New, and so happy to be here................

[beebird]

Hello, I happened on the article in First magazine yesterday. A Godsend, literally. I usually just pass by the magazines touting diet success, having yo-yo dieted for at least the past 35 years. But yesterday I was stuck in line, and flipped to the article on 'Let's Do Lunch'. When I saw the photo caption with a pound of frozen grapes I was sure it was a typo.......... Bought the magazine, read the article through and logged on to the website for the first time this morning. Haven't read much yet, because I keep having to dry the tears of joy and relief. The message boards are so wonderfully supportive and generous with encouragement and information. I can't thank you enough and I can hardly wait for my book to arrive. In the meantime, I'll be using the advice and recipes you have all so generously and freely offered.
Blessings and Thank you,
beebird

[sibelclair]

Welcome to the forum.

[patsyfay]

Welcome, beebird!  So nice to have you with us.  Your story sounds like that of so many others who have lost all the weight they wanted to on LDL.  IT's a great family.

Pat

[Gemini the Younger]

Hello everyone...

The article in First magazine is like a pebble dropped into a pond.  And as the ripples continue to form, there will come numerous postings from other newbies, who can only add "ditto" and "amen" to Beebird's eloquent introduction.  I, too, am touched and amazed at all the helping hands extended to new members by experienced Let's Do Luncher's.  It reminds me of the verse "...that's when I carried you," for that is what all of you experienced LDLers do when you take the time to share your experience and expertise with those of us new to the fold--you carry us until we learn the walk.  That is your gift to us.  Our gift to you is to "pay it forward" as we grow and learn; to welcome and teach other newbies just as you welcome and teach us.  That is a debt I cannot wait to start to repay.

Thank you!

[Gwennaford]

Gemini T Y - You are very eloquent and very welcome here.  Your ticker is distinctive, too!  Lovely signature.  You are obviously not new to message boards.  Most of us "Lunchers" are new to posting, so I'm SURE you'll be able to give u all some good advice to fine tune our chatting experience.

Again, Welcome to Let's Do Lunch.

[Gemini the Younger]

Do you know where my Living in the Leap is, Gwen?  My internal GPS locates it symbolically as that scary place between the high dive and the cool, clear water. That void midair where we contort and twist our bodies before we slice through the water, touch the bottom of the pool, and then break the surface with a victory grin, pumping our fists to the sky, knowing that we are winners, that we have finally beaten our fears and mastered our bodies.

I want to live in that place, Gwen.  I want to Live in the Leap...to make that leap of faith.  And that's what I'm doing at long last by committing myself to Let's Do Lunch.  And to the Lord's plans for me.  How does the old verse go?  "I will not fear tomorrow for God is already there."

As for my weight loss ticker which you mentioned, I don't use the drug but the site has such original tickers and markers that I couldn't resist putting mine together from that source.  I like to pretend that my marker is the little Heyoka Sacred Clown known as "the Straighten-Outer."  My poor little Sacred Clown's really got his work cut out for him where my figure is concerned! According to John Fire Lame Deer, author of Seeker of Visions, "The Straighten-Outer was always running around with a hammer trying to flatten round and curvy things--soup bowls, eggs, wagon wheels, etc--thus making them straight." I wish him luck! In fact I pray he succeeds with me! I'd love to be linear rather than Rubenesque, Zaftig, Bountiful--or whatever the current PC term is for a fat woman these days--even if it means taking a hammering from the Straighten-Outer (provided I'm happily slurping down icy cold watermelon chunks while he's at it!)

You made me laugh when you painted me as a computer/board pro.  (I'm the woman who not so long ago thought that RAM and ROM were the names of the orphan boys nursed by a wolf, who grew up to found the City of Rome!)  And you'll laugh when I tell you I actually registered three days ago, but it's taken me this long to figure out how to make a signature and post to the boards, and even then I put my first post in the wrong space--the one reserved for official updates and notices!  (Is there any way to move it?)  That you're reading this post at all is a tribute to my sister, Gemini the Elder, who is a computer pro as well as a patient teacher, and who, not so incidentally, introduced me to LDL. Sister girl, come out and introduce yourself to all of these nice people.


And now Gwen, you know than you ever wanted to about me...but I so enjoyed chatting with you.  And thank you again for all the good you do.

[EnJae]

Welcome Geminis (both the elder and the younger!)

[Gwennaford]

GemII - your visualy imagery is very powerful ! ! !   Though I would never have thought to describe it this way, I AM living in my "leap" -- this exhilirating time between discovering LDL as a 410 pound, sedentary, wheelchair-confined, chronically depressed, super-morbidly obese disabled person with no hopes or dreams, suffering torturous pain....................

       taking a leap of faith, deciding to trust the Lord instead of my own understanding      

..................and landing on two good legs, at a healthy weight, a physically fit, active, cheerful, fun, WALKING, RUNNING, AND JUMPING PERSON WITH TWO NEW KNEES, no bagging skin, and a host of exciting possibilities for the rest of my life.  

While I WILL reach these ultimate goals, I will always continue to live in the LDL leap until the Lord decides to move me on to the next big thing.

You are a much quicker study that I.  It took me a six months to figure out how to navigate this board (still know only the minimum & still learning) and a year to figure out how to post pics.  I'm going to steal your idea and change my ticker too.  

You can delete any of your posts by opening it and clicking on "Remove" in the upper right corner.  If you want to move it into a more appropriate section, you'll need to copy it first and then start a new topic in the section where you want it.  Paste the text into the large window and type a new name into the Subject window above.  However, I don't know if you can delete it if someone else has already replied to it.  Not sure about that.

I believe two P.C. terms for women are like us are "undertall" and "horizontally challenged".

Looking forward to meeting GemI


Gwen

[Gwennaford]

I loved it! 

I travelled all over the country during that time, working for a seismic oil exploration company.  In my off hours you would rarely find me without my platform sandals.  With my stubby little legs, it was the only way to keep my bell bottoms from dragging the ground.   

Therefore I especially appreciated the song lyrics:
"they got little baby legs...they stand so low... you got to pick 'em up... just to say hello.."

and

"they wear platform shoes...on they nasty little feet"

I felt like it was written about me and I thought it was hilarious.  I still like Randy Newman.  Thanks for the reminder of a fun time. 

I also enjoyed Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in the next decade.  My DD#1 was mortified when I ordered it from the Camelot Music where she worked.  LOL

[deeda]

Gosh, not only am I inspired I'm entertained!  You guys are funny!