21 and food

I woke up late today and consequently didn't eat my breakfast until almost 11. It was a complete one: banana, yogurt, muesli, juice, coffee. I went into work at noon, still feeling a little over-full.

Some days, I work better than others, and today I was practically a machine. I took at least 40 photos, managed to get them all to my liking in photoshop, and put them online. Then I created a database for all of the work I have done this past week, and I made records for each piece of artwork we are selling. And then it was 7 o'clock and time to go.

I had felt the slight rumblings of hunger at some point around 5 or 6, but it was never my intention to skip eating altogether. I would regularly skip -- or skimp in a major way (ie just have an orange or something) -- an occasional meal before getting pregnant, but I really haven't done so in the last five months. And I think I know why.

As soon as I shut down my computer and closed the doors to the shop, I realized I was on the brink of starvation. I knew The Boy wouldn't be home for dinner tonight, and on the rare nights he is not around, I like to indulge in some Lebanese goodness. I love Lebanese food, but he is against the particular restaurant I go to because he once puked their veal.**

It occured to me, as I anxiously counted down the stations until my metro stop, that I have been frequenting the Lebanese joint with vigor since November. So maybe, if people ever ask me about cravings, I can offer up Lebanese as a possibility. I always feel weird saying, "Nah... no cravings really."**

While in transit, I started having some issues about the guys at the Lebanese joint wondering why I always come there, or maybe just thinking I'm a weirdo in general. I always get to a point like this with any place I frequent, where I wonder what the they think about me. I was a waitress; I know what we think about people who eat at the same restaurant four nights a week. We either think they're awesome clients or total freaks. I am not sure which crowd I belong in. But screw it, I wanted some damn Lebanese.

When I walked into the restaurant, the guy who is usually the one to help me (who is new as of November, by the way) said, "Hello. Vegetarian platter to go?" and I hesitated between hanging my head in shame and being super excited he did that. It was the first time I had had any open acknowledgement of my assiduity. Only two weeks away from abandoning the neighborhood forever, and I have officially become a regular.

I love the vegetarian platter because I feel it's healthy, and it is pretty much guaranteed to last me two days: a huge serving of hummus, an equal-sized serving of eggplant pur�e, a generous portion of taboule, one ball of falafel, one spinach thingie and one cheese thingie. And then there is the itty bitty dessert, and I love, love, love Lebanese desserts. Mmmm... honey and pistachio. But it's tiny so you feel ok just having the extra treat.

So it's a lot of food.

You know something? I just ate the entire thing. Two days worth of food. And? I'm only full, not totally overstuffed. I guess that's what happens when you have a (dance-aholic) baby growing in there. So no more accidentally skipping meals for me, if I can help it.

But damn, I feel great now!

*The Boy pulled out the leftover veal dish from the night before and set it on the fridge. For some reason, he thinks you have to let leftovers "sit out" for awhile before eating them. Except that he let it sit out OVERNIGHT and then put it back in the fridge in the morning. And then he ate it the following night. And it made him sick. Do you really think this is the restaurant's fault?

**I also am really into grape juice mixed with Badoit. The grape juice is too sweet to drink plain, but if you put about 1/4 grape juice with 3/4 Badoit, there is a recipe for deliciousness right there.