I woke up to a sound that I assumed was a bird that had somehow gotten caught in my air conditioning unit. The clanging and agitated whirring sounded like what I imagine Armageddon will. Disoriented with sleep, I finally came around to the understanding that a terrible thunderstorm, complete with hail, was underway.

Unbeknownst to me, Caryl had been kept up the better part of the night with stomach pains. As for me, my throat continues to be a bother, and it was especially raw this morning at about 5:35 when the clamour and clatter of the elements roused me, prematurely, from my sleep. We both called in sick. I could not imagine standing out in that weather waiting for the bus, feeling the way that I felt.

After several more hours of sleep, I felt significantly better, so got up and prepared to go the gym. I love going during non-peak hours! I enjoyed an extensive lifting routine along with my elliptical and stairmaster stints. For the last couple of days, I've been working out to "Worship in the House," which is a gospel album, and it has really been inspiring to push myself to go the distance as I listen to a choir sing rousing, uplifting songs based on scriptures such as "not by power, not by might, but by my spirit," says the Lord. If I had a weightloss mantra, that would be it.

Later in the day, Sarah (who was also home today) came to get me and we hung out at the Barnes & Noble in Towson reading magazines and books on dieting. I drank an unsweetened green tea while I learned that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are on the outs! How can the universe bear up under such a rift?!