Profile update with pics!!!

I've updated my profile with pictures and wanted to post as well. Well, I've gone and done it. I've finally added some before and after pictures. The ones of me pre-op are from October 27, 2003 and my weight (highest then) was 480 lb. The ones post-op are from today, Sunday, July 23, 2006 weighing 277 lb. I have lost to date a total of 203 lb. I have 77 lb more to go to reach my personal goal. I'm currently living and working in Richmond, VA... I've got great friends and my sister will be going to CNU in about 2 weeks so I'll have family close by. I've been interviewing for FT work... as of now I'm waiting to hear from Capital One... I've been praying every day for guidance in this somewhat trying time. My friends have been here for me through thick and thin... You ALL know who you are... Thank you for the support and love...I'm currently single... and working on bettering myself so that when Ms. Right does come along... I'm the best mate there is to offer... I love living in Richmond, The work I'm doing here albeit Temp is satisfying... I work in a retirement community called Westminster Canterbury in the Marketing/Sales department. I'm essentially an admin but I do so much more, give tours to prospective residents, help with everything really... I love working with the elderly.. just listening to their stories makes me happy...Richmond has some AWESOME parks... I'd never seen so many different and beautiful ones... I've got more on my list to go visit soon. I have to thank someone very special to me...my best friend Kat... she has been there through a lot of rough times... always having a kind and warm thing to say... or a foot for my a** when I need one...She knows she means a lot to me. I must also thank everyone that I've met along the way in my WLS journey... Each and every one of you has been there for me... to talk to, to cry on, to well... we won't go into detail bout my exploits as the former Board Flirt. I think everyone has touched my life... in good ways and bad ways... and that has led me down the path to where I am today. *hugs for everyone!!!!!!!!!!* Enough out of me.... I'll do my best to post more frequently now that I've got DSL at home... Love to all -Ross C

Hey Ross The pictures look awesome! You have done a great job! This is an adventure isn't it. I'm sure Ms. Right will be along shortly and sweep you off your feet! Good luck on the job front, I graduated from college last year (while working and taking care of three sons) and had to work for a temp service for a while before I got my dream job in January of this year. It was fun though because I met a lot of really great people and at one job even met a lady who has turned out to be my biggest supporter and my best friend. I think God definately put me in that place to meet her and her family, because they have truly been a God send. Take care and update when you can! (I put my one month pics on my profile - stop by and take a look when ya get time) Hugs to ya, Andrea

Andrea, Thank you very much... I must say I was quite apprehensive about posting them... it's kind of hard to be a flirt when the women you flirt with can actually see the real you.. *smiles* Thank you! Congratulations! I will be taking classes again next spring... got about 1 more year to finish my associates.. then I'll keep pluggin away till I get a BA..then probably a masters... I've been temping since I moved to Richmond in october... it's hard... I enjoy the work I'm doing.. I'm just tired of not having benefits... I've not been to the doctor since october... I will try to keep up with updating... *Hugs* -Ross

Ross, I know what you mean about not having benefits, it can be really hard especially when you need regular medical care. I was really lucky in the sense that my kids were covered by their dad's insurance and as long as they were covered I was okay. My new job is the job that finally got me approval to have the surgery. I am finally in a position that I love, it just took a while to get there. As for the pictures, apprehension is normal and I felt the same thing posting my pictures, but I have come to believe that if you are *flirting* with someone and if it is going to turn in to *something real* I would much rather have some one who knows the *real* me, because if they can't love you the way you were and they can love you now just because the outside is different - well, I don't want want somebody like that in my life. I am me, regardless of the outside. Yeah, I know - way too serious stuff - *Laugh* - disregard me - I am just learning to come out of my shell myself and let people see who I really am. What are you studying? Good luck when you start taking classes again! Hugs, Andrea

Andrea, You're right... I'd much rather them accept me for me then meet on a date and have them be all shallow and rude... probably why I flirt with and tend to date women who have had WLS... they understand what it was to be heavy... course some of them end up turning into the girls that I always wanted but could never have... shallow and supremely insecure about themselves still even though they have the body they always wanted... they've not accepted that they are beautiful and treat men like they were once treated... that irks me more then anything... Not gonna disregard you! you're really nice.. I see who u really are... and that would be beautiful! *grin* *Hugs* -Ross

I'm sitting here blushing. not quite the right emoticon - I'd rather have a grinning blush, but it will have to do . Thank you for saying that. I really believe that regardless of how much weight I lose - my value, my beauty, what makes me me - is on the inside. That is what I look for in other people as well. I grew up with a skinny sister who is very beautiful (was a stripper for many years) and always had men gawking over her - even my own ex-husband - and while I love my sister to death, I have seen enough to know that I wouldn't want to date her. *laugh* I think you are right about being with someone who has had the surgery too, it only makes sense that they can understand not only what life is like for you on a day to day basis, but you also have someone there who can lift you up when you are feeling down and vice versa. So you never did tell me what you are studying. Have you taken any Microsoft classes? I didn't need it, but I took Microsoft Excel while in college and I LOVED it. Eventually, the school asked me to be a tutor for that class and it was really fun. *hugs back to you* Andrea

*smiles* Well I call it like I see it.. I've never been one to see weight... I see the person on the inside... a strippper huh? my brother was thin as well growing up... although now he and I are basically the same size... he was never a stripper though *laugh* I'm studying human services working on a degree program to be a substance abuse counslor... although I may just get the degree in HMS and find other thigns to do with it... I've always been good at helping others.. so it's something that feels right... -Ross

Well, thank you - I can appreciate somebody who calls it like they see it. *grin* Sounds like you are well on your way! I have always been good at helping others - a people person is what I was called - I just got tired of working odd hours in a dead end job. I used to work in a gas station/truck stop. I still keep in contact with my old co-workers because they are very dear to my heart, but I needed a better job and that is why I went back to college. Ya know, I think I have taken up this whole thread and nobody else has responded. Sorry about that. I know you said you moved to Richmond in October - where did you live before that? Andrea

Andrea, People people are what we are... that sounds weird saying it like that but it's true... So what! why don't you add me on myspace and we can chat there! http://www.myspace.com/rc78 Or IM me sometime... shoot me an email for my screename... I lived in Northern VA since 1988... McLean, Woodbridge, and Ashburn... :hug: -Ross

Ross, I added you and sent you a message on MySpace. I tried to e-mail you here, but it says you have it blocked some how. *hugs* Andrea