Brian Cuban in DC February 25

My dear friend Mark Bennett asked me to share this information with you, and since I'd do pretty much anything for him, and the topics resonate with me and might with you as well, here we are.

Interestingly, Mark is the one who gave me my favorite pair of jeans in high school. The Levis he'd grown out of, and the ones that became my benchmark for being thin enough through years and years of weight struggles. Of starving and exercising too much and getting depressed and gaining weight and getting it all under control and getting skinny again.

When I'd get skinny enough to fit into those jeans, I was thin enough. Which meant I was pretty enough and good enough. (Pretty enough? Good enough? For what?) And then I'd gain weight, which meant...the opposite, right?

If you haven't heard of Brian Cuban—and I hadn't—he's a lawyer, an advocate, and an inspirational speaker. He talks about his personal experiences with eating disorders, drug addiction, depression, and attempted suicide. He'll be in DC speaking at GW on the evening of February 25. Details are on this poster.

You know I am a sucker for the super-personal tales of struggle. Eating disorders and mental illness? That's like an evening at the movies for me. Plus, Mark says he's an awesome speaker.

So if I can swing it, I'll be in the audience.