So recently I was thinking of anniversaries. I’m really good at remembering my own: when I was born (also known as my birthday), when I turned 12 (12 years after my birth), when I started ryanware.com (June 1999), when I went on a mission for the LDS church (August 2001), when I started blogging (September 2004), when I moved to NYC (November 2008), and how long I’ve been without eating ice cream or other delicious desserts (usually celebrated by eating ice cream or other delicious desserts).

I figure if I work on remembering anniversaries now there’s no way I’ll ever forget my wedding anniversary. Of course, I do have to get married first. So that’s a bit of a trick.

A month ago I went on vacation in Utah and Idaho and, while there, ate a gazillion delicious cookies. At one point I remember thinking to myself something like, “I cannot believe I am eating more cookies. I just finished eating some! I have no self control. When I get back to NYC I will not eat sugar for a month!”

It’s been really hard, but I’d like you to know that, since returning, I have not eaten any sugar. At least not plain. I’ve never really been one to eat it straight out of the bag anyway. Easy goal. Mission accomplished.

(It’s fun to invent goals that are super easy to accomplish: I will not read a terrible book today. I will not get off the computer while typing this sentence. I will not eat a pound of raw fish tonight. Done done done.)

So on August 20th I will have a new anniversary to celebrate: not eating sugar for a month. I started on July 20th. I will admit that I have not been very strict. The reason for this is that I quickly realized “being healthy” and “having a social life” don’t go well together (for me). So the goal became: no ice cream, cookies, brownies, and other delicious desserts*.

* So here’s the part where being a lawyer would be helpful: the small print (as if the goal wasn’t vague enough already).

You know how some special offers from companies have blackout dates? Well, my no sugar goal has blackout dates: cookie night, cookie night again, and my roommate’s birthday (I had to help eat the Italian ice cream while out for his birthday dinner. There were 4 of us and 4 parts to the tartufo ice cream ball).

Cookie Night is exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of people getting together to eat cookies. There is a cookie night in Orem, Utah and it was only appropriate to continue the tradition here in New York City, in Hotel Harlem (my apartment is Hotel Harlem, as we almost always have people sleeping on the couch). Last week we emphasized cookie dough. Tonight is just plain cookie night.

All in all it’s been very interesting so far. I cannot believe how often I crave sugar (about every 5 minutes). It’s been hard (first world problems, oh woe is me)! I have plenty of self control in other areas of my life (I don’t drink, smoke, do drugs, or eat cucumbers), but I was lacking in this area. When it’s over I’ll probably go back to eating sugar, but I certainly intend to keep it under better control (after a day or two of making myself sick on ice cream).