Sad = Fat?

Happy people might have an easier job being thinner, according to a new UCSF study that links increases in serotonin to decreases in fat storage.

Either good news - or heaping insult upon injury - depending upon your situation.

It just makes sense, though. Health is a spiral. If you're treating yourself right and doing good things, it makes it easier to do more of the same, making yourself happier, nicer to be around.... But if you're sacked out on your couch eating Extra Value Meals and rotting your brain in front of the TV, it makes it that much easier to make another bad choice, and another, and another.

Inertia ain't the first Law of Motion for nothing.

On that note, I'm going to go run. (And increase my serotonin.)

Harder Better Faster Stronger

This was the most beautiful day of the year so far. And for the first time in weeks, I got to get out at lunchtime. And this time, I ran the farthest I've ever run.

(I would've said furthest, but Doug would correct me again. And he'd still be right.)

Anyway, I was feeling chipper when I got back from my lunch break. Pretty proud of my three and a half miles. (Four, if you count walking to and from the track.)

Then I read about Peter's marathon training.

I tend to be the littlest bit competitive. So being reminded that, for many people, my gasping little trot is not the smallest fraction of what they would consider a difficult workout... sort of put a puncture in my balloon.



I'm not saying it should have. I know. But it did. I'm just like that.

But then I went to tae kwon do.

The thing I love about that place is that nobody ever thinks I can't do anything. The assumption is always that I can. And the thing about that is, sometimes they're wildly wrong - but only the first time. Because eventually, no matter how crazy I think they are for thinking I can, they're always right. I always can.

And tonight the class was just the way I like it. Terrifyingly, appallingly, out of my league. Two dozen black belts getting ready for their test... and me.

(I am not a black belt. Not even close. I am not going to be a black belt for years.)

But tonight, they were doing the physical requirements for the black belt test. So that's what I did. And a full class of forms (well, the ones I know, anyway) and kicks and sprints. And I learned some grappling.

It wasn't until I was nearly done that I realized that the reason I was so tired was not just because they'd all been training for years longer than me. Or because I hadn't slept much. Or because it was nine o'clock. It was because of those three and a half miles.

But I still did it. So yeah. I don't brag usually because I don't usually think I have much to brag about. But today I'm close to satisfied with myself, and that feels nice.

Now, though, I'm going to go soak my bruises.

Weekly Roundup: President's Day Edition

This has nothing to do with President's Day... apart from that being my excuse for posting Monday, not Sunday. Long weekend, you know.

Also, no fun links. Lazy long weekend, you know.

And it's hard to make it a recap, either, because this weekend was a whole lot of things. But altogether one of the best in a long time.

So instead: here's some random nonsense that I've been up to.

One: I'm officially in a state championship tournament. (Because I am (officially) out of my mind.) And as of four hours ago, I'll be doing something completely new at it. (I'm terrified.) It's exciting. (I want to throw up.) It'll be fun. (Maybe. But mostly terrifying.) I can't wait. (For it to be over.)

Two, and completely different: the 2008 season is out at the SToNJ:

• Comedy of Errors starts April 30
• Amadeus starts May 28
  
• The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged) starts at St. E's Greek amphitheatre June 18 (yes, the Reduced Shakespeare Company's play - and one of the coolest spaces ever)
• King Lear starts July 2 (with Daniel Davis as Lear)
• Private Lives starts Aug 6
• Streetcar Named Desire starts Sep 10
• Romeo & Juliet starts Oct 15
• (and the Christmas show, TBD)

Same as last year... I subscribe, so if you'll be in the area, tell me. Tickets are roundabout $35 again. It's an amazing company.

Three, lastly, and still differenter yet: as Karen points out, watching the original "Casino Royale" was like being on six kinds of drugs at once. And then watching an awful nonsensical movie. From the inside of a Surrealist painting. Upside down.

Even the synopsis is completely incoherent. It was... there are no words. It was jaw-droppingly jaw-dropping.

If you can enlighten us, please do. If not, please don't ever watch it. Because I love you.

Guest Post: Having a Bad Day?

The Biscuit presents: Get a pep talk from Peyton.

Too funny. And hey, it probably did the trick for Eli, so who knows, it might even work.

My Weird Taste Gets a Little More Understandable

He's young and gangly and usually looks at least bewildered, if not actively terrified. (A lot like Bambi on the ice, except with shoulder pads.)

But now I can come clean about liking him better than Tom Brady. This week, a Super Bowl ring. Next year, maybe puberty. Nicely done, Eli.

Weekly Roundup: Sox and Links

Since yesterday's liveblogging of my day - what was up with that? I never do that. That's what happens when Sac tells me to post. I go overboard - I have grounded myself. I discovered yesterday afternoon that I need to do a whole lot of financial math ASAP. (You may know me well enough to know how I am with math. So stop laughing and wish me luck.)

It's all very exciting. However, it means that I've had to miss out on the birthday of the fabulous Jon, which made me very sad. Since the Red Sox won I am sure that it was very happy, but I'm very sorry I wasn't there. But he might like this. Good luck today Jon (even though it is the Red Sox).

For everybody else:

• Oskope is the coolest way to find things.
• Calypso Cards makes Selfish Kitty cards which are sold at Urban Muse and are funny stuff.
• Paper Stories makes Bittersweet cards which are elegantly profane. Just like me.
  
• Greg is my fairy godmother. He is also a PR geeeenius and this post should be memorized by everyone in the industry.
• Jillian is a makeup diva. But she is also now a ridiculously successful makeup diva with one killer website.
  
• Death Counter is creepy but appropriate for Halloween.

England beats Argentina. I wish I knew more about football (other than that I decidedly like Beckham's looks). The whole planet is at a frenzied standstill over the World Cup, and the big, fat, dumb USA doesn't even notice. Don't care about nothing unless it's American... hormone-enhanced, artificially-colored, lard-fried, vacuum-packed, environmentally-unfriendly, and mass-marketed. Twinkie-hot-dog-Easy-Cheese sandwiches.

But then, perhaps we're too busy inventing new parts of our executive branch on the pretense of homeland security. Who needs checks and balances, anyway? To heck with that eighteenth-century sentimentalism. Emperor Bush certainly doesn't appear to need it.

Oooh, but I'm crabby today. Goodness me.

~ Happy birthday Krissen! ~