Year 3, Day 137: Detecto says "174"

Today was a pretty good day. The latest batch of jerky didn't taste very good, which helped me avoid eating it. Me and another coworker took a very, very fast walk. I was nearly panting to keep up with him. By the time we finished, the sun had come out and we were both hot and sweaty. It's a good thing the office is like a meat locker.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Strawberries
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
3 pieces of jerky
9 almonds
1 oz Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch: Russo's ($5.25)
Romaine, red pepper, red onion, feta
chicken, broccoli, mushrooms
balsamic vinegar, pepperocini

Dinner: Vela
1 Glass of Wine
2 crusts of crappy white bread with crappy pesto
arugula salad
halibut, pepper relish and sauteed spinach

Gumsert

Emily and I met to play tennis after the rain cancelled our second successive session with a tennis instructor. We met at the Wellesley BSC and it is amazingly small, private and air-conditioned. We were so knocked out it made it hard to concentrate on the tennis! I took the first set (6-3) and she the second (6-3). Then she took the tiebreaker, 8-6, after I had been ahead 5-1. What can I say, coffee is for closers and I didn't get any. We wanted to go to Jimmy's (my fave) but there was a wait so we skeedaddled without canceling our reservation and went to Vela, which had no wait, and I think I know why. I weighed myself at the gym. Their detecto is suspect, but in the words of business geeks, 'it is what it is."

Tomorrow begins the onslaught.

Year 3, Day 43: Date Night

Trying my hardest to move beyond political failure, I keep things in perspective by noting that Imus has been kicked to the curb by CBS. It's hard to understand if this is the right thing to be done. It doesn't necessarily feel like the punishment fits the crime, but in America there are second third and fourth acts, especially for those in the public eye. I thought a lot about Bill Maher, whose show Politically Incorrect, was ironically cancelled after remarks he made about the 911 Hijackers. He remarked that they were "stupid, but not cowardly" for staying in the planes as they hit the building. For my part, I ate nearly 500 calories of chocolate and a glass of wine and hope that tomorrow is a better day.

Breakfast
2 Slices of Jane's Whole Grain Bread (3 oz.)
Super Chunky Peanut Butter
3 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Won Ton Kitchen
House Special Egg Drop Soup
Chicken & String Beans

Snack
4 sticks Beef Jerky
1.5 oz Boston Lite Popcorn

Dinner: Vela (Wesley)
Beef Short RIbs
Bib Salad with Pistachios and Raisins
Tuna with Whipped Cauliflower
Broccoli Rabe

Dessert
15 Squares of Milk Chocolate with Almonds
About 20 Chocolate Chips

Vela was an excellent restaurant. Emily and I split a few appetizers and then I ordered the broccoli after the entree had hit the table. Since we generally go out at around 6pm on a Thursday we are often the first, only or one of just a few people in the restaurant. So far this is really good in terms of staff attention (except for Sabra, where they didn't seem to care that any customers had shown up) but it makes for really quick dinners—when you're younger and go out on dates on the weekend you have no idea how much time is wasted just waiting for things to happen, like waiting for the salad course, or the sorbet course. Upon my return home, I broke open a chocolate bar I had foolishly purchased at whole foods. When I found the strength to put that away, I took out the chocolate chips. Really the sign of a desperate man.