Thursday, July 22, 2010

Cookie Monster on my Back

Remember last March when I wrote about the world conspiring against me whenever I try to drop a few pounds?  It’s happening again.

One of the bloggers on my blogroll, Goldey, is a friend of mine in real life.  We work at the same company.  Last week, I was able to bail her out of a jam by producing a bit of paperwork from the prior year that she would otherwise have to reproduce from scratch.  For this good deed, she said she would bring me in some cookies.

Now, I’m always into getting baked goods.  I was envisioning a nice little plate of chocolate chippers or maybe some oatmeal cookies.  But Goldey went whole hog.  What I received on Tuesday was a big bag of the most decadent 5-layer pan cookies I’ve ever had… There was coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, pecans… The bag must have weighed 3 pounds.  You can find a clearer description here, in her blog post.

This presented a problem.  As you might have noticed from the sign that’s been up in the corner since April, I’m throwing a Darwinfish2 get-together in Pittsburgh in a couple weeks, and I was hoping to shed a bit of the weight I picked up on vacation in Florida.  (Not to mention my normal bacon-laden diet…)  So this was not the optimum time to splurge on sweets.

However, I sure wouldn’t want to be rude.  So I tucked into the bag o’ cookie bars and oh my fucking God… They were just heavenly… so rich and decadent… I had a couple of 1” square pieces and immediately went into a sugar coma.  No more good for the rest of the day.  I’m not being a complete pig though… I’m trying to give some away around the department.  Unfortunately, everyone else is watching their weight too.  Others don’t like coconut.  So I’m still trying to get rid of these the only way I know how.  Like Homer Simpson would…

If you’re coming to the Darwinfish Fry, you’ll have to excuse me if there’s a little more of me to meet than I originally intended.

Note:  This not an exclusive event… If you’re going to be in Pittsburgh on 8/1 and want to come, you’re welcome, whether you have your own blog or not.  Just let me know so I have an accurate headcount.  Click here for details.

Mercy Mercy Me
A year or so ago, they started working on a new tower for Mercy Hospital, located directly across the street from my building at work.  My boss has a window that overlooks the site.

In a rare flash of forethought, I decided to take some pictures along the course of the construction.  It’s just about done, so now I have a series of about 25 pictures showing the progress from a 20-foot hole in the ground to an 18-story building, which I’ve made into the video you see below.  Have a look; it’s kind of cool.

14 comments:

Jennifer Juniper said...

Oh man.. I wouldnt have been able to resist.

The guys at work are forever making good shit that I need to not have. To the point where I actually printed out a form letter from "Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat" for one of them..

Jessica R. said...

Our hall at work is known for all the baked goods that people bring in every week. I've gained 15 pounds since working here! (Well, 10 now). I've taken to yelling "sabotage" at people when they bring that stuff in. It's so sinfully good.

bluzdude said...

Jennifer and Jessica,
I’ve written before, probably before you started visiting, that I’ve finally lost my willpower. I used to be very good at dropping weight when I wanted to, by just living and eating in a very Spartan fashion. I could ignore any goodies put in front of me.

Now? Not so much. If I’m at a breakfast buffet, I’m not ordering the fruit. When there are birthdays at work, I’m having the cake. And when I’m given a bag of delicious 5-layer cookie bars, I’m eating the shit out of them.

This blog definitely makes me look fat.

Cher Duncombe said...

Oh, bluz, I make those same cookies and I eat most of them! They are scrumptious.

My heavens, you have a room with a view! Heaven forbid you should ever have to go to Mercy and be able to see back. :)

bluzdude said...

Just have a few left... finally brought them home tonight. Have to save a couple for Pinky.

Goldey said...

The cookies are all part of my master plan...as I can no longer have the goodies, I shower them upon my friends and eat them viacariously. Be thankful I didn't bring the sour cream chocolate cake.

bluzdude said...

Goldey,
Well, they're gone now. After a couple of beers, late last night, something told me they would make a perfect midnight snack.

No wonder I slept till 11...

Thanks again... they were wonderful!

Bachelor Girl said...

Oh, man! I would LOVE to be at the Darwinfish Fry!!

bluzdude said...

Bachelor Girl,
Southwest. Airlines. Direct to Baltimore!

But never fear; I'll provide a full report. In fact, I have feeling there may be several.

CristyThoughts said...

Those cookie bars sound divine! And irresistible! My willpower is an indecisive monster who leaves me in the cruelest moments.

That video is so cool. I've seen a highway being built, but never a building. Neat. Tom and I were living in Dallas when the "High Five" interchange was being built. Here are a few pics if you're interested (though not cool progress shots like you have - I'm sure they exist somewhere): High Five, trademark TX stars on the columns, some of the craziness. They changed the route almost daily while building and ALWAYS had accidents all over the place. I'm SOOO glad none of our commutes involved that silly thing.

bluzdude said...

Wow. I guarantee I'd be going the wrong way on that thing... where ever I was going.

Cassie said...

Bluz, you'll fit through the door, you'll be all good!

Who the hell knows, maybe we'll all be like, sooo....you write stuff....and, um...cool?

Or we could be like, "Holy hell, THAT'S what you sound like?!?"

Sorry if I sound more manish than you anticipated.

Oh, and how the hell did I miss this blog?

bluzdude said...

Cassie,
I think you were busy car shopping and being pregnant.

My first order of business is to do a hand to hand comparison of your freakishly long fingers…

I don’t see how it can be awkward at all… we all know so much about each other. I’m predicting it will be like meeting up with a bunch of old friends.

At least that’s what I’m hoping for… maybe I should write up some conversation topics…

Cassie said...

On NOTECARDS! Yes!

"So, what are your hobbies?"

"The card says, 'Yinz drink Straub beer or are yinz more of the IC Lite crowd?' I mean, how do i answer that?"