Diet, Dessert and Dogs

In the same vein as endnotes or parenthetical references in an essay, this page provides references to things or people mentioned in various entries throughout my blog, especially those who’d prefer to remain otherwise anonymous. 

 Regular References (in alphabetical order): 

• Babe: One of my oldest friends, whom I’ve known since we were seven.  After the movie Babe came out, we both loved it and soon, the nickname “Babe” began to stick.  It was vetoed after I unwittingly called out to her in a coffee shop, “Hey, Babe, what kind of muffin do you want?” and several elderly women threw glaring looks our way.  But this is my blog, and I can be as immature as I like here–so the nickname resurfaces!
• CBC: Cool Boston Chick (not to be confused with THE CBC, or Canadian Broadcasting Company): my older cousin who lives in Boston and is a cherished cousin, “mom” and friend.  She’s the coolest!
• The CFO:  my younger sister, a Chartered Accountant in Montreal.
• Eternal Optimist: One of the most talented, hard-working people I’ve ever met, the EO and I met through a local literary festival where she used to work.  Now a marketing whiz, she’s also my role model as someone who’s funny, smart, and able to put a positive spin on any situation.
• GBR: Great Bed Rest (also Grievous Back Relapse):  the period of ten days in March-April 2008 when I injured my back so badly that I was completely immobilized for almost a week.  I did learn a lot about patterns in ceiling stucco, however, as you can read here.
• Gemini I, Gemini II: my two dearest friends, identical twins with whom I’ve shared fun and laughs since we were all about four years old (and those multiple decades make Oprah and Gayle look like recent acquaintances, believe me).
• H.H. : My Human Honey (who prefers to remain anonymous), as opposed to my furry honeys, Elsie and Chaser.
• NAG diet: diet I learned about in nutrition school (stands for “Natural, Alive, Good-Quality”).  To learn more see this post.
• The Nurse:  my older sister, an operating room nurse in Montreal.
• Phil (short for “The Philanthropist”): a dear friend that I’ve known since high school.  Trained as a lawyer, The Phil is one of the most generous and giving people I know.  When she finally realized law wasn’t for her, she  left to help raise money for various worthy causes, including a women’s walk for breast cancer that broke all previous records.  
• PR Queen: a friend I first met when she signed up for one of my cooking classes, she is one of the most outgoing individuals I’ve ever met.  And while she doesn’t actually work in the PR field, she’s definitely got that bubbly, magnetic (if those two can coexist) personality.
• Starter Husband: the ex-husband from my first (far too young, far too immature) marriage.  Luckily, we ended it fairly quickly, lessons learned. 
• Sterlin: one of my very best friends; our friendship was sealed back in high school because we were both sans boyfriend throughout that time and so bonded with each other (no, not in that way, you perv). 
• WOCA: Week of Chocolate Asceticism.  Every few months, after a particularly repetitive, damaging binge on chocolate, I decide to cut it out of my life for a week or two as a way to return to a more moderate way of eating, and detox the chocolate out of me.  The first few days are the worst, but then I feel much better.  Really.