Friday, February 27, 2009

Walk on by

I decided to try an experiment. I left my computer on and open to a blank word document, and every time I went by, I typed what I was thinking at that moment. It’s an old trick from my English major days – used to help get the creative juices flowing. So that’s what this is – my thoughts as I passed by.

There’s a big difference between lesser-known celebrities and well-known-for-being-sleazy celebs. Especially when it comes to reality television.

Dieting is simple. Not complicated. There are a couple of basic rules. 1. If you take in less calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. 2. Eating a variety healthy foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meat, good fats) is better for you. The problem is not that losing weight is complicated – it’s that it’s hard. Not fun. Takes will power. Means you have to exercise more and eat less Ring Dings. All this talk about specialized dieting (more carbs, less carbs, all protein, more fat, no fat, no sugar, nothing you chew) is making me crazy.

Speaking of Ring Dings – I love them. They are so much better than Ding Dongs. And they come in twin packs! I really can’t have them in the house. Kinda like somebody I know can’t have Hostess cupcakes around. Right, Hallie?

Why is it that when you usually have to wait at least five minutes to pull out of your driveway because of traffic, that the one time there is no traffic anywhere in sight and can pull out immediately, that you only get half a mile down the street and remember something you left behind and have to go back?

Businesses with drive-up services are awesome when you have trouble walking. Why isn’t there a drive-through grocery store around here?

Why is it that when you go to the store for eggs and milk, that you come home with $50 worth of groceries, but no eggs?

People who work at gas stations and banks and redemption centers who have doggie biscuits in their pockets for their canine visitors are awesome.

I love the smell of clean laundry. I’m a regular-scent Snuggle gal. I like to breathe in the lovely smell when the laundry is still warm. Mmmm.

Why is it that when you decide, finally, to cut your hair, after it’s been driving you crazy for weeks, and has looked like crap every single day, and you make the appointment to get it done - that day your hair comes out perfectly and ten different people mention that your hair looks great?

I have to remember to mention - for those who asked or wondered - Yes, I WAS shoveling out my gas grill so as to USE IT. We grill year round up here. There is no other acceptable way to cook a steak, in my opinion, so we just suck it up. I've been out there in my nightgown, with boots and a parka. It's just what we do.

Wasn't there a song about little things meaning a lot? There are a bunch of little things that can make a world of difference in my life: cleaning my computer screen (who knew you were all so pretty?), a shower, ibuprofen, fresh sheets, a phone call from a friend, funny blog entries or friendly comments. Maybe it’s all I need – to focus on the little things that are so satisfying, and leave the big stuff to those who are more qualified to deal with it.

25 comments:

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

Hope your happy...it's 5:57 AM and now I want a friggin Hostess cupcake in the worst way!!

Bet the English Muffin I plan to have for breakfast ain't gonna cut it!!

Unknown said...

Your hair sounds like it looks great!

Laura ~Peach~ said...

HUMMMMM dieting sucks...and you just try craving something then eating only 3 oz of it... yeah right! i am a weird one i dont as a rule crave sweet things or even like them too much but starches and carb filled things... have mercy... and we grill year round here too and my grill is broken and I am very sad about that... if hubby doe snot fix it soon (needs a 25 dollar part) I will be going out and buying a whole new grill... cause I am missing steak, hamburgers, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, drool... this is nuts! I NEED MY GRILL!
tide with fabreeze kind of gal here love the lavender scent.
hell you are lucky to come home with ONLY 50 dollars worth....and what the heck is it with facebook that is so darn addicting... this is bad very very bad lmao.
Hope you have a wonderful friday

Evansmom said...

Well, of course, you grill year around. Doesn't everyone? Snow, rain, no power, 100 degree weather. Nothing keeps us from the gas grill!

Not only did Kittery get less snow but we have a drive thru grocery store!! It is a wonderful thing.

I prefer Funny Bones over Ring Dings. Gotta love the peanut butter and chocolate.

Hang in there. Better times (and better weather) are on the way.

Laura Marchant said...

That's a good idea. Although I walk by the computer so much I might as well sit down and write a novel, lol!

Kim said...

I LOVE warm laundry! We have a famly sleepover on Friday nights and my kids love it when the sleepover blankets are just out of the dryer and warm for them to fall asleep.

Unknown said...

ME...fantastic post! I will definitely try this when I am down in the dumps! How much do I owe you, Dr.ME???? a box of cupcakes?

~AM

Mary Lee said...

Luckily I don't like those hostess things or else I would be craving now. The word diet should not be in the vocabulary, lets see... what do they call it? Life changes or something? Have a great Friday

kim-d said...

Oh, I just love this post!

1954, Little Things Mean A Lot, by Kitty Kallen.

Same thing here with the hair.

I will always remember the path that my Dad always shoveled, leading to our gas grill. We were a year-round-grilling family, too!

I feel the same way about dieting. Less in, more out; that's it. But I am def a carb person, too. And quantity is an issue; in that, if a little is good, a lot is great. I am trying here, with the "eating healthy." I am listening to an audiobook of "You on a Diet." It sucks.

I need the weather to not be schizophrenic so I can breathe.

I need a different phone because some of my keys are close to worn out as I discovered the joys of texting. And I need, badly, to call YOU. Or beg for you to call me back. PLEASE? PLEASE?

I buy dog treats for my neighbor dogs and keep them in the garage so I can give them each one when they're outside when I get home. I love my neighbor dogs because they guard my house, too.

I wish you will call me again soon.

Ugh, I don't really feel all that great. But yet nothing is really too wrong. Whatever.

Call, okay? :)

kimmy said...

I love Ring Dings...especially from the freezer. Sometimes I put frosting on top of it. Like a ring ding cupcake. I have issues...

Elenka said...

I, too, have been outside for various things, in my nightgown and bathrobe, with my parka on top and boots on. It's just something that has to be done.

Unknown said...

Why is it that when you decide, finally, to cut your hair, after it’s been driving you crazy for weeks, and has looked like crap every single day, and you make the appointment to get it done - that day your hair comes out perfectly and ten different people mention that your hair looks great?

TOTALLY THERE

I have to remember to mention - for those who asked or wondered - Yes, I WAS shoveling out my gas grill so as to USE IT. We grill year round up here. There is no other acceptable way to cook a steak, in my opinion, so we just suck it up. I've been out there in my nightgown, with boots and a parka. It's just what we do.

Me too!!

Proud Mom said...

Why do we both live in the NE but sooooo far away? I would love to be your neighbor so I can
a.] shovel for you (an obsession I have...) Decks first!
b.] go to the Ring Ding/Mudslide party at your house so we can make trophies with our wrappers and get drunk (screw scrapbooking & decaf...)
c.] see you in your nightgown grilling T-bones while I'm in my barefeet grilling NY sirloin, in the middle of winter
d.] go to the market for you as long as you clean my computer screen (and the 5 TV screens, too)
e.] take you out to lunch after we both get our annual haircut

And by the way, ditto what Andrew Scott Turner said...

Odette said...

MMMM Hostess Cupcakes.....

I fully agree about steak. There is no other way to cook it! mmmmmm

I agree about the diets, but I have found that a certain one do make sense to me and does work for me, but no diet is easy!

Hope you're having a great day ME! :)

Lanny said...

I want a drive through grocery store too! At a minimum, I want a drive through milk store that also sells chocolate. :)

for a different kind of girl said...

I need to do this type a thought thing. It would surely cut down on the number of completely unreadable post-it notes I have all over the place and in my purse!

We don't have snow here, yet, but I was thinking of how badly I wanted a grilled steak for supper tonight! There truly is no better way.

Barb Matijevich said...

I love your blog, ME. I love it when I come to visit and there are new entries.

And I really, REALLY understand about needing a drive-through grocery.

I also agree about dieting. Simple. But I am still fat.

We grill year-around, too. Of course, LAST winter, we lived in Texas and grilling year-around was what EVERYONE does. Why not, after all?

But mostly, I just wanted to tell you that I love your blog and the way you write. Even if it's in passing.

Mrs4444 said...

I can SO relate to that haircut thing!! And we grill year-round, here, too. There is 3 feet of snow on the deck next to the grill as I speak :)

This would have been a perfect Friday Fragments post, you know. Why don't you join me next week, since you're obviously very good at collecting fragmented thoughts :)

Joanie said...

We have grocery stores here who deliver! You order online and they bring the groceries to you! How cool is that?

I haven't touched my grill in 2 years. I used to grill all the time, all year long.

So true about the haircut.

claudia said...

We have delivery groceries, but I don't like it when other people pick my veges for me, or my fruit. (Back away from the bananas...buddy!)
Dieting is not fun. I am in awe of Hallie, who seems to have endured a diet lately and looks awesome!
Don't know about Ring Dings, but I am sure that I love them, if they are not on a list of diet type foods! Or if they are chocolate, oh hell, if anything is chocolate I love it! Screw dieting! (See the vacation I have taken from my diet lately???)
I noticed that there will be NO traffic what so ever going by my house until I want to leave. Then all my neighbors have somewhere to go, even at 6AM!
We have a huge box of doggie cookies at our hardware store, every dog gets a cookie (after we ask if it is okay from the mom or dad) Some dogs come in even if their owners go to a different store. They make a bee-line for the service counter. We know them all by name, not all of the owners though!
My pony tail is over eighteen inches long. I am not going to cut my hair, even though it does drive me nuts most days. It's the one thing I get consistent compliments on...why change that?
Okay, nuff from me, I'll leave room for someone else.
Great blog by the way!
Love Ya!

Reddirt Woman said...

I think one of my things when it's cold outside, laundry-wise besides Bounce, is to get my fold-up stuff right out of the dryer and dump it on my bed, then pile up with the warm around me while I'm folding it. And one of my best summer time memories was bringing the sheets in, fresh off the clothesline. That sunshine smell when I'd make the bed and that first night sleeping in them. That was great. Now I want a clothesline again...

Helen

katy said...

I'm on facebook too but I'm a little too addicted to it at the moment. I'll look for you through Kim D's friends.

Cupcake Blonde said...

What a fabulous exercise! I must try it some times. Although I do have a slightly less high tech way of doing it with Post-it notes.

Do you have the INternet grocery shopping there in maine? It is all the rage here in Vegas. You go online, pick out your items and they deliver them to your doorstep. I have not tried it yet since I have trouble relinquishing control to anyone what apples and melons I like.

Nonna said...

I agree with you on grilling...there is no other acceptable way to cook a steak !

Unknown said...

We grill year round here too, but we don't live in 1800 feet of snow either. :)

It's always about the little things.

I don't know what a Ring Ding is, but I love cupcakes.