Are you a long lost relative to me? I swear I can totally relate to your recent post! Fortunately I also have a platonic male friend who seems as smart as yours is...and he has given me some good advice the past couple of years. And now I am FINALLY listening to him. That's why I believe that when I am able to have WLS I will be better prepared to handle relationships. I can SOOOOOo relate to what you said about how hard it was for you to just say NO to that guy. There were times, I'm ashamed to admit, that I KNEW in my heart that a guy only wanted sex...but still I thought just maybe if I do it... This came after my first divorce. Married 8 years to the guy who took me to senior prom. We were both young and very inexperienced. I always thought he was the first guy to accept me as I was. But then one day, when our only son was about 3, my mother-in-law asked us when we were going to have another baby. Right in front of everyone, my husband said, "not until SHE loses some weight." I was hurt beyond belief! And at that time I was exercising, weighed less than 200 lbs. Within a year after that comment, a sexy neighbor man hit on me. I was so surprised! I had only been with 1 other boy before meeting my husband my senior year. Needless to say, I had a brief affair. But I soon ended the marriage myself because the guilt was killing me. After that divorce I used that time, or so I told myself, to sow the wild oats I hadn't had a chance to. In reality all I did was let myself be used, become more depressed and more obese. Bottom line of all this rambling, Kathryn...DO NOT LET ANY ONE, MALE OR FEMALE, DEFINE WHO YOU WANT TO BE. DO NOT LET LONLINESS OR INSECURITY CAUSE YOU TO LOWER YOUR STANDARDS. TRUST THE LITTLE VOICE YOU HEAR, LISTEN TO IT. IT WILL SAVE YOU SO MUCH FUTURE HEARTACHE. And for me, PATIENCE has been the key. I hope I have said at least one thing that may be of some help. Take care AMOS friend. - Anna