Cabin Fever - It's set in

And, we are off AGAIN tomorrow.

I would be much more excited at this prospect if it wasn't 100 below outside, and if I didn't feel crappy. I must have a cold or bronchitis or something, because I've got an awful wheezy cough, and my body aches.

Good news is - it shouldn't be H1N1 or the seasonal flu, since I've been vaccinated for both this year (first time I've ever gotten a flu shot, at least as an adult). I'm not really sure how I got sick, since it was winter break and I was only around a few of my friends, my husband and my parents, and none of them are sick.

Maybe one of the other teachers got me sick on the first day back, or maybe someone at the gym didn't wipe off/sanitize the treadmill when they were done and I got their germs. Jerks.

So, today I knit some, watched a little TV, and read a book - "Olive Kitteridge." It's good. I'll read it some more tonight, but first I need to do a little work on my grad school assignments. I'll be reading those for the next few hours, and possibly doing a little writing. The more I do tonight, the less I have to do this weekend.

I just wish I felt like going somewhere, but I don't want to leave the house. Good thing we've got plenty of food! Adam is working tonight, so I'll do my work while he's AT work.

Cabin Fever Countdown

Welp, today was a snow day (we knew last night). And, we got word by 4 p.m. today that tomorrow will be a snow day, too.

I'm betting we'll be out of school on Friday, as well. Why not just go for the trifecta?

The snow didn't start until this afternoon, so I did get up and go to the gym. I thought a 3-mile run was scheduled for today, so that's what I did. When I got home to check the schedule for tomorrow, I realized I read it off by one day.

Having graduate classes on Tuesday nights messes me up. Class is from 5-9 p.m., so I don't work out on those days. I was supposed to do some interval training today, and then the 3-mile run tomorrow. Based on the view outside my window at this point, looks like I'll be relegated to a Biggest Loser Wii workout tomorrow.

Teachers went back to school on Monday, for a half-day of meetings and then time to work in our rooms in the afternoon. That time is vital for me - helps me clear the docket and get mentally prepared to greet students on their first day back. We had one day back with the kids on Tuesday, and then this mini-vacation.

I'm guessing that my trip to the gym today will be the only time I get outside in the next couple of days. I don't want to shovel the drive, and if I don't need to be on the road with idiots, I won't be.

Besides, my snow day kind of turned into a sick day - Monday night's nagging cough turned into joint aches, sore throat and cough after school yesterday and right on through my class last night. I guess the good news is if I'm sick on our days off, I don't have to write sub plans because everyone's at home!

So far today, after the gym, we watched a movie (Away We Go, with Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski), I've knit and read a couple of magazines. I might be a tiny bit crazy after a couple more days like this. I'll keep you posted.

Lose it!

While I was at Crop A Ganza a couple weeks ago, Kat told me about a new app she downloaded for her iPhone, called Lose It. It's a food and exercise tracker that you can use on the iPhone like a food journal.

I am not one to carry around a paper calendar, or notebook or journal with me everywhere I go, and that's one reason the iPhone is such a great tool for me. I always have my calendar and a way to make notes anywhere. So, I might actually get into this Lose It app.

Since I was sick last week, I didn't exercise AT ALL. Starting to feel a bit doughy around the edges. I've never been someone who has major weight issues - I'd just like for my clothes to not be tight...

And, since I'm training for a marathon, I'm not going to be cutting major calories any time soon - need some of that food for fuel.

But, I like Lose It because you can track what you eat and drink, and you can add whatever exercise you do, and it lets you know how many calories you consumed, and what you have left in your budget for the day. You set a goal weight/date, and it gives you options like "I want to lose a pound a week" or "1/2 pound a week" or "maintain" etc.

There are a lot of brand-name supermarket foods and restaurant foods that you can choose from, with calorie information already entered, or you can enter your own foods. Since Adam cooks at home a lot, I'm entering information based off the Nutrition Facts label, and the app stores the info, so I'll always have those to choose from in the future.

Now, obviously, it's at best, a guesstimate of caloric content, etc., but it's still pretty motivating to look and see how many calories you have left for the day, or the fact that running 3.5 miles means I've added 300 calories back IN to my budget. It does make me see how much of a difference exercise can make in your daily life.

I like that I can pick and choose from foods already entered, and that I'm not having to do this with pencil and paper. I've been using it for just about a week now. Check back with me in a few months to see if I've stuck with it!

And, no, no one from Lose It paid me to say anything about their app, I promise!

•••

I did managed to get a run in this afternoon. I was dreading it since I haven't worked out for a week, but it felt really good. Mitzi came over and we ran around the neighborhood together. So, I feel like I'm back to making progress on the marathon training front.

In fundraising news, I've raised almost $1,900 so far! Just got donations today from Terri Wenzel, Thane Chastain and the Barbieri family! We are planning a silent auction to raise money, so if you know of anyone who would be willing to donate items, pass their names along to me...


Back to Biggest Loser.

This and that

I'm home sick again today. Thankfully, it's not flu sick like all of my friends have been tweeting about lately. Just your garden variety run-of-the-mill head cold and cough. Sore throat, lack of voice, etc.

My mom's been couging for what seems like weeks now. Did I get this from her? I hope not, because I don't want to be coughing for weeks!!

I thought I would go to school today. I really planned on it. I even set my alarm for 5:15 like I do every week day.

At 5:16, I decided that wasn't happening. I've figured something out about my body - it will power through just about any stressful or busy time in my life, but as soon as that time is over, my body says: "Sweet! Now we can get sick, since we're done with all the important stuff."

This typically happens around yearbook deadline time, newspaper production nights, the end of a semester (which is GREAT because then I'm sick on my vacation time...). Please read the sarcasm into that last comment. We had a yearbook deadline last week, plus about a million pages of proofs that had to be sent back on Monday. I made it through that, then it hit.

Tomorrow is newspaper late night. If that wasn't the case, I might have TRIED to go to school today, but knowing it will be a 14-hour day tomorrow I erred on the side of not contaminating all of my students...

It's not easy to be away from school when you're a teacher. It's at least double the work. You have to make sure the sub has solid plans. It's not like other jobs where when you're gone, you're just gone, and maybe some shuffling has to happen, but really, everything will be okay.

Considering I slept until almost 11 this morning, I'm guessing my body was saying "Do not pass Go. Stop, and get some rest." Hopefully that means I'll feel better soon. I don't want to be sick in the middle of training for a marathon.

Last night, before bed, I finished "Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair" by Laurie Perry. A great book, and super-fast read. I highly recommend you check it out sometime.

Money-Saving Tip of the Week

It's been pretty quiet around the old Chittum house today. I woke up with a horrendous sore throat, and Adam had class, so I went back to bed when he went to school. You know I'm not feeling well when I'm on the couch, and I can't even really get the motivation to grab yarn and sticks.

My throat feels better, but I feel pretty lethargic, so it's been "Sofa City, Sweetheart" for most of the day. (Anybody name that movie?)

Here's my Budgetary Tip this week: Don't give up the massages if you feel like you need them, but check out the massage therapy school in your area if spending $80 bucks an hour sounds like too much to you. I got an hourlong Swedish massage after school yesterday for the low, low price of $25.

Sure, it wasn't the ambience of a "spa" but it was a quiet, dark room, with soothing music and the massage therapist did a great job. It was an hour I got all to myself, so no complaints outta me. I will definitely go back next time I'm feeling wigged out. The only thing is to make sure you get an appointment early, because I did have to wait about a month for mine.

PhilaHellphia

I was supposed to be back at school today. Instead, I slept in til 9, laid on the couch and watched all of the TV shows I DVRed while I was at convention, and knitted up a storm. I had cream of wheat for breakfast, drank diet 7Up and Gatorade, and chicken soup for lunch.

I awoke at 3:30 in the morning Sunday, with what I thought at the time was a raging case of food poisoning. I had eaten out for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, so it could have been any number of things. Thing is, Amy ate almost exactly the same things I did, and she wasn't sick. It must have been a stomach flu of some sort.

I feel really bad for Amy, since basically she woke up at 3:30 a.m. also. Pretty much the worst time to be as sick as I was is when you are sharing a hotel room with someone. I was getting up just about every 15 minutes for some sort of trip to the bathroom.

Normally I love to fly, travel, stay in hotels, etc., but Sunday was pretty much the worst day of my life. I hate being sick away from home. And I don't get sick very often so I'm pretty much a wuss about it. I had originally planned on sharing a cab with Amy, and trying to go standby on an earlier flight so I could get home before 7 p.m. Couldn't do that in the state I was in. Luckily, I had packed almost everything on Saturday before I went to bed, so I didn't have too much travel prep Sunday morning. I got to the airport pretty early (my flight wasn't scheduled to leave until 2:30 p.m.) and the ticket agent told me I couldn't check in/check my bags until 12:30. It was 11 when he told me that. Sick as a dog, I was carrying a backpack, totebag, purse and my rolling suitcase. I went back to the agent, asked if I could go on an earlier flight, and he said it was oversold.

But, as the tears started to well up in my eyes, he must have taken pity on me, because he allowed me to check in at 11:15. At least I shed the backpack and the rolling bag, so I only had to schlep my totebag and purse to the gate. I hadn't eaten anything all morning, and I had been up since 3:30. I could barely walk I was so worn out. At this point, I still had two hours until departure.

I laid across the chairs, hooked my tote straps under my arms, and put my purse under my head like a pillow, and slept. And slept. And slept some more.

Finally, we got to board the plane. I fitfully slept in my seat (in the fully upright position because it was in the last freaking row and wouldn't recline) until the flight attendant came with beverage service. Stupidly, I asked for a Diet Pepsi. I hadn't had any caffeine at all and thought it might help my headache. About 2.5 seconds after she handed it to me, I knew I didn't want it. All I wanted was to sleep, and I didn't want it spilling off of my tray table and on to the girl next to me. (Poor schmuck, I hope I didn't contaminate her.) I was so tired that I actually asked a kid who passed me on his way to the bathroom if he would throw it in the trash for me, because I couldn't wait for the flight attendant to come back. Thankfully, he did, and I went right back to sleep.

I had an hour and a half layover in Milwaukee. Still felt like crap, but at least I got a little knitting done while there. Once I FINALLY got on the plan bound for KC, I slept again - the whole flight.

I have never been so happy to get home in my life. And, Adam had the house all cleaned, stuff put away, new sheets on the bed - the whole nine yards. I wonder if he'd been working on that the whole time I was gone, or if he started when I called him from the bathroom floor of my room in the Downtown Philadelphia Marriott at 4:30 in the morning?

Home sick from school

The germ factory that is a high school classroom has done it again.

I should've known I'd be knocked out soon, since half of my newspaper and yearbook staffs have been sick for the last week and a half. We really need to start being more diligent about using those blasted Clorox wipes on our keyboards and mice. I just never think of it until I'm already feeling sick...Murphy's law, I suppose.

I'm going to go lie down now, try to save up the rest, so that I can go back to school tomorrow. I hate missing days!