Still from My 600-Pound Life, the Learning Channel.

I have been watching a lot of TV lately, mostly while breastfeeding my baby boy. Once I get the hang of this new and repeated activity, I can no doubt do something more productive while nursing, like reading collections of short stories. [Aside: I am currently obsessed with figuring out how to write short stories that aren’t total crap]. Back to TV: While lying prone in a hospital bed last week, recovering from surgery with a mewling newborn nestled on my chest, I began to watch random programs that I had never seen before, including one called My 600-Pound Life. My initial reaction was probably commonplace: fascination mixed with equal parts of horror and empathy. Continue reading →