It’s official.  I hate cardio again.  I’m still doing it but I hate it.  I love the results but hate the journey.  I’ve moved from the elliptical to the treadmill, to interval training on the treadmill and now I split my time between the bike and treadmill. 

Here’s my beef:  I don’t have energy again!  What happened to the awesome energy kick!?  I was hoping it would help me get through my long days at work!  Also, I’m so freaking tired at the end of the day it is hard to push through the cardio.  I always feel great after I’ve done it but it is HARD to get started.
    

We are back to work at The Office.  We are currently shooting episode 2.  The best part about working on this show is getting to know the answers to all of the cliffhangers 2 months early.  It’s good stuff!

The show will pick up in real time.  Pam is just out of her first trimester but isn’t really showing yet.  The cool part about playing Pregnant Pam is that my real-life sister Emily is pregnant.  She and Pam got pregnant at almost the same time!  I find out how she’s feeling, what she’s going through.  It’s the best resource ever! 

We are almost ready to break for lunch…here are the answers to a few questions you’ve sent my way. 
   

How do you choose what comments to respond to? And do you read every one? – Meggerz from Traverse City, MI

I answer the questions that stand out to me in some way – maybe they make me laugh, or it’s something I’ve been asked a lot.
 

I read most of my blog comments.  I read from the beginning.  If someone goes puts a comment on the first page under someone else, I’m less likely to read it than a comment on page 20.  Once I finish reading a page of comments I’m unlikely to go back.

My husband and I just bought our first house and recently moved in.  I've loved your recommendations in the past about little household odds and ends (like the cupcake courier that I am dying to have!) and I was wondering if you could suggest one very important item to have in a house, what would it be? – Mrs. Kinderman from Tampa, FL

Congratulations!  I like to have a “quick fix box”.  I got a clear plastic box from Target and filled it with essentials – batteries of each size, rubber bands, a small can of WD40, Duct Tape, crazy glue, flashlight, light bulbs…stuff like that.  That way, if the battery in my remote control dies at 9pm I can just replace it rather than take batteries out of something else or run to the store.  Or, if something important breaks right before guests come over…quick fix with the crazy glue.

I have two questions - things that I have wondered about FOREVER!

(1) What do people do with their wedding bands/rings when filming? Do they just leave them at home? In their dressing room? Do they ever wear their own engagement rings, etc, if their character is engaged/married?

I’m glad you asked this question because I always see these tabloid reports about certain people being “Spotted Without Their Wedding Ring!” like it’s some big deal.  I do not wear any jewelry to work, including my engagement ring.  I would have to take it off and leave it in my trailer which I would never do. They aren’t that secure.  Break-ins happen all the time.  So, if I go someplace after work I could be “spotted” without my ring.  It means nothing. 

Most people do not wear their own wedding rings while they are working – this includes TV, movies and photo shoots for magazines.  At work you have to be your character.  Pam has her own engagement ring.  She actually has two!  One is a spare in case the original gets lost.  They do that with everything.  I have two clean outfits standing by at all times in case one of them gets dirty, or I spill coffee or food.  That is another reason why a person wouldn’t just wear their own ring.  No double.

(2) What do you drink when you're supposed to be drinking alcohol? Is it flavored water? Do the props people try to make it a palatable drink of appropriate color/appearance or do they not care what it tastes like and just make it look how it's supposed to? – Candace from Portland, Oregon

In general, we don’t drink real alcohol while filming.  In movies you can spend 12 hours shooting one dinner scene.  If you were actually drinking wine you’d be wasted.  They usually serve juice or non-alcoholic wine or beer.  Sometimes just colored water.  They don’t generally care if it tastes good.  It is more important that it look good.

There are always exceptions.  For example, while I was shooting in ....New York.... this summer there was a scene where I had to take a beer from the fridge and drink it.  We were able to use an already opened can filled with water in the far shots but when it came time for my close up I had to actually open and drink the real beer.  I only did about 5 takes but I was pretty buzzed by the time we finished.  Thankfully it was the last shot of the day and I had a driver to take me home!