Determined To Succeed

Yesterday I received a wonderful e-mail from someone who just happened to stumble upon the site while searching for information on weight loss. I thought this is awesome. People are slowly but surely finding me and spreading the word. Sweet. And to that person, welcome! Glad to have you (and everyone) join in!

But the author of the e-mail said something to me that kind of stuck with me after I read the e-mail.

“Your movie reviews confuse me.”

I have been asked several times why I have movie reviews on a website that focuses on weight loss and my weight loss journey. The answer is simple. I love movies. They are a part of me and have been ever since I was a boy growing up in Chicago.

My mom, JoAnn, loved going to “the show.” She used to take me to see all kinds of movies, some inappropriate for my age at the time. But she did something I think all parents should do with kids. She said to me “Bill, none of what you’re seeing is real. It’s all pretend.” And with that simple statement she wiped away fear, confusion and probably years upon years of therapy from the images I saw on the silver screen.

As I grew up I realized that movies are one of the great equalizers in society. No matter what movie you’re seeing EVERYONE, regardless of size, is seeing the same thing. It was also a dark comfy place to hide the fact I was getting larger. Yes, it was one of my comfort zones. It allowed me to physically hide in the dark and then have something about which I could speak intelligently. Instead of talking about weight I could talk about how cool this movie was or how bad that movie sucked.

I have always loved movies and always will. They are a part of who I am. They were a part of my job experience working for both the now-defunct Loews Cineplex movie theater chain (now AMC Theaters). Most of all they will forever be a link to my Mama. I love you, Ma, and thank you for imparting a love of movies to me.

Today, I put movie reviews on this website to help everyone get a sense of who I am as a person. I’m not just about weight loss. I’m a human being. Also, going to “the show” is an experience that does have food tied to it. I don’t ever mention that in my reviews (and maybe I should) but subtextually it does. And before you ask, yes I still eat Raisinettes and buttered popcorn watching movies.

Losing weight is part of who I am but it’s not all I am. All of us have interests outside of weight loss and writing movie reviews helps me show you bits of my brain and my heart…

…as well as helps you steer clear of true crap like the new movie “Daybreakers.” Jeez, I wish I could get that two hours of my life back.

So I hope you can put up with my rantings, opinion and absolute need to share my movie reviews with you guys even on a website devoted to weight loss. It’s a fun way to say there is life out in the world beginning, during or after any weight loss journey.