Sometimes I hate how supermarkets tempt us...

by putting certain items near the register, and worse yet, putting them on ridiculous markdown.  I went to the market yesterday to get a sandwich for lunch.  My own fault, I forgot to check the menu after breakfast and I missed the deadline to put in a special meal request for lunch.  No problem, Ralph's deli has great sandwiches and its close by.

But the register at the deli wasn't working, so I had to go over to the checkout line to pay, even though I had only one item.  I love chocolate bars, particularly with almonds in them.  So naturally, the big ones that are usually $1.79 or $1.89 are on sale, 4 for $5.  Oh, I managed to leave without buying a single one, but it was only through an act of willpower and by walking over to the self-checkout where there are no candy displays.  Worse yet, I know if I'd bought them, I'd have eaten at least one full bar just today.  I won a battle, but that's just one.  This is a war and right now I'm working on strategies so I can win most of these battles.  I think part of having a chance to win most is by recognizing that you can't win them all.  If you try to win all of them, the first one you lose will probably prevent you from winning many of the following ones as you wallow in guilt and shame.

Later last night I spent 30 minutes doing something that I immediately regretted afterward.  Other than to say it didn't involve food I'm not going to get into what it was.  But I will say that I won't do it again.  I sat there, thinking "I just wasted 30 minutes of my life on that?" While it isn't important to make every single moment in life count, it is important to not waste your precious time doing things that you instantly regret and think afterward that you shouldn't have done.  Perhaps part of the process of growth as we get older is that we manage to learn from our mistakes.  I've learned from this one and won't repeat it.  If I do, I will have earned the feelings of regret that will accompany doing it.

It is raining here and I wonder why it is that so many Southern Californians don't know how to drive in the rain.  It isn't like it never rains in Southern California.  Apologies to Albert Hammond, but he was lying.

No fun with classifieds today.

This date in history:

On this date in 1877, Thomas Edison demonstrated his phonograph for the first time.
On this date in 1900, the Meiji Constitution goes into effect in Japan and the first Diet convense.
On this date in 1929, Admiral Richard Byrd becomes the first person to fly over the South Pole.
On this date in 1947, the United Nations recommends the partition of Palestine.
On this date in 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower fulfills his campaign promise to go to Korea.
On this date in 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson establishes the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of JFK.
On this date in 1967, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara resigns.
On this date in 1972, Atari announces the release of "Pong", the first commercially successful video game.
On this date in 1983, the UN General Assembly passes a resolution calling for forces of the Soviet Union to withdraw from Afghanistan.

And, on this date in 1832, author Louisa May Alcott was born.