plain

No, of course it's not right. I only posted that because so many (mostly liberal) people want to skewer Bush for "meddling in other countries governments". Of course it's not right.....but Bush wasn't the first prez to do it. Elenation...Ron Paul? Really? That dude's a kook (I mean it as kindly as possible). I understand that some of his policies sound good in theory....but many would just never fly in the real word (such as doing away with the IRS, and reducing the military to 10% of what we have now). I did not expect you to bust out the support for Ron Paul, LOL. Although strangely, in East Texas, Ron Paul has HUGE support.

I think the whole love bug thing is, like, a big cloud of swarming gnats. Is that accurate, Susan or ATD? What you're calling a palomino bug, I think we in the south call a "junebug". Big flying crunchy bug that will creep you the eff out if they land on you. Junebugs are also great for rendering a windshield opaque with bug guts.

He actually only had the 911 operator on the line. And I agree with RSG. If somebody breaks into my hose while I'm there, I will shoot them (I do have a wife and small kids, after all). But if I arrive home and saw somebody running down the driveway with something of mine, I couldn't shoot them in the back. Just not worth it to me.

Agree. The wife and I went to Ohio a couple of years ago, and anytime we had to interact with anybody.....well.....it was a big to-do. I know that my thick, thick (so thick I had to write it twice...my wife tells me that sometimes when I'm speaking unguardedly I tend to say "cain't" instead of "can't") draaaaaaawl makes me appear stupid. But I've found that I can learn a lot of stuff, and that people tend to speak more freely when they think I'm an uneducated hick.

Not entirely.....Your post inspired me to have "turd on a cracker" for dinner. Funny, it didn't taste as good as it sounds...

Michele....I might need to explain some things.....LOL

Sorry paulvic, after the "surprise" 3rd child, I got a vasectomy. I'm a little curious....are you talking sperm count, or the quantity of semen?

Yeah, I'm no expert, Fenton, but I think despite what bodybug is telling you, you continue to kick ass with your loss. I'm kinda of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" camp. BTW, don't even joke about 80's shorts coming back into vogue. My underwear covers more than gigem's shorts!

I'm totally with you, Jenny. That's exactly why I chose the band. You absolutely can lose that amount of weight with the band. There are quite a few bandsters lurking around here that have lost that much. I think there is somebody from Texas that has lost in excess of 200 lbs with the band. The band can work for you. I just think everybody should go into the surgery with their eyes wide open, that's all. Whichever surgery you choose, hang around! There are a ton of cool people on this site that can offer great advice. Let us know what you decide!

CBIC.....I can tell that you're greatly offended! When somebody goes to the trouble of breaking out the inflammatory red typeface, well.....they must feel strongly about something indeed. The thing is, you misunderstand me. I myself am banded. Why would I refer to obesity as a "free ride"? What I was trying to say (and failing miserably for you to take such offense) was that the lapband doesn't let me eat whatever I want and still lose weight. I can't kick back and rely 100% on the band to "fix" me. Even with the band, there is a lot of work involved, both physical and mental, to be done. Do you dispute this, or are we finally on the same page? See, I'm not one of those bandsters that think it's the greatest WLS ever. Nor do I think that Roux-en-Y is the greatest....or the DS....or the sleeve. What I think is that the best WLS is the one that best fits the lifestyle of the individual. You think that too, right? So, when I told girlesmom to do the research, it was heartfelt. She has to be the one to decide which WLS is best for her.

As a Texan, let me say this: He should not have killed those two men. To shoot somebody in the back is......sickening. Having said that, the law in Texas is pretty clear. It does allow for use of deadly force in protecting your property or your neighbor's property. Now, I'm very pro-gun. You can't live in Texas and not be (well, if you live in a rual area like me, anyway). The state of Texas is, in fact, reviewing my application to carry a concealed handgun right now. However, I just can't see that it would be worth it to kill a dude (or two) to save a television set. What would I have done? If I had witnessed the robbery, I probably would have drawn down on the robbers and ordered them to stop (like Joe Horn did). If they had reached for a gun or even made a quick, suspicious move, I might have shot them. But if they turned tail and ran, I would have let them run (unlike Joe Horn). So, legally, what he did was ok. I wouldn't want to be him during the long lonely nights when people sometimes turn introspective, though.

Sometimes the updated version won't show until the next time you post.

Hi Sheila. As long as you go very slow and cautious, you should be fine on mushies. Probably at some point during your banded life, you'll have to deal with PB'ing.....but that's to be expected as you discover and explore what types of foods you can eat (when you finally are able to eat solids). PB'ing certainly isn't pleasant, but it's not as bad as regular vomiting (IMO, anyway). Hope this helps. Good luck!

Well, everybody is a little biased, girliesmom....from us bandsters to the docs that do the surgeries. There are a lot of people that have been banded for years and have done great. Also, there are a lot here that have had various complications from the band. My personal opinion.....you have to be careful that some docs aren't trying to steer you towards the bypass because they can get more money for it. And europen doctors? Who cares what they're thinking (unless you happen to live in Europe)? I chose the band because it is minimally invasive and kinda gives me a "nudge" towards living a healthier lifestyle. It boosts my self -esteem to know that I have to put work and effort into my weightloss, that I don't have a "free ride". But I know that the band isn't right for everybody, so keep doing your homework and researching until you feel comfortable with your choice. Good Luck!

Well, here's the thing, Jenny...There are certain foods that some bandsters have trouble with. So, if you found out you couldn't eat bread with the band, would that be a dealbreaker for you? I could be waaaaaay off the mark here, but when you write that you might not get the band because you don't want to give up some foods.....that gives me some pause. A statement like that makes me think that you either: 1) don't have near as much weight to lose as I do, or 2) maybe have some issues with food. See, the band works great...if you follow the rules. It is a fantastic tool for people that need some help with how much food they eat. The band will make you feel more satisfied with less food. The band does not help with your desire to eat. So, people that have compulsive eating issues, or eat when sad / angry / bored have a much harder struggle. So, could you lose weight with the band? Of course you could. It all depends on how much effort you put in. I would suggest you do your homework on the band (heck, on all weight loss surgeries), and maybe attend a doctor seminar where can ask very specific questions. The more info you have, the more likely the chance that you'll make the best decision for you. Good luck!

I don't know about an "average" weight loss, jgilbert. Everybody is soooooo different. I do feel confident in saying this: You, personally, will get out what you put in to the band. Welcome to the LBT, and good luck!

Mmmmmm, you make it sound delicious! LOL

I'm in extreme northeast Texas. Not really Texarkana (I live about 45 minutes outside Texarkana, Tx) but that's the biggest, closest city. I get what you're saying about Steve Martin. Unfortunately, the banjo players around here are more "deliverance"-esque!!

Ha! You made me literally laugh out loud when I read this! Just the mental picture of the logistics of farting into an envelope cracked me up...

thanks Rick. Just curious. He usually is the most vocal dude here.

Hey, I grew up in the 80's too. I, too fell victim to 80's fashion...

Woah, man.....the length of those shorts in '86 is criminal! LOL. Seriously, you're on your way!

DS gas - an easy out on those "blind dates gone bad"!