Part 35 - Let's Talk Turkey

-DISCLAIMER-

      The following post was written a few weeks ago but never finished due to some computer issues.  I apologize for the delay but I am still going to post this one.  I have since remedied the computer issue and I have also added a laptop to my box of tricks so that I now have a backup to avoid further computer issues, knock on wood.  I cannot thank my friend Aaron enough for donating his old laptop to me, it really means a lot.  Without further delay I give you Part 35 - Let's Talk Turkey.
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     Well hello there.  I am glad that you have chosen to read this week's post.  Whether you are a returning reader or brand new to The Rendering, I say welcome.  This week will be a little different because I am just shooting the breeze so to speak.  Normally, I find a topic or a direction to aim for in each week's post and I try to stick to that.  I am abandoning any general direction this week so let's just talk some turkey!

     Well, with that being said, I guess that I will start by saying that, as I said I would, I have made my return to my Weight Watchers family.  I truly am encouraged and very happy to be able to say that.  Not only have I returned but so has somebody very special to me and we are going to whup some ass this time around!  In my last post I gave you all my current update on where I stood with my weight.  I told you that I was at 626 lbs. but I may have spoken a bit out of turn.  The weight pic that I posted in my last post was actually about 2 weeks old and taken just after a fun week long battle with a cellulitis infection.  I have taken the most recent weight so that I would have an accurate starting point and here it is.

     So in an effort to be as open and honest as I can be, I give you my actual weight.  I am only 6 lbs. heavier than I previously reported but it is still 6 lbs. more than I want.

-UPDATE-

AS OF THE FINISHING OF THIS POST, 8/20/14 MY NEW WEIGHT IS...

 MAKING PROGRESS!  

     This week's Weight Watchers meeting had a simple theme that I figured was a great message for me to hear given my goal to get back on track.  We talked about making small changes that would help us to reach our goals.  I know I have talked about taking baby steps before so I guess now it is time to fall back on what I already know.  I think that one of the small changes that I am going to make is to wean myself off of creamer in my coffee.  It may take me a bit because I don't care for black coffee too much but if I force myself I believe that I will develop a taste for it.  Not only will this save me a few points and calories each day but I think that it will help me to discover some underlying flavor notes in the coffee that I drink.  Tasting it stripped down and natural may make me appreciate it even more.  Of course, this means that I will need to phase out the artificial sweetener too if I want the true experience of the coffee but heck, that crap is bad for you anyway.  

     So what else has happened this past week.  Well actually, the past three weeks.  I know that I said I was back to writing this blog and I am indeed but there may be a week or two that I miss a post but please allow me to explain.  As I have previously said, I was able to find myself a new job after my old employer announced a major layoff.  I now work for Xerox and even though there are some bumps that we are working on smoothing out I really do like this company.  I am basically doing the same work that I was doing at my old job but I am encouraged to see the new direction and what lies ahead for this new company.  As with many new companies, there is a high demand for extra hours and that means long days and longer weeks.  In order to try to avoid working 12 hour days anymore we have gone to working 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday and occasionally Sundays.  The fact that I now have to work Saturdays puts a lot of pressure on me to get what I can get done in the few hours of free time that I actually have.  It may not seem so, but this blog can take me quite some time to actually write.  I just don't sit down and spit out meaningless drivel.  I put a lot of thought into what I write.  Last weekend I had a choice to make, I could sit down and write or I could pursue an adventure.  This blog is very important to me but there are a few things that are more important.  One of the most important things in my life is my family and getting to spend some quality time with them.  Losing my mother in 2013 has really made me try to appreciate the very short time we have with those that we love and I want to take advantage of every opportunity to go on adventures and make memories with them whenever I can.  So what was the adventure that I chose to embark upon rather than writing a post last week?  I went after the great white whale!  Well, not exactly...

      It wasn't exactly a "white whale" but it was a nice sized bullhead.  I spent my day fishing with my father, niece, and nephew and this was one of our many catches along with several sun fish, blue gill, and some very nice bass.  Even though I did not get to write my blog last week, I would not have traded the laughs, smiles, and memories of that great day for anything in the world.  So with that being said I hope you all understand that sometimes I am going to choose the adventure over the blog and that is where the bear craps in the woods as they say. 

     Now let me tell you a story that I heard this week (or a few weeks ago at this point) that made me chuckle.  I will not include names because this is not my story but the part that made me chuckle was a bit dark because I was thinking of how I would have handled it.  I will warn you all right now, this thought of how I would handle this situation certainly isn't the mature adult way to handle it but it made me laugh.  I don't want to get the details of the story wrong so I will just paraphrase.  Basically, the storyteller has lost a good deal of weight and in the process of life, like ya do, they were spending time with a young child.  Now for any person who has spent any amount of time around children you will all know, I am sure, children can be brutally honest.  Some people find this offensive but as a fat guy which, by the way will ALWAYS draw the attention of a child, I find the innocent honesty refreshing.  For those that have not had the opportunity to experience a massive weight loss or known somebody who has here is a little fact, the weight may melt away but the skin, well, it gets a bit flabby and wiggly.  So what is a small child to do when they notice a bit of extra wiggly arm skin?  Play with it of course!  Now let it be known that the storyteller handled this in a manner that I am sure is much more appropriate than I would have but here, after some thought, is how I would have handled it.  I would invite the child to a movie night, possibly at the Hargus's, and we would watch The Beastmaster.  This is a fine film from 1982.  Those of you who are familiar with this movie might see where I am headed but for those who are not let me shed some light on my darkness.   

     This fine fellow being held at sword point by the Beastmaster is known as a Winged Devourer or Vore.  Take notice of his or hers, not really too sure, arms.  Perhaps a wing?  Perhaps just a bit of flabby, wiggly skin due to weight loss?  Either way it is what this creature does with his flaps that counts.  As you may have guessed from the name, they use these flaps to devour humans.  Yes, DEVOUR HUMANS!  Let's see if a little child wants to play with somebody's arm flaps after watching this.  I told you that is was a bit dark but it made me laugh all the same.  
     I will leave you with that thought for this week and I will do my best to get a new post out this Sunday.  As always, thank you all for the support and I look forward to reading your comments.  God bless you all.  To be continued...