OH Juli

Sunta- You rock! Thanks for being eloquent when I was so angry I couldn't type. Juli

Sunny and Chim, When we get two more people to volunteer we'll get started. Please email me at juligirl01@sbcglobal.net so I can get your email addresses. I'll play team leader! I do it all the time. I can assure you we'll get this organized and planned smoothly if we all contribute a bit of time. You two other, up until now, nameless volunteers email as well! Thanks, Juli

Another cause of hair loss a few months out from sugery is a reaction from the anastesia (I know I slaughtered the spelling do forgive me, I've not installed the spell check application). Its delayed because it affects the folicle at the root and it takes a a bit of time for it to grow out to the scalp and fall out. But it does grow back! Or so that the word on the street.

You know sleepyjean, for me it goes back to people are different and not one way is better than the other. We each have are reasons for everything. I'm an over share-er. But I respect a person's right to keep things to herself. Differences are just that. A different way to be...

A cruise would be fun, but so out of the range of price many people could pay. It would take more planning too, no? But ULTIMATELY I think that's a great idea...maybe if there becomes an annual LBT gathering... Anyway, all yous guys who say they are willing to help, we need to make this happen... Who wants to play the role of team leader? I will, but if someone else wants the position they need NOT arm wrestle me for it. I'll be a good support person too! Come on, let's get beyond the talking stage and move to planning!

Eddie Thanks for the pics! Nice to put a face with your fabulous posts! Mind over matter until you get that fill! How is your weight loss going? J

You know talking about the easy way out... <O:p I was talking with my therapist who I still see about once a month for checking in.... <O:p I've been known to say that I got a band around my brain when I got a band around my stomach because how I think about food has totally changed. She said there could be a debate if the change in me is physiological, behavioral or cognitive. I said I do believe it's a combination of all three. Certainly there's the band on the stomach, physically I'm just not as hungry or I get full faster. There's my new way of eating. I don't eat a bunch of shit anymore. It's counter productive. I ABSOLUTELY have reframed how I think about my weight, success and food. <O:p So sure it's easy to jump through insurance hoops, have someone poke around in your brain, dig up old behaviors and their causes, relearn how to eat, move your body increasingly more and defend the decision to want to change. <O:p</O:pI dare someone to tell me I took the easy way out. Okay, I double dog dare them. :heh:<O:p

Got it. True legal doesn't equal right. However, gay doesn't equal pink hair. And truly demanding a grocery store to sell lumber is daft and goes against their business model and they needn't comply. But gay is a status that has been (in some circles) defined as protected because it is not a choice. It's how we are born. I expect in my lifetime to see it added as protected by an admendment to the Bill of Rights. What's cool is that we can debate that and vote our opinions. GO USA! Talking about flight attendants weight...a company is allowed to establish a code of behavior or expectations that when a person signs on they are explained and accepted. Weight is something that can affect performance. Ask the military or firefighters. Age is another touchy area. Think about female newscasters who are let go because they don't look youthful enough. ok. done.

I have to say, I'm with: get the hell out of my way or join the party. I work where there are no secrets. I told a handful of people before the surgery. I shouldn't have surprised but I was when people I rarely speak to came to me when I returned. All offered me support or encouragement. A maintenance man for example shared with me that his cousin has had the same surgery with a, "way to go". Now a step even further in the, "you want to talk about my WLS" direction, I've been known to say to people who've asked, "how's the weight loss going?" "You tell me. Can't you see a difference?!" I'll even pose if in the mood. You do get what you give in every respect. Juli

To answer that specifically: Fundamentally we are a republic that is held together though codified laws. Those laws are base on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Those are amazing documents. Our economy is capitalist, where the market drives who buys what. However there are laws that address fundamentally unethical practices from monopolies and to harmful production. Human rights are to be taken into account and not put aside simply because there is no profit in them. Human rights are addressed in the constitution. Your thinking, about your money in OUR economy is that you should be allowed to do anything to make a buck because of your risk. What you need to factor into business risks are the laws of the country where you do business. US law says you can't discriminate. You can't. You can't mislabel food. You can't employ children for a dollar a day. Laws change as people get more Enlightened. It's a matter of who pushes first and then who pushes back. And our fantastic government, with the 3 elected branches, helps those who are pushing figure out how things should be. So by all means in our free market invest. But keep it legal.

My close friend who is very over weight and I talked this through many times before and during surgery. She's way into fat acceptance and I'm way into going to the gym to lose the fat. It's a tightrope walk at times. But I try to stick to the belief there are many ways to be, and not one is better than the other. She tries to keep it there too. We however, don't go to restaurants together anymore and keep mostly on the phone because she's not going to go for a bike ride with me either. Now my partner has been AMAZING! She's the best cheerleader I've got. She celebrates every pound I lose and always has positive things to say. She too is getting more fit along side me, though she only had 15 pounds to lose... god love her.

My average Protein is about 120 grams a day. I know it's a bit high, but that's were it typically sits. I'd rather have too much and keep my hair than not get enough. 100 grams daily is what my nutritionist has told me to go for.

You're not a bitch. I agree with all the statements above...one more option is you can offer to go and visit her on your next vacation from work if they have to cancel plans due to the friend's home falling through and the her inability to get a hotel. There is no reason in the world your sister and her children should even have to see the inside of your apartment. Good Lucky, I know it's hard sometimes to deal with conflict...but it's something we all have to do at times.

So are we talking about waiting until next June or doing something this winter? I say Vegas in late January or February. Juli

Just an aside, Gadgetlady- under your name it says "looking forward to life" I can appreciate that. Life is/will be different when the weight is lost, but it makes me think you are not living in the moment and enjoying life today. That's rather sad.

Mary- I wouldn't call that cheap! We are just breezing through sizes right now. I haven't gotten past my skinny clothes but I'm in them now. I'll be hitting the gently used clothing stores in another 20 pounds. Lori- Great for you! If you're not a meat LOVER Protein getting enough is hard to do. What are going to do to increase that? Tia- Sushi and drinks?! Sounds like a great time. I'm a big fan! Can I say though, I'm such a light weight when it comes to alcohol now. Last night I shared a bottle of wine with a friend over dinner. I'm so hung over! Message to self, "order wine by the glass, and have only one!" Have you noticed a difference in your tolerance? Carol- I've not read either. Sorry I'm no help. Cindy- I eat fat free yogurt, FAGE, from the health food store everyday with berries. Normally salad with chicken breast or a piece of fish for dinner and lunch. Pretty boring. Discovering fish and cooking it a million different ways has kept me from getting too stuck in a rut. Mornin' Miss Tammy J. Has anyone seen Yenken? Hello! Where are you?

Eddie- If you've got IBS, I'd try going the non supplemental way...you should be able to get the system moving with regular vegetables and fruit-are eating enought?- and plenty of Water. I know when I struggle, it happens every few weeks, I've not eaten my fruits and veggies. Just one girl's opinion.

Hi gang. Happy Monday. I'm going to jump up and down and scream for a minute. I've lost 60!!!! That's since the first of the year and I'm so thrilled! I'm at minus 37 since banding and that's about 12 pounds a month! Woo FREAKING Hoo! Please indulge me as I post my scale goals! 250. Getting below that is next. When I lost big wieght once before that's where I stopped. I've not weighed less than 250 in 12 years or more. 230 will be when I have only have 100 pounds to go. 221.5 will be 50% lost 213 will be 100lbs gone! 199 will be ONEderland! Excuse my gittyness. It's just that I actually believe I'll see those numbers and that's very new. Sure I've hoped and planned, but I would give up. I feel like I'm just getting started, not about ready to give up, like I would in the past. Thanks for listening! Juli

Pamela- You're loss of 23 then nothing is typical. I think it's the body adjusting to such a dramatic change. You don't seem stressed about it though. Thanks for the movie review. I want to see Mr. Brooks. I love the sapranos too, but got rid of HBO a few years ago. I rent them after they're released. I can't wait! I had a productive weekend and got a little sun between all the rain. DD and I had a good time at the pool. As for trying things on, ordering on line...I just got burned again, with a swim suit. You'd think I'd learn. I CANNOT wait until I can shop at regular stores for something other than shoes! Soon! I've gone from a solid 30 at the first of the year to a 24. Come on 16's...then eventually 8's.... Kisses!

Hi Dawn- Good luck with your approval! Welcome to this forum. Juli

Northernsun That's a fantastic NSV. The body dysmorphia that allowed us to get obese does a number on our heads during the slide down to normal too. What more can a person do, other than trust the image in the mirror and the words of people we love? Poeple are shocked when I tell them I only looked at my face in the mirror. Good to know there's a group of us out there.

<p>My head is exploding...</p> <p> </p> <p>I was going to write a whole bunch of stuff but basically I just want to say you'll have to deal with gays at some point other than thinking they are a tiny minority...(commerce dictates what you see on TV and people want gay folk's money and that's 10% of the population...but I digress) When one of your children or your neice or nefew whom you love turns out gay you'll need to examine truely how you view the world based on bias and hate.</p> Tolerance is not a bad thing.

Well yesterday I took the kid to a Chinese Buffet, mostly because I didn't want to cook and she loves crab legs. I thought if I was careful I'd be okay. I did stay away from the obviously deep fried food, egg rolls etc. I ate sushi and green Beans. My choices were good...but the quantity was the issue. Mind you I ate a third of what I would have done pre band, but oi vey! By the time my mind caught up with my actions I was feeling awful and worried about stretching my pouch. How long before eating right becomes automatic?

Stevee- Not to discount the hurt feelings going into old navy. But oldnavy.com has their styles in bigger sizes. A girl does need to buy a few things before surgery.

Otherway- There are gay Christians. FYI And even some Christian ministries don't see gays as wholly unworthy of God's love. Strange but true. And if you went to outinamerica and posted that you were a woman looking for a man you fundamentally could. No one would overtly say your kind are not welcome here. It's about equal access. That's all. And yeah, I think Eharmony is a waste of good queer dollars, but a straight people only site is like a white people only site. Juli