Calli, I'm so sorry.

I made it through an entire shift at work. It did help that it was really slow and we anticipate the whole weekend to be slow. Tomorrow is going to have wind chills in the -20s and then Sunday not quite so cold but Super Bowl.

Go, askye!

...I haven't figured out what to DO about this, but it makes a lot of sense in my head.

I feel exactly the same way, about both money and food. I make an OK salary, and I never really have trouble with living within it. I can afford all the stuff I absolutely need, and if there's something that I want but can't afford, I don't buy it. And it doesn't take much thought. On the other hand, with food, I do have to think about every single thing. Or, the alternative: get someone else to think about it. I've been losing some weight lately while eating these frozen delivered meals, and it's because I don't need to think about anything -- I look at the list, and it tells me what to eat, and the amount in the package is the amount I eat.

Yeah, the crazy diet I've been on has been working, but I'm a bit worried that when I eventually go off it I'll just balloon back up, which would not be good. But so far enjoying the results....and this is the first time I've ever managed to stay on a diet this long (I've had little cheats here and there, but am mostly being pretty good about it--and in the past I'd make it like, a week, and then have a few cheats, and then say screw it).

Thanks, y'all.

Go you, askye!

Oh, Laura. Your poor friend. Just thinking about losing one of my brothers makes me gaspy; thinking about both of them within a few months of each other? Unimaginable. So many hugs to your friend.

meara, I have no idea what you'll do with that insight, but it's totally brilliant.

Yay, askye!

"Hoo wee, them's some tits you got there, girl! Yeah, we don't even know what to do with that much titty. Good luck wrangling them bazongas, sweetheart! True&Co. out!"

Clearly True & Co. needs to hire Zen as their Communications Manager, stat.

ION, a completely non-Buffista friend on FB went to see Ira Glass in San Diego recently and posted pictures of herself and her younger son with him, and it is taking every bit of strength I've got not to start scream-commenting, "SAGET!"

I have a weird size (at least my current bras are size) 42B. Hard to find.

I feel weird being so happy about getting through a shift but it's been awhile!

The temperature here "feels like 3". I do not find this acceptable.

Are we just getting to an age where death is becoming more common?

I will defer to the actual actuaries among us, but I remember Marty the Medical Student saying, "If you make it through adolescence you're good until your 50s. Then in your fifties heart disease and cancer start to hit hard. If you make if through your Fifties you're good until you are in your Seventies."

Just from my Kenyon alumni group, I can say we're losing about three or four a year from a cohort in their fifties (and we aren't a big school).

I'm feeling sad. Harvey was being particularly affecting in his pleas for food - so inconsolable. I just apologized for being a bad mom, near tears. Thank heavens I'm not watching any greeting card company commercials, or I'd be weeping. I'm so sad I can't think beyond offering a blanket warm thoughts for those who are concerned about friends and relations.

I don't find that acceptable either. However I would happily be there. According to weather.com it "feels like -7" here and when I have to go to work tomrrow it's projected to "feel like -25". I really hope my car door doesn't freeze shut because I have no contingency plan for that.