Friday, January 14, 2011

Do you have rules?

We all have rules that we live by.  A civilized society, as we blessedly still somewhat are, must have rules to survive.  I'm actually referring to the self imposed rules that we live by in our personal lives.  Most of my rules are logical, such as increasing the size of the pin hole in the plastic top on my coffee to go cup.  If there isn't a "breathe" hole in the lid, you have to almost suction the coffee into your mouth, so I take something sharp, like a pin or the tip of the largest, sharpest knife in the house and enlarge this little hole.
You may be able to notice a small circle on the top of the lid, that is actually the pin-hole that I'm referring to.


It's quite similar to poking a hole in the bottom of the cranberry jelly can at Thanksgiving.  Because that works with the cranberry jelly, I've known folks that pierce the end of every can that they open.  So you see the kind of rules I'm talking about.  We have rules when we cook that may or may not be based on fact.  Remember the story about the newlywed that was cooking a ham for the first time by herself and had her husband looking everywhere for a handsaw to saw the end off the ham bone?  "You've got to find the saw, Mama ALWAYS cuts the end off the ham". Finally to avoid additional frustration, the husband (who are sometimes a lot smarter than we give them credit for) asked her to call her Mom and ask why you had to cut the end off.  Her Mom answered incredulously,  "honey, it's because my pan is too small for the ham."



So you may see where I'm going with this.  We have a new year upon us and maybe it really is time to reevaluate our self imposed rules.

Lots of my rules are food related.   Some of them are a bit weird and nonsensical.  If I have made a sheet cake and have snuck in and eaten some right out of the pan with a fork, then I think that I have to cut the uneven part off, so it will look neat. Hmmm, might it be I don't want anyone to know that I've been in there?.  Of course, I do eat the part I trimmed off.  Good thing I don't bake many cakes.  I have a friend that doesn't like to eat a sandwich if there are no potato chips.  Or perhaps you don't want to eat beans without cornbread.  You know, food rules.  Like the one that says you have to eat the entire pack of something, even when it's more than one serving.  When we do have cookies in the house, and that is rare these days, I wont take an uneven amount in my hand.  I don't want one cookie, I want two or four.  I know, I know....

So since we're going to be taking part in the fitness center weight loss challenge, I am going to have to change some things.  "They" say that you shouldn't work out every day, that you should let your muscles rest a day.  Therefore, I only do cardio on some days and weights on others. Seems that I remember back when there were farms, that folks worked every day and for that much, we know that anyone that has a physical job, they do it every day without have a day to let their muscles rest.  So, for me, that is a rule that bears some thought.  I have been going to the gym everyday trying to build up my endurance for the competition, because I know the trainer is going to push us to get the most out of us that she can.  Today, the hubby was very tired and we went back to bed and didn't hit the gym.  I will probably work out at home today and hopefully over the weekend.

We are also invited out to eat with friends Saturday to our favorite restaurant, a Japanese Steakhouse, as a belated Christmas gift.  We're both looking forward to that.  Usually that's where we go when my sister (Peri) comes in from out west, so it will seem a bit odd being there without them.  Other than working out and eating out, that's the extent of our plans.

I have been working on a counted cross stitch kit that I started last year (I think) so hopefully soon I will have that to show.  My art table feels neglected, but sometimes that's just the way it is. I'll be full of new ideas for paintings soon, but until then it will words of wisdom and wit and perhaps a few pictures here and there.

So dear friends, enjoy your weekend and when you sit down to enjoy your celery that you refuse to eat without peanut butter and raisins, think about some of the self imposed rules that may have you stymied.

12 comments:

Peri said...

I have to admit that I think this to be one of your best posts! We all do have silly and generally not beneficial self imposed rules...food and otherwise. I agree that those need watching!One of mine is that I cannot show anyone the art on which I am working prior to completion..if I do, it generally becomes a UFO (unfinished object)...because the person either praised it too highly or the critique seemed too harsh! In the reflected light of your words today, I will go finish a couple of pieces of art...and stop with the jam on toast as dessert with dinners! Thanks!! Have a lovely weekend!

Artgalcrafts said...

Hi Susan thanks for your well thought out intersting post.It was amazing. I laughed all the way thru.
Can understand some of those confusing rules of yours. Thought I was the only one to rearrange the pasta dish or cake that I made in a square flan dish, its easy isnt it to make it look square again when someones?? taken a bite out of it, just to see if its ok for human consumption.
Which reminds me, when I put on a bit of weight, my DH used to say you'r looking a bit square, wonder if it had anything to do with those little cutting out times, LOL !!
Bye
E. XXX

June said...

I enjoyed this post!
The only Food Rule I have involves m&m's: I must separate them by color and even out the number in each group. After that, I must eat the groups in order by increasing size, fewest to most.
To just pop a handful into my mouth?
Unthinkable.
I rarely bake, thank God.

Susan said...

Peri, UFO's. That's funny.

June, I am stunned! This is exactly the way I eat M & M's. And I always start eating with the least of a color and progress up. I thought I was the ONLY one who does this.

Elizabeth, Yes...just one more thing we have in common. I love that you do this same thing. I'm starting to think that I'm not that unusual after all.

Thanks to you gals for your sweet comments.

Tina said...

Great post!
T

June said...

Then there are two of us. I'll bet a lot of people do that. It only makes sense. You get to eat your m&m's and still have the majority of them left.
Or something.
Who knows how I got started on that particular piece of OCD...

Jo Castillo said...

Fun post. I don't stir coffee with real cream. I like the little whirls of taste between the black coffee whirls.

Artgalcrafts said...

Hi Susan. thank you for the B/day reeting.just another year slipping by.
You would know what floods can do living by a river as you did.Here in Queensland they are getting back to some kind of normality, but it really will take years and mils dollars. we are all trying to do what we can to help. Lets hope we get thru the Summer without too much damage here.
Love
Elizabeth. XXX

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Heeheehheheee!!! Do I have rules??? Bwahhhhhaaaa!!! I am Nezzy, twisted and obsessive...of course I have rules...many rules...boatloads of rules! :o)

How the heck did I miss this Post???

Must of been when I was in TX with my fam for my Dad's memorial service.

God bless ya sweetie and I sooo enjoyed this!

Countryfolk Keepsakes said...

I'm trying to think if I have any food rituals and I don't think I do. I basically just shovel food in my mouth.
But unusual food combinations? Now we're talking. I have lots of those. ;> )
I want to wish you the best of luck on your challenge. I know you will do just fine. ♥
~Peanut

Anonymous said...

All I have to say is AMEN SISTER!

Tina said...

I have loved reading your blog. This post was very interesting and pretty funny.
I can't wait to see what's next!
You have a new follower!