Cookie Monster on my Back

Remember last March when I wrote about the world conspiring against me whenever I try to drop a few pounds?  It’s happening again.

One of the bloggers on my blogroll, Goldey, is a friend of mine in real life.  We work at the same company.  Last week, I was able to bail her out of a jam by producing a bit of paperwork from the prior year that she would otherwise have to reproduce from scratch.  For this good deed, she said she would bring me in some cookies.

Now, I’m always into getting baked goods.  I was envisioning a nice little plate of chocolate chippers or maybe some oatmeal cookies.  But Goldey went whole hog.  What I received on Tuesday was a big bag of the most decadent 5-layer pan cookies I’ve ever had… There was coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, pecans… The bag must have weighed 3 pounds.  You can find a clearer description here, in her blog post.

This presented a problem.  As you might have noticed from the sign that’s been up in the corner since April, I’m throwing a Darwinfish2 get-together in Pittsburgh in a couple weeks, and I was hoping to shed a bit of the weight I picked up on vacation in Florida.  (Not to mention my normal bacon-laden diet…)  So this was not the optimum time to splurge on sweets.

However, I sure wouldn’t want to be rude.  So I tucked into the bag o’ cookie bars and oh my fucking God… They were just heavenly… so rich and decadent… I had a couple of 1” square pieces and immediately went into a sugar coma.  No more good for the rest of the day.  I’m not being a complete pig though… I’m trying to give some away around the department.  Unfortunately, everyone else is watching their weight too.  Others don’t like coconut.  So I’m still trying to get rid of these the only way I know how.  Like Homer Simpson would…

If you’re coming to the Darwinfish Fry, you’ll have to excuse me if there’s a little more of me to meet than I originally intended.

Note:  This not an exclusive event… If you’re going to be in Pittsburgh on 8/1 and want to come, you’re welcome, whether you have your own blog or not.  Just let me know so I have an accurate headcount.  Click here for details.

Mercy Mercy Me

A year or so ago, they started working on a new tower for Mercy Hospital, located directly across the street from my building at work.  My boss has a window that overlooks the site.

In a rare flash of forethought, I decided to take some pictures along the course of the construction.  It’s just about done, so now I have a series of about 25 pictures showing the progress from a 20-foot hole in the ground to an 18-story building, which I’ve made into the video you see below.  Have a look; it’s kind of cool.