#1335: Tuesday, December 23 - Merry Christmas!

Post 1335, Day 357 of 2014
- 1,453 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Confession time: I'm not a big fan of Christmas. I'm terribly bigoted about Christianity - having rejected the dogma as it came to me, as early as seven years of age.

I feel pretty much the same about all organized religions. Although I self-identify as a Buddhist, that's probably just so much humbug - me cherry-picking what feels right and leaving everything else out. Also, I'm not really pursuing any spiritual goal, not feeling any spiritually unsatisfied corner of myself. Still, I'm not now and never have been a follower of any particular flavor of Buddhism, nor participated in any group practice.

I'm a church of one.

In the past, when I could, I'd get out of town for the holidays. Going to Jamaica or Europe in December, not coming back until after New Year's. That was a thing of my 20s. I don't think I spent a single Christmas in the US in the 70s.

I don't particularly like Christmas songs, either, and they're unavoidable.

Christmas sentiments seem saccharine to me. Not the good-will, God-bless-us-everyone, Joy to the World sentiments - there's nothing to scoff at when people attempt that kind of good outlook. But the commercialization, the stress, the relentless pressure to demonstrate your Holiday spirit, your handling of traditions, your coping with the long nights - bah!

I don't need that. Don't participate and don't want to. I've skipped the Holiday festivities at work, all the Christmas parties (at least the ones I'm not paid to attend).

I'm going to Vermont Christmas Eve, and it will be difficult to avoid the Currier & Ives/Norman Rockwell Christmas scenes, unless we have unseasonably warm weather... Guess what? Christmas Eve, the forecast is for a day with the highs in the 60s here in Syracuse, from whence I will be departing. It's a Christmas miracle.

Merry Christmas!

Food and Diet Section

2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:                   206.8 lbs

Previous Weight:                  208.0 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:                - 1.2 lbs

Diet Comment

A day on-plan, a nice loss.

Food Log

Breakfast
A Quest bar.

Lunch

Tuna salad and baby kale, baby spinach, chard, black beans and cole slaw mix.

Snack
Quest bars.

Dinner
At Bradshaw Blues rehearsal:  Sauteed chicken, sweet potato, mixed salad with blue cheese dressing.

Snack
Celery and home-made mayonnaise with aged provolone and a Quest bar.

Intake   
Coffee:  28 oz.   Water: 96+ oz. 

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