Early Morning Thoughts

Woke up this morning a tad earlier than usual, 4:50, and decided post-latte to get a spin on the rollers in before the rest of the family woke up.  Today being the last day of my ancient philosophy support class, thoughts of Epictetus blended with Phil, Paul and Bob's commentary on the last stage of the Tour of California (on the computer, but turned down very low).  While I was bummed that Zirbel couldn't make his break from the breakway group stick, watching him smoothly persist in the cold California winter rain was inspiring. 

"Thus when aiming at such great things remember that securing them requires more than a modest effort: some things you will have to give up altogether, and others you will have to put aside for the time being."

Ah, those stoics, they certainly have an understanding of bike racing.  Worrying about the things that we can control, and forget about those we cannot.  Of course, they include the body with things that we should not worry about (it's not ours after all; it's owned by the gods).  But things like our appetites, rational and irrational are definitely spot on.  My irrational appetites include those chocolate chip cookies Karl baked yesterday...

"With respect to any of those things you find attractive or useful or have a fondness for (toll house cookie, let's say), recall to mind what kind of thing it is, beginning with the most trifling.  So if you are fond of a [chocolate chip cookie], say, 'I am fond of a [chocolate chip cookie]'.  Then you will not be upset if [someone else eats it]."

Really, the name of the game seems to be brings things to mind, consciously making decisions with our rational self.  Once we bring the cookie to mind, the rational self decides what is best.  'Hmm, eating this will cause me to fail in reaching my goal of losing weight.  If I lose weight, I won't look so silly in that lycra outfit I wear in front of strangers at races.  I think I'll let someone else eat that cookie.'  One tool the stoics didn't have is the new LabPixies Calorie Counter for iGoogle.  The simple act of writing down what you eat during the day, everything you eat, makes each act of eating a rational choice; something that Epictetus and his buddies would have loved.  Try it for a week and see if it doesn't change your eating habits.