AmMatthew

Just go do it. In a few months you will be feeling so better about yourself. I'm married, but my guess is that your outlook on dating will change CONSIDERABLY. And for the better. I think that when we are heavy, we often tolerate less than ideal situations because we feel lucky just to have found someone. I can be blunter if you like.

I think that this Protein powder stuff is way over-rated. I remember someone on here saying that their nutritionist wanted them to EAT not DRINK their calories and protein. Makes sense to me.
There's never been an adequate definition of "working the sleeve" but part of my definition is filling it with actual food so that I feel full. So, after 45 days or so out, I dropped Protein Powder completely. And I've come to learn that the easiest protein is fish and seafood (tilapia is relatively cheap, I love shrimp too). Seafood is soft, and goes down much easier than chicken. I "supplement" the seafood with yogurt and peanuts and cheese. By eating your protein, I think that you re-establish a healthy eating pattern that you might not have with a bunch of powders, bars, etc.
I've lost muscle, of course, but I've lost a ton of fat too. And I'm guessing that a lot of my muscle was marbled like the best angus beef. The important question is: am I weak and lethargic? Quite the opposite, actually.

You've reached the point where all of the your sleeve can accommodate a lot more food than what it could a couple of months ago. You really can't stretch out your stomach unless the fundus (stretchy part) of the stomach was left behind, and that falls on surgical technique. I can eat a lot of slider/mushy foods, and then eat again an hour later. It's making the choice to not eat those foods, or not eat again that makes the sleeve work.
Go back to the basics, Protein first, dense foods that will stay with you longer, and avoid carbs to get the scale moving again.

Just a quick note to the board. Tomorrow I fly to LA for my tenure track interview.
I was worried about having this surgery only three weeks before the interview. Wow, I'm really glad that I did it. Just like you all said, eating won't be a problem (and no one will even notice that I'm hardly eating at the faculty dinners), and the extra confidence that comes from being almost 30 lbs lighter is going to make a huge difference.
I wouldn't have taken this leap without the information that's on this board, so I want to thank you all for your posts.