Have I Mentioned I'm Fat?

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago complaining that I put on a few pounds while I was home. I've guesstimated the total weight gain to be around five or six pounds. Although true, the blog was half in jest. I figured I would gain weight back home because of my mom's good cooking and the overall portion size of American meals versus Vietnamese meals. Well, the joking is over. I am officially fat and very very self conscious. When I say that everyone has called me fat since I returned I would be exercising hyperbole. EVERYONE HAS CALLED ME FAT!!!!

You might think people are just giving me a hard time so I'll just point to examples out:
1. The child I tutor (who got taller and a little heavier himself during his summer break) immediately said to me, "You got very fat in America."
2. Huyen nephew Viet Hoang upon seeing me yelled out, "Uncle Ben!" in Vietnamese. He then turned to his parents and said, "Uncle Ben is big now." I don't think he was talking about my muscles.

Kids say the darndest things!

In spirit of my tight pants, here's a photo my buddy Tom photoshopped of me a few years ago after we went to Italy. In my defense I was jokingly posing in my bathing suit that I wore as a joke. Unfortunately, this is how I actually see myself these days! Enjoy: