Ah, bummer about the no-drinking-games State of the Union watching! For me...

1) Think I've realized that I'm in the middle of a bout of crabby-bastard-ness. Pretty sure the only fix for this is to pull my head out of my ass and tackle some tasks that are irritating me and stop letting every single thing get under my skin. I'm about day two into the renewed approach. So far, so good.

2) Work has been interesting of late, but in a good way. I'm wrestling with a problem this week, but am enjoying the battle. Heh.

3) I've been realizing lately as well that my girls, being 10 and 7, are not really small kids anymore. Sophie is becoming a little adult more and more each day. At social gatherings, she's more likely to hover around with the adults, than with the children. To be honest, this is freaking me out a bit. Parenting non-small kids?!?! EEP.

1. Boo for no SOTU drinking games, msali! Feel better soon!

2. I am just... blah. I have nothing much to say, haven't been doing anything exciting. I'm just in a bit of a treading water phase at the moment. Which is fine, but, you know.

3. I'm a little grumpy at my husband right now, because he did something without consulting me, something that we would normally check in with each other about. It's only minor, but I'm mulling over in my head how to hit the right note when I talk to him about it, because he's a little defensive, and I'm a little inclined to overreact to things (hey, wonder how those two feed off each other!). So that's taking up more space in my brain than it should. Grar.

Sorry about the tummy troubles - maybe grow some indoor grass? I've seen some little premade pots about. I don't do a drinking game so much as just drink. I know it's a Tuesday, but I make exceptions for SOTUs.

Anyhoo

1. Got my foot up because I jammed my little toe during kickboxing. It's been amusing to see peoples' reactions to an overweight short 40 something mom-type casually explaining all these random bruises I'm sporting half the time.

2. Work is going. It's actually going really really well, which makes me nervous when folks start talking budget cuts. I can answer "Just what would you say you DO here?" type questions, but most of my value is in knowing where crap is and how to get things done.

3. My son started ADD meds a few weeks ago, and it's helping, but I'm still really on the fence about it. On the one hand, I'm infuriated that I have to drug my son into compliance. On the other, I would have killed for this stuff as a youth - or at least an acknowledgement from my parents that I needed help.

1. Walked workerdog this morning before dawn and was treated to a spectacular view of the Milky Way. It's the first clear morning we've had in a long time.

2. Mild weather means I rode my motorcycle Sunday and again today to work. Got to ride some dodgy dirt, too, when we found a forest service road over the TN/NC border that had washed out. Yay for 70mpg and my knees in the breeze!

3. Got the phone number of a cleaning lady who works in my area (we're in the country, so there aren't many). It's a luxury I shouldn't spend money on but I HATE housework. Gonna call her this week for a quote.

1. Our dishwasher is leaking and as neither of us know how to fix it, we will likely buy a new one as paying someone to repair it will cost about the same. In the meantime, the sink is full of stinky, dirty dishes that we need to actually wash tonight.

2. I had LEEP surgery in May 2011 for what turned out to be a teensy bit of cervical cancer. Just had a PAP smear and while the HPV part is negative, there are some Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance. My gyn says she doesn't think it's a big deal and to just have another pap in 4 months, but it's freaking me out.

Update: I just googled and found: "Women who test negative for HPV are not likely to have cervical precancer. These women should have a repeat Pap smear in one year. In most cases, the ASC-US resolves during this time." I feel better.

3. I shouldn't talk about it but my boyfriend and I are trying to get pregnant. I don't know how women DON'T talk about this stuff, it's hard to keep to myself which is why I'm sharing it here semi-anonymously. There's a superstitious part to me though that fears that if I talk about it, it won't happen.

Hey amro, I just had an ASCUS (HPV neg) pap as well. (after 10 freaking years of normal paps following my LEEP surgery, which like you had some cancerous nasties). So we're in the same place right now. And it'll be fine.

Thanks gaspode. When did your doc tell you to have your next pap?

6 months. Which for me is the end of March.

Good luck, amro! You can try to pinpoint your most fertile moments with a graph chart. Take your temp every morning (orally, silly girl). Mark it on graph paper. (My normal body temp is 96.7, so I had number up to 98 and down to 95, with every point difference marked.) As your temp fluctuates, connect each days' "dot". When you have a significant "dip", and then a rise the next morning, you are possibly ovulating. For me, my husband and I had sex the night I "dipped" - the next morning it rose (by about 6 or 7 points). That night I conceived our firstborn. It's an easy way to try at first, and doesn't cost anything like ovulation prediction tests.

1. Finally having a lazy day. I just feel like every day off recently has been busy with crap and I don't have time to just relax and do nothing. Of course, I started off first thing by doing chores/paying bills, but hey, now I have my feet up!

2. It's ridiculously warm here..I have daffodils and hyacinths about an inch tall or so (east coast of USA). I do like snow, so I wish for a good storm (last weekend was ice, which I DON'T like). On the other hand, it feels spring-like, and I like that, so....

3. Life is good, no rollercoasters of emotions right at this point in time. I really like having a smooth life..so many years of up and downs, this is a treat.

1. Tiiiiired. Woke up two and a half hours earlier than necessary because the hamster wheel in my brain wouldn't stop.

2. Annoyed that the brain-hamster in the wheel is due to a particularly difficult-ly annoying client who in real life is already demanding too much time, energy, and answers of me; I don't need her in my head any more than she already is.

3. Feeling slightly guilty at the difficulty I'm having maintaining compassion for her. I keep setting polite boundaries with her hoping it'll help, and she just tends to waltz right over them again and again. Gah.

1. Wayne State awarded and posted my degree! So now I'm a real librarian! Woohoo! I'm tempted to get some beers and order a pizza tonight to celebrate, but it is a Tuesday and I do have to go to work tomorrow. I used to drink while watching SOTU in college, but it doesn't start until 9 and that is my bedtime on work nights. Maybe I'll wait until Thursday. Or not. I haven't made up my mind yet.

2. I've made a friend! My very first friend outside of school! I'm very proud of myself for this. She one of the teachers of the Wicca class and has invited me to go see Frenchy and the Punk next month. NGL, I'm totes digging this band, even though I just heard of them. Bought their album last night. I'm thinking about seeing if she wants to go to the midnight showing of The Hunger Games.

3. My brain is all flighty lately. Nervy about work things. And being a grownup. Pops says I need to start moving towards leaving LSC since they're not doing anything, but I don't feel ready. But I know that if I do go somewhere else that I'll need to be settled before next winter because that's a bad time of year for me. I'm also worried about how Anubis seems to be quite antsy when I get home at night, which I'm guessing means that he's bored during the day. I need to buy socks. The ice cream I tried to have for dinner last night was freezer burnt and gross. I need to use up those fresh veggies I bought in my fridge, which is starting to smell like onion because I only used half of the one I bought for the stew I made....

Mazel tov, Sperose!! Wishing for success for you, amro. Gaspode, as one who argues with my Bear regularly, maybe just do the "I" phrasing thing -- it bothered me when you . . . and then let it go.

1. Looking forward to the SOTU because I am still a big fan of our President and think what he will be saying about our increasing wealth divide is incredibly important.

2. There is a seagull on the ledge right outside my window, grooming. Behind him is a city scape of Seattle buildings. How cool is that?

3. Commiserations for all who are dog tired, which is how I felt yesterday, due to my personal marathon of "Friday Night Lights" on Netflix. I'm about a third of the way into season 3 right now.

1. Coming into my office building this morning, I dropped the bag containing my lunch, which was in a pyrex container. Smithereens resulted. Goodbye lunch.

2. A few hours later I poured tea on myself.

3. Now what will I do about lunch? It can only lead to more disaster.

1. Our new bed is so comfortable and work is so boring that getting up in the morning is really torture. And then the shower takes forever to warm up. SO CRUEL.

2. I want to go swimming. I found an NYC recreation center in Harlem with an indoor pool, but you have to be a member, and the only membership is annual. It's cheap for a year, but I don't want to join a place I've never been before for a year; seems to be jumping the gun. Must investigate alternate opportunities to get in.

3. Good luck amro, weeeeeeee!!

1. Bad news at work today. A colleague who everyone had assumed was working from home for the last couple of days because he hadn't come into the office was found dead in his home. No suspicious circumstances, he was 60-ish and overweight, so most likely a heart attack or stroke. He was a really nice guy.

2. Still getting over this bug and I have no energy, so no running tonight. It's cold and drizzly, so I'm wimping out.

3. I have a dead or stuck pixel on my screen which, once I notice it, is driving me nuts.

WAIT, I found one. I was looking at NYC indoor pools, forgot there was a NY state pool even closer to my house where I can pay by the day. This is good news.

These threads tend to turn into pity parties, so I'm going to focus on the positive things instead of the boo-hoo (you're free to do the usual; it's human and pretty therapeutic. It's just not where I'm at right now). Here goes:

-msali, glad to hear you're getting better.

-Way to go, richat. I'm glad you're changing stuff and that it's working.

-gaspode, Uh, beats drowning?

-lys, You rock! Keep sporting those bruises with pride, secure in the knowledge that you are a secret (or not-so-secret) badass.

-workerant, sounds like a beautiful time, both the sky and the ride.

-amro, good luck!

-redvixen, Congratulations on the smooth sailing. =D

-occhiblu, it's good to hear you're setting boundaries. You'll find a balance soon enough. No need to feel guilty; you clearly care (as shown by your level of concern).

-sperose: WHOO-HOO!

As for me:

1. Finished my ugly work project. For this round of revisions, at least. But I overcame my paralysis (though well after deadline, not too happy about that part of it).

2. Getting closer to being a functioning human being, or at least having a grip on my anxiety/depression.

3. Getting all kind-of-stupid over a woman, despite myself. =p

WAIT, I found one. I was looking at NYC indoor pools, forgot there was a NY state pool even closer to my house where I can pay by the day. This is good news.

TPS, yes! I was going to point you in that direction. Let me know how you like it, because, despite it being practically in my backyard, I have NOT made it there to go swimming yet.

1. The landlord broke the kitchen stove several weeks ago while trying to fix its clock. She bought a new one, but delivery was delayed by the snow. Delivery was scheduled for yesterday, but in the interim, she got a new cell phone with a new number but didn't inform the stove delivery service. Plus, although she signed the delivery contract, it did not include the condo unit number. So, still no stove. Maybe tomorrow.

2. All the accessible gyms near me are Ballys or LA Fitness which I won't join because of their high-pressure upselling, and the only independent gym in the area was bought by a former Ballys manager who is now running it using the same business model.

3. The sidewalks are once again walkable without the hazard of twisting a knee on ice.

Congratulations, sperose! How exciting to be An Actual Librarian!

JanetLand, I have to admit that Disaster Lunch sounds like a rotten day but a fun movie.

Blech, food poisoning! Take it easy, msali, and feel better soon. (I have to admit, seltzer shots sound a lot better to me than any other kind, no matter how healthy I'm feeling.)

1. We're gearing up for The Fella's all-day open-house birthday party. He's out getting liquor and groceries right now; I'm taking a few minutes' break from prepping the food. My goal for these day-long parties is always to have food that requires little or no work during the party, just putting on platters --- or at most, putting straight into the oven from the freezer and then onto a platter.

2. My back has been in spasm sporadically for a few days, so I am carefully budgeting my time and energy. So far, I'm just being diligent about taking breaks and treating myself gently, but if necessary I'll just STOP COOKING and lie down. We can always put out chips and salsa and order pizzas!

3. gaspode, in case you're still planning to buy one: that Stephen Fry "Good Morning, Sir" alarm clock I ordered (as a b-day present for The Fella) arrived and it is pretty sweet. I wasn't sure how the sound quality would be; I found a YouTube video of it in action and it sounded pretty lo-fi. Turns out that is is very poor at high volume, but at a pleasing indoor-voice level, it sounds just fine.

1. I have a cold. Stuffy, irritated nose, mildly sore throat, popping ears, the start of a cough. Blech. It's my first head cold of the season, though, so I can't complain (much). When I first started teaching, I had a bad cold every six weeks like clockwork. Miserable.

2. My mom's out of quarantine at her Independent Living Facility, but I couldn't drive up to CT to see her last weekend cause of the weather. Meh. I hope she got my phone message. She doesn't hear too well and it's hard to get her on the phone sometimes.

3. On a fun note, I have a ticket to a concert by a clarinet trio this weekend. Being a clarinetist myself, this is especially fun. They're playing some cool stuff. I'm looking forward. Front row ticket for $40, too.

Good to know, Elsa. I signed up for a notification when it came back into stock.

1. The mister's thyroid is back in whack and his ablation is scheduled for Feb 15, yay!

2. Got my hair cut and now have grown-up hair again, yay!

There is no #3 so I'll just say yay to sperose and best wishes to amro!

All the accessible gyms near me are Ballys or LA Fitness which I won't join because of their high-pressure upselling

Is there a Golds in your area? I like them a lot. No nonsense and well equipped.

Amro, I had squamous cells turn up in a pap about 10 years ago, but the next and all subsequent ones have been normal.

Congrats sperose!

Whuffles to those who need them.

1. Day trip to Oxford; saw Lewis Carroll's camera.
2. The sim card Verizon assured me would work in Europe doesn't. Someone at a Vodaphone shop told me others were having the same problem. The person who replied to my Verizon email let me know the card could be unlocked for 10 months, but I don't want that. I want the faulty card replaced. I've been snatching free wifi wherever I can find it.
3.The condo owners'

1. I'm into my second week (and last) of part time work. For two separate people. Nights and weekends. Timing anyone? Yay! Work!
2. Neck and shoulders are in knots. Pilates class ( drop in & pay what you can) tonight should help.
3. My neighbors keep feeding me. Subtly. I think they are worried about me not working and going hungry. It's great to have good neighbors.

Sorry, got cut off....the owners' meeting is being held at the whim of the board again. Last year four of us didn't have our votes counted.

I hope you feel better soon, msali & pips. Congrats sperose! Welcome to the club! :o)

1. Yesterday I came home to find my front door wide open because I completely forgot to close it when I left for work (I was planning to go back in and for some reason didn't and did not remember I didn't shut it). Nothing is missing; the perks of living in a good neighborhood across from an elementary school that has folks coming and going all day. Sometimes I really worry about my mental health.

2. I'm so looking forward to yoga tonight. I finally brought a yoga mat so maybe I can do downward dog and warrier 2 without worrying about sliding on their carpet.

3. I hate meetings. So I will be so freakin' happy when Friday arrives as it means I will be done with all but one of my "meet & greets". For me, meeting a whole bunch of people over a month does not make it any better than meeting them all in one meeting.

1. Have to go to bed to get up to write some reports to post to get to a meeting to provide post-meeting commentary to teach to go to the gym to go home to look for a new job for next fall.

2. Ugh.

3. See 2.

bearwife: A Gold's Gym is almost accessible, but that location is not listed on their website. I don't know anything about their reputation, but I will check it out on your recommendation. The one thing I miss about Vegas is the Las Vegas Athletic Club--no upselling, fantastic equipment maintenance, and a great walking pool.

Ardiril, no pool at Golds, but there are public pools in Shoreline and Edmonds . . .nice ones. Shoreline Center has fitness classes too, I know.

Thanks for all the well-wishes. I am actually much better than I was four days ago - such is the case with nasty food poisoning.

I am still nasty-sick, but plan on participating in this night's SOTU address' drinking game, how could I not?

A sip if your side stand up and applauds.
Two if the other side stands up.
Drain your glass if they both stand up to applaud.

That has been our long-standing game, and I will play tonight, seltzer water or not! (the twist I add is lemon!)