Remembrance and Ideals

...and those who seek the perfect female form

First: let’s start on a solemn note.

Today we remember all those who served. Because I’m such an Anglophile, I also think of how the British remember those who gave all.

At 11 a.m. November 11, 1918, the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the war to end all wars ended. Ever since that day has been known as Remembrance Day in Great Britain and Veterans Day in the United States. In the words of teacher and writer John Maxwell Edmonds:

When you go home, tell them of us and say,

For your tomorrows these gave their today.

And of course, the famous poem which came from World War I:

The poem by John McCrae; a field in Flanders, Belgium today.

At 11 a.m. today, remember all those who did not go home from the Great War, only later to be known as World War I.

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Turning to a lighthearted topic:

What is the Perfect Female Body?

Through the centuries the ideal has changed so much. Speak the word “Reubenesque” and everyone knows immediately what type you are referencing.

Study of a seated woman by Peter Paul Rubens

The lady above doesn’t resemble a 105-pound model in the slightest. She’s got a pair of hips on her.

Rubens also gave us his image of a goddess - think how differently modern eyes perceive her:

The Goddess Flora by Peter Paul Rubens

I’ll conclude this look at Ruben’s images of lovely women with a link to The Three Graces.

The Swing of the Pendulum

Through the centuries the preferred female form has varied. In the early 20th century, the vogue was the flapper - a skinny look, straight up and down.

As C.S. Lewis put it:

…we now teach men to like women whose bodies are scarcely distinguishable from those of boys. Since this is a kind of beauty even more transitory than most, we thus aggravate the female’s chronic horror of growing old…. Letter XX, The Screwtape Letters

From Rubens to flappers to stick-thin super models to today’s Kardashians sporting the latest Brazilian butt lift¹ - the fashion for what women should look like is constantly changing. Isn’t it plain to see that of course the fat acceptance movement would break forth? Women are tired of being told “Look like this. No, like this. You just have to work out every day, and never eat what you want.”

Plus size model Erica Lauren is working it.

It’s too much. I want off the merry-go-round of changing societal female beauty expectations. Why don’t we eat healthy and let our bodies be the weight they were designed to be?

A poem for you

I leave you with a poem I love. This work by 17th century poet Robert Herrick fits today’s theme of womanly beauty. The poet writes of Julia’s attire, but you know he isn’t speaking simply of her outfit. Bonus: the poem is easy to memorize.

Upon Julia’s Clothes

Whenas in silks my Julia goes,

Then, then (methinks) how sweetly flows

That liquefaction of her clothes.

Next, when I cast mine eyes, and see

That brave vibration each way free,

O how that glittering taketh me!

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It’s Time: This Week’s Numbers

Are you wondering how I’m faring after such a long time away from reporting to you? Are you curious about this mysterious new health program?

I’m still hesitant of saying more about it. Just know that I actually am eating unprocessed food, mostly cooking at home, and am drinking so much water. I’m focusing on inflammation-fighting foods.

Note: I did take pictures of all my weigh-ins on the weeks I didn’t post.

I’ll add them as a gallery below. And all the numbers will show up in the graph.

Results for Monday, Nov. 11, 2024

Starting weight December 2022: 255 pounds (EEEK!)

Weight today: 214.2 pounds

Goal Weight: 144 pounds

Pictures:

Today’s weight

Five images of scales showing five weeks of weight gain

The Weight Graph:

As they say of gravity and the stock market, what goes up must come down.

Instant Analysis

I feel so much better. As you may imagine the last several weeks of comfort food, UberEats deliveries, and fast-food led to a rapid weight gain - and that horrible bloated sensation. I wish I could capture that feeling forever so I’d never, never go back to the behaviors that created it. I was like a poor cow with a distended belly. All that weight gain went straight to my stomach. I even had trouble getting up and down off the couch or getting into the car. Agony!

Now - let’s turn to something much more lighthearted.

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Your Monday Morning Meme

I can relate.

Inspiration for the Week

1. I hear those are going out of fashion already.