising, too, especially now that the super-evil-hot has lessened.

Gluten is probably an ish. I had salad with grilled chicken and a piece of bread. Last night I also had bread. And ice cream. I totally did this to myself.

There's too much sour in today's smoothie, so I'm on the self-inflicted gastric distress boat too.

I have been on this call since 10:00, except for a ten minute break. I need to break again. Save me.

I am supposed to be doing my time sheets, but my DO NOT WANT TO keeps getting in the way.

Gluten is probably an ish.

Well, I was diagnosed with IBS in 2008, and only puzzled out the gluten thing in 2010 (or 2009? I disremember), and I hoped that the IBS was an incorrect diagnosis, and that avoiding gluten would get rid of all gastrointestinal problems. Unfortunately for me, I still have both -- there are times when I've avoided all gluten for a long time and yet my innards get violent. I don't understand it. But it sucks hard.

On that Miss Manners column, I have a different perspective on part of the first letter:

And while I am a fierce feminist, I do think that a gentleman who holds a door for a lady — or assists her with her coat, or allows her to precede him into a room, or removes his hat indoors — provides a social grace note and shows his consideration for our culture’s rules of polite behavior without doing any actual harm to equality or equal justice.

I generally ask Tim to enter a crowded room in front of me, because my social anxiety gets triggered HARD when I walk in a room and people all turn and yell hi, or whatever. So if I can hide behind him, that helps a small bit.

Granted, I am not typical. But my point is that a truly polite gentleman (or gentlewoman) would find out his (or her) companion's preferences and then accede to them. A stranger watching might think Tim is a boor for preceding me into a room, but to me, he's doing me a tremendous kindness. And in that light, I say, FUCK rules of "polite behavior."