I'm not going to torture you with Christmas Carols as I know for a fact that the stores started playing them before Halloween this year. So Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, Kwanzaa, Hanuka, whatever.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sincerely, A Fat Woman
So I was driving to school this morning and I was a bit offended by one of the local radio stations. They were making fun of a company in England that makes panties for women who are size XXXXXXXL or close to that size (I don't remember how many X's), basically they are making panties for women who weigh up to something like 600 pounds. More to the point they were making fun of the women who would need those size panties. They said things like, "Go on a diet!" and "You finally found someone who will eat that fruitcake huh?" And I was just disgusted, you know here are people that thousands of people listen to everyday on their way to work and they're vilifying the company and it's clients!
As a result I've written a letter that I intend to email or send to the station. Here it is for your reading pleasure.
December 2, 2010
Dear Radio Station:
This morning on your station I heard some rather offensive talk that I believe your radio personalities should apologize for. They were discussing a company in England that makes panties for women who are very fat. Mostly they were making fun of this company’s clients, saying things like “Go on a diet!” and “You found someone who’ll eat that fruitcake.” Yet they know nothing about the women who buy from this company other than what the largest size panties are that the company makes.
These comments are not only offensive, but damaging to women. It promotes the idea that the only thing important about women are their bodies, and that the only body which is acceptable is the one which is seen on the cover of Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and other popular magazines. These kinds of comments drive women and girls of all ages to extremes to meet this ideal: Bulimia, Anorexia, starvation dieting, fad diets, weight loss surgery, etc.
It also promotes public discrimination and ridicule (Bullying) of women who do not fit the ideal. I personally know of women who have been cat called on the street with shouts of “Moo!” or “Go home fatty!”, or had people tell them they shouldn’t eat at all because they are fat, or should hide themselves from the public because they are considered disgusting. I know of several women who’ve contemplated ending their lives because they couldn’t get thin, and couldn’t take the comments and just plain meanness anymore. It’s seen as okay to ridicule these women because obviously they just didn’t try hard enough to lose the weight. Yet what would keep these women from losing weight? Could it be that our bodies are designed to keep weight on? Could it be that some of them have medical issues, or genes, that make their body more prone to retaining weight? Could it be that historically our planet has gone through cycles of feast and famine, and during the times of famine those who were better able to retain their fat would live?
It is not okay to make fun of fat women. It is not okay to tell a girl, even without meaning to, that if she becomes fat she is worth less than another girl who is thin. It is not okay to bully someone for their size, or for any other reason. It is not okay that media personalities are allowed to say such things about other human beings who deserve just as much respect as them, if not more because they get out of bed every morning and face a world where these comments and persecutions run rampant.
Sincerely,
A Fat Woman
As a result I've written a letter that I intend to email or send to the station. Here it is for your reading pleasure.
December 2, 2010
Dear Radio Station:
This morning on your station I heard some rather offensive talk that I believe your radio personalities should apologize for. They were discussing a company in England that makes panties for women who are very fat. Mostly they were making fun of this company’s clients, saying things like “Go on a diet!” and “You found someone who’ll eat that fruitcake.” Yet they know nothing about the women who buy from this company other than what the largest size panties are that the company makes.
These comments are not only offensive, but damaging to women. It promotes the idea that the only thing important about women are their bodies, and that the only body which is acceptable is the one which is seen on the cover of Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and other popular magazines. These kinds of comments drive women and girls of all ages to extremes to meet this ideal: Bulimia, Anorexia, starvation dieting, fad diets, weight loss surgery, etc.
It also promotes public discrimination and ridicule (Bullying) of women who do not fit the ideal. I personally know of women who have been cat called on the street with shouts of “Moo!” or “Go home fatty!”, or had people tell them they shouldn’t eat at all because they are fat, or should hide themselves from the public because they are considered disgusting. I know of several women who’ve contemplated ending their lives because they couldn’t get thin, and couldn’t take the comments and just plain meanness anymore. It’s seen as okay to ridicule these women because obviously they just didn’t try hard enough to lose the weight. Yet what would keep these women from losing weight? Could it be that our bodies are designed to keep weight on? Could it be that some of them have medical issues, or genes, that make their body more prone to retaining weight? Could it be that historically our planet has gone through cycles of feast and famine, and during the times of famine those who were better able to retain their fat would live?
It is not okay to make fun of fat women. It is not okay to tell a girl, even without meaning to, that if she becomes fat she is worth less than another girl who is thin. It is not okay to bully someone for their size, or for any other reason. It is not okay that media personalities are allowed to say such things about other human beings who deserve just as much respect as them, if not more because they get out of bed every morning and face a world where these comments and persecutions run rampant.
Sincerely,
A Fat Woman
Friday, October 29, 2010
Body Equality
Let’s talk again about fat hate and quite possibly fat discrimination. Recently Marie Claire had one Maura Kelly post a blog about a new American sitcom about a fat couple. In her post as far as I could stomach to read, she basically says fat people are disgusting, ugly, and they make her want to lose her lunch. I’ve also read several articles in response to her blog post and while the articles themselves are very balanced and often…well not exactly pro-fat but very fat and skinny and average are equal. The comments however leave something to be desired.
Many of the comments are full of fat hate or the whole ‘health concern’, and comments about how having to sit beside a fat person on a plane or on public transport is just so traumatizing. But what I really want to address is the idea that because of free speech people are allowed to go out and spout any kind of acidic comments they want to about fat people.
Ladies and Gentlemen, freedom of speech does not protect your right to harm others. I cannot stand up in a packed theater and shout fire. I am not allowed to call a black person the ‘N’ word. So why should freedom of speech protect someone’s right to fat bash? It is causing harm, psychological harm sure, but psychological trauma as we’ve all seen can easily lead to physical harm of one’s self. And don’t you dare tell me that racist comments are different from fat hate, they are both the same! You are judging someone and discriminating against them based on how they look!
On top of the whole freedom of speech thing, fat bashing is no different than what the news has been going on about for weeks about bullying! Bully’s bully because they want to make themselves feel better, or they think if they make that person feel bad enough about themselves they’ll change. Well fat haters (hell all bullies/haters/bashers/whatever) life doesn’t work out like that, you hurt people and they tend to lash out, either at you or in many people’s cases at themselves. Even if they bottle it up for now eventually it’ll come out.
Now onto the issue of another comment: why should a complete stranger’s opinion matter? Well it really shouldn’t, however, most fat people have been attacked and ridiculed so much throughout their lives that they have virtually no self-esteem left to combat the hate this complete stranger spews at them. And when I say they’ve been ridiculed I mean they’ve had family members telling them to lose weight, they’ve had diet coaches, they’ve had gym memberships, and they have the whole of the media telling them how horrible and worthless they are because they’re fat! Even the First Lady has gotten in on this! On top of it some people receive unwanted and unwarranted attention while in public: people making snide comments in pseudo low voices, people taking pictures to make fun of the fat person, people reposting photos from facebook or any other photo sharing sites to fat hating sites or groups. So now tell a fat person that a stranger’s opinion shouldn’t matter. To most of them that’s the only attention they’ve ever gotten so they start to think that that’s the only attention they deserve. So don’t tell me that we fat people should have the self-esteem to just ignore it.
Now my dear fatties, I feel we are justified in our attempt to speak out about the issues surrounding our fatness. Because if we don’t say a word it’ll just continue in the way it has, and that to me is unacceptable. We deserve to be happy and to be able to go to a restaurant or on a plane, bus, or train without having to worry about if someone is going to be cruel, or if we’re going to be kicked off. Our plight is no different than Civil Rights back in the 60’s, we want body equality.
Many of the comments are full of fat hate or the whole ‘health concern’, and comments about how having to sit beside a fat person on a plane or on public transport is just so traumatizing. But what I really want to address is the idea that because of free speech people are allowed to go out and spout any kind of acidic comments they want to about fat people.
Ladies and Gentlemen, freedom of speech does not protect your right to harm others. I cannot stand up in a packed theater and shout fire. I am not allowed to call a black person the ‘N’ word. So why should freedom of speech protect someone’s right to fat bash? It is causing harm, psychological harm sure, but psychological trauma as we’ve all seen can easily lead to physical harm of one’s self. And don’t you dare tell me that racist comments are different from fat hate, they are both the same! You are judging someone and discriminating against them based on how they look!
On top of the whole freedom of speech thing, fat bashing is no different than what the news has been going on about for weeks about bullying! Bully’s bully because they want to make themselves feel better, or they think if they make that person feel bad enough about themselves they’ll change. Well fat haters (hell all bullies/haters/bashers/whatever) life doesn’t work out like that, you hurt people and they tend to lash out, either at you or in many people’s cases at themselves. Even if they bottle it up for now eventually it’ll come out.
Now onto the issue of another comment: why should a complete stranger’s opinion matter? Well it really shouldn’t, however, most fat people have been attacked and ridiculed so much throughout their lives that they have virtually no self-esteem left to combat the hate this complete stranger spews at them. And when I say they’ve been ridiculed I mean they’ve had family members telling them to lose weight, they’ve had diet coaches, they’ve had gym memberships, and they have the whole of the media telling them how horrible and worthless they are because they’re fat! Even the First Lady has gotten in on this! On top of it some people receive unwanted and unwarranted attention while in public: people making snide comments in pseudo low voices, people taking pictures to make fun of the fat person, people reposting photos from facebook or any other photo sharing sites to fat hating sites or groups. So now tell a fat person that a stranger’s opinion shouldn’t matter. To most of them that’s the only attention they’ve ever gotten so they start to think that that’s the only attention they deserve. So don’t tell me that we fat people should have the self-esteem to just ignore it.
Now my dear fatties, I feel we are justified in our attempt to speak out about the issues surrounding our fatness. Because if we don’t say a word it’ll just continue in the way it has, and that to me is unacceptable. We deserve to be happy and to be able to go to a restaurant or on a plane, bus, or train without having to worry about if someone is going to be cruel, or if we’re going to be kicked off. Our plight is no different than Civil Rights back in the 60’s, we want body equality.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Jeans Jeans Jeans...Pants
Today I'm going to get upon my soap box for a minute about something many women have, a pair of jeans or pants. Recently I had about 3 pairs of jeans or pants get rips. One of them in places that it's going to be virtually impossible to fix unless I have an industrial strength sewing machine (rip is right on the edge of a back pocket). So I went out and got one new pair of jeans at walmart to keep myself clothed until I got the pairs I can fix fixed.
Well, what did I find at walmart? Every single pair of jeans in the women's section, and the larger women's section in particular, had a 'slimming panel'. Now I don't know about you ladies but I really really don't want certain parts of me squished, and that's basically what a slimming panel does, it squishes in the bits other people find offensive because you're fat. But they don't squish in all the bits that people find offensive. On top of that they made me feel a bit crappy because the slimming panel is there it makes the jeans fit differently and therefore I needed a bigger size. I got over that real quick though. And there are certain times of the month when having those bits squished is very uncomfortable, if you follow me ladies.
Now I really really really needed these jeans otherwise I'd be down to just three pairs of run around jeans/pants. And since I don't do laundry as often as I should I tend to need all my jeans in working order. So I bought a pair...and the make me a little irate every single time I wear them. I know if you don't absolutely love something don't buy it but, walmart is the only place I can find a pair of jeans that fit that don't cost me $40 a pop. So I have slim panel jeans. But...why the hell can't walmart carry normal jeans without the whole slim thing! I really really just wanted a normal pair of jeans! Curse you walmart! And curse you other stores for not having reasonable prices!!
Well, what did I find at walmart? Every single pair of jeans in the women's section, and the larger women's section in particular, had a 'slimming panel'. Now I don't know about you ladies but I really really don't want certain parts of me squished, and that's basically what a slimming panel does, it squishes in the bits other people find offensive because you're fat. But they don't squish in all the bits that people find offensive. On top of that they made me feel a bit crappy because the slimming panel is there it makes the jeans fit differently and therefore I needed a bigger size. I got over that real quick though. And there are certain times of the month when having those bits squished is very uncomfortable, if you follow me ladies.
Now I really really really needed these jeans otherwise I'd be down to just three pairs of run around jeans/pants. And since I don't do laundry as often as I should I tend to need all my jeans in working order. So I bought a pair...and the make me a little irate every single time I wear them. I know if you don't absolutely love something don't buy it but, walmart is the only place I can find a pair of jeans that fit that don't cost me $40 a pop. So I have slim panel jeans. But...why the hell can't walmart carry normal jeans without the whole slim thing! I really really just wanted a normal pair of jeans! Curse you walmart! And curse you other stores for not having reasonable prices!!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
I'm Allowed to Ride the Elevator too!
So last week I had the experience of getting on an elevator and going up one floor and having a guy remark upon me taking it up just one floor. Now as some of you have read I have issues with my knee acting up on occasion. As a result I kinda avoid steps as much as possible as they make it worse. Mind you I can't do that at work or home and there's enough of them that frequently I come home with my knee twinging and my hip hurting because my knee is out of wack. So this guy says something about me taking the elevator. And I said the first thing that came to mind "I busted my leg right below my knee two years ago and it makes my knee acts up so I take the elevator." What I really should have said was, "Yeah because I'm, you know, fat." and smiled at him.
I always do that come up with the greatest comebacks after the fact. But since then it irks me when people give me dirty looks for getting on the elevator. Just because I'm fat doesn't mean I'm not allowed to use the elevator. Elevators are not a thin-centric privilege. You do not know what other people's abilities are nor do you know if they have an injury/past injury/disability that makes taking the stairs hard or painful.
I always do that come up with the greatest comebacks after the fact. But since then it irks me when people give me dirty looks for getting on the elevator. Just because I'm fat doesn't mean I'm not allowed to use the elevator. Elevators are not a thin-centric privilege. You do not know what other people's abilities are nor do you know if they have an injury/past injury/disability that makes taking the stairs hard or painful.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Bullying: It Doesn't Just Happen in School
The other day my dear friend over at Fat Heffalump posted about bullying, and how it's glossed over on the internet. Particularly she was referring to what are commonly referred to as 'Trolls'. People who browse through blogs/articles/website etc. and leave comments that are just plane mean.
For those of us involved in FA this includes those people who post that they're, 'concerned for your health.' But then there's the other who spew vitriol and hate calling us all sorts of names and suggesting we die. But people brush it off when we complain about them, saying it's our fault for putting ourselves out there. But if someone said this to someone in public, like on the street, everyone would think they're just horrible.
Now while I was at work today I was listening to my ipod, and what comes up but a song I just downloaded this morning called Words by Train. This song immediately put me in mind of my friend's post. So I want to share. Not exactly about bullying but it still hits the nail pretty hard on the head. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
For those of us involved in FA this includes those people who post that they're, 'concerned for your health.' But then there's the other who spew vitriol and hate calling us all sorts of names and suggesting we die. But people brush it off when we complain about them, saying it's our fault for putting ourselves out there. But if someone said this to someone in public, like on the street, everyone would think they're just horrible.
Now while I was at work today I was listening to my ipod, and what comes up but a song I just downloaded this morning called Words by Train. This song immediately put me in mind of my friend's post. So I want to share. Not exactly about bullying but it still hits the nail pretty hard on the head. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Even the News....
I know most of you probably watch the news. Normally I don't but a lot of times that's the only thing blaring about the halls when I'm waiting for my class to start. Well today not only did I see something on the news about how they're changing the name of High Fructose Corn Syrup because people are scared it'll cause obesity, but there are now two ways for you to lose weight. Mind you I have to give them credit they did say that there have been no actual conclusive studies done that high fructose corn syrup causes obesity. But it was the next part that made me want to vomit. You can now have your fat frozen or deflated to get rid of it.
Now tell me, how the hell do they deflate your fat? It just sounds ridiculous to me! And freezing your fat? Doesn't freezing actually make things expand? I know when you freeze a water bottle the bottom puffs out and if you're not careful they can explode. And what is the human body made of primarily? Water or some other kind of liquid. None of it sounds safe or even sane to me.
Doctors who do this I dub thee nuts.
Now tell me, how the hell do they deflate your fat? It just sounds ridiculous to me! And freezing your fat? Doesn't freezing actually make things expand? I know when you freeze a water bottle the bottom puffs out and if you're not careful they can explode. And what is the human body made of primarily? Water or some other kind of liquid. None of it sounds safe or even sane to me.
Doctors who do this I dub thee nuts.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Hobbies Sometimes Require you to Sit on your Bum!
So I know I've heard people say that fat people spend too much time in front of the television, or too much time playing video games, or just plain too much time sitting on their asses. Well I hate to tell them that sure there may be some people who spend too much time on their rumps, but for a lot of fatties I've seen...it's not so true.
I know a lot of fatties who are very active, they go to yoga, they bellydance, they quilt...yes I just said they quilt. I've heard people say that quilting is one of those relaxing hobbies that you sit down a lot for. And I can just hear that little voice in my head going, "Put down the needle and go running fat ass." Well no I hate running no matter how good it's supposed to be for me (not, it's harder on the knees than almost anything else), and I love quilting. And quilting isn't exactly all about sitting on your bum.
If you enjoy a hobby that isn't exactly physical (or doesn't seem physical to outside viewers) and you're fat that doesn't mean you're not allowed to do it. Anyone who says otherwise is full of poo. Because honestly most hobbies require some 'exercise' even if we don't realize it. I'll use quilting as an example, I don't just sit down and cut pieces of fabric apart and sew them together. First I have to go out and buy the fabric, and that can take an hour or more depending on what I'm doing. That's an hour or more on my feet wandering about fabric stores pulling out bolts of fabric and touching them, comparing colors and quality. Then I have to wash my fabric (some sources say you don't need to but I always do), and after the washing comes the ironing, and after the ironing comes cutting. Up to this point I haven't exactly sat down yet. After I finish ironing out the whole pieces of fabric and folding them properly I set them on my cutting mat and start cutting strips. Once I finish cutting strips I usually go back and iron out the fold in the middle.
From here I may go sit down and sew, it depends on what quilt I'm making. If I do go sit and sew from here I'm still going to get up later and cut some more. Or I continue cutting before I sit down and sew. And then before I finish the quilt I have to stand for an hour or more pressing blocks so the seams are in the proper position. And sit down and sew some more. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) Even before I get to sit down and sew I've probably spent 3 or more hours on my feet finding my fabric and cutting it.
So see quilting isn't exactly a sedentary hobby, I do get up and move. I may not move quickly and it may not make me sweat or make my heart go pitter-patter like I'm running a marathon, but I am up and moving. And still those who do not see all the preparatory work don't see all the movement, and therefore would continue to tell me, "Got off your ass and exercise fatty!"
But their opinions don't matter. What's important is that you enjoy it, and don't let others views on you and your hobby ruin your enjoyment.
I know a lot of fatties who are very active, they go to yoga, they bellydance, they quilt...yes I just said they quilt. I've heard people say that quilting is one of those relaxing hobbies that you sit down a lot for. And I can just hear that little voice in my head going, "Put down the needle and go running fat ass." Well no I hate running no matter how good it's supposed to be for me (not, it's harder on the knees than almost anything else), and I love quilting. And quilting isn't exactly all about sitting on your bum.
If you enjoy a hobby that isn't exactly physical (or doesn't seem physical to outside viewers) and you're fat that doesn't mean you're not allowed to do it. Anyone who says otherwise is full of poo. Because honestly most hobbies require some 'exercise' even if we don't realize it. I'll use quilting as an example, I don't just sit down and cut pieces of fabric apart and sew them together. First I have to go out and buy the fabric, and that can take an hour or more depending on what I'm doing. That's an hour or more on my feet wandering about fabric stores pulling out bolts of fabric and touching them, comparing colors and quality. Then I have to wash my fabric (some sources say you don't need to but I always do), and after the washing comes the ironing, and after the ironing comes cutting. Up to this point I haven't exactly sat down yet. After I finish ironing out the whole pieces of fabric and folding them properly I set them on my cutting mat and start cutting strips. Once I finish cutting strips I usually go back and iron out the fold in the middle.
From here I may go sit down and sew, it depends on what quilt I'm making. If I do go sit and sew from here I'm still going to get up later and cut some more. Or I continue cutting before I sit down and sew. And then before I finish the quilt I have to stand for an hour or more pressing blocks so the seams are in the proper position. And sit down and sew some more. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) Even before I get to sit down and sew I've probably spent 3 or more hours on my feet finding my fabric and cutting it.
So see quilting isn't exactly a sedentary hobby, I do get up and move. I may not move quickly and it may not make me sweat or make my heart go pitter-patter like I'm running a marathon, but I am up and moving. And still those who do not see all the preparatory work don't see all the movement, and therefore would continue to tell me, "Got off your ass and exercise fatty!"
But their opinions don't matter. What's important is that you enjoy it, and don't let others views on you and your hobby ruin your enjoyment.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Tubes and Training to make you thin!.....
I went and saw Despicable Me last night, and while the movie was alright, the ads made me a bit cranky. One of the ads was for a pair of sneakers from K-Swiss called Tubes. This is the ad.
I had no problem to begin with with what the ad was saying and portraying. I mean it's for a pair of sports sneakers after all. But at the very end of the ad the man who is doing all the talking makes a comment that I find offensive and fat-hating. Undoubtedly it was part of a script he had to use, but still that the company can get away with such comments makes me mad.
I had no problem to begin with with what the ad was saying and portraying. I mean it's for a pair of sports sneakers after all. But at the very end of the ad the man who is doing all the talking makes a comment that I find offensive and fat-hating. Undoubtedly it was part of a script he had to use, but still that the company can get away with such comments makes me mad.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
I don't have knee pain because I'm fat
I'm pretty sure I've posted about this before but I'm just gonna go on about it again. I have knee pain, in my right knee. My left is just fine, but the right has been acting up ever since I fractured it almost 2 years ago. In the last 6 months alone I've been dealing with off and on pain due to inflammation in the knee. Now what to I hear whenever I say something about my knee hurting. "It'd go away if you just lost weight!" My doctor has not said this to my face, but my mother has.
Now here's the other half of this. I know my knee doesn't hurt because of my weight, or atleast not just because of my weight. The other reason is that I play a full contact...'sport' I guess. I am one of those women who goes out onto a field with a bunch of other people and swings a foam covered stick. I LARP (Live Action Role Play), in particular I play the game called Amtgard. This is very very hard on the knees as many people who are not fat that play the game can vouch for. But still I hear it. "Lose weight and your knee problems would go away!"
No they wouldn't because I'd still be playing Amtgard. Of course I don't play when I'm having problems with my knee, but just last week I was shanghaied into doing a demo at our local YMCA...for children who were not old enough to even play the game (Age limit of 14 to be on the field for obvious reasons). The only reason we did a demo there was one of the people in charge of our park works there. When we got to the Y I figured we'd be in a room with some carpet or something on the floor. Nope we were on tile. So I was dropping to my knees on tile! I wasn't dropping fast or hard, but by the end of it my knee was telling me it wasn't happy. So this past Saturday I didn't go to Amtgard. I stayed home, and the person who planned said demo apparently bad mouthed about me while I wasn't there. Saying I complained more than she did, and how I should still be out at the park even if I wasn't going to fight. Well I wanted to stay home because even if I didn't fight she would tell me she needed another person to Reeve (play referee) and that would require me to be on my feet for most of 4 hours. The only reason I know this is that someone else from the park (a friend of mine who's at least in her 50's and her three children) came over for dinner Sunday evening and we got on the topic of Mrs. Complainer.
And sorry I got off topic. I have a bit of a...not really a grudge but I have issues with this other woman.
Anyway, my knee problems are not because of my weight, not entirely at least. Doctors wouldn't tell a 250 pound line backer to lose weight because he had knee problems, why? Because he plays a full contact sport. I play a game that is just as violent and prone to injuries as America football. With probably more rules in regards to safety than football has. And they don't make knee pads for Amtgard. I could probably use the pads you get for football...but they are not exactly cheap. And I'm pretty sure I'd have a bit of trouble finding some that fit in the right places. As they are normally made for guys (I have hips and thighs not so awesome for fitting into safety gear meant to be skin tight on men). And I've looked into volleyball pads, and I couldn't find any that were in a size that didn't cut off my circulation.
So in closing, doctors are biased against fat people who don't obviously play a sport they are familiar with. And finding pads to fit fat knees is a pain in the butt.
Now here's the other half of this. I know my knee doesn't hurt because of my weight, or atleast not just because of my weight. The other reason is that I play a full contact...'sport' I guess. I am one of those women who goes out onto a field with a bunch of other people and swings a foam covered stick. I LARP (Live Action Role Play), in particular I play the game called Amtgard. This is very very hard on the knees as many people who are not fat that play the game can vouch for. But still I hear it. "Lose weight and your knee problems would go away!"
No they wouldn't because I'd still be playing Amtgard. Of course I don't play when I'm having problems with my knee, but just last week I was shanghaied into doing a demo at our local YMCA...for children who were not old enough to even play the game (Age limit of 14 to be on the field for obvious reasons). The only reason we did a demo there was one of the people in charge of our park works there. When we got to the Y I figured we'd be in a room with some carpet or something on the floor. Nope we were on tile. So I was dropping to my knees on tile! I wasn't dropping fast or hard, but by the end of it my knee was telling me it wasn't happy. So this past Saturday I didn't go to Amtgard. I stayed home, and the person who planned said demo apparently bad mouthed about me while I wasn't there. Saying I complained more than she did, and how I should still be out at the park even if I wasn't going to fight. Well I wanted to stay home because even if I didn't fight she would tell me she needed another person to Reeve (play referee) and that would require me to be on my feet for most of 4 hours. The only reason I know this is that someone else from the park (a friend of mine who's at least in her 50's and her three children) came over for dinner Sunday evening and we got on the topic of Mrs. Complainer.
And sorry I got off topic. I have a bit of a...not really a grudge but I have issues with this other woman.
Anyway, my knee problems are not because of my weight, not entirely at least. Doctors wouldn't tell a 250 pound line backer to lose weight because he had knee problems, why? Because he plays a full contact sport. I play a game that is just as violent and prone to injuries as America football. With probably more rules in regards to safety than football has. And they don't make knee pads for Amtgard. I could probably use the pads you get for football...but they are not exactly cheap. And I'm pretty sure I'd have a bit of trouble finding some that fit in the right places. As they are normally made for guys (I have hips and thighs not so awesome for fitting into safety gear meant to be skin tight on men). And I've looked into volleyball pads, and I couldn't find any that were in a size that didn't cut off my circulation.
So in closing, doctors are biased against fat people who don't obviously play a sport they are familiar with. And finding pads to fit fat knees is a pain in the butt.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Blaming your Body
So I saw an ad on my facebook page...and it said that scientists say you should blame any discomfort you feel from wearing high heels on your rigid tendons. I'm sorry but it is not your foot's fault that it isn't meant to have the heel 4 inches higher than your toes.
This in turn got me thinking about other things people blame and hate their body for. Fat being one of the big ones. Honestly I've had issues with my body for a long time. Mostly all of it's in my head because my body...heck everyone's body is an awesome piece of work. It puts up with you when you call it dirty names and starve it. And it allows you to move and feel! It is a complicated piece of equipment (a not so apt description but it works sort of)! You wouldn't treat a $15,000 sewing machine the way you do your body. You wouldn't treat a power tool the way you do your body. Heck you wouldn't treat a dog they way you do your body!
So stop blaming it if it's not a size 10/12/whatever. Stop blaming it if your feet hurt after you wear high heels for three hours. Stop blaming it for it's blemishes and aches, because that's all part of the package. Love your body, pamper it every once in a while. If your body hurts, stop and rest or go take a bubble bath! Or if you have the money for it get a massage! Your body is irreplaceable take care of it and you'll feel so much better!
This in turn got me thinking about other things people blame and hate their body for. Fat being one of the big ones. Honestly I've had issues with my body for a long time. Mostly all of it's in my head because my body...heck everyone's body is an awesome piece of work. It puts up with you when you call it dirty names and starve it. And it allows you to move and feel! It is a complicated piece of equipment (a not so apt description but it works sort of)! You wouldn't treat a $15,000 sewing machine the way you do your body. You wouldn't treat a power tool the way you do your body. Heck you wouldn't treat a dog they way you do your body!
So stop blaming it if it's not a size 10/12/whatever. Stop blaming it if your feet hurt after you wear high heels for three hours. Stop blaming it for it's blemishes and aches, because that's all part of the package. Love your body, pamper it every once in a while. If your body hurts, stop and rest or go take a bubble bath! Or if you have the money for it get a massage! Your body is irreplaceable take care of it and you'll feel so much better!
Monday, July 19, 2010
HAPPY MONDAY!
So this is the first time in a very very long time...possibly the very first time ever for me. I actually had a really good Monday. Normally I'm grouchy and lethargic, not that I'm not lethargic every other day of the week but, today I was perky and awake and very happy. There are several reasons for this.
1. My boyfriend finally got his tickets for his transfer, and as of August 3rd he will be in California instead of South Korea. This means that if he feels comfortable enough with how he settles in there I may be driving out to see him. It's cheaper for me to drive than fly because of the location of his brother and his brother's wife who happens to be my best friend, right around Salt Lake City which means I can stop at their house for the night instead of getting a hotel room.
2. For the first time in a long time I woke up and went through my day with very little knee/lower leg pain. Now the reason for this pain is that I have/had an enflamed knee. Meaning the muscles around my knee cap swelled up with overuse causing the muscles down the front of my leg to tighten and hurt. I didn't take any Ibuprofen today to deal with the swelling. I didn't put any ice on it, and I've felt really good all day. There was a twinge or two through out the day but nothing like what's been happening regularly since the beginning of April. Now that the day is almost over and I went to work and cleaned (highly physically intensive work being a janitor) it's starting to hurt a tiny bit and I can feel that pulling sensation along the front of my calf. So I'll probably ice it and take some iburprofen before bed.
Now some of you may have read that I've had knee problems in the past. And the reason for my long recovery from this issue is that I haven't been doing my exercises as religiously as I should have been. But after the 4th of July I started doing them much more religiously.
But yes happy Monday my dears! May you all find something to smile about! (And yes I realize it's technically Tuesday when I post this, I'm up a wee bit late)
1. My boyfriend finally got his tickets for his transfer, and as of August 3rd he will be in California instead of South Korea. This means that if he feels comfortable enough with how he settles in there I may be driving out to see him. It's cheaper for me to drive than fly because of the location of his brother and his brother's wife who happens to be my best friend, right around Salt Lake City which means I can stop at their house for the night instead of getting a hotel room.
2. For the first time in a long time I woke up and went through my day with very little knee/lower leg pain. Now the reason for this pain is that I have/had an enflamed knee. Meaning the muscles around my knee cap swelled up with overuse causing the muscles down the front of my leg to tighten and hurt. I didn't take any Ibuprofen today to deal with the swelling. I didn't put any ice on it, and I've felt really good all day. There was a twinge or two through out the day but nothing like what's been happening regularly since the beginning of April. Now that the day is almost over and I went to work and cleaned (highly physically intensive work being a janitor) it's starting to hurt a tiny bit and I can feel that pulling sensation along the front of my calf. So I'll probably ice it and take some iburprofen before bed.
Now some of you may have read that I've had knee problems in the past. And the reason for my long recovery from this issue is that I haven't been doing my exercises as religiously as I should have been. But after the 4th of July I started doing them much more religiously.
But yes happy Monday my dears! May you all find something to smile about! (And yes I realize it's technically Tuesday when I post this, I'm up a wee bit late)
Friday, July 16, 2010
Recent Thoughts
Before I actually get into this whole post, I'd like to say hi and thank you to the three people following this blog...and sleepydumpling because she's reads it too! ^_^ Because you don't know how good it makes me feel that what I'm writing isn't just going out there and disappearing.
Anyway recently a link from Fat Heffalump's Facebook Page there was a link to another page pointing out a rather fabulous blog post, here. And this blog post has me thinking about a few things. How women define themselves by how fat or thin they are. How they ignore other aspects of themselves if they think they have 10/100 lbs to lose. These aspects include, sense of humor, smile, and intellect. Things that make us who we are in so many more ways than fat does.
This in turn has me thinking about something that occurred several months ago on campus. I met up with someone I had Ancient Rome with outside of class. He offered to walk me to my car and we walked and talked and when we got to my car we talked some more. He's a really nice guy by the way. Anyway he blurts out, "I can't believe you're not married! You have such a great personality!" And this made me step back a little. Because a little voice inside my head went, "My personality is more important than my weight?" I squashed that bug hard, because even then I knew my personality was more important than my weight, but I still had/have that voice of society embedded in my head telling me that the only important feature about me was my body. So I responded that most people can't get past the weight to see the personality. And he replied that that was complete bull because the personality is more important than looks.
And I honestly probably would have ended up dating this guy if I wasn't already with someone else. But what he said really made part of that voice of society go silent. Because hey, someone thought I was worth their time because I had a great personality!
So the whole point of this post was me kinda looking back, at mostly my college career, and remembering. Remembering when I'm standing in line to sell books back right in front of the stairs to the dorms I get disgusted looks from girls walking through. Remembering that guy who walked me to my car. Remembering...just remembering all those moments that were fat positive and ones that were fat negative, and even just happy moments and sad moments when someone was nice to me.
Anyway recently a link from Fat Heffalump's Facebook Page there was a link to another page pointing out a rather fabulous blog post, here. And this blog post has me thinking about a few things. How women define themselves by how fat or thin they are. How they ignore other aspects of themselves if they think they have 10/100 lbs to lose. These aspects include, sense of humor, smile, and intellect. Things that make us who we are in so many more ways than fat does.
This in turn has me thinking about something that occurred several months ago on campus. I met up with someone I had Ancient Rome with outside of class. He offered to walk me to my car and we walked and talked and when we got to my car we talked some more. He's a really nice guy by the way. Anyway he blurts out, "I can't believe you're not married! You have such a great personality!" And this made me step back a little. Because a little voice inside my head went, "My personality is more important than my weight?" I squashed that bug hard, because even then I knew my personality was more important than my weight, but I still had/have that voice of society embedded in my head telling me that the only important feature about me was my body. So I responded that most people can't get past the weight to see the personality. And he replied that that was complete bull because the personality is more important than looks.
And I honestly probably would have ended up dating this guy if I wasn't already with someone else. But what he said really made part of that voice of society go silent. Because hey, someone thought I was worth their time because I had a great personality!
So the whole point of this post was me kinda looking back, at mostly my college career, and remembering. Remembering when I'm standing in line to sell books back right in front of the stairs to the dorms I get disgusted looks from girls walking through. Remembering that guy who walked me to my car. Remembering...just remembering all those moments that were fat positive and ones that were fat negative, and even just happy moments and sad moments when someone was nice to me.
Monday, June 28, 2010
There is No Escape!
So I was driving home from the store today. Minding my own business, listening to a good CD, and BAM! I stop at a stop light and what do I see in front of me? "GR2 Lose the weight and keep it off!" emblazoned across the back door of the van in front of me. Now I'd been having a pretty good day up until that point. I'd gone out gotten some groceries, paid my rent, and then I got smacked in the face by the weight loss industry.
There is no escaping the giant monster that is the weight loss industry. For crying out loud even Chiropractors are getting in on it! There's a practice here in town that says they have a supervised plan to help you become thin and stay that way. Their add on the radio is one reason I frequently choose to drag around CD's or listen to podcasts.
I mean really I don't see that many people who are a "OMG DEATHFATS!". If you haven't heard of Deathfats you may want to check out Two Whole Cakes Fatcast their episode on Language and safe space, which I believe is episode 7, covers it well. Anyway, I don't see that many Deathfats around. I more often see people who are my own size, maybe a little bigger, maybe a little smaller, but the industry keeps attempting to beat me to death with their message, that "OMG! IF YOU DON'T LOSE 20 POUNDS YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!" And honestly I'm tired of hearing it.
So what I'm not a stick. So what I carry a little extra weight around...well maybe more than a little. But please would you people just shut up! I am not gonna keel over and die in the next five minutes. In fact I'm probably not gonna keel over and die in the next 20 years unless some kind of major health issue pops up or I get hit by a bus. Ok now watch that jinx me.
To wrap things up...I'm tired of hearing how fat I am from random billboards, car advertisements, radio ads, and infomercials, created by people who like to think they're "helping" fat people. They can go shove it, I like me just the way I am.
There is no escaping the giant monster that is the weight loss industry. For crying out loud even Chiropractors are getting in on it! There's a practice here in town that says they have a supervised plan to help you become thin and stay that way. Their add on the radio is one reason I frequently choose to drag around CD's or listen to podcasts.
I mean really I don't see that many people who are a "OMG DEATHFATS!". If you haven't heard of Deathfats you may want to check out Two Whole Cakes Fatcast their episode on Language and safe space, which I believe is episode 7, covers it well. Anyway, I don't see that many Deathfats around. I more often see people who are my own size, maybe a little bigger, maybe a little smaller, but the industry keeps attempting to beat me to death with their message, that "OMG! IF YOU DON'T LOSE 20 POUNDS YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!" And honestly I'm tired of hearing it.
So what I'm not a stick. So what I carry a little extra weight around...well maybe more than a little. But please would you people just shut up! I am not gonna keel over and die in the next five minutes. In fact I'm probably not gonna keel over and die in the next 20 years unless some kind of major health issue pops up or I get hit by a bus. Ok now watch that jinx me.
To wrap things up...I'm tired of hearing how fat I am from random billboards, car advertisements, radio ads, and infomercials, created by people who like to think they're "helping" fat people. They can go shove it, I like me just the way I am.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
FAT! FATTY FAT FAT!
Recently I realized how much of an aversion I have to the word fat. In my last post I had to make myself go back and put the word fat into the post where I had put "larger woman". Then I read through the post again and had to stop and tell myself that fat was not a bad word.
Everyday we hear from so many sources that fat is bad. "OMG she is soooo fat!" "Am I getting fat?!" "Does my butt look fat in these jeans?" And the word itself has become anathema to society. As a fat woman I am particularly sensitive to this word. Why? Because up until the last...oh 8 months to a year I thought that I was an ugly, worthless, human being, that no one would ever care about. Sure no one ever came out and said it to my face, but I heard it in whispers and glances. I heard it on the TV, the radio, and from my parents. As such I have come to equate the word fat with one of the most horrible insults possible.
But it's really not an insult. It's being used as one in most circles, but it's not. It's just a word.
So the next time I hear someone say I'm fat I'm gonna smile and say thank you! ^_^ Again why? Because loving your enemies (or in this case people who are just rude) confuses and embarrasses them. And as the saying goes, "I'd rather die fat and happy."
Everyday we hear from so many sources that fat is bad. "OMG she is soooo fat!" "Am I getting fat?!" "Does my butt look fat in these jeans?" And the word itself has become anathema to society. As a fat woman I am particularly sensitive to this word. Why? Because up until the last...oh 8 months to a year I thought that I was an ugly, worthless, human being, that no one would ever care about. Sure no one ever came out and said it to my face, but I heard it in whispers and glances. I heard it on the TV, the radio, and from my parents. As such I have come to equate the word fat with one of the most horrible insults possible.
But it's really not an insult. It's being used as one in most circles, but it's not. It's just a word.
So the next time I hear someone say I'm fat I'm gonna smile and say thank you! ^_^ Again why? Because loving your enemies (or in this case people who are just rude) confuses and embarrasses them. And as the saying goes, "I'd rather die fat and happy."
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Body Positive Fiction
So, my friend that I have mentioned before over at Fat Heffalump, posted quite some time ago about Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman series. And recently I finally got a library card here at my local library. Well guess what series they have the first three books of? I picked up Earthly Delights, which is the first book in the series, yesterday and I've finished it already.
It was fabulous! In all honestly one of the best books I've read in a very very long time. And I'm not one for mystery novels, but these were great! The mystery thing is very subtle and she gets pulled into solving them through what she does naturally for other people. This isn't one of those generic mystery novels where the main character's job is as a PI. Nope Corinna is a Baker. And I bake so I really enjoy the fact that there are recipes in the back. Now I just have to fine a way to convert grams over to tablespoons and such.
Anyway, this series of books is very body positive, and I couldn't help laughing and almost crying because I know exactly how the character feels as a fat woman. But yes, I really think all fat women should read this book, it gave me a big boost. Not really in my self esteem but it just gave me a boost...a warm fuzzy feeling if you will.
Unfortunately those of us ladies in the US...I have yet to find a bookstore that carries these books in stock. It's rather upsetting.
It was fabulous! In all honestly one of the best books I've read in a very very long time. And I'm not one for mystery novels, but these were great! The mystery thing is very subtle and she gets pulled into solving them through what she does naturally for other people. This isn't one of those generic mystery novels where the main character's job is as a PI. Nope Corinna is a Baker. And I bake so I really enjoy the fact that there are recipes in the back. Now I just have to fine a way to convert grams over to tablespoons and such.
Anyway, this series of books is very body positive, and I couldn't help laughing and almost crying because I know exactly how the character feels as a fat woman. But yes, I really think all fat women should read this book, it gave me a big boost. Not really in my self esteem but it just gave me a boost...a warm fuzzy feeling if you will.
Unfortunately those of us ladies in the US...I have yet to find a bookstore that carries these books in stock. It's rather upsetting.
Friday, June 4, 2010
How do you handle Loneliness?
So this is way off from the fat acceptance topic, but how do you handle loneliness?
Lately it seems like the only physical human contact I have is at the end of a boffer. And even just chatting and doing something with other people it seems like all I have is work or amtgard (has to do with the boffers). I don't hang out with friends because the friends that aren't 500+ miles away are all really busy, sick all the time, or not really friends at all. And if I said a word of this to my family, my mother would just say, "Well you chose to go to school out there." I go to work and come home to an empty silent apartment. I cook and sit down at my dinner table and eat by myself almost every single night. I can probably count on my fingers how many times I've had meaningful face to face conversations with people I care about in the last four months.
So I guess I'm not handling my loneliness very well.
Lately it seems like the only physical human contact I have is at the end of a boffer. And even just chatting and doing something with other people it seems like all I have is work or amtgard (has to do with the boffers). I don't hang out with friends because the friends that aren't 500+ miles away are all really busy, sick all the time, or not really friends at all. And if I said a word of this to my family, my mother would just say, "Well you chose to go to school out there." I go to work and come home to an empty silent apartment. I cook and sit down at my dinner table and eat by myself almost every single night. I can probably count on my fingers how many times I've had meaningful face to face conversations with people I care about in the last four months.
So I guess I'm not handling my loneliness very well.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Should Fat Women Wear Short Skirts?
This is a question I've asked myself a million times. Should fat women wear short skirts? And at this point my answer is yes. Now I'm not talking like two inches below your hips short, but I do mean a little above the knee. Now my personal experience with short skirts is...well rather limited. You see I own several short skirts, but I can pretty much count the number of times I've worn them on one hand. But today I felt like dressing up and one of my long skirts that I was gonna wear has seen better days. And the other skirt I have that stops just below the knee is in need of ironing. So...I pulled out the shortest skirt I own. And I'm still looking down at my legs going, "Wow those are white!"
Now as I said before the skirt shouldn't be so short that you are threatening to flash people when you go walking out the door, but sometimes something a little shorter is very liberating. But I still feel really self-conscious when I go out in anything that goes above my knees even if I wear a pair of thigh highs that look completely awesome! I still look around going, "Is anyone staring at me?"
I've also often read/been told, that my walking out the door in anything other than a sack is a statement. So does a short skirt make me a loud mouth?
Now as I said before the skirt shouldn't be so short that you are threatening to flash people when you go walking out the door, but sometimes something a little shorter is very liberating. But I still feel really self-conscious when I go out in anything that goes above my knees even if I wear a pair of thigh highs that look completely awesome! I still look around going, "Is anyone staring at me?"
I've also often read/been told, that my walking out the door in anything other than a sack is a statement. So does a short skirt make me a loud mouth?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Fat Women Talking
Recently I started listening toTwo Whole Cakes Fatcast (http://fatcast.twowholecakes.com/ ) with Marianne Kirby and Lesley Kinzel. And I can't tell you how much I look forward to each new episode. Both of these women are very entertaining to listen to even when they're talking about the heavier (haha) issue of health care and doctors. They have made me laugh at least once with each and every episode, and they have a lot of good advice for all fat women.
Their latest episodes were about Fatshion. And I can really connect with this. They talked about how even where they live, and I think they both live in larger cities, there are only two or three stores that they can shop at. I live in Billings Montana. Not a huge city but not small by any means. And we don't have one adult plus sized store. We have Debs, Maurices, and C. J. Banks. Debs and Maurices caters to munchkins, and my 60 year old mother wouldn't shop at C. J. Banks. So I fall into the category of women who don't have access to plus sized clothes unless I shop online. And I hate shopping online unless I know that what I'm buying is gonna fit me.
They also talked about price, and what kind of fabrics most stores use for plus sized clothes.
As a result of these two episodes I also went to eShakti.com and I am in love with their clothes. They have some of the cutest dresses and shirts and just clothes in general.
So that is me gushing over these things for a little bit.
Their latest episodes were about Fatshion. And I can really connect with this. They talked about how even where they live, and I think they both live in larger cities, there are only two or three stores that they can shop at. I live in Billings Montana. Not a huge city but not small by any means. And we don't have one adult plus sized store. We have Debs, Maurices, and C. J. Banks. Debs and Maurices caters to munchkins, and my 60 year old mother wouldn't shop at C. J. Banks. So I fall into the category of women who don't have access to plus sized clothes unless I shop online. And I hate shopping online unless I know that what I'm buying is gonna fit me.
They also talked about price, and what kind of fabrics most stores use for plus sized clothes.
As a result of these two episodes I also went to eShakti.com and I am in love with their clothes. They have some of the cutest dresses and shirts and just clothes in general.
So that is me gushing over these things for a little bit.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Fat Bashing
Yes it's been a very long time and right when I get back here I get up on my soap box.
*gets out soap box and stands on it*
So recently a friend of mine at ( http://fatheffalump.wordpress.com/ ) stepped forward against a post by one Mia Freedman who is the Chair on the National Body Image Taskforce in Australia. Now the reason she stepped forward is that Ms. Freedman in a post on her own blog ( http://www.mamamia.com.au/weblog/2010/05/meet-the-people-who-want-to-be-as-fat-as-possible.html ) seemed to instead be attacking all fat people by putting forward the Gainers, people who want to get as big as possible, as being freaks, and not as if they have a disorder much like Bulimia or Anorexia. (Also note that the blog entry has been edited several times since the debate started to make the post seem more acceptable)
As a result of this several media outlets in Australia have begun articles on the debate. ( http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/body-blogger-mia-freedman-gets-heavied/story-e6frf7jo-1225865736734 ) Unfortunately after reading this article I realized how many people are willing to fat bash.
Many of the comments on the article above, are all about how fat people are lazy, how they're ugly, how they make society spend more money on them, how they just need to get out and do some exercise, or how they like to point fingers because their ego's are so fragile. These people want to make me scream and cry at the same time. But the time and energy that would take is time and energy I can use more appropriately by writing a blog or by going out with a girlfriend, or getting ready for my weekend in Utah.
I also would like to give a round of applause for the women interviewed and the other side of the comment stream who stood up for us "fatties" and said that the things said in the blog were inflammatory and Ms. Freedman should consider how she words things as she is in a position to influence many people's opinions.
Let me say something about the bashers though before I get off my soapbox. They are insecure in their own way. They need to bash someone who they think is worse off than they are to feel good about themselves.
*gets off the soap box*
So that's fat bashing and I'm gonna go do something with this energy.
*gets out soap box and stands on it*
So recently a friend of mine at ( http://fatheffalump.wordpress.com/ ) stepped forward against a post by one Mia Freedman who is the Chair on the National Body Image Taskforce in Australia. Now the reason she stepped forward is that Ms. Freedman in a post on her own blog ( http://www.mamamia.com.au/weblog/2010/05/meet-the-people-who-want-to-be-as-fat-as-possible.html ) seemed to instead be attacking all fat people by putting forward the Gainers, people who want to get as big as possible, as being freaks, and not as if they have a disorder much like Bulimia or Anorexia. (Also note that the blog entry has been edited several times since the debate started to make the post seem more acceptable)
As a result of this several media outlets in Australia have begun articles on the debate. ( http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/body-blogger-mia-freedman-gets-heavied/story-e6frf7jo-1225865736734 ) Unfortunately after reading this article I realized how many people are willing to fat bash.
Many of the comments on the article above, are all about how fat people are lazy, how they're ugly, how they make society spend more money on them, how they just need to get out and do some exercise, or how they like to point fingers because their ego's are so fragile. These people want to make me scream and cry at the same time. But the time and energy that would take is time and energy I can use more appropriately by writing a blog or by going out with a girlfriend, or getting ready for my weekend in Utah.
I also would like to give a round of applause for the women interviewed and the other side of the comment stream who stood up for us "fatties" and said that the things said in the blog were inflammatory and Ms. Freedman should consider how she words things as she is in a position to influence many people's opinions.
Let me say something about the bashers though before I get off my soapbox. They are insecure in their own way. They need to bash someone who they think is worse off than they are to feel good about themselves.
*gets off the soap box*
So that's fat bashing and I'm gonna go do something with this energy.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Lacking Literature
I've been doing more research into PCOS recently, but unfortunately I've found that there is a severe lack of information out there about it. At least as far as literature goes. What I've found is that there's four or five books about PCOS in general and a ton of others that are entirely about dieting with PCOS. But all of the books about it in general say the same things. None of them really help me deal with things on a day to day basis. All they tell me is what doctors say about it.
I want to know more about what other women go through. Did they go through a lot of doctors to get diagnosed? Did they have trouble finding the right combination of medications or do they not take medications at all? Were the reasons they went to the doctor in the first place related to getting pregnant or did they go for different reasons? How have they dealt with the emotional issues they suffer if they don't suffer emotional lows often enough to be described as "depressed"?
These books on PCOS only help with telling me the medical issues that doctors can treat with pills or shots or treatments. What about those things they can't treat? I'm having a bit of an issue right now because my life is in a state of flux as far as people I consider friends go, and where I'll be in the next year or so. It's hard because I don't have anyone here to talk to on a day to day basis who has the same issues to deal with.
I want to know more about what other women go through. Did they go through a lot of doctors to get diagnosed? Did they have trouble finding the right combination of medications or do they not take medications at all? Were the reasons they went to the doctor in the first place related to getting pregnant or did they go for different reasons? How have they dealt with the emotional issues they suffer if they don't suffer emotional lows often enough to be described as "depressed"?
These books on PCOS only help with telling me the medical issues that doctors can treat with pills or shots or treatments. What about those things they can't treat? I'm having a bit of an issue right now because my life is in a state of flux as far as people I consider friends go, and where I'll be in the next year or so. It's hard because I don't have anyone here to talk to on a day to day basis who has the same issues to deal with.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Hot Cocoa on Chilly Nights
So it's kinda chilly out still and supposed to get colder. So I'm imbibing of a little drink I like to call Shananigans. It's extra chocolatey hot chocolate and a spalsh of Creme de Menthe with a swirl of whipped cream on top. The reason I came up with this is that I can't seem to find any hot chocolate mix that has mint flavoring in it. Or if it does basically tastes like hot minty water with very little chocolate. So shortly after I turned 21 I purchased some of the aforementioned alcohol and used it in my hot chocolate. And sure enough it turned out really good!
Anyway I'm just blabbing at the moment, not much going on in regards to my self image or anything. Mostly I've been to busy to really concentrate on that. And midterms are coming up fast.
Anyway I'm just blabbing at the moment, not much going on in regards to my self image or anything. Mostly I've been to busy to really concentrate on that. And midterms are coming up fast.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Family, I love them 1200 miles away.
So my Great Uncle passed away this week so I'm here in Indiana for his funeral and wake. Today was the wake, or viewing hours as it's sometimes called. Anyway I believe I've also mentioned that my sister has PCOS, not to the same degree as I have it but she has it. Anyway we get done with the wake today and have dinner and get back to the hotel. Mom needs to check her email so she uses my computer. Well since my computer's on I take the chance to check my email and drop a few messenger lines to a couple friends and my boyfriend asking them some questions. And I spend a few minutes asking one of them who was one a question or two. Well the minute my mother is out of the room (I'm sharing the room with said sister) my sister starts whining about how late it is and how she just can't possibly sleep while any lights are on. And well I tell her to wait a minute or two and I'll get off. But she continues to bitch and bitch and bitch. Then she calls mom (as my computer is shutting down and she can see it doing so) and says, "Isn't it bedtime?" and she has this whole thing with mom about it. And by that point my computer is shut down and the lid is closed. She continues to bitch and moan while I'm taking my pills and then right after I shut out the light in the bathroom and come out into the main room to find my pj's she shuts off the light that's on. Leaving me in the dark. So I go turn on the bathroom light again to
Now 5 seconds before she was fine to wait, but then she just starts telling me how late it is and how it's bed time everywhere else, basically has a complete moodswing. Well for a long time now I've known about her moodswings. You do one little tiny thing and it sets her off making her scream and shout and basically go ballistic. Which in turn sets me off. She she calls me a cranky ass or a bitch. When in reality she is the one having the mood swing and setting off my temper with her attitude. I'm tired of it, she's convinced that I'm the one with all the mood swings and that I'm cranky when in reality if she wouldn't be such a bitchy piece of shit I wouldn't get set off. On top of this my Great Uncle died, I'm not exactly on the best emotional footing as it is.
So yeah I love my family, when they're 1200 miles away. I don't have to deal with them in their daily shit and I don't have to hear them gripe about every little thing that doesn't suit them.
Now 5 seconds before she was fine to wait, but then she just starts telling me how late it is and how it's bed time everywhere else, basically has a complete moodswing. Well for a long time now I've known about her moodswings. You do one little tiny thing and it sets her off making her scream and shout and basically go ballistic. Which in turn sets me off. She she calls me a cranky ass or a bitch. When in reality she is the one having the mood swing and setting off my temper with her attitude. I'm tired of it, she's convinced that I'm the one with all the mood swings and that I'm cranky when in reality if she wouldn't be such a bitchy piece of shit I wouldn't get set off. On top of this my Great Uncle died, I'm not exactly on the best emotional footing as it is.
So yeah I love my family, when they're 1200 miles away. I don't have to deal with them in their daily shit and I don't have to hear them gripe about every little thing that doesn't suit them.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Favorite Snack
I know everyone has a favorite snack, be it Pringles, or cookies, or carrots, etc. Me, I love tomatoes. I'm particularly fond of home grown ones, but if I can find good ones in the store I'll go for those too: little cherry tomatoes, big tomatoes the size of your fist, the smaller roma tomato. Recently I've begun using them as a little snack. I feel a bit peckish I grab a tomato (usually roma cause they're not tiny like the cherries or hug like the other ones) cut out the little bit of green at the top toss some crazy salt on it and munch away. ^_^
Truly with all my recent cooking and such I've found I'm digging less and less into those things that I was binging on before because I wasn't eating properly. But this semester I've been able to keep up on it. I eat when I'm hungry and I've been able to keep my eating out down to a minimum by cooking as much as possible. And this has helped. I've made stir fries, fish, soups, and lots of other things. Though tonight I think I'm gonna go out. I'm too tired to cook and there's a little mongolian grill down the street from work that makes really good food.
Lately I've also collected the supplies necessary for me to start growing herbs again. When I lived in Tennessee I used to have a little herb garden out back of the house and boy did the Basil make sitting out there a joy. And good lord was the food mom cooked with those herbs delicious. We had enough parsley alive to use it fresh in the stuffing at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I was never able to recreate my results because since then I haven't had an outdoor area where I could plant my herbs. And I still don't, but I'm gonna try to grow some in pots here in my apartment, I have two windowsills that are perfect for it since I'm on the third floor and there's no way anyone can get up to the windows in the back unless they have climbing gear.
Truly with all my recent cooking and such I've found I'm digging less and less into those things that I was binging on before because I wasn't eating properly. But this semester I've been able to keep up on it. I eat when I'm hungry and I've been able to keep my eating out down to a minimum by cooking as much as possible. And this has helped. I've made stir fries, fish, soups, and lots of other things. Though tonight I think I'm gonna go out. I'm too tired to cook and there's a little mongolian grill down the street from work that makes really good food.
Lately I've also collected the supplies necessary for me to start growing herbs again. When I lived in Tennessee I used to have a little herb garden out back of the house and boy did the Basil make sitting out there a joy. And good lord was the food mom cooked with those herbs delicious. We had enough parsley alive to use it fresh in the stuffing at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I was never able to recreate my results because since then I haven't had an outdoor area where I could plant my herbs. And I still don't, but I'm gonna try to grow some in pots here in my apartment, I have two windowsills that are perfect for it since I'm on the third floor and there's no way anyone can get up to the windows in the back unless they have climbing gear.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Food is to be Savored
So tonight for dinner I made one of the best meals I have ever made. I had talapia with a Creole Seasoning Blend that I found the recipe for online, and linguine with alfredo sauce. The sauce recipe came from the same website as the seasoning blend recipe. And let me tell you, after the first bite I was gone. I had to sit there for a few minutes just to taste. It was so good! I mean sit back and have a beer good. And I honestly don't care that alfredo isn't exactly the healthiest food, but I love it, and I wanted to try this recipe.
Yeah I think I may have outdone my mother, and she's a great cook. The only problem I had with the meal is that the sauce and the seasoning were too rich side by side. Next time I will either have alfredo sauce or talapia with creole seasoning. Having both is a bit much for the stomach and taste buds.
Yeah I think I may have outdone my mother, and she's a great cook. The only problem I had with the meal is that the sauce and the seasoning were too rich side by side. Next time I will either have alfredo sauce or talapia with creole seasoning. Having both is a bit much for the stomach and taste buds.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Finished the Pretties!
So I finished my first quilt today. Well as much as I can finish it myself, I have to send it off to my mother or aunt to get it quilted, they are after all the ones with access to a long arm quilting machine.
But this quilt is going to be a late Christmas gift for my boyfriend. I made it specifically with him in mind, so the colors aren't too girly, but it still looks pretty!
But this quilt is going to be a late Christmas gift for my boyfriend. I made it specifically with him in mind, so the colors aren't too girly, but it still looks pretty!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Stuck in the Middle
So I'm stuck in the middle of what may turn out to be a messy divorce. My friend and her husband (my boyfriends brother) have recently been having trouble. Mostly because of her. She got it in her head that she doesn't love him and wants a divorce. He's talked her into finishing her schooling (basically till after this semester) before actually divorcing, but she refuses to even try to work it out. And this makes me so mad because I think she's making a huge mistake. Her husband is a great guy and he's bending over backwards trying to find a way to fix things. And she keeps pointing out his 'flaws' to him and saying he refuses to change, well she refuses to change! She refuses to go out and find new friends in a new town. She refuses to go out and join a group where she might meet people. Which in turn makes her miserable, and she gets snippy with him and then he gets snippy right back, which makes her mad and so she goes all bitchy on him.
Ugh, and honestly I want to side with him because I think she's making a mistake and jumping the gun. Oh and did I mention that for the last 4 months he's been in Iraq? So they got married in the summer just before he got shipped out and now she wants a divorce. Somehow I think she's just lonely and misses him.
GRRR! I'm so mad about all this because they're both my friends and I hate seeing them in this kind of place in their lives! I feel bad for her hubby because he's the one getting the short end of the stick with all this, but I don't want to not be friends with her. I care about them both equally but it's hard when you see one hurting the other so much over something that may not even be real but something that only she perceives as real.
And I'm probably not making much sense. I'm frustrated and upset that I'm in the middle of this, but because of my position as a friend to both parties is stretching me a bit thin.
Ugh, and honestly I want to side with him because I think she's making a mistake and jumping the gun. Oh and did I mention that for the last 4 months he's been in Iraq? So they got married in the summer just before he got shipped out and now she wants a divorce. Somehow I think she's just lonely and misses him.
GRRR! I'm so mad about all this because they're both my friends and I hate seeing them in this kind of place in their lives! I feel bad for her hubby because he's the one getting the short end of the stick with all this, but I don't want to not be friends with her. I care about them both equally but it's hard when you see one hurting the other so much over something that may not even be real but something that only she perceives as real.
And I'm probably not making much sense. I'm frustrated and upset that I'm in the middle of this, but because of my position as a friend to both parties is stretching me a bit thin.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Yum! Food!
So I'm cooking a good soup and dumplings recipe I found in the bisquick cookbook. At least it looks and smells good. And by good I mean tasty. And of course being 21 means I get actually cook something like this because the recipe calls for wine. ^_^ Ah so nice being 21.
Anyway I'm intending to cook bread either today or tomorrow. My mother sent me her recipe after a week of asking her about it. But I love my moms homemade bread. It's sooooo good. It's hard to find bread that's comparable to hers. Of course I'm hoping I can make a passable loaf as she has 20 or more years on me in the bread making arena.
So yes I am attempting to keep up with the cooking and baking that I started when I came back from Iowa. Because it's a lot better for me health wise to make things from scratch than to buy boxed items and such. That and so many of the recipes my mother has are a lot better then what you can buy premade or boxed in the store.
Anyway I'm intending to cook bread either today or tomorrow. My mother sent me her recipe after a week of asking her about it. But I love my moms homemade bread. It's sooooo good. It's hard to find bread that's comparable to hers. Of course I'm hoping I can make a passable loaf as she has 20 or more years on me in the bread making arena.
So yes I am attempting to keep up with the cooking and baking that I started when I came back from Iowa. Because it's a lot better for me health wise to make things from scratch than to buy boxed items and such. That and so many of the recipes my mother has are a lot better then what you can buy premade or boxed in the store.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Horrible Horrible Site, Horrible Horrible Owner
I just saw this news clip about how a dating site as booted 5,000 people based on their pictures. Beautifulpeople.com booted these people after they uploaded new photos after the holidays and the owner thought they were too fat. He is quoted in saying that fatties shouldn't even look at the site much less try to join. I seriously hope this guys 'business' goes under.
Such people should not be allowed to start their own businesses if they're going to discriminate against possible clients based on weight. Someone needs to cry foul on this guy, because what he's doing is no different than someone not hiring you because you're white/mexican/black/whatever. If I were to talk to this person I'd probably tell him how much of an ass he is, that or slap him.
While I honestly think the dating sites are a load of crap, this is unacceptable. It's not fair and it's not something anyone should be allowed to do.
Grrrrr this makes me so mad I could just scream.
Such people should not be allowed to start their own businesses if they're going to discriminate against possible clients based on weight. Someone needs to cry foul on this guy, because what he's doing is no different than someone not hiring you because you're white/mexican/black/whatever. If I were to talk to this person I'd probably tell him how much of an ass he is, that or slap him.
While I honestly think the dating sites are a load of crap, this is unacceptable. It's not fair and it's not something anyone should be allowed to do.
Grrrrr this makes me so mad I could just scream.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)