June 18, 2024
I must go back to four days ago. It was June 14, and we ate at Super Sushi in Redlands. We took the leftovers home. Patti also bought two pounds of tiramisu while we were out before we went for sushi. I had some later that night, but Patti had some the next morning. She wanted it for breakfast. I’m pretty sure it was the only thing she had for breakfast. She doesn’t eat breakfast normally. Dessert for breakfast goes back to her childhood when her mom encouraged her to at least have a donut for breakfast. Something seemed better than nothing to her mom. I can’t claim to be any better. I can remember having sugary cereals for breakfast. Even when I had Cheerios, I filled the bottom of the bowl with a layer of sugar.
On the 15th, I had stomach problems all day. Did that stop me from finishing the sushi and having more tiramisu? Of course it didn’t. I wondered if I should be eating the sushi with my stomach problems, but not wanting to make my usual meal won out. Like all people, I’m very good at justifying my bad behavior. Patti would have to stop me, and she never does. Normally I can use her presence to keep me good, but not on a mini vacation. Our anniversary counted as a mini vacation. It doesn’t have to make sense in reality. It just must make sense in Mini Vacation Land.
June 25, 2024
I was in the restroom today and about to use the urinal, and a flush came from another stall. It scared the crap out of me because I didn’t know someone else was already in there. After the flush, I could hear the person breathing heavily. Eventually, I could do my thing, but it took me a while. This event reminded me of several other observations I have made while restrooming. Since it has been a while since I’ve talked about restrooming, that’s all I’m going to talk about today. You’re welcome.
Over my many years, I have heard men in stalls struggling to do what they’re doing. Some people breathe heavily no matter what they’re doing inside a restroom or out. They have spent their lives developing unhealthy habits that ensure breathing will always be a struggle. While they are on the toilet, this struggle becomes even more pronounced. Grunting and straining noises are as loud as their breathing. It’s truly disturbing to hear. I can only imagine it’s rarer in a women’s restroom. Men are just gross.
When I’m sitting on the toilet in the men’s restroom, I often pee when I’m sitting down. This is usually to neutralize some of the smell from other things I’m doing. It has come to my attention that some men always sit down when they pee. This confused me at first, but I finally figured it out. Some people are so large that they can’t use the urinal. They must sit down to pee. Realizing this made me realize the many problems that large sized people face. Wiping is a whole unique set of problems they face. I would make a joke about not actually being able to face this problem, but I won’t.
I don’t bring these things up to make fun of large people. I empathize with anyone who has these struggles. Living your life with these restrictions just becomes the way they live their life. My restroom habits have developed out of years of trial and error. I’m assuming it is the same with other people. When you do something for a certain amount of time, you forget there are other ways to do things. I developed this routine out of all the options available to me. Some people have far fewer options. Being large can be as restrictive as any other handicap. The restroom is just one more obstacle to work through.
As I get older, my restroom options will become more restricted. I stand when I wipe. That may not be an option for me some day. We all should focus on what we can do and not what we can’t. I’m privileged to do all the things I can do at almost 54 years of age. That’s right. I’m 54 in one week. Accepting reality has allowed me to be as healthy as I am. I accepted that my weight was a problem, and I completely changed my diet. If you tell yourself that you could never do that, you’re telling yourself what restrictions you will accept. Few people see it that way, but that’s the reality. Unless you live under a dictatorship, you make the choices in your life. Choose wisely.
Thoughts from Life 
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