My Dream Job

Recently, I was searching the world wide web (vintage) for crock-pot recipes because they are so convenient and usually easy-peasy. I found this sweeeeet crock-pot-recipe blog and started looking around her site to see what else she's writing about. I saw a link called "The CrockPot Diet" so I immediately clicked on it and read through the post. She referenced Jennette Fulda's blog and book, Half-Assed: A Weight-Loss Memoir, chronicling Jennette's weight loss of 186 pounds through diet and exercise alone. Since I received a handy-dandy nook for my birthday, I downloaded the book and went to her blog right away, formerly called PastaQueen, now called JenFul. Holy hell. This is what I hope to do with my blog: get paid to write about myself. I read some of the book online and the first 10 pages or so are MY LIFE. Granted, this woman was morbidly obese through her 20's and my story is not as extreme as hers by any means, but I'm sitting here nodding my head and thinking to myself "YES! YES! I know what you mean!!!" It's like she's speaking TO me. Needless to say, I can't stop thinking about going home and reading her book to see what else she has to say. Also, don't judge me for getting excited to go home and read.

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Whenever I find a new, interesting blog, I like to read the first few posts to see how the blogger started and what he/she blogged about in the "early days." Jennette's second post on November 30, 2003 included 7 Habits of People Who Lose Weight and Keep It Off:

1) Expect failure, but keep trying
2) Don’t deny yourself
3) Weigh yourself often
4) Exercise regularly
5) Find ways to add little bits of physical activity into your daily routine
6) Eat a high carbohydrate, low fat diet
7) Eat about five meals a day starting with breakfast

Her first blog entries mirror my own weight-loss struggles. Jennette's weight loss was urgent due to her health issues and she absolutely understood that. But she also writes, "I feel like I’m missing a major period of my life by being fat. It affects my self confidence. It makes me self-conscious in crowds. I’d like to feel good about the way I look for once." (source) That's how a lot of young women feel, regardless of size, myself included. Honestly, it's hard out here for a chick! I can really relate to each and every blog entry she writes and I have so much respect for her ability to write about her struggles and emotions honestly and openly. I didn't even start my blog until after I had lost a significant amount of weight. There is no way I would've started blogging about my goals without accomplishing some first. I'm not a huge fan of failure in the first place, and documenting it would be too damaging for me personally. That's why Jennette is so remarkable to me: she wrote about it and actually DID it. Anyone who has attempted to lose weight and either succeeded or failed at reaching their goals knows how difficult it can be. She is the exception to the rule and that's what makes her story so unique and sellable.

Lately, all these people are turning their blogging in to a career (The Pioneer Woman, Jennette, crock-pot lady Stephanie O'Dea) and that would just be my dream come true! Hopefully someone out there will hurry up and discover me! Until then, I'll be here, waiting...