A Rare Sighting

Generally speaking, there are very few pictures of me.

This is because I usually have the camera. It's in my DNA. I'm always behind the camera. In fact, I've instructed my family that upon my demise, I want my headstone to be shaped like a giant camera, with a button people can push to have their picture taken at my gravesite. There'll be a caption that says, "thanks for visiting". I'm sure they'll make it happen.

Anyway, there are also very few pictures of me for another reason: I don't like being reminded of how fat I am.

So I was having this very conversation with someone on Yahoo! Messenger the other day. This is a regular blog reader who's never met me, but knows my formerly-fat-but-now-obnoxiously-skinny brother fairly well. For some reason, she didn't believe me when I said I had a lot of weight to lose. "What, you have maybe 10 pounds to lose?" she asked. I was absolutely incredulous. Ten Pounds? I haven't been "10 pounds" overweight since High School. Ten pounds would be a blessing. She didn't believe me, and I guess I understand why. I've posted headshots before, but pictures lie. Besides, I carry my weight low (I often joke I'm in perfect shape...I just happen to be shaped like a bowling pin). And without hardcore visual evidence, you might be tempted to not believe me.

So today--and today only--I'm posting a photo of me in all my chubby glory*. Far be it for me to perpetuate the myth that I'm anything other than what I really am. I want you all to understand that when I weigh in (no pun intended) on issues of diet, exercise and fat people that I have the credibility to do so. And I don't want to pass myself off as something I'm not. Clearly, I was giving at least one reader a false impression, and I don't want to do that.

And for those of you that will express the inevitable concerns about my health, let me assure you: My blood sugar is normal, my cholesterol is the envy of my skinny family, and other than exacerbating the arthritis in my knees, my weight has very little impact on my overall health (much to the consternation of my doctor, who desperately wants to motivate me to lose weight--as if looking like this isn't enough incentive already).

One final thought: despite my reluctance to be photographed, I'm happy with me. I realize there are clowns like this in the world that want us all to be skinny and easy on the eyes, but I am who I am, and if you can't deal with me on those terms, then I lift up a hearty middle finger to you and your ilk. I've gained and lost more weight than Oprah over the years. I've been fatter and skinnier. But I'm still ME. I refuse to be defined by my packaging. One of the things I like about the blogosphere is that words, opinions, and personality matter much more than physical appearances. Here, we can get to know the REAL person, and to hell with the way they look. We're all the better for it.

Thanks for reading.


The book in my hand is "Bone Man of Benares". I'll let you know what I think of it when I'm done.

*You'll notice I'm barefoot in the photo. That's because a) I don't like to wear shoes and b) I don't weigh as much in the photo with my shoes off! ;-)