skyeblu79

Last time I went to Vegas, we split our stay 3 nights @ Caesars, 2 @ the Bellagio, and 2 @ the Beverly Hilton (LA). We got a special @ the Bellagio, so no fountain view, but they are wonderful!!! The only other hotel I have stayed @ was Monte Carlo. I thought it was really nice especially for the price. If I lived in Vegas, I would have to stay @ Caesars at least a couple times a year. It is so much fun there. What part of CT do you live in? I have a great-aunt that lives in New Haven, but I haven't made it up yet to see her. She's big on casino's and bingo, lol...She goes to Foxwood a lot. Not sure if you are near there.

The Monte Carlo is the only casino I have been to in Vegas that you don't have to walk thru the casino to get to your rooms. You definitely get plenty of exercise in Vegas, especially Caesars (my fav). Casino hoppers always end up stopping at a machine to play. What a brillant idea for them!! I have never heard of Temecula. I will have to look that up. I told my self on my next Vegas trip I was going to go down to San Diego. We were supposed to go on our last trip, but we ended up going to L.A. and staying for a couple days. It's not a bad drive at all. It's not fun @ night though. We stumbled upon Sumerlin on our last trip to Vegas. We just riding around (I think down Charleston) and ran into it. I went to the Best Buy, Red Rock Casino & Hotel and some other shopping areas. Summerlin has a completely different feel to it. For some reason, it reminded me of home (not sure why though). You have got me thinking about Vegas again. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Shortgal, thanks for your post. I love Vegas. I had really dismissed the idea of Vegas over the last year or so. Mainly b/c of what you said. I really wonder if I will love it as much if I would live there. Our ast 2 trips, we really looked around the city and not just the tourist areas. I love Summerlin. It's a really nice area. Snowbird, wow MA to WA that’s a big move. Are you living now in GA or you are there visiting? I guess either way, how to do you like GA. I think Atlanta is a couple of hours away. I am considering a suburb, probably either Alpharetta or Roswell. Miztrniceguy, that’s for posting the link. I am going to check it out now. I have thought about the financial field. When I worked in HR, I worked mainly with retirees. I talked to a lot of financial advisors and it put the thought in my head. If I find something I will definitely put your name down. Thanks!! Gibson, I think I will do better w/my weight loss when I am gone. I did a lot better when I was living alone and away from lurking eyes. I know what you mean though, it is still a scary thought for me. I just keep thinking if I don’t like it I can always come back. I am definitely praying on it. Heartfire, price was the man reason I discounted Irvine. My cousin is from San Bernardino and when I mentioned Irvine, that was the first thing she said too. She said it was a nice area, just really expensive. I will definitely try to check out more websites. Hopefully, I can get some more ideas. Sunwyse, you are right. I definitely don’t want to have any regrets. I just keep thinking that as long as I just try it I will feel better whether I like it or not. Glad your experience went well. Thanks for all the posts!!

Luluc, I have always thought about culinary school. I love to cook. Since I was a kid I have wanted to open my own restaurant. Teaching is an option. I completed my coursework and student teaching. I just have to take the test. I just don't know if I want to do it right now. In another state it may be a better option. I liked teaching, but in NC they don't pay enough for what you have to do.

Sfeiner, I love traveling. If I could afford it I would travel all the time. My bestfriend's cousin is a traveling nurse. She just started last year. This is her 2nd time in LA. She loves it and the money is really good. She comes back home for a little while and then they send her back out. They supply her w/an apartment while she's there, so no bills or anything. I don't really have any special skills. If I want to I could teach, but I really don't want to right now. Since I graduated college I worked in HR for 2 1/2 years. Then I have been at my job now almost 3. I started off in customer care and I have transferred to 2 other depts since being there. There's only one other dept left other than management. My experience there has been primarily with home owners insurance, escrow, and property taxes. I have only been in my dept now since last summer. I like working with people and would like to maybe do something in social work or w/kids. I also like working w/computers. I have thought about taking classes in both areas. My goal is to start something by the summer. I just can never decide on anything. Eventually I want to start my own business. Kat, I would love to move to Vegas or so I think. I just wonder will it be the same living there as vacationing. If I could definitely find a job there beforehand I could definitely really consider moving there. Apartments, houses, etc are really expensive out there. The company I work for now has a location in Irvine which is around (4 hours away) I think. I might would consider that then I would be close enough to Vegas to go often.

Bergdorfblonde, thanks for the words of encouragement. :laugh:

I am really open. I am a Tax Research Analyst at the company I work for now. It's pretty boring, doesn't pay much. In my dept, our goal is to keep mortgage companies from losing properties. We track properties, make sure taxes are paid, and if we have to we pay the taxes for the homeowner (which we do a lot lately). I really want to do something else and this is definitely temporary.

Kat, Do you work for a company you could transfer with? I actually thought about that. I looked on the website earlier. They had a few openings. We have 7 locations in the U.S. total? My top 3 choices are Irvine (CA), Atlanta (GA), and Jacksonville (FL). I am just wondering if I want to stay w/the company. I have been w/them almost 3 years. We just had a pretty big layoff before Thanksgiving. I don't really like the company, but I may like it more @ a different location. Plus, it would be so much easier moving and already have a job. I have a BA in History, so I really don't have a field. I want to go back to school in the next year. I am presently lacking direction, so I am open to anything I can do or learn. I really don't know what I want to do in life. Maybe moving will help to give me some direction in life. I really appreciate both of your posts. It's got me thinking. Thanks

I know a few people at one of my possible locations (GA). I know they both like it there. We're not that close so for me it would be good. I kind of want to go some where that I really don't know anyone. Kind of like starting over.

I am glad everything worked out for you. And it gives me hope. How did you decide on TX? Was it b/c you already knew some people there? I wish I could be more impulsive. My goal is by the summer to save up some more money. If I don't find another job here, by then I am gone. The hardest part for me now is figuring out where I want to go.

Has anyone just packed up and left? Not really told anyone until after the fact? I have been thinking for a couple of years to move. I always go on vacation or to visit someone and I think I would love to live here. For years I kept going to Vegas, thinking I really wanted to move there. Now I am thinking more rational (I think) and not just wanting to move to vacation spots. Almost everywhere I go I want to move too. I have lived in this area my whole life. My college was only 30 minutes from home. I like it here, but at the same time it's getting old. I think I need a change of scenery. I am bored w/life and it's depressing. I am single, no kids, I hate my job, and just feel like running away!! I am wondering if I am being irrational. I don't have a lot of $$, but I have gotten myself almost debt free over the last couple of years, so I wouldn't have a lot of bills to pay. I am just praying on it and debating where I would go. I just wish I had a sign. I have been going to GA for my fills and I really like it there. Plus, it's only 6 hours from home which can be the good and bad. I would rather go somewhere more fun like Vegas or LA. I would miss my friends and family, but we could all visit. My parents will completely freak out if I go anywhere. I might be just having the birthday blues, but I don't think so. My father keeps reminding me that I am almost 30. Then my sister called to remind me I was almost 30, even though she's 5 years older than me!! I just want to sit and watch chick flicks all day. I would love to hear some advice or from someone that's just packed up and left. It seems more fun to just drive until you get somewhere, but I am a planner. I plan everything.

I don't have many recipes on hand, but I do have some tips that I have found to save money. The closest Aldi's to here is about 30 miles away, so I try to go there once a month. Here we also Compare Foods (Mexican grocery store) that has great prices on fresh vegetables and fruits. I have a costco card and get somethings there. I share the Costco membership w/a friend to cut the cost in 1/2 a year. We both get a card, so we can go w/out each other. I use a lot of coupons. I try to mainly use them during triple coupons or when items are on sale anyway. I can usually cut my grocery prices by a 1/3. The only downfall is sometimes I tend to get stuff we don't have to have or wouldn't normally get. Kroger and Harris Teeter always have double coupons here. I have found too, sometimes when I am in a rush I stop by Harris Teeter after work. That time of day usually after 3:30 or 4:00 they reduce the rotisserie chickens down by $3.00 or $4.00. It feeds the 3 or us (adults) for $2-$3. So far they've been fresh and not really dry. I have become a big fan of Harris Teeter's. I can normally grab some discounted fresh produce to add to the meal that day or the next. They do tons of clearance's, you just have to look for the yellow tags. I have found mornings and nights are the best time for meat specials. I just freeze them. Superwalmart is good for some stuff. I usually get my sf powdered drink mix there or the Dollar Tree. Occasionally I find somethings in the Dollar Tree. Some locations have refrigerators. My coworker was telling me she gets her turkey bacon there. I don't eat bread anymore really, but the have the Nature's Own Whole Grain bread for $1. I hope some of these ideas may have helped. Last thing, there is a website, Slickdeals, and there are posts from food to electronics. Most of the stores that are posted aren't around here though. I found out about the Amazon food deals on there. They do new deals every month. I just weed through it for the good deals and healthier options. I got a really good deal on steel cut oatmeal on there. I had to buy a lot to get it for a good price though.

I usually have either a low carb slimfast, steel cut oatmeal, or a boiled egg w/turkey bacon.

Hi, I get my fills at the Roswell fillcentersusa location. I am figuring that is too far north, but I know they also do fills in Moultrie, GA. I have had all 4 of my fills there and they have been great. Much success with your surgery!!

Happy Bandiversary Everyone!! My bandiversary was 4 days ago. I am down 60 lbs.....40 lbs less than my original goal. I had some set backs, the biggest one being myself. I am working on a new outlook and I plan on reaching my goal this time. I am glad to be down 60 lbs though. This is the first year ever that I haven't gained weight. I wish everyone much success in our 2nd year!!

I just got finished watching the show. I already knew Oprah's feeling on WLS from previous shows. I don't even know why she does the shows. She wasn't as bad as she's been on previous shows, but none the less she still seemed judgemental as usual. Dr. Oz shouldn't have even been up there. I really saw him in a different light. I won't be buying any more books. He's not an expert on WLS surgery. A lot of the things he was saying didn't even apply to the LB. I think all the kids have done really good and I wished that I could have done it at their ages.

Until I got my first fill I just watched my sugar intake and eliminated most white carbs, etc. It seemed to help, plus I did have a little restriction. I am trying to find something to get back on track now until my next fill in Feb. I am thinking of doing South Beach or something similar. Good luck!!

I have started eating the low sugar oatmeal. I really like it. I tried the Weight Control when it first came out, but I really didn't like it. I just ordered some Steel Cut oatmeal from Amazon. It's on sale or at least it was. Dr. Oz really hypes it up and the reviews were really good. I like the brown sugar oatmeal, so I am thinking of adding the brown sugar splenda to it. I ordered a lot to get the price so I hope it's good. Here's the link.... [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FH19D0/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I16OUTRCPQEK8E&colid=ZW4ZV5EIZOSB]Amazon.com: McCann's Steel Cut Oatmeal, Traditional, 28-Ounce Tins (Pack of 4): Grocery[/ame]

I was addicted to soda and I am just glad to be finally past that. Had I not had surgery, I would definitely still be drinking soda. I tried a couple sips of soda about 3 or 4 months out of surgery. It was Coca Cola out of the fountain at Pei Wei. I felt so sick and it ruined the rest of my night. I don't want to feel that way again and I just never tried again.

Hi Georgia Girl, I know where Dunn is. One of my friends from college was from there. I'm glad you are liking it. What part of GA are you from? I have been going to Roswell for my fills.

Hi, My being love is Vegas. I love anything Vegas. I love to gamble, mainly Rapid Roulette and some blackjack. I am trying not to go back again unless I at least reach an 100 weight loss. That will be my treat to myself. I love in travel in general. I listen to a lot of music and I always have my MP3 player w/me. I listen to everything from Hip Hop to Country and most stuff in between. I love 80s music and Motown. I love going out see bands and hear live music. I am supposed to be going to see a local band tonight-Blount Harvey. I waste to much $$ on DVDs. I watch a lot of tv and movies (probably way too much). I am a big General Hospital fan. Horror is probably my favorite genre. I love Desperate Housewives, all the CSIs and Law and Orders. I love shopping especially for deals. I spend way too much time on Amazon. I can only imagine how I will be when I get to or close to my goal weight. I'm a big Basketball fan. I love the UNC Tarheels and LA Lakers. I read a lot. Mostly horror, mysteries, self help, finance, history, biographies.. I love kids. I spent a lot of time w/my cousins and godkids. Today is my 2nd baby shower 2 Saturdays straight. I hope this is the last one for a while. And I spend too much time on the internet and message boards.

Hi all, I am 28 years old and from Raleigh, NC. I was banded in Denver, CO almost 11 months ago. I am single w/no kids and happily banded!!

Hi everyone. I'm 28 years old. My other reasons for having surgery other than health were mainly just to do normal things. I used to be a lot more active. I love amusement parks, but I don't go anymore b/c I am afraid of being embarrassed that I won't fit into rides. I am tired of being the fat friend or the fattest friend. I love to shop but I want to be able to shop in stores my friends do instead of being the clothes rack or purse holder. And I want to be more confidant and comfortable in my skin.

I am going by the definition of the word racist. Clearly you are not. It sounds like you are going by what you think the word means. I didn't see where anyone said blacks couldn't be racist b/c they were born black. Ebonics to me is no different from other slang or nonstandard English. Either way it's sterotyping and useless to make it seems like one race talks one way and to specifically use ebonics when describing blacks speaking. We don't say all whites speak redneck.

I don't know much about Canadian history, but from what I know people didn't originate there, just like they didn't originate here (meaning American). So, are your ancestors really Canadian?? Just like I have never heard the term Australian American. I guess because there is no such thing. From what I remember learning about their history people were dropped off there from Europe as a type of imprisonment. So, either way they initial people came from Europe. Also, I don't understand why people act like African American is the only term used when describing a race. What about European Americans, Asian Americans, etc? Maybe it's b/c African American is used more, but they all exist.