**Friday's Roll Call**

Hi all you fellow Oregonians. I hope you have a great day today. It's going on 4 months since I had my second open RNY, and I don't know about you, but I'm cold! I miss the extra 70 lbs. of insulation, but I'm glad it's gone. Now I just need to keep motivated to get the other 30-40 off. So are you ready to play Questions of the Day (QOD)? Here they are: QOD 1. If you have had WLS (weight loss surgery) and someone asks you how you lost the weight, do you tell them? (For those of you contemplating having WLS, will you tell how you lost it?) 2. Are you from Oregon, or were you born somewhere else? 3. What is your favorite season of the year? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. I'm pretty open, so I tell them how I lost it. 2. I'm a webfoot (true Oregonian) through and through! 3. My favorite season is Spring. I love to watch the flowers and trees burst into bloom. One more thing: Next Tuesday, December 13, some of us are getting together informally during the day for coffee here in the Portland area. It will be in the Tualatin/Sherwood area at a restaurant near I-5. The time and location are yet to be determined. Please let me know if you are interested. Joy Rocha and I met last week, and we are definitely going to be there. Sure hope you can make it too. Bye! Peg

Thank you so much for doing this Peg! Keep this up and you'll see this board grow strong! I'm very thankful for folks like you who can take the time out to keep it fresh! Here are my answers: 1. If you have had WLS (weight loss surgery) and someone asks you how you lost the weight, do you tell them? (For those of you contemplating having WLS, will you tell how you lost it?) I always sing it from the mountain tops! I tell absolutely anyone who wants to know and will tell them absolutely anything they want to know about details as well. It took me so long to get this done that now that I have had it, my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner, so I like to share it with folks so they can maybe think about it for themselves if they need it. 2. Are you from Oregon, or were you born somewhere else? I have lived in Oregon since I was 10, so I consider myself pretty much a lifer. I was born in Los Angeles and was in Northern California most of my youth until we moved to Oregon. 3. What is your favorite season of the year? I am not entirely sure but I think Fall is my favorite season. For holidays I love Thanksgiving most I think. Usually. Dina

Hi Dina. Medford is my hometown. I moved there when I was 12 from Roseburg. I moved away when I got married at 18, then moved back for 3 years. My folks made Medford their home for about 25 years before they moved to the Portland area. My DH's folks still live in Ashland. We love to come down to southern Oregon. It always feels like coming home. Have a great day, Dina. Thanks for keeping things rolling this Friday morning. Peg

Good Friday morning to you! 1.My usual answer is either "hard work" or "the old fashioned way: eat less, exercise more." 2. Canada 3 Summer

I love being asked questions! If it's a stranger I will tell anyone everything. I hope for weight loss to come up so that it might plant a seed for someone out there that may be at the place I once was. (You never know...my dermatologist's brother in law just might look into WLS because of our conversation while getting my mole burned off?!?) With people I know I am a little more selective. There are layers of how well I know someone. If I don't know them that well I may be more vague. I've pretty much told most of the people in my life here in Oregon, but never told anyone on my husband's side of the family and probably never will. I told no one the first year except my husband and son. I am very glad I went that route, because I feel like I was able to not be scrutinized while I was going through the process. My sister in England found out because she googled my name (guess she missed me) and my profile came up! That was about three months after surgery. Born in Detroit where I lived until 11. Moved to San Francisco for four years . Moved to Florida where I went to highschool and got my first job. Moved back to San Francisco where I met my husband (he's a native). Ten years ago we moved here to the Portland area. My kids were born in California but feel like Oregon natives because this is all they have ever known. We love it here. I love fall the most. It comes from a childhood in the mid-west. The falling leaves, sweatshirts and a chill in the air, visits to the cider mill, the promise of your new books and pencils at school, holidays coming up! Patty

Okay, Peg! I have no problem telling people about my surgery. I have never been met with a terribly negative response. I was a native Californian until I moved to Oregon. I was born in East L.A., waaaay back when it was a nice little town. From there, I moved to Bellflower, then to the San Luis Obispo area. When I married Joe, three years ago, I moved to Half Moon Bay. Now, we are "transplants" and loving our new home. My favorite season has always been Fall, but that was in California. The cool, windy days are just right for taking walks. I imagine that my favorite season in Oregon will be Spring. Can't wait! Joy

I Tell people about my surgery. Sometimes I feel like it takes away all the truth about the commitment and hard work it really takes. But I dont mind telling them.I have told a few strangers that Im just eating smaller portions. Born in Gold Beach My Favorite season is Fall, I love the color of the leaves and seeing them all over the roads. Gail 213/144/130

I kept my surgery kind of quiet until I had it. I just didn't want any bad vibes while I was processing the coming journey. I did tell selected people and so had loads of support. Afterwards I tell anyone who wants to know. I even tell them my weight (highest, lowest) because I am not going to hide from it any more. I am an Oregonian, born in Lebanon, grew up all over the Willamette Valley. I now live in Coos Bay, and love it. My husband is from the Lowell area and we were married in 1970. Two years later we moved to Coos Bay. I like all seasons except I am not too happy with winter. I agree that losing the fat is exposure to the true feeling of cold.