01/18/07 11:53 - 28ºF - ID#37760
Boobs, and stuff
Yesterday I did some work on my project in the afternoon, then after the office closed went to spot. I love spot. Haven't been in ages. And first I saw (e:joshua), which was a pleasant surprise as I had just been thinking about how I hadn't seen him in ages, so it was nice to catch up. Then I saw a guy that graduated from my program a year or two ago, and he invited me out with 'the boys' tonight. Odd. Then I went across the street for a nice sushi dinner. Good stuff.
But to my point....
So, as some of you may or may not know, I have pretty big boobs. Not freakishly huge, but big enough that my size bras are always hidden away in the stores, and I usually can't wear the cute little sexy, trendy tops. But, I'm not a tiny person, so I think I'm more or less in proportion, and I'm ok with it. Most of the time. But I have been told a few times that I'm TOO big. (Who the hell tells a girl that?!) So there have been times when I've wondered if I'd benefit from a breast reduction. Or even just a lift.
So now I'm doing this research project... I'm studying breast reductions and complication rates, with the hypothesis being that the bigger the reduction (i.e. the more tissue removed), the higher the chance of wound-healing problems. Seems kind of intuitive, but somehow it doesn't seem to have been published before.
So I've been spending this week in a local plastic surgeon's office, going through the charts of all the breast reductions he's done over the last 5 years. I go through each chart and collect data, like height, weight, pre-op measurements, then amount of tissue removed in the OR, and then if they had any problems post-op.
And on the one hand, it's a little reassuring. These women NEEDED surgery. They make me feel downright perky. But after charting measurement after measurement after measurement- it started getting to me.
And when I got home last night, I couldn't help it and I measured myself. And I must say, was relieved to find that I don't think I'd qualify for surgery. And was pleasantly surprised to learn that I'm not even 'saggy' (ptotic) at all. Phew!**
But then it just got me thinking about society and culture and plastic surgery and expectations of women and physical ideals and all that good stuff...
I really enjoy plastic surgery. I think it's fascinating. But it's gotten to the point that if people ask what I want to do, I say "reconstructive surgery" (which is under the umbrella of plastics), because I am sick of people's reactions. If I say reconstruction, they all nod appreciatively like that's a good, noble thing for me to do. But if I say "plastics", there is inevitably a bit of a look-down-the-nose-in-judgment and a snarky comment about the money. (or a request for a boob job.) Sure, the money is great, or rather, will be great, I hope- but that's not my main motivator. I just LIKE what plastic surgeons do. It has its downsides- largely that you have to deal with a lot of crazy, vain women. And then the nasty stuff that no one realizes plastic surgeons do- a lot of wound care for complex ulcers, stinky necrotic bedsores, etc. But I like the cases. I think it's fascinating. And I like the people. I keep finding, over and over, that when I go into the OR with plastic surgeons- it's FUN. People laugh and joke and play music, as opposed to sour dour stressful "what artery is this? what nerve is that a branch of?" in a lot of the other fields. And a plastic surgeon I worked with at Roswell recently broke it down pretty well. He said in general surgery you learn operations. You do each procedure more or less the same way every time. But in plastics you learn techniques. A toolbox. And you have to figure out which ones to use where, and there's a little more problem solving and decision making involved, which I think is awesome. There are other aspects too, but I'll stop there.
The typical dichotomy in plastics is that cosmetic pays better, and reconstructive is more rewarding. Most people create their own balance depending on their own priorities.
Yes, cosmetic surgery is sort of fluffy and I don't know how I (will) feel about supporting my children by living off women's insecurities, or men's, I suppose- but at the same time, I think of the poor kid who has had stick out ears or a big honking nose for his/her whole life, and is miserable and the butt of jokes etc etc. If you can fix that for him/her, and improve his/her quality of life that much- is that not a valuable service, even though it is "only cosmetic"?
And the other thing I find interesting is that over the years 'standards' have been developed. I mean what is beauty? Can we define it and spell it out? Well apparently, yes. There are textbooks on the 'ideal' facial features, etc. What angle of the nose, etc, is "attractive", blah blah. Which I think is kind of amazing. That you can break it down in to parts and make a science out of it. And it's not just like one egotistical guy decided what was beautiful and said that's the definition. It's been studied. Kind of neat.
Ok, off to filter through more charts and collect more measurements...
-J
- In case I've made any of you girls out there insecure about your own breasts now, well first of all, I apologize, but here are some rule of thumb "golden rules" if you want to reassure yourself. The main measurement to consider is the sternal notch to nipple distance. Take a tape measure or a piece of string and measure from your sternal notch (that little V at the top of your breastbone) to your nipple, while standing up. A little difference between the two sides is pretty common. And a quick and dirty rule is that an equilateral triangle of 20cm per side from notch to nipple to nipple to notch is "ideal". I doubt too many people meet that. Depending on height/weight, once you start getting closer to 30 reduction MIGHT start to be reasonable. Some of the women whose charts I'm going through were 40+.
Permalink: Boobs_and_stuff.html
Words: 1265
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/17/07 11:48 - 20ºF - ID#37755
From the makers of Crack Spider...
Permalink: From_the_makers_of_Crack_Spider_.html
Words: 17
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/17/07 11:02 - 17ºF - ID#37742
letter from a friend
"anyway, I read an interesting letter in the book Mudra early songs and poems by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche a Tibetan that started Naropa Univ.......there is a letter from a Teacher(Patrul Rinpoche) to his friend, very funny depending on the translation (I think the one in Chogyam's book is the best), the following is a mix of translations, I think the one I have in book form is the BEST....I'll dig it up and send you the whole letter, but I remember one part that went something like....
You've studied hundreds of philosophies Without grasping any of them.
What's the point of further study?
You've studied without remembering
Anything when you needed it.
What's the point of contemplation?
Forget about your "meditation"!
It doesn't seem to be
The Cure for conflicting emotions
a few stanzas on....
Your girlfriend puts on a smiling face
But who knows what she really feels?
For one night of pleasure it's nine months of heartache.
You can spend a month trying to bed her and still not succeed.
It's really not worth all the scandal and gossip, So forget about her.
Giving teachings on meditation texts
Without yourself having
Gained actual experience through practice,
Is like reciting a dance-manual out loud
And thinking that's the same as actually dancing.
People may be listening to you with devotion,
But it just isn't the real thing.
Sooner or later, when your own actions
Contradict the teachings, you'll feel ashamed.
Just mouthing the words,
Giving dharma explanations that sound so eloquent-
Forget about it!
When you don't have a text, you long for it;
Then when you've finally gotten it, you hardly look at it.
Just sleep, eat, piss, shit.
There's nothing else in life that has to be done.
Don't get involved with other things:
They're not the point.
Keep a low profile,
Sleep.
In the triple universe
When you're lower than your company
You should take the low seat.
Should you happen to be the superior one,
Don't get arrogant.
When you're without any worldly or religious obligations,
Don't keep on longing to acquire some!
If you let go of everything-
Everything, everything-
That's the real point!"
Permalink: letter_from_a_friend.html
Words: 373
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/16/07 11:31 - 14ºF - ID#37731
more youtube nonsense
this one isn't synced so well, but it amuses me nonetheless. The original song is this bad disco thing... Prodigy is much funnier.
Watch long enough for the 'indian maidens' to come out. They're the best part. Well aside from mustache-man.
Permalink: more_youtube_nonsense.html
Words: 57
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/16/07 10:35 - 14ºF - ID#37720
Nice web, Mr. Crack Spider
Don't know how to post it inline, but go to the link. It's funny. I promise.
Spiders on drugs:
Permalink: Nice_web_Mr_Crack_Spider.html
Words: 48
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/16/07 10:01 - 19ºF - ID#37714
Holy shit! My virgin ears!
Who ever knew Charlie Brown had such a dirty mouth.
(not at all safe for work)
Permalink: Holy_shit_My_virgin_ears_.html
Words: 37
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/14/07 09:36 - 31ºF - ID#37689
random recap
And I went to New World to pick up my special order. First physical CD I've bought in ages. I got the "Verve//Remixed" box set. Cool stuff. It's like old jazz stuff (Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Astrud Gilberto) remixed by house DJs (Tricky, Felix da Housecat, Danger Mouse, Postal Service (!)). So far so good. A lot of it's pretty slow, almost trip-hop/ slow groove type of stuff. Stuff you might hear in a swanky lounge. Strikes me as excellent slow dance and/or make-out music. Too bad I have no one to slow dance and/or make out with.
But my user song is now Astrud Gilberto's "Who needs Forever" remixed by the Thievery Corporation. Give it a listen.
And, I got my new ipod. Yay. Gotta get that puppy loaded up. :) Now I have no excuse not to exercise. :/
On that note- around christmas time I realized my jeans were getting tight. So I decided to do something about it. And I am happy to say, I've lost 6lb since New Year's. And I say that not to brag, but to say that if I can do it- anyone can. To those of you that are wondering how to go about it- I heartily recommend weight watchers. I lost 25lb with them last year. Then I stopped paying attention, and some of it creeped back up. So 1/1 I started working on it again. And it works. It's not magic. I think the biggest thing about it is that it just makes you pay attention to what you eat, and be accountable for it. That in itself is huge. Anyway. Don't mean to be preachy. But that's my advice.
Now to get some music into my shiny new ipod. :)
-J
Permalink: random_recap.html
Words: 355
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/13/07 08:11 - 28ºF - ID#37675
my dad is too cute
So I opened it-
and here's what Dad sent me: (sorry, picture is fuzzy)-
Yes, that's right, it's Snakes on a Plane.
I don't really care about the movie. I just like the little picture he drew that looks like it was done by a 5 year old.
I don't know why I think that's so cute it's worth posting. Probably because I am the definition of Daddy's Little Girl.
I am super-tired. Work was insane last night. BGH got all worked up in a tizzy because they heard there was a 'gunshot wound to the chest' coming in- turns out it was a SHOCK to the chest (like for cardiac arrhythmias), not a SHOT. Thank god. I did not feel like dealing with a GSW last night.
We also took 25lb of fat off one one lady's belly. She'd lost 100lb, and had extra skin/fat hanging down to her knees- so bad she couldn't walk. So we fixed that. It was very bloody.
I am on vacation now. I should be excited, but I'm not really, since I can't afford to spend my time doing anything but studying. And I know I won't study enough.
The guy in Iraq is supposedly leaving Iraq I think tomorrow, but he hasn't been online at all since I talked to him last saturday. Bummer. I hope everything is ok.
I think I got booty-called last night. At least, what else could a voicemail from 1am saying "i'm on my way to the bar between our houses, wondering what you're up to" mean? I don't think that's ever happened to me before. Too bad I was at work. Or maybe, thank god I was at work.
Have not heard any good news on the interview front yet.
3 rejections. 49 places yet to respond. I'm starting to get nervous. :(
I am cold and tired and a little sick. I feel like I "have to" go out tonight, since it's saturday night, but I kind of feel like just cuddling up on the couch with season 2 of grey's anatomy, popcorn, and a cozy blanket. Fortunately Brad The Landlord fixed my broken outlet today. It required sawing through the floor of the attic and all sorts of craziness.
I think I will go iPod shopping tomorrow. That's sure to make me feel better, right??
Ok, enough random shit for now.
Have a good weekend peeps!
A
p.s. Tony! Wii Party!!
Permalink: my_dad_is_too_cute.html
Words: 446
Location: Buffalo, NY
01/11/07 08:55 - 28ºF - ID#37639
I've had kisses that make Judas...
First, an announcement:
Whoever stole my red gloves from PMT's at Tony's bday party:
YOU SUCK.
If you need gloves, I have plenty of other pairs I can give you. Hell I'll buy you new gloves. But I really wanted to wear those ones today.
Please give them back.
New user song today. Citrus, by the Hold Steady. They have some amazing lyrics. (maybe not these ones in particular.)
Hey citrus, hey liquor
I love it when you touch each other
Hey whiskey, hey ginger
I come to you with rigid fingers
I see Judas in the hard eyes
of the boys who worked in the corners
I feel Jesus in the clumsiness of young and awkward lovers
Hey bar roommate tavern
I find hope in all the souls you gather
Hey citrus, hey liquor
I love it when we come together
I feel Jesus in the clumsiness of young and awkward lovers
I feel Judas in the long odds of the rackets on the corners
I feel jesus in the tenderness of honest, nervous lovers
I feel Judas in the pistols and the pagers that come with all the powders
Lost in fog and love and faithless fear
I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere
Lost in fog and love and faithless fear
I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere
Ok, back to work. Time to snip some lips.
(I wish there was a barfing smiley).
Just kidding, gyne is doing that case, not surgery.
-J
Permalink: I_ve_had_kisses_that_make_Judas_.html
Words: 253
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: work
01/10/07 04:17 - 27ºF - ID#37628
Gross
I was checking the OR schedule online, so I have an idea of what I might be doing at work tomorrow, and look what I found-
REDUCTION LABIA - Location: BILATERAL
On a 21yo.
Lovely.
I've only heard about that. Never seen it done, never even been aware of it being done in any hospital I've been at. So here we go.
Permalink: Gross.html
Words: 80
Location: Buffalo, NY
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Sigh....
j/k
Keep the boobs, drop the guy who thinks they're too big.
Well, more accurately, I just can't avoid getting into discussions about them. (They kind of precede me everywhere I go.)
I have been struggling forever trying to find bras that fit. The only place I can consistently find cute bras my size is www.bravissimo.com --- but of course, they're British, and so the prices which to them are reasonable are not so reasonable to me once I factor in the exchange rate and the shipping. (The shipping's always like ten bucks. And if something doesn't fit, of course you can return it, but it's ten bucks to mail it back, and ten more bucks to get the replacement.)
I did just get a couple of really cute built-in-bra halter tops there. I justify the price tag by the fact that I have never seen a product anything like this :::link::: anywhere else. A US shirt with a "built in bra" means "shelf bra suitable for A/B cups".
And "full-figured" means, like, 38C. *rant rant rant*
By UK sizing (I don't even know my US size anymore, how sad is that? The only bras I've seen in stores or on US websites in my size have been the eight-hooks-in-the-back "padded comfort strap" great-grandma bras and your color choices are "white" or "nude") I'm a 36FF. Lemme go do your measuring thing.
Hm, is the "sternal notch" the notch between where your collarbones come together? If so... Eeeh, wow, I'm 30 cm on the dot. I'm not sure about the other measurement, but by my best efforts at measuring, my nipples are about an inch, 1.5 inches below the inframammary fold. But they're nowhere near the bottom of the breast.
I'd be self-conscious about it but I sort of wasted my entire teenage decade being self-conscious so I'm all out of self-conscious at the moment.
But even at my most self-conscious I've never even considered having a breast reduction. I've occasionally wished I didn't have boobs because shopping invariably reduces me to self-loathing tears (I *must* be a freak if there's a whole mall full of clothing and nothing that fits me) and sometimes boobs get in the way, but I've never had back pain, never had posture problems, never had shoulder pain (miraculous, given how poor the fit of most of my bras has been)-- they don't cause me any problems. I actually really do like them, most of the time. They're squishy and comfy, and not all that heavy really. I guess they just fit well with my shape-- I do know of many women who've really suffered, so I don't denigrate their problems at all.
(I have bought one bra from a US maker recently-- www.enell.com is a company owned by a large-breasted woman who just makes one model of bra, a very sturdy and well-designed and comfortable sports bra that means you *don't bounce*. I actually bought the bra from titlenine.com because they have a really good return policy and I wasn't sure about the fit, but I can tell you it's a great bra. If you don't mind hooks from solar plexus to collarbones... But it's really comfy and no bounce, and more importantly you're already squished so when somebody hip-checks you tits-first into the wall, you don't get horrible bruises. Which is what I really want from a sports bra.)
So, all these men who say breast reductions should be illegal?
Men rule the world, right, and run everything?
If you really want to support large-breasted women's desire to remain that way, then make sure bra retailers stock larger sizes in less self-conscious-making and more flattering fashions!
That's all I gotta say about that.
Also I should be able to just drive to the mall and buy this rather than having to order it from overseas. :::link:::
I've heard guys say that breast reductions should be illegal, that there's no such thing as too big, etc- but believe me. There is such a thing. Saw one chart today- they took 3,500g out of EACH side. That's like 8 POUNDS out of each side. That's a LOT. Generally >1000 is considered a pretty huge reduction.
But don't worry! Mine ain't goin' nowhere. ;) And even if they were, you can be sure it would be my decision, and not b/c of some guy. It's a big surgery, with big scars. You have to be sure you want/need it. But that said- most women I know that have had it done said it was the best thing they ever did.
but i guess thats a another story fer another time
Generaly what is really the most important is how proportional they are for the persons body. Everyone as they grow puts on weight. The question is where you put it on. Some girls all the fat cells in the but grow, some all the fat cells in the belly grow and some all the fat cells that grow are in their breasts. When I say all I really mean most of. So you sometimes have girls with a big stomach and huge titts but no ass and sometimes it is the other way around and sometimes the proportions are preaty close. I do understand that some people want to get a reduction for medical reasons and I can understand that. But a reduction or implants for how society judges you isn't right. It is one thing if you really feal bad about what you have, then yes sometimes changing things can help. But it is important to remember that you arn't a model with no tits and no ass, and you are not Jessica Alba or Carmen Elektra. Belive me Girls are not the only ones who feal self consicous about there appearance but there is no way I'm going to go into detail about the guys side on this blog.
You are right that there have been standards of beauty. But that is more by Hollywood and magazines. When it comes down to the indivual those standards verry a lot. Some guys have to have tall thin girls, some will only go out with c cups or better, so love Ethnic girls only. The only person who it really matters if they like what you look like is you.