I'd like to digress in this post in order to share with you a couple of recent happy developments. We will return to the riveting tour-de-force that is my life story (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) along with my weight-loss journey in the next post. And I'll do all I can for some new pics.
I recently interviewed for 2 part-time jobs which I felt very qualified to fill. A week or so ago, I received the good news that I had been hired as an assistant GED instructor. While this is a blessed result, the point is that my weight-loss played a key roll in the process, albeit in a subtle way.
In January 2002, I left the best paying job of my life. Good decision or bad, I felt a strong urge to concentrate on obtaining my Bachelor's Degree and in September 2003, it was earned. While the achievement made me happy, I was unemployed.
At this time, the reality of the job search world hit me hard. I put in applications for many jobs. My resume looked good along with my graduate status. Interviews were appointed for me time after time, but that was where things would always grind to a halt. It was during this period that I was at the zenith of my obesity (it didn't help that my last job paid so well for sitting 8-12 hours a day for 4+ years). Every time I walked into the interview room, I felt like there was 2 strikes against me, and it showed. As time passed, I noticed the very real fact that many employers downright discriminate against obese people. There are many kinds of hiring discrimination that people campaign against in the media, but this type doesn't really get any attention. Ladies and gentlemen, this absolutely goes on in the work place. The employer(s) see an obese person coming and immediately think "liability". They smile, go through the motions of the interview process, say thank you very much, and reject you out of hand.
I managed to survive until I obtained a tutoring position through a telephone interview. The real irony is that while I still have this job after 5+ years, I've never met any of my bosses face to face. Then the weight-loss happened and everything turned around 180 degrees! I acquired a part-time position at a Goodwill store. Things were improving. I was confident, felt good, and able to really impress on more recent interviews. When the opportunity arose, I included the story of my recent past and it was always a hit with whoever was questioning me. Well, my tutoring experience combined with my new swagger and confidence paid off and I go for orientation and paperwork next week! It's just a plain fact that IF you make a change for the better, life will turn around for you.
In other news, I have been medically cleared for surgical removal of the excess skin left hanging from the abdominal region. This is very exciting for me because while the loss of weight has been a blessing beyond reason, the skin in many places had been stretched out over the decades of obesity. While the fat burns off, the skin does not, and the abdominal overhang was the most prominent and difficult to live with. Anyone who is extremely overweight like I was should be prepared for this as they lose weight, but don't let it be a deterrent. If I had to choose between carrying around all that fat or just the loose skin for the rest of my life, believe me, the choice would be a no-brainer!
So that's it. I go in for the procedure August 21 to yet again enter a beautiful new chapter in my life! May your life be so blessed.
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