Why did I eat those cookies (ugh) — and those chocolate covered malted milk balls (yuk)?

They were there.  That's why.

Yes, I had thought about throwing them away.

I thought about it last week, and the week before, and the week before that.

Okay. Then, if I am so unhappy about eating the sweets, why didn't I throw them away?

For that matter, why don't I throw away all the junk in those boxes in the attic?

Wait a minute. Junk in boxes. Sweets in the garage.  That's not the same thing.

Wait a minute again.  Maybe it IS the same thing.

I keep the junk because I think that someday I will be able to use those things.

Do I keep the sweets because I think that someday I will be able to eat those things?

If I'm honest, the answer is yes.

So, why don’t I become more honest?

Why don't I admit that I'm saving the sweets so that one day, when I have a craving, they will be there for me to eat — and then I can feel terrible about it.

Wait a minute.  Being that honest makes me feel uncomfortable. 

But, you know what?  Feeling uncomfortable when I go to buy those sweets might just do the trick.

Wouldn't it be great to have a button to push — with a wire into my brain — when I'm perusing the sweets at Ralphs, so that when pushed, it would make me feel as uncomfortable as I felt after eating those sweets.

Any suggestions?   Any buttons?

You can also talk to me via my email at robertebsen@hotmail.com