I highly recommend 8 hours in a smoke-filled casino to give winter crud-ridden respiratory systems that extra nifty tingly feeling.

Ugh. Yes, I've been smacked by the winter crud that's smacking everyone else around me. I actually called in sick Thursday night/Friday morning, which is not something I usually do. And I kept second-guessing my decision to call in until about 5am when I started to feel really lousy and running fever, and realized that it was probably the best bet. The big drawback to calling in for me is that I get zero paid sick leave. If I call in, then I don't get paid. However, if I don't call in and decide to try and tough it out, then I have to face eight hours on my feet in a smoke-filled environment, and if I decide halfway through the night that I really do feel lousy, it's not always possible for me to leave, and I'll end up stuck there til the end of my shift. So, I called in Friday morning, but I did go in to work last night/this morning. This seems to be one of those cruds that's sweeping through the casino, because there were several other people with the same raspy/husky voices and glazed-over eyes that I have.

I collapsed onto my couch when I got home, and took a nice long nap. That couch is thoroughly nap-o-licious; I can fall asleep on it at any time.

Other cool news is that yesterday in some moments of not-feeling-too-awful, I went shopping for some more work attire. I was hoping to pick up one more suit or outfit that I could wear to work, so I went on down to Sears, where I've had decent success before.

And I totally scored. I found a clearance rack with all sorts of stuff on it, and started picking stuff out. I went into the dressing room with 6 outfits--some of them in sizes that I really wasn't sure would fit--and everything worked. And the size ten stuff that I'd taken in with me on a burst of incredible optimism . . . they fit too! I haven't been a size ten in ages, so that thoroughly made my day. End result? I got 6 work outfits for under $250.00. SCORE!

Not to mention the fact that I got tons of compliments on the power suit I wore to work last night. Though I think that being fevered must make me more attractive, because I had more than the usual number of freaks and weirdos asking me out last night. Ugh.

So the house is filled with smoke right now, because I attempted to pan-fry some thin-cut pork chops. Oh, they came out fairly good, but I wish I could remember what Jay's secret for making them so yummy was. There are times when I do seriously miss that man's cooking. Of course the fact that I'm a dreadful cook is probably making it easier for me to lose weight. Oooh, but his lasagna was to die for...