questions without answers...politics and weight

I confess...I've re-started this post several times.  I am having trouble working through my thoughts and I want to feel like I'm expressing myself well.  I do have "PC police" voices in my head but it is actually much more about truly wanting to respect people.  Part of why it is swirling in my head is all the emotions around the issues and wanting to be respectful of those.

Getting on topic, I've been thinking a lot about weight issues again as people raise them in the context of Chris Christie as a potential presidential nominee.  I don't feel like I can get to many conclusions here, but I do have a few issues swirling in my head:

• Is his size at all relevant to the candidacy? 
• While it is not always fair to correlate weight and health, I do think health is a relevant issue when picking our highest elected official.  We want someone to be able to handle the physical toil of a 24/7 job.  We don't want a leader unable to complete his/her term or hampered by illness.  That part feels easy to me..except that weight is NOT always a sign of poor health (I'd worry about health issues in a fit pres too). 
• But, does it matter that the president is the face of our nation?  I remember looking at the portraits lining high school classrooms and thinking presidents have gotten MUCH better looking over the course of history as media has invaded (Van Buren wouldn't make the cut now).  And I think it sort of does matter that you present a good image.  I do think Christie is still very polished and it is very much possible to look good and be larger.  But it still lingers for me....maybe because our national image is definitely becoming linked with weight.
• And does the president need to be a role model?  I'm lost on this one.  The "grow up to be president" idea is a big one and part of me does think that means being a good role model.  But, then again, I think the person and the professional are separate roles.  I didn't care too much if Clinton was a bad husband...I wouldn't want him as a spouse but was happy to vote for him as a leader.  Is weight the same thing?
• Is it fair late-night fodder?
• I am totally inconsistent here.  I don't like mocking people for their weight.  But Letterman's Top Ten list totally made me laugh. 
• Does quality matter?  Is it because Letterman did it well that I liked his jokes more than a "You're so fat..." joke? 
• Part of me thinks that you subject yourself to more as a public figure, but I also hate when celebs are mocked for their weight gain.  Again, I'm not consistent here...and it rives me nuts.
• It seems MUCH more acceptable to laugh at a fat man than a fat woman.  Is it because women are more likely to have emotional issues with food?  Or is it cultural?  Women bond by saying "You look so cute!" while men often bond more over "Dude, when's the baby due?" 
• Leading to...What if Chris was Christine?
• More a comment than anything, but I just can't see a woman of Christie's size being considered for the big gig.

Like I said, not the most productive post in terms of actual answers.  And I haven't made much progress despite playing it through my head for a few days.  But I do think it is all worth the thought...

Compromise, Ramber-Style, and a Time Machine Toddler Me

I confess....I felt bad breaking it to MM that the duckies will be leaving soon.

Compromise in our home is unique.  I had wanted to see Bridesmaids so he agreed to watch it On Demand and I agreed to go feed the ducks.  Though he made out well since Bridesmaids was a lot raunchier than I expected and more his huor than mine.  We actually need to finish it tonight since he had to make an emergency run to the office and we didn't get to finish it.  Another recent compromise....he stopped to get me a treat, I agreed to taking the top off his "fun" car while driving around (fun but the volume and the long hair are issues for me).

I also swear I saw a time machine version of myself at the park.  There was a pre-school aged girl with crazy messy curls (I had Shirley Temple ringlets...still wavy/curly but I blow dry it straight) who was there with her mom.  She was trying to talk to a big group of very loud ducks.  She was using a very rational tone of voice and asking them to be quieter (they were VERY loud yesterday).  She eventually got frustrated, threw her arms up in a dramatic shrug, and said: "What's WRONG with you ducks?  BE QUIET."  Honestly, I can totally see four-year old me doing the same thing.

bulletpoint withdrawal...

I confess....I'm feeling bullet-point withdrawal:

• Dear Service Folks -- 8-12 is a decent-sized window.  If a customer calls at 1 when no one has showed for said window, the customer is unlikely to react well to being told the window has changed to 8-5.  Especially if you are befuddled when it is suggested you might have TOLD the customer of the change.
• I love Community.  Okay, I love Abed.  Well, I love most of the other folks too but would be quite pleased to see Chang disappear.
• I also love the ad with Jimmy Fallon seeing his pie-chart shows a small group that does NOT like more money and where he then argues with a toddler in the "no phase".  But I'll admit that the first time I referenced it I didn't get the product right so it may not be all that effective.  And the second time I named the wrong Jimmy...which is more about my clueless-ness.  I'd be a lovely person for a famous person to sit next to on a plane.  I'd leave them alone since I would not recognize them (unless it was Abed).
• Still arguing with the scale.  It is also being tempermental.  I may have tried stepping on it a couple times in a row and saw different numbers (by over a pound and a half).  Like I need a factor to add in to my mental issues....yes, I could decide it is even MORE meaningless but I'm more likely to feel the need to check several times in a row.
• Recovery update -- Just frustrated.  With still having pain when I feel like I shouldn't and with the darn brace I have to wear when I'm out of bed.
• Another blog linked to this book: Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed Down World.  I read pieces on the Amazon preview and was intruigued (but haven't ordered it yet).  The theme isn't new...the sad lack of intelligence and the fact that it is socially acceptable to know the names of Housewives while not knowing the branches of our government...but it does seem really well-done.  I'll wait till I can get a cheap used version though...and till I'm in the right mood for it.
• How have I become a TLC watcher?
• I have a love for small companies.  I had a not-so-great experience though with a smaller beef jerky brand (another addiction I did NOT see coming) and did let them know.  They offered to send another flavor to see if I'd change my mind.  When I was indecisive and asked for advice (re which might have less of the greasy feel that turned me off before), they said that they were mailing both.  Not naming the company since it isn't a product-rave, but the service at a small company is always so much nicer than a big name.
• A post by another blogger made me confess in her comments that I often refer to bloggers I follow as "friends" even though I may not actually know them.   Oddly, I probably know more about some of the ladies who post regularly than I do about some "real life" friends.  I do appreciate the few people who are both bloggers and real-lifers. 
• MM had a seven day week last week.  I am glad he only has a three day week this time.  When I want to be, I can call myself an only child (steps and halfs but none grew up in my home) and I guess I don't want to share him with his office.

P.S.  I'm curious how the FB revamp affects people seeing this since I know several folks come over from my FB status updates.