Anonymous wrote:

God you sound like a patronizing, smug ass. You really embody the worst of the chattering classes. You "actually know personally several people in the District who live like this" ? I'm sure they feel sorry that they know you. "Little wire cart" ? You've obviously never used one. Do you just tell people what to do based on your warped observation? It's obviously not from real life experience. You make me sick.

sorry you feel that way, sweetie. seriously, don't you have a quiz to study for? so you can eventually graduate and get out there and get some real life experience that's not paid for by your parents or a stipend?

I do have my own little wire cart, and I recommend one for you once you graduate and move to your own suitably sustainable community that is within walking / transit distance from stores. xoxo

God you sound like a patronizing, smug ass. You really embody the worst of the chattering classes. You "actually know personally several people in the District who live like this" ? I'm sure they feel sorry that they know you. "Little wire cart" ? You've obviously never used one. Do you just tell people what to do based on your warped observation? It's obviously not from real life experience. You make me sick.

Anonymous wrote:

If you can take a bus to pick up your gov't check at the DHS office, and take the bus again to hang out in front of the Verizon center, then you can take that bus to a Harris Teeter a couple of times a week.



There is no magical mystery bus that goes to all three places. Have you ever ridden Metrobus? What you describe is a 3 hour odyssey. And there is only one Harris Teeter in the District. Get out of your Audi and into reality.

Don't you have homework or something to do?

Anyway, here I'll break it down:

Monday: take 1 bus to pick up check at DHS office. Friend drives you home after you call her on pre-paid cell phone.

Tues: take 1 bus + metro to Penn Quarter area. walk around with your friend and your strollers and 2 kids. take 1 bus + Metro back home.

Weds: take 1 or 2 buses to Safeway. Or walk and then catch 1 bus to Safeway. Use little wire cart to push groceries onto bus. You can afford little wire cart because you can afford strange tittie shirt from H and M last week, and cart retails for the same amount ($22). Does not take 3 hours.

Thurs: take 1 bus to DHS office to apply for work. take 1 bus home.

Friday: etc etc etc.

I actually know personally several people in the District who live like this. I know you won't believe me, but I don't care. It can be done. Or you can take that same bus to Penn Quarter and get $15 worth of McDonald's for you and your kid. But don't claim there's a magical segment of the population that can only take buses to TJ Maxx and H&M but cannot take buses to Giant or Safeway.

Anonymous wrote:

If you can take a bus to pick up your gov't check at the DHS office, and take the bus again to hang out in front of the Verizon center, then you can take that bus to a Harris Teeter a couple of times a week.



There is no magical mystery bus that goes to all three places. Have you ever ridden Metrobus? What you describe is a 3 hour odyssey. And there is only one Harris Teeter in the District. Get out of your Audi and into reality.

Don't you have homework or something to do?

Anyway, here I'll break it down:

Monday: take 1 bus to pick up check at DHS office. Friend drives you home after you call her on pre-paid cell phone.

Tues: take 1 bus + metro to Penn Quarter area. walk around with your friend and your strollers and 2 kids. take 1 bus + Metro back home.

Weds: take 1 or 2 buses to Safeway. Or walk and then catch 1 bus to Safeway. Use little wire cart to push groceries onto bus. You can afford little wire cart because you can afford strange tittie shirt from H and M last week, and cart retails for the same amount ($22). Does not take 3 hours.

Thurs: take 1 bus to DHS office to apply for work. take 1 bus home.

Friday: etc etc etc.

I actually know personally several people in the District who live like this. I know you won't believe me, but I don't care. It can be done. Or you can take that same bus to Penn Quarter and get $15 worth of McDonald's for you and your kid. But don't claim there's a magical segment of the population that can only take buses to TJ Maxx and H&M but cannot take buses to Giant or Safeway.

If you can take a bus to pick up your gov't check at the DHS office, and take the bus again to hang out in front of the Verizon center, then you can take that bus to a Harris Teeter a couple of times a week.



There is no magical mystery bus that goes to all three places. Have you ever ridden Metrobus? What you describe is a 3 hour odyssey. And there is only one Harris Teeter in the District. Get out of your Audi and into reality.

Anonymous wrote:

Um, no, I live in Potomac and there are plenty of little rich chub a lubs out here too. It's because a lot of parents feed their kids absolute shit (McDonalds, hot dogs, piles of crackers, etc).

That's part of it. But I have a different, and not nearly as popular explanation. I know people believe that their kids are getting exercise in daycare and at school. But I worked in what is considered one of the best centers. Outside time was not exercise. Our playgrounds don't even allow for real play. No high climbing structures. No monkey bars. No merry-go-rounds, and no real open space to just run. Daycare kids spend most of their days in the same room. They might go outside twice a day for a few minutes....but only if it's not too hot or not too cold.

Contrast that to the kids in my new town. During the summer they are outside all day long. They swim, bike, run, climb trees, fish, build forts, play football,...... And when they come in for juice (*I know...gasp!) Or Popsicles, they are drenched in sweat. It's never "too hot". If they get hot, they run through whomever happens to have their sprinkler on. During the school year, they come in, drop their backbacks, eat a quick snack, and head outside. The kids in our neighborhood know that they have to be home when the streetlights come on. They are outside playing....real play, not structured, overly safe, supervised play.....at every chance they get. When it's cold, they play outside until their toes get numb. Then they come in and warm up. And head back outside.

In D.C., kids spend their days either in a daycare center where exercise is a joke, or in one of many extra-curricular activities. Sorry, but SAT prep classes aren't going to keep your in shape. And Karate class, while fun, is not a good cardio workout. Soccer is great! But how many minutes does your child spend running...I mean really running? Maybe a few minutes at a time at the most.

We moved last year and live in what most D.C. people would consider "the country". The kids here don't have "playdates" (what a dumb word). They just go outside and play. We don't have to walk to a park. They have a lake, a forest, and plenty of open fields to run and play in. My younger kids bike 1.3 miles to school and then 1.3 miles home. Yes, even when it's hot. Even when it's cold. And sometimes when it's raining. Football is not considered "too dangerous". And if you told your child not to climb too high in a tree, people would look at you like you had lost your mind. Kids play. And they play hard. Sometimes they get hurt. But that's how kids learn. We've sterilized and safety-proofed kids' lives so much that they can't even be kids anymore. And that's why they are fat.

Anonymous wrote:

If you can take a bus to pick up your gov't check at the DHS office, and take the bus again to hang out in front of the Verizon center, then you can take that bus to a Harris Teeter a couple of times a week.



Is that what you do? Somehow I doubt it.

No, of course not. I don't take a bus to pick up gov't checks at any DHS satellite office, I don't Metro then loiter in that little piazza in front of the movie theater @ Verizon, and I don't take a bus to get groceries.

And here's another thought. If your only choice is to walk to the corner store to pick up a bag of fish or a bag of chicken ... why do the fish and the chicken need to be fried? Why eat the skin on the chicken? Why eat the super size side of fries with the mumbo sauce? It's OK to skip the fries.

It's not just the lack of artisnal blueberry compote in every zip code that is making D.C. fat. Much is cultural.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God, it's like these little fat fucks thing they are humans or something.

This is obviously a troll and the grammar you are displaying makes me think you are a child also. If not either one, I think this is a pretty rude comment to make about children. This thread needs to be deleted.

Anonymous wrote:

Bittman also talks about needing to have access to a grocery store, not a dusty bodega. Much less the skill to cook. But you don't address that in your post.

No, I posted the link so you and everyone else could read the entire article. Sounds like you did, nice job.

And the "food desert" thing is such horseshit in many areas where kids/adults are fat. I used to buy into that plea "But we have only 7-11 / bodega / Sheetz convenience store." That is most certainly true in some cases, I guess. But not in densely urban areas with excellent public transportation.

If you can take a bus to pick up your gov't check at the DHS office, and take the bus again to hang out in front of the Verizon center, then you can take that bus to a Harris Teeter a couple of times a week.

Um, no, I live in Potomac and there are plenty of little rich chub a lubs out here too. It's because a lot of parents feed their kids absolute shit (McDonalds, hot dogs, piles of crackers, etc).

If you can take a bus to pick up your gov't check at the DHS office, and take the bus again to hang out in front of the Verizon center, then you can take that bus to a Harris Teeter a couple of times a week.



Is that what you do? Somehow I doubt it.