BethFromVA

I communicate just fine. I even offer up facts to back up my assertions when called for. You , however, choose to constantly get pissy about what is said when it doesn't conform to what you believe. And you're right, that does not make for good communicating. As it is, I don't recall addressing you on this topic at all. Thank God for small favors. What DOESN'T piss you off?? Seriously, I couldn't care less about sensitivity and pussyfooting around and PCism and all that other wussified crap that goes on today. However, I made a perfectly legitimate observation: She MAY have experienced the seat-changing incident because of her WEIGHT, not her SKIN COLOR. And truth be told, I would be willing to bet a dime to a donut hole that the person felt a bit trapped sitting next to a 300-pound person, NOT a black person. I know how uncomfortable it's been for ME and the discomfort I've noticed from others when I'VE been the 300-pound person! It doesn't exist anywhere NEAR what it did years ago. I'm just saying that if one chooses to always believe something is based on race/weight/gender/sexual preference, then guaranteed they will always be "right" in their minds because that is ALL they'll see. If I was supposed to jump on the "awwwww, poor baby" bandwagon and jump to the conclusion that this is all about race, I wish there was a disclaimer somewhere warning people. If there was NO other potential explanation, I'd say yeah, something was wrong here. If the lady who got up mumbled some disparaging remark about [insert racial epithet here] as she moved, I'd say yeah, she has a point. If the bus driver who ignored her told her to shut up and get to the back of the bus, I'd agree. As it is, it's simply her speculation that any of this has to do with race. There are two types of racism: Honest, overt racism, and people living their lives as if everything revolves around race and racism. Both are prisons of a sort, but only one can be controlled by this individual.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!! Ooooooh, girl, you's gonna have a new job!!!! Send some of that good mojo my way, will ya? :eek::w00t::smile::w00t::wink:

I'm not saying anything of the sort. I just don't see it based on the OPs statements here. Since when did racism and discrimination go one way?! If you think I've never been treated differently because of my skin color, I would tell you that you are wrong. I said MAYBE it had to do with her weight more than her skin color. I looked after I posted to her and saw what she weighed pre-op and now. I'm sorry, but people DO get up and move because we are fat, not because of our skin color. Now IF she's being discriminated against due to her skin color, I think that sucks the big one. However, you are just more proof that if you want to inflame a situation and make it about race, it only serves to continually flame that fire which is nowhere like it used to be. People can find the devil behind every bush if they choose to view life that way. Also, nice to know your ever-present bitchiness is alive and well too. :wink:

What makes you so quick to assume it's racial? Because, sadly, simply based on what you've said here, it sounds like that is a choice you are making. Nothing I've read so far screams "racism" to me.

At the risk of being the lone fly in the ointment, I have a hard time believing that the examples you gave were due to racism. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I just can't determine racism from these two examples. At the other risk of sounding mean, could the incident on the bus where the woman moved be due to your weight? We have ALL probably experienced people moving seats or looking petrified as we approached empty seats next to them simply because of our weight. I don't know how much you may weigh (I didn't look to see if you have a ticker), but perhaps it has to do with that. The other incident could be the same, where the bus driver didn't talk to you. I have experienced "invisibility" since I've been fat myself, and I certainly don't attribute it to anything besides my weight. I certainly believe racism still exists, but I do no believe it exists to the degree that it once did. We are such a mixed group of people these days that those lines are quickly blurring.

Wow, Ebony, that sounds very promising!!! I hope and pray it is the one meant for you and you will be rewarded a thousand times over for the change. :wink:

Susan, that's horrible! Omg, it seems like we are hearing about this way too often. I pray for peace for the family that was left behind to deal with this tragedy.

Thoughts, prayers, and good wishes for Ebony! Her second interview started fifteen minutes ago.

I already knew about the surgery but not the dream! I will pray that all turns out well, my friend. I wish you could go be with her too. It's really hard to not have money to do things like that.

Susan, that's really REALLY great news!!! I think sometimes we all feel that things bring us happiness, when in reality they saddle us with huge burdens which then affect the rest of our living. I know I am way guilty of that myself.

WELCOME BACK, TAP!! Though I'm very sorry to hear about your PBing. Please be careful and take care with that.

Doin the happy dance for you as well!

AWESOME news, G4E!!! I'm doin' a happy dance for ya!

Yeah, well I want to be 120 pounds again, but sometimes life is full of this sticky little thing called reality. But even if she went to a local community college for her basics, she doesn't even have to go anywhere with her major, so long as it is a good community college whose credits will be accepted at VA State. I'm doing that right now. I started at George Mason on a couple upper credit classes, but I still needed about 15 credits in 100 and 200 level. My advisor said that if I went to my community college, those classes would cost me about $1000, compared to $4000 if I took them at Mason. That was a total no-brainer. ESPECIALLY if she hasn't done really well in proving herself in high school, I'd say that is a given, that she'd have to prove herself now. Even if she went to community college for ONE year and was able to save up her portion (and give you time to save yours) for VA State, it gives everybody some breathing room and time. Even though she wants the whole getting-away college experience, there has to be some reality there. If she doesn't have the money necessary, and you're going to be really strapped by getting her in at VA State right now, then the only fair thing for everybody is for her to agree to community college. You have to remember, not only is there the huge cost for college, but BOOKS are a real bear as well! HINT: When buying textbooks, absolutely use www.half.com or www.amazon.com to get them!!! Not only will y'all save tons, but then she can sell them the same way as well. It's the only way I get my books now.

All I can tell you is I won't be making my goal. It was rather tight to begin with, but it won't be happenin' -- not unless I rid myself of a limb or two.

Why not require her to go to a good community college for her basics/gen eds first, one where her credits are guaranteed to transfer to VA State? That way it covers three things: It gives y'all time to get the money for university, it's only two years' worth then, AND most importantly, she has to prove herself and get adequate grades. Wha'dya think?

So you're NOT getting your surgery for free for trying to get your doc more clients? That may not be money in the traditional sense, but it IS a kickback that is WORTH money.

Apparently she does support such activities, along with the fact that the OP is promoting a doctor that she gets kickbacks from.

It's a peeve. So shoot me.

Well there ya go!

If you have a Costco by you, they have a really GOOD Greek yogurt (also called tzatziki). Obviously there's a lot of it, too, so maybe you can share. That is the only place I've found it, but then again I've never really looked for it. ColoradoChick found it there, said it was really good, let me try it, and it was very much like the stuff we were having when we were in Greece six years ago.

Is a coordinator what SHE is doing?

Well, good catch, I say. I'm not on enough to catch such things, but if you say that's what this person is doing, I believe you have your proof and don't doubt you. I find it highly disgusting for somebody to pull such a tactic. How would SHE like it if she was "referred" to a doctor in this manner and then found out s/he was a crap doctor?

Sadly it's lookin' that way, Fanny. :drool:

"Lovinglapbandliving," if there is even a shred of truth to what Wasa is saying, you should be ashamed of yourself. It's absolutely disgusting. As for the business you own, it never ceases to amaze me how you can be taken seriously with your inability to properly utilize basic English language and spelling.