BMI is total crap. But I'll take it over the previous method of determining overweight and obese, which was strictly by weight. Most of my time in the Navy I was presumedly not suitable for reenlistment because of my weight (5'3", 140 lb., the cut off was 134), although they always let me reenlist. Once it went to body fat I was "safe" at 142 because I had a BMI of 24 (their overweight was 30, general public is 26.) That was without going to the gym. Totally fit and 135 I had a BMI of 18. Contrast that with some of those superskinny women at 5'7", 105 lb. and 16 BMI as "underweight" and 110 as "normal." The categories are pretty arbitrary and POINTLESS.

t /rant

Nora, other than weary of ranting about the BMI, how you feeling? Do you still have the ick?

Headdesk

Dear J

I wrote out procedures for you. You didn't follow them. Now things are a mess that I get the "pleasure" of cleaning up while you take a week vacation. And YOU are going to train someone else, in less than a month, to take over the job before you head off to another country for 2 years? Even though it took you over 6 months to learn how to do this stuff and you are still making big mistakes?

No love, Me

Headdesk, headdesk, headdesk, headdesk

so if your a women, and not tall, and happened to be well endowed, then you are obese?

That's me! I'm chubbier than I want to be but, yeah, by the BMI scale I think I'm at least overweight if not close to obese. Fortunately none of my doctors have hassled me about it ever. Possibly because I have sensible doctors.

Fortunately none of my doctors have hassled me about it ever. Possibly because I have sensible doctors.

I'm just on the line between "normal" and "overweight", and the first time I went to my old doctor, she weighed me and then very pointedly checked the BMI and shook her head. I don't go to her any more, obviously.

huh. Found a BMI calculator on line. According to it, I'm only about 5-10 pounds over "normal". Of course, since I am not sure of my exact weight, I could be completely wrong. It's still bullshit.

I'm just on the line between "normal" and "overweight", and the first time I went to my old doctor, she weighed me and then very pointedly checked the BMI and shook her head. I don't go to her any more, obviously.

I know I've shared the story about my ex-shrink who, instead of asking me if I was still having suicidal ideation, asked me my weight and height and calculated my BMI and then told me how many pounds a week I needed to lose in order to be a healthy weight AND THEN told me she would prescribe weight-loss drugs if I wanted.

I didn't ask her how many of her patients killed themselves because of her poor care and/or because she made them feel horrible for daring to be fat at her.

More recently, when my back was torqued in August and wouldn't un-torque, I had to see a backup doctor just to get some goddamn flexiril, since my most excellent doctor wasn't available. The backup doctor (who I DO NOT LIKE, but she was the only one available and I really needed flexiril) told me that if I lost weight, my back wouldn't hurt.

I asked her -- I swear to you that this is true -- what she tells her thin patients who have back pain.

She told me that wasn't relevant, and that being overweight is a known cause of back pain. And I said I had heard that, too, but it sure was interesting how many not-overweight people also had back pain.

She gave me the stinkeye and then asked what pharmacy I use, so she could call in the Rx for flexiril. I really dislike her. It's a testament to how badly my back hurt that I was willing to see her in order to get the drugs.

For Pete, and Jilli and other fine appreciators of beautiful illustration and the macabre: The 1885 Calendrier Magique.

Colored Lithographs by Manuel Orazi. A rare piece of occultist ephemera, printed in an edition of 777 copies to commemorate magic for the coming year of 1896. Each double page spread mimics the Christian calendar in some respect (name days, iconography). The document is at once a spoof and an attempt to chart the year of magic. Its surviving interest resides in the extravagant and compelling illustrations, especially the full-page right hand plates, by Manuel Orazi.

Well, I tried yesterday and today to early vote, but the lines were insane, and outside the building. I'll vote when the line can at least be contained by the building, or wait for the big party long line on election day.

Long lines? To vote? All I can think is

:: please be Obama votes please be Obama votes... ::