#40 -- Going Out to Breakfast

Going out to eat in general is usually a good time because it usually is in honor of something important happening, or just the fact that you don't have to find your own food yourself (which can be daunting when all that's in the fridge is a jar of pickles and ketchup packets). Dieticians complain that we live in a culture that celebrates accomplishments, events and our fabulous selves with food... but I say, "What's wrong with that?" I mean, I would rather be surrounded by loved ones over a potluck dinner, or at our favorite restaurant, then just sitting around in the living room talking about how exciting life is (while drinking bottled water). But I digress...

Of all the "out to eat" occasions, going to breakfast is the best. It tends to be more casual, and gives you something to look forward to as soon as you wake up. Formal attire is not required -- just throw on a t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops and wipe astringent over your face, brush your teeth (brushing hair is optional) and head out. Once you arrive at the restaurant, your early morning food combination choices are endless. You can be "good" and have a large fruit plate, glass of orange juice and dry wheat toast. You can go "it's a little bit bad, but I'm going to run 3 miles later" and have two eggs over-easy, wheat toast with butter on the side and black coffee. Or you can really jumpstart your metabolism and order the Lumberjack Scramble, or Working Man's Plate, or Oinker Breakfast D'jour, or whatever other fancy name describes your spread of eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, sausage, grits and biscuits (and 3 cups of coffee with cream and sugar).

Whatever your mood on that particular morning, you can reflect it in a high carb, high fat, high caffiene feast. And while that sounds good on its own, there is an even better reason to love going out to breakfast...

It's the most intimate of social outings. Perhaps it is the sleepy haze still evident in the diners' faces, or the fact that there are just some things that need to be said before the day gets under way -- but the people you go to breakfast with are usually the ones who know your deepest concerns and who care enough to keep going for pancakes with you to hear more. These are the people you can count on, who care about you, and don't say anything if you order extra fruity topping or gravy. If they can love you covered in blueberry syrup and smelling like a sausage patty at 7 a.m., they can probably love you in any situation.

There will be times when you go to breakfast alone. This is also invigorating. Take a newspaper, or book, or crossword puzzle and eat your ten courses in a meticulous fashion and just enjoy the calm before the daily storm.

And if there is ever a day you need someone to make you feel better about ordering two sides of bacon, call (text, email, fax) your Mom. Because she needs someone to approve of her three-egg omlette with extra cheese....