Yesterday I posted a "brag list" of misc. things about me and clearly I offended a few people so for that, I would like to apologize. If you actually read the list, you will see that there is very little that is spectacular on there and I am certain that everyone on this forum could come up with something similar if not FAR BETTER than I can.

The point of my list was that I want to be known as far more than a WLS patient or former fatty. It was not at all intended to be an entry into a pissing match. I am quite positive that some of my attributes listed like "drives like a do^che bag", "likes reality TV", and "runs screaming from spiders" won't get me far in life.

I was trying to inject a bit of humor, but clearly I missed the mark.

So as not to fan the flames in a thread gone horribly bad, I will post this right here.

My "brag" list. Please keep in mind that I have been blessed to be a work from home mom for 18 years giving me lots of extra time to torture my kids by being HYPER involved in their schools. I am adding notes in red for clarity.



This was a HUGE reason I kept my surgery to myself.

I am a mom to two great teenagers.
I have been happily married for 21 years. He deserves a medal, don't you think?
I have a fabulous goldendoodle. She sheds horribly, don't believe the people who say they don't.
I am a 2nd degree black belt and a certified martial arts instructor.
I volunteer at a womens' shelter. A friend needed their services, this is a little pay back.
I play the guitar. My mom insisted on music lessons and we couldn't afford a piano.
I own a successful business.
I work with autistic children and kids with Down's syndrome. They will let anyone volunteer.
I love Old School Rap and can perform Rapper's Delight in it's entirety. SOBER. Sorority trick. And it annoys my kids.
I love talking to strangers.
I am the VP of my HOA. No one else would do it.
I am PTA president, Choral Booster's VP and head theater mom at my kids' schools. Helicopter mom.
I love dogs, hate cats, save turtles and run screaming from spiders. I won't flush them either. They might come back up.
I was a beach lifeguard, a sorority girl and an only child. (Explains a lot, huh?) Poking fun at myself.
I Zumba, deep Water fin and ski double blacks. Deep water finning is an awesome class. Try it! My aunt lived in Vermont so we all skied free.
I drive like a ****** bag even though my vehicle is a minivan because I am always in a hurry. (At least I own it.) Poking fun at myself. I'm a horrible driver.
I hold the door for people and I can recite pi to the 56th digit. I had an autistic student who recited pi all day every day. Everyone in my class could do it.
I used to teach emotionally disturbed kids until the parents drove me nuts. And IEPs. They were the worst.
I was a theater major before I was a psychology major, before I got my degree in communications/psychology and my master's in education. Read that indecisive college kid who racked up a LOT of college debt. Still paying those bills.
I am a brown Mexican but don't speak Spanish. Poking fun.
I am a great cook but a horrible baker. Poking fun.
I love to read and I love reality TV. It's embarrassing to admit the reality TV thing, but I can poke fun at myself...
I drive with the radio off because I enjoy the silence. I talk too much.
I could go on forever but I am boring myself. POKING FUN at myself.

I have a lot more interesting things to talk about over WLS. Why on earth would I make that the definition of me? People can't help but ask about it, I have no desire to be the inspiration of that discussion. It was bad enough that people had to "confess" every extra calorie or missed workout to me while I was losing out of a bizarre "guilt".

I'd rather be any of the above over the former fatty/WLS lady.

Again, my above post was not intended to offend or fan any flames. All I can do is humbly apologize and of course, ask YOU to post your BRAG list. I'd love to hear about YOU.

I've loved going through this thread! It's been so nice to put an actual person behind the posting name.

As for me:

I've been with my fiancee for 10.5 years now. We still haven't made plans to have our wedding yet because something else always comes up. Currently it's because we are saving for a trip to Scotland, and I just blew a whole bunch of money on concert tickets. Priorities, right?!

I have a beautiful 13 year old daughter from a previous relationship. She has Aspergers Syndrome and ADD, but that kid amazes me. She has two best friends and is in her last year of middle school, getting ready for High School in the fall.

I have two rescue cats, one who doesn't care if I'm alive, and the other is like a baby. He is so loving and dependent on me.

I make my own jewelry. I make most of the earrings I wear, and I've dabbled in chain maille bracelets and necklaces. I've sold my items at craft shows, and have donates many pieces to silent auctions for different charities or non profit organizations.

I have a diploma in Child and Youth Care, and have worked in a transition home where youth were transitioning from jail back to their families custody. It had it's good and bad times, I've seen teens reunited with their families, and I've seen youth removed and returned to jail.

During an incident where a youth was being returned to jail, I got to drive a police truck! The truck was seriously cool.

I complete a 10 kilometer race! I was the biggest one there, I was the last one to come in, but I did it! It was a 10k portion of our city's annual Mothers Day marathon. My goal was to finish, and finish I did. I weighed about 350 at the time. I had my ipod playing and my ear buds in, but I took them out because the people passing me were calling things out to me. Just about every single person who passed me called out "Good job!" "Way to go!" "Keep on going!" It was amazing and I was nearly in tears by the time I was finished. I was so proud of my city that day.

I grew up playing the clarinet in elementary school, and moved to the trumpet in junior high. I loved it, and swore I was going to be a true musician someday.

I am currently a tenor drummer in my city's pipe band (Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Pipe Band) and have been playing for the last three years. This summer coming will be my third year in competition. We compete all over Atlantic Canada, and are going to the North American Pipe Band championships again this year in Maxville, Ontario. Last year we played the North Americans, and came in 2nd place (for our grade) and also won best bass and tenor! This is a HUGE bragging right as our mid section is composed of my fiancee on bass drum, me as lead tenor, and one more tenor player. This summer we are competing at a higher grade level.

On the same note with the pipe band, this is why we are saving for a trip to Scotland. We plan to go as a band in the summer of 2017 to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships! Exciting!

I am driving a car that has been completely paid off, and every single ding or dent in it has been put there by my fiancee.

I think I am a great driver, and I am very quick to whip out the middle finger to show to the mediocre drivers around me when they cut me off or do something else stupid.

I currently work as a grocery store cashier, and I haven't killed anyone yet. Seriously, that is worth bragging about!

Goodness, I didn't expect my list to be this long... love this thread!

Truth - I absolutely LOVED your brag list, LipstickLady. You are so much MORE than the fat you lost, and you deserve to identify with those things fully and unreservedly! My brag list:

I have eight wicked tattoos, some of them really big (one is a half sleeve, left arm) that NONE of which my College students know about (My tats are AWESOME SNEAKY that way).

I hold the record for eating the most mangoes in one day in a town called Tchaourou, in Benin, West Africa. (56 mangoes, January 14th, 1993)

Yup, those are my two brag list items that I would wish to identify with, rather than being an ex-fat person.

What's with all the dang mangos lately?

Bunch a' former fatty, reality tv watching, mango eating meanies around here. 'Cept me.

I'm allergic to mangos.

What's with all the dang mangos lately?

Bunch a' former fatty, reality tv watching, mango eating meanies around here. 'Cept me.

I'm allergic to mangos.

Mango Madness at Trader Joe's, or so I gather from other threads.

Personally, I'll wait for "Lemon Lunacy" before I get all excited...

What's with all the dang mangos lately?

Bunch a' former fatty, reality tv watching, mango eating meanies around here. 'Cept me.

I'm allergic to mangos.

dunno but I spent a couple of years in Hawaii growing up and I despise mangos.

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I missed it... why were people offended by your list? I mean, really now... it's just some self reflection with some silliness.

I missed it... why were people offended by your list? I mean, really now... it's just some self reflection with some silliness.

Not only offended but down right nasty. It's all good, though. It's interesting that none of those who were so angry (or so *giddy* that a few were so angry) have posted in here.

@@gpmed I have read WLS forums off and on for 10 years or more and so many people actively hate themselves it amazes me. This isn't just me inferring it, they say it in posts. Some times it is more passive, like they just gave up, no reason to put lipstick on a pig but there is a lot of out right hostility that people have towards themselves that baffles me.

I got fat indulging my every single whim because I felt I deserved it. Fried shrimp, steak and cheesecake? Why not.

My experience was kind of like yours I really love myself and I had to stop abusing my body for temporary pleasure of food. I felt like losing weight was the ultimate in self love. Although I will totally admit I would still be fat and eating whatever if I could do it and be healthy. Health is wealth though and I want to be healthy.

Edited June 13, 201610 yr by OutsideMatchInside

I demand more brag lists, people!!

LIPstikl Lady and Wayward Traveler: Just a note to thank you both for your uplifting informative posts!

I love reading about everyone!! I'm a little late to the party but here it goes.

-I've been married for 22 years. My parents didn't think it would last, hated my husband and said they would charge us for the reception if it didn't last 5 years. (We showed them) haha Now my husband and dad are best friends.

-I have 2 children. Our daughter is 20, our son is 18. Neither wanted to go to college and I'm ok with that.

-I love animals I have 3 dogs. A chocolate lab, yellow lab and a shorkie. I would have cats too but our son is allergic. My shorkie is the best thing ever given to me for Valentine's Day.

-strangers think I'm easy to talk to..I've had the boy in a chick fil a drive thru tell me his whole life story while waiting for our food.

-I actually talk with strangers easier than people I know.

-I've work for my dads business for 18 years, he's retiring so I have to get a "real job". That scares the crap out of me. Also writing down my resume I realized I was severely under paid haha.

-I bake cakes for people, pretty good at it but Ive become to hate it now.

-I want to move far away and start over

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I have two awesome sons who I admire and.love deeply.

I am genuinely friends with my EX

I have amazing friends who love me flaws and all!

My 2 lil dogs keep me so happy!

I ride horses like a madwoman - love it!

I can talk to anyone, anywhere about anything. ..comes in handy!

I have a great career!

I am half my former size...maintaining for years now. A dream come true!

I am madly in love with a wonderful man; his primary flaw is an addiction to FOX news and Trump-o-mania, but hey, nobody's perfect.

My number one brag ; I live a happy life now and people who know me have told me it inspires them to strive for the same!

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Another latecomer here, only just read this post and it is great to get to know everyone a bit better. Flesh them out (no pun intended). Can't find anything offensive but then I am pretty hard to offend. My 2 cents worth below:

I hate mangoes and reality TV. I love animals and some people. My hero is Jane Goodall who worked with chimpanzies in the wild for decades. I am an armchair animal's rights activist and work in an animal shelter as a volunteer 3 days a week. I have 7 cats and 2 dogs and I will name my next cat Lipstick Lady in honour of this thread.

Like KF I am an Aussie but don't blame me for him, I live in another state, one that plays good rugby (wait for KF to scream, lol). Sang with Jimmy Barnes - respect. I would love to sing but I make the dog over the road howl when I do. I was a detective for 27 years and there is not much I haven't seen and I ate and drank to cope with it. Have a law/management degree. I love to surf but am too old for boards now, so I kayak. Love to go where nobody is but then I get afraid of crocs so turn around, fast ...

Live a pretty boring life now and like it that way. Go to India every year for a spiritual recharge. Love to read, watch live theatre. Yawn, I am putting myself to sleep. Keep this thread going!

Just curious... How and why would this list offend anyone? What am I missing? It's a great read!

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Can't imagine anyone getting offend over this thread!! What a great way to get to know each other and celebrate our uniqueness.. Here goes my list, spoiler alert- I am pretty boring...

Been happily married 25 years and started dating him when I was 16. True love

I have 17 year old daughter who is going to be a senior this fall. She is outspoken, smart, witty, stunningly beautiful and doesn't look anything like me or my husband. We think she is adopted.

I have been a nurse for 21 years- have worked in administration for the last 10

Love to read. Want to write a book. I am about a third finished with one.

The only thing on my bucket list is to be on the TV show "Survivor". Just need to suck it up and apply

Love to hike, kayak, sunbathe, read, and nap

I am passionate about makeup, skincare products, nail polish and pretty much anything with glitter!! If I could dip my face in glitter I would. My eyeshadow collection grows weekly.

Like LipstickLady I hate and am terrified of spiders!!