Adventures at Midlife

Our friends at Freakonomics, one of my favorite sites, are always thinking:

Is it possible that the availability of good plumbing has contributed to our national weight gain? This may sound ludicrous, but think about it for just a moment. Very few people have to trek through the night to use an outhouse anymore; furthermore, restroom facilities are readily available just about everywhere — which means you don’t have to worry about getting rid of your waste, which frees you up to consume as much as you’d like.

This is certainly original. Could it also be the reason why there are such enormous toilet facilities at our local all-you-can-eat restaurants? (Not that I ever go to any of them, mind you. Um, the restaurants, I mean.)

Most of the respondents to the article agree — and I concur — that it is modern technology (including improvements in plumbing) that is the real problem: too much ease, too many sedentary distractions and too much available — and right tasty — food. It’s cheap and safe and plentiful — and there are even wonderful people out there who will bring it right to your doorstep!

But I do admit that, faced with a long drive across the barren desert, I rethink what I’m eating and drinking. The Spouse thinks a successful road trip is one with ABSOLUTELY NO STOPS.

(And now msmeta returns to logging in her daily caloric intake, which is probably why she has dieting on the brain. How many calories are there in a Snickers Bar? Okay, then, how about a piece of lint?)

Update: Freakonomics also has the best, most concise explanation of the current financial meltdown of any source I’ve read.