One more thing, Anti-obesity Campaign!

I have known more people that struggle with anorexia than with obesity.  I should say- I have known more people with anorexia, or a distorted body image, low self esteem and trying to be thin, having their self worth directly related to their body weight, eating unhealthy or smoking cigarettes to do so.  Do we really need a campaign saying they should not be fat?  Being overweight may stem from an eating disorder too- and all of these things stem from different things.

Why not make it an anti-eating disorder campaign?  My sarcastic side wants to ask, why not start an anti-thinness campaign?  Yes, that is offensive.  EXACTLY!  It is so obtuse to make a campaign that uses a word I have only ever heard used as an offensive term.  The "o" word.  The point being this campaign is obtuse because it is everywhere in our society that women (in particular) should be fat free size nothing, and almost every woman I have ever known struggles with not feeling good enough -I don't know a college girl who didn't have an eating disorder- this campaign has got to contribute negatively to this problem.

I am sure this campaign contributes to a negative body image -especially among women.  Thank you for having a campaign against my fat.

One more thing, being at an unhealthy weight is not from eating grain or carbohydrates!  Our country is filled with crap food, processed and full of chemicals.  That is the nature of industrial farming and large corporations that want to sell based on taste.  People will eat what is served.  I think it is that and a combination of emotional or psychological factors that contributes to any eating disorder.

Dear Katherine Ross,

I love Katherine Ross.

Katherine Ross, I think you are the most beautiful actress of all time.  You have such natural beauty and presence on camera.  You are so naturally beautiful. 

They don't really make 'em like this anymore.  I love your long hair and natural beauty.  

Dear Anti-Obesity Campaign,

How about
"A healthy way to deal with your problems,"
"Finding things to do outside,"
"Walk, bike, or bus, not drive,"
"Grow your own food,"
"Meet a local farmer,"
"Fruit tastes better than candy"
"Meet friends in your community"
"A Happy You starts with a Healthy Heart"
"The media makes money of off making you feel inadequate, don't listen!"

There are lots of ideas I could list as a better alternative to the Anti-Obesity Campaign.  One of the many problems with this campaign is that it it tackles a side effect, not a problem.  Are these kids having trouble at home?  Are their parents not buying healthy food?  Are they lonely?  Depressed?  Maybe they don't have access to healthy choices.  Maybe food is the only thing they feel like they can control.  I just feel this campaign is brash; why not just have an anti-alcoholic campaign?  Alcoholism, like over-eating, is a complex emotional situation that is always about more than the alcohol.

It also seems ostracizing.  It is not black and white- you are not either skinny or fat.  And who says?  Exercise should be done not to look better but to have a healthy heart and mind at any size.  It is everywhere in society that we should look like the "healthy" models on the cover of every magazine and photoshopped page so that we feel unhappy with our "imperfections" (we are told that is what they are) so that someone can bank off of marketing a product that makes us more acceptable.

Okay, maybe the campaign is not directly selling anything- but it contributes to a huge problem in America- thinking you have to be a certain size to feel accepted.  Over-eating is a personal problem, one that requires psychological understanding and delicacy.  No!?  -you say?  Fine- at the very LEAST it requires attention to the causes- processed foods, industrial farming, lack of fresh eating- how about implementing different kinds of exercise into public schools that people actually like?  Not everyone has the confidence for team sports.  Some people, myself included, might benefit from a different form of exercise- like yoga or martial arts. 

At any rate, by making "a problem" out of what already is their problem -that is not a healthy approach to this complex matter.  Especially when so many of the problems causing this are laced throughout the media and the systems that "feed" us information daily.

Dear Favorite Product,

Why do you have to sell yourself in a tiny 1 oz package?  Seriously.  Or favorite conditioner, how could 4 oz suffice?  It is ridiculous.  So much packaging, and we are buying you constantly.  Why not save us all some trouble and sell yourself in bulk?  Fine, do the math and charge the same profit- how is it benefiting YOU to have so much additional packaging?

Urgh!

Dear Dinner With Friends,

There is nothing better.  When I think in terms of the success I want to have in my life, for me that is determined by having, building and maintaining healthy relationships.  Dinner with friends, fresh food and red wine, intelligent conversation, respect, learning from one another while expressing ourselves- there is nothing better than dinner with friends.

Taking time to eat together, drink together, and talk- a rejuvenating experience that gives me strength and energy to re-face the rest of life.  I get more satisfaction from one dinner with friends than I ever got from my designer jeans or my sports car.  Dinner with friends has reminded me that human connection is actually what we crave the most.  Communication.  Why do we put such an emphasis on material gain when it is community that actually fulfills us?

Dear Flowering Tree,

Thank you for being one of the best parts of spring.  You really transform this place from desolate winter to glorious garden.  All the trees are in bloom today!

Spring makes the winter worth the wait.

Dear Celebrity that is Advertising for something you would never use,

Dear Celebrity,

Please.  You falsely endorsing a product is ridiculous.  Like Beyonce is really going to use hair color out of a box.  I wouldn't even do that.  (Just saying.) 

It is rather insulting.  I don't see how this adds credibility to a product- it is just absurd.

Dear Person that leaves dog poop all over the entrance to my building,

I can't tell which is worse- you being too lazy to walk your dog a few extra feet, or you being too lazy to bend down and pick it up.  It is such a good idea to leave dog poop at the entrance everyone uses, that way- we will not only have it on our shoes when we leave for the day, but we can also track it in on the carpet.

When I have people over, they will be so glad to see what kind of a place we live in.  Who doesn't love dog sh*t?

Dear Person with too much perfume, we are sharing this air.

Dear person with too much perfume,

I can smell you across the room building.  You are choking me out!  You are making me allergic to you.  The truth is, I don't want to have to smell anyone- whether or not you think it is a good smell- I would rather just not smell you or anything on you.

You might think it smells good, but that doesn't mean anyone else does.  We have to respect one another's air.  The right to breathe.  I shouldn't really be smelling you unless we are choosing to embrace.  Certainly not across the room.  Take it easy with that stuff!

Dear Junk Food, I love you but you are worthless.

Dear Junk food and those that produce it,

What we eat is perhaps the most contributing factor to our health, well being, and longevity.  Junk food you are designed to taste good and leave me hungry.  You are designed by corporations that want to make money so you lack nutrition and valuable real food but mind trick me into thinking you are yummy or will make me feel better, you are filled with preservatives and additives but taste alright, you are unhealthy but leave me thinking I want more.  You are addictive!

You steer us away from the food we should be eating.  You trick us into thinking we crave you.  You do not satisfy us, but leave us wanting and needing (at least thinking we are wanting and needing) more of you because we are not satiated. 

So that is why I want to eat the entire bag of chips.  Real food is better tasting and makes us feel amazing.  Junk food, I hope you clean yourself up and get yourself together.

Dear person lighting up inside, take a breather!

Dear person lighting up your cigarettes in my building,

Could you please step outside?  As an ex-smoker myself, I always understood part of the reward and punishment of lighting up was to have to step outdoors.  A moment of solace, perhaps?

However, you smoking in my building is really uncalled for.  Please put on some pants and step outside.  Why is it acceptable to light up in a rented apartment when it is not even allowed in the bars in our state?  I hate to be crashing the party, but we have to share these walls.  Second hand, third hand...

Please step outside and let your smoke blow away from our shared residence.