Nasty Habits

I don't toss the word addiction around glibly, but just this week I've acquired two new nasty habits. It could be that the stress of tenure year has reduced my ability to just say no to things that I know aren't good for me. It could be sheer escapism, who know? I blame one of my new nasty habits on Ginger (aka Moopy), who told me that the tv show Lost had all these literary allusions. So, I thought I'd check it out and loaded my Netflix queue with season one episodes. By the end of disc one I knew I had a problem.

Let me say that there are some real problems with new habit number one. The acting is wretched for the most part, the flashback segue way noise annoying, and the sheer amount of calamity ridiculous. It's like watching gymnastics as a blood sport. But I knew I was in trouble when disc 3 came before disc 2 and I watched it anyway. And those negatives didn't stop me from watching four episodes last night. Watching while indulging in nasty habit number two . . .

Whoever invented the new Oreo Fudgees cookies was an evil genius. The bag describes "chocolate fudge filled sandwich cookies," but they are so much more than that. They are perfectly crisp, the fudge is in perfect proportion to the cookie part, and they have that slightly salty tang that store-bought cookies have. I ought to know; I ate seven of them last night while watching Lost. They do have an unfortunate name that sounds like something Stewie Griffin would use to describe, well you know. I blame Wal Mart for putting those cookies on a two for $5.00 sale the one time in months that I went there. I blame Daryl for taking me to Wal Mart. Blame, blame, blame.

I'm not trying to imply that I'm above it all when it comes to slightly obsessive habits. After all, I'm the one who watched all six seasons of Six Feet Under from start to finish one spring. And Tim Jim and I used to sit like fools glued to Queer as Folk episodes while I was preparing for my doctoral exams. Then there was the Big Love phase. But those were good shows, really good shows; this is different.

And these Fudgees probably aren't that good either, but I don't have time to bake my own cookies. It's a good thing I walk a lot, or I'd have Fudgee pudginess (lame one, yeah).

I bet both habits are a reaction to the part of my life I have to ignore on school nights: the part where I finish that book chapter by October 1st. I can't write after I've been teaching my two bouncy freshman classes and all the other stuff I do at work. But today's Friday, and after two meetings I'll settle in to write. I really think I can get past this; since I'm out of Fudgees this will be a good time to start over. Daryl does have the other box of Fudgees, though.

I was gonna put up some pictures of Lost and some Fudgee pics, but I'm not gonna do that, too iconic. I feel better having written this. Have any of you ever developed sudden or simultaneous bad habits? I'd like to know I'm not alone.

Update: my ear still hurts from Lu blow drying my hair with a shop vac, and get this Nick, he didn't cut my bangs either, says they're too Mamie Eisenhower. Joshie, yes tomorrow night, but call to confirm please.