Tricked you by telling you that my next post would be about transitions. Partially because I had a brain blast at lunch today. But mostly because I haven’t fully transitioned yet (and am putting it off for as long as possible) so the wait will remain.

Despite the lack of time between posts, I do have something that I should have done better already. I need to express my displeasure with friends more. It isn’t something I particularly like admitting because one of the traits that I value most about myself is my ability to get along with people. But I’m coming to realize that at some point or another, friendships depend on conflicts, confrontations, arguments, and debates, both about issues that matter and about the friendship itself. At least good ones anyway.  More on that another time maybe.

I went to lunch at Hotdogs and Brews today (which ironically does not have its alcohol license yet). The food was good, and it cost me $6 bucks. But the interesting thing was I paid $1.25 for an old fashioned 8 oz glass bottle of Coke. My initial  feeling after realizing what I did? I’m sad to say it was actually irritation. I thought, “What a rip-off.” And that stopped me for a second. Actually longer than a second. I am ashamed of that reaction. Not because I don’t value frugality. But that is the exact mindset of so many Americans. Getting the most bang for your buck, even though your buck isn’t paying for the real costs of what you eat and what you drink the majority of the time.

I’ll be the first to admit that I like Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to limit drink sizes. Do I think it is a panacea? No. Do I think it is a step in the right direction? Absolutely. People still have the same freedom to drink as much as they want. It is just a little more inconvenient to do so. And if that inconvenience is enough of a deterrent to make a difference in health, that is absolutely fantastic. The government is not telling us what we can and cannot eat or drink. It is telling us how much we can and cannot sell, which is it not entitled to do?
http://bittman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/limit-soda-for-kids-sake/

There is the  fear of too much government power, but I don’t see this as an over-reach. Mainly, because as demonstrated by our growing waistlines, we are apparently incapable of controlling ourselves.