ION, have you all heard about the Zika virus? I guess most people who carry it don't have symptoms, but it can be really bad on a fetus. It's been seen in several of the countries where my organization works, so they are saying that pregnant women shouldn't go to those countries. Or women who could be pregnant. But we want to keep it all confidential. Yeah, not so much -- I've already heard that a coworker is doing fertility treatment, so that's why her upcoming trip was cancelled! That whole situation is brutal.

Do the authorities not use tear gas anymore unless there's a peaceful unarmed protest?

I'd rather not have a numbskull with a gun who's already gagging for the chance to prove his manhood pulling his weapon and firing blindly during a gas attack.

I'm sorry msbelle.

So I'm out off the mountain. Mom decided nit to park her car close to the main road so my brother drove us out in her car...nit as much driving as digging up ice, trying to get the car unstuck and bickering.

It's supposeD to freeze tonigjt so well be iced in for tomorrow and possibly Friday

Zika virus is very scary, and not at all clear to me what the plan is. I've seen that in several countries they are recommending don't have kids until 2018?!? How is that a solution?

Yeah, I have heard something about Zika every time I've driven somewhere, but not a lot of actual information. I did hear which mosquito carries it, and it was a familiar name from some previous mosquito-borne virus information gathering I must have done...

NPR was going to tell me about the "don't get pregnant" advice but I got to work before they did.

I've seen that in several countries they are recommending don't have kids until 2018?!? How is that a solution?

Yeah....that's ridiculous, obviously.

So far this morning: twelve reply-alls of people asking to be removed from the list.

Wouldn't that recommendation be affecting countries with some of the highest birth rates and least access to birth control?

EDIT: On another web page one of those blurb ads at the bottom was shilling surprising celebrities you didn't realize support Donald Trump in the upcoming election, and they used a photo of Ann Coulter. Who the hell would Coultergeist back before Trump? I'm pretty sure the Devil doesn't meet the natural born American citizen requirement to run.

Completely unrelated - I did, in fact, make it to the Tai Chi intro class. I swung by my parents' house before, but they had a meeting to get to that started half an hour before my class, so I got there way early, and then couldn't find parking except way down by TJ Maxx, and since I had so much time I went shopping, and then I was a few minutes late. But that was fine, and now I know what the challenges are there.

The class was fine, it's not exactly the same style/form that I learned before but it's not like I really remember that so I don't think that will be a problem. We took a break partway through and that was strangely reminiscent of an NA meeting, a lot of "I used to have all these problems and now that I do Tai Chi I don't" and a general keep-coming-back-it-works vibe, I assume because it was an intro class. And that's not even bad, just weird. So, will try to practice the, uh, two movements we learned and go back next week. Maybe I will try the Chinese restaurant that's in between the center and TJ Maxx. The timing of the class is a little awkward for me, I got home pretty much just in time to go to bed, but I had time before I left to turn on the DVR (it can't be trusted to turn itself on anymore) and feed the critters before I left, so I may be able to work it into my routine without too much effort.

So my new favorite thing is finding out l've been doing something wrong for 6 months, but no one corrected me until today when everyone jumps my ass about it.

I literally had no idea. I have a process document for this task and I follow it every time and this step was not on it.

I am so asscappy about this.