Truth be told, many single people frequent restaurants because they seek companionship. They are lonely. You'll even find people who are married or in relationships at the bar at Calhoun's or whichever bar/restaurant you choose, and I'd bet that many of them feel alone.. I've been the lonely one there, too. The first person to ever point it out to me that I was frequenting restaurants out of loneliness was Dave Ramsey in one of his Financial Peace University lessons. At first I thought, "what? No. How silly is that? I don't go out to eat because I'm lonely..." And then I would find myself trying to get friends to meet me anywhere to eat. If I couldn't get plans made with anyone, I'd go by myself just to at least be near other people. I didn't care that they were strangers.
Food does offer some comfort. I don't know why. Being with other people while eating is a whole other kind of comfort to me. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But I would avoid solitude even if that meant that my utility bill wasn't going to get paid that month. Ridiculous, I know.
I had a lovely salad for lunch today. I'd like to have some recipes to share with friends who are becoming part of this experiment of Operation Restaurant Deprivation. It occurred to me today that it's going to be super awkward to sit out on company lunch meetings, although I have considered asking if we can do a pot luck lunch instead.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Smoke Stack
This may be news to some, but I smoked on and off for about 13 years. I started smoking cigarettes when I was 12. My mom's a smoker and it was easy to sneak some here and there. Of course most of my friends at school were hoodlums so we all shared the wealth when we were wealthy with our parents "coffin nails", as my dad calls them.
During times of not smoking, I began frequently eating large amounts of food, not unlike Garfield when he would effortlessly consume stacks of lasagna. I've heard people say that they are afraid to quit smoking because the last time they tried, they gained weight because they ate significantly more food than they did while smoking regularly. The last time I quit smoking, I used m&m's, peanuts, dum dums, reeces pieces, twizzlers, pop corn, potato chips, etc. to ease cravings. Clearly as a result of eating basically nothing but candy and junk food, I packed on big pounds.
Essentially I'm saying that nature really does hate a vacuum and that you can't put down one bad habit without expecting another to develop. I originally heard this idiom from Prof. Ron Wheeler. For my bad habit of excessive restaurant food consumption and purchase, I plan to spend significantly more time in meaningful conversation, playing guitar and writing songs, and reading. I've been eating too much. That's all there is to it. Fortunately, I no longer have cravings to smoke, but I do have constant cravings for BBQ, chicken salad, steak, fried chicken...you get the picture. Nature hates a vacuum.
Today for lunch, I had a turkey sandwich, some pretzel chips, a serving of greek yogurt, and some carrots. It was a lovely lunch. I will say that I noticed every single restaurant in existence between Knoxville and Spring City - that's 150 miles round trip of greasy convenience all around. A Facebook friend told me that he thinks the first 40 odd days will be the most difficult, and I think he's right.
This Sunday I plan to have a few friends over for home food and a game of cards. I'm looking forward to strengthening my friendships this way. Later this week, I will post some more information I gathered from using Mint.com to see the big bucks I've spent at restaurants over the past year or two. Until then, happy home cooking.
During times of not smoking, I began frequently eating large amounts of food, not unlike Garfield when he would effortlessly consume stacks of lasagna. I've heard people say that they are afraid to quit smoking because the last time they tried, they gained weight because they ate significantly more food than they did while smoking regularly. The last time I quit smoking, I used m&m's, peanuts, dum dums, reeces pieces, twizzlers, pop corn, potato chips, etc. to ease cravings. Clearly as a result of eating basically nothing but candy and junk food, I packed on big pounds.
Essentially I'm saying that nature really does hate a vacuum and that you can't put down one bad habit without expecting another to develop. I originally heard this idiom from Prof. Ron Wheeler. For my bad habit of excessive restaurant food consumption and purchase, I plan to spend significantly more time in meaningful conversation, playing guitar and writing songs, and reading. I've been eating too much. That's all there is to it. Fortunately, I no longer have cravings to smoke, but I do have constant cravings for BBQ, chicken salad, steak, fried chicken...you get the picture. Nature hates a vacuum.
Today for lunch, I had a turkey sandwich, some pretzel chips, a serving of greek yogurt, and some carrots. It was a lovely lunch. I will say that I noticed every single restaurant in existence between Knoxville and Spring City - that's 150 miles round trip of greasy convenience all around. A Facebook friend told me that he thinks the first 40 odd days will be the most difficult, and I think he's right.
This Sunday I plan to have a few friends over for home food and a game of cards. I'm looking forward to strengthening my friendships this way. Later this week, I will post some more information I gathered from using Mint.com to see the big bucks I've spent at restaurants over the past year or two. Until then, happy home cooking.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Operation Restaurant Deprivation
Introduction to the craziest idea I've ever had...
After running the idea by my good friend Ashley, I have decided to move forward. She suggested I start a blog about it - and this is the beginning. I am abstaining from restaurant food for 365 days. A year of no Aubrey's, no Calhoun's, no Panera, no nothing. This is going to be difficult for me to do. I'm a foodie. I'm an unhealthy foodie. Stay tuned for more delicious details. I plan to report my experience here on this blog.
According to Mint.com, in February of 2011, I spent $400 on restaurant food. I often stupidly wonder where my money goes. Clue #1, it's going to FOOD. Honestly, not much has changed over the past 2 years since I made that discovery.
Over the next year, I plan to write about money saved, health gained, and anything else that happens as a result of cooking at home, and taking my lunch to work.
The only caveat is that if a friend invites me to have a cup of tea at Starbucks, I will oblige. So to all my friends who I normally meet over a lovely plate of chicken fingers, fries, and a tall cold one, support me on my journey to enlightenment. It should be fun and frustrating. I hope to cook meals for people and play a lot of rummy - that doesn't sound so bad.
After running the idea by my good friend Ashley, I have decided to move forward. She suggested I start a blog about it - and this is the beginning. I am abstaining from restaurant food for 365 days. A year of no Aubrey's, no Calhoun's, no Panera, no nothing. This is going to be difficult for me to do. I'm a foodie. I'm an unhealthy foodie. Stay tuned for more delicious details. I plan to report my experience here on this blog.
According to Mint.com, in February of 2011, I spent $400 on restaurant food. I often stupidly wonder where my money goes. Clue #1, it's going to FOOD. Honestly, not much has changed over the past 2 years since I made that discovery.
Over the next year, I plan to write about money saved, health gained, and anything else that happens as a result of cooking at home, and taking my lunch to work.
The only caveat is that if a friend invites me to have a cup of tea at Starbucks, I will oblige. So to all my friends who I normally meet over a lovely plate of chicken fingers, fries, and a tall cold one, support me on my journey to enlightenment. It should be fun and frustrating. I hope to cook meals for people and play a lot of rummy - that doesn't sound so bad.
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