July 3

Post 877, Day 184 of 2013
- and 915 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Happy Birthday, Joan!

Today, I'm thinking about being alone. Specifically, about how much time I spend alone, and why.

First of all, I don't mind being alone. As far as I know, this is rather rare in this day and age. Especially when it isn't because a person is withdrawn. Any ambivalence I have about living alone, traveling alone, doing many things on my is due to my thinking that the fact that I'm okay with it may be a problem in itself.

And, of course, many of the things I do alone only start out that way, and end up being among other people. I am hardly living a hermit's life. I do not shun company, and I make friends pretty easily, at least on that superficial level where you've done something together without it ending in animosity. I rarely do anything that ends up in animosity.

Let me digress for a second, and mention why I'm thinking about this.

Yesterday (as I wrote here), I impulsively headed a short way out of town and attended a concert.

When I got there, I almost immediately met a couple of friends (they are a recent couple, and I didn't know that - they're both friends individually). After we said, "Hello" and determined that we were going to the same concert, the first question was, "Who are you here with?." 

When I said I had just decided to come and that I had come alone, they got this look, this what's the problem here? look on their faces. I told them I suspected I had a shitty seat, they said their seats weren't much better, and then we separated to get to our respective seats.

After the Wallflowers (yawn!), I turned my phone on, and there was a text indicating that my friends had found a seat next to them so we could all sit together.

They didn't want me to be alone.

That's fine with me. In general, I don't seek out being alone, I just don't expend a lot of energy avoiding it. 

Digression over.

I do so many things with other people - like I said, I don't isolate myself; I enjoy the company of others. But, I don't require company, except for things like music, where I don't enjoy playing alone. That may be the only 'alone' thing I avoid.

There was a time when people were less judgmental; where being a loner wasn't stigmatized, even if loners were thought, in some cases, to be anti-social. Being anti-social is not now and never has been my way. 

I've just found my life is simpler, and most activities are easier, when I plan just for myself. I'm not bad at organizing, and almost everywhere I go (and most of the things I do when I get there) involves other people, but when I don't have to consult with anyone else to arrange for my own participation, it is simple. No delays, no compromises, no agenda but my own.

And there are so many things people do together where partnering up is unnecessary (like any passive entertainment, where the focus is on an inanimate object, e.g., watching a movie). If there's no interaction, I usually appreciate being able to concentrate on the subject. After, there's ample time for discussion.

At home, I just do (or don't do), whatever I want, on a schedule of my choosing. Did I ever mention what a slob I am? It's only my problem.

So, selfish. Maybe self-centered (well, yeah, no maybe about it). When I'm alone, I always get my way.

Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!

 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         211.2 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     210.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 0.4 lbs

Diet Comment

Interesting - last night's late-night, off-plan, high-calorie snack didn't really pack it on like I expected.

Food Log 

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch
At Ling-Ling's Chinese Buffet and Grill:

Brussels sprouts, kimchee, and, from the "Mongolian Grill", my go-to dish, pork and chicken with cabbage, onions, mushrooms, green peppers and broccoli.

Snack   

Soft ice cream cup. Later, a protein bar.

Dinner

Roasted turkey and guacamole sandwich on coconut Paleo bread with a salad of Spring mix, red cabbage, red beans and balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack   

Hard-boiled eggs.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  32 oz.   Water: 104+ oz.

Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!