Meat with a Side of Meat

I was tickled by D's frustrated summation of the keto diet: "Meat with a side of meat." The menu: Tofu, EAS whey protein shakes, egg whites, beef jerky, chicken breast, baked/grilled/boiled seafood, a little bit of lean red meat. I don't know HOW many pounds of boiled shrimp we consumed the other night, but it was a little bit appalling. When your entree is meat and you've got a limited number of options for sides (another species of meat?), you might as well just pick one thing and go to town.

My youngest sister, Lovely (a good nickname, because she is that), called me last night in hysterics, while I was in the grocery store talking myself out of buying gourmet coffee (the call was probably the reason for my success). She was at the end of Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife, and couldn't handle a particular situation. I had to remind her that this is the reason why I read these books, because they are sometimes lovely and sad and heart-wrenching and full of rage and pain - but that's the REASON why they are so good. Am I a sado-masochist, for enjoying book-induced emotional overload and then hoping to inflict it upon others by buying them fantastic books? I'd be lying if I tried to comfort by saying that it's all just imaginary, it isn't real. It would go against all I am to deny myself (or others) the pleasure of believing that there just MIGHT be a chance that believing is creating, even in the vaguest sense of the word.

Even if I never discover the truth, it's something special to try to believe in wonderful things.