In my thoughts and prayers

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the people dealing with Katrina’s aftermath in New Orleans. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to donate to one of the organizations helping out down there, like the American Red Cross.

Godspeed to you all.

See more progress on: New Orleans

Go Paul Hackett!

Interesting goings on in my home state.

More on Tom Cruise

A recent article from the fabulous website Fametracker.

Grand Geyser: Worth the Wait

Grand Geyser, the largest predictible geyser in the world, is worth waiting for. Its eruptions are truly spectacular, and its very satisfying to wait patiently for Mother Nature to put on her best show for you…there’s something wonderful about the way we have no control at all over what these natural wonders do.

Find out when it’s predicted, pack a snack and some water, and go.

See more progress on: Grand Geyser

Abby's diet started today

The other day, I noticed she was starting to look like an ottoman—a little round footstool with short legs—and it was time for action.

I’m starting by feeding her half a can of quality wet food every day. This is the plan: it will will be down for 20 minutes each morning and 20 minutes each night. The pet store guy says this will start her losing the 2-3 lbs she needs to drop. She’s up to 15 pounds now. Yowsa.

This may also bring her skittish sister around to acting a little less feral (since she’ll have to interact with me if she wants to eat).

See more progress on: Help my cat lose 2 lbs

thirteen steps forward, three steps back...

Yay South Beach! Lost 13 lbs in Phase 1, but now am stuck (and backsliding a little) in Phase 2. Which, if I’m honest, isn’t so much Phase 2 as “How I Normally Ate Before But Without All The Carb Binging,” which isn’t really the same thing.

So the lower in fat plan (without cheating) starts at lunch today. Let’s get this train moving again!

See more progress on: Lose 30 pounds

Tom Cruise is a raving idiot

Like you needed me to tell you that.

But here are 15,000+ people who agree with me (and counting)!

Ta ta for now....

The voices of Tigger and Piglet both died this week! What are the odds?

The wonders of the Library

I have rediscovered reading by rediscovering the library, specifically, the New York Public Library. It sounds stupid, but that’s all it took. Now there isn’t a financial constraint to being well-read, and if I start an ill-advised book (that I’ll never finish) I can GIVE IT BACK, UNREAD! Freedom!

I’ve found it helpful to alternate heavier, longer more serious books (like a biography of John Wilkes Booth) with cotton candy type books (such as “Skinny Dip” and the Lemony Snicket books). So, my suggestion to those contemplating this goal…rev up your library cards and wear ‘em out!

As I mentioned, one advantage of taking books you read about in the New York Times out of the LIBRARY, rather than buying them, is that when you realize that you really have no desire at all to read the 400 page biography of John Wilkes Booth you checked out, you can just return it, rather than putting it on your bookshelf next to The Satanic Verses and Possession and a number of things by Michael Cunningham.

Avoiding Fast Food is HARD

Gak…this stuff is everywhere, and it’s so cheap and convenient. I need to rewatch “Super Size Me” and re-read “Fast Food Nation,” especially the latter.

Fast Food is SO bad for me. This is my new mantra.

See more progress on: Don’t eat fast food at 43 Things