Celebrating milestones with a carb-fest, sugar-overload.

I swear, "Pomp and Circumstance" gets me every time. Maybe it's the bright eyed vision of youth standing on the brink of their lifetimes, maybe the promise of college misadventures or finally, finally meeting the "real world." Mostly I just think it's the food.

The most recent graduation I attended was no exception.

Fulfilling my in-law duties, I watched as my soon-to-be-sister-in-law strutted the aisle for the last time as a high-school student. Certainly was a proud moment for all, but once the diplomas were handed out and the pictures snapped, it was time for the trouble to start - - the partying.

Now mind you, ordinarily at such events it's somewhat easy for me to avoid going crazy on the delectable dishes customarily offered at such affairs, eating with the in-laws poses a new concern. You don't want to look like that "girl he brought here who doesn't like our food," but you don't want to throw your whole diet out of wack to please the powers-that-be.

As we readied my fiance's mother's house for celebration, I eyed the culinary offerings with trepidation and fear. Oh, they were glorious all right - - Italian cuisines that seemed to call out directly to my heart like mozzarella cheese covered siren songs. So how did I survive this without insulting my future-mother-in-law and without busting out of my party dress?

With my boy so goes my nation, so since he was drafted automatically on to the set-up committee, so was I. He and his skinny siblings were cracking open the huge wedge sandwich before you could say "valedictorian" so I could tell this festival of food would be a day-long one. Instead of joining them on this adventure, I kept my plate-making to once around lunch time and once around dinner time. Between then, I picked at some chips and salsa and maybe snuck a piece of cheese every now and then. (I can resist many things, fresh mozzarella is not one of them.)

Besides staggering my snacking, I volunteered myself for random tasks and kept myself moving about the party, careful never to remain seated near an especially alluring tray of chicken parmigiana. When all else failed, I sipped on some diet soda or drank from a water bottle.

You don't want to concentrate on restraining yourself because it is a party after all and when it's cause for celebration like this, by all means help yourself to a little of the good stuff. The most important thing is to not let these events become all about the food. Spend time associating with your fellow well-wishers and if like me this is an in-law affair, it can't hurt your cause to offer your help.

Because I like you guys so much I'll share with you the one surefire way to keep my nibble-frenzy at bay and avoid temptation of the buffet. Instead of picking up a new plate of goodies, I picked up my trusty camera and spent some time snapping photos of the affair. In the end I still had my self-confidence and also a new set of pics on Facebook honoring the lovely graduate.