The BOOBs Questionaire Thingie - Gilly Style!

1. How did you pick your blog name?

Family Guy. Didja see the Star Wars episode? The first one? "something something something daaaark side"? Well...that. I actually figured I'd change it to something clever(er), but then it grew on me like a mofo!

2.When did you start blogging?

December 2009 as I started being terrified of the surgery and the experience.

3. Theme of blog (weight loss, family, circus clowns, sci-fi, erotica, fly fishing, doll collecting, star wars, etc)

WONDER WOMAN!!! But she's a fatty!!!! WOOO!!! And just me being a general a-hole. :)

4. Did you go to BOOBs 2010?

YEAH I DID! And it was seriously life changing!! You are amazing women, and there's not a day that goes by that some little nugget of wisdom that one of you has shared doesn't save me on some level. I'm still totally blown away that so many women from so many different places have found SO MUCH common ground! Mind blowing! Thank you, interwebs!!!!

5. When were you banded?

January 12, 2010

6. How much have you lost?

Bouncing (apparently neverendingly) right now between 118 and 120 lbs down. And miraculously...still a fatty!

7. What are you most looking forward to at BOOBs?

Seeing all my fine fine bitches!! And meeting some of you who I know shall become my fine fine bitches over wine/margaritas and drag queens, etc.

8.What/who do you hope to find/see/accomplish at BOOBs 2011?

OMG! This is a blog entry in itself. I basically want to motorboat a few fine bitches (they know who they are), and drink some wine, and just be me. Because you guys make me love who I am when I'm with you!

9.Children? Pets?

I have 2 stunningly gorgeous sons (seriously...you can't even look at them for long, they are THAT good looking!) who are brilliant and hilarious (and BUGGING ME RIGHT NOW LEAVE MUMMY ALONE SHE IS BLOGGING!!!), and one black cat who poops wherever he wants and is apparently going to live forever. *sigh*

10. Who is your roomie?

Wait for it...because you are going to be SOOOO jealous!!! Are you waiting? Can you stand it?? Maybe you should sit down. Are you ready?? I get DEB AND JOEY!!!! Three...oh, it's a magic number, ladies!! Yeah...you can touch me...I'm real...

11. What day do you arrive?

Thursday! MORNING! Like 10ish. So anyone flying into O'Hare around then...let's share a cab!! Yes?

12. What airport/flight/time?

See frantic answer above...

13.What events are you signed up for?

Drag Queens! Gilly loves her cross dressing boys! Other than that, I am flying by the seat of my ample pants (or dresses, as I rarely-if-ever wear pants). Wheeeeee!

14.Hobbies?

Solving other people's problems, allowing people buy me presents, yelling at my children and embarrassing them whenever humanly possible, watching other people cook, belly dancing, theatre (that's new! Watch this space!), hoarding.

15. Career?

Professionally, I'm a funeral director, but at the moment, I'm just directing my children to put the DAMN LAUNDRY IN THE HAMPER SWEET JESUS! So...stay at home mommy, I guess. Again I say whee.

16. Single? Married? In a relationship?

I live here with the baby daddy, yes I do. And he's not a bad dude, if I do say so. Good German genes. I would say I'm also in a relationship with red wine. We're very intimate...

17. Your birthday month?

September 27, so buy me birthday drinks! Yeah, I said it! :P

18. What do you want other BOOBs to know about you?

If you don't know it already and love me in spite of it, you're dead to me! ROCK ON!!!*hugs*!!!

Deb, Sandy, And The Magical Beers

First of all, there were no magical beers...just so so many of them...

This was the weekend of Deb and Sandy in Toronto...and it was SOOOOOOOOO good to see them! Of course, Deb has written a detailed and awesome summary of her visit, but I felt like I wanted to give a shout out to my girls, because I had so much fun!!

I was lucky enough to get to hang with Deb on the Friday AND the Saturday, and Sandy and her girlfriend Linda on Saturday. A very fun group turned into a SUPER fun group once we added beer (and wine...and who knows what else...) and Morroccan food! The ladies were also very gracious to my mother (who was kind enough to spend a good deal of time telling Linda's daughter how she needed to live her life - while I mouthed "I'm so sorry!!" to the poor girl behind my oblivious mother's back...)

This time, I managed to give Sandy hugs goodbye without bursting into tears, so I feel like I'm growing as a person. Either that or I just knew I would be seeing her again in a few weeks and I'm just looking forward to that! And I am SO looking forward to that!!

Thank you ladies! For everything!!

Who Has 2 Thumbs And Got Stuck For the First Time Today?

THIS CHICK!!

I've been banded since January 2010, and this morning I got stuck for the first time! How do you people who have this happen all the time LIVE like that?? Seriously! Fuckin' OW!

It was undramatic. I woke up, and while I was making coffee, I ate a Triscuit. That's it. And ow ow ow! Just pain. I had a sip of water (which I figured was probably a bad idea, but...OW!), and after about 5 minutes, I felt it go down. But I'm still kind of sore and it happened about 2 hours ago. Weird.

So...I guess I really DO have a band...

Let's Talk About Apple Cider Vinegar

Have you heard about this? If you haven't, basically, the deal is that drinking 2 tbsp of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar with your meals helps you lose weight. I read about the hows and the whys, but really, that's the gist...what else do you really want to know, right? A weight loss claim has been made, and so now, I am powerless to resist its siren song!

I know that no matter how skinny I end up getting (should I ever start losing weight again), if I hear that something will magically help me lose weight, I will try it. Last time, it was matcha green tea. I was absolutely convinced that matcha was going to be THE THING that re-started my weight loss.

Well...matcha, it seems, is over-rated (although it is still very much all the rage with the cool, expensive-tea-drinkin' crowd). But I have much higher hopes for this apple cider vinegar thing. Because it's unpleasant. And things that are unpleasant always work, right?

So...yesterday, I went to the brand new Whole Foods. This is the first once anywhere near my 'hood, so I was understandably excited. I could spend an entire DAY in there! It was foodie heaven! I found not only spelt flour, but spelt PANCAKE MIX! Who cares if it was $11.99 for a bag of it? Spelt has awesome, catch-phrase-y health claims and you can't get it at the A&P...I am IN! And then, as I wandered the aisles, I found a giant bottle of raw, unfiltered, organic (!) apple cider vinegar. Actually, there were like 3 different brands to choose from! And I bought a giant bottle of it...and today is day one of Apple Cider Vinegarfest 2011!!!

I don't know how long this stuff is going to take to start melting the fat from my bones. I hope it's soon though, because sweet jesus, it's pretty gross. I figured I'd just use a shooter glass and shoot the 2 tbsp before each meal, but one website said to dilute it (and who am I to question what a random, health website tells me to do?)...which makes it much more difficult (and I'm a vinegar girl!)

Anyway...I throw myself on this sword not only for myself, but for all of you. You're welcome! Watch this space...

The Definition Of Irony

Losing 120lbs with a goal of finally being able to ride the big rides with your kid, only to realize that rides make you sick now. Yeah.

So here's a snapshot of my day: we walk into the park, and go straight over to the first big rollercoaster I ever rode. The Dragon Fire. There's almost no line...just enough of one so that I can get myself worked into a lather about not being able to fit. The reason I picked that one first was that I read the guidelines the night before and it said that larger guests might find that one difficult. My thinking was "if I can fit in that ride, the rest will be easy!" So as I'm standing there, eyeing other riders...mentally measuring their asses and comparing them to mine...my phone goes "bing!" I look at my phone...txt message from none other than Drazil telling me to get my skinny ass on a ride and that I'm gonna have room to spare. Well want to know something? Drazil has magic powers! Because I FIT!!! With room to spare!!!! I DID IT!! One big hill, 2 loops, a corkscrew, a turn and done. And after the victory...I felt like I wanted to barf. For real. But man...never has wanting to puke tasted so sweet! Drazil was the first person who knew I fit...I wasn't even down the ramp as I got her reply to "I DID IT!!!" She said: "I HAD NO DOUBTS!!!" It was pretty cool!

Every ride I tried, I fit. Even the ones for the little kids. I rode roller coasters that I haven't been on since I was in University, that I remember BARELY fitting on back then...no problemo!

The thing is...nausea notwithstanding...it was probably the biggest NSV so far. The one REALLY BIG concrete thing that I wanted to be able to do...and I got there! It's actually hard to comprehend, but I got there, and I am incredibly happy about it. There's a HUGE difference between not being able to ride the rides, and CHOOSING not to ride the rides. And my kid was THRILLED that I could go on the rides with him.

Everybody who sent me comments yesterday, and who sent me little behind the scenes emails checking up on me...I SO appreciated that! It made the victory extra awesome, because I know there are a bunch of amazing people who totally get it, and shared it with me!!

WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think Skinny-Butt Thoughts For Me!

Today is a really big day. Like huge. Every single weight loss attempt since I've had kids has been, ultimately, toward this goal: today I'm going to the amusement park.

Canada's Wonderland is a huge amusement park just outside of Toronto. If you're ever in town, it's right up there with any other park I've ever been to (including Cedar Point!) I've been going since it opened in 1981. And then, at some point, I got too fat to get on the rides. I wouldn't have even considered trying to get on one...I just knew it would be an exercise in futility and humiliation. There actually was a point where even just walking around the park was more than I could physically do. But today? I think (hope!!) I'm small enough to fit on the rides again. And so today...I'm hoping to take Canada's Wonderland back.

Just so you know? I'm effing terrified. Like started shaking a little bit as I typed that, and I kind of feel like I'm going to cry right now. So if you read this, keep me in your thoughts and send me skinny-butt vibes so I can finally ride a roller coaster with my kid!