I got up this morning, looked at the temperature on my phone (-12 in Pittsburgh, for you celsius people that’s minus 24.4) then started my coffee and dug out my weight scales from behind my bathroom vanity.
Okay, it says –8 but I swear this morning it was –12!
My weight is 235.0 – that’s an 8 pound gain since the last time I got on my scales back on Nov 20. Doggone it. This is what happens when you stop checking your weight every day. It’s not as bad as it was one year ago when I weighed 272, but I made a resolution to continue downward in 2025 and have gotten off track.
Man, the thought of gaining all that weight back terrifies me.
Speaking of terrified, after I put my scales away and got a cup of coffee, I decided to break another resolution and turn on the news; I honestly just wanted to hear how people were dealing locally with these subzero temps. Instead I got a big earful of national news.
The first thing Trump did after moving back into the White House was go after the Affordable Care Act, stripping away the recent additions made by Biden while in office. Well, that’s no surprise. Trump then went after the Federal agencies promoting racial & sexual equality in the government workplace, mustn’t have that. And now 22 states are threatening lawsuits as Trump tries to dismantle the 14th amendment in the Constitution, granting citizenship to anyone born on American soil.
Yes, yes I know what he’s doing there but at the same time, this would have pretty far reaching implications. Oh and then they showed Elon Musk giving Trump a Nazi salute. That’s no surprise either.
Now I’m breaking a third resolution by getting on my blog and writing about him, I promised myself I wouldn’t spend a single day of the next 4 years putting my despair on display, blogging about this monster. And yet, here I am. Wishing very much I was somewhere else. Like Finland.
Yes, yes I know—no one’s stopping me, there’s the door.
I just wanted to say I’m probably going to continue posting upbeat, dorky things on here because like it or not, it’s who I am. Also, I want to focus my energies on a happier existence while I can. Y’know, I spent the last YEAR in pain and isolation fighting this long covid and while I’m not fully out of the woods yet, I’m seeing better days.
But I also want it known that deep down I hope & wait for Trump to drop over; as for the people who support the man, we’ll never see eye to eye and hopefully never come face to face.
Oh and thanks for the calendar, Congressman Deluzio. Boy have you got an uphill battle.
Yes, it’s sad he is ruining our lives. Hope he drops dead today. But, Vance is even worse!
ReplyDeleteGigi Hawaii
DeleteI shouldn't have laughed at this but you caught me off guard! Thanks Gigi.
DeleteIt saddens me to hear people who believe their lives are ruined within 2 days of the new President taking office.
ReplyDeleteAlso it REALLU makes me sad to hear folks who wish he dies. You may be among those who were wishing that the assassin had succeeded back in July.
I won't attempt to persuade you that President Trump is not nearly as bad as the media portrays him; all that I will say is that I am not a racist, facist, or garbage as has been mentioned about all who voted for him.
I will predict however, that in four years we will all (or at least most of us) be here, the sun will continue to rise, and the world will not end.
I'll leave you with best wishes for your health, and this quote from Thomas Jefferson: "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend".
CW in Illinois
I don't want to see ANYONE shot. Sadly, as this country is overrun with guns and a corrupted political party, lots & lots of people are dying each day. Please spare me the patronizing lecture about the sun continuing to shine but thanks for commenting just the same.
DeleteI agree with you about T. as you know and am heartsick about where our country is headed with his cronies (and him) at the helm. It feels like we're on a sinking ship. I had to tell my mom that, along with her $700 a month Eliquis, she would soon be paying a lot more for her insulin, thanks to you-know-who.
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret, breaks my heart to read this at the same time I am very grateful for friendships like yours.
DeleteWith all your health issues, don't add that guy to your head...you can do great things, like go for a walk and continue to meet with your friends at the senior center Build on the good.
ReplyDeleteThank you dkzody, sure am glad we're on the same side. :^)
DeleteDoug, stay away from the news. That’s what I’m trying to do. And, I know that you can get control of your weight. You already know what to eat and what not to eat. Until you get where you want to be it is helpful to count calories. I know, tedious. But it works. It’s proven overwhelmingly that most people really underestimate exactly what and how much they eat. Find ways to actively “move” everyday. There are some really fun “walking in place” videos on YouTube that can easily be done indoors and in increments during the day. I’m here cheering you on 😁. (Check out the NOOM diet plan. Don’t have to pay for it—just follow their guidelines.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Don--I know some people may disagree with that (avoiding the news) but it DOES help control blood pressure. As for the recent weight gain, I got on a 'cookie train' during the holidays and have been reluctant to get off at the next station. I learned my lesson though and I will check out the walking in place videos on youtube, thanks again D!
DeleteI can picture you on that cookie train, Doug. Well, better than the hard drugs train, huh? Hard to avoid the news though. Mostly upsetting, blood pressure raising stuff. You may have heard about the new trade war T is starting with Canada and Mexico. He wants to hit us with a 25% trade tariff for crying out loud. Pass me the cookie jar!!!!
ReplyDeleteFlorence yes I heard about his trade war and you just made me laugh out loud with that cookie jar, thanks my friend! I've miss you :^)
DeleteI’ve stopped weighing myself. Indeed, I don’t own any scales (not even one for cooking – I do it by feel and guesswork. It seems to work).
ReplyDeleteThere’s always Australia, and you wouldn’t have to learn Finnish. Of course, you wouldn’t have snow either, but if you really, really wanted it, you could seek it out.
Upbeat and dorky is good. We need more of that.
When you said you wanted the malignant buffoon to drop over, did you mean visit you, or turn up his toes? I hope it was the latter.
Peter--5 minutes ago I'd written my blog-friend Margaret that I wished we were smarter like Australia. So thank you for the invite and don't be surprised if one day...! Listen my friend, you just made me laugh out loud with your last line here--yes I certainly meant the latter! Thanks for the cheer up, Music Man :^)
DeleteI cannot be the only one who can't reconcile his thoughts on birthright citizenship with his personal life. Let''s say he must start at home. Deport Baron immediately, because his mother was not born in the US. Actually, let's deport her, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon, well said! :^)
DeleteConcentrate on the things that make you happy , or that strike a chord with you and you want to talk about in your blog . I have struggled with my weight all my life Doug - you had a dreadful year with so much pain , and although the weight loss was the silver lining , you were bound to regain some weight when you could once again regain your appetite. Be kind to yourself - better to lose weight slowly than not at all . You are so funny and I sense very kind , with a talent for describing the world as you see it - please don’t change that !
ReplyDeleteSiobhan
This was such a kind read, thanks very much Siobhann. Very much appreciated. 🙂
DeleteThat's an awful lot of people in the nation that you hope to never come eye to eye with! Lol. The pendulum swings far in one direction and then the other; it's our way in the good old USA. Attempts to achieve balance, it seems? Kim in PA
ReplyDeleteKim, balance is one way to look at it but NOT WITH TRUMP. This man is a convicted felon and the free world is in his hands. I can't bear the thought of it. 🤮
DeleteI think that your dorkiness is just what is needed sometimes.
ReplyDeleteYou just made my day, thank you Debby. 🤓
DeleteI'm not ready to be light hearted about the current state of affairs, so I'll just read you.
ReplyDeleteJoanne I meant lighthearted about life in general excluding him. He is nothing to smile or laugh about, and precisely why I've sworn off the late night talk shows.
DeleteHi Doug, don’t ever change! We all appreciate your lighter hearted posts! By the way, I don’t think your posts are dorky at all. The political scene is crazy all over North America. Canada is dealing with some political uncertainty too but nothing compared to what the US is going through. We haven’t owned scales in probably 30 years. I go by how my clothing fits and Chuck can pretty well eat anything, he is pretty active so burns it off. I have been following your weather Doug. We were at 2°F yesterday morning, our coldest so far I believe. Take care.❤️
ReplyDeleteRobin
What a nice way to start the day, a cup of Tim Horton's coffee and kind comments from my friend Robin--thanks so much (as always) for what you said here R, it means a lot. I must admit I'm envious of both you & Chuck, I've seen photos and know you both are pretty fit. Plus you go hiking all over the Canadian countryside :^) Well, as soon as it warms up to 10F today I am going to venture out for supplies. Thanks again Robin, I hope you stay warm and we just have to keep our heads low while our respective governments do what they do "best" ;^)
DeleteOh Dug, sorry about the new 8 lbs. but I wouldn't worry, you'll be able to keep it down... just think, 8 lbs but feeling better! That's worth it!. As for the -12 degrees, that's way too cold for me. Under 50 degrees and I'm frozen...( just a weak Southerner I guess) And I still don't watch the news. I know some don't think this is a good idea, but my health (Bp and anxiety) are my priorities right now. However, my way doesn't mean I don't understand what's going on. I do... and it's beyond sad. I don't know how this will play out... but like you, will focus on a happy existence while I can.
ReplyDeleteRian, thanks so much for your response here, I was really hoping to hear from you. As much as I enjoy your feedback, you've just been on my mind a bit lately because of the medical issues and I wish we could touch base a little more often. And you are FAR from a weak Southerner (haha) you take care of all those critters down there--both Mother Nature's and your own. :) Let's keep our BP down and focus on the good things. :^)
DeletePS. Rian guess what came just now... your egg rings :-) I got a 2 set from Amazon, 3.5" metal with little silicone handles. Thanks again, I can't wait to use one :-)
DeleteSo glad to see you are posting more and having more good days. Hope you can get out more often to see friends.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anon, I wish I knew who you were but your kindness is still very much appreciated. :^)
DeleteI do so enjoy your take on life, Doug, and I too hope you can get off the cookie train and onto some good health. You deserve it after all you've been through. I still read the news and watch MSNBC and CNN to find out what's happening out there. I feel like you're a real friend, not just a virtual one!
ReplyDeleteDJan, this was very kind of you, thank you. Well, I had to go to the market today and didn't buy one baked item or sugary thing, so I'm getting back on track--just not on that train. :^) I admire you too, and am glad we're friends. And I give you credit for keeping up with things, MSNBC used to be my go-to channel when I had cable. I'm just not ready to dive back in.
DeleteAs others have mentioned, a small gain isn't unusual after a loss due to a health issue. You've identified it, and I'm sure you'll manage it just fine. Recall how many years (from birth) it took you to gain all that weight. :)
ReplyDeleteArggh, I am someone who reads the news daily, and I am horrified by the (excuse the language) shit that IQ45 and his band of oligarchs have come up with for your country. We're impacted too, when his threat to add 25% tariffs on imports comes into effect. Then he goes and says, USA doesn't need our crude oil, lumber, or water. It will hurt our exporters as purchasers seek out other options, and your consumers as they will be paying higher prices. Along with the scrapping of the price caps on various drugs, cutting huge swaths of people from the federal services (making those harder to obtain), it's going to be a painful time for many.
Sorry, I didn't mean to go on a bit of rant. It's frustrating to see what so many in your country failed to see - IQ45 is doing exactly as he promised when he said, "I don't care about you, I just want your vote."
Thanks for sharing Maebeme and please, rant away. I'd much rather hear the hard and sad truth then the delusional thoughts from his supporters. I very much hope everything you write does not come to pass. 😐
DeleteIt is going to be a hard time for many. But from where I am, I can tell you that some of his biggest, proudest, loudest supporters live in pretty impoverished circumstances. Truly. If I see a run-down, ramshackle place, I always look for the sign or the flag. More often than not, I will find it. My county is a poor one, so poor that all kids are fed at school because most will qualify for the program anyway. There is a lot of poverty related diseases as well. Diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease all of which have ties to unhealthy diets. A lot of these people will be impacted when the price caps are gone. The same people that complained about the cost of insulin while wearing their MAGA hats are going to be mighty shocked. I am sad to say that the only way reason is going to return to this country is when his policies begin to negatively affect his base. Unfortunately, they will not be the only ones paying the price. A lot of innocent people will suffer as well. These are sad times, Doug, and we are only 5 days in.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Anon, the irony here really kills me. It seems the people who support him the most are the ones he despises the most. The whole world sees it, but not them. We're all going to pay the price for their ignorance. And you're right, only 5 days in.
DeleteDarn it. That was Debby.
DeleteAh! Thanks Debby.
Delete