Every now and then I've gone on a diet for some reason or another. The Atkins was the last one I tried, and although it worked, it was a pain in the ass because I really rather like bread. eDiets lets me eat normally, just sensibly. So that's good.

My reason this time for dieting is that I quit smoking at the end of July, and also have been telecommuting for at least that long, and so my weight had gotten pretty scary (255lbs at it's peak). At 6'4" I look - to other people - as if I've just filled out in the cheeks, but to me, looking down over this mound of blubber that exists where once I had an abdomen, and a willy beyond, I feel more like a beached whale in imminent danger of being hauled back into the Ocean by the well meaning crew of the Rainbow Warrior.

My Doc kept telling me not to worry about it.

"Hey, it's better than smoking, and besides you're in your forties, it's natural to put on a little weight."
"Bite Me"
"Okey Dokey"

Actually he's a pretty good Doc. He doesn't take any crap from me, and he is a little older than me, which instills a level of trust that I simply don't experience with his Doogie Howser intern.

The kid still asks me dumbass questions when I go in to get treated, whereas the older and wiser guy has figured out that people don't read medical text books then decide how they are supposed to get sick. Dr. Munchkin is the main reason I haven't been back to get looked at for my.. ummm...latest problem. Oh, and by the way, whoever came up with the idea of making those Preparation-H suppositories using some cheap ass moulding so that the suppository has a razor sharp edge to it should friggin die!

I digress.

I have been on eDiets before, back in 2000, and I lost 47lbs, and kept it off until 9/11, after which my weight didn't seem so important.

But having just gone through the Trial by Alchemical Fire that is the Philosophus Grade of the Golden Dawn, I have been cleansed of the psychic baggage I've been carrying since that horrible day (and a fair amount from before) and have now regained an interest in my health and well being.

At least for now. Shortly, I expect that my diet will come under intense fire. The problem with being the only Pagan faction of the family is that you end up celebrating pretty much constantly between Yule (21st) and Boxing Day (26th).

For now at least, I will practice posing in the mirror, squinting to see if I can make out a striation that may be the line of an ancient muscle, and hoping that if I cannot get back my six pack, then perhaps I can pull off a couple of two liters...