You can bet this is going on my Netflix Que!

Has anyone seen it? I just discovered it today!

The Art of Looking Ridiculous

Today’s guest post is from Elizabeth Turnquist, her blog is About Being Different.  When Elizabeth submitted her posts for consideration, she stated;

I’m very open and out about who I am.  I’m a geeky wierdo and proud of it.  I understand if my voice doesn’t fit in
with your community.  Regardless, I greatly respect what you’re trying to do.  My theory is that the more voices that speak up the more likely we’ll get heard.

Well, we love geeky around here….weirdos even more, so she was a shoe-in. Plus, her writing is hard-hitting and thought provoking.  I am sure you will all enjoy this post as much as I did.

-mamaV

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My mother was born with a cleft palate.  The facial deformity meant that she expected to be stared at.  And, as I was growing up, these expectations lead her to act out in public places.  I don’t know if she was living up to or defying the stares, all I know is that I was embarrassed.  Over time I learned to temper my embarrassment and eventually I even joined into her little performances.

The other day, as I was limping up to the bus stop, I had to remind myself that I have no problem with people’s stares or snickers.  Earlier that day, in a rush, I ended up tanking my husband bike instead of mine.  Less than a minute into peddling, as the shooting pain from cramps radiated down my legs, I realized the mistake I’d made.

Only uncommonly unkind people would snicker at a girl limping down the street.  But I’m not a common girl.  I’m a moderately obese woman.  I have blue hair.  And I tend to dress in bright shades of pink or purple.  The picture presented to the worlds was of a fat woman, with short blue hair, dressed in pink, and limping as she dragged a bike down the street.

Jealousy-Proof

By Kim Brittingham

What is it with women and jealousy?  It drives me nuts.

I just don’t get jealous.  Seriously.  I’m a total enthusiast for anyone making their dreams a reality, or living well, or enjoying good fortune.  It’s a beautiful thing, just beautiful!

Does this make me some kind of weirdo, or what?

See, if I notice that somebody else has something I want, two things happen.

First, I feel elated for that person.  I’m living vicariously through that person’s gain; I feel their thrill.   I also recognize that if Wonderful Thing X can happen to them, it could also happen to me.  This other person’s good fortune has proven to me that the dream is possible.  And I love possibility.

Why do I give a rip about Tiger Woods?

What will his son's think of their father?

The Tiger Woods saga is in full swing, and I gotta tell you — the whole thing bugs the hell out of me. I’m not a golfer, or a fan of the guy, but he represents someone who appeared to be a class act. To find out he is a sleaze ball is just flat-out disappointing.

KID’S PERSPECTIVE

As I watched the story on the news with my 9-year-old daughter, she immediately looked up at me and said;

“Mama, I thought Tiger was a good guy.”  Of which I responded “I did too. As did the rest of the world.”

It is a bad sign if your boyfriend takes a picture of himself like this. Immediately run for your life away from this type of dude.

From there we went on to talk about how there are role models in our culture who live vastly different lives than we do. Lives surrounded by incredible wealth, fueled by fame, ego and plain greed. I have told her a few of my Paris stories (toned down versions) in an effort to help her be what I call “street smart,” and to know within herself her integrity is EVERYTHING.

THE WIFE

We went on to talk about Tiger’s wife, Elin Nordegren. A woman who obviously stayed with a cheating husband, even while pregnant, and was reportedly renegotiating her pre-nup to up the ante a few million as long as she stays with the scumbag

(BREAKING NEWS: SHE MOVED OUT! AMEN)

Let’s Make the Holidays about “Living,” Not Just “Giving”

It’s that (most wonderful) time of the year –the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve that include Christmas, Hanukkah and parties galore–where women everywhere get stressed-out and overwhelmed that they’re juggling too much.

Between holiday gift-buying, holiday parties (hosting or attending), family drama, making travel plans, volunteering at their kids’ schools or a local soup kitchen, charity events, cookie-baking and gift-wrapping … women feel they have too many responsibilities on their plates.

I’m not here to refute that.

But I have a suggestion for all of us this holiday season. Let’s try to make 2009 the holiday season of living vs. giving.

Navigating An Identity Crisis

As women, we often struggle to not be pigeon-holed into just one facet of our lives.

At the same time, we all wear so many hats … and it’s hard to not be defined by those hats: they shape us, they give us substance, and they are undoubtedly a huge part of who we are.

But here’s my question to you: What happens when you don’t want to wear that hat anymore, if it’s no longer a good fit?

What if we want to put that hat on the rack again, maybe come back to it, maybe leave it for someone else to borrow … or maybe we just want to get rid of it altogether?

What happens when, for example, you’re a law student who realizes your true calling is in community organizing? Do you/can you quit law school in favor of your passion?

Or you’re a stay-at-home mom who wants to be known as herself again, or by her former profession … before she was “Mom”? Do you/can you find a way to go back to work, maybe part time?

Revisiting Use of the Word “Obese”

A while ago, Kim wrote a post about using the word “obese.” The gist of it was that although the definition of the word as it is commonly used is based on shaky ground — the body mass index (BMI) — why can’t we reclaim the word and use it the way we want.  (Hope I stated that correctly — if not, I’m sure everyone will tell me!)    A lively conversation ensued, which I joined in, saying it seems wrong somehow to give people permission to own a word and use it for negative purposes.

In reviewing an article today, however, I read another reason why not to use the word.  The authors repeated some of the familiar arguments, but also said something I had never heard before:  the etymology of word “obese” implies a large appetite is the cause. Which is a mistaken notion.

I spent a little time checking out the etymology of the word (read: surfed the net), and it does seem to be about overeating.    So my question is  have you ever heard this?  If so, does it change your opinion about using the word? Check back on Kim’s post for a refresher on opinions already expressed on the subject.

Deep-Fried Girl Day?

One of the top posts on WordPress today is “Deep Fried Guy Day” from Sweet Tater.

Why don’t women do this? Why don’t we just let it all rip, throw calorie count and healthy eating to the wind and fry up some ho-hos?

I do it — at least a few times a year, do you?

A must do is to strategically plan a major pig out at State Fair (I live in Wisconsin, and fried food on a stick is the bomb here). My husband, kids and I eat our way through the fair, cautiously sharing some of the entrees, so we don’t fill up too fast and end up passed out behind the cow barn before we’ve consumed all our favorites.

The Exposed Hall of Fame…part 2

The list keeps growing, so I’ll keep documenting:

A Merry Life and Hilda from Living Out Loud

Our first two men!! Ron is getting healthy and Lance from Jungle of Life

And finally, Stephanie from Noshtopia, aka Back in Skinny Jeans

How did you survive the “fat chat” this holiday weekend?

Source: Anne Taintor

Regular commentor .C. asked this on our open forum, and I thought it would be a great venting post!

Anyone have any holiday body image updates? What did you struggle with, do well with; stupid comments from family members, etc?

Fire away ladies!

mV