Today I visited a friend who's a surgeon, and not exactly overendowed with tact. When she saw me, the first words out of her mouth were "You look like a normal person!"

After I slapped her upside the head she at least had the good grace to laugh at herself.

Hey, it's not the most lavish compliment I've ever received, but she was sincere. And while I still have a lot of weight to lose, I am starting to feel (and maybe even look) like what passes for normal. In a good way.

Congratulations, Zoe!! Great weightloss! Glad someone is noticing it. By the way, what does a "normal" person look like?

How many times has one or the other of us said we just want to be normal, to shop in a normal store, to feel normal in a crowd, to be able to eat like a normal person, sit in normal chairs, etc., etc. This is a HUGE compliment. Bless her surgeonly heart. (They DO have such lovely manners, don't they?)

Congratulations on the weight loss and the NSV of looking and feeling "normal"! :Bunny

Even when we get to normal it is hard to remember we are normal. I went shopping yesterday and went straight to the plus size department and then remembered I don't fit in those sizes anymore...Great NSV Zoe! Keep it up, you are doing fantastic!

Thanks, Marie, Becky, and Michelle. I'm on a plateau right now (may have something to do with all the holiday goodies I've been chowing down) but feeling great, what with all the walking I'm doing. Whenever I start to get frustrated, I remind myself of the slow, steady, and remarkable progress that y'all have made with the band. All I need is patience -- and maybe another fill after Jan. 1, which my surgeon friend wants to witness out of scientific curiosity. We all have different ways of amusing ourselves!

Great NSV Zoe! It's a great feeling when someone notices!

LOL, it's great to have friends you can smack around!!! Wonderful nsv, Zoe. You look great!

I don't have a new full-length picture, and I'm wearing a jacket so you can't tell that I'm finally getting the barest suggestion of a waist -- but here goes. The before picture was taken by someone who was mad at me! That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'll be brave and get a jacketless photo for my six-month anniversary in February.

Zoe, you were pretty in your before picture, but you have a sparkle about you in the now picture! Great job! How old are you? You look a lot younger in your new picture also. Keep up the good work!

Zoe you look great! I love your new avatar too! You can really tell a difference in the pictures.

Zoe ... you look awesome! I think we are all striving to be normal and "blend" in... instead of being visibly invisible. Most surgeons are not blessed with a warm bedside manner... but hey... a compliment in any form is a welcomed...right??? My mother came to visit for the Thanksgiving holiday... she hasn't seen me since long before my surgery... NOTTA word from her precious mouth. One of my husband's relatives blurted out... OMIGOD... You've lost like a TON of weight... thank goodness for his family. I think I'm a fan of "blurters"! Cogratulations girl... you were pretty and normal before... and a knock out normal now!

Darcy

Wow! The difference is amazing! And you look so much younger in your newer pic, an NSV!!!

Thank you, ladies! Marie, I'm 47. The pictures don't show all the salt in my salt-and-pepper hair. (I stopped dyeing it a couple of years ago -- too high-maintenance, and I kind of dig the silver.)

Darcy, I think it's great that one of your in-laws noticed your impressive weight loss. Did your mother say anything after hearing the blurter's comment?

Blossom, thank you for the compliment. Do you have some post-surgical stats to report? I bet you're getting close to Onederland!

Great picture, Zoe. You are doing a fantastic job!

Sometimes I think people don't know whether it would be polite to mention weight loss. And as much as it is hard for us to believe, others may not really pay that much attention to our weight and think more about our personalities. I get so obsessed with my weight that I think it is the only thing on other people's minds, too.