The (NOT SO) Skinny Girl

Maybe it's just me and my upbringing, I mean Italian mothers/grandmothers are top notch at laying on the guilt. God forbid you made ANY plans on a Sunday, or any other day designated as a family day, that didn't include getting together at Mom or Grandma's house for a 3 course (or more) army-sized meal. As I grew up and became aware and independent, I felt 'guilt' more and more. Not just for not spending time with family. For not thanking them enough. For not doing enough around the house. For not offering to do enough. For not having better grades or being better at something. For not having enough money for things. All sorts of guilt. I've carried this childhood notion of always feeling guilty about everything into my married, established, adult life.  Interestingly enough, where I thought it was just a "ME" thing, I'm starting to realize our culture, as a whole, is very geared towards placing guilt on people unnecessarily. It comes in a lot o...

It's kind of funny when people tell you not to complain or worry or have an opinion or -worst of all- do something I hate the phrase "you wouldn't understand....". It's usually followed by something generalized or judgemental that the person has no clue how it affects you (and truthfully probably doesn't care). You wouldn't understand, you're white. You wouldn't understand, you're skinny. You wouldn't understand, you have a college degree. You wouldn't understand, you have money. You wouldn't understand you're not a wife/parent/or any other designation. And ya know it's actually hurtful... Because you're assuming I'm not HUMAN- that I don't CARE. That I don't have that basic human compassion for others in me. You assume I don't have feelings or can't understand complex human interactions or thoughts. All sorts of assuming. And after assuming how I think or feel, what I am or am not... You th...