I drink 10 glasses of water every day. I know for certain, because I keep a little tally on a post-it note by my keyboard. I count servings of fruits and vegetables in the same manner. This makes me feel good about myself — like I’ve achieved some small, yet ultimately important success. Flail and fail with other challenges as I may, I will be properly hydrated, and that’s worth something!
I know it doesn’t sound like much, and if I’m ever biographied, adherence to the Food Guide Pyramid is certainly not going to be cataloged with any of my lifetime successes. But since lifetime success are so few and far between, I’m going to be happy with the “tada!” feeling I get when I finish my broccoli.
We all know it’s all about the little things anyway, right? Funny how it seems sorta pathetic in print, though.
i feel proud when i drink my V8 in the mornings…. at 26 and single … this seems like some sort of an accomplishment.
Hey, but now they’re tweaking the pyramid, the bastards.
And holy shite, I swear I was thinking about this very same subject this morning. At 5 am. In bed. Thinking how there’s not possible feckin’ way I could get through the daily servings of the pyramid. I cannot eat so much.
I have you beat on the water–hands down. I think, seriously, I drink close to a gallon. More, in the summer. Yea, I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. I live in the bathroom.
You’re right, Fish. It’s all about the little things.
Go Fish, go!
Water? I’m supposed be drinking water, not coffee? Uh oh.
I can’t believe you drink 10 glasses of water a day! That’s incredible!
Hmmm, it’s amazing how these little streak of similarities seem to attack many people at the same time. Today when I arrived at work I received this little card sized envelope. In it was a letter from a woman whose organization I did a profile on. She gave me kudos and a glowing review. The story wasn’t really important to too many people outside of her organization. My boss was mediocre about the praise at best, but it made me smile tremendously. For me, it is about the little things, especially when I am swamped with unhappy officials who do not believe I “presented” their side correctly.
Life is the string of little things that happen while we’re waiting/working towards the big triumphs. Might as well celebrate them. Cheers! [takes big swig of britta water]
Do 8 bloddy marys count for vegetables?
Mike…YES! Also, gin counts for “grains.”
I usually drink at least 52oz of water and 24oz of soda while at work. Then I go home and drink at least 32oz of water before the day is done.
I hope I’m hydrated…
Funny, I always put gin in the fruits and vegetables category. Rye, on the other hand…
Heather…I’m new to your blog and girl, I am hooked! Love how you connect me to your world by your unpretentiousness and ability to make me shake my head and say, “yeah, I know what she means…” I find myself introspective and lucky and envious and happy and sorry, all at once. Hell, it’s all so cathartic, I may cut back on therapy!
Can’t wait for your next installment.
PS… loved the Times article.
I just drink ten glasses of vodka a day. Same thing, right?
well, at least it looks the same in the glass..
Little things are great. Yesterday a friend told me that I’m a good writer and that my blog cracked her up. It gave me that warm fuzzy feeling and the rest of my day was just dandy. I may not be Mark Twain, but there’s at least one person out there who is entertained by my daily accounts!
I’m sure you get that all the time, so you’re probably desensitized to it by now (wink) but we amatures have to take what we can get!
Ah, Amy…feeding the ol’ ego, eh? Careful, you’ll start writing for someone else.
It’s the little things that keep us going. The things that allow us, after a day of the ho-hum to look back and say “Hey, I did do that, didn’t I?!”
Thanks for the excellent essays Fish. You’ve captured it excellently, yet again.
Pathetic is better than apathetic, no? Brava.
Nice work, Fish. I too drink my required 8 glasses a day, which comes with both perks and downfalls. I can count on at least one bathroom break an hour, but I’m usually the one who has to replace the empty 5 gallon jug on the bubbler. (Turn to a positive: no arm workout needed at the gym) But if I’m not careful to taper my intake an hour before I leave work, I tend to find myself in an awkward situation on the train home.
Here’s to clear pee pee!
NOT pathetic! In fact your system is enviable and something I should copy
You nut… and fruit… and part time vegetable
There is nothing one can do but what one can do now. You are always right!
Good nutrition really leads to a sense of well-being doesn’t it? Goo don you!
Brocc rocks. No shame in that. Yes, it is indeed all about the little things.
R, you followin’ me?
Pathetic, inept victories are how half of us thinking idiots keep it going.
Your broccoli is my 12,000 on National Trivia Network tonight.
Oh yeah…I’m a BIG FUCKING GEEK..but I’m cute and have great shoes.
Fuck them!
I try to drink 64 oz of water a day (I have a 64 oz container in my fridge), but it’s hard on school days. Teachers don’t get many opportunities to go to the restroom!
I used to keep tally too, or I’d forget.
i saw a programme a few weeks back that said it didn’t make any difference to your skin, weight or wellbeing whether you drank so many glasses of water a day…as long as you were getting enough then it made no difference…
I’ve stopped trying to aim for 8 glasses after I saw that…
I feel inspired! I’m going to get some water right this minute. Now, your legacy can be not only that you were properly hydrated but that you spread the gospel far and wide…a true public service.
I thought the self-help mantra was: Don’t sweat the small stuff – and it’s all small stuff.
10 glasses (how big is a glass?) is a bad notion. As we can get water from our food consumption too. You can drink too much fluid.
I once drank an ounce for every pound I weighed in a single day….longest day of my life. I won’t say how much, but I read an entire John Irving book that day in the bathroom. God, I love Owen Meany.
Come See me = you are quite prolific in the blog world, my dear.