Winter is a time of intense caloric intake. Calories - if you'll recall your 5th-grade health lesson - are units of energy and can be quite useful. But, when caloric intake is accompanied by "hunkering down," a favorite winter activity, calories are known to congregate and gelatinize around one's hips, thighs, waist, gut, toes, cheeks, earlobes, jowls and wherever they can find space.

And when a couple of RTers' pigtailed daughters capped off the winter by hawking a ghastly number of Girl Scout cookies around the office, this chicken said enough was enough.

Behold, the brand new, state-of-the-art Rodgers Townsend gym, free to all employees. Some excellent equipment was donated, though a vibrating belt machine and medicine ball are conspicuously (and disappointingly) missing from the lineup. The weights, treadmill, elliptical and bike will have to do.

I suggest the RT softball team jiggles its way down to the fourth floor for a little preseason conditioning. Catchers and pitchers report today.