This blog was a source of joy for about a month earlier this year. I had fun writing it on a regular basis, but life got complicated and I stopped caring about writing about my midday eating habits. It, in itself, was a satisfying meal of steaming creativity. Using a simple meal as a springboard to discuss whatever I felt like was a novel idea. That is until the novelty wore off.

But today, I am returning to this blog, much like I returned to my leftover pasta for lunch today. Specifically, it was rigatoni with grilled red peppers, onions and mozzarella cheese. Was it delicious last night? Yes. Today? Eh… not really. It had some of the characteristics of deliciousness, but was severely lacking in full and rich flavor. Returning to that pasta was something I regretted deeply.

As for returning to this blog? So far, so good.

Today, I ate a roast beef sandwich with cheese, pickles and wasabi mayo. Wasabi mayo is, of course, the lynch pin that holds all sandwiches together for me now. I also had a glass of Trader Joe’s mango lemonade, which is quite a delectable treat of its own. Come to think of it, the wasabi mayo is from Trader Joe’s as well.

Trader Joe’s, gettin’ it done for me again. I’d like to meet this Joe, just to shake his hand.

Today, I ate a true Cuban fiesta in a bowl. The original fiesta occurred last night, however. Today was the festive leftovers.

The problem is that I spent my morning at the dentist, so eating is kind of weird right now. I’m never clear on when/what/how long I should wait to eat after getting a tooth filled. Also, the Novocaine made eating an interesting endeavor as sensation and movement are currently dulled. The increasing throbbing in my gum, however, means that I should be feeling the repercussions of eating soon enough.

By the way, the chicken fiesta was splendid, succulent and bursting with flavor last night. This afternoon, reheated in a microwave for two minutes exactly, it was a boring party that I couldn’t wait to leave. And I feel kind of sick now.

Not true for peppercorn crusted seared Ahi tuna leftover from Sunday night’s dinner.

Today, I ate a turkey sandwich with havarti cheese, pickles and wasabi mayo on wheat. Havarti sounds like a fancy cheese and it tastes pretty good, but it’s actually the cheapest sliced cheese that Trader Joe’s has to offer. As for the wasabi mayo, that was probably one of the better purchase decisions my wife and I made in years. Better than our new car, better than that suit she uses for work, better than all six seasons of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on DVD.

That’s how good wasabi mayo really is.

Honey turkey sandwich on wheat with Chex mix (traditional style).

Today, I ate leftover turkey and spinach meatballs. They are a delicious combination of turkey, spinach, Parmesan cheese and love, balled up for your digestion pleasure. There was bread involved as well, but no pasta. You’d think there’d be pasta but, dear readers, your favorite lunchtime author is full of surprises.

For instance, did you know that the largest state in the union is Alaska?

Surprised? Sure you are.

Some may wonder why I haven’t posted in awhile. Some may have no idea who I am. No matter. I’ve been away on a new lunch-based journey, one that arose as my previous journey into the wonders of fried chicken drew to a close, but one that is fundamentally at odds with that journey. I have decided to give up meat. Well, not exactly. I’ve decided to give up meat unless (a) it’s organic; (b) it’s fish; or (c) I’m drunk.

Why? Well, I read a disgusting article about how we’re all going to die because of commercial meat practices (and almonds — they do something horrifying to bees that will kill us all — but no room for that here), and I won’t tell you the details, but rest assured that we will all die. And I decided to spend my last few years (I think the article made it clear we have at least a few more years left) reducing the demand for meat that inevitably will kill us all by taking myself out of the death meat food chain. Except in the circumstances enumerated above. I feel that this accomplishes a balance between an idealistic, quixotic attempt to stave off our death (and stuff that’s just gross — really that’s the thing about these ‘don’t eat meat (and possibly almonds if you like bees)’ articles — it’s all just kind of gross), and my more practical realization that we will all nonetheless inevitably perish in a mass conflagration of human stupidity, tearing our garments in anguish as the last nukes blot out the sun in a failed attempt to ward off our alien overlords. (But that, as well, is a matter for another day).

So here is a non-exhaustive list of the things I have had for lunch since I last wrote: veggie burger with avocado, tomato and cheddar cheese (quite tasty); veggie curry with brown sauce and a sliced up hard-boiled egg (that place puts brown sauce on anything), microwave bean and cheese burrito (wrong but so good), spicy tuna fish bowl (see exception #2 above), veggie burger again (it’s not really a burger, but I like it anyway), and microwave soy cheese pizza roll (I could never turn my back on cheese, but this was not bad). These things were all good and did not kill any bees. I will post more as my journey continues.

yesterday for breakfast i went to wawa and got a turkey and cheese toasted on a sesame bagel. it was really good. but it isn’t the point of this post. while fingering the touch screen menu, btw i fingered it real good, I couldn’t help but notice a new option in the bottom right corner of the main menu. to my suprise wawa now offers chicken fingers. yes its 8 am when i notice this. yes i did considering rubbing my finger over the wawa chicken finger area of the touch menu. but no, no i would not. not at eight am. I fingered elsewhere and had my already mentioned tastey bagel. I left the delight of fingering chicken fingers for another time. at work yesterday the chicken fingers haunted me. They were whispering ‘finger me, finger me’ over and over in my ear. i could not resist temptation. for lunch yesterday the chicken fingers were mine. all mine. i fingered that touch menu in record time. the blasts of my finger and the chicken finger order was on its way. they were worth it. they were average fingers, average presentation, but with delicious bbq sauce. i dont know what it was about it that made them so great. was that i knew my own fingering made them mine? anyway. in finished those fingers yesterday and i threw out my trash. but those fingers, they did not leave me. they were in my tummy for the time being. but all good things must come to an end, and at one point, inevitably, they also left my tummy. the taste, honor, pride, courage, and disciplne of those fingers will live on within me.

for example, today around 1 pm i became hungry. coincidence? I think not. the fingers are alive within me. they tell me when to eat and what to eat. they said come eat some more of me. i listened. i was excited. i had a new spirit about me. something was fresh. something was new. i had a spring in my step. more wawa fingers, not because i wanted them, but because i was one with them. i told my friend brad, ‘i’m goin to get more fingers’ and jbo, ‘wawa fingers again witits.’ they called me crazy. they said i couldn’t do it. they didn’t actually care at all. but i did. and i set my heart to it.

so i went to my car, decided eh, i don’t really feel like going to wawa and then bring lunch back to my desk and its kinda expensive, i’ll just go to the pizza place and have the wednesday lunch special. and thats what i did. and it was good. cheese burger with fries. ice tea. sassy waitress. three dollars less than wawa.

but the chicken fingers know and they grow inside me. i held off for now, but it wont be long before i finger for chicken fingers once again.

Today, I ate a homemade calzone containing ground turkey, spinach, portabellas, broccoli, marinara, Parmesan and mozzarella. I am aware some of my fellow lunchers are suspicious of calzone and its cousin stromboli. But I submit that, when you make it at home, stuffing the bread with your own homemade concoctions, baking it just to your liking, the calzone becomes downright personal and endearing. It also tastes pretty good.