one of us would say, "Mom, stop it. You're going to make us anorexic." She'd reply, "No, people in this family like food too much to ever be anorexic. Bulimic, maybe." She still thinks this is funny

That's totally humor in my family--I think at least one of us has said almost exactly that! But probably because my mom didn't harp so much on food/calories/weight.

I would love to hear more and maybe help you brainstorm and stuff.

that would be great! Thankfully, I wrote down some thoughts before crashing. (I cannot believe how drained I feel right now, it is crazy.)

I feel like I am suddenly whammied by the flu, in that I felt fine this morning, and by 2 or 3 I was really achy and had the chills and my throat hurt. NO, ILLNESS! I REJECT YOU!

So I just feel ill and whiny, and Tim keeps clomping around the house (hardwood floors) in high-heeled boots and then keeps talking to me, when I just want to feel unwell and pout in exile.

It's possible I'm loopy on cold meds at this point.

I started to feel sick yesterday morning, Steph. After being sick the entire month of October!

I used the neti bottle 4 times both morning and evening and felt much better today. I don't know if it's totally gone, but it's definitely on its way out.

It couldn't hurt!

On your behalf, I reject those germs...REJECT THEM, I say.

Speaking of minor miracles, a friend came over today for our mutual support society. We sat in my office for an hour and twenty minutes. After an excited little bit, Cagney got up in my chair, draped his 55 lbs over my lap and went to sleep. For the entire time.

I've been so sad that he can't work with me like Bartleby did. Who knows, maybe there is hope.

I recognize how insanely trivial that is, in a world where big things happen every second. But, honestly, that teeny, tiny thing made my poor heart feel so warm.

I recognize how insanely trivial that is, in a world where big things happen every second. But, honestly, that teeny, tiny thing made my poor heart feel so warm.

Awww, bonny, it's not a tiny thing to YOU (or to Cagney, I suspect), and that's what really matters.

Also, thanks for the neti pot reminder. I will do that before bed.

I think my mother thinks the absence of weight issues shown by either of her kids means that she does get to talk about my weight with abandon, and she was a bit taken aback when I warned them off breast-talk.

I realise that 95% of the women I've been intimate with (uh, not sexually) have massive breast issues (some massive issues, some massive breasts, some both), and I have no real idea if that's normal.

Is that normal? I feel like I'm two inches shy of massive issues (and massive...never mind, that's best left alone...) and that I'm pulling back at the last minute and THEY WILL NOT PULL BACK.

Just because I think I made up the term breast shaming doesn't mean THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, FAMILY.

Sorry to barf on the thread, but I'm just processing that the dress I'm wearing to he wedding might as well say "Related to ita !? Let's talk about boobs!" I am *not* hiding my boobs because of them, dammit.

Hm. I think that depends on your definition of MASSIVE.

I mean, for example, I'd say I have body issues, and would definitely include breast issues in those, but massive? Nah.

My siblings and I have often gone in on gifts together, so I'll check with my sister, but she's been buying him tickets to a baseball or basketball game, the past couple years, to go with him. But since I wouldn't be able to go with it's not quite the same...

My vague ideas on gifting this year are shot. If I couldn't do a shared activity, I went charity. It's fraught trying to figure out anything else. I wish you luck.

I realise that 95% of the women I've been intimate with (uh, not sexually) have massive breast issues (some massive issues, some massive breasts, some both), and I have no real idea if that's normal.

From my excessively inclusive case studies of basically everyone I have ever met, yes, women have breast issues. The projected ideas of what is normal is ... not. So every woman I've ever been able to talk to about boobs is stressed about them.

I wonder if it is because images are so breast-focused but we also, in mass media, hide the specifics. So there is this idea that an ideal boob not just exists but is common. And we freak when it doesn't match what we're sporting.

But that's all guessing. Just being female and talking about it for a while.

I think that my breasts are one of my best features. I have body issues, but only when I really like a guy. Otherwise, I don't give a fuck. Hell, a decent number of the bitches have seen me in various states of undress.