Thread: The Living Room at GeeGee's House

EDITED MATERIAL

Our Society values the tall and slender and has for hundreds of years. Our Society, including The Children, exclude the clinically obese regularly from all activities. Standardized chairs, clothes, beds, doorways, transportation seats, recreational rides are designed for the use and enjoyment of the tall and slender. "Too bad, too sad" if you outweigh the standard.

I do not want to rehash Judy Blume's Blubber or Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith. I want to narrow this discussion to the trials of As I use BK's caricature as a touchstone for a discussion of the terrors of my own overweightchild-hood and its impact on my adult psyche, I thought it prudent to acknowledge the dogma I am using to bolster my analysis.

"Oh, that's *just* Baby Fat" is the all-purpose phrase mothers use to distinguish their overweight but apparently not obese children from those children who have a "glandular" problem.

http://www.ezinemarketingcenter.com/...s/2005_03.html

Is Teasing Child's Play or Serious Business? (1st draft)

Children, a nifty label American society uses to describe unemancipated humans who are under the age of eighteen, have their own rules. It is indeed a microcosm of sorts, but it is unlike any world that will exist after childhood ends. Children, by default, have limited rights and freedoms. They play by their own rules. Their leaders constantly shift depending on circumstance and environment. The wealth of each participant is based solely on parental wealth for each child can only have as much money as your guardian allows.



Children intuitively seek group interactions that shift in direct response to how they feel about their family group interactions. A middle child may choose to seek out a group where a leadership role awaits her or may choose to seek a group where she just blends in. Blending in is the key, whether a child chooses to lead or follow. Every child wants to fit.



Obese children, by definition, are not fit and do not fit. The group status of an overweight children is tenuous. The overweight child can go either way. They might fit...or they might be ONE OF THEM, as denoted by the use of LARGE letters. And in a Orwellian twist, overweight children are ranked based on how close they are or aren't to the appropriate height weight average of their peer group. And then mercilessly teased with a venomous tongue bundled with teenage angst, packaged with prepubescent anxiety and shrink-wrapped with a complete disregard for they who are insecure, easily humiliated and unable to think of anything to say in retort.



Enter BK. She is on a trip with her dad to pick up her siblings. She is excited and points her sister out. When they get to the location where her sister has gathered with at least ten of her friends (a group of boys and girls), BK refuses to get out of the car. Her sister asks her to come over. She refuses. Her sister comes to get her. She refuses. Her sister finally gives up. BK just sits in the car.



BK just sits in the car because she doesnt fit. She's the fat one. In this televised circumstance, she's the only fat one. She may not be aware of her weight issues, no one has ever directly addressed her weight on the show, but BK gets it. I saw THAT look in her face. I too used to shy away from large groups of thin-waisted, single chinned children when I was her age.



No one said it out loud, but I knew. I knew my mother was hoping that I would outgrow what she lovingly referred to as "The Baby Fat." This Baby Fat is not to be confused with the clothing line "Baby Phat" which was spawned by Russell and Kimora Simmons and drips coolness, sexiness, and ghettofabulousness.

Who Rescues A Fat Princess?

I knew I was reminded of my place, or lack thereof, every night in every book that I read or was read as a child. Witches were evil, scary and possibly fat. Trolls and elves were fat. Old people might be fat. The frog that later turned into a prince could have been fat but he certainly didnt turn into a fat prince. I remember waiting for the 800th time for the proverbial prince to rescue the hapless thin woman who would be kissed and turned into a princess and asking, "Mommy, who rescues a fat princess?"

Had a date. Ended late.

Not enough time to continue writing essays.

Got a call for an interview. Sent a transcript. Need to set the appt tomorrow.

Walked the dog. Going to bed.

For FrannyGlass--

Thank you *so* much for popping in. I apologize for the mess in The Living Room. I am working on a series of essays (Element 1) using a method expoused in the book, "Writing Down the Bare Bones." Basically, you jot down everything that comes to mind. After you get it all out, you edit. What I thought was one piece has turned into more. I think I like this method because then I can print stuff out and *think* about it. Find better ways to state my points or clarify the objective, etc. This is different than technical legal writing.

Rob--
That story had me stunned.
****************
No one is here with me today. Hurricane Katrina is out there somewhere. They are all "working" from home. I think they forgot I was here.

I am *so* tired and Im sucking down a diet Coke with splenda. The taste has grown on me. At first, I thought it was icky. Now, its not so bad.

Called for the interview. Its Aug 30 at 130pm. 15th Floor Conference Room. I'm giddy.

I found my package! It's been at the post office since Aug 15! They almost sent it back! I cant go get it because of Hurricane Katrina. Im so bummed.

I have no idea if I will go to work tomorrow. I found my Spanish books just in case....i can brush up if I dont have work.

I heard from an old boyfriend. He was perfect back then. Really nice. He cooks. He cleans. He wore custom tailored clothes. He owned a few tuxedos. He speaks 4 languages. He loves operas and ballroom dancing. A romantic. Perfect. Back then.

Everything is different now.

He contacted me and asked for a picture. I wonder what he REALLY wants...

Originally Posted by FrannyGlass

OMG...you dated Jay Gatsby????

As an English major, I'm sorry to say that it took longer than it should have to understand this reference

Gee Gee:

Hear the hurricane is headed your way - stay safe.

very funny Franny!!

GeeGee - I just heard on the news here about hurricane - I think near you now - I heard the word Miami - I hope you are safe. I've been through many typhoons - its really horrid. Best wishes.

Yes GeeGee - I'm sending good thoughts and prayers for your safety and all in the path of Katrina.

i am worried about ya in the hurricanes path...

but what i REAAAAAAAAAAALLY want to know is... what does the ex boyfriend want?

okay... i lied.. i am MORE concerned about the hurricane...

so be careful... and safe....

and then get yer butt back here and tell us what the guy wanted *L*

LMLCAO (laffing ma lo carb butt off) !!!!!!@Jay Gatsby.

Guys--
I made it through the Hurricane. There was lots of wind and rain. A tree fell on someone's car. There was water everywhere. My car aspirates from the bottom so I was stuck at home until the water subsided. Yes, stuck at home from Thursday until Sunday!!!!!

There were trees everywhere. Luckily, not on my Condo or my car. I didnt lose the electricity, phone or water, but I have no cable or Internet (you bet I'm wishing for dial up...). Apparently, cable is not a priority when it comes to Restoration after a Hurricane.

And, my Cingular service only works in the parking lot. In the Condo it says...no service!!!! No service on Hurricane weekend!!!! The gall of those people.

The grocery stores were not selling any perishables. Apparently the lights went out, the butter, cheese, eggs, LC milk and meat went bad. And the freezers flooded the stores. I went in to buy stamps. LOL. I felt "special" in that "GeeGee needs stamps (in the middle of a devastating emergency mind you) so the person standing in front of the line betta hurry the heck up dagnabbit..."

Everyone was annoyed. People were getting sick from post Hurricane madness. The Hurricane hit on Thursday night. One guy decided his house was too hot because he didnt have electricity (read: A/C). So he cranked up the a/c in his truck and went to sleep in there. Luckily his own vomit woke him up. Sick, he drove to the ER (heck he was already in the car) and was treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. An entire family went to the ER for the same thing after the parental units decided to grill breakfast IN THE HOUSE...

Four people died. One in a car crash Thursday night on the way home when Katrina hit. A student --a tree fell on his car in the school parking lot (no, I dont know what he was doing there during a Hurricane). One guy died moving tree branches offa his property on Thursday when a TREE fell on him. That was *so* Six Feet Under... And someone was electrocuted when they walking in standing water which was hiding a power line.

As I review the above, an apology might be in order. I'm really sorry but I can not help but be glib. Katrina was only a Category 1 storm and there is *SO* much damage. It's incredible. I am one of the lucky ones. There are people dealing with flooded houses, mold, asthmatic children, flooded cars, tree damage, etc. It is *SO* overwhelming. I've been listening to it all on the Radio.

And of course, the Insurance companies are trying to settle claims on the spot and unlicensed contractors are running amuck.

And, there is no (I cant believe that Regular is almost $3 a gal!!!) gas anywhere....Most stations were empty!

So glad you made it through Katrina safely GeeGee.