mane, mane--omne explicare possum!

I have decided that it is time to quit my soda habit. This goes in stark contrast to my previous mention of becoming a "soda connoiseur," but if you think about it, most other sorts of connoiseurs don't have a daily "I have to drink this or suffer the consequences" view about their hobby. I hate the fact that not having it is a migraine trigger, but the only way for me to quit is going to be cold turkey (luckily this coincides with my surgery-vacation).

Recent reading has led me to the point that drinking diet soda will actually lead you to eat more because of the false insulin response it generates. I agree, as I usually crash a little while after drinking one (not so much after a regular soda, mind you). Then I have to eat something to stay awake, basically--not to mention the number it does on your tooth enamel.

This seems to be putting a damper on my whole scheme to get into shape--which has been fairly successful this summer, all things considered. Lifting weights consistently has made me noticeably stronger and swapped out some of the fat I put on this last year for muscle. The necessary lifestyle changes in terms of food are what I continue to fubar regularly. So yes, after I finish that last Diet Dr Pepper in the fridge at work (which will be... now?) and the twelve-pack of Diet Coke Limes I've got chilling at home, I am done with diet soda and that habit altogether. It's green tea and water from here on out.

I want to go swimming--you know, hardcore lap swimming working on my breaststroke and freestyle, which were my best strokes. I haven't been since December, and it's been torture being out of the water this long. There are just no good pools around here that aren't A) full of non-english speakers or B) full of pooping children. I pine for Asbury's pool and the scent of chlorine lingering in my pores for hours afterwards.

Vacation time

I am going on a vacation this weekend! To where? My sofa. You see, I am having all four of my wisdom teeth cut out on Friday and as such I will be worthless to society for at best a day. I'll just have to be smart about the whole dry socket shebang, but otherwise I'll be fine. I'm taking off Monday as well, so short of the team party on Saturday (which I hope I can be coherent enough for) I don't have to do anything this weekend.

It will be glorious.

A bit of goal-setting

These are things I want to do this summer! All of them are awesome.

• Become a soda connoisseur and quit drinking that mass-produced, additive-filled garbage (about as cost effective; one six-pack of good soda a week versus a twelve-pack of crap soda is about even)
• Develop a working knowledge of French
• Get on Strong Lifts 5x5 and stay on it consistently for the entirety of the summer
• This is well on its way--Dad bought me a summer membership to his and Mom's gym, which is right on the way home from work and fully equipped with everything I'll need
• Learn to play jazz piano
• Stay up through the night to watch a meteor shower
• Finish writing Paradiso
• Read another book every two weeks

Fun stuff.