Alka Seltzer Cold medicine, the fizzy kind, doesn't do a whole lot for me anymore but I use it because there's something soothing about watching the tablets dissolve. It also reminds me of a few New Years' ago when Dad came to visit and we went to the new Smithsonian Air & Space museum (I can barely handle typing normal words, so I'm not even going to attempt the real name of it). That was a good day - despite wanting to curl up and die, and despite the lack of real food at the brand-new museum. We had pancakes at an IHOP afterwards, I think.

The next year, we went all out and Mom and Dad came down to party DC-style. Also a good holiday, right down to the bloody Marys at the bar the next afternoon while the Pats played on the big screen.

My coworker gave me her cold but also an extra day to catch up on some work (today), so it's a wash. But I'm a little loopy from sinus pressure and a nasty cough that appeared this morning. Can't wait to go home and curl up under some blankets!

Coworker suggests Nyquil. May raid CVS on my way home.

Looked in the kitchen mirror while I was heating lunch today and realizd I kinda look like death warmed over. That's attractive!

Despite spending most of the weekend on work, I managed to get to a movie and visit the National Cathedral. A friend took me to the morning service - I felt out of place, as usual, but it's always interesting to see. The sermon wasn't too preachy and the hymns we sang made me miss high school choir. Also, I realized just how out-of-practice I am at reading music. Jeez.

Photos to be posted soon. The Cathedral is gorgeous.

Celebrity buzz:

Britney Spears shaving her head - absolutely dominated Saturday news coverage. You haven't watched CNN until you've heard 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' replace their intro music.

Bridget Moynahan pregnant with Tom Brady's baby - scandal for the Golden Boy! I never thought I'd say this (seriously, never) but I much prefer Bridget to Gisele, his current girlfriend. Tom's like the ultimate Boy Scout. If he falls off the wagon and loses focus on next year's Superbowl run, what are the rest of us supposed to do??

Orange Tic-Tacs

When I was in grade school - elementary school or maybe early middle school - I rode the bus home one afternoon when the bus-driver's daughter was riding with her. Somehow I wound up sitting with this toddler in the front seat right behind her mother.

I don't remember her at all, and I don't remember what we said to each other. I'm sure I was as awkward as ever. But we bonded over a box of orange Tic-Tacs - she offered me one, and we passed the box back and forth between us until it was empty.

Strange, the things you think of.