It's been 8-and-a-half weeks since my last Diet Coke. Habit, kicked. Moving on...
Since I last wrote, Mama Jan and I ended our volleyball season. I'm still taken aback at how much fun I had, and how much I took from the experience. I genuinely hope that some of the girls keep in touch; a few of them were genuinely cool, like to the point that I'd want to hang out with them if they weren't half my age and ass-over-elbows obsessed with Justin Bieber. In 10 years, we could have a volleyball team reunion over cocktails. Over the course of the season, I tried to approach the girls like my favorite coaches and teachers had-- plenty of discipline and hard work, and enough humor and kindness to present myself as their advocate/counselor/friend if they needed it. I don't envy kids their age; it must be ridiculous trying to navigate the intricacies of adolescence with the added pressures of Facebook, texting, and the horseshit that's offered as entertainment for that age group. Oy.
Speaking of which-- I reunited with an old friend a few weeks ago. Crystal was my best friend when I was in elementary school, and after freshman year of high school, we had totally lost touch. (We went to different high schools; she went to a normal one, where people are socialized properly and attend magical events like football games, while I went to a school with a kick-ass robotics team, where school dances were held in carpeted multi-purpose rooms.) Through the powers of Facebook, I'd learned that Crystal had started working in the culinary arts, specifically in chocolate, and had even started her own business. Since Sister Carrie's baby shower was approaching, Mama Jan and I met with Crystal to order some of her sweet creations for dessert.
1. Crystal is a damn genius with sweets. When we were little, she was all about the chocolate; she'd eat Cocoa Puffs with chocolate milk. I'm not kidding nor am I exaggerating. And now, she is a professional chocoholic. It is [literally] sweet symmetry.
2. Our reunion was awesome. We talked until 1 or 2 am, not unlike our sleepovers back in the day. It feels like we've both lived a few lives in the interim.
3. Cake balls. No, but seriously.
And in most recent news, ATL Andy and ATL Laura got married this past weekend. After Bro-Joe's wedding weekend in Monterey last year, I never thought I'd say this, but Andy and Laura's wedding is tied for Dana's Favorite Weekend Ever. Someday, I will write a lengthy post about everything that I love about Andy and Laura; it will include hilarious anecdotes and touching stories, and it will be awesome. I'll write about fried green tomatoes, handcrafted cocktails, and how everything about the entire weekend was representative of who they are as a couple. In the mean time, I'm just reveling in the fact that two of the best people ever have found each other and made promises for the long haul.
Showing posts with label Diet Coke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diet Coke. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
I just passed the 3-week mark on the DKM DC Detox Initiative and, may I just say?, holy shit...I finally feel some of the good I was anticipating. So far, I've noticed 2 significant improvements. One: I feel like my mental accuity has sped up/increased/sharpened/whatever. It is as though my store of intellect is within closer reach; it's like [enter some computer analogy that refers to improving the performance of a CPU]. Yes, I've become an even-more flagrant know-it-all smart-ass. Two: food has become more satisfying and delicious. Mama Jan and I made a quick trip to see the Cinci-kinfolk and ate our requisite fill of Skyline Chili. Normally, I eat Skyline with Diet Pepsi, and when I'm done, I always want more to eat even if I can feel my full stomach. Today's Skyline was washed down with ice water and a little bit of regular Pepsi...I really wanted some pop...and there was a marked difference in how I felt afterwards. The food was effing delicious, as ever, but I didn't have that satiety issue. There's been some interesting developments in this process! More soon-- I'm writing this entry on Jan's Blackberry while we drive north on 75, and I feel like I might urp from the motion grossness.
BTW, the Matt Damon moment continues...
BTW, the Matt Damon moment continues...
Friday, February 25, 2011
How to remain safely upon the wagon...
I'm coming up on two weeks of aspartame-freedom. It is not quite awesome, but definitely getting there. So, a few things that sort of helped me get to this point:
1. Don't try to give up caffeine entirely, or at least don't do it cold turkey. (Especially those of you with demanding lives-- ahem, Erin.) Trying to limit this over time is a good idea, though. I'm not a medical expert nor do I have extensive experience in medical research, but I do know what it's like to get headaches, and I'm certain that caffeine plays a role.
2. Find some tasty alternatives. I really like pop/soda, and the unique mouth-feel of carbonation is probably part of what drew me in to the DC beast in the first place. I like those Izze drinks-- they have a lot of juice in them, no high-fructose corn syrup, and only one ingredient that gave me any pause. (It says "natural flavor", so who the F knows that that actually is.) I found a great microbrew root beer called Virgil's. It's DELICIOUS, and the ingredient list is agreeable. Of course, it has sugar in it, but it's actual sugar, not some frankensugar. [By the way, I need to get a pet and name it "Frankensugar". Good note to self.] The flavor profile is pretty complex, too, so it's more satisfying, enjoyable, whatever. You won't want to drink bottles and bottles of it, like you could/would with Diet Coke. Some other things I like: unsweetened iced tea, maybe with a little juice added in, iced coffee with some vanilla soy milk, or really good ice-cold beer (my two current favorites are Atwater's D-Light, a kolsch-style beer-- whatever that means-- and Warsteiner Dunkel).
The articles that urge replacing DC with water are bogus-- water doesn't get the job done, or at least it doesn't for me quite yet. But when you're detoxing from anything, I've read that it's a good idea to drink plenty of it. I follow that advice, but water isn't a replacement per se.
3. Have some ibuprofen on hand. I had insane headaches BUT when I first began the detox, I was also abstaining from caffeine. (BFF Katie nixed this idea in favor of a slow step-down. I think her words were "You don't need to suffer". God bless BFF Katie.) There was one point where I took one extra-strength acetaminophen in addition to two ibuprofen tablets, and that seemed to work. This seems extreme and sort of an unnecessary, but BFF Katie insists that the two can be used together.
I hope these tips help. It got significantly easier after day 4, and then again after maybe a week. It's just the initial few days that suck. Not impossible, not torture, just some regular-grade suckage. And if you get tripped up or tempted or whatever, just keep in mind how awful DC really is for you. There are a ton of websites that attest to it, some of which actually rely on hard science.
Best wishes!
1. Don't try to give up caffeine entirely, or at least don't do it cold turkey. (Especially those of you with demanding lives-- ahem, Erin.) Trying to limit this over time is a good idea, though. I'm not a medical expert nor do I have extensive experience in medical research, but I do know what it's like to get headaches, and I'm certain that caffeine plays a role.
2. Find some tasty alternatives. I really like pop/soda, and the unique mouth-feel of carbonation is probably part of what drew me in to the DC beast in the first place. I like those Izze drinks-- they have a lot of juice in them, no high-fructose corn syrup, and only one ingredient that gave me any pause. (It says "natural flavor", so who the F knows that that actually is.) I found a great microbrew root beer called Virgil's. It's DELICIOUS, and the ingredient list is agreeable. Of course, it has sugar in it, but it's actual sugar, not some frankensugar. [By the way, I need to get a pet and name it "Frankensugar". Good note to self.] The flavor profile is pretty complex, too, so it's more satisfying, enjoyable, whatever. You won't want to drink bottles and bottles of it, like you could/would with Diet Coke. Some other things I like: unsweetened iced tea, maybe with a little juice added in, iced coffee with some vanilla soy milk, or really good ice-cold beer (my two current favorites are Atwater's D-Light, a kolsch-style beer-- whatever that means-- and Warsteiner Dunkel).
The articles that urge replacing DC with water are bogus-- water doesn't get the job done, or at least it doesn't for me quite yet. But when you're detoxing from anything, I've read that it's a good idea to drink plenty of it. I follow that advice, but water isn't a replacement per se.
3. Have some ibuprofen on hand. I had insane headaches BUT when I first began the detox, I was also abstaining from caffeine. (BFF Katie nixed this idea in favor of a slow step-down. I think her words were "You don't need to suffer". God bless BFF Katie.) There was one point where I took one extra-strength acetaminophen in addition to two ibuprofen tablets, and that seemed to work. This seems extreme and sort of an unnecessary, but BFF Katie insists that the two can be used together.
I hope these tips help. It got significantly easier after day 4, and then again after maybe a week. It's just the initial few days that suck. Not impossible, not torture, just some regular-grade suckage. And if you get tripped up or tempted or whatever, just keep in mind how awful DC really is for you. There are a ton of websites that attest to it, some of which actually rely on hard science.
Best wishes!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Grandiose Ideas
Ask any close friend or family member of mine, and they'll likely testify that I am a girl with grandiose ideas. By and large, they don't turn into much, but they are grandiose just the same. They usually involve the following statement: "No, I'm serious. We should actually DO THIS!"
Anyway, cut to a few months ago, I was Gchatting with ATL Laura as I am wont to do, and our dialogue turned to Diet Coke. This is not unusual; ATL Laura and I could probably release an album of love songs written about DC without much difficulty. I told her that I had a grandiose idea, and she was probably thinking, "What else is new?" or "How supportive do I actually have to be for this one?", but was game. My idea was this: to do the necessary research to prove that my regular consumption of Diet Coke was the root cause of my spinal tumor, use the findings to bring a massive lawsuit against the Coca-Cola Company, and then use the money from what I imagined would be a massive settlement to a) pay of my medical bills and b) abandon my job search. Laura, being a legitimate scientist [seriously, she's getting her PhD, and generations of hamsters have died at her hand], was quick to poke some logical holes in the idea, and diffused my ire against our sweet elixir.
Cut to right now. It's almost 3am, I can't sleep, I have a headache that would bring a grizzly bear to tears, and it is absolutely because of my DC detox. Honestly, I feel awful. No amount of water and no amount of The West Wing seem to help. I might have to consult with ATL Laura once again. And maybe turn it into a conference call with Erin Brockovich.
Anyway, cut to a few months ago, I was Gchatting with ATL Laura as I am wont to do, and our dialogue turned to Diet Coke. This is not unusual; ATL Laura and I could probably release an album of love songs written about DC without much difficulty. I told her that I had a grandiose idea, and she was probably thinking, "What else is new?" or "How supportive do I actually have to be for this one?", but was game. My idea was this: to do the necessary research to prove that my regular consumption of Diet Coke was the root cause of my spinal tumor, use the findings to bring a massive lawsuit against the Coca-Cola Company, and then use the money from what I imagined would be a massive settlement to a) pay of my medical bills and b) abandon my job search. Laura, being a legitimate scientist [seriously, she's getting her PhD, and generations of hamsters have died at her hand], was quick to poke some logical holes in the idea, and diffused my ire against our sweet elixir.
Cut to right now. It's almost 3am, I can't sleep, I have a headache that would bring a grizzly bear to tears, and it is absolutely because of my DC detox. Honestly, I feel awful. No amount of water and no amount of The West Wing seem to help. I might have to consult with ATL Laura once again. And maybe turn it into a conference call with Erin Brockovich.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Getting Off the Sauce
I've had it. I am done. D-O-N-E. Diet Coke detox has begun.
So, I've been an avid consumer of DC for well over a decade. I don't remember when it started, but I do remember the feeling of glee upon realizing that the cafeteria at my [first] college had a pop fountain and that I'd always have unlimited access to the sweet elixir.
Cut to 28-year-old Dana, complete with compromised nervous system, pursuing her first real big-kid job. This is how my DC dependency works: I'll have at least 12 ounces of it, and I'll get a low-grade headache, and then I'll feel sleepy and sort of off-kilter. If I DON'T have any, then I get a debilitating, day-ruining, mother-of-all-headaches kind of headache. You read that right: I get a headache either way. I've been circling the idea of quitting for probably 4 years now. I tried once, and it sucked-- for a solid 3 days, I couldn't focus, I couldn't shake the headache regardless of how much Motrin or Excedrin I took, I had a really hard time controlling my temperature, and nothing tasted good. (Pizza, fries, burritos, movie popcorn, sandwiches, salads, Thai food, chicken soup, Indian food-- all of the things that I LOVE to eat simply demand the accompaniment of a cold DC.)
So, I'm giving it another try. I really hate drinking DC. I don't like supporting the Coca-Cola Company, I don't like supporting Monsanto [oh, the horrors], I don't want fake shit coursing through my veins, and I don't want to be addicted to anything. I swore to myself that I'd treat myself better after getting through my neuro shit-- consuming fake sugar, synthetic flavors and colors, chemicals that maintain fizz, all laced with a known excitotoxin, well, it all seems like a massive middle finger to everyone that got me through the past 2 years. It stops here. I quit smoking; it stands to reason that I can quit the sauce, too.
Stay tuned. (And if you live in the greater Detroit area, and see a 5'6" brunette running down a street, pounding on random doors, yelling, and demanding aspartame, don't be alarmed. Hand her some Cheez-Its or maybe some broccoli, and then walk away calmly.)
So, I've been an avid consumer of DC for well over a decade. I don't remember when it started, but I do remember the feeling of glee upon realizing that the cafeteria at my [first] college had a pop fountain and that I'd always have unlimited access to the sweet elixir.
Cut to 28-year-old Dana, complete with compromised nervous system, pursuing her first real big-kid job. This is how my DC dependency works: I'll have at least 12 ounces of it, and I'll get a low-grade headache, and then I'll feel sleepy and sort of off-kilter. If I DON'T have any, then I get a debilitating, day-ruining, mother-of-all-headaches kind of headache. You read that right: I get a headache either way. I've been circling the idea of quitting for probably 4 years now. I tried once, and it sucked-- for a solid 3 days, I couldn't focus, I couldn't shake the headache regardless of how much Motrin or Excedrin I took, I had a really hard time controlling my temperature, and nothing tasted good. (Pizza, fries, burritos, movie popcorn, sandwiches, salads, Thai food, chicken soup, Indian food-- all of the things that I LOVE to eat simply demand the accompaniment of a cold DC.)
So, I'm giving it another try. I really hate drinking DC. I don't like supporting the Coca-Cola Company, I don't like supporting Monsanto [oh, the horrors], I don't want fake shit coursing through my veins, and I don't want to be addicted to anything. I swore to myself that I'd treat myself better after getting through my neuro shit-- consuming fake sugar, synthetic flavors and colors, chemicals that maintain fizz, all laced with a known excitotoxin, well, it all seems like a massive middle finger to everyone that got me through the past 2 years. It stops here. I quit smoking; it stands to reason that I can quit the sauce, too.
Stay tuned. (And if you live in the greater Detroit area, and see a 5'6" brunette running down a street, pounding on random doors, yelling, and demanding aspartame, don't be alarmed. Hand her some Cheez-Its or maybe some broccoli, and then walk away calmly.)
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