How about the Taste of Chicago? This September in Grant Park. They don't have specific dates yet.

Getting on the scale in the morning and burying it, i.e., being heavier than 300 lbs, the scale's limit.

I began to get comments when I hit around 250...I think 240 was where I technically became obese. When I got to the 270s, I had more than one stranger prod my belly in public.

Public displays of fat are an important part of gaining for me. It took me a lot of courage at first, but I kept reminding myself that part of the experience for me was showing off my blubber and imagining what people were thinking of me.

You do have to choose your times and places. Now and then, I enjoy going out wearing a shirt with the buttons gapping even when standing and/or my belly pudging out somewhat underneath. I like people seeing my porky body and knowing that I've been putting on weight.

The ultimate challenge for me was buying a bikini and fulfilling a lifelong fantasy. I bought a stars-and-stripes one because that's what our Olympic athletes wear and I love how it looks contrasted with my pale, flabby, obese body. My heart was thumping the first time I went to the beach but I kept reminding myself that this is what I wanted all along, for everyone to see how fat I've become.

The greatest was bringing three footlong subs with me and eating them all in like 15 minutes with people staring at me. So humiliating and HOT.

My ultimate goal was to waddle onto the beach in a bikini while carrying a bunch of food and sitting down and stuffing myself in front of everyone.

I bought a stars-and-stripes bikini because that's what our Olympic athletes wear in the hopes that people would think of their slim, muscular, toned, fit bodies and then see my pale porky body overflowing my swimsuit for everyone to see. SO HOT.

What part of the state are you in?

It was the opposite for me. I was all belly for a long time and so I had to adjust my goal weight until I got a double chin and boobs and the other fun stuff.

I did find that regaining gave me bigger boobs and a slightly softer feel.

I had a complete stranger prod my belly at the grocery store once. I wasn't even wearing anything tight or too small as I've been known to do in the past. I'm not sure if she was trying to humiliate me or poke gentle fun. Either way, I enjoyed it as a sign that I had gotten fat enough where someone felt it was appropriate.

I'm currently regaining and have found that my boobs have gotten bigger the second time around.

I'm in Kalamazoo. I'd love to schedule a meetup for Michigan FFers.