anonemouse

Yay!!!!!!!

I hate to weigh in on this (no pun intended) and get in the middle, but I have never, ever seen Chickie tell someone that they needed to lose more weight. And I usually lurk in those threads, if not actively post in them. I have seen her (and several other people, too) make the point that a person with an "overweight" BMI is likely to have more weight-related health problems than is a person with a "healthy" BMI. And she's right. That's why, all other things being equal (smoking status, family history, etc.), a person with a BMI of 28 or 29 is going to pay a higher insurance premium than a person with a BMI of 23. But, again, she's ALWAYS said that people can choose whatever goal weight they want to, and that she's happy as long as they are happy and not thinking that there isn't any health risk to remaining overweight. To my knowledge, she's NEVER insisted that other people need to lose more weight. Has she ever said that people might be healthier at a lower weight? Sure. But she's never insisted that they lose more than they want to lose. Quite frankly, I think there's been badly phrased comments on BOTH sides of the issue, by more than one person. The fact is, yes, Grace was insulting. I don't think she necessarily MEANT to be, but she was, regardless. I mean, I can see why Chickie and Jachut were insulted, and I don't even have a "normal" BMI.

No, there is no law, but why should the airline basically either give away a seat or make the person sitting immediately beside an extremely fat person literally share their seat? If someone takes up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. The airlines may make their extremely large customers unhappy with this policy, and may well lose their business, but I'd wager to guess that normal-sized fliers are a heck of a lot more likely to be repeat customers if they aren't being forced to share a seat, when they paid for an entire seat of their own. And honestly, if the airlines changed the layouts of their planes and offered fewer wider seats instead of many narrow seats, people would still be unhappy with them, since that would mean that seat prices would skyrocket. My opinion is this: If a flight isn't full, seat very large fliers in areas where they won't have to sit immediately next to anyone. If the flight is full, either make them buy a second seat (even though it might bump someone off the flight), or give massive discounts to the people sitting immediately to the sides of them.

Ha! Awesome! I have to say, though, that I kinda find it to be a compliment when people tell me that they didn't realize I was THAT overweight when they find out that I've lost almost 60 pounds and have about 40 to go. It makes me feel a little better about how I used to look, if that makes sense. :biggrin:

I understand that it was embarassing for her, but he actually seemed to be fairly sensitive in the way he was asking the questions. He didn't go up to her and loudly say, "Yo, fattie! You're gonna need to buy another ticket." An airline is a business, after all, and they have to make their policies based on what makes them the most money and what makes their customers happy. If they don't, their customers won't come back. And they likely see the whole extra seat situation as sacrificing one customers happiness for the satisfaction of the two customers that'd be sitting next to him/her. They may lose one customer, but they'd keep the other two.

Nina! Good to see you back!

No kids here yet (hopefully, never), but I see nothing wrong with a carrying the kid in a car seat, as long as the kid isn't in in all the time at home, too. IMO, it's an invention that was created to make a parent's life a little easier and more manageable, just like the lap-band was created to make weight-loss a tad easier and more doable. Doesn't make it less appropriate or more "wrong" than doing it the hard way, IMO.

I have to be very careful with anything that has a skin that's difficult to chew into small pieces, like apples, cherries, grapes, etc. If they've been peeled or cut into very small pieces, they go down with no problems.

You beat me to it, Christine!

I have a confession. Kinda-sorta, anyway. Sometimes, I have a very strong urge to tell people to unwad their panties from their asscrack. Who knew people could get so pissed and/or offended over people making semi-joking posts about the lack of grammar skills on the website? It isn't that serious and you aren't being called a moron if you don't use proper spelling and grammar. Chill.

As long as I can figure out what people are trying to say, it doesn't really bother me too much. That said, there are some people's posts, though, that just make me want to smack them upside the head and send them back to school. Rightfully or not, I think people judge other people based on how they present themselves, whether online or in real life. First impressions, and all that. And since the way we converse on this site is through text, I would think that people would want to make their posts as easily read and understood as possible. I'm a speed reader, so all or first-letter capitalization, lack of punctuation, and really long paragraphs can really throw me off. I know it's not the nicest thing I could do, but if I run across a post that's difficult for me to read, I just skip it entirely and don't bother trying to decipher it.

Oh, I don't doubt it. I'm just a little irritated that I'm required to give quite a few special accomodations to a lot of kids that are really just not very well-equipped, mentally. Things like time and a half or double time on quizes and exams, etc. I just can't help but to wonder what these college kids are going to do when they get out into the work-force and are expected to have projects and stuff done on a strict deadline and their employers won't give them the extra time that they've gotten used to getting. I think many of them will have a very rude awakening, since they've never had to meet many of the same standards that other college kids have had to meet. I think that in certain circumstances, special accomodations are more of a handicap to the student than assistance. I wasn't really referring to ADD or ADHD, specifically, but rather generalized "learning disabilities." If it's authentic, that's great that the kid's getting help, but I think quite a bit of it is that there are parents out there that either can't accept that their little Johnny is just not quite as bright as his classmates, or they can't handle the kid's energy.

Dude, my grandparents used to leash my dad to the kitchen table to keep him from driving everyone crazy and to keep him out of the way (i.e., away from the oven) during holiday dinner preparations.

Oh, you don't want to get me started on so-called "learning disabilities," lol! I know there are a lot of people out there with legitimate learning problems, but unfortunately, many of the students I've had that have come to me with letters from the Office of Disabilities at my university have just been, well, not very bright, to put it nicely. I think that there are a lot of parents out there that just can't accept that little Johnny or Suzie isn't an exceptionally smart student that is being held back by a learning disability. They just don't want to accept the fact that their child might be simply average or below average, in terms of educational ability. Nope, there's gotta be something wrong with him, so let's throw a bunch of pills at him and tie his teacher's hands so that the entire curriculum is dumbed down. *sigh* Ugh, I could go on, but that's a rant for another thread, I think. :redface:

I wouldn't call off-topic posts garbage at all. We have off-topic forums for a reason. This isn't just a WLS support forum. Is that it's primary purpose? Of course, but we've also made friends here and it's always good to talk about things other than banding and to interact with people on a level other than just asking and answering pre- and post-op questions. Honestly, the off-topic forums are why many of the successful old-timers stick around, IMO. There's only so many newbie questions they can answer before they want to talk about something other than the band. That's the good thing about this board, IMO. You can take what you want and leave the rest, because nothing here is mandatory reading (as much as some of it should be, like the threads on the reasoning behind the post-op diet).

No, brown recluses are larger than whatever this was. It was about the size of a pin head. Whatever it was, though, it packed a heck of a wallop. I've still got a scar from where it bit me.

It was a little reddish brown dot. Couldn't figure out what it was.

I agree with you. A year or two ago, my 14 (almost 15) year-old cousin was killed in an ATV accident one night at midnight. He was out with friends and went riding with an 18 year-old girl that had been drinking. They hit a ditch or something at very high speed, sending both of them flying, my cousin into a porch (he was killed instantly). The girl, last time I heard, was still in a vegetative state. I feel so sorry for his mother because that was her baby, the youngest of three. At the same time, though, I think, "Well, that's what can happen when you let 14 year-olds stay out with their friends at all hours of the night, drinking and playing with large machinery." Sadly, it wasn't an unusual occurance to see my cousin and his brother flying down the road on their ATVs, in the dark with no lights on, no helmets on, and cutting off cars on the road.

I'm just amazed that civil disagreement is now "badgering." And that was coming from a mod, for Pete's sake! If someone doesn't like another person civilly (can't stress that enough) disagreeing with them, they shouldn't be sharing their opinions on the damn board in the first place. No offense meant to all you other mods here ('cause you guys are great!), but moderation should be saved for when it's actually needed.

Okay, so as most of you know, I've been teaching as part of my grad-school work. Well, that pays crappola, so I started applying for part-time jobs. I was hired as an office assistant two weeks ago, and do that on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10-4 and every other Friday afternoon (total of 12-16 hours a week). I also got a job as a part-time cashier at a Linens n Things, which I'll be starting on Monday. That will have me working evenings and weekends (not sure of the exact schedule yet), but no more than 20 hours a week. My teaching schedule right now is 8-10 and 3:30-5:30 on Thursdays and 9-11 on Fridays. In late April, that responsibility will end, and I'll have that time to work at other jobs, but I may be teaching in the mornings, Monday-Thursday, during the summer term, starting in June (if the department can't find an instructor with a PhD). Here's the issue: I have an interview at a Dressbarn tomorrow morning (scheduled the interview yesterday, got the confirmation call about the Linens n Things job this afternoon). Assuming that I'm offered the job, should I take it, considering every thing else I have going on? On one hand, I think, "Yes, I can do that, it's not that many hours. Plus, it'd be good insurance if I wind up hating one of the other jobs." On the other, I think, "Holy crap! :redface: WAY too many pans in the fire! What if I do get the summer teaching position? What'll I do, teach mornings, do the office thing in the afternoons, and then alternate nights and weekends for the other two?! And somehow get my thesis finished in the few hours I have left? You idiot!" I know it's a lot, but I'm bored off my ass, broke, and trying to save money for plastic surgery. Plus, I tend to work best under pressure and stress. I'm hoping this will motivate me to get my thesis finished. I've found out the hard way that if I don't have a lot to do, I tend to put off doing the stuff I DO need to do ('cause, you know, there's plenty of time), and nothing at all gets done.

Not sure. I'm not even sure I'll be getting commissions in the first place. Both of the retail jobs will be starting at $7.50 an hour, but I won't be getting very many hours at Dressbarn in the beginning, only about 10-12 a week until some of the other people leave (several college students going home for the summer, someone considering staying home with a new baby, etc.). I've never done retail before (heck, these are my first "real" jobs, other than teaching and my internship in 2004), so I may despise both of the retail jobs. The Dressbarn and the Linens n Things are literally next to each other in a strip mall, so I could probably arrange my schedules so that I could go directly from one to the other on the days that I have an entire day to work.

Speaking of insect bites, I went to Florida a couple of years ago during my fall break. Went out to look at the beach as soon as I got there (hadn't even gotten to the motel yet), and managed to get bitten by something on the 2 minute walk to the beach. It stung a bit, but I didn't think too much of it at the time. Well, by that night it had a tiny little fluid blister where the bite was. By the next morning, my entire foot had swollen up. Wonderful start to a vacation. I spent the next several days swollen and limping (not to mention severe itching at night because of the swelling).

Had the interview this morning. It seemed to go very well, so I may have four part-time jobs in a couple of days. I'm seriously considering not teaching this summer. It's not a hard offer yet, though, since the department has to give the position to an instructor with a PhD if there's one available. It'll only be open to grad students if there isn't a PhD that wants to teach it. If I do get offered the position, though, I feel almost obligated to take it, since doing something that's roughly in my field will look better on my professional resume than retail would. Plus, if I ever decide to try to get a lecturer position at a junior college or something (god, I hope it doesn't come to that), most of them require at least two semesters of lecture experience. This is my sixth semester teaching labs (granted, most of what I do is lecturing, but it still doesn't count), but I only have one semester of real lecture-class experience. I would prefer not to teach, but it might be better for my long-term career goals. I dunno. If I do get offered the Dressbarn job, I think I'll take it. I'm just not sure if I'll teach this summer or not. Of course, the conflict is moot unless I actually do get offered both the Dressbarn and teaching jobs.

I went to Gap on my lunch break today. First time I've been in one in years. Hell, since I've been old enough to shop there, in fact! I was, like, 10 the last time I was in their sizes. I think I've found a new addiction, just wish I had more money to pay for it! Anyway, I fit in their 12s. And they'd look GOOD, too, if it wasn't for this damn pannus! I'm gonna have to break down and get some Spanx or some other type of shapewear, 'cause that was just icky. They fit EVERYWHERE except right at my stomach, below my waistband. I could button them, zip, and sit down in them with no wrinkles or bulges (other than what I'm bitching about). I've just got so much lose skin on my tummy that it compresses it and make it look like a 2nd rear end, and a lumpy one at that. Now, I'm sure it didn't look as bad as I thought it did ('cause you know our eyes go straight to what we KNOW is wrong), but it was still depressing. I'm gonna go get a body suit thingy sometime this week and go back and see if they look better. I did get a pair of shorts that didn't do the 2nd ass thing, though, and a couple of t-shirts. Found a really pretty dress, too, but I need a petite size in it and the store doesn't carry them. Not sure if I'll get it online, though, since it was a guazy white one and I get paranoid in gauzy crap. :smile:

So did I. I thought there was another Apple-hater around, and I wouldn't be alone anymore! Wah!