Happy New Year

The clock ticked midnight and all our slates were wiped clean, just like that. What a magical gift we give ourselves every year. In yesterday’s post, I reflected on the year gone by. Today it’s time to look ahead and make the traditional impossible promises to ourselves.

First off, I resolve not to make any resolutions this year. As magical as that clean slate is, we all know the magic only lasts twenty four hours, so what’s the point? Why make the traditional impossible promises when you know there’s no chance of keeping them?

Hmmm… but that’s a pretty negative attitude, even for me. Much too negative to start off the year with. Sorry! Let’s try this again. I’m about to break my first resolution by making some more resolutions. (See? I told you there’s no chance of keeping them!)

So here’s my list. (In parentheses I’ve added the odds of the given resolution being kept past January 15.)

  1. This is my “No Help Here” category which, despite its name, was actually intended to help people. I haven’t really done that. In 2009 I resolve to try and help people on this blog beyond just the usual entertainment and commiseration. (42%) Don’t worry, though. It’ll still be funny. (98%)
  2. I resolve to lose more weight, exercise more often, and blah dee blah blah blah. (28%)
  3. Remember the Alternate Reality #1 post last year? Well, I still have a strong interest in music. I should spend more time with it. In fact, I resolve to re-learn how to play the third movement of Moonlight Sonata by the end of this year. (17%)
  4. I like to write. I’ve been trying to write, in one form or another, for nearly sixteen years now. I’m already working on my next book. (Actually, it’s a three-book series.) I resolve to finish the first pass of the first book by the time I re-learn how to play the third movement of Moonlight Sonata. (14%)
  5. I resolve to finally get the garage cleaned out. (2%)

I’m sure I’ll think of more as I go. (Not that I’ll do anything about it.)

So how about you? Did you get a magical clock-tick last night? What do you want to accomplish this year? I will leave comments open on this post until Wednesday, December 30, 2009. You’re allowed to make resolutions until then. Let me know how they go! (0%)



10 Responses to “Happy New Year”

Biz said
on
January 1, 2009 at 7:18 am

Happy New Year Charlie!

I guess my only resolution is to do what I already know how – eat less, workout more, drink more water and drink less wine!

Check out my post tomorrow for the first (okay 2nd) day of the month giveaway and my weight loss/exercise/personal challenge post.

Could be interesting!

Meg said
on
January 1, 2009 at 7:31 am

Happy New Year Charlie! I am glad you left the door for resolutions open until Dec. 30, 2009. I seem to make resolutions all year long!

Deborah said
on
January 1, 2009 at 8:44 am

The best resolution you listed is to keep it funny and luckily for us it got a 98% rating!

Happy New Year my new friend!

Tami said
on
January 1, 2009 at 8:59 am

Happy New Year! Recently found your blog and have been gleefully working my way through your archives.

I don’t see January 1 as being a magical day – simply a convenient one to reflect on the past year and lay down some planning for the new one. I make my resolutions, then I break them down into goals with set dates to complete them by.

It seems a little military, but I’ve found that’s what it takes to get me to complete some of them, especially the writing and cleaning ones!! *laughs*

Hope you’re having a great 2009. =]

A said
on
January 1, 2009 at 9:00 am

Charlie,

Happy New Year! For some reason I can’t help but picture you as having a British accent…I think it’s the name Charlie (which is completely unfair).

Anyway, love the blog & my greatest goal for this year is to not let myself get in the way of my goals.

Nicole said
on
January 1, 2009 at 10:44 am

Happy old year… seems like more of the same here. Let’s be predictable and absurd, in an amusing way, together, friend!

Mary Rogers said
on
January 1, 2009 at 4:48 pm

Happy New Year! I really love the design of your blog. I guess my new years resolution is to eat less and move more. Spend time with my family.

Helen said
on
January 1, 2009 at 7:35 pm

Learn to not be so hard on myself and love exactly who I am thereby allowing others to love me back. And finish losing weight dammit!

Quix said
on
January 5, 2009 at 11:23 am

Glad you’ll stay funny!

I dunno, I like New Years resolutions, as long as I think of them more as “goals” or direction for the year instead of hard and fast things I have to get done or else.

I posted mine on my site, but the first 3 things to tackle (or start tackling) are finish losing the weight, run my first 5k, and get married (yes, I have the male subject ready and waiting…)! 😉

Happy New Year – Charlie's Blog said
on
January 6, 2017 at 8:46 am

[…] 2009: Happy New Year […]

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Extra Help

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Now That’s More Like It

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I’m Not Lovin’ It

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The FullBar

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Celebrity Childhood Crush

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Makin’ Bacon

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Say Anything

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NYC, Part 4

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NYC, Part 3

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NYC, Part 2

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Healthy Eating Paradox

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Diet Soda Bad News

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Music These Days

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Health Food Find

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Well Whaddaya Know

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I’m Lovin’ It

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Something Fishy

November 20th, 2008

Last week I talked about complained about the Pink Patch. However, I will give the pink people some credit: at the very least, it’s obvious they’re just some company hawking yet another weight loss product. This week, however, I want to look at the not so obvious ones. We’ve all seen these ads. Everywhere. Anyone […]

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Now About That Book

November 19th, 2008

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Grilled PB&J

November 18th, 2008

My mom will attest to the fact that for eight years I consumed nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I’m positive that this strict and rigorous diet is what made me the man I am today. And why not eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches over and over and over? This sandwich is nature’s […]

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More of the Same

November 17th, 2008

It was cold yesterday. The ground was covered with a fair dusting of snow. I woke up at six to the strains of Sonny & Cher, got dressed, and headed out to Gobbler’s Knob to give my annual TV news report. The entire town of Punxsutawney had turned out to see if the groundhog would […]

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A Magical Place

November 14th, 2008

There’s more to going out to eat than just “going out to eat.” Sure, sometimes we just need to grab a quick bite, but to truly go out means so much more than going for the food and staying for the pie. It’s an event, a special occasion, or perhaps even a ritual. We do […]

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What the Bleep?

November 13th, 2008

No, I haven’t suddenly started running ads for dubious weight loss products. This unfortunate picture is actually the subject of this post. When browsing the interwebs, you don’t have to click too many links before you run across this little gem. Every time I see it I think a tiny piece of my soul is […]

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The Big Announcement

November 12th, 2008

I would like to formally and officially announce to you, my dearest Fridge Fans, the existence of my latest book. The book isn’t new, and I haven’t actually kept it a secret, but I just don’t talk about it on this blog. Why? Because this blog is where you can enjoy my writing with no […]

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Toasted Salami Sammie

November 11th, 2008

Food is fuel, plain and simple. If you and I really had to, we could theoretically eat at McDonald’s three to six times a day and live. Variety is not a requirement for a sustained existence. And once food is converted to glucose and hits the bloodstream to power your trillion little buddies, your body […]

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So Not the Plan

November 10th, 2008

What a difference a week makes. It’s hard to believe just seven days ago I had all but written off any further weight loss this year and downshifted into maintenance. Stuck at the 206.5 point for what feels like weeks, and faced with the looming, food-encrusted holidays, I figured the best I could hope for […]

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What Costs Less?

November 7th, 2008

It was a Saturday. The day was wearing on and I had just spent the entire day doing whatever it is I do on Saturdays. The growl I heard from my midsection reminded me it was time to eat. Hmmm… what to have, what to have. Pizza? Cheeseburgers? Cheeseburger Pizza? Hmmm… Since I’d already fixed […]

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Drinking Water

November 6th, 2008

Thomas Andrews: The pumps will buy you time, but minutes only. From this moment on, no matter what we do, Titanic will founder. Ismay: But this ship can’t sink! Thomas Andrews: She is made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can. And she will. The movie Titanic was an epic story of love, disaster, […]

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When I Grow Up

November 5th, 2008

When I was about five or so, one of the supreme highlights of my week was garbage collection day. With utter fascination, I’d watch that big truck rumble ’round the corner. Enthralled, I gazed in awe at the men jumping off a moving vehicle for Pete’s sake, grabbing garbage cans and throwing their contents into […]

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Oatmeal

November 4th, 2008

Me? I’ve been around the blogosphere once or twice. As I scour food and diet sites, one thing has become extraordinarily clear: oatmeal is important. I don’t know why (and I’m not sure I want to know) but the fact remains: eat oatmeal or risk mortal peril. I figured I must be missing out on […]

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Not Looking Good

November 3rd, 2008

Weight loss is like a good adventure story. There’s a hero (you) and there are villains (tubs of buttered movie popcorn). There’s a mentor (Richard Simmons) and a love interest (tubs of buttered movie popcorn). There are sweeping highs and dismal lows and in the end you hope everyone lives happily ever after. I’m sure […]

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Happy Halloween

October 31st, 2008

“It’s the most wonderful tiiiiiiime of the year…” Whoops! Sorry, wrong holiday. But I still feel about the same way. I’m sure Andy Williams does too. And it’s doubly good that Halloween falls on Pizza Night this year. Though frankly, every Halloween is pizza night in our house. For the same reasons pizza is convenient […]

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Caveat Emptor

October 30th, 2008

Trying to eat right and buy healthy foods is hard enough as it is. But then we have to deal with highly paid marketing departments whose sole purpose is to trick us into buying crap we don’t need. Now I can’t really fault them for that. That is, of course, their job. They get paid […]

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Pumpkin Carvings

October 29th, 2008

“Boys and girls of every age, wouldn’t you like to see something strange?” Yes, kids, this is Halloween—and just about the bestest time of the year. I love the change in the weather, the honeycrisp apples, the pounds and pounds of Mounds candy bars, and most of all: carving pumpkins. The annual carving ritual started […]

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Size Matters

October 28th, 2008

Many moons ago, when I was younger (as opposed to ‘many moons ago when I was older’?) a small group of friends set out on a quest: find large cheeseburgers and eat them. It began innocently enough with a set of Hardee’s Monster Burgers and ended with a four-pound Grandma Max Burger. At the time, […]

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Wins and Losses

October 27th, 2008

You could say that William “Braveheart” Wallace was a man with a mission. He had a clear vision, a strong sense of purpose, and a really nice kilt. He believed in something and fought to his death to achieve it. I’d like to think that Charlie “Brave-stomach” Hills is not unlike him. I too have […]

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Dear Subway

October 24th, 2008

Dear Subway, My name is Charlie. You might recognize me. We first met back in college, when a group of friends and I decided to go out for a quick bite. “What is this wonderful place?” I thought to myself as I gazed across two yards of sandwich fixins. (Keep in mind, this was from […]

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Miracle Weight Loss Plan

October 23rd, 2008

New Miracle Plan Dissolves Fat On Contact What would you say if I told you it were possible to lose a pound OR MORE a day WITHOUT DIETING? What if I told you that you could eat all the foods you wanted and still lose weight? This skinny woman here, culled from a variety of […]

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Art Supplies

October 22nd, 2008

If you were to ask random people on the street what they’d do if they won a very large lottery jackpot, you’d get a wide array of answers … yet all of them would more or less zero in on the same point. “I’d buy a big house!” “I’d buy a big boat!” “I’d buy […]

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The Fatty Melt

October 21st, 2008

Zombie kid says it all. I like cheeseburgers. There are many words I like to use to describe them, but one stands out in particular. And that word is: elegant. I’m sure this isn’t the word that springs to most minds. This adjective is normally applied to objects of a high grade or quality. However, […]

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A New Problem

October 20th, 2008

Dorothy felt trapped on the farm. She knew there must be more to life than counting chicken eggs and hanging out with Hunk, Zeke, and Hickory. There was a wonderful world out there somewhere over the rainbow. A life with meaning. A life of happiness. Heck, a life in color. Taking a page out of […]

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Finally…Pizza!

October 17th, 2008

One or two of you might have been wondering when I’d finally get around to talking about pizza in the Pizza Night category. I was hoping to save it for a special occasion—and I did! It’s a little occasion I like to call “writer’s block.” And what’s a better cure for writer’s block than rambling […]

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I Didn’t Buy That

October 16th, 2008

While most of us think we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to sticking to the plan, it’s easy to overlook the saboteurs. You know who I’m talking about. The spouse, the kids, the grandparents, the evil stepmother. It could be anyone, but they all share an important attribute: they bring their food into […]

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I Should Read More

October 15th, 2008

It was an evening in the fall of 1991 and I was watching television. A movie came on which I’d seen many times before, but decided to watch the end again anyway, in the hopes that for once I might figure out what happened. It was 2001: A Space Odyssey. At the point where HAL […]

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Uh oh, Spaghettios!

October 14th, 2008

Life is full of small pleasures if you know where to look. And if for some reason you don’t know where to look, then I suggest trying the canned food aisle at your local grocery store. There you just might find bliss in a small red, white, and yellow can. Spaghettios (which, for some reason, […]

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What a Ride

October 13th, 2008

It’s hard to believe that just one short week ago I was bragging about dodging bullets. For those of you keeping score at home, here’s what happened next… Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Return to Onederland thrill ride at Back to the Fridge Fun Parks of America. Please take your seats and pull the […]

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All You Can Eat

October 10th, 2008

Here are two more things you should know about me. I’m a picky eater and I hate spending money. This is an absolutely insurmountable combination when it comes to highfalutin fancy food. I simply cannot understand the need to spend fifty dollars on six ounces of food, no matter how colorful the drizzled sauce looks. […]

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Psych Out

October 9th, 2008

In college I majored in computer science. But for some odd reason I also have a minor in psychology. Worse, I’m only three dang classes away from a double major. From time to time I think about just taking the electives and getting it over with. But then I think, what the heck would I […]

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Book Review

October 8th, 2008

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.” Can you write […]

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Honeycrisp Apples

October 7th, 2008

With October here and fall squarely upon us (at least for those of us who live above 35°N) our thoughts turn to raking leaves, carving pumpkins, and eating mountains and mountains of Fun Sized Three Musketeers bars. Fall is one of my top three favorite seasons and Halloween is definitely one of my all-time favorite […]

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Dodged a Bullet

October 6th, 2008

Morpheus: I’ve seen an Agent punch through a concrete wall. Men have emptied entire clips at them and hit nothing but air. Yet their strength and their speed are still based on a world built on rules. Because of that, they will never be as strong or as fast as you can be. Neo: What […]

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Calories, Anyone?

October 3rd, 2008

It’s Friday! Know what that means? It’s one of our top seven favorite nights of the week to eat out. If you’re dieting (and you are) then you’ve already heard (or learned the hard way) that you should make every attempt to check nutritional information before you head out. Easier said than done, though. While […]

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Diet Soda Bad News

October 2nd, 2008

About nineteen years ago I finally decided to deal with the empty calories being delivered into my body regularly in sixteen ounces doses. (Of course, back then I called it “pop” since I lived in the Midwest. But a drink by any other name would taste as sweet.) It seemed like a good plan, but […]

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Money Money Money!

October 1st, 2008

I don’t watch a lot of TV. Now don’t worry, it’s not because I’m some sort of snob who believes television is evil and should be abolished along with Twinkies and water bottles. On the contrary. If I weren’t so busy with a million other things everyday, you’d easily find me fixed to the couch […]

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Low Cal Honey

September 30th, 2008

I like honey. It’s natural. It’s sweet. And best of all it has zero calories. I mean, how could it not? Why else would they have replaced all the sugar cereals with honey equivalents? What? You mean it’s not a low calorie sugar substitute? Sheesh! You’d think it was some sort of miracle diet food […]

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Almost Like Magic

September 29th, 2008

I wholeheartedly believe one tactic to help a floundering diet is “mixing it up” a bit. If you’re stuck in a rut and can’t seem to get the needle moving down again, it’s probably time to try something different — even if for a short while. For those of you just tuning in, let me […]

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Eating Out Tips

September 26th, 2008

Dieters face few challenges greater than a trip to a restaurant. Eating out is (or should be) an occasion and therefore, by definition, isn’t the place to hold back. Unfortunately, eating out is sometimes a necessary evil and you’d be hard-pressed to find greater temptation anywhere. (Yeah … nothing like paddling against the current for […]

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The Mystery of Weight

September 25th, 2008

I’ve always found it odd that the one thing we obsess over more than anything — our weight — is the one thing we seem to know the least about. Oh sure, we understand the basics. Eat too little, and we lose weight. Eat too much, and we lose our skinny clothes. That’s the basic […]

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Music These Days

September 24th, 2008

I seem to recall some decades ago my dad complaining about the modern music scene. I mean, all parents do that, right? It’s laser-etched into their DNA. They wouldn’t be card-carrying parents if they actually liked the same music as their children. “It all sounds the same! There’s no variety! There’s no real musical value […]

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Delimex Taquitos

September 23rd, 2008

Unlike most diet blogs, I can’t guarantee that every single food item I bring up is going to be taken from the “it’s good for you” files. After all, this category is called, “You Know What Sounds Good Right Now?” and not “You Know What Kind of Vegetable I Should Be Eating Right Now?” So […]

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What’s Really Amazing

September 22nd, 2008

We tend to overlook the little things, which is unfortunate, because oftentimes it’s the little things that matter most. Whether it’s a crisp fall morning, a beautiful flower, or simply matching six tiny numbers on a lottery ticket: the small things make a difference. Take, for example, the calorie. It’s little. In fact it’s so […]

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Watch those hidden calories!

September 19th, 2008

How many articles have you read about hidden calories? The idea is that we go out to a restaurant, order something “healthy” off the menu, but unbeknownst to us, the plate is absolutely peppered with calories too small to be seen with the naked eye. Take this article from — you guessed it — the […]

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Not That Funny

September 18th, 2008

The Michael Phelps Diet skit was pretty good. (If you didn’t see it, click the “Previous” link below.) I laughed when I saw it and just had to share. But it only took a few minutes of mild pondering to realize it’s not as “out there” as it seems. Like a lot of humor, it’s […]

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The Michael Phelps Diet

September 17th, 2008

Brilliant:

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Sandwich Pal

September 16th, 2008

Sooner or later it was bound to happen. Yes, I’m talking about the Sandwich Pal post. Those who already know me, already know Sandwich Pal. So you three can go ahead and find a more interesting site to visit. I recommend this one. For those of you still reading, you now need to imagine me […]

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What About Exercise?

September 15th, 2008

I marked my monumental return to exercising three months ago with my now famous (ha ha) Tales from the Treadmill post. Oddly enough, though I kept at it, I didn’t really post any more about exercising after that. So it’s time for an update! Looking back, I can now divide the exercising into three distinct […]

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You’re Kidding!

September 12th, 2008

If you’re thinking about taking the kiddies out for a quick bite, be warned. Most kids’ meals at fast food restaurants have too many calories. I know! It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? I could have sworn the nuggets, burgers, fries, sodas, and shakes were the perfect meal. Taken from the Obvious Files of the […]

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Food Substitutions

September 11th, 2008

Today’s topic is food substitutions. You know, this is where health magazines and fitness gurus everywhere tell you “exchange this food for that in order to save X calories.” It typically goes something like this: Skip the triple mocha with heavy whipping cream. Drink a glass of water. Instead of eating that softball-sized muffin, have […]

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Well That Was Pointless!

September 10th, 2008

All the diets, all the sacrifice, all the years spent denying myself slice after slice of hot, cheesy, pepperoni pizza. All of it for nothing. I’ve lost weight, I’ve gained weight. I’ve lost it again and I’ve gained it again. “No thanks!” he says, as the cake is handed out. “Can’t!” he boasts, as another […]

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Mayonnaise

September 9th, 2008

Now here’s something I bet you’ve never heard. “Hey, you know what sounds good right now?” “What?” “Mayonnaise!” My Tuesday food category isn’t limited to just ready-to-eat stuff. I definitely plan to talk about ingredients and other food sub-assemblies. When I was a kid, I didn’t like mayonnaise at all. (Now there’s a big revelation: […]

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Words of Ill Omen

September 8th, 2008

“Except maybe Cheez-Its…” Thus spake Charlie on July 28. At the time, Charlie was just joking. Charlie hadn’t actually eaten Cheez-Its for months. Charlie loves them, but due to their high toxicity, he reserves them for rare treats. So you can see, Charlie was just having some fun when he wrote that nothing could stop […]

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Chicken vs. Chicken

September 5th, 2008

You’ve got a hankerin’ for some chicken. It’s late and the only option is fast chicken. So you hop into the car and drive. “Hey, there’s a McDonalds. I think they have chicken…” Seriously? No, keep going. “Oh! A Chick-Fil-A! They’re entire business is built on cows begging us to kill the other barnyard creatures.” […]

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The 100 Calorie Trap

September 4th, 2008

I don’t know about you, but I sure as heck love snacking. In fact, if I didn’t have to work all day and could somehow perpetually stay in liposuction surgery, I don’t think I’d ever stop eating snacks ever. It’s horrible. It’s wrong. But oh! have you ever had chips and dip before? I bet […]

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My Favorite Dog

September 3rd, 2008

I know I posted this guy once before, but I just can’t help it. I gotta see him again. I mean, who can resist this cute little pug licking the screen? (Translation: It’s 10pm, I’ve had a long day, I’m tired, and I have a nasty case of writer’s block. It was either this or […]

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