Friday, September 08, 2006

Get thee behind me

Have you ever wanted someone or something so badly that it fills your every waking thought -- even your dreams sometimes -- and that every song you hear, every movie you see, virtually everything that crosses your line of sight becomes connected to that desire, no matter how farfetched? And that this desire that occupies every fiber of your being with such intensity is almost always bad for you, physically and/or mentally? (And I'm not talking about beer, smartass. So stop laughing already.)

It's like the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Only most of the time, the connection is as close as two or three degrees. For instance: my night light-->dark-->dark and bitter Belgian chocolate.

See, I'm a pathetic basket case.

Chocolate is lovely. The Aztecs and the Mayas, I'm grateful to 'em, God bless 'em. But if I as much as even look at a bar of chocolate, I gain ten pounds. And I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to chocolate, especially the dark kind. Snap off a few squares to nibble on and put the rest away for later? Fat chance. Before you can say "Holy Guy Lian, Batman!" the whole bar is in my tummy already. And we're talking about a chocolate bar that's practically as big as a ping pong table. And if it's Guy Lian, it's usually a box of seashell-shaped lovely chocolate that's as good to look at as it is to eat. Gobble, gobble.

But these burning needs that we feel sometimes for something or for someone, which we know are NOT good for us, which we know will only result in heartbreak or self-destruction, how do you deal with those? Will the few moments of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower, be worth the seemingly interminable hours of guilt and self-recrimination that are sure to come after?

Self-discipline is the key. So are the ability and willpower to say "NO!" and the strength in your arms to push that Bad Thing or Feeling away. Humans are a higher species of animal who can reason, who can tell wrong from right. Right?

Because it won't do to dream of caramel and to think of cinnamon.

I want. I think I even need. But I can do this. I am Woman! Hear me roar! (Okay, I don't really roar. But you get the idea. And belated apologies to Helen Reddy.)

22 comments:

Photo Cache said...

Repeat after me: CHOCOLATE IS GOOD...CHOCOLATE IS GOOD. Hope youre having a good day.

Photo Cache said...

Repeat after me: CHOCOLATE IS GOOD...CHOCOLATE IS GOOD. Hope youre having a good day.

Lizza said...

Hi Photo!
I'm an obedient gal, with a twist.
CHOCOLATE IS DAMN GOOD...CHOCOLATE IS DAMN GOOD.

Hope you're having a good day as well.

Lizza said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Doc said...

So chocolate is a proven replacement for sex, so why not try the reverse? Any time you get a cravin' flung on you, go do the nasty--burns calories, right? OK, I'll just go back and lurk in my corner now...

Mimi Lenox said...

I'm making a run right now for the Godiva shop. Thanks for the inspiration. (I'll do extra sit-ups later)...tomorrow.....or the next day....

Ian said...

Or, taking Doc's advice one step further...you could try eating chocolate while having sex. That might cause your pleasure centers to explode out your ears though...

I've suffered the obsession you describe, but over a person, not a thing.

Ian

Anonymous said...

Buddha once said "Meet all needs, lessen wants"... and one cannot help but wonder why all images of him are fat.

The funny thing about discipline is that we all know what it is. We all know what willpower is too. But why we as humans have a tendency NOT to put this knowledge into practice is beyond me... (munching on a Hershey).

"Looking" at Chocolate makes you gain ten pounds? Wow... you've incredible powers of vision & osmosis rolled into one! (always knew you were Supergirl)

Take care!

Juancho

Sidney said...

Congratulations. You have good taste! You have choosen BELGIAN chocolates above the rest. You are right that those damned Belgian chocolates are indeed the BEST! ;-)

To be honest I first thought you were talking about your boyfriend.

Do we really need to choose between chocolate and sex?

Terra Shield said...

Yum... I suddenly have the urge to get out and buy a bar of chocolate... why, oh why?

Lizza said...

This is one of the things I love about blogging. You get all sorts of interesting advice and feedback!

Doc: Gotta do a lot of nasty if you want to burn off all the calories you get from a humungous chocolate bar.

Mimi: And you can run hard and fast right back to the Godiva store when you're done with the present batch. Burn those calories, remember!

Ian: Brilliant idea. Who gives a damn about exploding pleasure centers? That would be such a great way to go! Chocolate now brings to mind some kinky ideas. lol

Obsession applies to either living or non-living things. ;-)

Juancho: Maybe it's because we're just too willful sometimes, too curious at other times. And Supergirl? Hah! I wish. :-D You take care too.

Sidney: First of all, welcome. I love going over to your blog to see your photos of both the beautiful and the ugly here in the Philippines.

Second, cravings can apply to both animate and inanimate objects or acts, haha. And perish the thought of having to choose between sex and chocolate!

Third, you Belgians sure know how to make chocolate! Maybe it's part of your plan to dominate the world--conquer them with chocolate! My friend Vic (who's Dutch) told me about a great Belgian beer called Duvel. I don't know if it's available here though. But I stay true to San Miguel. :-D

Terra: Indulge! Live! Enjoy! (just remember to exercise after)

Prometheus said...

Lizzie, didja say humans can tell right from wrong? Erm, they can't even tell right from left most times. Mebbe they can tell a Wright from a Wong.

The Promethean Mantra says 'live life king size'. Chocolate may help in the endeavor to be 'larger' than life. Ergo, go ahead and hog, screw, drink, smoke, blog, fart, sleep and live it up.

Lizza said...

Aww, Prometheus. Humans can tell right from wrong...they just choose to do wrong most of the time. :-D

I agree with the Promethean Mantra, up to a certain extent. There's only so much hogging, screwing, drinking, smoking, blogging, farting, and sleeping that one can do. But live it up? Aye!

Anonymous said...

There's always the possibility that life will be shortened for any of us at any time. If you want chocolate, eat it up!! As long as you enjoy it guilt free, you should be happy. If the guilt persists, you can always walk 4 miles to burn it off. Nah, just enjoy the chocolate and chase it down with a 2600 calorie Starbucks beverage...with....CHOCOLATE in it!
Have a great weekend.

Jules said...

My strategy (since I seem to be craving everything I see, as of late) has been this: wait 24 hours. If you still have the craving by then, then by all means, splurge a little. But perhaps in that 24 hours your craving will have subsided and you'll have forgotten about it.

Lizza said...

Michael, wise words indeed! But my waistline will never forgive me.

Julie, thanks for the advice. Splurging is fun, because waiting 24 hours (or more) doesn't work for me sometimes.

Lady Apple said...

hmmmmm...no chocolate just doesn't affect me this way...it makes my teeth hurt...

Lizza said...

Ahh, but it can be another thing entirely for you, Jessica. Like, clothes maybe? :-D

Foofa said...

you must go for those little pleasures or they will consume you. The key is moderation. I think it is sometimes harder to have just a little of something than to have none but it really is satisfying.

Sidney said...

If you want to drink a Duvel you can try
Beers Paradise which is located at Polaris corner Durban Streets (Makati).
The owner is a Belgian and he got hundreds of Belgian beers on his menu.
And maybe he sells chocolates too;-)

Lizza said...

Natalie, good advice. However, for many people moderation is a four-letter-word sometimes. :-)

Sidney, thanks for the tip! If I ever wander over to that part of the city I'll be sure to drop by. Although the idea of maybe having Belgian beer and chocolates at one go makes me fear for my waistline.

H said...

i too like my chocolate dark and bitter.

i so get this post.

And this one's before I discovered you liz!