I’m this kind of girl:
- that no matter how hot it is, I am the one who has to have a cover of some kind on while I am sleeping.
- that if one lane is closing and all the drivers have had advance warning and yet others do not file to the open lane in a reasonable and timely manner but insist on racing ahead and then trying to shove into the queue at last minute, I am the one who is a complete bitch and won’t let them in.
- that will hear a song or an album and will download it and then I am the one who will listen to it over and over again until I know every note. Two weeks ago it was Brandon Flowers “Crossfire” (not sure I like the rest of his album). Last week’s song was Ellie Golding’s “The Writer”. This week is the sensuous jazz album “For All We Know” that has lulled this savage beast.
- that when I hear stories about Baby P, I am the one who still cries and wishes I could turn back time and help.
- that, when I got a creepy and weird comment from someone on a post about shepherd’s pie that saw me taking down photos of my children, I am the one who – if I find out who you are – will come after you and is tempted (sadly) to bring my very competent counsel with me.
- that when I close comments it’s for a reason, but it doesn’t mean that people can’t email me, but I am the one who read the two emails about my last post (hello, my lovely S and L) and I cried when reading them both.
- that upon finding the perfect “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”-esque wardrobe on ebay that was already restored, winning it and bringing it home, I am the one who mis-measured the dimensions and we can’t get the sodding thing up the stairway.
- that while I would love nothing more than to spend a day on the sofa watching crap TV that is on the hard drive, I am the one who can’t sit still long enough because the to-do list is always on my mind.
- that, speaking of the TV’s hard drive, I am the one who cannot have more than 40% of the memory used up or I get twitchy.
- that upon learning just how much I really love photography, I am the one who has started to take her camera everywhere.
- that, upon weighing things on my mind, I am the one who recently pulled down swathes of my self-portraits from Flickr. My work wouldn’t object and it’s not against corporate policy, but I can just imagine the levels of piss-taking that I would be subjected to.
- that is so excitedly counting the days down to Christmas (and Elf!) that I am the one who already has most of my Christmas shopping complete.
- that has done this meme to death, so will leave you with one thing:
I am the one who has been published in a national magazine this week along with two other amazing women. The photos are by the amazing Rhian Ap Gruffydd and the article from Karen Pasquali -Jones (who was lovely to talk to) follows. I came clean about it at work and while I’m not ashamed, I was horrifically nervous of not only appearing in my skivvies in print, but that this would be the first time anyone in my “real life” would learn that I was anorexic and bulemic. So far everyone has been brilliant and supportive. My fervent hope is that the publication, which is aimed at younger women, finds one woman who doesn’t like her body and who reads about the three of us and will embrace who she is. None of us are perfect (as my photo shows) but life is meant to be lived, instead of feared.
-S.
Beautiful article. Congratulations!!
It’s wonderful that your self-image has taken a boost. I’m still in that place, fighting that battle. (But on the other end of the scale). While I’m proud of my caesar scar too – I’m lucky that it’s so low down that unless I suddenly took up nekkid poledancing, I’m unlikely to be able to comfortably (and proudly) show it off.
Wow. Oh. Wow. Shannon do take a deep breath and look back and see just how far you’ve come. You’re now an inspiration for others (didya ever think ya would be?) which is a great thing but the greater thing is how comfortable you are with yourself, your life and your decisions. Wonderful on you! (and that shepherd’s pie weird commenter creep – just let me know who they are and I’ll take care of it for ya) (permanently)
I am the one who:
-Is so damn proud of you, I can’t see straight.
That’s a wonderful article. Good job!
You are the one who: gets it. A part of you may still think you don’t, but you do. Trust me. You get it.
Love this. Like the others, I am proud to “know” you and think you are doing a terrific thing with the article.
Beautiful article, beautiful photo and beautiful woman. I’m with Mama Pants, let us know who and we’ll deal!
I agree completely, if they can’t merge when they should they can suck it and I’m so glad you finally see yourself the way we all have seen you for years;beautiful!I have to say I am curious as to what special kind of weird one has to be to make a creepy comment related to shepard’s pie.
Mama Pants is probably serious about taking care of that weirdo. I walked in on her and Big Daddy Pants on Sunday afternoon, sitting at a table jovially cleaning their guns. Quite the family portrait, eh?
I’m the one who’s still amazed that it’s such a tiny scar that gifted you with the two sweetest lemons in all the land! xxx
I’m so proud of you, I am so smiley! You’re a superstar, always.
So many things I want to share with you…about the weight issues, the c-section scar, the self perception issues, the fertility issues…but I suck and writing and no matter how many times I start to write, in the end it doesn’t come out right and gets deleted. Just know you aren’t alone. I’m sure there are so many of us that can totally relate you you.
-that I adore and love.
(the sick fucker better sleep with one eye open-just sayin’)
You are courageous! Congratulations. And Bikinis forever.
If you know who you are, even just some of the time, you’re ahead of most people. And the picture is stunning. Truly. Sounds like on of whole, you are in a good place, and it’s wonderful to hear.
Great article and you are beautiful!
Well, did you notice that in the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe movie, they never did show you the scuffed up staircase, the crane outside the building, the smashed window in the attic and ultimate hole in the roof above the attic in which the wardrobe ultimately came to rest? They’re lucky Narnia wasn’t shaken to bits.
Nice skivvies, lovely photo, and awesome scar. I have a similar scar due to a previous surgery in the area, but with any luck I’ll have a similar (though halved) dividend in about 4 weeks!
Fantastic!
What a great article, and a fabulous photo. You are a very brave woman, I would not have been confident enough to bare mine.
Beautiful. And I never let those jerks cut in either!
Wow…you look fab! Have to say that I share one and two with you, also I have a c-section scar, well two, in a “X” shape, I’ve honestly never thought about it in a positive way to giving birth to my two beautiful boys but I will now…thank you. :) x
Your photo is beautiful and I mean that sincerely. You are brave to do it and I commend you. If it saves even one girl, it was worth it.
I agree with the first two and I am like that too.
Gorgeous photo and a wonderful article. Thank you for sharing it here. I’m the one who appreciates your insight and is grateful that you listen as well as you share. I also can’t stand when the DVR gets more than 40% full and don’t like letting the jerks in traffic when they had plenty of time to yield before the last minute. I’m the one who’s so incredibly proud of you and how far you’ve come and wants to be half as strong and brilliant as you are when I grow up.
Beautiful picture and a beautiful smile. Seeing how far you’ve come, as mentioned in that article… makes me want to cry. I’m so glad you’ve finally gotten your (figurative) fairy tale ending.
You look fantastic and you have nothing to be ashamed of.
I really want to see a picture of the wardrobe!
Have you heard? Elf has made it to Broadway! Elf the Musical! Do I hear road trip?
http://www.elfmusical.com/
Shannon, this is such a fantastic article and good on you for doing it. Its funny how we change the way we think about ourselves after we have had children. Your figure is amazing. Well done on getting through to the over side.
You are beautiful.
And I’m with you on the covers thing. And the lane thing. But not the TV hard drive thing. I think we’re at about 3% left.