Chocolate is Educational

I usually have two pieces of Dove chocolate each day after my lunch, to balance out whatever healthy item I just ate.  I like the taste of milk chocolate, and Dove is particularly creamy and smooth.  I also like to read the little message inside each wrapper.  Sometimes the advice is humorous, such as when my chocolate tells me to take a walk on the wild side(my wild side is in bed by 9pm).  Occasionally the message seems tailor made for me, such as every time I open the wrapper and see the words "Take a nap." (They frown upon naps at work, but I have a couch, and it's very comfy and tempting!) It's like a little note in my lunch from the Cosmos instead of my mom, except my mom wouldn't ever send me chocolate in my lunch because she was watching my weight.

But the message today, well, it was downright interesting. Be more loquacious.  I always give mental bonus points when I read or hear a word that is not typically used in every day conversation.  Blame all of my English teachers over the years who gave extra credit for using vocabulary words correctly in a sentence. I love the word loquacious.  It is a sassy word, filling your mouth and rolling off the tongue.  It sounds smart, and just a little bit irreverent at the same time. 

A secret joke that nobody else gets, a message just for you.  Or a good joke between best friends sitting at a table in a cafe, causing one friend to roll their eyes while the other leans closer, giggling. 

But then Dove went just a little further.  They encourage the reader to learn a new word, to add it to their vocabulary.   Because loquacious is not an ordinary word.  It is an extraordinary word, full of possibilities.  I like that.  What I might possibly be loquacious about today?

Chocolate, probably. 

Proceed With Candy

When I am working very hard on a report, or trying to focus on a specific task at work, I stress eat. Mindless eating, really. I find myself munching away without any concern about actually being hungry.  I usually bring healthy snacks with me to work these days.  Pretzels, fruit, cheese are tucked into my lunchbox so I can blindly stuff my face with something that won't cause me to gain 10,000 pounds. 

And those are wonderful, except...my brain craves chocolate.  Glorious, delicious, perfect chocolate.  I don't blindly swallow such wonderful items, however. That would be just wrong.  Such decadence must be enjoyed.  I put a piece in my mouth, and allow it to melt. I savor the taste, basking in the flavors. Then I get back to work, my minor irritations soothed. 

My chocolate eating could rightfully be considered mindful.  Mindfulness is the thing these days.  Be present in the moment, and all that. My moments with chocolate, however brief they may be, are mini-stress breaks, taken throughout my day to help protect my sanity.  I explained all this very carefully to my family doctor just the other day.

"I understand your point," my doctor said.  "However, your blood sugar is too high.  You need to cut back."

"No."  I crossed my arms in front of me, and stuck out my bottom lip.  I was not cutting out chocolate.  I was very firm on that.

"What about dark chocolate?" my doctor knows how stubborn I can be, after all these years.  Give the man credit for attempting to compromise.   After a little more cajoling, I agreed to make an effort toward lowering my blood sugar.  I would switch to dark chocolate, which does not have as much sugar as milk chocolate. 

"Can I finish the current bag first?" I asked hopefully.  I had just purchased said bag, and was being practical.  My doctor looked skeptical, but he just sighed heavily.  I took that as a yes. 

Now my chocolate breaks will be even more mindful, and maybe a bit mournful.  But still...chocolate!

If You Really Are What You Eat...

...I should be mostly chocolate by now. Rich, creamy, smooth, delicious chocolate, with lots of those happy endorphins that make you think you're in love. Chocolate doesn't care if it's a bit larger than it should be, either.

Mostly chocolate, with a little bit of shiraz wine thrown in. Okay, who are we kidding? It would be a little more than a "little bit"!

Just sayin'.

Like Mother, Like Son

Zane is in the fridge. He isn't supposed to be, but my husband is often lax about latching the door closed. So Zane is in there looking for applesauce. He is getting upset, because we don't have applesauce, but he keeps looking. I finally get up and help him before he has a fit.

"Zane, we do not have any applesauce," I say.

"Nooooo!" Zane is getting wound up for a hissy fit. I peer into the fridge and there, among the leftover lasagna and eggs, is a bag of Three Musketeers fun size candy bars.

"Oh!" I exclaim. "Look at this!" Zane turns around, his interest tweaked.

"Chocklat!" My son yells happily. I give him two bars, because I know that he will open both packages and eat half of one, then give the rest to me! Zane grabs the two candy bars from me and runs off. I can hear him as he heads into the living room...

"Mine!!! My Chocklat! HAHAHAHAHAA!"

That is my kid, alright! Chocolate rules!

That's My Boy!

Larry and Zane are sitting at the computer, watching train videos. I brought a small cup of M&Ms for Zane, and my husband decides that he wants one.

"Zane, may I have an M&M?"

"No."

"But you're supposed to share! Can you say 'share'?"

"No."

My son already knows to hoard chocolate!