[Another weekly exercise in gratitude.]
It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for:
1) Over 300 responses to yesterday’s poll and some great discussion in the comments. Wow!
2) Ibuprofen, because I slacked off on walking for a week and strength training for mumble and both knees hurt.
3) But, despite slacking off I can and did walk a mile on the treadmill OK…
4) … and my knees feel better after doing a series of leg lifts, leg extensions and leg curls last night.
5) This post articulating what it’s like to be fat:
I’m usually the fattest person in the room. I’m often the only fat person in the room. […] When I go to the gym, I’m fat. And there’s a part of me that knows people are looking at me and making judgements – about how hard or fast I’m exercising, about how much I should do, about why they think I’m doing it (no, it’s not to loose weight, but you can’t tell that by looking). […] Whenever I go into a shop that doesn’t cater specifically to fat people, I know I won’t find anything to fit.
Some of the items she discusses, like assuming people will reject her on first meeting, are things I’ve trained myself NOT to do. Others are things I deal with every day. I think it’s a useful addition to the discussion of what it’s like to be fat.
Whether or not I am beautiful is immaterial in the face of what kind of parent I am, how I treat my fellow human beings, whether or not anyone’s lives are going to be enriched from knowing me or not — not how goddamned decorative I am. I am a living, breathing human being. The idea that because I’m female I should somehow be ornamental if I want to be valued drives me up a wall.
What are you thankful for this week?
Living ~400lbs 
I am soooo thankful for that Robert Heinlin (sp?) quote in your last thread — “It’s amazing how much mature wisdom resembles being too tired.” That is utter brilliance!
Ain’t it thought?
A little “been there, done that” can help too.
I’m thankful that this semester is almost over (already!) I’m thankful to be able to go to school, to be able to mentally, emotionally and physically be present in the classroom. I’m thankful to the fatosphere for the knowlege it’s given me for when people or my texts bring up sizist, anti-fat arguements, and I’m thankful for Shakesville and for their knowledge and safe space.
That is what I’m thankful for this week.
((((hugs)))) for sore knees
Also, epsom salts! A warm soak for about 10 minutes! You may still be a little sore but it really takes the OHMAHGAWDICAN’TMOVE out of a break between periods of working out. Who knew.
And you know I *hate* that part.
I’m thankful that my cat is willing to play back-up alarm clock by licking the end of my nose if I don’t get out of bed fast enough.
Hee!
I love the “pretty” rant – it’s something I need to be reminded of, and often.
I’m thankful that I have a partner who loves me as I am and also helps me get to the gym, so I can be more badass. He hopes I get strong enough to “rip a phone book in half.”
:)
I love love love Noel’s rant. I understand the intention behind the whole empowering every woman to feel beautiful thing, but honestly I think we’d be better off just saying screw it to the whole idea that beauty is what we should strive for (or strive to feel we have/are). And, I know that’s a whole heck of a lot easier for me to say at almost 32 after almost 10 years of marriage and 1-1/2 kids than it would have been for me to say at 19 or 20, but I do wish that more women would be willing to throw out the whole idea that being beautiful is something they should either aspire to or that they’d be better off for acknowledging they are, and just decide that they don’t give a crap about whether or not other people find their physical appearance pleasing.
I found out today that I’m having a baby girl, and while I would have been good with another son, I’m really really happy to be having a daughter.
I found out today that I’m having a baby girl, and while I would have been good with another son, I’m really really happy to be having a daughter.
Congratulations!
And yes, I think I finally get the wisdom in “pretty is as pretty does”. Pretty DOES do some things – but only a few – and if it’s not DOING for you, you’re better off finding something that DOES do for you.
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