Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Weighing in on Michelle Obama's Biceps

Michelle Obama's Official White House Photo has America debating her right to bare arms.

One of the few things that can be said about America's strength these days has to do with the First Lady's biceps.  With the sagging state of the economy, education, foreclosures, jobs, and a zillion other vastly more important, and potentially devastating issues at hand, apparently it's Michelle Obama's strong, gorgeous, bare arms--her bare biceps to be exact, that are all over the news.  Have you heard?  They're causing a flap... No pun intended.

It seems those "in the know" around Washington D.C. and many in the fashion world think it's inappropriate for Mrs. Obama to bare her arms in public.  The new official White House portrait is "not First Lady-ish" I heard one talking head say on the radio today.  Huh?  

Let's think about this for a moment.  Forget about the fact that there hasn't been a First Lady in recent years with arms she'd ever want anyone to see.  But, in Mrs. Obama's case, her first 50 or so days in the White House, have been a bang up job-- with or without sleeves.  She'd moved her family and started her girls in new schools.  She's worked at soup-kitchens for the homeless and read to school children.  She's given numerous speeches and built goodwill.  She's posed for countless magazines to help build the country's moral.  And, she's found time to keep her arms in the fabulous shape we've all grown to know, love and envy.

People!  It's time to move on.  Michelle Obama is doing a great job, so, on those slow news days, when the press has nothing better to talk about, leave her shapely arms alone and focus on the important stuff..... Like how I can get my arms to look like hers!

What I would give to go sleeveless again like Mrs. Obama is beyond the scope of this blog. For the past several years, I've done every arm exercise known to womankind to get a pair of "guns" to envy.  Now, in full blown hot flash hell, I'd give anything to go sleeveless on a freezing January day but I wouldn't dare!  I'd scare small children and send grown men running and screaming down Pennsylvania Avenue.  Truly, my arms are the size of elephant's ears and continue to flap five minutes after I've finished my Miss America wave.

I took my toned arms for granted in my 30s and well into my 40s.  White tank tops were my summer "uniform" and I was proud of it.  Then one day, I think it was around age 46, I caught sight of myself in the mirror after a shower and said out loud, "What the hell happened here?!?"  Gone were my once toned arms despite my five day a week workout regiment.  Seemingly overnight, I had developed a cross between a big turkey's neck and a large slab of Jello on the underside of my upper arms. Upon closer examination I even saw dimpled skin.  Crap!  Who gets cellulite on their arms?  

God help me. 

That day, I turned on all the lights in the house and ran from mirror to mirror squinting and thinking surely I wasn't actually seeing myself (???!!!) in the reflection.  But there was no denying it.  My arms had gone to hell in hand basket.  I wore black-- long sleeved black-- and went into mourning.  

It's been years since my arms have seen the light of day although I continue with my never ending repetitions of arm exercises. Instead, I cheer Michelle Obama's fashion style, I cheer her great arms, and I thank her for adding little sweaters every now and then.  I can do sweaters.   They cover my arms.  I appreciate that enormously.

Mrs. Obama's Official White House photo is stunning.  If people want to arm wrestle her over her bare arms all I can say is watch out-- Her guns are loaded.  

What's next?  Will some nonsense like she's too thin be breaking news?  Oy.

What do you think?
Welcome to TheFiftyFctor.com  -  Joanna

1 comment:

  1. This was an hilarious post. Oh gosh I can so identify, lol.

    ReplyDelete

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