As Bushie's World Turns (The Update Thread)

[The Mikado]

Remember to make sure your vaccinations are all up to date.  A friend of my parents' once came down with malaria after she visited Africa.

[The Mikado]

Like I said before, make sure you're up on all your shots.

[The Mikado]

It may not be a Biblical phrase per se, but the Bible does say that God helps those who helps themselves.

Benjamin Franklin is the Bible?

(Point taken, though)

[The Mikado]

I'm proud of where I've come since last November.  I'm down 25-30 pounds from my peak of 285.0 that was hit on 14 November 2011, just two days after what likely was a minor heart attack on 12 November 2011.  I've fallen off the bandwagon in the past 3 or 4 months.  I'm determined to get back on the bandwagon.  The only thing I'm still doing right is not drinking regular soda, except on a rare occasion.  I am now drinking Diet Dr Pepper, Sprite Zero, an occasional glass of milk, and good ole' water!  I am currently in the process of lowering the soda intake and raising the water intake.  If I can get them to at least be even with one another in consumption, I'll be doing well.  Next thing I need to do is eat at the house.  Even if its not the healthiest food, its still better than consuming a half pound or a 2/3 pound grease bucket otherwise known as a hamburger and better than consuming those large death sticks (otherwise known as french fries).  Those are okay once in a while, but that's it, once in a while, not once a day or really even once a week.  I'll start with the dieting for now, and then as the temperatures start cooling down late this summer heading into the fall, I'll start getting outside and walking.  Right now, I weigh ~260.0, my goal is to be at least 245 by my doctor's appointments at the end of September and the beginning of October.  Beyond that, my goal is to be down to 235 by Thanksgiving and 225 by New Year's.  I'm not going to make any goals beyond that for now as I don't want to get discouraged if I'm not on track toward that goal.  The only reason I won't get outside now is we're entering a stretch of 103-107 degree heat that has no real end in sight.

Bushie, you want to lose 15 pounds by the end of September, right?  You've been promising and promising to improve yourself, and then reneging on those promises, disappointing all the good folks here that have gotten involved with your story and really want to help you.  One could almost say your constant moves towards doing something good, then not, are trolling the audience.

Proposal on that front: that this is now time to put up or shut up.  Over the next two moths between now and September 30th, you reduce your weight to 245 lbs.  If you are unsuccessful in doing so, I will give your posts in this thread 50 infraction points and get you on Mod Review.

I am doing this not because I don't like you (I do like you, and think you're a good person), but because, like the rest of the good folks here, I'm concerned about you.  I realize this isn't much encouragement, but it's the most I have the power to do, and I sincerely hope you succeed.

[The Mikado]

It's on the line to give you encouragement.  We want you to succeed.

Even if you fail, a period of mod review isn't the end of Forum life, either.  You'll be back in action in just over a week.

The point is that constantly saying you're going to lose the weight and not doing so, and disregarding all of the assistance offered you in this thread, is, in a very real sense, trolling the forum.

For the record I'm 100% confident that if you try, you can get yourself to 245 by September 30th, and I wouldn't have made this challenge if I wasn't.

[The Mikado]

I'm fine with this thread being locked for now, but come September 30th, I'm fully holding you to give us an update on your weight.  Moving is a big deal, but it's no excuse.  This is your health at stake.

[The Mikado]

Are you still going to the IHOP?

Not near as often.  When I went this past Monday, it was the first time I had gone in a couple months.

Good cause the threat to ban you for being a fat still exists, no?

At least mod review, yes.  The criteria for avoiding the 50 death points was 25 pounds.  I've got 6 weeks left and I have lost 15 pounds.  It's been more difficult with my mother being in the hospital this week, and because of that, I'm still going out, but I'm just getting a singly patty burger with no cheese and no fries.  I started at 264, and I'm down to 250.  So, I guess that's 14 pounds to be exact.

Ah, ok, mod reivew......but Mikado's a serious man (except when he's drinking and whoring around), so get to losing the weight

I'll outdrink my counterpart any day.

...No comment.

Anyway, I am dead serious about BushOK's weight.  September 30th.  245 pounds.

And no, falling below 245 between now and then but going back over it by the target date doesn't count.

[The Mikado]

Are you still going to the IHOP?

Not near as often.  When I went this past Monday, it was the first time I had gone in a couple months.

Good cause the threat to ban you for being a fat still exists, no?

At least mod review, yes.  The criteria for avoiding the 50 death points was 25 pounds.  I've got 6 weeks left and I have lost 15 pounds.  It's been more difficult with my mother being in the hospital this week, and because of that, I'm still going out, but I'm just getting a singly patty burger with no cheese and no fries.  I started at 264, and I'm down to 250.  So, I guess that's 14 pounds to be exact.

Ah, ok, mod reivew......but Mikado's a serious man (except when he's drinking and whoring around), so get to losing the weight

I'll outdrink my counterpart any day.

...No comment.

Anyway, I am dead serious about BushOK's weight.  September 30th.  245 pounds.

And no, falling below 245 between now and then but going back over it by the target date doesn't count.

How will you know what his weight really is?

He's a good Christian man, I don't suppose he'd blatantly lie to us.

That being said, I was thinking I'd request a picture of his scale.

[The Mikado]

Inks, don't sweat it.  I've gotten rid of whole threads accidentially.  Buttons are close together and all.

[The Mikado]

Tell jamespol his favorite dumbfock says hi.

[The Mikado]

Opebo, you said that teachers get $30,000 a year and that the starting salary is well below $30,000.  In some areas, it may be below $30,000, but that's not what you said.

That table was also for minimum training.

As the other chart showed, the lowest average starting salary was $32,180 and that was for South Dakota.

Also, Jeff, they make a lot more than "burger flippers at McDonald's".  If we assume the burger flipper gets paid $8/hour and works 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, he'd make $16,640, less than half of what the average starting teacher makes in Oklahoma (which is $35,880).

Inks, you know perfectly well that a median average means that 50% of new teachers make below said figure.

Whatever happnened to the thread of mod review if Bushie fails to lose x pounds? Has the time elapsed yet? I would love an update on this particular subplot.

Deadline is two weeks from now.

[The Mikado]

BushOK: how's the weight?

[The Mikado]

Mikado, is there any way I can start my mod review on Thursday, October 4?  I want to post actively during Wednesday's debate.  So, could you impose it on Thursday morning, please?  I would greatly appreciate it.

Because you're honest and facing your punishment like a man, I'll be fine with waiting until Thursday. 

Anyway, was curious as to what you ended up at.  Again, this isn't me being hard on you, it's really important for you to lose some of that gut so that you don't die by the time you're 40.  I think this is an interesting experiment: I don't plan on doing it again.  Anyway, you'll be put on mod review Thursday morning and get off it again in a week.

[The Mikado]

Just remembered this, one sec.  Let me know if you want another go sometime, Bushie, and I'd be happy to, in case you thought that the added pressure will be helpful.