I’ve been savoring every carb loaded meal and glass of pop since 10 o’clock Tuesday morning. That’s when I decided we are starting Atkins. I decided that we are doing Atkins because I’m the one that does the grocery shopping, and I’m not allowing carbs in the house when I can’t have any.

I was actually very pleased when I checked out the Atkins website. The last time I was on the diet, it consisted of eating as much meat, eggs, and cheese as humanly possible. Now you’re allowed 20 net carbs every day, 12-15 of which are supposed to come from a long list of acceptable veggies!

• alfalfa sprouts
• chives
• cucumber
• lettuce
• mushrooms
• artichoke
• asparagus
• avocados
• broccoli
• brussel sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• eggplant
• olives
• onion
• sauerkraut
• peas
• spaghetti squash
• spinach
• tomato
• water chestnuts
• zucchini

I was also excited to see that there are some great recipes. That means we won’t just be eating steaks and salads every night. There’s side dishes, casseroles, soups, and snacks that I would eat even if I wasn’t on the diet.

I’m pretty excited to get started. We’re headed to Costco this weekend to stock up and the official weigh-in will be on Monday. I’m not divulging what my starting weight is or how much I need to loose, but I’ll give periodic progress reports.

Until the weight starts melting off…Have you tried Atkins? Did it work for you? How much did you lose? Any special recipes you’d recommend?

If you live in the Chicagoland area, you watch WGN news and you’re familiar with weekend anchors Bob Jordan and Jackie Bange. I know they are two of my favorites.

What you’re probably not familiar with is their 2 minute and 40 second choreographed dance that takes place during the first commercial break of each broadcast.

That is one seriously choreographed routine and I absolutely love how Bob Jordan jumps right back into the broadcast.

Somtimes, I love how the internet works…

Back in Jaunary 2008, I posted about Amy Freeze and my post got picked up as a reference on her Wikipedia page. Last night, Amy Freeze was mentioned during the Bears vs. Packers game, and the news reported this morning that she was one of the most searched Google terms last night.

Since Google pulls up her Wikipedia page, and her Wikipedia page links to me, I got 1,700 hits in the 8 o’clock hour last night.

Thanks for having a cool meteorologist name, Amy Freeze!

We didn’t get the snow that the northern suburbs did, but we sure got the ice! (Mike put my windshield wipers up so they wouldn’t get iced to the window, but I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere today for that to matter.)

I was smart and brought my laptop and project folders home with me last night, so I’ll be working from home today as long as the internet and power hold on. They’ve been flickering all morning.

It’s been switching between freezing rain, sleet, and hail since I got up at 5:30 am, with the temperature right at 32 degrees. We’re supposed to dip down to 22 degrees tonight, so the roads and ice are just going to get worse, with the storm watch in effect until midnight.

Did the rest of you make it through the night? How did you weather the storm?

I was out of the office for some work related meetings this morning, and snapped this picture in the bathroom at the printer.

It made me laugh because it’s one of those sayings that most everybody knows and keeps among friends and family, but wouldn’t think to put on a plaque and hang in a public place. But there is was. Right next to the light switch for everyone to see!

I was going to tell them that it made laugh, but if hanging the plaque in the bathroom was TMI, then certainly talking about it outside of the bathroom is inappropriate.