Dilemna

So. It's Friday. And I'm still on The Diet.

Considering I haven't possessed willpower for anything (saving money, rejecting 1-night stands, not paying $5 for coffee, sleep) in the last year, forgive me that I find it mildly commendable, in my universe, to have made it to Day 5 of Week 1.

No beer. No chocolate. No bagels or oatmeal. Beans. Chicken. Salmon. Lots of eggs and V-8 for breakfast. Romaine and olive oil in vast quantities.

(Your basic protein infusion / sugar starvation. Yup.)

So - the upside: I am wearing the same pair of rayon trousers I wore last Friday .... and this week I am not tormented by stomach flesh pouring over the waistband. They now merely ... fit.

So - the downside: I am headed tomorrow morning for 3 days in New York City for what will amount to an extended social hour with 4 former Bostonians:

1) M, now of Queens -- gossip girlfriend to end all gossip girlfriends.

2) The Professor, now of Astoria -- who can stomach a full pitcher of PBR after a couple tequila shots and still belt out a better cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" than Al Green.

3+4) M & J, now of suburban New Jersey -- tremendous artists and even more tremendous cooks.

Clearly, catching up with 4 of my favorite people is not a downside.

But how
the Hell
does one
stay on the wagon
in the face
of such tremendous
friendship?