the blog of carolynpepsi

On my 25th birthday, I ate lunch with Captain Geo at a McDonalds in Provo (the one with the neon Grimace that flips you off). I proceeded to list all of the birthdays I remember and tell him what went on. It went something like this:

I had to write an impromptu essay for school today for practice. It's about blaming fast food restaurants for causing obesity. Ironically, I blame Starbucks and their vanilla bean frapuccinos for causing me to gain 15 pounds a few years ago.

I always kind of fizzle out on the conclusion of an essay. I feel stupid going back and naming my points - I probably just need to learn to do it well - so I just kind of blab it up in a few sentences. I usually just want my conclusion to say: So quit your whining, dawgz. The end.

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How does the Big Mac arrive at its final destination inside your body? Are they not your hands that fly it through the air and is it not your mouth that takes it in for a landing? Is it not your brain that makes the decision to eat it? Blaming a third party for this decision is completely irresponsible. Individuals need to take responsibility for their own choices and not point the finger at someone else when negative consequences ensue such as obesity.

An argument that is often used to put the blame on a fast food company for causing obesity is that they advertise. One might call the advertising aggressive, but that is a relative term. There are many advertisements for many different products, but how can a fast food corporation be singled out and blamed for somehow forcing the consumer to purchase their products because of their ad campaign? Even if an individual sees a commercial for a fast food establishment and feels an inclination to purchase and consume the advertised product, they ultimately make the decision of travelling to the restaurant, purchasing the food, and eating it. Likewise, the individual can make the decision to drive to a grocery store, purchase a healthy alternative (which they may also see in an advertisement), and eat that instead. Advertising for a product is by no way forcing a consumer to purchase a product.

Some blame the fast food industries for causing obesity because their portions are too large. Even if one does decide to purchase fast food, there is no reason why the individual needs to purchase a large amount - or to eat a large amount. A supersized portion is not forced upon you, it is offered as a choice - a choice that, even if offered by the employee who takes your order, can be declined. There are also small portions available. One may purchase a hamburger happy meal - which doesn't only need to be for children - at many McDonalds in the United States currently for $1.99. This includes a hamburger, a small order of french fries, and an extra small drink. In comparison to a supersized Big Mac meal wherein you get a burger with two patties and three buns, a large order of french fries, and a large drink, the portions are much smaller - and much less expensive. There is no reason why a customer cannot choose the smaller portion of food over the larger portion. If there are arguments that the small portion is not filling enough, one may, as mentioned above, go to a grocery store and purchase a healthy alternative to supplement the meal instead of eating more of the unhealthy food.

The problem with singling out fast food companies for causing obesity is that one may find many equally unhealthy foods in their own grocery store. Chips, cookies, candy, soda, cereals, ice cream, etc. all have the potential to cause obesity and are all readily available for the consumer to place inside their cart during a routine shopping trip. The companies that produce these products also advertise just like the fast food companies. The brand names are just as well-known: Doritos, Oreos, Lucky Charms, Coca-Cola, Butterfinger, Ben and Jerry's, etc. With these popular and readily-available unhealthy food choices, why are the fast food companies singled out as the ones causing obesity? If one is going to point the finger at one, it's only fair to point it at the others who are just as much to "blame" for this problem.

An individual who makes a decision to eat unhealthy food is the one who is at fault for the consequences. They have the ability to make better choices. They have the knowledge readily available to them about why they should make these better choices. They are ultimately the ones who decide to take that bite and no else can be blamed for that - no matter how wonderful that Big Mac tastes.

This message has been brought to you by McDonalds.

So Western Governors University is great so far. I started on October 1st and I am really enjoying it. I have always had a difficult time with traditional school, but this is more like independent study, so it works very well for me. There are deadlines, but not like in traditional schools. I have been taking online community college classes for the past few years and I always get bogged down by the weekly assignments. With WGU, you have a set date in which to finish a class, but besides that you work at your own pace - you can even complete the class before the deadline.

I have a goal to study 25 hours a week - but, if I don't accomplish that, then at least 20. Last week I studied for 29 hours. This week has been a bit tougher (late days at work, changes in my school plan, parties I almost flaked out on, kittens, baseball playoffs, facebook videos, 30 Rock premieres, etc.) and I have only studied for 11 hours. This means that I will need to study for at least 9 hours tomorrow. Yea! I actually have been enjoying studying. At work, I think about needing to study when I get home and I usually realize that I am looking forward to it. When I have taken my other classes, I would lie on the bed while studying and usually end up falling asleep. Now I don't want to take naps, so I make myself a glass of ice-cold Pepsi (ah, that sweet caffeinated goodness) when I get home and drink it while I study so that I will stay awake.

That will end my school babilations for this evening.

All this write about Pepsi has made me want some, but I only have the caffeinated type and it's after 1 AM, so I don't think that it would be a good idea to have any.

And now, for your viewing pleasure:

It made Captain Geo laugh, so my work is done.

Weldon made a smelldon.

Gray hairs keep popping-up on my head
And just like the hair on the top of my large-sized head
Nothing is still brown
(picture it to the tune of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - and you have to sing "popping-up" really fast)

And now maybe for some photos . . .

An old friend:


What I wish I looked like . . . cartoon and all:


Yes, even the mitten hands.

Dexter when he has blinky eyes:


Weldon placing himself into my line of sight because it's dinner time and, as you can see, we never feed him . . . that's sarcastic . . . we feed him a lot . . . probably too much:


She looks like ET:

Reading the blogs of others has made me want to blog some more. Unfortunately I can't think of my normal random assortment of ramblings.

My biggest piece of news is my schooling. I am going to school. The end.

Haha.

I am going to Western Governors University. It is an online school that is fully accredited and relatively inexpensive - which is really hard to find. I am going to get a bachelor degree in elementary education - which includes the teaching credential for California. When I graduate I will get to fulfill my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. I am so excited at the prospects.