blue artichoke

I had a Napoleon Dynamite moment yesterday while driving to the airport. It was 72 degrees. I was dressed for 55 degrees. I got so hot and uncomfortable, even speeding down the interstate with the windows down. I didn't go the Pedro route and shave my head, but I did stop at the outlet shops in Warrenton, MO, to look for something cooler to wear. As I was shopping, I realized that I couldn't stand my jeans any more. They fit right out of the dryer, are a little loose after an hour of wearing, and are too baggy after a full day of wear. Sitting in the car for an hour had accelerated the loosening process, and I just had to get them off. Plus, I was on the way to the airport and there was no way I'd be able to wear big pants for the rest of the week. I headed to the Levi's outlet and found a pair of summer weight jeans that can be worn in three lengths (capri, high-water and full length). They fit snugly, so I bought them, thinking they would grow a bit as I broke them in. I wore them out of the store. After another hour of sitting in the car, they were still snug. I squatted and stretched in all sorts of unbecoming positions at the airport to break them in, then sat on a plane for several hours. Still snug. So now I'm faced with spending a week in tiny pants, but I think this can work for me. Though perhaps not very attractive, it will be a good diet motivator. It's difficult to sit down (literally) to a big meal in constricting pants.

Tiny pants may not be as effective an appetite suppressant as taping pictures of balut to your fridge, but it goes a long way toward portion control.

Getting to Know All About You: Do you strike up conversations with strangers on planes?