Hello again, my faithful reader. (Yes, I'm fairly certain the singular is correct. If there's more than one of you out there, I'd be shocked!) I apologize for my lack of posting this week. Life has been hectic, to say the least. Alas, I have returned with a reoccurring beef I have with society today. Perhaps it's just small-town USA... but who knows. I can't help it if I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere during the week.
Now, it is important to understand that working in a small town means there are few (very few) lunch options if you plan on dining out. Of course, since I work with my parental units, it means we eat out every. single. day. It gets old, I assure you. You name it, I've probably eaten there. And I know the waiter's name. And his dog's name. And I know where he went to high school, who is younger brother is and what color his girlfriend's hair is. Anyway... there are a couple of 'home cooking' restaurants we tend to frequent at least once a week each. Cotton Patch & Susannah's, especially.
Alright, well these places have a 'Daily Special' board displayed proudly as you walk in, right? The waitstaff will alert you to said 'Daily Special' board as you're seated, yes? Okay. So will someone PLEASE explain to me how THIS is considered a 'fresh veggie'??
"HOMEMADE MAC & CHEESE"
Really? Last time I checked, NONE of the ingredients involved in this 'fresh veggie' came from the ground. Macaroni? Pasta. Refined pasta, at that. Definitely not a veg. Cheese? Uh huh, not a veggie. So why, exactly, do Cotton Patch & Susannah's proudly announce this 'fresh veggie' on their happy little specials boards ALL THE FREAKING TIME?! When this was first brought to my attention, I found it a bit humorous. But, six months later, it's not funny anymore. Give me some steamed broccoli or some carrots or something. A legit vegetable would be nice... if it's not too much to ask.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Story time.
Today started out on a happy (albeit rather irritating) note. As I got dressed for work, I looked in the mirror and realized that my jeans are officially too big. I look like a clown in training. These things barely touch me. They're sagging down on my hip bones just enough that with one good tug... well, let's just hope I have some pretty undergarments on to prevent a peepshow fail.
Alright, so fast forward to lunch time. My mom decides lunch should be at the local Chinese buffet (what we affectionately call, "Chop Chop" - not sure why we call it that other than we get to do some sweet arm chopping motions when we say it). So, Chop Chop it is. Figure friendly? Eh, not so much... however, a buffet *can* be maneuvered. I was on a mission to not wreck my day. I couldn't help but take notice of the folks around me, though...
In one corner, we have a morbidly obese couple talking about how proud they are of their food choices at the buffet: zucchini (yes, fried), veggie spring rolls (yes, fried) and string beans (yes, battered and fried). Alright. Where do I begin... let's just say, it honestly pained me to see them basically killing themselves while thinking they're being good.
In another corner, we have a table full of overweight construction guys who would rather sit back and stare at anything in a skirt. Thankfully, I wasn't in a skirt. I was wearing my clown pants, remember? All I heard them say was something along the lines of, "If I put on any more weight, my wife says she'll either put me on a diet or leave me. I'm going to miss her." Yeah. That's special.
Alas, I managed to eat my steamed broccoli and brown rice (ok... and one veg spring roll...) and get out of there causing minimal damage. But I can't help but think about that obese couple and how they just don't get it. They have the ability to help themselves... but they can't seem to get out of the rut of hurting each other. Sigh.
Oh... and the 'kick in the head' moment for today: After returning to work, I discovered that my clown pants lost a button. Yeah. How do you pop off a button when the pants are too big? I have no idea... I guess I'm just that good.
Alright, so fast forward to lunch time. My mom decides lunch should be at the local Chinese buffet (what we affectionately call, "Chop Chop" - not sure why we call it that other than we get to do some sweet arm chopping motions when we say it). So, Chop Chop it is. Figure friendly? Eh, not so much... however, a buffet *can* be maneuvered. I was on a mission to not wreck my day. I couldn't help but take notice of the folks around me, though...
In one corner, we have a morbidly obese couple talking about how proud they are of their food choices at the buffet: zucchini (yes, fried), veggie spring rolls (yes, fried) and string beans (yes, battered and fried). Alright. Where do I begin... let's just say, it honestly pained me to see them basically killing themselves while thinking they're being good.
In another corner, we have a table full of overweight construction guys who would rather sit back and stare at anything in a skirt. Thankfully, I wasn't in a skirt. I was wearing my clown pants, remember? All I heard them say was something along the lines of, "If I put on any more weight, my wife says she'll either put me on a diet or leave me. I'm going to miss her." Yeah. That's special.
Alas, I managed to eat my steamed broccoli and brown rice (ok... and one veg spring roll...) and get out of there causing minimal damage. But I can't help but think about that obese couple and how they just don't get it. They have the ability to help themselves... but they can't seem to get out of the rut of hurting each other. Sigh.
Oh... and the 'kick in the head' moment for today: After returning to work, I discovered that my clown pants lost a button. Yeah. How do you pop off a button when the pants are too big? I have no idea... I guess I'm just that good.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Fast Food Nation.
Having been a fat kid myself growing up, there's a decent chance I'm overreacting. However, I think my reaction to today's lunch excursion is valid. I think.
Today has been another typical day at work: i.e. lunch had to be quick because my dad had to get back to the store asap. So, we ran over to Wendy's. If you know me, you know I'm not a pro-fast foodie. However, I can usually find *something* that makes me still feel semi-human upon leaving the joint.
We sit down with our food and I look to my right to see a young girl, probably seven or eight years old. I couldn't help but notice that this kid is morbidly obese and miserable. You can see it in her face. She's sitting there by herself, eating from her AND her mother's food. I guess her mom was in the bathroom (for 10 minutes... makes you wonder...) and when she returned, her daughter had eaten all of both trays out of sheer boredom. Not kidding.
But instead of scolding her for eating both meals, the mother simply went back up there and ordered two more. TWO more. Huh?! So she takes the food back and tells the girl that she can only have the fries if she "promises to be a good girl for the rest of the afternoon." Bribing a kid with food when she CLEARLY needs to be shown love in other non-food ways. This little girl was so eager to make her mom proud of her too. You could see it. Sigh.
Society today makes me ill... for PLENTY of reasons but let's stick to the topic at hand. A grown woman promising her already sickly daughter MORE food to keep her behavior in tact is a big bad set up for years and years of self-destructive behavior. That poor little girl doesn't know any different... and I'm afraid she never will.
I guess part of this hits home for me because I vividly remember the summer before 4th grade and how attached I became to the refrigerator because I was bored. That's right, bored. I was a thin, average kid until then. And it took me roughly 16 years to work through all that emotional garbage to realize that I *should* take care of myself because I *deserve* it. I just hope someday that little girl realizes that she's worth it too - and a frosty to keep you quiet/content is just plain wrong.
Today has been another typical day at work: i.e. lunch had to be quick because my dad had to get back to the store asap. So, we ran over to Wendy's. If you know me, you know I'm not a pro-fast foodie. However, I can usually find *something* that makes me still feel semi-human upon leaving the joint.
We sit down with our food and I look to my right to see a young girl, probably seven or eight years old. I couldn't help but notice that this kid is morbidly obese and miserable. You can see it in her face. She's sitting there by herself, eating from her AND her mother's food. I guess her mom was in the bathroom (for 10 minutes... makes you wonder...) and when she returned, her daughter had eaten all of both trays out of sheer boredom. Not kidding.
But instead of scolding her for eating both meals, the mother simply went back up there and ordered two more. TWO more. Huh?! So she takes the food back and tells the girl that she can only have the fries if she "promises to be a good girl for the rest of the afternoon." Bribing a kid with food when she CLEARLY needs to be shown love in other non-food ways. This little girl was so eager to make her mom proud of her too. You could see it. Sigh.
Society today makes me ill... for PLENTY of reasons but let's stick to the topic at hand. A grown woman promising her already sickly daughter MORE food to keep her behavior in tact is a big bad set up for years and years of self-destructive behavior. That poor little girl doesn't know any different... and I'm afraid she never will.
I guess part of this hits home for me because I vividly remember the summer before 4th grade and how attached I became to the refrigerator because I was bored. That's right, bored. I was a thin, average kid until then. And it took me roughly 16 years to work through all that emotional garbage to realize that I *should* take care of myself because I *deserve* it. I just hope someday that little girl realizes that she's worth it too - and a frosty to keep you quiet/content is just plain wrong.
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