Since I only have small thoughts in my head right now, just a few quick hits:
On the pope’s smell-you-later:
Too bad he’s not stepping down as an atonement for the abuse scandals in the US. And Canada. And Mexico. And Ireland. And Australia. And Belgium. And. . . .
As for who comes next, pfft, more of the same.
On Chris Christie’s weight and Hillary Clinton’s age and (god help me), the 2016 race:
I won’t be voting for Christie for policy reasons, but, yeah, if he could be my candidate, I’d be concerned about his weight—just as I’ll be concerned about Clinton’s age if she decides to toss her bra into the ring.
While I think extra weight or extra years are not and should not be barriers to most jobs, the presidency is an impossible position, one which presses down on whoever holds it with tremendous force. All other things being equal, I think younger and fitter is better than older and unfitter.
Of course, all other things are rarely equal, and I’ll take a 69-year-old Hillary over a young ‘un like Marco Rubio—just as I’m sure Republicans would have voted for a fat Christie over a trim Obama.
Either way, I’ll have no influence on who the parties pick in 2016, so this is just so much spitballin’.
What the fuck is going on with Lindsay Graham and Benghazi?
Is it really all just about staving off a primary challenge from the right? Does he really think that THIS will protect him if some mouth-foamer decides to come after him?
Jeez. Get a better issue already.
Winter storms should not be named.
Call me a traditionalist.
Okay, back to weight:
I gained this fall and winter, and am now stepping up my workouts to try to wrestle myself back to trim.
The problem began when I hurt my back in October: While I was only out of the gym (biking, weights) for 3 weeks, I pretty much stopped my out-of-gym workouts. Yeah, I still managed to put in a few laps around Prospect Park on my bike, but I completely stopped running.
And then, y’know, holidays, and I was working at an office, and my mom sent me cookies and bars, and blorp: there it is.
So now I’ve added some at-home free-weight lifting, and I’ve started running again (which I prefer to biking), and I’m paying more attention to my diet—more veggies, fewer carbs—and not eating past full.
The problem, of course, is the usual one with any kind of change: I want to see results RIGHTNOW, and when I don’t, I haz a sad.
Yeah, yeah, suck it up.
On changing my default from “stay” to “go”:
This has been good, and I’d like to do more. I’ve seen three (cheap) Broadway shows with friends, and I’ve drunk a lot of Guinness—good for the soul!
The downside? I’ve drunk a lot of Guinness—not so good for the bod.
Yeah, whatever: no need to be a fanatic.
AbsurdBeats 
Keep tipping back the Guinness, just hit the treadmill even harder the next day!
Yep, pretty much. . . .
As beers go, Guinness is on the light side. Or so I tell myself.
weather will be warmer soon and the pounds will go with the cold as you return to the great outdoors (or that’s what I tell myself), yes please dissertation in attachments would be appreciated.
Thou shalt not disparage the beer…
I know how you feel, though. I was moving a lot whilst traveling, and now that I’ve slowed down, I’ve gained a bit. Couple that with a general lack of motivation and you find me struggling to work out. If only I could afford a personal trainer with a megaphone…
Guinness does, I think, have a lower alcohol content than other beers. Still, one after the other after the other does fill up a girl.
As for personal trainers, well, I guess that’s one advantage to living in NY: I don’t have to pay anyone to yell at me.