Chelle B

Love this!!!

wow..... I was raised in a large family of girls and my dad took great pleasure in keeping the Santa, tooth fairy and so forth traditions. He was also the most honest man I knew and I miss him terribly. Kids should be given whatever they need, to grow into creative and confident people. I needed Santa and the tooth fairy.

As long as the drink is fruit based, I am sure it is healthy. And that should be a pretty quick update!

:paranoid What are you saying about Santa?????

Awwww, I am the same in person, online, no matter who I am around. The only time I get really bad is when telemarketers call - and then I am downright rude!

Hey it's making my head spin, and I meant to go to bed a while ago!

I wish we all lived in the same area, so that we could meet and debate in person. Might be interesting, especially over margaritas....

You win. I am so tired that I don't think I can even stay up for the rest of my 'Boys game tonight. I find benefit in both OH and LBT, as well as my other research tools. I have no social challenges in my life except not enough time - and I still go to OH. I don't get lumping an entire group of people into one slot because you don't like something. There are great people in both places. Anyway, g'night and thanks for the lively debate.:notagree

Darn I can't figure out the multi-quote thing on the fly... Sure it is reasonable. It is also reasonable to consider the herd mentality. It is the bane of the internet world that people can start over again and again without repercussion.

Well, since I didn't out Sandy, I thought I could at least out myself on this one. Although I will say that this totally makes my head hurt. Anyway, I will answer the best I can. 1) What I discovered first came from a voluntary email from her. That kinda stopped me in my tracks. I have certain personal convictions that might not make sense to anybody (so my DH has told me) but they are mine and I believe in those convictions. I can understand the cheerleader comment - I was only pissed that someone would use a weight like 300# in a derogatory way on a weight loss forum. Although it was an effective method of bringing attention to the debate. So maybe you don't want to believe me, but I did back off for precisely the reasons stated. 2) Sure, people will use whatever they think they have at their disposal to lend credibility to their discussions. Human nature. The moral approach is always honesty. 3) It is a person's responsibility as an American to report illegal behavior, although we don't do it in our society very often, unless there is a personal reason. 4) It's poison because this whole discussion brings out anger and frustration and meanness on all sides. I look at life as a yardstick. If today is one yardstick, and I spent hours in anger over anything - then I have allowed the situation to poison my day. I can't help the fact that I look for the good in everybody, and in every situation. It is simply who I am. 5) I've never had a discussion about who has been banned at the boards and it rarely makes a difference anyway as people come back and reinvent themselves. I've never stated what I believe so I am not sure why you ask the question. " Any profession is going to have a certain amount of pride." Now this is the FIRST argument in the whole mess that makes sense to me. I'm generally oblivious to what career a person has chosen unless we have discussed it. So YOUR personal anger and frustration make total sense to me now. I don't read every post and I have to admit that all along I thought you were on the warpath simply to placate Wendell. THAT I didn't understand.:tired I have a sister and niece who are nurses, and they work unbelievable hours and work it with a passion for the profession. So NOW I get your feelings. For the first time! (and by the way, my baby sis delivered a baby in the hallway of the ER last night all by herself! WOW I am humbled by hearing that...)

Glad I kept the armor on, Lauren. I appreciate your response, but for me, I have to respectfully disagree. At some point in our obese lives, we have to take charge of ourselves to be successful. And if I am being selfish or whatever, so be it. I just want my health back and I want to finish this weight loss journey. When I first disagreed with Sandy, I contacted her by PM and was very clear in my feelings. She took them under advisement and never posted those things which bothered me again. I disagree that I have taken sides. I elected to stop participating. I have to choose my own battles, and right now, my battles are very personal. And when someone confides in me, whether solicited or not, it remains their story to tell, not mine. And for almost every accusation about her treatment of others that you mention; I could say the same about that person who so offended me. I also disagree with how people feel about using the internet for medical advice. I use forums to learn about other people's experiences with the band. I research medical sites. And I follow my own doc's advice. That's all any of us can do. If someone chooses to follow the advice from an avatar who types it, instead of their own doc or using their own research.....well that is a risk they take. Every person we mention has offered some great advice, and some that I would never consider taking. So I will keep the armor on for a while....

Oh man, I so wanted to never be involved in another one of these discussions, but since I know you are talking about me I will give my side of this particular part of the story. One moment while I put my body armor on. Yes, I did say that I would out Sandy myself if I found that she was lying on the boards. I believe this was around the May-June time frame, but you can't do a search in OH for me to find the related posts. The reason I did not follow up was that Sandy provided me with very specific details of her past. Nothing to brag about, and also nothing to hide, IMHO. She was very open over a period of emails, and I made the decision at that time that it was her story to tell, not mine. During this same period we had one or two other dramas occurring in OH. Some of you will remember. I try very very hard to be fair and supportive of everyone, but there were two specific people that yanked my chain a little too much and totally pissed me off. Emails and PM's were flying around like crazy. Accusations everywhere. Responses to posts that were in disagreement with the original poster could be pulled, and so we had a lot of one-sided threads that made no sense. I replied to one poster, politely yet in disagreement, and my reply was pulled by the poster. But NOT BEFORE people had replied to me, so none of the thread made sense. <By the way - that is one area where LBT wins over OH) Anyway.... While I did my research, I also researched in depth the person who offended me (hey, fair's fair). I found historic things that were inflammatory. So I decided at that point that I had to give fair time to my discoveries, or post nothing at all. I chose to post nothing. What I found is someone's very personal history. Just the same as Sandy's very personal history. I saw the crap flying on both sides (and still do) about Sandy, and knew if I posted the other information that it would just start something even more out of control. And f**k it, I think all of us have something in our past we'd rather not share. Except maybe me, because I tell everybody everything about myself - I don't care how people judge me (ok it took 2 years of therapy to get to that point and I advise it for all of us:kiss2:). So.... 1) I did go back on my word to 'out' Sandy, because she provided her own history to me in confidence. It would be pretty cold-blooded to go post that in my mind. I apologize to you for never going back to tell you this. I just so want to get past this stuff. 2) When someone else asked me - I didn't see the point. If I were going to do anything, I would have talked to you first. Why would I talk to someone else? 3) I am not now, nor have I ever been, a 300 lb cheerleader. I try to be supportive of everyone. I try to turn ugly conversations into humor so that we can get past them. And I will post cheerleader icons in jest. I agree that OH should consider a forum like LBT has for R&R - I really enjoy this section in my own perverse way, and it would solve some of the issues over there. 4) I don't believe that I was duped in any way. I just made a decision, right or wrong, to walk away from it. The whole issue is freakin' poison, and I have lived with non-band related health issues (including 2 surgeries) in the last year and I don't need any more poison in my body. ****:sickAnd I would love any good thoughts to come my way in the hopes that my latest round of blood tests that I took today are closer to normal. And hey - I just realized that I could get it all out of my system in this R&R section if I need to - very cool. **** So, if somebody wants to know why I did or did not do or say anything - just ask. If I see the post I will respond to it. I simply made a decision to move on. I am very sorry I didn't address it immediately, but it just wasn't the highlight of my life at that time. I am only writing now because I finally get it. This topic will NEVER die down. And that's ok because so many people get enjoyment from it. Just leave me out of it, and call me out directly by name and give me a chance. I have a computer of some sort with me 24x7 because of my job, and am usually on one of the various IM's. I'm happy to talk. Yeah talking is what I do best. I still love OH. The drama has been long gone, except for some new OH members who post tongue-in-cheek to stir things up at times. And those are funny to me because so many people take them seriously. I have many friends there - people that I met in real life when I traveled for my job as well as many in the Central Texas area. I like LBT too. I haven't learned to navigate here as well, but I do enjoy it and have met some great people here. I am happy to debate anybody over anything - except for that one topic. My quota has been exceeded. Thanks - hope I am still welcome here. I will continue to wear the body armor until I feel it is safe to come out. And keep in mind that body armor is freakin' heavy and I weigh each and every morning so I need to take it off.

I have 3 tattoos, from 2 different places. In both places I asked them to show me around first, so that I could see how sterile the place was. The instruments they use on each person were in sterile packages that had to be opened. They wore 2 pairs of sterile gloves, and the places were exceptionally clean. I want another one - if I can find out when Kat Von D is going to be in Dallas - I would love to get a small piece of art that she designed. That said, I do take antibiotics before going to the dentist...

Here's the most recent one...

Definitely more fun in a group! I have 3 tattoos, all of which have special meaning during the time when I got them. Warning, tho - body art can be addictive!

Very cool rewards! I did the tattoo(s) a bit early, will probably add one more somewhere when I meet goal. I would love to sky-dive, but I keep tearing up parts of my body - requiring surgical repair. But if I can get the shoulder fully repaired by the time I hit goal, I've already asked my nephew to take me sky-diving.

UPS is weird. Love the drivers - generally the guys are pretty hot. However - EVERY UPS driver has been terrified of my dog. Tasha Yar is a freaking miniature pinscher - so they won't wait even if it requires a signature. They ring the bell and run. DHL just throws the packages, somewhat like the newspaper. It usually lands in our yard....somewhere. I am guessing the 45 minutes is just to get there? Another 45 to get home?

SCARY!

What's wrong with sock puppets?

That makes me feel better - I generally speak from the heart, but sometimes I can be very reactionary and then will say anything. I try tho. :heh:

I'm sorry that happened to you, Lauren. I have been on the receiving end of some vicious attacks myself, and hell, likely I have given it right back as well. Hopefully overall I am decent to people, but no promises. :whoo:

That is too true - it is nice to have a place where people understand. I am not at goal yet, lots of reasons but no excuses, and I fully expect to get there within the next year. Oct 2006 - Oct 2007 was my year of health challenges, so I focused on those more. Time to get back to the weight loss and finish up! I love it when people continue to post anywhere after they have met goal - it is so incredibly inspiring!

I am guessing that I am that "someone who posted on this thread". I know about the email list - but I don't know who started it. I do know that it has been gone for a long time - at least I don't see any emails like that anymore. I think lots of people got caught up in things, as people often do, and eventually got their lives back. I seem to remember people asking to be dropped from the emails until it dried up. But then again I get over 300 emails per day between work and home, so I scan and delete most of the time. Point being - that email list is long gone, I believe.

Ok, I'll take that. I won't defend my friends over there, because when in Rome.... PB, if it is who I think it is, is a very close friend of mine in real life. Of course in real life we don't talk about board life. In person it is more about family and work and shopping and preparing for her baby. After multiple miscarriages I am so happy that this pregnancy seems to be doing well. And for the record, I am a tree-hugging, bleeding heart, rose-colored glasses type liberal - who tends to see the good in everything (unless I am pissed, then I am normal). And most of the so-called experts, as well as most of the experienced bandsters, have some great advice to give. Some have crappy bedside manners, just like some of the greatest surgeons. I try to take it in stride, not always successful, as I am sure you know.

I have been on OH for over two years, so I am used to that format and can scan through every post title and pick the ones to read. I am still learning this one. I know this will be a lifetime journey so I want to reach out and help where I can, and ask for support when I need it. And I was just teasing WASaBB - she is very straightforward and always has been. We don't always agree, and that's fine. I have great friends over at OH, and have met so many of them in person (especially when I used to travel for my job). So I have a different outlook than some people. I can "usually" ignore the crap, and make fun of it - depending on my mood. Most of the people over here are new to me, although I recognize several folks. Thanks for the welcome!