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So, as I’m adding small spoonfuls of the various side dishes at the holiday pot luck (wanting to at least taste some of the amazing dishes my friends have brought), the super skinny office gossip comes up behind to say out loud “oh I wish I could try some of those dishes, but I’ll have to workout all weekend if I eat all that!” Just to be sure that everyone’s attention is focused on the contents of my plate.

Yet, if one were to be somewhat interested and followed her around, one would see her continually pop portions of the all the desserts in her mouth as she walked around. Sort of like she thought if you don’t put the desserts on a plate, they don’t count as food?

Why does anyone think it is their business to publicly comment on what anyone else is eating?

I hate that sometimes I catch myself saying “oh I can’t grab a slice of pizza (or whatever) because then these people will think I eat like this all the time”. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to enjoy a holiday treat if an opportunity comes across? Why should I be made to feel that I have to hide my perfectly normal and reasonable eating from the eyes of those around me? It happens all year to some extent, but the holidays are worse.

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I usually say "the world is on fire so I'm gonna enjoy my life."

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True!!

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It's tricky. I remember my first holiday with wife #1 (Joyce might have worn a 3X) visiting my parents, and the awkward moment when my mother was cutting a pumpkin pie into servings. "And what size would you like, dear?" she said to my wife, who hesitated to answer. "I bet she'd like an average-size piece" I interjected, which made everyone breath a sigh of relief. But what do you say at a funeral when your very thin aunt and your sister-in-law comment on a plate of cookies being passed around, saying things like "I can't even eat one cookie--I will totally blimp up" in the presence of a room full of relatives which included several who were very large, and made obviously uncomfortable by those remarks. I just rolled my eyes and gave silent thanks that we didn't have to go to many funerals, where it would be bad form to point out how it sucks to use terms like "blimp up" in front of fat people in a public setting...,

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