I was just going through my e-mail and I came across my daily reminder to click for charity. You know the one, where you just click once a day and advertisers give money to various charities including animal rights, autism research, world hunger and so on. They always have little inspirational stories on each page, to help encourage people to remember why they are taking five minutes out of their day to click on several pages. What caught my eye today was the inspirational story on the diabetes research page. Actually, it was a fragment of a sentence on that page, and the author was talking about how horrible it is when carbs aren't comforting, sugar is scary and so on. This really made me stop and think about the many relationships that we have with food.
Food is such a basic need in our lives. If we don't have it, we die. That's a pretty simple, straightforward relationship, I think. We could just leave it at that, and life would probably be a lot easier for so many people. But, of course, we're human beings and we can never really be satisfied with keeping things simple, right?
So what happens? Food becomes "comfort" or "decadence". Different types of foods take on different meanings, like "good" or "bad", "healthy" or "unhealthy". We start applying moral values and judgments to food and the people who eat it. The fat man shouldn't eat a cheeseburger. The skinny woman should eat a pork chop.
Eventually these judgments shift from the food to the people themselves. Obviously that fat woman is a slob, stupid, and lazy. It is apparent to the world that the skinny man is weak, a wimp, and a wuss. The muscular guy over there obviously eats "right" and exercises. The toned and slender woman is no doubt conceited and consumed completely by how she looks, with as much depth as a mud puddle.
All of these judgments and they all originate from food and our dysfunctional relationships with it.
So today I give you a challenge, Dear Readers. My challenge to you is to take a good, long, hard look at your relationships with food. Do you use the words "good" and "bad" in association with things that you eat? Do you see a fat person ordering a dessert and automatically judge them negatively for it? Do you see a slender person eating a salad and automatically judge them for it in either a positive or negative way? How do you approach food in your life?
I'm not saying that we shouldn't take pleasure from food. Goodness knows that I happily take pleasure in a scoop of quality ice cream, a fresh spinach salad with vinaigrette, or a plate of homemade macaroni and cheese. But what I AM saying is that I am fully aware of how I associate these things with pleasure and I strive to enjoy them for what they are: appealing tastes and textures. I am still working on removing the judgments from my food, though I am getting better at it, and instead just applying actual descriptors to what is in front of me. Words like "good", "bad", "healthy", "unhealthy", "reward", "naughty" all are slowly being expunged from my food vocabulary and being replaced with "satisfying", "creamy", "rich", "fresh", "tasty", and "just what I wanted right now".
Take a stab at letting go of the old relationships and starting some new ones. The majority of you reading this are living in places where a huge variety of food is literally at your fingertips. Enjoy that variety in all of its glory, and let yourself do so. I think that you'll be surprised at how it changes your life. Because a lessening of judgment is never a bad thing.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Celebrate diversity, don't sneer at it
A friend recently posted a picture of a t-shirt on Facebook. The shirt rather snarkily compared the quality of life in one State to the quality of life in another. I have to say that this kind of thing is really a hot button for me.
I've been a long-term resident in two different States: Texas and New York. Each State is the victim of amazing amounts of stereotyping, which frustrates me to no end because I have found that each of those States is ever so much more than those doing the stereotyping would have us believe.
New York is the victim of New York City-itis. Apparently the entire world thinks that the whole 54,556 square miles of New York State is covered in skyscrapers, neon lights, and homeless people. The people who believe this have obviously never been to New York. They haven't seen the miles of orchards where apples and cherries hang heavily from the trees, bending the branches so low that you can pick them without a ladder. They haven't bitten into an apple pulled freshly off the branch and polished on their sleeves. They haven't felt the juice run down their chins as the sweetness fills their mouths and the scent fills their noses. These same people haven't looked over the acres of vineyards as they sipped a sweet New York Riesling and nibbled on sharp New York cheddar cheese. The people who believe that all there is to New York is Broadway and bohemians have never climbed in the Adirondack Mountains, slept in a cabin to awake early in the morning to mists and birds twittering sleepily. They haven't fished for trout in the streams, or sat in a deer blind watching the graceful beauty of a doe bending her head for a drink from that same running water. These people have never experienced the awe of staring out over Lake Ontario, or the fear of being caught in a sudden squall on a body of water the size of a small sea. To them, all that New York will ever be is concrete, glass, and subways. Those things exist in New York, but they are not ALL that New York was or will ever be.
These same people think of Texas and believe that it consists of nothing but herds of longhorns being rounded up by grizzled men wearing chaps and cowboy hats. To them the entirety of Texas' 268,820 square miles is made up of tumbleweeds, desert and hay-chewing hicks. They don't know or believe that Texas is home to some of the top names in aeronautics, computer technology and film-making. The arts have a home in this State, with Dallas having the largest urban arts district in the United States. There are multiple opera companies, theatre companies and performing arts companies throughout the state. The music scene in Austin, Texas is well-known, but amazing new music is being made everywhere from the smallest town to the biggest city. The museums in Texas are vastly diverse, ranging from the traditional to the quirky. And the food...oh my goodness! The same people who believe that all there is to Texas is rattlesnakes and miles of endless nothing have never explored the amazing diversity of cuisines available in this State. Some of the top chefs in the world live and work here, and are proud to do so because they can draw inspiration from so many sources that it can almost be overwhelming at times. So I feel sorry for the people who have never had the good fortune to wander the halls of the Dallas Museum of Art, feeling the tears well up when they stand in front of "Water Lilies" by Monet. They have never stood in wonder, realizing that the metal module in front of them took Astronauts Gene Cernan, Ronald Evans and Jack Schmitt to the moon and back as part of the Apollo 17 mission. Those people will probably not ever savor the perfect mole sauce at a hole-in-the-wall authentic Mexican restaurant or the perfect bowl of Pho at the small, local Vietnamese place right down the road. They'll never move from club to club in Austin, hearing the future stars of the music world. They will never understand how much they are missing by not walking the fence line, feeling the wind tugging against their clothing and the grit of the dust as it lightly sands the skin. Because while that is not all of what Texas is, it IS an important part of the State's past and present.
These are my homes. These two States share space in my heart, and to see them minimized into caricatures by anyone (even people who live there) breaks that heart because I know how much more there is to both places than the stereotypers would have us believe.
The thing is, that is how it is for every location in the world. There is always so much more than the casual observer can ever guess. We do ourselves a disservice by dismissing places other than our own and by distilling them down to minimalistic, unrealistic cartoons of what they really are. The people who live in these places know the truth, they know that Maine is more than lobster, Florida is more than Disney World, California is more than Hollywood, and Washington State is more than rain. Africa has more than safaris, China is greater than just a Wall, and Japan has more to offer than sushi. Yes, places become known for specific things because those things are an important PART of their identity, but we have to remember that those symbols are just a part of the whole, and in no way present a full picture of all there is to be offered to us by visiting or even living there.
So do yourselves a favor, and the next time that you find yourself making one of those snarky, dismissive comparisons or assumptions, stop and remember that the only limitations being spotlighted when you do so are your own. The only lack of depth that exists in regards to wherever or whatever you are sneering at is your own lack of depth and your own lack of understanding. The insult isn't to the people who live in those places, and the only ignorance on display is your own.
I am proud to be a daughter of New York, and an adopted daughter of Texas. Both States are full of infinitely wondrous diversity. Both States are full of people I am proud to know and love. Both States have helped shape and mold me and how I see the world. Both States are my homes, and I am blessed to have lived there. I do honor to them, not by putting down other places, but by sharing the wonder of my homes with other people, then by letting them share the wonder of their homes with me. I'll tell you this, I have yet to find a place in this country, or in this world, that doesn't truly contain a wonder of its own. I don't think that I ever will.
I've been a long-term resident in two different States: Texas and New York. Each State is the victim of amazing amounts of stereotyping, which frustrates me to no end because I have found that each of those States is ever so much more than those doing the stereotyping would have us believe.
New York is the victim of New York City-itis. Apparently the entire world thinks that the whole 54,556 square miles of New York State is covered in skyscrapers, neon lights, and homeless people. The people who believe this have obviously never been to New York. They haven't seen the miles of orchards where apples and cherries hang heavily from the trees, bending the branches so low that you can pick them without a ladder. They haven't bitten into an apple pulled freshly off the branch and polished on their sleeves. They haven't felt the juice run down their chins as the sweetness fills their mouths and the scent fills their noses. These same people haven't looked over the acres of vineyards as they sipped a sweet New York Riesling and nibbled on sharp New York cheddar cheese. The people who believe that all there is to New York is Broadway and bohemians have never climbed in the Adirondack Mountains, slept in a cabin to awake early in the morning to mists and birds twittering sleepily. They haven't fished for trout in the streams, or sat in a deer blind watching the graceful beauty of a doe bending her head for a drink from that same running water. These people have never experienced the awe of staring out over Lake Ontario, or the fear of being caught in a sudden squall on a body of water the size of a small sea. To them, all that New York will ever be is concrete, glass, and subways. Those things exist in New York, but they are not ALL that New York was or will ever be.
These same people think of Texas and believe that it consists of nothing but herds of longhorns being rounded up by grizzled men wearing chaps and cowboy hats. To them the entirety of Texas' 268,820 square miles is made up of tumbleweeds, desert and hay-chewing hicks. They don't know or believe that Texas is home to some of the top names in aeronautics, computer technology and film-making. The arts have a home in this State, with Dallas having the largest urban arts district in the United States. There are multiple opera companies, theatre companies and performing arts companies throughout the state. The music scene in Austin, Texas is well-known, but amazing new music is being made everywhere from the smallest town to the biggest city. The museums in Texas are vastly diverse, ranging from the traditional to the quirky. And the food...oh my goodness! The same people who believe that all there is to Texas is rattlesnakes and miles of endless nothing have never explored the amazing diversity of cuisines available in this State. Some of the top chefs in the world live and work here, and are proud to do so because they can draw inspiration from so many sources that it can almost be overwhelming at times. So I feel sorry for the people who have never had the good fortune to wander the halls of the Dallas Museum of Art, feeling the tears well up when they stand in front of "Water Lilies" by Monet. They have never stood in wonder, realizing that the metal module in front of them took Astronauts Gene Cernan, Ronald Evans and Jack Schmitt to the moon and back as part of the Apollo 17 mission. Those people will probably not ever savor the perfect mole sauce at a hole-in-the-wall authentic Mexican restaurant or the perfect bowl of Pho at the small, local Vietnamese place right down the road. They'll never move from club to club in Austin, hearing the future stars of the music world. They will never understand how much they are missing by not walking the fence line, feeling the wind tugging against their clothing and the grit of the dust as it lightly sands the skin. Because while that is not all of what Texas is, it IS an important part of the State's past and present.
These are my homes. These two States share space in my heart, and to see them minimized into caricatures by anyone (even people who live there) breaks that heart because I know how much more there is to both places than the stereotypers would have us believe.
The thing is, that is how it is for every location in the world. There is always so much more than the casual observer can ever guess. We do ourselves a disservice by dismissing places other than our own and by distilling them down to minimalistic, unrealistic cartoons of what they really are. The people who live in these places know the truth, they know that Maine is more than lobster, Florida is more than Disney World, California is more than Hollywood, and Washington State is more than rain. Africa has more than safaris, China is greater than just a Wall, and Japan has more to offer than sushi. Yes, places become known for specific things because those things are an important PART of their identity, but we have to remember that those symbols are just a part of the whole, and in no way present a full picture of all there is to be offered to us by visiting or even living there.
So do yourselves a favor, and the next time that you find yourself making one of those snarky, dismissive comparisons or assumptions, stop and remember that the only limitations being spotlighted when you do so are your own. The only lack of depth that exists in regards to wherever or whatever you are sneering at is your own lack of depth and your own lack of understanding. The insult isn't to the people who live in those places, and the only ignorance on display is your own.
I am proud to be a daughter of New York, and an adopted daughter of Texas. Both States are full of infinitely wondrous diversity. Both States are full of people I am proud to know and love. Both States have helped shape and mold me and how I see the world. Both States are my homes, and I am blessed to have lived there. I do honor to them, not by putting down other places, but by sharing the wonder of my homes with other people, then by letting them share the wonder of their homes with me. I'll tell you this, I have yet to find a place in this country, or in this world, that doesn't truly contain a wonder of its own. I don't think that I ever will.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Are you angry yet?
Today Governor Rick Perry signed House Bill 2 into law. This Bill makes abortion after 20 weeks illegal with no exceptions. It also makes it almost impossible for the vast majority of women's clinics in the State to afford to remain open. This means that the majority of low-income women in Texas will lose access to their health care. I'm not talking about abortions, I'm talking about things like well-woman visits, pre-natal care, and screenings for various forms of cancer. So not only will women be forced to have babies that they may not be able to afford (financially, emotionally, etc.), but they will have to do so without basic medical care.
Are you angry yet?
On the heels of this, three Texas State Legislators have now introduced House Bill 59. This bill not only bans abortions after detection of a fetal heartbeat (which can happen as early as six weeks, which is before many women even realize that they are pregnant), but requires that the doctor do what is necessary to determine if there is a fetal heartbeat present, which means that they will be performing trans-vaginal ultrasounds as that is often the only way to detect a fetal heartbeat that early. That is, in my opinion, government mandated rape.
Are you angry yet?
Texas is an "Abstinence Works" State, which is statistically a lie as Texas rates third in the country for underage pregnancies (ages 15 to 19). Our birth rate in that age range is 63.1 births per 1,000 which is well above the national rate of 41.5 births per 1,000. Our young girls have a greater chance of getting pregnant as shown by Texas' teen pregnancy rate of 88 per 1,000 as opposed to the national rate of 70 per 1,000. Texas also has the "honor" of being 12th in the country when it comes to teen cases of HIV. All of this is possible because while Texas ALLOWS sex education, it does not require such classes. The schools that do have sex education are required to teach abstinence over other forms of prevention. Per the Texas State Educational Code the curriculum must:
Are you angry yet?
And then, to top everything off, the State Legislature claims to be doing this to protect womens' health. One would think, though, that if they were so concerned about the health of their citizens, they wouldn't be cutting health care costs with their current slash and burn policies. In the past eight years the Governor and his lackies in the Legislature have cut hundreds of thousands of low-income Texans from government-sponsored insurance plans such as Medicaid and The Children's Health Insurance Program. That doesn't even bring into play the fact that over 6.5 million Texas citizens are working full-time jobs and yet have NO health insurance at all. Tell me again where this shows a concern for Texas citizens and their health? Because from here it looks more like an attack on our health instead.
Are you angry yet?
This wave of extremism is taking the country by storm and this storm will leave death and destruction in its wake. I'm not just talking about theoretical death, but real death, as in the deaths of women who are so desperate that they will do anything to end a pregnancy. I'm talking about the deaths of the women who don't get adequate pre-natal care and die from pregnancy complications. I'm talking about the deaths of young men and women who don't fully understand their options when it comes to protecting themselves from HIV and sexually transmitted diseases along with protecting from unwanted pregnancy. This wave of extremism which is designed specifically for punishing women who are sexually active will destroy lives and the people who are promulgating it not only don't care, but will celebrate the fates of the "wanton and loose women" who are their victims.
Are you angry yet?
The time for sitting to the side and talking is over. It is time to act. We have to take our country back from this overly vocal minority and pull it back to the center. Extremists on both sides are screaming so loudly that the rest of us are being drowned out, and the only way to end that is to get louder. We can get louder by protesting, but we can also get louder by using the ballot box. It is time to take our government back and to put an end to this rampant extremism. It is time to reclaim our city governments, our State governments, and our national government.
Are you angry yet? Whether you are a man or a woman, you should be very angry by this point. And you should do something about it.
Vote. Register others to vote. Write your representatives and make your voices heard. DO something, don't just sit back and make Tweets or Facebook posts about your outrage. Step up and take a stand. The time is now, the person is you. Get angry and use that anger to change the world.
Are you angry yet?
On the heels of this, three Texas State Legislators have now introduced House Bill 59. This bill not only bans abortions after detection of a fetal heartbeat (which can happen as early as six weeks, which is before many women even realize that they are pregnant), but requires that the doctor do what is necessary to determine if there is a fetal heartbeat present, which means that they will be performing trans-vaginal ultrasounds as that is often the only way to detect a fetal heartbeat that early. That is, in my opinion, government mandated rape.
Are you angry yet?
Texas is an "Abstinence Works" State, which is statistically a lie as Texas rates third in the country for underage pregnancies (ages 15 to 19). Our birth rate in that age range is 63.1 births per 1,000 which is well above the national rate of 41.5 births per 1,000. Our young girls have a greater chance of getting pregnant as shown by Texas' teen pregnancy rate of 88 per 1,000 as opposed to the national rate of 70 per 1,000. Texas also has the "honor" of being 12th in the country when it comes to teen cases of HIV. All of this is possible because while Texas ALLOWS sex education, it does not require such classes. The schools that do have sex education are required to teach abstinence over other forms of prevention. Per the Texas State Educational Code the curriculum must:
- present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age;
- devote more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior;
- emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity, if used consistently and correctly, is the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;
- direct adolescents to a standard of behavior in which abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy, STDs, and infection with HIV or AIDS; and
- teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates, if instruction on contraception and condoms is included in curriculum content. (See SIECUS page and links therein for more information.)
Are you angry yet?
And then, to top everything off, the State Legislature claims to be doing this to protect womens' health. One would think, though, that if they were so concerned about the health of their citizens, they wouldn't be cutting health care costs with their current slash and burn policies. In the past eight years the Governor and his lackies in the Legislature have cut hundreds of thousands of low-income Texans from government-sponsored insurance plans such as Medicaid and The Children's Health Insurance Program. That doesn't even bring into play the fact that over 6.5 million Texas citizens are working full-time jobs and yet have NO health insurance at all. Tell me again where this shows a concern for Texas citizens and their health? Because from here it looks more like an attack on our health instead.
Are you angry yet?
This wave of extremism is taking the country by storm and this storm will leave death and destruction in its wake. I'm not just talking about theoretical death, but real death, as in the deaths of women who are so desperate that they will do anything to end a pregnancy. I'm talking about the deaths of the women who don't get adequate pre-natal care and die from pregnancy complications. I'm talking about the deaths of young men and women who don't fully understand their options when it comes to protecting themselves from HIV and sexually transmitted diseases along with protecting from unwanted pregnancy. This wave of extremism which is designed specifically for punishing women who are sexually active will destroy lives and the people who are promulgating it not only don't care, but will celebrate the fates of the "wanton and loose women" who are their victims.
Are you angry yet?
The time for sitting to the side and talking is over. It is time to act. We have to take our country back from this overly vocal minority and pull it back to the center. Extremists on both sides are screaming so loudly that the rest of us are being drowned out, and the only way to end that is to get louder. We can get louder by protesting, but we can also get louder by using the ballot box. It is time to take our government back and to put an end to this rampant extremism. It is time to reclaim our city governments, our State governments, and our national government.
Are you angry yet? Whether you are a man or a woman, you should be very angry by this point. And you should do something about it.
Vote. Register others to vote. Write your representatives and make your voices heard. DO something, don't just sit back and make Tweets or Facebook posts about your outrage. Step up and take a stand. The time is now, the person is you. Get angry and use that anger to change the world.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Thoughts from inside the barbed wire wall
For a long, long time I was a very bitter, hateful person. There were reasons for it, reasons that I consider to be valid in terms of understanding why my reactions to the world became what they were. I never really grasped the concept that I could be anything else because every time I had tried I ended up getting hurt. When you get hurt enough you create ways to deal with it and to prevent it from happening again. Those ways become habit, and those habits become ingrained so deeply that changing them...changing who we are and the face that we present to the world is a long, arduous process that will be filled with setbacks and reversions to "safe" behaviours under stress.
Over the past several years I have made a decided effort to change who I am and the face that I present to the world. I have tried very hard to alter the path that my thoughts automatically take when things happen, and to create different outcomes to situations that are triggering.
I have not always been successful.
I do, however, believe that I have made progress on this goal. I believe that I have become more willing to actually believe that people can be true friends, and that not everyone is out to use me until it suits them to forget about me or to actively throw me aside. I still have times when I doubt even my closest friends, but those times are getting shorter and less severe. I believe that this is good and that it means that in time I actually will wholeheartedly believe that there are people who love me without reservation. The barbed wire battlements are slowly being taken down.
Someone recently said to me that they were tired of walking on eggshells around me all of the time, and that I am just too negative a person. I have to admit that my first reaction was anger and hurt. My second reaction was also hurt, but of a different kind. I went from "How dare you say that to me??" to "Is that really the face that I'm still presenting to the world?" and it has led to another round of self-examination.
Yes, I am still quick to assume that someone is doing something to hurt me on purpose. While I would like for that thought process to finally go away forever, there is still work to be done to shake off the lessons that were taught to me by my peers as I grew up. (You would think that at 46 years old I would be free of what happened to me in my school years, wouldn't you?) But as I re-assess where I am and how I got here, I find that I think I've become a much more positive person in the past few years. It has taken a lot of hard work, and has involved the suppression of a lot of knee-jerk responses (again, not ALWAYS successfully, but better!).
I also admit that there are a select few who see more of the negativity than most, because they are (or in this case, were) people that I feel safe about venting to in order to get the feelings out of my system rather than letting them remain in place where they can poison future thoughts / emotions. That can't be easy for those folks, and I appreciate those who understand and support my need to have safe places to vent my spleen, so to speak, without holding it against me.
In the end, if that is still the face that I actually present to the world, then I have a lot more work to do. But if it isn't, and if it is just that others are still seeing the "old me" out of habit reinforced by my weak moments of relapse, then there is little that I can do to change their perceptions. I can only continue trying to become a better me and hope that someday perception and reality join in letting the world see the positive me that has hidden inside these barbed wire walls for so long.
I don't really know. All that I know is that right now I think I'm a better me than I used to be and that there is still work to be done.
I'm a better me, but still not the best me. Always a work in progress I guess.
Over the past several years I have made a decided effort to change who I am and the face that I present to the world. I have tried very hard to alter the path that my thoughts automatically take when things happen, and to create different outcomes to situations that are triggering.
I have not always been successful.
I do, however, believe that I have made progress on this goal. I believe that I have become more willing to actually believe that people can be true friends, and that not everyone is out to use me until it suits them to forget about me or to actively throw me aside. I still have times when I doubt even my closest friends, but those times are getting shorter and less severe. I believe that this is good and that it means that in time I actually will wholeheartedly believe that there are people who love me without reservation. The barbed wire battlements are slowly being taken down.
Someone recently said to me that they were tired of walking on eggshells around me all of the time, and that I am just too negative a person. I have to admit that my first reaction was anger and hurt. My second reaction was also hurt, but of a different kind. I went from "How dare you say that to me??" to "Is that really the face that I'm still presenting to the world?" and it has led to another round of self-examination.
Yes, I am still quick to assume that someone is doing something to hurt me on purpose. While I would like for that thought process to finally go away forever, there is still work to be done to shake off the lessons that were taught to me by my peers as I grew up. (You would think that at 46 years old I would be free of what happened to me in my school years, wouldn't you?) But as I re-assess where I am and how I got here, I find that I think I've become a much more positive person in the past few years. It has taken a lot of hard work, and has involved the suppression of a lot of knee-jerk responses (again, not ALWAYS successfully, but better!).
I also admit that there are a select few who see more of the negativity than most, because they are (or in this case, were) people that I feel safe about venting to in order to get the feelings out of my system rather than letting them remain in place where they can poison future thoughts / emotions. That can't be easy for those folks, and I appreciate those who understand and support my need to have safe places to vent my spleen, so to speak, without holding it against me.
In the end, if that is still the face that I actually present to the world, then I have a lot more work to do. But if it isn't, and if it is just that others are still seeing the "old me" out of habit reinforced by my weak moments of relapse, then there is little that I can do to change their perceptions. I can only continue trying to become a better me and hope that someday perception and reality join in letting the world see the positive me that has hidden inside these barbed wire walls for so long.
I don't really know. All that I know is that right now I think I'm a better me than I used to be and that there is still work to be done.
I'm a better me, but still not the best me. Always a work in progress I guess.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Hidden Strength
I was reading today's Dances With Fat blog, and she said something that really resonated with me.
That says a lot, and it hit home for me. You see, Dear Readers, I have finally started to realize just how strong I am. I have been taught all of my life that my weight is a sign of weakness. The world has told me repeatedly that I am weak-willed because I allow myself to eat food. Never mind that I would starve to death if I didn't, that doesn't matter. What matters is that it is visibly obvious that I not only eat too much but I make "bad" food choices. If that weren't the case, the thinking goes, then I wouldn't be fat. (I actually love fruits and vegetables to the point where The Husbeast complains about how many I make at mealtimes, but even if I didn't that doesn't give anyone the right to judge me or my eating habits.)
The world has told me for all of my life that I should be ashamed of myself, ashamed of my body, ashamed of the "mental failings" that allowed me to become this way. I'm told on a regular basis that I should have enough willpower to force my body into the mold that the world would prefer to see, even if that forcing causes me physical, mental and emotional damage.
The world has said, "We don't want to see your weakness. We want you to hide it, like we all hide ours."
But I'm not weak. I'm incredibly strong when you think about it. Every day... every day...I have hundreds of messages thrown at me about how I am sub-human, not worthy of sharing space with the "normal" people of the world. Every day I am told that I am less of a human being because my body takes up more space. EVERY DAY.
Yet despite that repeated bludgeoning, I live my life. I go to the store, I hang out with my friends, I dare to be seen. I have even had the temerity to perform at Renaissance Faires and in theatrical productions! I interact with people as though I have the right to exist! *gasp*
In the face of constantly being told that it would be best for the world in general if I were either to disappear, hide in my house until I lose weight, or just go away altogether, I dare to exist and to enjoy my existence! What a travesty!
The real travesty is that it has taken me 46 years to learn that the fact that I do these things, the fact that I not only exist but allow myself to experience all that life offers to the best of my ability DESPITE being fat, that fact is NOT weakness. That is strength.
I am strong.
Every fat person who goes about their lives in the manner that they prefer is strong.
Every fat person who gets out of bed in the morning and doesn't allow the constant deluge of negative messages to force them to cease to be is strong.
Like Pat Benetar says, "We are strong." and for us, it isn't love, but life that is the battlefield, folks, and it is about time that we realize that and use that strength to tell the world exactly where it can go. It is time that we yoke that strength and live the lives that we make for ourselves, no matter what other people think about it. In the end, we can win this battle and this war and win the right to exist without the constant judgment.
We're not weak, we are strong, our strength is just hidden. It is time for it to come out of hiding.
"I think that fat people, whether or not they consider themselves fat activists, are truly underestimated. In the face of a tremendous amount of bullying and stigma, in the face of the government recruiting our friends, families, and employers to fight a war against us, in spite of the intense oppression that tries its best to crush us, that we keep living our lives is a testament to our incredible strength."
That says a lot, and it hit home for me. You see, Dear Readers, I have finally started to realize just how strong I am. I have been taught all of my life that my weight is a sign of weakness. The world has told me repeatedly that I am weak-willed because I allow myself to eat food. Never mind that I would starve to death if I didn't, that doesn't matter. What matters is that it is visibly obvious that I not only eat too much but I make "bad" food choices. If that weren't the case, the thinking goes, then I wouldn't be fat. (I actually love fruits and vegetables to the point where The Husbeast complains about how many I make at mealtimes, but even if I didn't that doesn't give anyone the right to judge me or my eating habits.)
The world has told me for all of my life that I should be ashamed of myself, ashamed of my body, ashamed of the "mental failings" that allowed me to become this way. I'm told on a regular basis that I should have enough willpower to force my body into the mold that the world would prefer to see, even if that forcing causes me physical, mental and emotional damage.
The world has said, "We don't want to see your weakness. We want you to hide it, like we all hide ours."
But I'm not weak. I'm incredibly strong when you think about it. Every day... every day...I have hundreds of messages thrown at me about how I am sub-human, not worthy of sharing space with the "normal" people of the world. Every day I am told that I am less of a human being because my body takes up more space. EVERY DAY.
Yet despite that repeated bludgeoning, I live my life. I go to the store, I hang out with my friends, I dare to be seen. I have even had the temerity to perform at Renaissance Faires and in theatrical productions! I interact with people as though I have the right to exist! *gasp*
In the face of constantly being told that it would be best for the world in general if I were either to disappear, hide in my house until I lose weight, or just go away altogether, I dare to exist and to enjoy my existence! What a travesty!
The real travesty is that it has taken me 46 years to learn that the fact that I do these things, the fact that I not only exist but allow myself to experience all that life offers to the best of my ability DESPITE being fat, that fact is NOT weakness. That is strength.
I am strong.
Every fat person who goes about their lives in the manner that they prefer is strong.
Every fat person who gets out of bed in the morning and doesn't allow the constant deluge of negative messages to force them to cease to be is strong.
Like Pat Benetar says, "We are strong." and for us, it isn't love, but life that is the battlefield, folks, and it is about time that we realize that and use that strength to tell the world exactly where it can go. It is time that we yoke that strength and live the lives that we make for ourselves, no matter what other people think about it. In the end, we can win this battle and this war and win the right to exist without the constant judgment.
We're not weak, we are strong, our strength is just hidden. It is time for it to come out of hiding.
Friday, May 31, 2013
The Trials and Tribulations of Travel
It isn't easy to live a life of Health at Every Size in our world. Loving your body as it is and appreciating all that it does for you is a never-ending process made harder by the constant barrage of messages from the outside that you're not good enough, that you're less of a human being because you have more body than others. It is made harder when you face life events that would be enjoyable to most people but turn out to be filled with stress and apprehension.
We are hoping to go to Disney World this Fall. My parents live in the area and both work for The Mouse. Friends of ours are going, and have been wanting us to join them on one of their trips for the past three or four years. Normally we wouldn't think of planning something like this due to my lack of employment for the past 15 months, but my parents have offered to assist because they want to see us too. So we're figuring out PTO for the Husbeast and so on.
All of this should be filled with joyful anticipation, right? We're going to see my parents! We're going to the Happiest Place on Earth with good friends who are major Disneyphiles, just like we are! These are good things!
And then it comes time to start planning flights.
*sigh*
When you're fat there are a lot of added stressors when you're figuring out trips that involve flying.
It is at moments like these when I am at my weakest. I find myself struggling to maintain my love of my body, and TLV (The Little Voice) inside my head starts whispering all of those negative things about being fat.
"If you weren't fat, then you could travel wherever and whenever you liked without worrying about these kinds of things."
"If you weren't fat, then you wouldn't see people get that panicked look on their face when you board a plane and they realize there's an empty seat next to them, nor the relieved looks when you sit down somewhere away from them."
"If you weren't fat, you could travel more. You've always dreamed of traveling more, to places like Australia and Great Britain and Japan. But even if you flew there without dying from being squished into those little airplane seats, most of those countries don't have furniture that accomodates people as fat as you."
And then it morphs into things like:
"You should just stay at home and hide in your house. No one wants to put up with your Fatty McFatness anyway." and other thoughts that society has thrown at me for my entire life. All of which can spin me deep into a downward spiral that it takes days to fight my way back out of and into a healthy state of mind again.
I find myself thinking about trying to lose weight, knowing how unsuccessful I've been at it in the past, knowing how the statistics show that it is about as likely for me to lose weight and keep it off as it is for me to be elected President of the United States. But still, TLV whispers that maybe the statistics are wrong in MY case, and maybe I'll be the exception, and don't I owe it to myself to try again?
In the end it comes down to the fact that in order to go and enjoy the company of our friends and family in a place that we love to visit, I'm going to have to book those airplane seats, and deal with the horrid anxiety that goes along with airplane travel. I'll have to deal with the looks, and the comments, and the potential semi-hidden sneers when I ask for a seat-belt extender. It will temporarily take away from the joy of my trip. I know this because I've lived through it many times before. All that I can do is get through those moments and make sure to enjoy the positive things that much more, and to do so while trying to shut down the tapes in my head that repeat society's messages to my fat self.
I have to admit, though, it would be nice to take a trip for once and just enjoy it all of the way from planning to the return home. It makes me sad that I will never experience that carefree kind of travel, and that others will never have that either. It makes me sad that this particular blog won't have my usual happy, positive ending. I wish that it would, but right now I can't find it.
Why? Because we're fat and traveling while fat is almost a crime. We aren't allowed to have lives, to have fun, to enjoy life. We should be hiding in our homes until we're slender enough for public acceptance.
I guess I'll start looking at flights now. There's no time like the present to ratchet up the battle against self-hatred.
We are hoping to go to Disney World this Fall. My parents live in the area and both work for The Mouse. Friends of ours are going, and have been wanting us to join them on one of their trips for the past three or four years. Normally we wouldn't think of planning something like this due to my lack of employment for the past 15 months, but my parents have offered to assist because they want to see us too. So we're figuring out PTO for the Husbeast and so on.
All of this should be filled with joyful anticipation, right? We're going to see my parents! We're going to the Happiest Place on Earth with good friends who are major Disneyphiles, just like we are! These are good things!
And then it comes time to start planning flights.
*sigh*
When you're fat there are a lot of added stressors when you're figuring out trips that involve flying.
- Will we be able to get seats that are on the side of the aisle that only has two seats instead of three so that we don't end up squishing someone else? Because my hips are big and the Husbeast has very wide shoulders.
- If not, should we go ahead and just buy that 3rd seat? Yeah, that gets expensive and will add to the costs of the trip, but at least we won't spend the entire trip feeling guilty that we're accidently in someone else's space.
- Is buying that 3rd seat less expensive than just upgrading to Business / First Class?
- WHY is Business / First Class so freaking expensive? They don't get there any sooner than the rest of us!!!
- Can we drive? No, that takes much too long and puts too much wear and tear on things like the car and our relationship (believe me, we've driven long trips before and the two of us crammed into the car for three days without breaks other than sleeping is a BAD idea!).
- Can we take a train? Again, that takes nearly as much time as driving, and it costs as much as flying Business / First Class. I wish that it were an option, because I would dearly love to travel by train just for the experience of it, but so far it isn't economically feasible. Then there's the fact that in order to get from Dallas to Orlando we have to take a train to Chicago, then another train to Washington DC and THEN a train to Orlando.
- Can we take a bus? You would be surprised at just how much bus tickets cost, and yet again it takes more time than the Husbeast can spare from work.
It is at moments like these when I am at my weakest. I find myself struggling to maintain my love of my body, and TLV (The Little Voice) inside my head starts whispering all of those negative things about being fat.
"If you weren't fat, then you could travel wherever and whenever you liked without worrying about these kinds of things."
"If you weren't fat, then you wouldn't see people get that panicked look on their face when you board a plane and they realize there's an empty seat next to them, nor the relieved looks when you sit down somewhere away from them."
"If you weren't fat, you could travel more. You've always dreamed of traveling more, to places like Australia and Great Britain and Japan. But even if you flew there without dying from being squished into those little airplane seats, most of those countries don't have furniture that accomodates people as fat as you."
And then it morphs into things like:
"You should just stay at home and hide in your house. No one wants to put up with your Fatty McFatness anyway." and other thoughts that society has thrown at me for my entire life. All of which can spin me deep into a downward spiral that it takes days to fight my way back out of and into a healthy state of mind again.
I find myself thinking about trying to lose weight, knowing how unsuccessful I've been at it in the past, knowing how the statistics show that it is about as likely for me to lose weight and keep it off as it is for me to be elected President of the United States. But still, TLV whispers that maybe the statistics are wrong in MY case, and maybe I'll be the exception, and don't I owe it to myself to try again?
In the end it comes down to the fact that in order to go and enjoy the company of our friends and family in a place that we love to visit, I'm going to have to book those airplane seats, and deal with the horrid anxiety that goes along with airplane travel. I'll have to deal with the looks, and the comments, and the potential semi-hidden sneers when I ask for a seat-belt extender. It will temporarily take away from the joy of my trip. I know this because I've lived through it many times before. All that I can do is get through those moments and make sure to enjoy the positive things that much more, and to do so while trying to shut down the tapes in my head that repeat society's messages to my fat self.
I have to admit, though, it would be nice to take a trip for once and just enjoy it all of the way from planning to the return home. It makes me sad that I will never experience that carefree kind of travel, and that others will never have that either. It makes me sad that this particular blog won't have my usual happy, positive ending. I wish that it would, but right now I can't find it.
Why? Because we're fat and traveling while fat is almost a crime. We aren't allowed to have lives, to have fun, to enjoy life. We should be hiding in our homes until we're slender enough for public acceptance.
I guess I'll start looking at flights now. There's no time like the present to ratchet up the battle against self-hatred.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
So, I have a question for you...
Dear Faithful Readers, I have a question that I would like to put out there for everyone to stop and seriously think about. It is a question that, at first glance, seems to be easily answered. However, if we stop and really ponder it, I find that the answer is not so easy for me to come up with after all.
"Lys? You have intrigued us." I hear you say (I hope! *grin*), "Whatever is this question that you have to ask?"
Well, Dear Readers, the question is thus:
"Do we, as members of society, have a responsibility to those around us to choose healthy behaviours?"
As I said, at first glance the answer seems easy. Yes! Right? I will bet that your first response was to instinctually say "yes" to the question. You probably flashed through thoughts of friends and family who want us all to stay around as long as possible. Then you may have had thoughts of the high cost of health care, and how being as healthy as possible supposedly cuts those, aiding the economy and our own personal finances.
It is understandable that all of these things would pass through your minds, because these are the messages that we get pushed on our consciousness and subconscious every day. We are told that we have a responsibility to eat "right", to exercise, to look young, to look slender, to be beautiful / handsome, to have no belly except for a six-pack. We're told we should smell nice, have beautifully styled hair, wear fashionable clothes, and moisturize our skin into softness. Wear sunscreen! Avoid sweets! Brush your teeth! We have to have minty fresh, blindingly white smiles!
Over and over these thoughts are crammed down our throats. Over and over the drumbeat sounds. But I would ask that you take a moment and shut out the pounding of societal pressures and really THINK about what I am asking.
Are we responsible to anyone other than ourselves when it comes to making choices about our health?
My answer is "No. We are not."
Hang on! Hang on! I hear the protests from here. Let me give you my reasoning, and explain my position. I hope that you will give it a fair hearing and perhaps even allow it to give you an alternative way of looking at health and responsibility.
I have thought long and hard about this after having similar questions posed to me by other bloggers in their writings, and it was a struggle. First I had to get past the automatic response that I was so used to, and had even used to try and get The Husbeast to adopt healthier behaviours.
"I want you around for a long time. If you love me and want to spend your life with me, why not eat better / exercise / insert other "healthy" behaviours here so that we will have more of that time together?"
You would think that it would be incumbent upon a partner or loved one to want to have the "best" life possible, right? But who is to define what a "best" life is? To someone who absolutely detests exercise or vegetables, is it their obligation to routinely do something that they hate just because someone else wants them to? Do I have the right to demand that of someone else? The reasons for the demand don't really matter, what matters is that I am trying to impose my will, my belief in the PROPER way to live on someone else. How is that any different than telling someone else that their religion is wrong or that their choice of life partner is wrong?
Telling someone that they should not eat that piece of cake, or that they shouldn't smoke that cigarette, or that they shouldn't have that beer because those behaviours aren't healthy is not my right nor my responsibility. It is their right and their responsibility to decide for themselves whether those behaviours are something that they wish to pursue or not. (And before we get dragged off-course, there is a difference between these examples and things such as driving while intoxicated, in which there is actually a chance that someone other than the person in question will be physically harmed by the responsible person's actions.)
Does the Mayor of New York actually have the right to tell people that they cannot buy a soda larger than 16 ounces? Who is he to decide what "healthy" behaviours to legislate and which ones to leave alone? Is that any different than requiring, by law, that every citizen run at least 2 miles per day?
If The Husbeast decides that it is important to him to make himself eat vegetables more often in an attempt to have a healthier diet, then it is awesome that he is willing to make that sacrifice in order to spend more time with me, but if he just doesn't want to what good does it do for me to nag him and do my best to make him feel guilty over it? Then he either gives in just to shut me up, and resents me the entire time...or he goes all stubborn and decides to avoid vegetables even more than before just to prove his point that he won't be pushed around.
Then there's the "cost to society" argument. Do I owe it to society to adopt as many healthy behaviours as possible? Why? Does that mean that equal pressure should be put on people who are fat, people who smoke, people who drink, people who don't exercise (no matter WHAT size they are), people who engage in dangerous sports, people who drive cars, people who ride motorcycles, people who drink sodas, people who enjoy a doughnut now and then, people who go paleo, people who go vegetarian, people who only eat raw foods? Every one of those things has been shown to have drawbacks in some way or another. How do we, as a society, decide which so-called "healthy" behaviours are the right ones?
When do we start regulating every aspect of our lives? Do we send someone to Sleep Prison if they get less than the recommended 8 hours per night?
As I thought more and more about it, I came to realize that I owe no one and no one owes me. It is completely my decision whether I sit in my recliner or go walk around the block. It is completely my decision whether I monitor my blood sugars or ignore them. It is completely my decision whether I eat a salad or a steak. I resent anyone who tries to tell me otherwise. So what right have I to tell them otherwise? Even The Husbeast has the right to decide for himself what he eats and whether he exercises or not. (Don't let him know I said that. *snerk* JUST KIDDING! It really is his decision!)
We have so many societal pressures put on us every day. So many times we're told directly or indirectly that we're just not good enough. How often do we put that pressure on others without realizing it? How often do we say things like, "You should eat this food instead of that one because it is healthier for you." or "You should work out more, it would make you feel better." We do so out of concern most of the time, out of honest caring for the wellbeing of our friends and loved ones, and that is an admirable motive. But the next time you find yourself about to make one of those remarks, stop and think first. Is what you're going to say really any of your business? Or are you doing what is known in a lot of circles as "concern trolling"? Is it really any different than walking up to someone's grocery cart and pulling food out of it while saying, "You don't need to eat that."?
Not really. You may think that it is, but the only difference is in degree of intrusiveness. It isn't that different at all.
Another thought that I will leave you with is this: For some of us, that kind of comment only serves to kick in our stubborn streak. The more someone tells me that I should eat a certain way, do a certain exercise, even read a certain book or see a certain movie, the more likely that I will refuse to do so because I absolutely detest being told what to do. I'm a semi-mature adult, and can make my own decisions and live with my own consequences just fine, thank you.
And when it comes down to consequences, the only person who really has to live with the consequences of my health decisions is myself. No one else HAS to do so. The Husbeast may choose to do so, because he loves me, but he has the option and right to choose to leave at any time. I have the same option and right in regards to him and his choices. Neither of us OWES anything to anyone or society at large.
Those are my thoughts. You, as always, have the option to think about them or not, to consider them or to walk away. That's the beauty of self-determination. I hope, however, that you will at least consider them a bit and that they will give you something to think about. It never hurts to re-assess our assumptions, and the assumption that we owe "good health habits" to society is a very pervasive one.
Thank you for reading. I hope that it was enjoyable and that maybe, just maybe, someone somewhere got something out of it. :)
"Lys? You have intrigued us." I hear you say (I hope! *grin*), "Whatever is this question that you have to ask?"
Well, Dear Readers, the question is thus:
"Do we, as members of society, have a responsibility to those around us to choose healthy behaviours?"
As I said, at first glance the answer seems easy. Yes! Right? I will bet that your first response was to instinctually say "yes" to the question. You probably flashed through thoughts of friends and family who want us all to stay around as long as possible. Then you may have had thoughts of the high cost of health care, and how being as healthy as possible supposedly cuts those, aiding the economy and our own personal finances.
It is understandable that all of these things would pass through your minds, because these are the messages that we get pushed on our consciousness and subconscious every day. We are told that we have a responsibility to eat "right", to exercise, to look young, to look slender, to be beautiful / handsome, to have no belly except for a six-pack. We're told we should smell nice, have beautifully styled hair, wear fashionable clothes, and moisturize our skin into softness. Wear sunscreen! Avoid sweets! Brush your teeth! We have to have minty fresh, blindingly white smiles!
Over and over these thoughts are crammed down our throats. Over and over the drumbeat sounds. But I would ask that you take a moment and shut out the pounding of societal pressures and really THINK about what I am asking.
Are we responsible to anyone other than ourselves when it comes to making choices about our health?
My answer is "No. We are not."
Hang on! Hang on! I hear the protests from here. Let me give you my reasoning, and explain my position. I hope that you will give it a fair hearing and perhaps even allow it to give you an alternative way of looking at health and responsibility.
I have thought long and hard about this after having similar questions posed to me by other bloggers in their writings, and it was a struggle. First I had to get past the automatic response that I was so used to, and had even used to try and get The Husbeast to adopt healthier behaviours.
"I want you around for a long time. If you love me and want to spend your life with me, why not eat better / exercise / insert other "healthy" behaviours here so that we will have more of that time together?"
You would think that it would be incumbent upon a partner or loved one to want to have the "best" life possible, right? But who is to define what a "best" life is? To someone who absolutely detests exercise or vegetables, is it their obligation to routinely do something that they hate just because someone else wants them to? Do I have the right to demand that of someone else? The reasons for the demand don't really matter, what matters is that I am trying to impose my will, my belief in the PROPER way to live on someone else. How is that any different than telling someone else that their religion is wrong or that their choice of life partner is wrong?
Telling someone that they should not eat that piece of cake, or that they shouldn't smoke that cigarette, or that they shouldn't have that beer because those behaviours aren't healthy is not my right nor my responsibility. It is their right and their responsibility to decide for themselves whether those behaviours are something that they wish to pursue or not. (And before we get dragged off-course, there is a difference between these examples and things such as driving while intoxicated, in which there is actually a chance that someone other than the person in question will be physically harmed by the responsible person's actions.)
Does the Mayor of New York actually have the right to tell people that they cannot buy a soda larger than 16 ounces? Who is he to decide what "healthy" behaviours to legislate and which ones to leave alone? Is that any different than requiring, by law, that every citizen run at least 2 miles per day?
If The Husbeast decides that it is important to him to make himself eat vegetables more often in an attempt to have a healthier diet, then it is awesome that he is willing to make that sacrifice in order to spend more time with me, but if he just doesn't want to what good does it do for me to nag him and do my best to make him feel guilty over it? Then he either gives in just to shut me up, and resents me the entire time...or he goes all stubborn and decides to avoid vegetables even more than before just to prove his point that he won't be pushed around.
Then there's the "cost to society" argument. Do I owe it to society to adopt as many healthy behaviours as possible? Why? Does that mean that equal pressure should be put on people who are fat, people who smoke, people who drink, people who don't exercise (no matter WHAT size they are), people who engage in dangerous sports, people who drive cars, people who ride motorcycles, people who drink sodas, people who enjoy a doughnut now and then, people who go paleo, people who go vegetarian, people who only eat raw foods? Every one of those things has been shown to have drawbacks in some way or another. How do we, as a society, decide which so-called "healthy" behaviours are the right ones?
When do we start regulating every aspect of our lives? Do we send someone to Sleep Prison if they get less than the recommended 8 hours per night?
As I thought more and more about it, I came to realize that I owe no one and no one owes me. It is completely my decision whether I sit in my recliner or go walk around the block. It is completely my decision whether I monitor my blood sugars or ignore them. It is completely my decision whether I eat a salad or a steak. I resent anyone who tries to tell me otherwise. So what right have I to tell them otherwise? Even The Husbeast has the right to decide for himself what he eats and whether he exercises or not. (Don't let him know I said that. *snerk* JUST KIDDING! It really is his decision!)
We have so many societal pressures put on us every day. So many times we're told directly or indirectly that we're just not good enough. How often do we put that pressure on others without realizing it? How often do we say things like, "You should eat this food instead of that one because it is healthier for you." or "You should work out more, it would make you feel better." We do so out of concern most of the time, out of honest caring for the wellbeing of our friends and loved ones, and that is an admirable motive. But the next time you find yourself about to make one of those remarks, stop and think first. Is what you're going to say really any of your business? Or are you doing what is known in a lot of circles as "concern trolling"? Is it really any different than walking up to someone's grocery cart and pulling food out of it while saying, "You don't need to eat that."?
Not really. You may think that it is, but the only difference is in degree of intrusiveness. It isn't that different at all.
Another thought that I will leave you with is this: For some of us, that kind of comment only serves to kick in our stubborn streak. The more someone tells me that I should eat a certain way, do a certain exercise, even read a certain book or see a certain movie, the more likely that I will refuse to do so because I absolutely detest being told what to do. I'm a semi-mature adult, and can make my own decisions and live with my own consequences just fine, thank you.
And when it comes down to consequences, the only person who really has to live with the consequences of my health decisions is myself. No one else HAS to do so. The Husbeast may choose to do so, because he loves me, but he has the option and right to choose to leave at any time. I have the same option and right in regards to him and his choices. Neither of us OWES anything to anyone or society at large.
Those are my thoughts. You, as always, have the option to think about them or not, to consider them or to walk away. That's the beauty of self-determination. I hope, however, that you will at least consider them a bit and that they will give you something to think about. It never hurts to re-assess our assumptions, and the assumption that we owe "good health habits" to society is a very pervasive one.
Thank you for reading. I hope that it was enjoyable and that maybe, just maybe, someone somewhere got something out of it. :)
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