Snail Mail Woes

Some people are clutterers.  I’m a de-clutterer.

Every day, I walk down to my mailbox and bring in a pack of letters and catalogs.  Just about everything is nonsense since Broccoli Rob and I pay most of our bills online.  I’d estimate 90-95% of my mail is junk mail.  I open all the envelopes and toss out anything with my name on it.  I also toss the back pages of the catalogs that has my name on it.  The rest of the catalog and all the envelopes and papers without names gets put into the paper recycling bin in the garage.  Hauled out to the curb every other Monday for the recycling delivery.  Isn’t this a waste of time for the US mail service, me and the recycling workers?  Why do I get more mail than is necessary?  I seldom buy anything from a catalog and I don't trust the scruples of companies that do direct mailings, but I seem to be on more mailing lists than I should.

But I've found that I can very easily cancel these unwanted mailings and you can all do the same.  (Maybe the postal service will take notice!)  I did it for my mother as she once sent a check to an animal rescue charity and then started getting dozens of similar requests.  Look at the mailing—you’ll find a toll-free phone number on there somewhere.  Call them during regular business hours.  You may have to go thru a prompt, but not for long, as ‘customer service’ is typically high up on the prompt-ladder.  Someone always answers the phone--it’s not done by messaging.  Just tell them you want to remove your name from the mailing list.  That's it.  They're very happy to help you.  I’ve done’ this at least 30 times and every discussion is quick and polite.  No one asks why you want to remove yourself from the list.  They may say it takes 30 days as they may be ahead with their next mailing, but you’ll stop getting their mailings.

Just today, on my lunch hour, I called:

Full Beauty- They sent me a catalog for bras for full size women.  I never bought anything from them before but they obviously got my contact info when I purchased a plus size bathing suit online.  Big mistake-pun intended.  And BTW, I'm no longer a plus-size.

NY Philharmonic-  Never went there, but maybe one day I’d like to be supportive of this.  They probably got my contact info when I was a subscriber to the Roundabout Theater Company a few years ago.

Essex County College Continuing Education- Never went there and have no plans to.  Years ago, I took a few courses at another local adult ed school and recently took a meditation class under the auspices of the Montclair Adult School, so either of those places gave out my name.  (It's like Six Degrees of Separation).

Pottery Barn Kids- My kids are grown and I don’t yet have grandkids.  Why did this company send me a catalog?  I'll tell ya'.  I recently bought a gift for my college roommate’s new grandson, getting the gift through the Pottery Barn Kids registry online.  A one-time purchase and they put me on their mailing list.  What nerve.  But I'm off the mailing list now.

Moving Comfort- they make great sports apparel and I bought something years ago and then returned it.  But they kept me on their mailing list.  Until today!  hah!

So, take the time to call these places and get off the mailing list.  Stop wasting paper, stop tossing these papers in the trash and then bulking up the trash.  Stop the excess from the recycling bin.  And certainly stop paying those extraordinarily high wages of the US Postal Workers who are very happy to brings these catalogs and mailers to your mailbox.  Take a look at your incoming snail mail.  Can't we get by with less?

Alcohol. Feh.

Who here knows that alcohol is not good for you?  Raise your hands.  Right.  All of you.  And if anyone out there doesn’t raise their hand, you’re in denial.

Alcohol is a known bad boy (and I use that gender intentionally).  It’s a drug, though legal IF you’re over 21, IF you’re responsible, IF you maintain control.  But the problem with alcoholic beverages are the IFs.  Those under (and over) 21 want to indulge.  Too many people drink and then drive, putting themselves, and innocent people in danger.  And what I see is that people want more than one serving of the elixir.  What’s the big kick in alcohol anyway?  Relaxation?  Take a nap or meditate instead.  It lowers your inhibitions?  Yup.  Who needs that?  It tastes good?  Not to me.  Tell me what else you think alcohol is so good for.  You can’t.

Alcohol is addictive, wreaks havoc with your liver, and is known to be a risk factor for developing certain cancers, including breast cancer.  I have seen head and neck cancers attributed to alcohol (and smoking) abuse and they're not pretty.  Actually, they’re quite ugly and debilitating.   Think facial surgery and swallowing impairments.  I have seen alcohol-induced pancreatitis and  cirrhosis.  And remember, I’m just the dietitian.  A doctor could tell you much more—car accidents, alcohol intoxication in teenagers, injury from falls from alcoholic stupor.   But I've also listened to sick patients tell me they don't get help at home because someone in their family is too focused on their own drinking.  This is an especially sad predicament.  I admit that these are the extreme cases of alcohol abuse.  But I ask again, why do you want to even drink the stuff?

Alcohol has  no nutritional benefit--no vitamins, no minerals, no protein.  you can check this out on this  government website.  As a matter of fact, use the site to look up the nutritional data of just about any food and fluid.

So alcohol has no good stuff in it.  Even a whopper has protein and some iron.  As they say, pick your poison.

I’m going to get a little personal here.  Do I drink?  Hardly.  I have never liked the taste of alcohol, finding it bitter and offensive.  I will occasionally have a sweet drink that doesn't taste like alcohol, like a cosmo (mainly because it’s pink) or a margarita (on the off chance that I’m not counting calories that day).  I will have a drink at a wedding, bar mitzvah, something like that.  Will stop at one.  I absolutely hate the taste of wine or beer, can’t even stand the smell.  The only alcohol I have in the house is Broccoli Rob’s cheap wine which he mixes with (get this!) diet sierra mist and diet iced tea nightly for his ‘cocktail.’  I won’t buy the wine—he has to do that himself as he knows I’m against him even drinking this small amount.  I haven’t kept hard liquor in the house in at least 10 years as I didn’t want the stuff in the house to entice the kids and their friends.  

But have I abused alcohol? (Here’s the personal part).  Yes.  When I was in college, the legal age to drink alcohol then was 18, and we had a pub on campus.  My roommate was the bartender, her boyfriend was the pub manager.  I could drink for free!  And I did, even though I didn’t like the taste of the beer or the smell of the pub itself.  And I got smashing drunk to fit in or to flirt, or both.  The last time I got drunk was right after college, New Years Eve, turning into 1976.  A boy I liked came to the party with his (previously unbeknownst to me) girlfriend.  I felt so sorry for myself, drank to excess and at midnight, was barfing into the toilet.  I have proudly never repeated this incident as that night was enough embarrassment for my lifetime.  

I know some of you will say "but there's nothing wrong with having one drink to socialize."  You'll have a hard time to convince me of such, since I consider alcohol a controlled dangerous substance!   Why bother with something that isnt nutritious?  Maybe you think I live in the Prohibition Days.  Heck, there's a reason why alcohol was outlawed.  Call me the president of the sobriety club, but this is my blog and my goal is to say what I want to say.  Especially with our health in mind.  You can always say your part as well.  But I'm forever staying on this side of caution.

Next time you want to meet a friend or a new date, go for a scenic walk.  A cafe for appetizers.  A roller coaster ride.  Think of something else than "let's meet at a bar."  Re-think your reasons for drinking alcohol and try to find safer venues.  And for that matter, also stay away from Burger King.