Very Big Dragon

There's been a lot of talk both on the CR list and also in Mary's blog about "Tickling the Dragon," which in the CRON sense means eating some of what you used to eat, instead of sticking to your well-designed healthy foods that you now usually eat. Some report difficulty doing this, because it makes them crave the old foods. I never really feel this way... eating a meal in which I eat something I used to eat usually makes me either feel a) satisfied, glad I had a bite, and happy to return to my new foods or b) icky, and in need of detox. Before I started CR in March (meaning the year or so between my life as a lowfat vegan and the beginning of CR), I would frequently eat things like cheese covered nachos, french fries, bagels with cream cheese, stuffed grape leaves from the salad bar at the Greek cafe, coffee with cream and sugar (Dunkin Donuts), and the occasionaly egg and cheese biscuit. These days, I find that I sometimes want a bite of those things if others are eating them... for example, last night I ate two of the fries that my friend ate an entire side order of. I enjoy the taste, but I don't feel the need for any more. Of course, you could rightly point out that there are some dietary dragons I haven't even kicked out of my cave yet, like red wine or dairy, depending on who you ask. I think that as I fix my diet and create a series of meals that I stick to most every day, I will include these foods less and less. However, eating small amounts doesn't seem to make me crave more. If anything, it reminds me that these foods are nothing special, and that I don't want to sacrifice years off my life or health in the here and now for them.

However...

Tonight I am going out with a close friend for a birthday dinner. I promise, it's the last in the Birthday Festival of 2004. We're going to a super fancy French restaurant that we've had reservations for this date since before I started CR. While I will probably eat less than I used to, just because I can't handle the volume of food I used to consume, I am planning to take the evening off from counting calories. It's a very big dragon, I know, but I am certain that it will leave me feeling ready to embark on my new journey of creating the designer diet for girls.

WHERE IS MY SOFTWARE?

They said they were mailing it on Friday. Well, they said they were processing the order on Friday. Do these people hate me or what? I need that stuff.

Eggwhites. Looking good. Going to purchase over weekend. Think will look for actual whites, not EggBeaters, as it sounds like they add back nutrients that are usually in the yolks to Egg Beaters, and I don't want to be accidentally eating supplements that may be harmful. Do not have patience to de-yolk my own eggs. Besides, do not wish to make any difficult to spell dishes that one makes with yolks. Do not have the patience to use a personal pronoun at the moment. Dashing this one off.

I am a creature of habit in terms of food, which is odd since the rest of my life is so different from day to day. I think that eating the same thing day after day would be not just easier but fun for me, if I could just find the perfect combination of things to eat.

Project! (pronounce that the way Alicia Silverstone did in _Clueless_) I am excited. And you will be forced to share every painful detail with me. Think of it as a way to spare my friends, who I assure you are not in the least bit interested.