Popping

Before the week began, I knew it would be a rough one.  There were things on the calendar that simply could not be avoided or handled in advance. Personal stuff, work stuff and more. I was just going to have to suck it up and get by. I have been getting less than five hours of a sleep a night. I know you’ve been there. I’m not asking for sympathy.As the week dragged on, I had one goal in mind: make it to the weekend. This Jew needs his restful Sabbath. However, I had much to do before I could make it to the promise land of the day of rest.

How could I make it? How could I get everything done? Well, I found a way. I’m popping now.

I don’t mean popping like my students say (well, that slang term doesn’t seem quite as popular. What’s poppin – meaning what’s going on?) No, I mean popping my drug of choice.

What? You heard me. I have gone off the wagon and on my drug of choice.

And what is my drug of choice? CHOCOLATE.

Way back, I mentioned my love for chocolate (https://larrydbernstein.com/tradition/). Now, I am not alone in this regards. A study showed that 97% of people prefer chocolate over other foods. Okay, I made that statistic up. However, empirical evidence, i.e. blog reading, tells me that I am nearly correct.

Anyway, this week has been different. See, my wife stashed away a bag of miniature chocolates, and I found them. And now I’m using. These little bars of heaven have gotten me through. They have been my raft that has allowed me to stay afloat during this overburdened week.

Picture courtesy of http://www.google.com/

Picture courtesy of http://www.google.com/

Let me give you an idea of my mindset: Was that a yawn? Pop a Snickers. Do I feel drowsy? Let me grab a Milky Way. Have I been working hard and just deserve something? Twix.

That sugar and caffeine bring me a joy and a rush. I can keep going. I can accomplish. It’s all good – a win, win.

Okay, I know this is not a long term solution. Next week is going to be busy too. And the bag of miniatures isn’t done. Hmmm. Well, I can quit the following week. I am in control. Gotta  go. A Three Musketeers bar is calling me.

38 thoughts on “Popping

  1. hahahahahaha! Nice! I bought some Snickers eggs last week – and then hid them… Yup, I hid the chocolate! And then I proceeded to enjoy one a day, in secret, a nice guilty pleasure!

  2. Ah, the magical, mystical powers of chocolate. I know them well! As long as you don’t hate yourself in the morning, your “poppin’ habit” seems innocent and harmless to me. At least short-term. But five hours of sleep? You said you didn’t want sympathy, but I’m sending some your way. That’s inhumane. You deserve sleep, my friend. And full sized Milky Ways next week! Great post, Larry – loved it!

    • I don’t feel guilty in the morning – at least not becuase of the chocolate.
      Thanks for the sympathy – but I’m okay. Why – cause I got chocolate.

  3. Good thing you’re not Catholic – you’d have to give that stuff up for Lent!

    While I wouldn’t turn down chocolate, I don’t particularly crave it. I’m an equal opportunity lover of sugar of all types.

    I’m glad chocolate helped you through. I hope you get some rest.

    • No way miss – I’d give something else up. Besides, as I said, it’s like little pieces of heaven. No religion would make me give up heaven. Yes,like you I like other sugared substances. We must be flexible.

  4. Chocolate rules! My mum sent me a postcard once and on the front it said: I could give up chocolate, but I’m not a quitter! 🙂

  5. Oh you are absolutely correct Larry! Chocolate solves all of my problems! I’ve had so much to do lately and chocolate has been my go to, to keep me going as well! Also, I made a new discovery this week….I had a bout of the flu on Wednesday and was up all night. Of course there is no rest for the weary because I had a jam packed Thursday. Even though I didn’t feel much like eating anything I managed to consume 2 chocolate cookies and I felt remarkably better! Who knew that chocolate was the cure for the flu????

    • Wow, it really is a wonder drug. I think this discovery that you have made is earth shattering. Its like finding (?) penicillin. On behalf of humanity, thank you!

  6. Is it sad that I’m not a chocolate lover? However, do not weep for me….I have my own fix – Dr Pepper is my lifesaver. I get really cranky if I know there is one left and it has disappeared when I didn’t drink it…

    • It’s not sad. You is what you is.
      I can understand what you mean about someone taking the last one. All hyped up and then it’s gone – what a bummer!

  7. I am sure your statistic is true! Almost all of us are addicted to chocolate on some level. By the way, they are probably chametz, so you are just cleaning for Pesach, really! Multitasking… 😉

    • Exactly! In fact, the chocolates came as part of Shalack Manot. So, if you put this all together I am actually doing a mitzvah by eating them.
      Thanks for helping me see that.

  8. Oh my goodness, this is MY post. Only I like coffee AND chocolate. Coffee in the AM, and some chocolate in the PM will keep me going all day long. 🙂

  9. Okay, but how are your pants fitting? This is what drives me crazy. When I have a bad week and eat all the chocolate I can find, my pants no longer fit. My husband could eat a bag of candy a day and never have a problem with his pants. So not fair!

    • Don’t hate me for my metabolism.
      To be honest, I am not sure if/how my weight was affected. I don’t know that I ate so well in general last week. Also, I went alot last week – sorry don’t mean to be so graphic. Anyway, it all evens out.

        • Thanks for your understanding.
          It was restful. I wish it was longer though – don’t we always want our rest days and vacation days to be longer?

  10. I am more of a salty kinda girl. As for sweets, gummy bears & sour jelly beans do the trick. I get the chocolate addiction though too.

    • I hear. I am flexible with my sweets, but not as into the jellied stuff. My children watch some youtube thing about gummybears. They keep saying something like: I am a gummy bear, I am a gummy bear, I am a gummy, gummy, gummy, gummy, bear.
      Quite annoying – even more so when I hear it go off in my head.

  11. I too am a popper!!! A chocolate popper that is!! It’s my instant fix for stress and I feel totally okay with it because my Mom (as a nurse) once worked with a Dr that carried chocolate in her coat and hadn’t it out to the nurses regularly to help their stress levels. SO…it can’t be that bad right?! I’ve been eating it in mass quantities lately…I’m afraid once I have this baby I might have to scale that back just a bit, might not metabolize the way it has been but that will be a sad day 🙁 I’m so thankful to know that I’m not the only one whose a chocolate popper 😉

    • Firstly, I hope everything goes well with the baby and that he/she will be healthy.
      Secondly, thanks so much for telling me this.
      To know that my habit is actually approved of by a doctor – that feels great. Pop away we go!!!

  12. ha!ha! Larry! I guess you are one of those, just like me; LOVE, LOVE CHOCOLATE. Chocolate keeps me going, when the day has been difficult; I need chocolate 🙂 glad you wrote this post (so true for many of us)

  13. Hi,
    I am laughing again. Your article speaks to my heart. For your information, not only a Jew needs a Sabbath rest, I know an African-American woman who needs her Sundays as her rest day. I am talking about myself. My Sundays are holy.

    Unlike your eating chocolate, my pain reliever for a busy week is a Pound Cake or Bagels. It never fails, I can eat two of those Pound Cake babies in one week or six bagels a day. They soothe my aching nerves and I get through whatever I have to do. So I understand exactly where you’re coming from.

    I enjoyed the article.

    Ciao,
    Patricia

    • Bagels – really? Now, you’re talking to this Jew! Six bagels a day – wow! Better buy that cream cheese. Btw, you know what goes with bagels – chocolate!
      Glad the piece made you laugh.

  14. My husband and I have a nightly tradition of a pot of tea and a king sized chocolate bar. Every night. Like clock work, once Baby is asleep. I am ending the tradition in a weeks time as I have noticed that the baby weight isnt coming off and it may have something to do with the tea. Right?

    Great post!!

    • Definitely the tea. Keep the tradition – sans the tea (I am not at all a tea person). Do it for your husband if need be – stay together – with chocolate. Sounds like a commercial – doesn’t it?

  15. “Let me give you an idea of my mindset: Was that a yawn? Pop a Snickers. Do I feel drowsy? Let me grab a Milky Way. Have I been working hard and just deserve something? Twix.” Love this! That has been my mindset since about Halloween of this year! I have run out and repurchased more times than I can count. I’m sneaking chocolate now because I know I have a problem and I’m afraid my husband will ask me to seek help 😉

    • Ahh, my twin sister! Well, at least you can admit you have a problem. That is the first step to recovery. However, I don’t think it is such a big problem. Pop away.

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