Sacrifice

Evil




I've never really had to give up anything before. I guess that's the good part about not having much to start with. I remember when I was 7, I REALLY wanted that Transformer... the one that transforms from a panther into a cassette tape. One day, my mom and I walked past it -- all shiny and on display in a toy store window -- and I was instantly paralyzed by the feeling of Want. But despite all my curbside pleading and hystrionics, my mom refused to buy it for me. Looking back, I can really appreciate that incident because it basically flushed the feeling of Want clear out of my mind. And now that I think about it, I sorta suspect that my mom didn't have the money to buy it for me, even if she wanted to. Maybe my mom was being a wise parent, or maybe she was just poor. Or maybe both. Maybe one day I'll ask her.

So anyway, that "never really had to give up anything before" thing is about to change. My doc called me today with results from my physical and she suggested I give up the fatty, high cholesterol foods. She rattled off some examples: Eggs ("No sweat, I don't even eat that stuff," I was thinking in my head), Butter ("HAH! I never touch that stuff"), Red Meat, especially Steak ("I'd have to actually leave my apartment to get a steak. No danger."), Cheese ("NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! For the love of God, please. PLEASE don't make me give up the cheese!")

I'll be honest: at any given point, I usually have 3 to 5 different cheeses in my fridge. You know, some Nevat always goes well with the crisp summer white wines. GOTTA have some Parmigiana-Reggiano to grate on pasta. Ooooh, and Pecorino! I could sit around all night, slicing paper-thin little slices of Pecorino... transferring cheese to mouth... cheese to mouth... cheese to mouth.

I guess that's my problem right there.

OK, I'll start eating better. Maybe I'll even lose a bit of this chub! Woooo!