BJean

Old Chinese Proverb: Man who knows not he knows not, shun him.

Karey: I was ready for a fill too when I found out that we were going out of town. I decided to wait until we got back just in case I was overfilled and really uncomfortable and it would ruin the trip. I got mine yesterday and I can't tell yet if it's going to be enough. If it is like a couple of the other fills, I may not hit max for a week or so. And it will probably hit me when I least expect it, slime, PB and all. The doc agreed that it had been too long since my last fill, but what I didn't tell him was that the last time I was in for one, he said I didn't need it. He still says that we should err on the side of caution. You are in a spot though with your doc leaving. I'm not sure what I'd do. That hunger thing is scary. Maybe you could get him to do just a small amount. They say that when you're close to your "sweet spot" it may only take a few drops to make the difference. Good luck! lisa: You're amazing. I can't walk 3 miles, much less run them. That is awesome!! Tami: Fantastic. Keep up the good work. You're still the best at inspiring me every step of the way. kittylover: I belonged to TOPS years ago. I found it to work quite well for me. We moved to another state and I have always missed it. I think it's a good idea. Your weight loss is great!

Wheet: Bravo. Well done. laurend: Bravo for keeping your cool and just chipping away.

No Ron, I don't have a problem with that. I just feel compelled from time to time (like so many others) to register my disgust. Why in the world would I want to exchange private messages with you?

Before a few months ago how many people had ever heard of Barack Obama? A few interviews and some book exposure doesn't necessarily give us the total picture of a candidate. He hasn't accomplished enough on the national level for us to make a judgment call about how he would perform as a president in a tight situation. I do get the sense that he has a good heart, but it could just be excellent PR at this point.

It seems someone may just be in a little over his head this time. By the way, if you're fairly new to this thread, most of the people here are not atheists as someone just stated. Many of us are believers, but we do not believe that ridicule and condesension are tools that any credible intelligent minister uses to make a point. Plus there's also the fact that many of us here are Catholics as well. Stick to your guns.

John McCain is running and has been running since the last election. He has really tempered his retoric and doesn't sound nearly as war-like as he once did. I'm afraid TOM is right about many of the Republicans thinking that sending more and more troops is a viable answer.

rtgirl77: That was a great job answering the question. Thanks. I agree with much of what you said. I know that our pull out right now, without securing the right people in the right government there, and without ensuring that it's a government that will allow us access to the oil there and possibly nearby regions, is not in America's best interests. However, other countries are banding together to give us big problems with regard to oil in their countries and that should also enter into the equation when it comes to resolving the problems that we have in the Middle East. Unfortunately it is a very complex issue. And the approach the U.S. has taken has caused it to be even more complex and seemingly impossible. Bush still has some time left to keep things on this downward spiral of death and destruction, and hate for us and our actions. It is not helping us rid the world of terrorists and they have in fact been invigorated by our misdeeds. After 9/11 the entire world was behind us and had sympathy for us and were supportive of our going after the group behind the attacks. We've blown it big time and now even our allies are disgusted with us. Our citizens keep dying every day and the tally is higher than anything than transpired on 9/11.. We need a president who understands that America has to regain it's place as a good global neighbor. We have to work at solving problems instead of creating worse problems. We have to find a president that is not willing to lie to Americans. We have to find a president who isn't greedy and who doesn't abuse his (or her) power. We have to find a good heart instead of allowing someone with a black heart run this country into the ground. It may not be Hillary or Obama, but we better be darned sure this time that we really know what we're getting and that candidate better understand that there will be no more free rides and no more being the "decider" without regard for human life or the well being of all of the citizens of this country.

What's wrong with a Mormon president? Or a Catholic president? Hmmm, well now that I think of it Nixon was a Quaker, maybe there is some value in discrimination based on the candidate's religious affiliation? Just kidding. Unfortunately, religious affiliation doesn't necessarily tell you whether an individual actually has high moral standards or just wants you to think he does. Some of the people who rant the loudest about their church and their beliefs are the ones you have to keep an eye on.

Amen to the Guliani issue. When 9/11 happened, it came on the tails of a period of time when New Yorkers couldn't wait to get rid of him. Then when he did all of the politicking around 9/11, people decided he was a great and wonderful guy. Yes he supported the Firemen and Policemen very well, but he also took advantage of the situation just as Bush did, and many of the same people who abhorr Clinton's indiscretion in office need to understand that nothing Bill Clinton did holds a candle to some of the stuff Guliani has pulled in his marriages.

Ok we get the context thing. So now we can get rid of any reference to homosexuality in the Bible because things have changed and it no longer applies as it did in Biblical times.

You gals rock my world! In a really good way!

rtgirl77: I apologize to everyone for allowing myself to lose control and insult someone here. However if it provoked your post rtgirl77, I am glad that something so sweet and beautiful came of it. Thank you TOM for your posts. Once again they touch my heart and speak for me much better than I can.

rtgirl77: Just curious. What do you think that Obama would do to cause disaster if he were president?

Wheetsin: All we need is love. And boy is that demonstrated here. I would love to have Jesus log on and see what is being presented in the name of the Bible here. The condesension, the hatefulness, the venom. It is sickening. You could be entirely without emotion about this topic and get sick to your stomach after reading much of this. I know why we keep butting our heads against the proverbial wall, but even though it will never infuse some of us with love and respect for one another, it is enlightening in so many ways. I appreciate your post. My heart goes out to Rev. White.

Lisa: I definitely have an increased appetite since I started the water aerobics! You're doing really great!

I am sick and tired of listening to you say that the scriptures are not up for interpretation, Ron. Yet that is exactly what you do on a continual basis. You pick and choose and you tell us here exactly what you have decided each scripture you're citing means, ad naseum. If anyone started reading this thread and believed something you said to be God's word, it wouldn't take them long to see that they better be very careful listening to you. You are manipulative and you use the Bible to answer every argument. Why can't you take responsibility for what you say? If someone disagrees with you, you say that you aren't the one saying it, the Bible is. I'm sick of it. Take responsibility for your words - YOUR WORDS - the ones that you are constantly spewing here. You have an opinion, own up to it. You like the fact that conservative Republicans are pro-death, pro-war, anti-help for the needy, anti-choice, against gun control, etc., etc., etc. These are your choices... own up to them. Because when you do not, your whole argument about scriptures, the Bible's teachings and your ministry appear to be a sham. One man's power struggle. And a seemingly not very bright man at that.

Tami: I believe my hair loss is slowing - thank goodness! I actually got a pretty bald spot at my hairline above my forhead. Eeek! :faint: I really do think that the anethesia can sometimes have adverse reaction and the shock of quick weight loss can too. I have gone back to eating more protein and I do think that is helping. I've also gone back to having one zinc with biotin chewable about every other day. But the dietician says that protein is the key. :hungry: I have found that since I've lost weight I am much more active. I had become a real couch potato! Sometimes the more energy you use, the more energy you seem to have. Sounds like you're doing really incredibly well! congrats on figuring out what works well for you. You continue to inspire us! :clap2:

Thanks for calling this to our attention, TOM.

I'm only down 1 lb. this week. Still no fill because of travel, but tomorrow I am scheduled and can't wait! I had an NSV similar to MinIn. I shopped for a suit for a meeting in Cleveland and spent a really long time in my usual Women's Dept. After a lot of try ons, I wound up taking home 2 jackets and 2 pants. When I got home and tried them on and really took a good look, I realized that they were all too big. I wound up taking them back and starting over. I went to one store and found that I could actually get into pants that were a size 14 misses. Not 14 Plus. When I found that comfortable, I decided to try a 14 Petite if I could find some (they seem to be pretty rare). I did and although they're a little too snug in the waist, the butt fit. My goal is a size 8 Petite because that's what I wore in my 30s. I am estatic to think that I am actually getting out of the Plus sizes!!! I exercised 2 times last week, each a one hour session of water aerobics. I think the exercise is what is helping with the clothes fit because I sure haven't taken off many lbs. this past month.

OMG- he's such an embarrassment - and that is being generous! I am so glad I missed it. I have received a couple of heart wrenching forwarded emails today about soldiers in Iraq, both fallen and those butting their heads against the wall right now. This situation is an abomination! This president is an abomination!

Sandranoelle: Thanks for the zinc biotin tip for hair loss. I will take some right now!

Sunta: I'll bet you're absolutely right!

Jachut: Not to worry... you'll have lots and lots of time to establish yourself as the mother of the year! It takes a while to get into a routine and I'll bet every mother of the year has a slip up from time to time! I'll never forget my first speeding ticket. We had just moved to Arizona, enrolled my 1st grader and was trying to get the house all set up and organized. I got the dreaded phone call, raced to get him and the friendly gendarme slapped me with a reality check. It only takes a time or two to get it all working smoothly!

I guess the big difference is that some of us come from a place of working these things out between ourselves, using our own inelligence and rationale. Others of us rely on our churches to guide us in following the path to successful marriages as set out for us in the Bible. Thankfully it sounds like most of the churches represented here do not use Bible passages to keep women barefoot and pregnant, figuratively speaking. Thank the Lord for that!