Festival of Lights
Cornerstone Church in Springfield will be hosting a festival of Lights at their location, 1701 South Fort Ave. This drive-through tradition is a lighting display spread over 14 acres of trees, parks and buildings. For more information please call 417-831-7242.
Snow Day!
Yesterday’s big thunderstorm has turned everything to ice today. Not only is everything covered in ice, it’s snowing lightly and the kids are out of school for a snow day. We’re under a winter storm warning and the forecast calls for 5-7 inches by noon tomorrow. Chances are tomorrow will be a snow day too.
Going cold turkey isn’t as delicious as it sounds*
It’s day 3 of the “No Dew” challenge.
I’m attempting to kick the habit - again. Last time I tried to quit there were days and days of crying and bitching - and it wasn’t just me doing it either. It’s so hard to stay on the wagon. I feel like Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain (Dew), “I wish I knew how to quit you.” It’s so easy to say “I’ll just have one”, then the next thing you know you’re back up to several bottles a day.
I started my latest attempt on Sunday. I did ok until about 9 pm when I begged April to go to the convenience store and buy just 2. One for that evening and a “just in case” bottle for the next day. Before bed I had drunk them both. I decided to try again on Monday - cold turkey.
This morning, I woke up with yet another horrible headache. Actually, I’m not sure if it’s another headache or just a continuation of the one from yesterday. It’s gotten so bad that I no longer care about damaging my liver and have eaten nearly a full bottle of extra-strength Excedrin.
Each time I stop drinking Mountain Dew, I become very ill. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, crankiness and persistent thoughts of going to the store to get one of those lovely green bottles. There’s something just not right about this!
If I don’t have milk for a couple of days, I don’t wake up with “symptoms”, jonesing for a fix. I don’t see little dancing cows in my head while I wonder when I can get my next glass.
Perhaps it is just the caffeine and sugar, but I don’t think so. I believe they are adding a little something-something that is extremely addictive or habit-forming to my beloved soda. Kinda like what the cigarette manufacterers are doing to tobacco.
I keep reminding myself of all the benefits of kicking this habit… fall asleep easier, sleep better, cut out some worthless calories, stop wasting money and generally feel better. I’ve been having a lot of trouble with insomnia lately. I’m sure part of it is the high amount of caffeine I’m ingesting. With a minimum 3-4 bottle-a-day habit (20 oz bottles), I’m drinking at least 1100 calories a day! At about 1.40 a bottle, I’m also spending over $5 a day on soda. That’s over $1825 a year! Ridiculous!
Why does it cost well over a dollar for a 20-oz serving when it probably only cost the company 10 cents to make it? They know you’re addicted. It’s a big scam. I’m not drinking it anymore.
I’m gonna need some extra willpower for this. I think I might need to get some of these patches and maybe join a support group. If I can’t quit the dew, how will I ever give up the smokes?
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*Homer Simpson
Budget is a dirty word
Posting about only 28 shopping days until Christmas brings up an ugly topic at our house this year - the Christmas budget. Steve doesn’t like to talk about a budget for Christmas - he prefers to speak only in general terms about how much we might spend this holiday season.