I’m certain others have this problem; but I’m really bad at keeping
in touch with my friends. I mean really bad.
When I moved from Atlanta to Seattle, almost no one knew. Many
people I saw regularly were shocked to hear that I’d moved. I made like
a desert tribesman and folded my tent in the night and disappeared.
Several years later, I visited Atlanta on business. While there I
had dinner in a pub I once frequented. No, I mean frequented as in I’d
leave the office around 2pm with my laptop and spend the next few hours
working at a picnic table on the patio of the Prince of Wales (which is
sadly non-existent on the web). Believe it or not, at least three
people came up to me while I was consuming not-so-vast quantities of
beer and asked where I’d gone. It boggled my mind that 1) they were
still there and 2) they even remembered me. I thought we had all been
completely drunk…
Anyway, I’m delighted that some of my friends are better at keeping
in touch than I am; and saddened when I discover that some are even
worse.
Way back in May or June of last year, Anna expressed a complete lack
of desire to walk down the aisle beside a fatty. Thus began our weight
loss program.
Anna signed us both up for the online version of Weight Watchers
– since neither of us is big on the idea of going to meetings
where a dozen overweight people lament that they just can’t take off
the pounds. Initially, it was quite a struggle to change the way I ate.
But now, I am able to keep better track of what I’m eating and estimate
the costs of meals eaten in restaurants.
Against the advice of the Weight Watchers folks, I weigh myself at
night and in the morning — although I frequently forget one or
both. This really helps me keep a handle on my eating, because some
days I just can’t stay on the plan. Seeing that I’ve gained a bit of
weight really helps me stick to the plan the next and subsequent
days.
So, imagine my delight when last night I weighed in at 198.6 lbs.
I can still remember the first time I stepped on a scale and
discovered I weighed more than 200 lbs. Ok, I can vaguely
remember it. That day was more than a decade ago.
For the last month or so, I’ve been teetering on the edge of 200
lbs. In the evening I’d be 200.6 or 201.4 or similar. And in the
morning: 199.4 or possibly even 198.8. So basically, I weighed 200
lbs.
This is the first time in more than 10 years that I can honestly say
I weigh less than 200 lbs.
Of course, I must really thank my darling (although frequently
cranky) wife for helping me — just knock off the damn fruit pies
already!
My buddy Ken has recommended I read What Color Is Your
Parachute? — the classic job-hunting manual. It’s particularly
good, I’m finding, not because Bolles (the author) has any new insights
into the job hunting process, but because he states the obvious in the
sort of way that it can’t be ignored.
Now, all I need to do is apply the lessons learned from
reading this book; and I should be able to take over the world, er, get
a great job.
