...and Wednesday too?

In the tradition of the Seinfeld episode with reverse chronology, today's entry will start from now and work backwards. Maybe when I'm done I'll even have purged my brain of this song...wish I knew where it came from.

I am ecstatic at the thought of staying home tomorrow. I don't have to get up early, and I can finally start wrapping presents and assessing what I still have to buy. Plus my throat is still really sore, and I wouldn't relish feeling this way at my desk. Before I go to sleep watching some DVDs, I'll write today's blog entry. And I'll do it more or less backwards, just for fun.

An interesting announcement arrived in my e-mail. It seems my friend, coworker, and favorite comic book writer that I know in real life is returning to normal, and soon to blogging. TheWriteJerry lives, to paraphrase Tarantulas.

Lost is so [expletive deleted] good. I'm so glad they reaired the first episodes tonight, and that I had a chance to finally see them. And, judging by the coming attractions, I hadn't missed as many episodes as I thought, since the first one I saw is airing next week as the second hour, which makes it the fourth hour of the series but technically the third episode since the pilot was two hours. And, judging by commercials for a certain movie and a certain returning television series, January will be Jennifer Garner month. Have I mentioned that I love her? Hey! The pilot on Lost is Weiss on Alias! Coincidence?

Without fail, the temperature always drops in my office after 4PM. I don't think it's that they turn the heat off alone; it feels as though they crank the air conditioning. I wasn't as cold as I was this morning, but my throat started to get a tickle. Still, I managed to unburden myself of all my responsibilities and head to the gym at a little after six. I did some yoga and some stretching. Then I hit the treadmill for forty minutes, even getting up to a run near the end. I'd been reduced to walking the last few months, partly from actual dizzy spells and partly from fear of said spells. My confidence, my “powers” if you will, seem to slowly be returning. Thank God. I even ambitiously engaged in twenty minutes of stomach crunches, leg lifts, and other abdominal exercises. I did so mainly because it was required to score points in the competition I'm in. Yet unlike the last time I entered one, I didn't work out in excess, putting in six hours a day just to win. Our team isn't anywhere near first place, but we aren't last either. We're going to fall somewhere in the middle and I used the exercise program properly, to add balance to my routine and try a lot of new exercises I hadn't done before. Even tonight I referenced some diagrams in the exercise studio and learned a few new stretches. Good stuff. My drive home wasn't as bad as last night's, but it was a little worse than this morning. I ate properly today, and I drove in to work this morning with my heat on and windows sealed, so I think I can rule diet and fumes out. The only commonality between last night and tonight was the frigid, frigid air tunneling through my ears as I made the long trek across the parking lot in shorts and a t-shirt.

I was as efficient with lunch as I was with my work, thanks to my friends. I got some key Christmas shopping done, and I think I'm set as far as my cousin's kids go. I kind of wish we'd stop exchanging with my mom's side like we did with my dad's though. I'm at an age where I feel I own more than enough crap, and I doubt my relatives benefit from the stuff I get them. Gift-giving is like trading clutter when you're an adult. It makes sense to buy things for the children, and I've gotten things for my parents, but I think my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins are probably just getting gift cards from me this year. I know I'd be happy with that, and told my parents as much though my mom keeps digging for specifics--”But what would you BUy there with the card, for example?” She wants that glimmer in her baby's eyes as he tears open Castle Greyskull. Here's a better link, not to mention a brilliant idea.

I can't believe I'm okay. It's not the fact that I drove directly to work with no stops, detours, or dizzy spells. It's the fact that not twenty feet from where I was rear-ended a few months ago, I witnessed two SUV's collide, from about five feet behind them. Had I been going slightly faster, or driving a heavier vehicle, I might well have been involved in a three car pile-up. Instead, I saw glass, metal and radiator fluid fly out in two directions. I had to back up to go around them, and of course no one let me in the right lane and I finally had to nose my way in and politely wave thanks to the person whom I really gave no other choice. Today definitely must be my lucky day. I can't imagine anything causing me pain today. Although I did have the song that was playing when the accident happened stuck in my head....

Last night it seemed cold in here, but the thermostat read 80. The radiators were silent but my mom pointed out I was wearing shorts. So I dressed a little warmer and went to sleep. I woke up absolutely freezing, and since I sleep like a top, what little blankets were still on me were twisted around my ankles. With supreme effort I moved to untangle myself, and called out to my dad about the heat, who confirmed that it was broken, probably because my mom, “has those damned dried flowers down there!” I got ready quickly, eager to get to my car which had heat. It was 23 degrees outside when I got up, though I'm certain it was lower during the night. When I took my shower, I hoped I wouldn't catch a cold or anything. I had a good feeling driving to work though. My parents would be fine, my mom having the good sense to put the oven on for heat until the repairman arrived. And I'd be fine too. It was strange--I would think sleeping in a room less than 23 degrees with no covers and then taking a shower might lead to a cold. But I guess that's just a myth....