gmanbat

The level of debate quality is partially determined by how low one stoops to win. One must be certain when taking the moral high ground that such ground is not quicksand. Denigrating the intelligence of the opponent is equivalent to turning over your king in chess. You might win over those who share your animosity, but in actuality it displays the desperation of a losing argument.

Before my sleeve I went to the emergency room several times and the diagnosis was dehydration. I thought it was related to my cancer treatment but I was wrong. My blood pressure got extremely low even though I had high blood pressure normally. I had weakness and dizziness, I felt like I was a goner. My weight loss has relieved me of all medications. Water is more important now than before. Eating and drinking less because of the small room in the stomach requires more consciousness of Fluid intake. It's a small price to pay for the obnoxious good looks that I now enjoy.

Is your last name Gotti?

I really had a great surgeon for my sleeve. He really knew his stuff. But he was a Scientologist!! (kidding)

Shouldn't have gone there, BCA. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn offered the following explanation: “ Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: 'Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.' Since then I have spend well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: 'Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.' [9] ” Vox Day notes concerning atheism and mass murder: “ Apparently it was just an amazing coincidence that every Communist of historical note publicly declared his atheism … .there have been twenty-eight countries in world history that can be confirmed to have been ruled by regimes with avowed atheists at the helm … These twenty-eight historical regimes have been ruled by eighty-nine atheists, of whom more than half have engaged in democidal162 acts of the sort committed by Stalin and Mao … The total body count for the ninety years between 1917 and 2007 is approximately 148 million dead at the bloody hands of fifty-two atheists, three times more than all the human beings killed by war, civil war, and individual crime in the entire twentieth century combined. The historical record of collective atheism is thus 182,716 times worse on an annual basis than Christianity’s worst and most infamous misdeed, the Spanish Inquisition. It is not only Stalin and Mao who were so murderously inclined, they were merely the worst of the whole Hell-bound lot. For every Pol Pot whose infamous name is still spoken with horror today, there was a Mengistu, a Bierut, and a Choibalsan, godless men whose names are now forgotten everywhere but in the lands they once ruled with a red hand. Is a 58 percent chance that an atheist leader will murder a noticeable percentage of the population over which he rules sufficient evidence that atheism does, in fact, provide a systematic influence to do bad things? If that is not deemed to be conclusive, how about the fact that the average atheist crime against humanity is 18.3 million percent worse than the very worst depredation committed by Christians, even though atheists have had less than one-twentieth the number of opportunities with which to commit them. If one considers the statistically significant size of the historical atheist set and contrasts it with the fact that not one in a thousand religious leaders have committed similarly large-scale atrocities, it is impossible to conclude otherwise, even if we do not yet understand exactly why this should be the case. Once might be an accident, even twice could be coincidence, but fifty-two incidents in ninety years reeks of causation![10]

Who...me? Yup.

What a forum! The depth of care here is amazing. So much empathy with this youngster and her wonderful mother! Wannabaloser, I like your plan. Your daughter is in good hands. You are covering all of the bases. I have little to add. I was pulling for a time of homeschooling or a tutor while your daughter made some transitions but you said she did not do well before with homeschooling. Could some adjustments be made? I was glad that a poster attended her future school and didn't experience bullying. If you send her there I hope for the same outcome. You are a mother that will fight like a wounded grizzly for your child. It is a joy to behold!

I once did a concert at a mental institution. I met a man who insisted he was Frank Sinatra Jr. To the best of my knowledge he was not. I did not feel offended by his delusion, it was not a threat to my "beliefs", I was not compelled to find a way to stop his self expression. In fact, I was kind to him and worked around his delusion. We are both human beings and deserve tolerance which I define as "space to be". I believe in God. I have also spent many hours discussing my faith with highly intelligent atheists. Many have exhibited graciousness and although quite opposed to my beliefs maintained a civil dialog. I feel like real warmth and mutual respect was established. There are many ways we can relate to each other. I try to relate as I see opportunity without sacrificing my identity or character. My Savior ate with tax collectors and rank sinners which bothered the religious folks terribly. He was not put off by the differences, he found a way to embrace the unlovely. I am not as longsuffering as He, but I'm working on it.

My wife makes "constructive" criticism comments to me and of course I argue about them. Time passes and I quietly consider what she said which most of the time was right. I try to change without her noticing to save face. This has been going on for many years without let up so I would wager she notices.

I never forward anything that tries to emotionaly manipulate me into forwarding no matter how much I agree with the content. I am not a cyber puppet. Amazing how bent out of shape people get at religious expression. In no way does the post do anyone any harm. Unless someone is trying to behead you let it go.

I have just been reading the biography of Cary Grant, the actor who is considered one of the most desirable men who ever lived. His real name was Archie Leach and he had considerable trouble with depression and lack of confidence. You most certainly would never know it by his actions on the big screen. Playing a part is not necessarily being fake. Actors pull most of their parts out of something inside themselves. They, in a sense, activate a side to their personality that in normal life they would not act out. I have been a public speaker many years. In the beginning I emulated the style of a very confident speaker that I was acquainted with. I took a role as him when I spoke. It worked for me. I added my essence and made it my own. I found out later that this speaker was quite lacking in confidence as well. He overcame his fear by acting brave. Be yourself but realize that what you are could be much more than what you have allowed yourself to be in the past.

Welcome! WOW! Good work!!!

I was not in pain due in part to the morphine and the Lortab. I was not tired because I was not doing much, sleeping as much as possible and occasional walking. I took my time for recovery, never one to waste an opportunity to goldbrick and get sympathy.

Bring back the bustle!

Well thought out. Good for you.Your eyes are wide open. A very good indicator of your ultimate success. Due concern means you have no illusions. You know what must be done and what is at stake. That is a mind that can sustain the campaign. Somehow my mind went to elaborate weddings that were called off at the last second. A little more pre-knowledge would have remedied the situation. Quite a problem for local storekeepers who now have an overstock of returned toasters.

Good point. Like most of my sweeping philosophical dissertations one size does not fit all, and I will mischaracterize some who have thought this through in careful detail and have arrived at a position at odds with my summation. My desire was to offer support to those who by personal experience or by the ham-handed bantering of acquaintances and relatives have relegated themselves to inferior emotional positions due to the surgery. I did not take into account those who have other reasons for their reticence to reveal. My apologies.

http://www.dailymail...tus-symbol.html Plastic surgery, tummy tucks, liposuction, etc. are talked about freely as status symbols for celebrities and even normal folks. Why should us bariatric surgery stars lurk around in shadows like we've done something wrong? A great percentage of new posts on here are about whether to tell folks. A prevailing reason not to reveal is because people are either ignorant, rude or both and you dread their reactions. The problem is theirs, not yours. . A great majority of sleevers here are thoughtful, intelligent people. I have experienced kindness here that I have not experienced in many a forum. We are not stupid, careless people. The surgery speaks well of us: we are aggressively taking charge of our lives. We have the courage to do something radical, not because it might work but because it will work. Most of us understand that the VSG is just a tool and we know that a fundamental change in many aspects of our behavior is required. This is no diet fad, this is a decisive people doing what has to be done for the sake of our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Society in general benefits because our defeat of obesity transforms us into more productive contributors. So what is to be ashamed of? Nothing! Hold your head high, those belly scars are badges of honor. Everyone has problems. You are dealing with yours head on. It speaks well of your courage and passion for life. I have been a minister for many years. I know that the way you present something has a great deal to do with how it is received. If you act ashamed the hearers will get the impression that you've done a shameful thing. If you talk about it like you just purchased a Maserati the majority of folks will get the impression that you are on to something great. Your status is in your heart, in your head, and in your hands. Stand up,... be proud!

Liquids just pass through quicker. Listen to Laura, take it easy. Slow it down. You have to learn to tune into your stomachs feelings. It doesn't always scream at you. The idea is NOT to take it to the max.

Ya, cereal can have good Fiber, flax cereal especially good for oils. When tum-tum can handle it, of course.

Good thinking! I like to work the unflavored protein into a bowl of cereal. Any way of getting it in and keeping it down is cool.

Hi Jonching! Welcome!!!

I got a cheap flyer in the mail one day selling miracle bath fat puller. Apparently, you put this stuff in the bath Water and it pulls the fat out of your body, 20-30 pounds in 20 minutes. It had a drawn picture of a fat body-before, and a skinny body-after. I guess you'd have to call a plumber afterward to unclog your fat clogged drain. I was amazed to think that some people would actually believe this malarky. People fill in the gaps in their knowledge with imagination. Politicians count on it. They insinuate and let you do rest in your mind. Facts are secondary to effect. If you feel so inclined you may destroy their ignorance with fact. Be aware that some folks prefer imagination regardless of it's proximity to reality.

Those knock out drugs can play bad with nausea. Hope it passes soon for you.

Welcome! There are lots of folks who are self-pay to Mexico. You are sure to get good advice. Good days ahead for you!