I took the day off to help my Dad out today. Picked him up from the doctor, got his prescriptions, propped him up in bed with his meds, went to the grocery, cooked a tortilla soup for him and felt like I hadn't done enough. The only thing we didn't do is talk. He's my Dad not my friend. We're different but I learned many of my habits from him. Will his health issues soon be mine? Dad smoked heavily since he was 13 years old on the farm stripping tobacco. But my unhealthy habits will soon overtake his smoking as the number one reason for death in America according to todays headlines.(My Dad did quit smoking five hard years ago. God bless him.)

Which leads me to a compelling memoir I finished reading by Frances Kuffel called "Passing for Thin". She lost 178 pounds at the age of about 40 after living her whole life obese. This is a book about her adventure after losing the weight. Not the typical weight loss book about diet plans but a well written book about the new person she became. Just splendid and inspirational. A few quick hits from the memoir to give you a hint of the style.

"I loved to put the sugar spoon in my mouth, broad and whorled. It should not be overlooked, in the whys of copulsive eating, that food can be a raw flood of the five senses. My synapses crackled as I waited for the orgy to begin."--Frances Kuffel discussing a formal dinner from her childhood

" 'Oh, you'd have taken me seriously, ' I answered rather bitterly. 'I would have made you. I would have arrived with stories and gossip and obscenities and highfalutin vocabulary and references bursting out of me. I knew I had about thirty seconds to get you passed what I looked like.' It's more likely I wouldn't have taken him seriously because I would have been so busy performing and furtively snatching bread."
--F. Kuffel at a lunch date with a handsome young editor.

Loved her book. She is an agent and writer living in New York and I encourage everyone to read her memoir even if you're thin.

Lit: Story by Robert McKee & Gotham Central P.D. by Greg Rucka/Greg Scott

Muzak: Kelly Hogan, Barenaked Ladies are both on rotation.