ABC's new HUGE

Well I gotta say that this brought back memories, lots of very painful memories! No, I didn't go to fat camp, but if it were an option I'm sure my mom would have tried it. I connected with most of the characters in the short episode. I know its based off of a book or something and no I have not read it, but will some day I'm sure. At the moment I'm intrigued and eager to see the next episode. I hope that the counselors and the physical instructors get the chance to see how it is from the camper's perspective. I know that the head Doctor was once a camper there, but I think she must have forgotten what it was like to be in those shoes. I think there is a good chance that this show can become really good in opening an awareness that health comes in many different sizes. I also think that it has potential to open up the minds of parents of obese children and teens to see how life is like from a different perspective. I am very hopeful for this show because I certainly wish that something like it would have been around when I was growing up in my own super-sized body. Every day is a struggle if you have low self esteem no matter what size you are, and that is where we need to focus our concern. Not on the outside issue, but on the inner issue. Then will we be able to tip the scale of what is truly healthy and what is overdoing it on either side.

So after I see the next episode and maybe a few more, depending on the next episode and if it gives me anything to write about. I will keep you informed on my thoughts.

I know its been a while since I've posted anything and I wish to apologize. My brother passed away recently and have been dealing with the emotions from that. My head still doesn't feel like the clouds have passed, but someday that rainbow will emerge and I will emerge with it.

Media Mayhem (pt 1)

Everywhere you look, from the checkouts of the local grocery store, to advertisements in every magazine, and TV commercials all saying that you aren’t good enough. Saying that their products will make your life better, that they know what is best for you. People that you look up to promoting products that more than likely they know little to nothing about, simply because they get paid to do so. There is diet, fashion, beauty products all out there to make you feel bad enough about yourself enough to buy into it.

From companies like Reebok, with their commercials of a woman’s legs and breasts being compared to her butt and how they are no longer getting any attention because these shoes have amazingly trimmed and sculpted the woman’s buttocks. To companies like Ralph Lauren Polo that has been using Photoshop to reshape their model’s bodies into something that no longer resembles a human. On the off chance that Ralph Lauren is targeting an alien audience they have really upset a lot of people with their ads. They have angered people so much that there has been many demonstrations held outside of the head offices, and there is a boycott group started on Facebook lead by the producer of “America the Beautiful” Darryl Roberts.

In France and a few other European countries on magazines like Glamour, In Style and other fashion magazines they began placing warnings on the cover, stating that the image has been altered from its original state. More and more magazines are also featuring plus size models but there is still the debate of whether that is a good thing or not considering the obesity rate in the United States. Is it a force to get the media to get more realistic or to change with the times?

Dreams Really Can Come True!!!

When I was a kid I wanted to be all kinds of things, an astronaut, a lawyer, even a farmer. But one night my Mom and I were driving somewhere and she said she felt like she was falling asleep so she wanted me to talk to her to help keep her awake. I decided to tell her a story; it was completely made up right there on the spot. She said it was the coolest story she had ever heard, and I had a lot of fun coming up with it, so at that moment in the front seat of my Mom's gray Buick I decided I wanted to become a writer. After that I began with poetry and stories for my age, and to tell you the truth I don't remember how old I was at that time. Sometimes I would lock myself in my room just so I could write. Blasting my stereo to drown out my brothers many noises I would sit there for hours typing away on my typewriter or going through pen after pen and page after page. I always had extra things written for English assignments, and still have them in different places in case I ever need them again.

When I was 14 I even submitted a poem to a contest and was invited to go to a banquet and get published. At the time my Mom thought it was a scam so I had to let it go. Years later I submitted another couple of poems to the same place and they sent me another invitation and this time I at least decided to buy a book. I had a job so I had my own money and paid for it myself, and I still have it. There were many occasions where my parents wanted to go site seeing or to visit family and I would refuse to go so I could stay home and write. All throughout High School I had extra things written for all of my English classes. I even had a play that I tried submitting to the drama class, but since I didn’t take drama they couldn’t accept it.

I always wanted to be a writer of some kind, but after a while the dream faded and new dreams took its place in the spotlight. I went through lots of different dreams until I finally came back to writing. It started with a simple MySpace blog, then a group on Facebook, then my very own blog, and now, now I am creating a magazine. Well for now it’s an ezine, but one day I know it will turn into a full colored page Real Life magazine. Coincidently that’s the name of it too. J I never dreamed that when I told that story to my Mom when I was in 4^th or 5^th grade that less than twenty years later I would be creating my very own magazine with a book in the making as well. It just goes to show that no matter what you do if you keep dreaming sooner or later your dreams will come true!!