Sunday, Feb. 09, 2003
No more cereal for me, posted at 9:29 p.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com I did something radical today. I went to Trader Joe's and didn't buy cereal. You see, I've gained some weight during this school year. Not much - about six pounds - but it's enough for me to be concerned. I'm also unhappy that my weight's downward spiral has temporarily ended. There are a lot of reasons for the weight gain. A less strict workout schedule during the holiday season and then that seeping into January. Stressful work days combined with co-workers always bringing in Berger Cookies (the world's best cookie) and other unhealthy snacks are two prime contributors. But I think a big part of it is eating so much cereal. If I want a little snack, I have a little bowl of cereal. If I want an easy meal, I have a bowl of cereal. I had been eating it 2 or 3 times a day. I get healthy stuff, so that's not the problem - the problem is limiting myself. I've tried a lot of things. Water on it instead of skim milk, to cut down on calories, for example. But it still tastes too damn good. Just sprinkle a little sugar substitute on it, and it's pretty much my favorite food. Whether it's low-fat granola or Trader Joe's puffed wheat, I can't get enough of it. So I just didn't buy any this shopping trip. Since I can't limit myself on my own, I'm just not going to buy it. Maybe if I prove to myself that I can limit myself to one bowl a day, I'll again reward myself with cereal.***
I just went to the gym, to the grocery store, to Target, and to the video store at 9pm on a Sunday night. It was so relaxing, because no one is shopping at that time, and I could slowly go through the aisles and really pick and choose. At Target, I almost got a 12-pack of Diet Pepsi, but I wanted to punish them for not having Pepsi One. So I just picked up my photos and bought a moustache trimmer. No, I don't have a moustache, but I like giving myself that scruff look on occasion, and my old one broke. At the video store, the store wouldn't let me return a DVD of Six Feet Under because I lost the 25 cent plastic case that it came in. I didn't get angry, but, damn, it pissed me off. I figured there would be a small charge for it. Now I might have to buy the whole set. I go way out of my way to that video store - it's a good 15-minute drive - and it frustrates me that their customer service is not better. My ethical beliefs prevent me from going to Blockbuster Video, so I head out to this little independent place that I feel good about frequenting. But perhaps not any longer, if they force me to buy the whole set because I lose one freaking plastic case.
***
That being said, it would be a good excuse to buy the entire first season of Six Feet Under. Today, I spent all afternoon watching five episodes of it. This is an all-around brilliant series. I hear the episodes were all written before the pilot was shot, and while I enjoyed the 2nd season episodes I caught without knowing the backstory, it becomes all the more impressive now that I know the arc of the characters. These are characters on rich, complex journeys, and the ensemble cast is the strongest on teleivision. The funeral home provides a poignant and at times morbidly funny backdrop to the family dysfunction and drama. The writing is intense, beautiful, exceptional. Today, watching five hours of it, I found myself in tears a few times and in laughter at other times. As a lover of literature, this series fascinates me. So maybe it wouldn't be that bad if I had to buy it.
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Forecasters are calling for snow tonight. I'm going to bed almost expecting a delay at the very least. I'm getting a bit spoiled, I think.
***
I am seriously considering bringing my taxes somewhere for someone else to do, but I cannot decide. I think I should at least try them on my own. But I can't even get up the energy to do that. I should be having a big return back, which I'm counting on to try to lift myself out of debt. I also have this idea that I should pay all of my summer rent in advance so that is one less bill to consider in the summer when I am not paid. (I've said it before and I'll say it again: The worst part of being a teacher is the summers off. I think it's bad for teachers and bad for kids. We would be much better served by having a few more 1- or 2-week breaks during the school year then having 2 months off in the summer. Oh, and by a 12-month contract, but a lot of school districts have one of those. We don't because our union is so weak.)