I have decided to start this thread and write this post because I have been feeling strongly about a couple of things and I feel a need to let it out.

First let me start by saying that I have been spending less time on LBT lately not because I am disapointed with the direction it is going but rather because as a male I find it to be dominated by the fairer sex and this leads me to my first issue.

I am frustrated with the rules of engangement here at LBT, I think they are Bul***it. The rules here are rules that only females could come up with and here is what I mean. It's okay to go on and on about a person as long as you preface your remarks with statements like "There is a person on LBT who I really like who has been attacked by others who I don't want to name" Everybody knows who the people are that are being discussed but as long as you don't say their names it's fine. This reminds of my early teen years when the girls in my class would play that game the sole purpose was to define who could be freinds with who.

I have no problem if someone thinks I'm an ass and tells me so. It's simple if I think your an ass***le then I will say "I think your an Ass**le" you can say back go F**k yourself your the ass**le.

Instead I read " This person is a really really great person who just wants peace on earth and these evil people (I won't say their names because I am a good person too just like you know who) are being terrible in how they attack her every word. I say bull**it, If you have something to say about someone have the guts to say it and the courage to name names.

The next issue I want to rant about is the one I am most passionatte about. There has been a lot of discussion about people making other people feel bad about their weight loss. As people who have decided to use the band as a weight loss tool we have leveled the playing field for the first time. This has made it possible for us for the first time to win our long battles with obesity. This does not however negate years and years of battling obesity and the scars that come with those battles. In my previouse life I was always in one of three states and these were 1. Losing weight 2. Gaining back weight 3. Obese ashamed that I had gained all the weight and more back and waiting for the next scheme to make me skinny again but had given up for now.

Depending on what state I was in my reaction to the weight loss of others was drastically impacted. When I was losing I was eager to hear and share in the weight loss advice of others. When I was in state 2 I was happy for those individuals who were in state 1 but sometimes I just wanted to tell them to shut up, I was afraid to because that was the first sign that I had moved to state 3 and was not going back to state 1. State 3 meant that I knew that everyone who was losing weight was a fool to believe that they wouldn't eventualy gain all their weight back and more. My only hope is that they would soon shut the F**k up and realize that they were doomed for failure.

The band has leveled the playing field but it hasn't removed those old biasis for any of us. What this means is when someone starts to give advice about weight loss often our first response is to want to say oh shut the f**k up soon you will be fat again. Our ability to suceed has been greatly increased but our moods still, at times, make us feel guilt when we hear about the sucess of others. (deep breath) so here is my point, there have been a number of threads from a number of people about other members of LBT not being completely supportive of the wins of others. My point is, it's okay, we should understand better than anyone what motivates this behavior. Why should it matter any way, I couldn't give a flying F**k if anyone disaproves of my weight loss. I am a few days away from my 2 year bandiversary and I have lost just over 120 pounds. I work out 5 days a week and I eat too fuc**ng much ice cream. But I am happy and certain that I will lose another 30-40 pounds by this time next year. If I only lose 20 no big deal I will lose the rest the next year. If anyone disagrees go F**k yourself!!!

Merry Christmas Mother F**kers :)

Pip, I am on my own I do not need to be part of a group to feel secure in my opinion. I always speak directly to the person I am addressing and I name them. I do not know you nor do I know what motivates you so I will not assign emotion to your words. If you were to review the posts when your fearless leader is disagreeing with someone you will find that she always assigns negative emotions to the people she disagrees with.

I respect that but last time I checked I only had one "leader" and that is my management at my work and even that relationship is moving towards a friendship/colleague level, so please be considerate in who you are tagging.

I expect people to stand up for themselves and I would hope that they that this is a place where they can without being attacked. If you say you disagree with me I will argue my point but I will not then add comments that assign unfounded negative emotions to you just to make me feel better and hopefully convince others that you are a bad person.

I agree as well but I feel your viewpoint is limited by a few threads and you have not seen all that has happened on this forum. I have seen others attacked on this forum and see people stand up for those people doing the attacking. It's only expected for someone to retaliate and then have a bad taste in their mouth towards others after that type of experience. You also cannot view private messages which would give you a more indepth perspective on certain situations.

You will argue that I have and you will b e correct but it has been done on purpose to make a point.

Oh and by the way no matter what anyone says I am not upset or unhappy or stomping my feet or saying weener whatever.

Finally, I think most people have a good idea who the Posse is and believe me disagreeing with me is not what defines the members list.

Then what does make the membership?

I don't know you enough to form a full opinion, only what is in this thread, but what you view online isn't always a fair judgement of one's persona.

The bottom line is:

If you don't want to follow the advice given by someone who posts here, DON'T FOLLOW IT!

If you don't want to read posts by "certain people," BLOCK THEIR POSTS and quit whining about them. No one is forced to read anyone's posts.

:clap2:

How do you block someone's posts?

I am not happy that that thread got locked because I really wanted people to read it and learn to make paragraphs so that posts were easy to read.

I really feel like if someone has something to say, and I feel it's important enough that I want to read it, I will read it. I don't want to struggle though with a whole screen full of letters and having to try to keep my place.

That was my point.

Transformer, at no time have I been whining as a matter of fact I am having fun. If you don'y like it then you stay the fuck out of MY THREAD and kiss my ass.

TommyO, I hope you enjoy your break. When you come back, please know that this sort of language/sentiment will not be tolerated.

How do you block someone's posts?

Denise, you can manage your "ignore" list by clicking on "Buddy / Ignore list" in your User CP. Anyone you put on your "ignore" list will be invisible to you and you won't have to see their posts.

Ugh! I will never understand men.

pip - not all men are as f'ed up as some...

Ah now that's a great example of my point losingjusme. You see when I make a statement like "Not all men are as f'ed up" there is an implied message and the inference is obvious but I don't actually identify who I am insulting. When we name the person we are directing the insult at we are being honest when we use inferrence we are showing our true colours. In my opinion comments made in that format say more about the commentor than they do about the person they are directed at.

tommo,

when does that break start again?

We are about 12 hours away from break time, tick, tick, tick....

Ah now that's a great example of my point losingjusme. You see when I make a statement like "Not all men are as f'ed up" there is an implied message and the inference is obvious but I don't actually identify who I am insulting. When we name the person we are directing the insult at we are being honest when we use inferrence we are showing our true colours. In my opinion comments made in that format say more about the commentor than they do about the person they are directed at.

Sometimes the obvious does not need to be spelled out.

I'm not sure I understand your latest whining, honestly I don't. You have done the very same thing you complain about others doing. So what's the problem? What is the big issue that has you wrapped so tight? This issue is obviously bothering you a great deal, it shows in your temper and your rants. You are insulting me left and right so obviously, it bothers you. If you know who someone is talking about, why is it so important for you that people spell it out. You don't, why should others do what you are not willing to do? Why must others follow your rules you are not willing to follow?

It seems to me that each time you come here you tend to post in spurts and you are battling someone. There is always a battle. I'm just curious as to why that is. Obviously it will always be someone else's fault, but I was just wondering why you are always in the middle of a battle with someone. Even those that don't even know you, such as me.

Lets review

You said --Sometimes the obvious does not need to be spelled out.

I respond --Sometimes people like to hide behind inference.

You said -- I'm not sure I understand your latest whining, honestly I don't.

I respond -- Sorry not whining you are adding emotions to my content that is inacurate

You said -- You have done the very same thing you complain about others doing.

I respond -- No I have not

You said -- So what's the problem? What is the big issue that has you wrapped so tight?

I respond -- First, once again nothing has me wrapped so tight, there you go with assigning of emotions again. Second, you should read my posts, I think if you were to read my posts you would not need to ask what I am talking about.

You said -- This issue is obviously bothering you a great deal, it shows in your temper and your rants.

I respond -- Wrong again as I have said before I am having fun so please don't infer what my emotions are.

You Said -- You are insulting me left and right so obviously, it bothers you.

I respond -- "It" is not bothering me "You" are bothering me

You said -- If you know who someone is talking about, why is it so important for you that people spell it out.

I respond -- Because I loath cowardice

You said -- You don't, why should others do what you are not willing to do?

I respond -- Oh contrare I think you should re-read my posts once again.

You said -- Why must others follow your rules you are not willing to follow?

I respond -- this from the person who has made so many posts about how people write or how she loaths stupid people who don't follow her rules, or how newbies ask such dumb questions, etc. etc.

You said -- It seems to me that each time you come here you tend to post in spurts and you are battling someone. There is always a battle.

I respond -- I do tend to come and go but you are incorrect in the rest of your premise.

You said -- I'm just curious as to why that is. Obviously it will always be someone else's fault, but I was just wondering why you are always in the middle of a battle with someone. Even those that don't even know you, such as me.

I respond -- First I don't really care what you are curious about, second I assign balme to no one, third I was wondering the very same thing about you. (See locked thread "Walls of Text")

I hope that answers your questions, now I have one for you. Could you explain to me the significant difference between someone doing their own fills vs. someone doing their own unfills. I'm just curious why anyone would be so up in arms about someone else suggesting they did their own fills when what they had actually done is there own unfill. To me they seem to be incredible similar tasks. I have had both done by my doctor and I can not for the life of me see a significant difference.

Well, let's see if I can make it obvious enough even for you. The need for an unfill could become serious and life threatening if not done soon. The need for a fill would not be life threatening in the same way.

If someone is vomiting blood, that is quite serious. Clear enough for you?

Why would you worry about my unfills anyway?

Who said I was worried about your unfills? There you go again

Are you guy's married . . . . . ??? :ranger:

Sure sound's like it!:heh:

Are you guy's married . . . . . ??? :ranger:

Sure sound's like it!:heh:

Oh GAWD NO!

Actually yes, just not to each other.

With that it's time to take my leave. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and I look forward to chating again sometime in 2008.

TommyO