Category: daily tedium

I went to the doctor’s this morning before work and got some great news. Not only have I lost weight (8 pounds in the last two weeks!!!), but my blood pressure is down almost ten points on both the top and bottom. My cholesterol’s not bad either. His exact words were, “It’s not brilliant, but it’s not bad either.”

He went so far as to tell me to slow down with the weight loss. He said a couple pounds a month is enough. At that point I told him to shut up and punched him in the stomach. No, really, I told him that I’m not doing anything crazy and that I’ve just cut out soda and have stopped going back for seconds. It doesn’t feel all that bad, actually. It’s something I think can keep up for the rest of my life and not miss out on anything. I can still eat the same things, just not as much. I miss the soda, but not enough to start drinking it again, except maybe the root beer at Sweetwater.

I love good news first thing in the morning…

It’s extremely rare to find honesty in business, especially auto mechanics. I always follow my dad and use whoever he uses to fix his problematic cars (oh my, the stories I could tell you about my dad and his car trouble). Dad has a way of ferreting out honest auto mechanics and then inundating them with expensive and funny car problems. Thankfully, my cars aren’t that bad. Still, I like knowing the guy I take my car to isn’t going to rip me off.

For example, after our latest snow storm, my left windshield wiper stopped working. I figured it would be an expensive “replace the whole thing” affair. So, Jen and I dropped off the car at lunch today. Not two hours later, I get a call at work from the guy saying it’s all ready to go and there’s no charge. Apparently, when it’s icey, the pivot bolts get loose. It was a 2 minute find-it-and-wrench-it job that would have cost me $60 anywhere else. So, if you live in Northern VA, definitely give Houda’s a call. You won’t regret it.

I’ve finished two books in a week and have started on a third with gusto. The first, I’ve told you about repeatedly: American Gods. I just finished Jolie Blon’s Bounce by James Lee Burke. It’s pretty short for a Dave Robicheaux novel, and I’m starting to get the feeling that Mr. Burke is running out of creative steam. His last three or four books, not counting the amazing To The Bright And Shining Sun have followed the same formula of some preternaturally bad dude, a horrible person from Dave’s past and a crime. I read Bitterroot over Thanksgiving, and felt a sense of deja vu. He’s written some amazing stuff. His descriptions of Louisianna, the South in general and sense of dialogue are uncanny. He can spin a great tale. If you haven’t read Heaven’s Prisoners or Dixie City Jam, go get them now. You could skip Joli Blon’s Bounce and not have really missed anything.

I’ve started on A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. I’ve read lots of posts from people about how funny his writing is and spied this book on the bookshelf in our bathroom (don’t ask… I’ll take pictures eventually) and said, “Hey, where did this come from,” to the yawning bowl, pulled the book down and went to find Jen to ask her. Apparently, her mom gave it to her (my mother in-law is a great source of literature… she’s always giving us books) at Thanksgiving and Jen just got around to putting it up on the shelf. I’ve only gotten through the preface and acknowledgements and laughed my butt off through them. I can’t wait to really start the book.

I go on these tears every six months or so and just rip through books until my literary demon has been sated and goes back to sleep. If I finish this one, I have Jen’s Christmas present to me, Wobegon Boy by Garrison Keilor waiting for me in our lavatory/library.

He ambled up the street, peering in shop windows and wondering at the people with hands shoved in coat pockets rushing from place to place, disappearing, reappearing as others doing the same, going somewhere he wasn’t. They walked in long, fast steps, covering as much ground as possible without running or looking desperate to be anywhere but going. He wandered, slowly, feet never going too far in front of himself, propelling him just enough to change the scenery. He wasn’t going anywhere, had no where to be but with himself doing nothing. He’d lost his purpose somewhere, and didn’t remember where it had gone to. He walked from one end of town to the other for no other reason than it kept him warm and passed the time while he looked for his purpose. He was the King of Mosey and wandered until he wandered clean out of sight.

Because I’m always late on these kinds of things, I won’t make you any later. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman is out in paperback. If you haven’t read it already, run out to your local bookseller and get it. It’s amazing. I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a very long time. It’s original, funny, exciting and thought-provoking. It’s an incredible story, and I can’t wait to see how it ends, though the whole while hoping it never does.

There are so many movies and books and albums to talk about that I’ve just not had the time to tell you all about. I know you’re upset about it. I keep meaning to catch up, but just haven’t gotten to it. And I swore I wasn’t going to do a Best/Worst/Most Mediocre List for 2002 because everyone else is doing it, and I just have to be different. So, I will do nothing and just tell you that I’ve lost ten pounds in two weeks and dropped my blood pressure twenty points. Not bad for dieting over Christmas, huh?

There’s just something wrong. What’s wrong? I have no idea. I’m taking the blood pressure medicine (started on Wednesday). Today, I just feel worn down and low. I’m not tired, I just have no energy – listless would be a good word for it. We went out to lunch, and eating didn’t feel good (that part is psychological, I think). Funny, I just did some research and apparently, depression and fatigue are both known side effects. Funnier still is that my doctor wants me to lose weight, but all I want to do now is curl my fat self up on the couch with a warm blanket and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food.

I’m depressed that I’ve cut out a third or more of my daily calories for a week and haven’t lost a pound yet according to my bathroom scale. I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to stick to this diet and that I’ll always be fat and die before my time (if I stay fat, my “time” could be “any ol’ day now”). It’s a crappy way to be at Christmas, don’t you think?

Ho ho ho

After our marathon meeting this morning, the folks in my group headed over to Banjara for some Indian food. Why? I suggested it because Jen doesn’t like Indian food and I had a terrible jones for it. I’d never been there before, and I was pleasantly surprised. The lunch buffet is stocked with really good stuff. Their Tandoori Chicken is the best I’ve ever had, and the other dishes were excellent. There were four main dishes on the buffet, Tandoori Chicken, a salad, six different chutneys, four or five appetizers and a lovely garbanzo bean salad. It was all excellent. If you’re ever in Ashburn, VA and need some Indian food, definitely check them out.

And, without caffeine, and with a buffet in me – I’m sleeeee-eeeepy.

Ok, why isn’t today over yet? It’s only 4:50, and I can’t keep my eyes open. I’d give anything for a Code Red or Dr. Pepper right now. I think it’s a great sign of my commitment that I haven’t had one already.

In the interest of lowering my blood pressure, I’ve undertaken the following:

• no caffeine
• reduce caloric intake by 1/3 – 1/2 of current levels
• no soda of any kind (because diet gives me headaches and taste like dirty diaper)
• no more cream cheese-laden bagels for breakfast (today I had yogurt)
• no more late-night snacking

I am going to be one grumpy, tired fat guy for the next three months. But, serious news causes serious action, and I’m not kidding this time. I’m young enough that I’ve never really contemplated my own mortality. I have now, and I haven’t done nearly enough to consider giving up now. I even considered getting the Al Roker Halve-Your-Stomach With Staples thing done. I’ve never really attempted dieting before, so I’m going to give that a serious shot before considering practically-irreversible .

I’ve been fat since the age of eleven, shortly after my first knee surgery. During high school and after, I held steady at about 220 by playing volleyball, basketball and swimming. Then, I got married. It’s happened to all of my friends who get married – they gain 10 – 20 pounds. Why? I’m not sure, but it happens to almost everyone. Then, I blew out my knee, and well, that’s how I got to where I am today. All my fault, and a product of having other things that I thought were more important. I’ve never been one for exercise, and only played sports as a venue for trash-talking (OK, that’s a lie, but it’s funny).

You’re welcome to come along as I try to break sixteen years of bad habits. I hope you don’t mind swearing…

I’m still sick, so I decided to suck it up and go to the doctor. He says it’s still a cold and if it’s not better by Thursday, come back in. Ooooo-kay. In other news, I have insane blood pressure. It’s kind of scary that it’s been creeping up over the past few months and is now in the “we’re going to medicate you” range. So, I have to get serious about losing weight and exercising and taking pills until I get it under control. I get to go back in two weeks for a physical.

I’m twenty-seven, how did this happen? Oh yeah, I got fat and lazy and am a workaholic who’s knees complain at the thought of doing anything exercise-like. It’s a cyclical mess of excuses and problems and it’s time to stop. I’m not going to be a 40-year-old heart attack victim who can’t play with his kids. Just so you know…