Meet Jenny - My New Best Friend

Well, dear readers, wish me luck.

I have decided to join Jenny Craig.

I am nervous, excited,

enthusiastic, cynical, optimistic, and scared. Yep, that just about sums it all up.

As you know, the past few years have been so incredibly difficult for me, physically and emotionally. The back injury kept me imprisoned in pain, and thus totally sedentary. Emotionally, I felt so helpless, I am sure that it didn't help. I gained so much weight, I can't believe it. Yet, I couldn't give myself a hard time about it, because I had no psychological energy to devote to it. Plus, the few times I tried Weight Watchers over the years of pain, I failed miserably, which only made me more depressed about the whole thing.

BUT, now that I am feeling so much better, and so much stronger, I have decided that it is finally time to work on this area. I am finally ready. I can do it for myself, and ONLY myself, and I can feel good about it. I feel like it just might work this time! Plus, I have a good friend who is doing Jenny Craig as well, and we are gonna be cheerleaders for each other.

So, I am well into Day 2 - we'll see how it goes! I will keep you up to date on this new journey in my life :)

Thursday Thirteen - Worst First Date Foods

Time for my second go at a "Thursday Thirteen" countdown. It is a very fun meme that leaves all the creativity up to you!

Last time, I shared my thirteen favorite musical artists. This time, I want to share a list that I have been talking about (and laughing about) for most of my life - the worst foods to eat on a first date. Since I have re-entered the dating world, I have begun to remember many of these foods, as well as their potential date-ruining qualities. By the way, this list applies to men, women, heterosexual or homosexual. I see these as universally prohibited. Feel free to let me know what you think!

1. Tacos - not only do they give you bad breath, but the insides drop all over your shirt
   
2. Spaghetti, Linguini, or any messy pasta
3. A big bowl of Udon Soup - slurping up those noodles could destroy any date
4. Falafel sandwich - there is no way to eat this without it falling apart, and all over yourself.
   
5. Big pieces of maki - small rolls are okay, but anything that requires two bites, or stuffing the whole thing into your mouth, is not recommended.
   
6. Anything cooked in fresh garlic - this will be haunting you all night, and no amount of gum or mints will help.
7. Fresh onions on a sandwich - same as above. However, if both parties partake of the onion, it may indeed cancel itself out.
   
8. Refried beans, black beans, chili, etc. - I don't know about you, but these make me so bloated that I would probably be worried about an embarrassing situation all night.
9. Corn on the cob - between the juicy eating, the dripping down your wrists, the pieces getting stuck in your teeth, and the subsequent tooth-picking, this is just a big no-no.
   
10. Beef ribs- pork ribs, which I no longer eat, are at least a little more manageable. However, beef ribs are ALWAYS messy. They coat your face in BBQ sauce, and even if you cut them up, they still wreak havoc on your face and clothing.
    
11. Ethiopian food - this is so much fun for a later date, but first date? Eating with your hands is probably not a good idea. Plus, there is no way to wash the food out from under your nails for a few days.
    
12. Milkshakes - for those of us who are lactose-intolerant, this would make our tummies too upset to have a good time.
13. Too Much Alcohol - please don't drink too much, do something that you would regret, or lose control. Much better to enjoy the moment with a clear head.
    

Well, what am I missing?