Some music wraps itself around your heart and squeezes. Mine was crushed and pulped last night, watching The Unthanks at Holmfirth Picturedrome. But in a good way, you understand.

continues in the comments

From: Unexplainable Photos Of Dogs

This is just a little thank you to the Word Massive.
It's Mr Drakeygirl's 40-*ahem*thingth birthday today. He's just emerged from under the duvet (he was on nights last night), and has been presented with his cards and presents.
He loved his homemade card featuring a badly-crayoned Spiderman. (But that's just me being tight, the kids' cards were much better).
More importantly, he also loved his presents, which were the following:

Each and every one of them was brought to my attention by you lot (either through blog posts, tweets, or chats at mingles).

You done good.

Morning all!

It's Monday, it's Chubby Checker time.

So you know the drill - check in and tell us how you're doing on your mission to shrink.

Sorry there was no check-in last week - normal service has been resumed.

Back again, and feeling funky:

Video is Cornershop - Funky Days Are Back Again

Katie Walsh has just come third in the Grand National, riding Seabass. It's the highest placing ever by a woman jockey in the race, and I really thought she was going to win it.

Not bad for a girl, eh?

I just watched this short video about music reanimating someone who seemed lifeless. (Thanks to daddyorchipsblog aka @endaguinan for sharing this on Twitter). It's an elderly man in a nursing home, who is depressed, monosyballic, and seemingly unreachable. Just watch the effect listening to his favourite songs on an iPod has on him. It's a wonderful, wonderful, illustration of the power of music.

http://gizmodo.com/5900699/watch-an-old-man-in-a-nursing-home-get-excite...

I've been struggling a bit recently, dealing with the decline of my mother-in-law, a strong and independent woman who is frightened and confused as she faces the disintegration of her memory, so this is a little close to home. She's a lover of classical music, and this has inspired me to start ripping all her CDs so that maybe, down the line, I can bring her some sort of connection with the past, and hopefully some comfort and joy.

Busted a gut to fire off this Chubby Checker update quickly this morning - it's Easter holidays and I have one large child asking me impossible-to-answer questions and one small child jumping on my head.

Talking of busting a gut - how is everyone doing? Now's the time to check in and let us know how shrinky your shrinkage is. Head to the comments, and fill us in on whether or not you've managed to resist filling your face this week.

Ooh, and by the way, we lost another 30lbs (13.6kg) last week, to bring our total up to 400lb (more than 28 stone, or 181kg). This is the EXACT weight of the 10ft statue of himself George Galloway fashioned entirely from Kit-e-Kat tins and bombast.

Video is Wilson Pickett - Three Time Loser

A quick Chubby Checker this week.

Check in and tell us what you're up to, or rather down to, you lovely lot.

Last week we were a bit short of check-ins, but still lost 11.5lbs (5.2kg), bringing our total up to 379lbs (171kg), or twenty flipping seven stone. This is the exact weight of the 50p Rate Of Tax thread. What are the chances, eh?

The song I've chosen this week for the chubsters is Kirsty Maccoll, There's A Guy Works Down The *CENSORED* Shop Swears He's Elvis. My daughter is going through a stage of loving Kirsty, which I'm doing my damnedest to encourage. We've been listening to the brilliant Tropical Brainstorm album in the car a lot, but I've picked this track because it's got the word *CENSORED* in it.

Back in fine fettle and with some glorious news for all you Chubby Checkers.

A few dark horses have joined the Massive’s Minimisers over the last couple of weeks, and they’ve had a startling effect on our statistics.

Brace yourselves: between us we have now lost a grand total of 361.5 lbs. (164kg).
That’s more than 25 stone! (164kg). Come on! That’s a whole Demis Roussos. Actually no, it’s probably only a semi-Roussos, but still...stunning, simply stunning.

I believe I need to hand out a few badges of honour. I’ll add them in the comments below, and please shout if I’ve missed you out.

(Video is the scene from Abigail’s Party when Beverly puts on a Demis Roussos record).
“Do you think he’s sexy, Ange?”
“Yes. It’s a pity he’s so fat.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t sound it though, does he, when you hear him?”

I'm feeling under the weather and won't be going to the Scritti Politti Word In Your Ear gig tomorrow, but I'd hate to see my ticket got to waste.

I'm not sure whether it's possible to transfer the ticket, as the email with the booking number is in my name and it says you have to produce ID. Any advice? Anyone done this for other Word gigs?

If it is possible, of course, does anyone want the ticket?

Sorry it's late, but this week's Chubby Checker is being posted from my sick bed.
I'll update on our weight loss total and rootle arond YouTube for a suitable song when I feel better.
Please check in below, as usual.

Step in, step up, step off the scales and check in to the Chubby Checker club!

Last week we shed another 14lbs (6.3kg) to bring the total loss so far to 208 lbs (about 14½ stone, or roughly 94kg). Amazingly, this is the exact weight of tape used to record a single Mahavishnu Orchestra track.

I'm not expecting huge results this week as several Chubby Checkers attended Friday's London mingle, where alcohol and pork goods were consumed in bulk. But I am expecting the slimline VincePacket to step up and give us his total weight loss this year all at once, which should help massage this week's results into something respectable.

As usual, weigh in if you want to, or if you don't just check in and tell us how your attempts at healthy eating are going.

Onwards and downwards, chubby chums!

Hopefully some of you will find that where your jacket used to strain, now your Jacket Hangs, like Gerard and his numerous guitar-playing friends in the Blue Aeroplanes once said:

Welcome, one and all, to the weekly Chubby Checker weigh in. The more slender Word reader should move right along. Nothing to see here...

Last week we shed 12lbs (5.4kg) to bring the total loss so far to 193 lbs (about 13½ stone, or roughly 87kg) - which is the exact total weight of all of Beryl Streep's Oscars. In fact, in the thread below, Beryl has kindly written a guest post on improving your eating habits, called 'The Iron Lady - How More Get More Fibre In Your Diet.'

Please check in below and tell us how things are going.

And remember - it's a long and winding road we're on. Hit it, Aretha:

Roll in and roll up!

Chubby Checker check in time. Anyone not interested, please keep those wagons scrolling...

We got rid of 17lbs (7.8kg) last week to bring the total loss so far to 179 lbs (more than 12½ stone, or just over 81kg) - which is the exact weight of Midlake's facial hair.

Please check in below and tell us how things are going.

Your inglorious leader has not been setting a good example this week, so my song is a plea to you (from The Chairman Of The Board): Give me just a little more time...

Check-in time!

The Massive's club for people who want to lose some flab is still open for business.

Last week our portly crew shed another 19lbs (8.7kg) to bring the total loss so far to 160 lbs (more than 11 stone, or 73kg) which is the exact weight of Noel Edmonds', Kid Jenson's, Dave Lee Travis' and Tony Blackburn's hairdos, circa 1977* (*figure has been estimated from recent Top Of The Pops repeats).

Please check in below to let us know how you're doing.

Here's some music: Fats Domino, Walking To New Orleans. I'm digging out the old walking boots this week, but rather than get all the way to New Orleans, I think I'll probably only manage a circuit of kid's play areas, as it's half term and the toddler needs his constitutionals...

Good luck, y'all. Keep walking the line.