What's the story behind your profile picture?

My picture was taken in 2004. As I was getting ready for work one morning, my then 5 year old daughter happened along and told me she thought I looked beautiful. I took that as an absolute complement because in her 5 year old mind I was being compared to all of the Disney Princesses. She asked if she could take my picture with my cell phone and I let her. Then she said something that took my breath away...she said I looked "happy from the skin" ... and said she was glad I was over with being sad about her dad. In early 2004 I had asked my husband for a divorce. I wanted it. And even though it was the right thing for my family and I initiated it, I wasn't happy about it although I thought I had been putting on a brave face for the sake of my kids. But I guess they could see through me. When this picture was taken I guess I was finally starting to feel more secure about the decision I had made that affected so many of us. It's 7 years later and we've all adjusted. I took a stand in '04 and changed the ending of what will one day be 'my story' and I have no regrets.

My picture is a logo in remeberance of the "Charleston 9" firefighters who were killed in the line of duty on June 18, 2007. I personally knew 2 of these guys and I knew several of the firefighters that were there.

From Wikkipedia (more information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_Sofa_Super_Store_fire)

The fire occurred at the Sofa Super Store, which was composed of a 42,000 ft² (3,902 m²) single-story steel trussed showroom building with a 17,000 ft² (1,579 m²) warehouse building located behind the retail space,[1] located at 1807 Savannah Highway in the West Ashley area of Charleston. The building had no fire sprinkler system , due in part to the exorbitant cost for the service, provided by the City of Charleston Commissioners of Public Works. Soon after this fire the cost was dramatically reduced. The fire started at approximately 7:00 p.m. in a covered loading dock area built between the showroom and warehouse buildings which was attached to both buildings.[2] At the time, the business was still open and employees were present. Charleston firefighters arrived on the scene just three minutes after the alarm, followed soon after by firefighters from the St. Andrews Public Service District.

The initial attack focused on extinguishing the fire in the loading dock area, with a secondary effort to search for and evacuate civilians, and to prevent the fire from spreading to the showroom and warehouse. Crews entering the showroom reportedly initially encountered clear visibility with only very light puffs of smoke visible near the ceiling at the back of the showroom. Shortly thereafter, an exterior door was opened near where the fire was raging. Efforts to close the door failed, allowing the fire to enter the showroom. Firefighters were ordered to stretch two hose lines into the showroom to attack the spreading fire, however the pre-connected hose line from one of the units was too short, requiring some firefighters to again exit the building to add additional sections of hose and leaving only one small handline to hold back the growing fire. At about this time, fire dispatchers advised the crews on-scene that they had received a 9-1-1 call from an employee who was trapped in the warehouse, which required some firefighters to direct their attention to the rescue. The trapped employee was eventually rescued by firefighters who breached an exterior wall to reach him.[3]

Despite efforts to confine and extinguish the fire, it continued to spread into the structure and ignited furniture in the showroom, growing more quickly than the few operating hose lines could control before additional water could be applied to the fire, however efforts to stretch and begin operating additional hose lines continued.[3][4] At 7:41 p.m. the showroom area of the store experienced a flashover while at least sixteen firefighters were still working inside. The flashover contributed to the rapid deterioration of the structural integrity of the building, leading to a near-complete collapse of the roof just minutes later. Many of the firefighters caught in the flashover were unable to escape and were trapped under the collapsed roof and shelving weakened by the fast-spreading fire. Several calls for help were made by trapped firefighters and efforts to rescue them were commenced. These efforts proved unsuccessful. By the time the fire was brought under control, nine Charleston firefighters had lost their lives.

The fire started during waning rush hour traffic, and the Sofa Super Store site was on a major business and commuter artery feeding the suburbs and shopping centers of Charleston. Car traffic continued unabated for many critical minutes in the initial stages of the fire, driving over water supply lines and contributing to severe water supply problems, as the supply lines snaked from surrounding blocks up to a half-mile away from the center of the fire. Eventually automobile traffic on Savannah Highway was stopped so that water pressure would be more consistent, the traffic diversion causing the surrounding neighborhoods to fill with stranded commuters and onlookers. As the fire diminished and appeared contained, nearing 11:00 p.m., surrounding neighborhoods began to clear and onlookers went home, most unaware of the loss of life during the blaze.

According to Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten, the firefighters died of a combination of smoke inhalation and burns, but not from injuries sustained from the collapse itself.[5] It was the greatest single loss of firefighters in the United States since 343 firefighters were lost in the collapse of the World Trade Center which resulted from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It was also the deadliest fire in the state of South Carolina since 11 people died in a blaze at the Lancaster County jail in 1979.[6]

Those answering their last alarm:
Captain Louis Mulkey
Captain Mike Benke
Firefighter Melven Champaign
Captain William "Billy" Hutchinson
Engineer Bradford "Brad" Baity
Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton
Engineer Mark Kelsey
Engineer Michael French
Firefighter Brandon Thompson

My original was Wile E Coyote holding up a sign that reads "help" which is what I felt like when I started to take care of myself. My current one is Wile E Coyote doing what Charlie Sheen would call winning since I've lost 29 lbs since starting taking care of myself and I feel a whole let better about myself physically and mentally.

I'm jealous! I wish my profile picture story was that whimsical. It sounds like you were in a beautiful place and having a wonderful experience.

In my current profile picture I had just come back from video taping a big event. I hadn't been out in the field shooting for a couple weeks. I felt strong that day. I was able to move the camera more freely and easily and carry it around for longer periods of time. When I walked around the event I was shooting I didn't feel like the fat girl holding the camera. I didn't feel like all eyes were on me because I was struggling to get shots. I felt like all the hard work I ha put in up to that point was really paying off in my strength and endurance alone. And on that day- it showed.

When I got back to the office to unpack the equipment I took a picture because- I FELT GOOD!

smoking a sheesha pipe in Egypt, getting bit by mosquitos

my picture is one that a friend of mine made of me.. i call it my before and in between pic. i now weigh less than i did in the pink shirt! the difference between the two pictures is -54 pounds. it motivates me to keep on going and live a healthy lifestyle for ME, my fiance, future step-daughter, family...

My first picture is at a company picnic Aug 2010, doing the water balloon toss. The second is showing my weight loss since that time.

Standing on a rock at Half Moon Bay in Cali. I went with a "Come At Me Bro" pose.

my pic was taken in montego bay jamaica and my sister was the photographer at my cousins wedding. She took this picture and then did some work to it. It is her favorite picture of me. I think she is very talented. She softened me up.

That's me after a 4 mile hike at San Tan Mountain Park a couple weeks ago... feeling very Zen, and looking very flushed.

Mine was my turning point. It was taken on holiday last year in France, with some lovely friends of ours and some others we had made whilst there too, sat around many pushed together camping tables, sipping wine, eating wonderful food, listening to the river. When we got home and I saw the photo of myself I was at once reminded of what a wonderful time it was, and horrified at how big I looked - the biggest ever in fact. That was when I started my weight loss journey. I keep it as my profile picture as a constant reminder of why I am doing this. Oh, and we're going back there in a couple of months time, meeting the same friends that we haven't seen in a year - I soooo want them to say 'wow, you look amazing'! :-)

On Liberty Island last year. For our 20th anniversary we went to New York for a week. I had always want to see Lady Liberty so this was amazing for me!

This is a pic of me with my son! He is such a good boy!!!!

My picture right now is my reason for getting up every day and trying my hardest to be the best everything i can be. The others on my profile are me proving it

oh, and mine i love!! b/c it is the first picture of me and my son with him smiling!!! It drove me crazy how he would never smile in pics with me, but he would with everyone else! but this past weekend we had some pics taken and he did!! I love him!