Eat that rump steak – and enjoy it!

My boss loves her chicken strips.

Her love for these calorie-rich, deep fried culinary sins has boiled over into the newsroom. Never does a day go by without at least three of us purchasing these delectable delights.

My first introduction to said chicken strips came after a period of prolonged silence from the Mad Sub.

Sitting quietly behind my laptop, pretending to do work, I was rudely interrupted with a chicken strip slamming into the side of my face.

“Where is this week’s column,” she demanded.

Eager to enjoy something different, I replied while scrabbling about under my desk, looking for the impromptu chicken ICBM.

“I’m working on it boss,” I replied, with my mouth full, batter crumbs flying everywhere.

So wonderful was that chicken strip, that I contemplated delaying my column even further, in the hopes of getting another chicken strip launched in my direction.

And so, for nearly a week, my lunch was supplemented by chicken strips, which someone else was paying for.

Despite this, I was still at a loss for a column. What would I discuss? The elections are over, the ANC is back in power and the EFF is in parliament.

While this fact may be enough to rid a person of hunger (possibly forever) one must accede to a simple fact. For a political party to begin only a few months ago, the EFF performed superbly in the national elections.

I considered writing a letter to parliament, telling them about the wonderful chicken strips we eat, and how they improve our moods, but I figured many of those parliamentary fellows could do with some salad, rather than deep fried chicken.

And this brings me to another point. Every week (it seems) we are being inundated with new diets, new eating fads and ways to curb our weight.

So which one works best? Which diet makes the cut, and which diet is past its sell-by date?

There is the Atkins Diet, the Noakes Diet and all the recommendations from gurus and health freaks in between. In fact, diets have become big business.

But which one works best – something hotly contested by many a person.

To spice things up, we have some people saying we should eat sausages for breakfast, while others say we should eat rabbits. Wait, perhaps they said eat LIKE rabbits. Personally I think eating the rabbits would be better.

You see, I love my food. Fried, grilled, boiled, you name it, it all gets my kitchen-freak going.

I think the secret is moderation. Of course we cannot subsist on deep fried calorie tankers alone, we need to have some greens to balance things out. I think we all know oil is bad for people.

But I cannot wrap my head around those who live like rabbits or deer – eating grass-like items and proclaiming the wondrous taste thereof. But then, that is my opinion, which counts a lot more since I get to pen a column.

Ok, in fairness who am I to judge – just so long as you enjoy what you eat. And therein, I think, is my biggest problem.

I do not agree with gorging like a rabid animal, but you should gain some pleasure out of the food you eat.

At the end of the day, we are not going to get out of life alive. We are all going to die.

And when I go, I want to know I enjoyed that juicy slice of cow, that I tasted food of all sorts.

Life is too short for us to not try new things. Life is too short not to gain pleasure out of life’s simplest of pleasures. And eating is one of those simplest of pleasures.

Enjoy your life, try new things, and never be afraid of cooking up a chunky rump steak.