Thursday, July 22, 2010

A Quick Look Back

Here are some blog comments from my first week of veganism November 1-7:

* EGGS!...You knew I started each day with you! All of ya! Hard boiled, soft boiled, scrambled, poached, Florentine, Benedict, and over easy. But, it wasn't easy! I needed you! But now, now you are dead to me.  --Lots of bravdo, but I remember that even more than steak, I feared giving up eggs would be the hardest thing to do. But, I love that eggs really are dead to me now!

* The question left me speechless and uneasy - ranking up there with, "Are you now, or have you every been a member of the Communist Party?" This evening I was at a company dinner with 15 colleagues who were all given the choice between ordering the steak or the salmon. I quietly whispered to the waiter that I was that guy who gets a salad. The head waiter then swooped in, and not using his indoor voice bellowed, "Are you the vegan, sir?" I stammered like St. Peter sweating out my denials before the cock crows twice. "Well, I mean, I, I, if your question is, I mean, sure, the dinner I ordered is technically a vegan one..." -- Now, I am proud to say that I am, or was a vegan!

* After my friend left for the World Series, I went to eat dinner. But it was the World Series. The bars were packed with people. Excitement was in the air! Did I really want to walk up 4 flights for left over vegan chili or a vegan burger? No. This is my life. This is why I have lived in NYC for 12 years. This was the World Series, and the Yankees, and communal celebrating is what we live for. -- Well, I was faithful for 6 months, and now it has been a bit of a struggle to combined my social life with the new, healthy one.

* OK, I am putting the soap box away. Final lesson: (1.) Don't call me Jared. (2.) Eat a nutrient-dense diet! -- I still get pissed when people refer to my quest as being "like Jared" the Subway sandwich spokesman. And I am still on my soapbox evangelizing a nutrient-dense diet!

* And in a period of 8 Days, from Sunday, November 1st to Sunday, November 7th I lost 12 lbs. Roughly the weight of a bowling ball....My preamble to this terrific personal news is to underscore the insignificance of it all. What? I should be thrilled! I am well on my way! All true! When I stepped on the scale I was very very happy this morning. But after many hours of contemplation, and hearty praise coming everywhere from Northern California to North London, my excitement dissipated a bit as I realized that this is not a game where the optimum score is equal to winning. It is the way the game is played on and off the field, and how you act long after the game is over that is far more important than the scoreboard scale in the end zone. -- So true! But, now, I am still just focused on hitting the 225 lbs mark, so I guess the scoreboard is pretty important too!

2 comments:

Vegan Epicurean said...

You have come a long way baby! Sorry I couldn't resist. Since we are a similar vintage I think you remember the "tag line" from back in the day. ;-) Seriously, it was fun to read your comments from just a few months ago and your reaction to them now. Quite a change.

I remember being uneasy with the word vegan at the beginning too.

Ali

Terrence said...

thanks, O, I remember!