My Review of "Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia" (via facebook)

by Erin Patricia on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 2:44pm

Okay...
I consider myself of semi-professional Eating Disorder Speciality- not counting the PhD., for the following reasons:

1- I have worked with very severe eating disorder patients

2- I have done extensive research in my undergraduate years on eating disorders.. one of these was presented at the Association for Psychological Science national convention :-)

3- I am a young white female who has been preoccupied with my own body weight.

So. I have A LOT to say about this one.
However, I just don't have the time to write it all. Throughout the entire book, I went back and forth between like and dislike.

For example, I LIKED how she put us in the mind of an eating disorder patient.

I DISLIKED that she made eating disorder professionals look like unsympathetic morons.
I mainly DISLIKED it towards the beginning. Her research data seemed inaccurate, and it sounded more like she was complaining about who she was, and wanted pity on herself.

Now, let's skip to the final review, since I have finished the whole book: I like it- somewhat....

Entertainment value: I think it was great- it kept me entertained, shocked, etc.

Medical standpoint: I DEFINITELY recommend it to medical professionals- it REALLY puts us in their mindset, and helps us understand why that one eating disorder patient hid razors in her underwear, stole condiments, stuffed food in "empty" mugs (true stories of my experience).

Patient standpoint: Not so much. There's a lot of negative connotations that the Marya refers to. I'm pretty sure that most eating disorder patients read this and relapse within the first chapter.

It doesn't have a positive ending.. the whole thing just isn't POSITIVE for someone suffering from this disorder.

Marya is a role model, FOR THE FACT THAT:
A- She survived (I don't know the fuck she did it)
B- She got the guts to speak the naked truth about everything revolving around her eating disorder, as well as the eating disorder itself.

HOWEVER: She is not cured. I'm not sure if any eating disorder patient- past or present- would ever consider themself "cured," as there is such a high rate of relapse. Even if you don't technically "relapse," that thought it always in your head.

I could STILL go on and on and on about so many things in this book, but I would probably just confuse everyone. I gave it an overall ***, and a half *

*** Oh, and if I tagged you, it's because I thought you may be interested in reading this.

Trust me, it can get worse :-(

Excel, etc. (via facebook)

by Erin Patricia on Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 2:23pm

I'm in this Microsoft Excel training all day today that I signed up for.
It's somewhat useful... actually, it's a lot useful, it's just that I'm tired and cold and bored.

And there's all these goofy middle-aged women here.
And the one sitting in my row keeps talking to me. Like I care.
And I try to act like I'm busy doing shit, yet she keeps talking.

I will kill myself if I turn into one of "those" middle-aged women.
You know, the ones that are all crafty and teddy bears, and would gasp at the sight of a girl with a mohawk, a boy with a dress, etc.

You know, the ones that are secretarys (probably like all of them women here) that believe that all doctors should be men... scratch that... they don't *believe* in the sense that it wouldn't be right for women to be doctors.. they're just so stuck in the past, and so TRADITIONAL that they don't even REALIZE that there's more women in medical school than men.

Speaking of medical school, I need help. Let's take a poll. Should I be a doctor or a Nurse Practitioner? I mean, which one could you see me as.

Notes. And then some. Kinda gay- but you can deal. (via facebook)

Is this equivalent to a blog? I guess so, because I see I can edit the "privacy" settings on this. So, like, if I want to get incredibly personal, which I probably will not, then I can choose who is awesome enough to read this.

Every night, for the past two weeks or so, I've sworn I would go home and write in my little "journal," awwwww, yes, I keep one and have been for years and years- since i was 7 or 8. It's HILARIOUS to look back at what a little mischievous bastard I was back in the day... and how much I HAVEN'T changed.

So, I like to write, and really, this little "note" isn't saying shit except this:

Although life is an endless process of self-growth, I have grown disgustingly crazy in the past year or so. I am excited for what the next year has in store for me.. but it's also scary- I play out different themes in my head, some of which are incredibly exclusive from one another: Nursing school in San Francisco, to pursuing acting/modeling in NYC, to moving to London, to moving back to Buffalo for a year to receive by BSN, save money, see people, see family grow, etc. Even staying in Boston for a year to get more experience at my job is sometimes appealing (but not so much).

Over a month ago, I elbowed a boy in the face at a bar around the corner from my apartment. One of my friends was there who is also originally from Buffalo. He said it was shocking to see the "old Erin from Buffalo" come out, and I couldn't help but wonder what he had meant.

I am missing Danielle's first roller derby tournament :-(
I am missing specific relationships in Buffalo that are difficult to obtain.. since, you know, I live here, and they live there. I also think that everything happens for a reason.

A good thing- no, a great thing: Ron lives in the Bronx now, which is closer to Boston. Also, Ron is coming to see me for Valentine's Day <3 <3 <3

Also, there are people I am excited to get to know better, whether they live here or not. So, if I tagged you, it's cause you're fun and I like you :-) :-) awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww shut up.

LET'S GET DRUNK AND START A FIGHT!