BJean

Boo Boo: That's actually a relief! Yes, you'll be having to deal with it for a while, but thank God you got involved with the process sooner rather than after it might have had a chance to evolve into something much worse! We'll all be saying a prayer for you and hoping that it isn't too unpleasant a process. Hang in there darlin' - seems most of us women have to deal with this problem sooner or later in our lives either through our friends and family or our own bodies. You can handle it, I know you'll be just fine! Btw, I do have what I consider to be an important recommendation. If you do not have an oncologist, get one. In fact, if it were me, I would speak with an oncologist and get his/her assessment for treatment and a plan of action before I did anything. The reason I say this is because they are current on all the latest research and treatments and they have so much experience with all aspects of breast health. There is a terrible fear of the unknown and the more information you have, the more proactive you can be with regard to your own health.

You're funny, Green! When our kids go to the movies with us, you can see them slink down in their chairs out of the corner of your eye. Fortuntately it seems like they are finally used to it because they still agree to go with us sometimes. They sort of laugh about it now. My other spouse peeve (may as well get it all out!) is that when we go to parties and he gets a little buzz on, and he's listening to someone else's story, he always has to relate to them by telling everyone, very loudly, about the time (for instance) he and I took square dancing lessons and that we're certified square dancers, and that I had to wear a big skirt that stuck out and he had to wear a silly bolo tie, and how we do-si-do-ed and alaman left, etc., or some other obscenely boring tale from our sordid past. It's horrifying. Makes me want to head for the patio, toss back a few and smoke a cigarette. Gotta love the dude, he has a wonderful heart - and believe it or not, people love him! (Dork.)

Oooh. I just got goose bumps thinking about a nice Gregorian Chant.

Amen! Last night... yawn. I wasn't energized enough to start lifting weights, but did a few leg lifts... front, side, back, together. I liked Blake's first song. The second was milque toast. I didn't think that Lakisha's was that bad. I thought Melinda's was good although it didn't rock my world. Neither did Jordin. She's good, but I thought she way over-sung it. Barry Gibb blows as far as I'm concerned. But then I never was a Bee Gees fan. That's funny I'm not a big Beach Boys fan either. I'm into falsetto on a very limited basis. I guess that's why I like Blake, he doesn't do it ad nauseum. As far as I'm concerned nobody sounded that great doing the Bee Gees songs. Some R & B would be good. Or some real rock and roll. Why don't they call me for tips??

Boy can I relate to this line of peeves. My DH and I love to go to movies. However he delights in figuring out the plot line or whodunit before anyone else. So he gleefully tells me loud enough for the other theater patrons to hear. I want to club him, and so do they! First of all the interruption causes you to miss lines and secondly, you'd enjoy it much more if you figure out whodunit yourself! My other peeve along that line is that he is sometimes so stressed that when we go to a comedy, he laughs so loud that you can hear him all over the theater. People are seriously looking at us wondering who the nut job is. It's very distracting and I hate to call him on it because it is healthy for people to laugh heartily like that. But geez, not when it's so loud it is distracting for others! Where ARE the Ninja Monkeys when you need them?

Green: Have you heard about all the stuff going on down there? I'm pretty sure it's mostly confined to the border towns, like Nuevo Laredo. I haven't really kept track though, just heard rumblings on the news lately. We spent our honeymoon in Alcapulco and we lived in Arizona for about 6 years when we were first married. Our little town was separated from Mexico by a mountain range. We made a trip down into Mexico with 2 other couples and their children. We took our campers and drove to the coast at Keno Bay. We camped out for four nights. It was breathtakingly beautiful and although it was a little crazy listening to the coyotes howling at night and having the native Indians look at us strangely, we enjoyed the trip. Upon our return to our little AZ town, we started hearing lots of stories from our neighbors and we started reading the Tucson newspaper and were amazed at how much went on down there with American tourists that we never had heard about before. There were lots of abductions where American parents were having to hock the farm in order to get their college age children back. Now that was many years ago and I am sure things have changed considerably since then. But it kept the DH and me from doing the usual Cabo/Puerta Vallarta time share thing. We do have a friend who has been very involved lately with a very attractive guy from Mexico City. He is simply delightful and has wonderful stories about his life in Mexico City. It has made me wonder if we have missed out on a lot by staying away. However, the latest stuff about the drug wars has made those old feelings of caution come up again. Plus when we drove to California a couple of weeks ago, we came back to Texas by way of our former little hometown and drove all along the southeastern Arizona/Mexico border. Every couple of miles we encountered border patrol. I've never seen it so saturated with them. That made me a little nervous too, but don't let my conservative ways influence you, Green. It actually sounds like a great adventure if you know how to handle yourself while you're there. You're so intelligent (and well traveled), I have no doubt that you would know what you're getting into if you decide to live there for a while. B

P.S. Yesterday I heard someone on TV say that if you wait until your stomach is growling from hunger, you've waited too long and that your body is into "starvation mode" and that whatever you eat right then is likely to be stored as fat!

Sounds like maybe Tami's success is more out of the norm than in. (Huge, huge congratulations to Tami!!!) Or maybe like Sandy said, we're not hearing from all of the faster losers. I've been having a similar experience with slow to no loss lately. I believe that the "set point theory" may indeed have some basis in fact. I've hit the point where I was for several years before I gained the rest of the weight that I was carrying when I got the band. I know that I'm going to have to step up my game in order to break through this barrier that my body thinks is my "normal" weight. I allowed myself some Easter candy (after getting through all the other holidays pretty much unscathed) and the old carb craving cycle has reared its' ugly head. I know that I need to stop and refocus on getting the Protein down first, then veggies and fruit; lots of Water (I haven't been doing that!) and keeping my body moving. Simple, right? Yes, it actually is simple. I am realizing that I can't go on automatic just because we are incredibly busy right now starting a new business. I have to remember that this is for ME and that I'M the only one who can get myself healthy and beautiful. I loved a quote that was posted earlier: "The greatest cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want at the moment!" Let's muster up whatever it takes and get the job done. We deserve it, we're worth it, and WE ABSOLUTELY CAN DO IT!!! (A big thank you to Michelle for her very valuable personal encouragement!) BJ

lisa: In the late 80s, I went on Optifast and lost weight so fast that several of my friends said that I should stop losing because my face was too skinny and my nose was looking pointy. That was when I was still about 20 lbs. from goal. It took the wind out of my sails and I wound up quitting before I reached goal and now I have the band. Don't worry about your skinny face. Eventually you and everyone else will get used to the new you. Sometimes I think we do all kinds of things to undermine ourselves in this journey to health and beauty. I'm having some issues right now and that's why I encourage you to keep your goal in mind and a positive outlook at all times. I know you were probably kidding, but it hit a nerve with me. Keep up the good work! You're lucky to have such a delimma.

Jenna and Driver: Any permanent repercussions? Sounds just awful!

Cblancha9: If you can muster what it takes to lose the weight on your own, I'd advise you to do it that way. I am not sorry that I got the band. But it is not easy - it does help, but you do have to use the same kind of disipline to stick with healthier eating that you're using now. It is very easy to sabbotage the band. You can eat chocolate and ice cream and chips. In fact, they go down much easier than good wholesome meat, vegetables and fruit. So that's the problem that I and many others are dealing with. I became so restricted that I haven't been able to eat enough food to keep me from being hungry most of the time and I have discovered that eating ice cream and chocolate feels good (just like pre-band) and I've stopped losing weight. Before I got the band, I couldn't understand why anyone would sabbotage their band. Now I get it, unfortunately. I will tell you that I am not able to do the kind of exercise that would probably have kept me on the losing bandwagon. So that's another consideration you should think about. If you're healthy enough to be able to pour on the exercise, the band may be the right answer for you. Whatever your decision, I wish you the very best success!

Nathalie: Your dancing and demonstrating bananas are hilarious. Humor is always good!

Bitter: I'd be real surprised if a Republican administration would set up a tax breaks for people to buy hybrid cars. A much better liklihood if a Democrat were to be elected though. I believe you're right. If a dent is made in all these "green" issues, we're going to have to give incentives to convince Americans it is seriously the right thing to do. I am sure that tax breaks would help. One of my favorite cars ever was a Caddy. What year is yours? If you're not driving it much, I don't see how it can be causing too much damage to the environment. Yours is a situation similar to Gore's - only his is on a much bigger scale. His is a family farm, and what's a son to do?

I'll bet Lakisha goes home. The reason I say that is because last night Simon said that Blake and Lakisha are both in peril for tonight. It could be Blake I guess, but I would think that he gets more votes than Lakisha. His talent is more original. On the other hand, a lot of people don't like stuff they aren't familiar with. Like SANJAYA!

laurend: It's the objectifying by the boys that is demeaning - or can be. If a woman is happy doing that job, that's fine with me. I just wouldn't like for guys to have that leering, wanton, lusty, hot, sexy, pulsating., throbbing, craving for my body. OMG, yes I would! Green: Two words: drug wars.

Hey guys, interesting topic. I believe that whoever mentioned a lack of self-respect was more concerned with the female dancer's lack of self-respect - not the gentleman who is enjoying the fruits of her labor. I totally agree that a man can partake in all manner of external stimuli without it threatening his wife and homelife at all. Unless it becomes obsessive, that is. I agree with airwayman that a guy who enjoys going to stip clubs is probably not a guy who would turn down a lapdance. In fact DH and I went to a strip club after dinner one night, with several other couples. Only one of us women had ever been inside a strip club and the rest of us were very curious. One of the husbands thought it would be hilarious to buy me a lapdance. The joke was on him. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not because of the sexual part of it, but because I wound up talking to the young lady for quite a while and learning a little about her life. As for her partial nudity, I am not turned off by female nudity. Unless she's fat and unattractive. Har-de-har-har. Seriously though the thing that struck me that night, was observing the girls do their work and watching the men behave as if they believe the girls are truly interested in them. To me that was sort of pathetic. The girls are only after the guys' money. And the quicker they get it in their pockets (g-strings) the better. I understand why guys would like to have a beer and look at pretty women, but after that short, informative evening, I'll leave the strip clubs to the guys.

I've been gone and now I'm back only to discover that a thread on "boylove?" has progressed to a debate about religion and now abortion. Shocking. To read someone declare that... before there was no abortion and now there's abortion, makes me want to cry. How can people say such flippant things about something that is so important? I know there are many cases where I have misunderstood something a person has posted. So I get how this whole thread has managed to burn a person or two and has caused unfounded attacks. Mark has tried to get some of you to understand why he started this thread. In the beginning some people seemed to get it. The discussion ensued and it looked like something good was going to come of the thread. Now people have decided Mark is an insensitive guy and there used to be no abortions. Come on people. Try to not get so personal and try to think logically and you're going to learn and have fun posting. BTW, I appreciate Bubble's heartfelt post. It gives us all some insight into why some people do not want prayer allowed in public schools. My husband went to Catholic schools. His stories are not as gruesome. He's quite a bit younger than Bubble's father. But he has some that would curl your hair and that bother him to this day. If you went to parocial school, or any Christian or religious school and you didn't have prejudice crammed down your throat in one way or other, you're the lucky ones. If you have been around a while and have never encountered a female who has had to deal with an unwanted pregnancy, you're the lucky one.

I'm up 2. Boo hiss.

Shar: If you're like me your joints will thank you when you start losing! Good luck and keep us posted as soon as you feel like sitting at the computer!

Women and men in Ireland should come to this poor young lady's aid. She's depending on the state financially and that must be why they can prevent her from going to England. It is terribly sad that the government can interject themselves in this young lady's extremely personal and emotional decision. I know you're being sarcastic, Mark, but you are right on the money as far as I'm concerned!

You people shock me. Closed minded elitists. Ever since rap music came out haven't you noticed the difference in how guys treat their women and wives? And how it prevents street violence. Afterall, there have only been a few drive by shootings of rap stars. That can't be an indicator of rap being bad for society. Can it?

Speaking of penisis, anybody watch "Dancing w/ the Stars?" Two things to consider Billy Ray's package televised at a right angle while he does the hunch motion. Rather in poor taste, I might add. Then there's Apollo on a good night, with his posture just soooo. Leaves little to the imagination. Which is very tasteful if you ask me.

Could be funny.... I guess... if it weren't so darned DISGUSTING! What do you suppose would happen to that excess skin if she/he lost a bunch of weight??? :rolleyes

396: You're pretty funny! :P :P :P Yeah, let's vote for a Republican! They're so environmentally sensitive. :fish: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I thought it was sweet. Must be getting old or somethin.