You Are So Sweet!

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You Are So Sweet!
by Azarin Sadegh
18-Jun-2011
 

“You are so sweet,” I was always told. Now I am convinced they were right. I AM sweet, really sweet. Even sweeter than it should. And this sweetness is all natural. It must be hereditary, running in my blood. My mom is sweet too. I remember having a great aunt who was like us.

Unfortunately, a day always comes when even “sweetness” has to stop. That we all need to get rid of any excess. Days when we’re told – sometimes we’re ordered – to destroy any temptation that would bring out our natural flaws. For me, it means that the days of a good hot cup of tea with cream puffs in the early afternoon and late night ice cream are over.

Doctor Sarah Black raised her brows, giving me a stink eye. I returned her the favor. She looked old and her skin sagged as if she’d lost a great amount of weight, yet she was bigger than me. “317,” she said.

What the hell was this? Why all these doctors think we already know the right numbers, or at least we have the willpower to reach the goals they set for us? “Is it a good number?” I asked, trying to smile.

She shook her head. “Too high,” she said. “149 or less.”

I sighed, my sweetness evaporating (just in my head). Bye-bye, my old me. Bye-bye, my carefree youth, I thought, craving for a dark cup of coffee with fake sweetener. Hello, oldness!

“Exercise, healthy eating, enough sleep,” the doctor said and I wanted to scream. “You also need to relax,” she said. “Sleep early, at least for 8 hours.”

Was she kidding? I didn’t mind about going to the gym! Actually, I’d always found my best ideas to fix a messed-up scene at the gym, while sweating in a spin class. But I HATE sleeping. It is like being half dead, or temporarily deaf and mute. What’s going to happen to my delicious Facebook time-out? Or my “stressful-happy-hour” reading Iranian.com at 3 AM while enjoying a sweet tea? Or listening to The Nutcracker, cracking sunflower seeds and editing my failing scenes? Who is going to finish the damn novel while I am sleeping on pills? I need to be restless, even sad, to be able to write in my normal voice. My mind was going ballistic. “I am a writer, you know,” I murmured.

“So?” the doctor shouted. She had already gathered all her papers and was about leaving the room.

“Do you think those pills would affect my mood?” I asked.

She smiled, opening the door. “I hope so, my dear,” she said and slammed the door behind her, leaving me with this bitter-sweet taste in my mouth.

That was two days ago.

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more from Azarin Sadegh
 
Nazy Kaviani

Azarin Jan,

by Nazy Kaviani on Sun Jun 19, 2011 04:50 PM PDT

I have no advice to offer. I sit down in a chair for way too long every day, working too hard, not getting enough exercise, and not losing the weight that I have accumulated after quitting smoking last year. I am hardly in the position of offering you any health advice.

I can only send you waves of energy and encouragement for painlessly doing whatever it is your grouchy doctor is making you do. I send you good, loving vibes as we speak.


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Azarin Sadegh

5 days later: 227...yeah!

by Azarin Sadegh on Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:06 AM PDT

 My dear friends,

Thank you so much for all your excellent suggestions: dancing and walking are my favorites! I used to take belly dancing classes with Jamila's daughter, but the downside of it was during the parties! Strange looking old men would ask me to dance and I hated it. And later I caught the virus of writing...and that must be the beginning of my Diabetes development.

Swimming is a bit harder, because it makes me feel naked in publc! Writing also makes me feel naked in oublic, but I still can keep my clothes on..:-)

Thanks again to all of you! You are all really sweet..:-) Az. 

 


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Monda

oh yes, and the power of imagination

by Monda on Sun Jun 19, 2011 07:12 AM PDT

Visualization of soothing activities also calms the mind to some degree, with proper practice. 


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Faramarz

Dancing and Skinny Dipping!

by Faramarz on Sun Jun 19, 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Dancing late at nights followed by swimming! I just added them to my to do list and whatever comes after that!

 

Thanks Monda and Anahid. Why didn't I think of that? It is not even 7 o'clock yet and all the stress is gone!


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Anahid Hojjati

good one Faramarz, I was going to comment on that body suit

by Anahid Hojjati on Sun Jun 19, 2011 06:47 AM PDT

I mean the Batman like one that you suggested on the blog about "Elham seyed Javid", but I have to go on my walk. May be I will use my Blackberry to comment on that body suit. But seriously, I agree with you, walking comes naturally. As far as biking, I think I just do the stationary one.  I do agree with Monda about dancing. By the way yesterday, I was showing my dance moves to my daughter for some pointers. After seeing my moves for couple minutes, her comment was :"so what were you doing for 20 years in Iran?" You can say that she was not impressed, but then she is a good and trained dancer.


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Monda

Faramarz, little additions to your list

by Monda on Sun Jun 19, 2011 06:39 AM PDT

Dancing and swimming also do wonders for our stressed souls, before or after cream puffs. Don't take my words though, try them and see if they'd work for you. 


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Faramarz

Just Checking In!

by Faramarz on Sun Jun 19, 2011 06:34 AM PDT

Azarin,

I hope that you got your 8 hours of sleep and you were not dreaming about cream puffs all night!

You know, recent studies show that of all the activities that help people with improving their memories, walking has proven to be the best. They have not been able to explain that, but they speculate that a brisk walk uses many of your muscles and causes the blood to flow. Also walking or running comes natural to humans, unlike cycling or aerobics.

I think that a daily, one hour walk on the beach is the best way to start your day.

More advice to come about stress reduction!


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Esther

Imperfection is beauty ...

by Esther on Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:17 AM PDT

... madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring, as Marilyn Monroe apparently once said.  I wish you more health and less stress, but only enough happiness to allow you to continue to write. :)


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Azarin Sadegh

I don't even have a sweet tooth!

by Azarin Sadegh on Sat Jun 18, 2011 03:38 PM PDT

Thank you so much for your supportive words! What bothers me the most is not about the diet to follow. But this was like a wakeup call for me, reminding my own mortality. The last two years have been extremely stressful and now I am paying for things I had no control over.

Looking at the bright side, I am going to be healthier. It might even encourage me to take it easy in life... On the otherhand, it could backfire and makes me more determined to finish my unfinished works.

We'll see...:-)

Thanks again for all your kind and sweet words! Az.


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divaneh

8 hours sleep or more

by divaneh on Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:59 PM PDT

I am all for that. It's never like being half-dead. Food doesn't bother me but nothing like good sleep and strange dreams. Thanks for sharing this excellent read.


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Monda

آذرین جان، آخر دنیا نشده...

Monda
Sat Jun 18, 2011 09:40 AM PDT

 

به روح پدرم یک عالمه شیرینیهای طبیعی وجود دارند. مثلا میوهای خشک شده، یا تازه،... ولی‌ حالتو درک می‌کنم... هیچ کدوم نون خامه‌ای نمیشن. یادش بخییر. اما بستنی به میدل سربت با شکر تبیی‌ خوب چیزیه، امتحان کن و نظرت رو اطلاع بده.

نوشتت خیلی‌ قشنگ بود. مرسی‌. (ضمنا کون لقِ دکتر بی‌ تربییت و بی‌ احساست، ولی‌ سلامتی از همه چی‌ مهمتره شاید حتا از نون خامه‌ای هم)

 


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Shazde Asdola Mirza

شکر شکن شوند همه طوطیان فارس

Shazde Asdola Mirza
Sat Jun 18, 2011 09:28 AM PDT

Even poems are healther with fake sugar, dear Azarin.


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Anahid Hojjati

Azarin jan, I enjoyed reading your blog

by Anahid Hojjati on Sat Jun 18, 2011 05:38 AM PDT

 

 I mean that your writing was nice. As far as the number, I hope you bring it down. My favorite part was this:

"“Is it a good number?” I asked, trying to smile. "

 


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