Getting to know you...

Okay lurkers, let's get to know one another. It's how we support each other, learn from each other, etc... 

Just cut and paste the questions below into your response. I look forward to getting to know you better. 

First name?

Were you named after anyone?

When did you last cry?

Do you like your handwriting?

What is your favorite food?

If you have had surgery, has your favorite food changed after surgery?

Do you keep a journal?

Would you bungee jump?

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

Do you think that you are strong?

Favorite color

Favorite flower

Who do you miss most?

What are you wearing?

What are you listening to right now?

What was the last thing you ate?

Last person you talked to on the phone?

Favorite Drinks?

Hair Color ?

Eye Color?

Favorite season?

What Books Are You Reading?

Wha****ch on TV last night ?

Here are my answers. I look forward to seeing yours.

First name? Barbara

Were you named after anyone? Sort of. My mother was originally named Barbara by her father. Upon her parents divorce when she was a baby, her mother changed her name to Joan. My birth certificate says that my mother's name is Barbara, but my siblings birth certificates all say that their mother's name is Joan. 

When did you last cry? Yesterday

Do you like your handwriting? Generally

What is your favorite food? Hmmmm... Well, that's a huge and loaded question. I think that the things that I gravitated to pre-op and still do are carb and fat rich and I would say that Chocolate tops the list, but things like homemade creamed corn, Chili's beef fajitas, and Lobster Thermador all come in  pretty close.

If you have had surgery, has your favorite food changed after surgery? Not really. It did immediately after surgery, but not so much anymore. I'm 3 yrs out and generally can eat anything. I'm glad that I can and know that it can be a double-edged sword. So, I guess as I mentioned above, I still like most of things I liked before surgery. The only thing that I really liked before that I really don't have or much want any more is Coke. I was addicted to the stuff and now because of the carbonation, I can't really have enough of it to satisfy me, so I just opt out.

Do you keep a journal? Sort of. I keep my journal here on OH and am starting to try to journal to see if it can help me with some of the life challenges I'm currently facing. 

Would you bungee jump? Emphatically NO!!! No way, no how. I'm just not wired for that kind of 'excitement.' 

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? If I have to.

Do you think that you are strong? Not really. I used to be physically very strong. I'm not nearly as strong as I used to be. Emotionally, I'm a wreck.

Favorite color Blue or Green

Favorite flower That's like saying favorite child... There are so many that are so beautiful. I guess I love the Double Delight Rose because of it's fragrance, beauty and it was given to me upon the birth of my sons. I love the Sarah Bernhardt peony because of daughter Sarah. I love Gardenias and yellow roses because they remind me of my mother. 

Who do you miss most? Right now, I miss my mother who passed away in March and my father who passed away about 15 years ago.

What are you wearing? Size 4 Jeans and a size small navy t-shirt.

What are you listening to right now? Silence

What was the last thing you ate? Home made creamed corn

Last person you talked to on the phone? Kim and esthitician

Favorite Drinks? Iced tea, decaf coffee w/fat free creamer and sf caramel syrup, crystal lite fruit punch

Hair Color ? Well that all depends... au natural or what you see when you look at me? It's a dark redish brown.

Eye Color? Brown... about the color of tea.

Favorite season? Hmmm.... again, like choosing favorite children they are all so different and have both pleasant and unpleasant qualities. I love the change in the air and the leaves that happens in fall. I love the snowfall in winter. I love the bulbs and green of springtime. I love summertime in CA, but hate it in NC.

What Books Are You Reading? I have 3 going right now... The Commoner by John Schwartz, Writing for Emotional Balance by Beth Jacobs and Ten Things to Do When Your Life Falls Apart by Daphne Rose Kingma

First name? Tina

Were you named after anyone?  My Mom

When did you last cry? I can't remember

Do you like your handwriting? Yes I actually do

What is your favorite food? Anything Mexican

If you have had surgery, has your favorite food changed after surgery? Not sure since I haven't had Mexican food since surgery.

Do you keep a journal? Kind of, with weight and measurments

Would you bungee jump? I think I would

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Yes

Do you think that you are strong? Yes

Favorite color Bright lime green

Favorite flower Tulip

Who do you miss most? My Grandfather

What are you wearing? PJ's

What are you listening to right now? Nothing

What was the last thing you ate? Blueberries

Last person you talked to on the phone? My Mom

Favorite Drinks? SF Grape Koolaid for now :)

Hair Color ? Brown

Eye Color? Brown

Favorite season? Summer.  I love the sun and the heat!  :)

What Books Are You Reading? The Bible and my school books

First of all Tina, congratulations on your surgery. You and I are nearly 3 years apart, to the day. You will be amazed at how much your life will change in a relatively short period of time. 

It's great that you keep a weights and measurements journal. It will hold you in good stead as you make this journey. I also found that journaling my thoughts helped me as I looked forward and back as I made my way to goal and then learned to maintain it. I haven't used it much lately, but maybe... If you haven't done so already, be sure to keep a sort of photographic journal. I suggest that you take photos of yourself in front of a door using front, profile and back views each month. It will help as you are losing weight and trying to readjust to your new body. 

I look forward to knowing your better as we both continue our own journey's.

All the best,

First name? Iris

Were you named after anyone? Nope - my dad picked the name out and wouldn't consider anything else. My Middle name is Ann like my Mother.

When did you last cry? It's been a few weeks ago (thankfully) the Lexapro has really kicked in and leveled me out.

Do you like your handwriting?Yes

What is your favorite food? Seafood (all kinds)

If you have had surgery, has your favorite food changed after surgery?It's always been seafood except now it's either broiled, grilled or steamed - never deep fried like I used to have it a million years ago. I have to admit it tastes way better to me now.

Do you keep a journal?It depends - I try and keep up with my food log online and in that I try and note anything major that's going on. If things are crazy in my life I tend to keep one to help me sort through things.

Would you bungee jump?Not in this lifetime.  
 

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?It's hard to untie flip flops.
 

Do you think that you are strong? I don't mean this to sound brash - but I'm the strongest person that I know. Life has dealt me a few curve balls that I've had no choice but to step up to the plate and deal with. I hope in doing that that I've set the example that I want my sons to live by.
 

Favorite color I'm like a kid with a box of fresh crayons - I love them all. I'm drawn towards the color of flowers - purple, pink, yellow, red...etc.

Favorite flower Irises (you really didn't think I'd answer any other way did you?)

Who do you miss most? My Daddy - next week makes 6 years that he's been dead and honestly it still feels like yesterday that he passed away. He was my rock when my husband died so I'm sure that compounded the loss that I feel. Plus he was my hero for so many years.

What are you wearing? Pink shirt (L) White capris w/ pink, yellow & purple butterflies (16) and Black & Pink Flip Flops (9's)
 

What are you listening to right now? The sounds of the office (radio - co workers - the office next door - copy machine that's having a nervous breakdown)
 

What was the last thing you ate? Small handful of trail mix
 

Last person you talked to on the phone? My brother-in-law's fiance - Mary

Favorite Drinks? Iced Tea (unsweet & decaf) with tons of ice
 

Hair Color ? Calico (ha ha ha - it's a secret combination only Kimberly my stylist knows) honestly there are gold, brown, red and darker highlights in my hair and I LOVE IT!! 
 

Eye Color? Blue (very, very, very blue)
 

Favorite season? I love the Fall

What Books Are You Reading?Winter Birds by Jamie Langston Turner

Wha****ch on TV last night ? Pawn Stars and American Pickers
 

Hi Iris,

I'm glad you played the game. It's amazing the little things we learn about each other with time.

I hope that life calms down a bit and we will be able to make it to one of the Greenville meetups and I'll get to see those beautiful blue eyes in person again soon.

Warmly,

Hi DeBee,

It's great to hear from you and I look forward to seeing you soon. Your garden salad made my mouth water and consider that I've been dropping weight like a dead weight lately, that's not an insignificant feat! 

Take care my friend!

First name?   Satyavati

Were you named after anyone?   I wasn't born with this name.  It's a religious name that was given to me in 2003 and I had it legally changed.  Was I named after anyone... well, that's a little harder to explain, but I'll say it means 'the place of truth'.

When did you last cry? Tuesday when we were watching Deadliest Catch.

Do you like your handwriting? Yup.  Especially my printing.

What is your favorite food?  I like all kinds of ethnic vegetarian food, especially Indian, Chinese and Greek.  I make wicked dolmades.  If I had to pick a single food, I think it would be avocadoes.

If you have had surgery, has your favorite food changed after surgery?  I'm still learning what I can tolerate, so I'm not sure, but I'm going to try an avocado this week.  None of my tastes seem to have changed, though, except that I don't want to drink anything bu****er anymore.

Do you keep a journal?  I've had a blog since about 2003 where I write about everything from politics to religion.

Would you bungee jump? I'm totally phobic about heights but I have this idea that I'd like to skydive when I get in better shape...

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?  Nope LOL! Unless they're boots that don't come off unless I untie them.

Do you think that you are strong?   Physically?  I'm stronger than I look.  Emotionally?  On a day to day basis, maybe not, but it seems like when the chips are down and/or there's an emergency, somehow I manage to muster it up and be strong for everyone involved.

Favorite color  Pink!!

Favorite flower  White roses and gardenias.  I have lots of rosebushes at our house.  Most are antique varieties but I'm famous for digging up wild ones from the side of the road and transplanting them into the yard.  And I'm learning to propagate gardenias.. I'd like to have a whole hedge of them instead of just the few we have.

Who do you miss most?  A friend I haven't been able to get in touch with for a while.

What are you wearing?  A black and pink punjabi suit top (I took the pants off, it's hot out) and a strapless bra that I haven't been able to wear in I don't know how many years!!

What are you listening to right now?   The ceiling fan and faintly the TV from the other room.

What was the last thing you ate?  A little potato with a little mushroom and a little cheese on a little tortilla.  It was a little too much.

Last person you talked to on the phone?  My husband.

Favorite Drinks?  Preop: diet Dr Pepper and sweet (Equal) tea... postop: all I want is water, somehow!

Hair Color ?   Some shade of red... currently a very bright  Revlon shade I got at the outlet store.

Eye Color?   Almost but not quite black.

Favorite season?  Spring and fall.

What Books Are You Reading? Lots of cookbooks lately!  The Vegan Health Plan, Ten Talents, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, The Vegetarian Slow Cooker...  and I just ordered Recipes For A Small Planet!!!