Was home sick yesterday. Unlike my last “sick day” I really was illin’ yesterday. Congestion, sore throat, sneezies, etc…your garden variety cold tribulations. I worried that I looked suspect because my sniffles coincided with that snow squall, but we didn’t even get a whole lot of accumulation here. And I’ve definitely driven in a lot worse conditions. Plus, I really *was* sick!! It’s sorta redonkulous when your sense of job insecurity makes you paranoid about taking sick days when you’re sick and stress about your credibility when you’re telling the truth. I’m feeling crummy all day yesterday, and still I’m obsessing : “Is this reeeeally sick enough to justify a sick day?”

So, after last night’s Heroes I finally know what you can accomplish with cut-rate Aquaman powers. Apparently they’re indispensible for hiding in backyard swimming pools. Also probably if you were being chased in a more rural area you would be able to jump in a pond or lake and you wouldn’t need to break a reed off to use as a makeshift snorkel –a definite boon, as that reed-cum-snorkel scenario never turns out well because invariably BEES swarm down your snorkel. I’ve seen that happen A LOT. Actually, that usually happens when it’s bees that are chasing you in the first place...and you're a cartoon character. So..I guess there’s still not a HUGE range of applications for that power. But let’s not forget the underwater makeout session. That’s a neat trick.. .almost makes me wish Alex were staying on the show longer. He’s fairly easy on the eyes too, I’ve noticed. (But what’s with the glasses? Reading glasses? Strictly a fashion accessory?? They seemed to be rather optional. )

Poor, poor, Parkman. How’s he gonna get outta this jam?? Somethin’ like this has got to make him wish he was still stranded in Africa with that dude that fed him loco fruits and called him Pac Man.

The previews for next Monday’s episode hint that Nathan might somewhat redeem himself vis a vis defusing the bomb-strapped Pac Man. Not that I care much if Easter Island nog redeems himself. I don’t particularly like him. But surely that would make SweetPete happier… so of course I’m for it.

So the big questions that have me tuning in next week—WHO could “Rebel” be? When that handle first showed up (on a text to Claire telling her to save Alex) I had presumed it to be a code name for Peter. But obviously that’s not the case—since Parkman & Peter are now getting transmissions from Rebel too. The show is trying to hint that it might be Angela (nope-red herring—it’s not her). But I’m sure it’s supposed to be a surprise and I think the most obvious surprise pick for Rebel is Nathan or HRG…with Nathan being more likely. But I can’t recall if they’ve both had opportunity or not. And why would they repeatedly involve Claire when they both seem to genuinely want her to freeeekin’ chill-lax and butt out of things? So I guess I’m stumped. Is it a future Hiro that’s had his powers restored? Maybe Rebel has that machine-manipulating power that that Micah kid had. Well, I’m just dying for them to bring Eric Roberts back (in any capacity) so I think it should be him. Yeah, yeah, his character was shot, but the writers could get around that point easily enough. Oh, and what happened to Invisible Claude anyway?

Second nagging question—who will they bring in to play Sylar’s father? I think it would be too cheesy in a coinky-dinky sorta way to have a pre-existing character be the Poppa. But they’re going to have to cast somebody that has beaucoup presence. Plus he has to be waaay menacing. Maybe not overtly menacing, but subtle about it. A veneer of calm showing creepy glimpses of a massive underlying evil. Dream casting??? Richard Simmons! Just foolin’…I actually stumped myself on that one. I’ll hafta ponder that…

Oh, I also watched Chuck last night. I always watch Chuck, but never post about it because, although it's fun, it's not particularly noteworthy. It lacks pith. It's the TV equivalent of a marshmallow Peep if that conveys it any better. The only reason I post about it now is because they brought in this guy to guest for a few episodes as a MI6 agent and--Mmmm mmm. A fine specimen, that one. I have a thing for a Brit/ Scot/ Aussie accent though. Case in point: I was also mighty pleased by the dude they cast as Colin on Ugly Betty (another show I watch regularly but never post about due to its frothiness) and consequently was very vexed when they showed him to be a thieving bastard in last Thursday's eppy.