Since I felt I had to write about being stinky and pushing a car on Tuesday, I skipped this week's 7 Quick Takes - so I'm doing them today.

1.
Today is my first day taking Synthroid, a medication for hypothyroidism.  When I went off birth control last month, I started charting my temperature daily so I could get an idea of how my monthly cycle worked.  After two weeks, I noticed that my temperature was regularly, steadily below the lowest temperature available on the pre-printed chart I was using (temp was generally in the 96.6 vicinity).  So I went online and looked up what kind of conditions this could indicate and low thyroid was one of them.  I made an appointment with my primary care doctor for bloodwork immediately since this can affect fertility and - ta da - cause weight gain.

Now, as someone who was obese most of her life, trust me, my thyroid has been checked a zillion times and was always okay.  This time, however, turns out my hunch is right and it's now low.  To quote Carrie Bradshaw: I can't help but wonder... did having the surgery throw my metabolism and thyroid out of whack?  Is this my fault?

I have no delusions that I'm going to take this medication and drop 50 lbs.  But maybe 5? 10? Get me going, at least?  Maybe.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.  I go back to the doctor in a month to find out if the medication is working.

2.
On a lighter note, why are public bathroom toilet paper holders either darkly tinted or opaque plastic?  Wouldn't it seem helpful to be able to see if there's toilet paper BEFORE you lock yourself in the stall and drop trou?

3.
On Monday, my baby hit a milestone: my car crossed the 100,000 mile mark.  And I missed it! *sniffle* Due to the hubby's car troubles, he had my car and brought it home at 100,001 miles.  *Sniffle*  They grow up so fast.

4.
I'm tired of seeing bugs in the hall at work every day.  I hate summer.

5.
I hate when people make their Facebook status a political statement.  It really, really ruins part of my day.

6.
UPS destroyed my brother's television:

{See the screen cracks?}

{Cracks up close}

He had it shipped from Florida when he moved back up here (NJ) a couple of weeks ago.  He didn't insure it because he couldn't afford it, but apparently that doesn't do much good with UPS anyway; they're notorious for killing any claim against them.

My parents recently gave away their TV because my brother was going to set up his for them.  So now they're all TV-less.  Not a tragedy, but a serious bummer.  I can't even bear to talk to my brother about it because I know he's probably really upset.

7.
I don't know quite how to term this, but I was sort of racially profiled on Tuesday, if we take racial profiling to mean that something is determined about someone solely based on their race/appearance.  I had a student tell me how everything in this country makes you angrier the more you know about it (true enough), especially how money works and who gets what.  She then looked at me and said, "Like how people like you, whose families have been here for generations, get certain things where people like me, who came from another country don't get those things."

I paused for a second before responding because my head was a blur with what just happened.  While I don't deny that I am a recipient of the white privilege that exists in this country, I very strongly identify with immigrant concerns considering both of my parents and nearly all of my relatives were born outside the U.S.  So I smiled and said, "Oh, I know - my parents weren't born in this country and my grandparents didn't read much English, so I know how hard and unfair it can be."

She then paused and looked at me for a second, taking in that idea.  Just because I have blond hair (that I pay for) and blue eyes doesn't mean I don't know how hard it is to be an immigrant.  My Ukrainian grandmother worked as a night cleaning lady in the Bronx and was mugged on her way home from work.  She also didn't learn to read until she was 63 years old.  Just because I look like I am privileged doesn't mean that I don't appreciate that I am OR don't appreciate what it's like to not have that privilege.

Bonus Quick Take:
I hate wearing heels because they hurt, but I really appreciate them for how beautiful they are and would totally love to wear these if I could:

{Prada}

{Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret}

It's probably a little bit odd, but I think the arch of a woman's foot is really sexy and beautiful.  In no way do I have a foot fetish (watch me squirm if the hubby puts his feet on me), but there's just something about a woman's foot arch.  I don't know.

Okay, so these 7 Quick Takes weren't quite so quick.  But as my "About Me" section says, I fight verbosity daily.  Hm, my new tag line: Fighting Verbosity Since 1975.

Tomorrow: Day off!  (Yay for summer hours!)  Sleeping in (i.e. getting up at 9am), maybe making something yummo for lunch, going to see Julie & Julia with Danielle after she gets out of work.  Given the rest of the week, I think tomorrow is going to be tremendous in comparison.