brandyII

The Ghost, Did you have any pain in your forehead on the side where your tumor is? brandyII.

Green, Thanks, I was looking up African names and now I'm told she wants a Japanese name. Maybe I'll give it my own personal nickname and she'll never know! brandyII

Turler, Thanks for the site. I'll check it out. Is a Ghana grey similar to Congo grey? I kind of tried to look at pics but I got a bunch of stamps with parrots on them from Ghana. My daughter says it's another name for African grey so maybe they're the same birds. It should outlive me and I've told her that it's "her" bird, and she does realize if she does end up moving to Japan one day like she says she will that the bird will be going with her. I hope I don't get too attached to it though. I grew up with parakeets and we would only have one at a time so they would be kind of affectionate but we got two cockatiels at the same time about 10 years ago or more and from what I heard because they mated they were more into each other than to us. We also had a parakeet that is not with us any longer but it was never friendly and always bit me. It wouldn't fly on your finger or anything. I just hope this bird will live up to the expectations she has for it. I guess I worry because we have two other birds that it will be more interested in them than in us. Hopefully I'm wrong but now we have to get an avian vet on top of the vet we normally use for our dogs. She kind of wants a Japanese name for the bird and it was my idea to go African so maybe she'll bend a bit. It's not like we gave the cockatiels Australian names but still. Anyway thanks for the site I'll check it out brandyII.

This topic will only end in tears, go to my site on picking out names for my new African Grey Parrot.

That's really funny, I can tell you loooove you some birdies!!! I know it scares me when they can actually bite off your finger. My daughter has already shown concern about my influence on the bird, as in speech and diet. I can't help it if I'm the one who will be around it the most! Thanks for your input brandyII:thumbup: I've been meaning to say something about your avatar, I get them wrong most of the time but is it a flower or a "sea creature" or could it be both, a flowering sea creature? Oh and I saw your ticker good luck with your surgery!

skittles108, Thanks that's very sweet, I hope he does too! Maybe there's something to that cheese if they've been eating it all this time and living such a long life! Remember the commercial for yogurt a long time ago where they made reference to people living long in Russia because they ate it every day. Maybe there's something to it. All I know is he likes it and would tell me if he didn't! What a blessing to have your dad live to 100! Thanks again, brandyII.

Actually, I don't remember their names but I remember seeing the cutest rabbits. I think they were Himilayian (sp) but they were so fluffy and had the cutest faces. I really wanted one but my dogs would think they were squeaky toys, if you catch my drift!

I'm the minority here but I do feel spanking is wrong and backward. I was spanked as a child and actually lived in a state that believed in corporal punishment, thank God for only six months, it was Kentucky! Anyway I remember some boys being punished in first grade and having their pants pulled down in front of the whole class and smacked with a paddle. Thank God we moved to Maryland where the nuns only verbally and emotionally abused you, lol. I don't believe in child abuse of any form and think spanking sends mixed messages to children. I believe people can be taught good parenting skills that don't involve spanking. I've never spanked my children and they've both grown up to be lovely young women who I'm very proud of. I'd hate to look back at our times together and during fits of anger had taken it out on them or punished them physically or emotionally, I'm a better person than that. And like I said I know I'm in the minority and don't believe anyone should hit their children or swat or whatever you want to call it. We have enough violence in our world why not keep our homes safe havens for our children!:party: brandyII

Turler, I'm so sorry I did not mean to offend Lily, she is very cute but so fluffy and the pic's in black and white and so small and my eyes aren't what they used to be. I just thought she was a full figured kitty, lol. I have a big dog and a little dog and all dogs are great! When I can I'll put up a pic of my dogs, but my husband is already asleep and he's usually the only one who can help me with computers! brandyII

Thanks for the suggestion, even though I've shopped for him there's always someone else on the list, thanks brandyII.

Kat I think it's your attitude that has made you such a great person, you look for the silver linings and your glass is always have full:smile2: Nancy

Turler, your avatar is so adorable but I'm still trying to decide if it's a cat or a dog and if it's your pet etc...Nancy. I'm going to change my avatar today if I can. But I may try to add my own dogs to my screen near my ticker, so I have to wait for my family to help me, Nancy.

I still stick with my feelings and don't discuss the Great Pumpkin because it's just way too personal:wub: brandyII

luluc, it's true it's not even just weight, it's makeup. How many women are afraid to leave their house with out putting on makeup? I'd like seeing those pictures in mags too. brandyII

Kat, I swear you are my hero at this forum, you've been through hell and back and you are still such a good person and I can tell that even though I don't know you personally just by what I've read from you. I pick you out to be a great roll model for people on this forum. You inspire so many people me included, thanks for being here and sharing with us, Nancy:thumbup:

Jachut, I've never criticized anyone for being thin, I've been thin and have been told "I was too thin" but took it as something they weren't used to seeing me as and at the time I was 20 and wanted to be that thin. I've never said derogatory remarks about thin people it's not like it's "alien" to me. So I feel like YOU are telling me something that is not true. That I hate thin people or something or are you just making a blanket statement to many of us larger size people? Just like a comic book character that can change into different forms so can I. Most everyone has the ability to change from fat to thin but staying at that thin zone can be very difficult for some people. I also acknowledge the hard work it takes to be thin and to get to that point and don't discount anyone who does that. Like I said before I've been there a few times and it was really hard to stay at that weight for me. So without ever criticizing thin people I still think there's a place for acceptance of people of size. I know it's very difficult in our world to do that but I still believe whether I'm thin or thick (not in the brain) that I choose to accept both. And am comfortable with myself to see the beauty of both. Unless I'm your doctor I can't judge you on your health no matter what you look like on the outside. Even though Queen Latifa seems to be one we've picked as an example "roll model" I know she's someone that a lot of people are familiar with because of her acting/singing/size. Our culture in the states does seem to admire the "star" so it's hard to get away from that especially the younger generations. She's just an example so don't freak out about it. I know a little about her background, coming from a "police" family and having a brother I think shot and killed at a young age but we can't choose who people use as their roll models, it's a personal choice. I'm not the type of person who it bothers what religion, sexual preference, race, or size whether it be vertical or horizontal. I am involved with so many types of people in my life and it has been enhanced because of the variety of people I choose to surround myself with. I'd like to think that I may enhance their lives as well. I may wake up in the morning and first thing I want to do is have a cup of tea and chat with my family and my brother wants to gear up to ride 50 miles on his bike, we're cut from the same parents but we're different in that way and I love him for that and everything he is. I float, he doesn't! :thumbup: It's easy to accept him in our world but a little harder to accept me as it is many different types of people. We all just want to be treated equally in an unequal world but it doesn't mean we don't like people that aren't like us we just get tired of being attacked all the time and we live in a free country where we're aloud to express ourselves and show pride in ourselves:thumbup: Do I get an AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! brandy II:teeth_smile:

My daughter read the last Harry Potter book in one night should I be worried?:wub: Maybe I should have read them all before she did but I just enjoy the movies:ohmy:, she's a purist and will only read the books:whatchutalkingabout, just felt like posting to post and am not afraid of atheists just annoying people.:thumbup:

I put a couple teaspoons of benefiber in my cup of tea every day and usually drink about two per day. I can't always eat salads. brandyII

The worse part about working at home is there's always work and you can't escape it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:wub: When you go to an office etc... you can:smile2:

In a weird way I prefer myself heavier than super thin. I like being valuptiuous (sp) and have my goal weight as 200 lbs. Any lower the "girls" will just be pancakes! Now I'm sure my surgeon and my doc would probably find this too high but if at my age I feel good at that weight that's what my goal is. If it's harder on my body as I get older I may try to drop it a bit but unless I have total plastic surgery which I really don't want to put myself through or pay for I'm not going to be in Playboy at any weight. Even with airbrushing!:wub:

Off my other high horse of a post, I like to watch "The Soup" because he makes fun of some of the reality shows and I also get to catch up on what's going on in the reality shows. Does anyone else watch The Soup on E? I kills me:lol:. And on the Scrubs theme song, my sister just went to see the band Men at Work and I think she said they did the theme song, not sure if that's true or not but of course my daughter loves that show so we have season one and two I think. brandyII

Well said Turler, I've quoting you because I think people should read it twice! I think it's good to discuss weight issues out in the open like this because we really do learn from each other. Sometimes it's just info, sometimes it's more philosophical. I think an exchange of ideas is a good thing. Like it's been said before we all have one thing in common but how we got to the point prior to getting the lap band or how we've dealt with the lap band and ourselves afterwards are very different from each other. I finally researched that Dove campaign by going on line and watching a short they made where they are concerned about "our daughters' futures" and how they view their bodies, self esteem etc... and found it to be a breath of fresh air for a change. We need more of this from companies not less. I still have a difficult time understanding people who think it's wrong to have plus size roll models in our society and get so angry about it.:wub: No one ever said we don't want "thin" roll models but most of our roll models are already thin and a standard that is difficult for the average person to live up to, besides the fact that airbrushing etc...is taking place. I think that a lot of us, and no I don't have statistics, but have been unhappy with our weight in the past and dieted, lost weight and then put it back on again and usually more and it's not only happened once in our life but many times and hence we're much larger than where we originally started. Also why the diet industry is doing so well but we are not and now have to resort to lap bands etc... Maybe the next generation will be smarter and deal with body images in a different healthier way, physically as well as psychologically. I can only hope, brandyII:smile:

Thanks Ready,steadygo, Just got back from my overnight trip to a funeral and had been on the internet late that night so God knows if what I said made any sense but I try! Nancy:smile2:

Rainer/sstasevich, Thanks for your suggestions, I don't even have an Ipod yet but my kids can't live without them! As for the chocolate, you made me hungry! thanks, brandyII

LilMis, so true, so true, could have been eating ice cream but my fingers were typing, lol. Hey when I was growing up there were no size 1 and 0s the fashion industry changed the sizes I suppose to make us feel better about ourselves? thanks brandyII