Top Comments: Comfort edition

I'm sick. There's been something going around, and I wasn't nimble enough to get out of its way before it rolled over me. No biggie, I'm sure it'll pass soon enough (no strange new pimply looking 'bites' on my body, so I'm banishing all thoughts of staph infections.) But for the past three days or so, I've been decidedly under the weather.

Whenever I'm sick, I look at it as a directive, an absolute order from my body, to be a complete sloth. So here I sit, in my comfy sweats. I've got a great, soft blanket that I'm snuggling under. Napping is a must. When awake, I'm alternating between audio books and paperback books, and having a blast with both. I'm eating grilled cheese sandwiches and cream of tomato soup, and drinking chamomile tea. I feel like I'm a child again - except, of course, instead of mom cooking for me, I'm either doing it myself, or the asimbaclan is doing it for me. (I am so blessed to have them! Though the cats can't quite grasp the art of whisking the soup just yet, and they tend to hog the milk for themselves....)

So, while I had a different plan for tonight's TC diary, I'm mothballing it until I have more energy.

Tonight, instead, is about comfort. What comforts you when you're feeling sick, or down? Is it a good book? A certain food? A song? A particular scent?

Last night, I enjoyed the most decadent of indulgences: a long, hot, solitary bubble bath by candlelight, with my favorite classical on the ipod. I also threw in some mineral salts that really REALLY helped me sleep.

Today, I finished a paperback book - Hunting Season, by Nevada Barr. I need to offer up thanks to fellow Kossack Kestrel, who suggested these books to me - I have so enjoyed them. So far, my favorite has been Blind Descent - though Blood Lure was great!

On my iPod, I'm following the adventures of another crime fighting heroine - Tempe Brennan. Kathy Reichs has some great books out there, and I'm getting ready to dive into Break No Bones. (I blame my sister, kriser, for my newfound addiction to Kathy Reichs!) I've been so involved with both of these women lately, I know I'll miss them when I've come to the end of my book backlog. This is how I cocoon when I'm ill. I take a break from the nonfiction that I read most of the time. I take a break from blogging. Lately, it wears me out - even when I'm healthy! Lotsa negativity out there, even in our community! I curl up with some good escapist reading, comfies, soup, tea, and a pootie or two....

So, what's on your comfort reading list? What's your favorite comfort food? What makes you feel better when something's got you down?

Without further ado, here are tonight's Top Comments!

As always, please submit the comments that you feel deserve wider viewing to topcomments at gmail doht com.

From PBen:

A swift kick in the groin from Sam Loomis: Newton's Law of Inverse Testicular Gravity

Dump Terry McAuliffe shows appreciation:

Great rant by cskendrick about how George W. Bush likes to break things from this diary.

From lineatus:

The truth in ten words or less. Okay, inclusiveheart stretched it to 11 words but nailed it perfectly.

From nonnie9999:

There was some hilarity in skymutt's overnight news digest last night.  Well, either that, or I was overtired and a bit punchy.  Cast your eyes upon...or should i say 'a pun'...these.  Horsefeathers starts it off.

Follow the thread.  When you are done, have some more chuckles in this thread in the same diary.  trivium throws the first pitch.

From ReEnergizer:

I nominate this very thoughtful comment from Sharpner from my diary "Gore's speech in Chicago: my impressions."

To me, it eloquently epitomizes Gore's value should he resist the call to
run for president.

My picks:

The Lighthouse Keeper provides us with the Republicans' new terminology for waterboarding, in response to operculum's translation of the White House position. This is from The Lighthouse Keeper's diary.

With this comment, cookiesandmilk draws this eventual response from enthusiast. I don't know if it's the nyquil talking, but it made me giggle for quite awhile! It's from  MLDB's recommended diary.

This comment by two roads highlights the work done by fellow Kossack AmericanRiverCanyon to keep CA Congressman Doolittle's misdeeds in the light. It also leads to this very funny (and very true) comment by DBunn.

Rasputin has this suggested comeback for Rep. Stark in response to Boehner's criticism of Stark's remearks today.

Ex Con clearly and succinctly highlights the hypocrisy we see between the Repubs and Dems in this post from Timbuk3's Diary, Questions "Conservatives" Should Ask.

The wonderful Ben in SC brings us tonight's Top Mojo:

Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments (top 30 of each plus ties):

1 Thanks! by Congressman Pete Stark - 163
2 This is something of a drive-by, but I'll update by Califlander - 119
3 I am beginning to despise our Dem leadership by daddy4mak - 105
4 Happy Thorsday by Debbie in ME - 103
5 Read the diary. by Bob Johnson - 100
6 Testimony in court today about Hastert. by OneCrankyDom - 94
7 Done by Andrew C White - 94
8 Dear Democratic Contenders by IndyScott - 94
9 From the South Shore by sobermom - 80
10 and Rahm by daddy4mak - 69
11 He belongs to the world now. by Sharpner - 67
12 Daily Kes by kestrel9000 - 66
13 Thank God It's Fr.. It's Only THURSDAY?!? Sheeit! by PBen - 66
14 post humpday by khereva - 64
15 Yes by Matt Browner Hamlin - 63
16 my sweet Nikki by Debbie in ME - 62
17 No, it's not by bonddad - 62
18 IMPEACH Prez 24% before he declares WWIII by Theghostofkarlafayetucker - 58
19 Bluebird of happiness? by lineatus - 56
20 Happy Thursday!  :-) by Common Sense Mainer - 56
21 I just called - the staffer said... by AnotherMassachusettsLiberal - 55
22 HOW? by Vera Lofaro - 55
23 Thorsday Ink Edition by Texas Blue Dot - 54
24 Report from the inside by Jim in Chicago - 50
25 Dodd just became a contender in my eyes. by HollywoodOz - 50
26 Wow by Blackacre - 50
27 Newton's Law of Inverse Testicular Gravity by Sam Loomis - 49
28 OMG by Kestrel - 49
29 Dodd won us some time by Bill White - 49
30 Unfortunately, W* thinks the Book of Revelation by Samer - 48
31 Dodd needs our love by immanentize - 48

Top Mojo - everything included:

1 Tips/flames by ReEnergizer - 287
2 Guess I picked the wrong time... by Laesch for Congress - 233
3 Here's to justice! by markthshark - 228
4 Tip Jar by The Lighthouse Keeper - 222
5 Tips, Comments, Etc by MLDB - 183
6 Thanks! by Congressman Pete Stark - 163
7 Tips for Al by Barcelona - 162
8 new rationale: by Turkana - 155
9 unless Gore gets in by clammyc - 148
10 This is something of a drive-by, but I'll update by Califlander - 119
11 I could use some hugs in the form of tips... by angrybird - 117
12 Tips for clarity to prove sanity. eom by Geekesque - 110
13 I am beginning to despise our Dem leadership by daddy4mak - 108
14 Happy Thorsday by Debbie in ME - 103
15 Read the diary. by Bob Johnson - 100
16 Testimony in court today about Hastert. by OneCrankyDom - 94
17 Done by Andrew C White - 94
18 Dear Democratic Contenders by IndyScott - 94
19 Tips by okamichan13 - 93
20 Tips for Dodd and Obama!! by word player - 92
21 C&J Thor's Day Edition by Phil N DeBlanc - 91
22 Great idea. by Fire Dog Lake - 90
23 Tips for Al by NYPopulist - 85
24 here i am by buhdydharma - 82
25 From the South Shore by sobermom - 80
26 Now, everyone needs to have his back by Bill White - 74
27 Private health insurace for a family by blue jersey mom - 71
28 and Rahm by daddy4mak - 71
29 Wow, this guy by dfarrah - 70
30 He belongs to the world now. by Sharpner - 67