And by sauce, I mean Coke. And by Coke, I mean Coca Cola. And by Coca Cola, I mean any garden variety soda water. Because in Texas if someone asks you “Would you like a Coke?” you reply “Sure, what kind do you have?” to which you are told “Dr. Pepper, Big Red, Sprite, Coke…” you get the drift.
Growing up, Coke was a luxury. I mean we ALWAYS had sweet tea by the gallon in the “ice box” and milk plus some kind of juice. Water was available from the tap or a garden hose in a pinch. But Coke, especially the good stuff (by good stuff I mean, name brand and not Shasta) that was special. And here is another classic example of when I grow up and have a family, I’m gonna …
And I did! I bought name brand Coca Cola products (only on sale or with coupons of course) and drank cases of Dr. Pepper. Like a camel, I drank little to no water. And like Sheldon Cooper’s mother, one might say I had a slight Dr. Pepper addiction. I ruined my kids, though Pony now abstains from the dreaded poison – and will drink water at meals … for the cost factor not health … though I’ll take what I can get. Lulu … well … with Lulu I’ll never know. She tries to spare me but I have my suspicions.
Anyway, somewhere along the way, I read one too many articles about “pop” as the Midwesterners call it and I quit. Cold turkey! You see it’s the little things … quit taking Zoloft! park far away and walk to the door, take the stairs, quit skipping breakfast, make better meal choices, and quit drinking Cokes. I felt immensely better and I also shed 40 plus pounds. A weight loss that I have maintained since 2006 (plus or minus 5 pounds).
Then this past Saturday, blah! I was feeling sorry for myself. Poor little Jill. Boo Hoo. I went to Sonic Happy Hour and instead of my usual 1/2 price unsweet tea, I thought why not get a Coke with lime? So I did … but just a small … and immediately I felt nauseous. Now one might argue the nausea was from my worry over Lulu (who by the way is okie dokie again). Though I really think the drink was what made me feel ill.
Then today, I went to the service for my mom’s best friend. I have a wide range of emotions, stories that are not mine to tell and wanting ever so badly to spew/hurl/expunge the demons. I can’t so pen to paper tonight but in the moment, mini panic attack, I skip the gravesite and I am back at Sonic Happy Hour. Then I hear “May I have a LARGE vanilla Dr. Pepper?” What the what?!??! Someone else must have been speaking because that sure as HELL was not me! Oh but it WAS me!
Now I’m nauseous again. So I poured most of the captivating elixir down the drain. And I’m officially OFF the sauce again. Hmmm! I sure could go for a Whataburger right about now. Thanks to Shop Girl Anonymous. French fries and fancy ketchup. That for sure would make any queasiness go away.
As always, more to come.
I totally disagree with you Matthew. I think Facebook will just focus on what they do best. Why would Yahoo have a relationship with them if they were creating a search engine? I still love your writing though
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Yay good for you!!
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Weeeee, what a quick and easy souoitln.
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Worst addiction ever… (we called it ‘soda’)
Took years for me to break it. There’s a brand of iced tea ‘tejava’ they don’t even sell a sweetened version. (No I don’t work for or paid to say so…).
Anyway. It was a welcome replacement. And tastes so much better than soda ever did… (that was just your insulin talking).
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Yep my insulin and my emotions.
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Too funny – I just stopped drinking coke two days ago. I started going for unsweetened tea for my caffeine kicker!
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I was tempted to hit up Sonic Happy Hour again today. My usual is the unsweetened tea but I didn’t trust myself so I drove on by 😂
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I can never get off the sauce. It flows through my veins. Soda is good in moderation but you know its all good to wash down a cheeseburger or some pizza. Beer is also good to wash down those things.
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I agree. Moderation is good. Problem for me is I was not acting in moderation. I’d drink can after can all day every day.
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Wow. We need to call in my intervention team .
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That’s was the old me. 😂
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We believe you sister ..lol : )
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Lol! You make my day!
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Thx
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It’s so easy to quit Coke I’ve done it a dozen times! 🙂 I’ve just recently told myself that my body is a high performance machine and Coke is like fuelling it with diesel.
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Lol 😂. I can relate. This last time was the longest break so far. We’ll see how long I can go this time.
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I always give it up for lent. So that’s a 6 week break. But somehow afterward I take a flying leap off the bandwagon 🙂
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I can relate even more to that! Making up for lost time. 😀
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it never tastes the same once you get off the Coke. my go to drink now is Light Apple Juice.
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Yum. Sounds good. I do like my apple juice.
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I love coke, Dr Pepper, pepsi and all of that. But I don’t drink them all that often. I drank a shit ton last year when I was living by myself because it was cheap and I needed the caffeine but yes, Coke is evil!
Coffee, on the other hand, take that away from me and I will probably get my Harvey Dent on. 😛
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Coffee is my guilty pleasure. A single “Texas” size cup each morning. And I’ve trained myself to drink it without cream or sugar.
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Coffee is how we all stay sane, I’m sure of it. Good on you 🙂 I used to just drink it with milk and no sugar but then I discovered those instant cappuccinos and I mostly drink those. Occasionally I’ll buy lattes and mochas but I never buy a huge jar anymore. Before I was able to drink one cup a day but…Now I require at least two 😂😂
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Coffee is the elixir of gods. Any way you take it. I probably am drinking two cups. I pretend it is one ignoring the size.
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Haha, well two is always better than one (I think…😂).
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I’m a Coke addict for sure…calm down y’all I’m a Texan and that means Coca Cola. I’ve been actually doing better in my short return to texas than I had in Alabama. And since amusement parks are Pepsi communistic nations I may be off the sauce for good as well…no way in heck you’ll catch this shopgirl sipping a Pepsi…ever.
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Lol! I agree. Pepsi is awful. I’m remembering an SNL skit. Something about cheese burger, cheese burger Pepsi Pepsi.
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Yep, Dr. Pepper was the best. I truly have given up “cokes” but I think I drank enough of them over the decades that they are still in my system! Oh, well, on occasion, when flying, I’ll treat myself to a ginger ale.
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What exactly did you mean by ” flying ” ? I think I heard something underlying. Related to your first school bus trip…that will be 150$ please.
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Me too! Ginger ale is my go to in flight drink.
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I’m not buying it. As a social worker its easy to read between the lines . The first step is admitting you have a problem. …the next step is going to CA each nite for 50 years to remind yourself and others you have that problem with no power over it. Now that’s recovery…see you mentioned coke so many times it became the focal point of the post, thus a clear cry for help. We are here for you. Remember, It work’s if you work it !!! Lol
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I’m working it! 😎
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When I was a kid a quarter got me a 16oz Double Cola and 3 musketeers…I generally drink coke(real stuff)…but also Sam’s cola…I do drink water…
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I don’t think I could drink Sam’s. I can barely drink the real stuff.
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Lol…a sign of a real alky is his compromises…
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Or cokey 😂. Now I’m just making words up.
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That…all our words were made up…
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😀
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