Suz - Diet Coke = Emotional Wreck

Now, there are other things that I probably ought to factor into the equation. For example, my Grand Theft Auto exploits have left me having violent, frightening dreams (hello, I'm now four years old). I'm reading a book called "Thanking the Monkey," and I found out how Flipper died, and I'm absolutely distraught. I also went to a funeral for a 28-year old that committed suicide, which brings up all of my old issues. And for some reason, Iron & Wine's "Trapeze Swinger" keeps coming up on my iShuffle, and I. Cry. Every. Time. I. Hear. That. Damn. Song.

Anyway, I've replaced Diet Coke with coffee and lots of water, and I'm wondering who the hell has time to go to the bathroom this often anyway? Seriously?

For me, my Diet Coke addiction started some time in the late eighties when my mother had a cholesterol scare and had to go on a huge diet. Both of my parents were die hard Pepsi drinkers, and my mother sobbed at the thought of giving up Pepsi, especially when she discovered how disgusting Diet Pepsi tastes. My sister Kelly suggested to her that she try other diet sodas, and my mom stuck with Diet Squirt for a while, but eventually made the switch to Diet Coke. Since it was in the house, I started drinking it all the time, too.

It wasn't long before my addiction grew. Next thing you know, I was hiding 12-packs of the stuff under my bed, and bringing 12-packs into work, and basically living on the stuff. When I had major disordered eating issues in college, I survived entirely on a diet of Mr. Salty pretzel sticks and Diet Coke.

Now, I'm thirty, and I'm trying to take better care of myself. My desire (ok...Aud's desire *for* me) to quit has little to do with caffeine. It has more to do with the artificial sweetener and other scary ingredients. He's been sending me article after article about new discoveries about the horrors of diet soda drinkage. My sister believes that the stuff makes her crave candy. All I know is that nothing else quenches my thirst like a Diet Coke can. Nothing tastes better with chocolate cake. Nothing tastes better with burritos.

So I soldier on. I'm going to try to drink less coffee today, or at least, I was, but I forgot my blueberry herbal tea bags...

(rushes to the bathroom)