Recently I watched the first two episodes of Lifetime's new eating disorder reality show (yes, I really typed that) starring Tracey Gold called Starving Secrets. It's a subject I keep coming back to despite the ickiness of it, because only 30-40% of anorexics ever fully recover, and I did. I understand how hard it is to break the cycle. It's really important for that those of us who have done so talk about it, just so those still suffering know it is possible. And so, the show.

I really do want to like this show. I DVRed it but it took about a week before I watched the first episode. I was worried it would be like Dr. Phil, though I had high hopes because of the presence of former anorexic Tracey Gold.

After I tweeted about watching the show, I heard from Michelle Leath of unlockyourpossibility.com and michelleleath.com (her new bulimia blog), who is a recovered bulimic and a Certified Food Psychology Coach and life coach specializing in helping women create a healthy relationship with food and life.

I was eager to get another recovered woman's perspective. She had this to say (extended quote used with permission):

Although some may disagree with me, what I take issue with is not the exposure or the depiction of these women engaged in their (not so) private struggles. I actually felt a great deal of compassion for them, and I think its valuable for others to witness the pain and suffering that come with bulimia and anorexia. What really turned my stomach was the way these women were treated once they got into treatment!

Read the rest on BlogHer ...

A few weeks ago, the little angel and I found ourselves watching television in a hotel room in Topeka, Kansas. It was some chef show in which the pastry chefs had to recreate the edible forest in Willy Wonka for the original cast. 

And yes, at one point when I was watching it I did ask myself seriously?

In general, I don't like competitive reality television shows. I don't really enjoy public critiquing of any sort. I don't know why I'm a writer. But this show particularly bothered me because one woman who worked extra hard on -- well, should we say the group projects of the edible forest perhaps neglected her own stuff a little, you know, for the good of the whole. And since I'm not a reality TV afficionado or reviewer, I don't remember exactly what the judges said. But it went something like this: You should've been thinking of yourself more.

Basically, she contributed to the forest in general expecting to get credit for that and didn't really focus on her own dishes. And they sucked. I don't remember what they were, but the general consensus was that they were horrible, and when it came time for judgment day, the judges were all, you know, maybe focus on you a little more. Off with your head.

Okay, so I don't even remember if she was the one who got voted off. Beside the point.

The point is I thought to myself, well, that's pretty harsh. And it got me to thinking about the world of work and the world of writing and whether or not it's true that you should pretty much eschew the community for the sake of your own projects. Truly, there is a balance, but is it as bad as all that? Should we all be pitching each other aside in the hopes we'll make our own star shine brighter?

Perhaps we should if we are pastry chefs. See how much I learned?

But in general, I think that's a pretty shit philosophy. Right? RIGHT?