The Photo Game

My good buddy Max the Quilt Cat (http://www.maxthequiltcat.com/) tagged me in the photo game. Here's how it works:

-Open your first photo folder
-Scroll down to the 10th photo
-Post the 10th photo and tell the story about it
-Pass along to 5 other blogs

The 10th photo in my first folder is this one:

It's a photo of me and my favorite singer, Gavin DeGraw, talking before one of his shows. I won a contest to get to go to his soundcheck for this show. After the soundcheck he was signing autographs, posing for photos, and talking with his fans. My boyfriend took several photos of us while we were talking. It was one of the best nights of my life!

Hmm, who should I tag so that I can pass along this fun game? I think I know exactly who would like to play :-).

http://mookiepig.blogspot.com/

http://jazzydacat.blogspot.com/

http://confuciuscat.blogspot.com/

http://stunningkeisha.blogspot.com/

http://mattiedadog.blogspot.com/

Have fun guys! Can't wait to see your photos and read the stories behinnd them!

Do You Think Michelle's Getting Too Thin?

Yes, that's a question that one of my acquaintances posed to another acquaintance of mine. In the beginning this person was really gung-ho about my weigth-loss efforts, but now that I'm hovering around my goal, she's not quite as happy for me. In response to the question, Acquaintance #1 replied, "No. Why, are you jealous?" Of course Acquaintance #2 had to backpedal and was like "No, I'm not jealous!" But you know what? She is, or else she wouldn't have brought it up. This woman is 15 years older than me and is married with 2 children. Our lifestyles are completely and totally different, so there's no reason at all for comparisons.

When people, especially certain types of women, are used to you being a certain way, they can't handle it when you make a change. When I was heavier, I'm sure there were some who perceived me as cute, non-threatening, and in no way competition in any regard. Although I've never considered myself ugly, by any stretch of the imagination, I know that lots of women don't want the "fat chick" to start looking better than them. I'll say right now that I'm not competing with anyone for anything. From Day One this has been for and about me. I didn't want to be another statistic. I have a cousin who had two heart attacks before the age of 30. Although she wasn't heavy, she lived an unhealthy lifestyle.

As women we need to celebrate each others' successes and encourage those around us to strive for better things. When something good happens to a woman that I know, I congratulate her. New, flattering haircut or hairstyle? You look fabulous! Lost some weight? Good for you! Keep up the good work! Bought a new car? Girl, that's fantastic! I know that in life we often want the things that other people have. Guess what? If you really want those things, you can have them, too. It's going to take sacrifice, because we live in the real world, not on TV. Once you're able to get it, the sense of achievement is beyond compare. Instead of tearing people down, build them up. Ask them how they were able to accomplish some particular goal that you're interested in. I can almost guarantee that they put in work to get there.

Rest in Peace, Granny

I don't know very many people who can say that they grew up right next door to their grandmother, but I can. She was my mom's mom and gave birth to 12 children (one of whom died in infancy). She and my grandfather raised those 12 children on a farm in rural Georgia. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was two, so I never got to know him. Those women who have large families today are all about the publicity they can get. Granny didn't have a bunch of kids because she wanted to be on TV (Hell when she had her first kid, there was no such thing as TV!). She had 12 kids because when you live on a farm in rural Georgia, there's not much to do in the winter but get busy, LOL! Just kidding! Trying to raise that many kids during the first 2/3 of the 20th century wasn't easy. I know she and Grandpa made lots of sacrifices because they definitely didn't have much money. She continued to make sacrifices almost until the end of her long life. Initially, we thought that she was 91 when she passed away, but according to the Social Security office, she was actually 93. She saw and experienced many, many things, and was a part of my life for 34 years. My brothers and I used to play football and baseball in her yard with our cousins. We used to eat the teacakes that she baked (I can still remember the taste!). Before we were old enough to go to school, my younger brother and I used to go shopping with Granny and Mama. Those were such happy and carefree days that are very easy to forget about when you move away.

Although I did move away, I never forgot her and the childhood memories that she was a part of. Whenever I came home, I would always make sure that I went to her house to visit her. Over the past year, all I was able to do was sit with her. She didn't talk much. All she did was stare out the window. The last time I saw her alive was less than a year ago when I came home for my uncle's funeral. When it was time for me to leave for the airport to go back to Massachusetts, I stopped by her house to say goodbye. The last words I spoke to her were "I love you, Granny." She told me she loved me, too. I'm glad that those were the last words we said to each other. I just wish that I had known they were going to be the very last words we would say to each other. The very end of her life wasn't easy, but I hope she knows that those that truly care about her miss her very much. You'll always be in our hearts. Rest in peace, Granny.