May 31, 2007

A Big Fat Thank You

So Crabby had stupid questions, and readers had answers!

These last two posts on Fat Acceptance (and on weight and weight loss efforts generally) were all about the Comments. In them, readers shared thoughts and opinions, admitted confusion and sometimes prejudice, and they told stories.

So many of these stories were inspirational. Sometimes they were funny and sometimes heartbreaking. As Crabby read these comments, she was struck by a few things that made her even more appreciative of her readership (and she already knew this was a cool group of people).

1. Though commenters were coming from very different places, the tone was always respectful. No name-calling, no umbrage taken, no "I can't believe you said that." Having been on other sites when Weight Loss folks meet up with Fat Acceptance folks and decide to have a chat, Crabby can tell you that this is not always the case.

2. People's stories seemed to Crabby quite honest and not the least bit bullshitty. What she means by that is: people copped to unhealthy habits or impulsive behavior at certain times in their lives. But they also cited obstacles that sounded real and daunting, and showed tremendous courage and determination in dealing with these and trying to be healthy.

3. Others who weren't fat themselves admitted to some possible prejudices and judgments but were willing to look at them.

4. People took time from their busy days to write really long, thoughtful comments, from the heart.

As an interesting aside, Crabby has been known to check her sitemeter occasionally. (Okay, constantly). A lot of the traffic to Cranky Fitness is unobservable from the number of Comments--Crabby loves her silent readers too, those who don't leave comments but who check in every day to see what's up. There are, happily many of them for each one of you who puts down their thoughts.

Well, a lot of the silent readers were checking in a lot more often these past couple days, just to read your comments as they came in. Your stories propelled a big spike in traffic. (There was also a nice little boost from another source which Crabby will get to in a moment). People wanted to hear what you had to say, and no doubt many were inspired or encouraged or validated by your stories.

So thank you, awesome Cranky Fitness Commenters. Please continue to contribute your 2 cents whenever the spirit strikes, because you are smart and funny and touching and you're what makes readers want to come back and visit Crabby more often!

And more gratitude, on an unrelated subject:

A big hearty thanks to Jacki over at The Cancer Blog. Not only did she say nice things about Cranky Fitness, sending some folks over to check us out, but also she introduced Crabby to a great resource for cancer news and discussion. (Crabby will be stealing their ideas and research updates frequently in the future). The Cancer Blog covers a wide range of cancer-related subjects, so readers with a particular interest might want to go there and rummage around for a bit. But do, at some point, try to make your way back to Cranky Fitness--Crabby gets lonely and sad when you go away for too long!

10 comments:

  1. I just want to congratulate you for having a booming, active blog! That's awesome. You've got a really great place here. :)

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  2. You are so thoughtful Crabby! ^__^

    Did you know Mark's Daily Apple also linked to you today? Here's the post:

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/if-only-blogging-burnt-more-calories/

    Congrats!! :)

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  3. I'm glad he did link to this blog myself. That's exactly how I found it! :)

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  4. Thanks thomma lyn!

    Hi Sera--yes I saw the link and definitely got a few visits from him as well! It looks like a great site. (For some reason I'm having login problems, and wanted to go there and thank him/them personally but haven't accomplished it yet.)

    Kery,
    That's great! So glad you've found your way here and added so much already. I'll have to figure out my wordpress cookie problems (as opposed to my Toll House cookie problems, an entirely different matter) and get properly logged in at Mark's site and go forage around there some more. He seems quite amusing and informative.

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  5. I have to admit I'm impressed with the quality of comments you're getting Crabby. And I'm not just saying that because I'm here! This whole weight thing can get unpleasantly heated and yet everyone kept their cool and was supportive of one another.

    Of course, it could just be because they're scared of you!

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  6. Crabby's not scary. What's she going to do claw us?...Oh, wait, yeah that would suck. I'm impressed too. Nothing got out of hand here the last few days. It could have. Fat, in my experience is just as touchy as say, unschooling. People get crazy. I think it's the cheerful moderator -- sometimes casual slack is the best way to get people talking.

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  7. Good for you, Crabby. You took a hot-button issue and gave everyone a fair and supportive hearing.

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  8. Thanks so much, Dawn & Jennifer & Leah! You guys know, I hope, how much I value your always-supportive comments, and especially the fact that you help me out so tirelessly, even when its a boring post on oat bran or something.

    (Sorry for the collective instead of individual thanks, but I'm off now to check on all your blogs and say hello there!)

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  9. You do have a great blog. It is so great that the next time I am at the beach, I might hug a crab and think it is you (and probably get pinched, but that is the chance I'll have to take).
    Here and other blogs in general, I am learning a lot about others and myself.
    Weight is such a personal issue that so many of us share. It is hard to admit that how we look is so important to us. We are always trying to tell ourselves that it is the inside that matters but, the world is showing us differently. I have been thinking about the TV lately and how it sucks us in and sends us messages. I am shutting mine of for a little while, until I get my head straight (I may never turn it back on, hee hee). The TV talks about weight and appearance so much that I am really not sure how much this is influencing my thinking.
    Anyway, nice job!

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  10. Samantha,
    Thank you so much! You are also one of those faithful regulars who contributes so much to Cranky Fitness.

    And I do think you're right--whether it's tv or what our parents told us or all the covers on the magazines at the supermarket checkout counter, we get so many screwed up messages about our bodies and our weight that it's impossible not to internalize it.

    I talk a good game but am always happier when my jeans fit more loosely, even though I'm just as healthy when they're a bit snug. I don't think many of us are completely immune.

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Thanks for commenting, Cranky Fitness readers are the BEST!

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