In what I like to call an act of self-love in honor of Valentine�s Day, I got my arse out of bed early this morning and started Weight Watchers. Well, that�s not technically true. I started WW back in 2002, right after law school graduation. Knowing my penchant for eating when stressed, I decided that I needed to do something to preempt what was sure to be a munch-o-thon during the many long weeks of studying for the bar exam. So, I started WW online, because, to be honest, I hate the ra-ra cheerleader shit that is the very essence of support group meetings. And it worked, I actually lost weight during that summer of endless studying.
Since then, I lost 30 pounds. Which I�m happy about. But there is still further ass-shrinkage to be done. And, with only my computer to be accountable to, my weight loss slowed to crawl about six months ago.
So, in an effort to kick my arse back into shrinkage mode, I decided to subject myself to the torture of that ra-ra cheerleader shit on a weekly basis. If nothing else, I�ll have the incentive of one day again being able to sleep in on Saturday mornings to spur me on.
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It�s just the girls tonight. Me, Yesenia, Mom, Steph, MM, mom�s friend Yolanda, and, (maybe, if Rich has to work) Anna, are getting together for a night of movies, take-out Chinese food, several bottles of good wine, and decadent desserts. (Yes, I realize that all of this does not assist in the aforementioned ass-shrinkage plan. But it�s Valentine�s Day, and I figure that if I stay on program the rest of the week and drag my arse into the gym three or four times, I can negate this night�s debauchery before I face the scale again next Saturday. In theory, at least, this should work.)
Who the hell needs men on Valentine�s Day when you have orange flavored chicken and chocolate covered strawberries, anyway?
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Despite my very strong anti-Valentine�s Day sentiment, here is my contribution to the day�s worth of love:
Dos amantes dichosos hacen un solo pan,
una sola gota de luna en le hierba,
dejan andando dos sombras que se re�nen,
dejan un solo sol vac�o en una cama.
De todas las verdades escogieron el d�a:
no se ataron con hilos sino con un aroma,
y no despedazaron la paz ni las palabras
La dicha es una torre transparente.
El aire, el vino van con los dos amantes,
la noche les regala sus p�talos dichosos,
tienen derecho a todos los claveles.
Dos amantes dichosos no tienes fin ni muerte,
nacen y mueren muchas veces mientras viven,
tienen la eternidad de la naturaleza.
And now in English:
Two happy lovers make one bread,
a single moon drop in the grass.
Walking, they cast two shadows that flow together;
waking, they leave one sun empty in their bed.
Of all the possible truths, they chose the day;
they held it, not with ropes but with an aroma.
They did not shred the peace; they did not shatter words;
their happiness is a transparent tower.
The air and wine accompany the lovers.
The night delights them with its joyous petals.
They have a right to all the carnations.
Two happy lovers, without an ending, with no death,
they are born, they day, many times while they live:
they have the eternal life of the Natural.
Pablo Neruda
Cien sonetos de amor (100 love sonnets)
Sonnet XLVIII
Listening To: The Lion King 1 1/2 (oh, the joys of having a 2 year old in residence)
Reading: Neruda poems
Feeling: optimistic