This is my first post of my new blog.

I suppose that if you're reading this, you're wondering, "Why am I reading this? I don't know...the title was kind of cool."

In any case, whatever your reason for reading this, I thank you.

This blog is going to follow my journey over the next year (and possibly beyond) in my struggles to lose weight and keep it off, as well as getting jobs in theatre and keeping them. I plan to at least write once a week, if not more.

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Today I re-began a journey in the world of weight loss. I am part of a study that is trying to see is weight has any connection to infertility in men. As I am a man who is overweight, I signed up.

When they first measured me in December, I was 299lbs. Today, thanks to holiday feasting, I was 314lbs. Not the direction that I was going for. The goal is to go down rather than up, right?

Armed with a calorie book and food diary, I am now keeping close tabs on what I eat and do.

Today, I consumed 2950 calories, but I burned 2030 of them through walking and the work I did in rehearsal today.

=> Perhaps a little background on me?

I am 21 years old and I have been struggling with weight my entire life. Even when I was born, I was overweight.

Throughout the years, I have tried and tried to lose weight, but nothing seemed to work for me. It really sucked. All my friends were stronger and faster than I was, thus leaving me in the dust. You know that kid who always gets picked last for sports? Except for bowling and kick-ball, that kid was me. (I make those two exceptions because I had been bowling since the age of 3 and I kicked the ball in kick-ball like no one's business.)

Last Christmas, I had a real eye-opener. My gallbladder decided that it did not like a fatty food that I had had and gave me a stroke-like reaction. I was scared to death. In the hospital, I weighed 349lbs. That was the moment I knew that I needed to make a real change. If I would do nothing about it, I was going to die.

So, I was working on my own to try to make things better, but it was very hard. I had the support of my girlfriend and some others, but I knew that I needed more. My girlfriend had seen a poster with the information about this study and she suggested that I do it.

Now, I have the ability to see a nutritionist for free for a year. That is support that I need.

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Theatre: This is my passion and where I intend to make my career.

Currently, I am rehearing for the University of Minnesota's The Birds, a classic Greek comedy. This show is going to give me a workout. I am playing a Vulture, who is the head of the bird chorus. Not only do I have to physically portray a vulture, but I also have quite a bit of text to work on. It is a challenge that I am looking forward to.

Recently, I had the honor to perform as Barfee in Theater Latte Da's production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Ordway's McKnight Theatre in St. Paul. I have had some remarkable theatrical experiences in my life in performing, but that would rank among the top. Not only was the show great fun, but the talented cast and creative staff were some of the best I have had the honor to work with.

This past summer, I also was performing on the U of M's Showboat in our production of The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, the melodrama of Sweeney Todd, as A Beadle--a crooked cop in London.

I am keeping myself busy in theatre.

In two weeks, I will audition again for the Showboat. Also in March, the Twin Cities Unified Auditions. Last year I had 2 callbacks, 1 company keep my resume, and one Fringe show ask me to play the lead (I had to decline due to showboat).

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Well, that is about enough for my first post. I shall talk to you again soon.

J.P.