The Devil I Know

I gained seven pounds this year. I didn't actually know the number of pounds until I got home to my parents place and weighed myself; I just knew my clothes were getting tight. I attributed it to quitting smoking in January and told myself I would focus on losing it once I left the cubicle farm. I weighed myself two weeks ago and thought, "Well, seven pounds isn't as bad as it could be," then helped myself to another serving of strawberries (...with cream cheese icing). I have, in the intervening fourteen days, gained another 3 pounds for a grand total of 10 fatastic pounds. I would not let this bother me except that if I gain one more pound I will have to buy new clothes. I hate shopping and I have no income so I've decided it's time to get serious about this.

I have been torturing myself every morning (though I'm quite pleased to report that if heavy breathing is any indicator I am possibly in better shape than super hot 0% body fat girl), tossing in a half hour bike ride after studying, plus a walk every evening in hopes of being able to breathe in my jeans again. I even did yoga today.

Yesterday I rode my bike out on the mile roads. This used to be the "country" but it's now being developed into "Estates" that back onto the golf course. Unfortunately for me I was utterly agog at the sight of these monolithic bastions of Western excess when a Godzilla sized dust devil (we're in desperate need of rain) swirled off a remaining acre and enveloped me in its gritty embrace. I'm still picking gravel out of my teeth.

I biked in the opposite direction today, headlong into the prairie wind which was deceptively still until I started pedaling. I biked out past the water tower, past the Sommerfelder church to where the pavement ends. There were two dilapidated houses, yards filled with jalopies and junkyard treasures surrounded by suburban "Qualico" style homes with perfectly coiffed lawns and strategically placed wooden wagon wheels. Which means, I suppose, even rural cities are vulnerable to gentrification. Still, I couldn't help but wonder what horrors and monstrosities will be erected in the next twenty years that will cause some girl returning home in 2030 to pine for the good old days in 2010. On the up side there's still no skyscrapers blocking out the prairie skyline.

Plautdietsch Word of the Day: offe shamt (pronunciation= uff ye shamet) = shameless