Secular Confessions

[The10Eels]

they did a postmortem spinal fluid analysis

[AmeriBrit]

Oh, gosh, Ashley, I'm so sorry to hear that. That's just seems so cruel. :( How are you and the rest of your family doing?

[Bridget]

Oh Ash! How devastating! I'm so sorry.

Myles, what you say makes a lot of sense. Dbf couldn't be more alpha. And it is his manly manliness that attracted me to him in the first place. Added to the fact that he overcompensates for being very insecure. I think he wishes I was a starry eyed sensitive chick as well.

I cannot believe your ex references you in the book! That would make me crazy!

[Cosmosmom]

My ex is a sort of dating "expert". It's how he makes his living anyway (and that includes using episodes from our relationship as chapters in his books where I'm the cautionary tale). As much as I disagree with his interpretation of our relationship, he still makes some great points (and I am grateful at least he doesn't mention me by name). One of his essays has to do with the tradeoff between masculine traits and feminine sensitivity in a guy - how it's very rare to find them both in a man. From what I've observed that's unfortunately pretty true. The more "strong and take-charge" a guy is - two arguably desirable traits, the less nuanced he is when it comes to emotions. Anyway, I guess the takeaway is that it's apparently unrealistic to expect both in your male mate. Is your man a bit of an "alpha" type, bridget?
.
I would agree with that (though how interesting that an ex uses you as examples :eyebrow:). But yeah I would generally put my DH into the more sensitive group, which is really great. We talk about feelings a lot and he will let me know if his are hurt and says I love you all the time and will even cry when there is a good enough reason (doesn't cry as easily as say me). he is so sweet and cute....he was emotionally spent after watching a girly movie like Time Traveler's Wife (though he likes more guy movies too!) but is he NOT what I would call strong or take charge at all. I called him first, I asked to be bf/gf first, I started the first kiss, I push for things that involve change or spending money. I would say that I am probably the boss of the relationship and the stronger of the two (not physically of course). he is the boss of the money...but really because I let him.
I wouldn't mind some more take charge in him....BUT I love the sensitive side and wouldn't want to give that up.

[demigraf]

they did a postmortem spinal fluid analysis

Just wow. What is wrong with our health care system today that they didn't do this before she passed away?

[demigraf]

And now for the clumsy transition to a completely separate (and entirely goofy) topic, I've been meaning to share this with all the BSG fans we have in the room for awhile now:

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp276/bellycatessin/wehaveacylonhelikestoparty.jpg

We have house Cylon!! He lives on top of our chimney and swivels around in the wind, making this totally cool sci-fi sound effect.

In fact, practically every house in my town has a Cylon on the roof. I finally got around to snapping a photo and posting it online. I'm gonna love him, and pet him and call him Eli.

:laugh:

And while we're on the subject, I might as well share that DH and I have a little song we've sung ever since Season 1 of BSG. It goes like this:

(*** sung in a robot voice and with clapping ***)

I am a Cylon
I like to party
Oooh-oooh

I am a Cylon
I rock my body
Ooooh-oooh

I made it up, but DH gets all funky to it when he dances along.

On the spectrum of "Sensitive & emotionally intelligent" ----> to ----> "strong and take charge", I wonder where "dances enthusiastically to wife's songs about humanoids" falls? LOL.

[Bridget]

:ohno:
Ash, :hugs:
How is your mom?

[AmeriBrit]

Myles, you crack me up, woman! I kind of cheated on the BSG thing and read all the episode synopsi on the SyFy website because I was impatient to know what happened....but I'm still watching the real show, of course.

[Cosmosmom]

Oh Ash, how awful. I'm so sorry that they didn't realize it was guillian-barre in time. I know that it's very rare with only 1-2 in 100,000 so many docs might not ever see it in practice....but I am kind of surprised that they never did a spinal tap.

[missychrissy]

My ex is a sort of dating "expert". It's how he makes his living anyway (and that includes using episodes from our relationship as chapters in his books where I'm the cautionary tale).

I don't know whether to laugh at this or be annoyed at him. I suppose I'm a little of both, and now very curious about his take of you. :P


I confess we got a diagnosis as to my aunts myserious illness today. ( a week after she passed).

It was Guillain-Barre Syndrom, and the kicker -- totally treatable if caught in time.

It has the same symptoms as her MS, so they had no clue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain%E2%80%93Barr%C3%A9_syndrome

Oh Ash, no! :(


Just wow. What is wrong with our health care system today that they didn't do this before she passed away?
And this. It makes me so angry.

[Bridget]

On the spectrum of "Sensitive & emotionally intelligent" ----> to ----> "strong and take charge", I wonder where "dances enthusiastically to wife's songs about humanoids" falls? LOL.
:laugh::laugh: I guess it falls in the spot that allows him to be a **** sometimes and get away with it. I love that! You guys are cute.

[Ky'sMom]

I am sorry. Poor Savana - to feel so sad to lose something and then to be judged as bad for feeling sad. Ugh. That breaks my heart. I hope she never feels like her feelings are not valid.

I was thinking the same thing. Poor Savana.


I confess we got a diagnosis as to my aunts myserious illness today. ( a week after she passed).

It was Guillain-Barre Syndrom, and the kicker -- totally treatable if caught in time.

It has the same symptoms as her MS, so they had no clue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain%E2%80%93Barr%C3%A9_syndrome

So sorry they did not do the spinal find out before she passed. I hope your mom is doing okay.


Myles, what you say makes a lot of sense. Dbf couldn't be more alpha. And it is his manly manliness that attracted me to him in the first place. Added to the fact that he overcompensates for being very insecure. I think he wishes I was a starry eyed sensitive chick as well.

My DH is the same Bridget and I was also attracted to his manly manliness LOL. I actually say that to him sometimes, that he is my manly man and his manly manliness is very strong on a particular day. He thinks I'm nuts. But he is also very alpha male and is always trying to fix things and is kind of ignorant about emotions and feelings. He will turn off a movie or something we are watching together if it gets emotional, touchy-feely things make him uncomfortable. My DH has admitted that he wishes I were more of an old fashioned love your man all the time, do whatever he says, agree with everything he thinks kind of a woman. But I am nothing like that at all.

Even if your DBF is a manly man, I don't like what he said to Savana about her egg. He should have just left her alone or offered to give her a hug and tell her it was okay. My manly DH melts away a lot of his ruggedness with Elle, he is very sensitive with her and I'm happy that she has that affect on him.

Erin

[demigraf]

I don't know whether to laugh at this or be annoyed at him. I suppose I'm a little of both, and now very curious about his take of you. :P



Yeah, I can totally laugh about it now. However, it was a little irritating to read about myself through his lenses, especially since he got it so completely wrong, and had obviously bought into his own distorted version of events. It was also infuriating because I could almost feel him trying to continue the argument with me ... years after we'd broken up.

My version of the story is that we were at my aunt's 60th birthday party. A bar was set up right next to the stage, and guests were getting up on it to make roasts and toasts and sing songs for my aunt. In the meantime, the Ex had his back turned to the room, visibly trying to charm the 50-something lady bartender into giving him some free drinks. It was a small crowd, and it was very distracting and rude, the way he was ignoring all that was happening on the stage, but right there. His behavior caused a stir the next day with my family, with my dad and grandmother both telling me I needed to talk to him about it. Somehow, all that was lost in his book version. In his story, I was the insecure and jealous girlfriend, unable to stand even the sight of him talking to "granny"... as if he had been trying to get into her "sweet social security checks".

I think it was my fault for buying the book and reading it anyway. I returned the book to the bookshop the morning after reading it the night before. I also stopped anonymously frequenting his advice blog. Not so much because he bugged me (which he sometimes did with anecdotes he'd tell his readers that I knew falsely represented me), but because his followers started to get on my nerves.

I do believe in the old addage about not peeking "into a keyhole lest ye be vexed". I peeked into a keyhole and I got vexed. Lesson learned. :winks:

[daylilies]

LOL at the roof Cylon and the song :)
I'm so sorry about your aunt, Ash :(

[girlwonder]

I'm sorry, Ashley. It must feel terrible to know that now.

[Gwenn]

Ashley, I am so sorry to hear about your aunt. How is your mother handling this?

On the subject of men, my DH is a very take-charge, traditional type guy and lots of times I feel like he completely misses my emotions. For example, last night I was irritated about my sister and when I came to bed I was ranting (just a little) about it. Instead of just hearing me out, he kept asking me to stop mid-rant, which made me more irritated and I just wanted to rant more.

But - we were in the grocery store this weekend and as we were walking by the dairy case I noticed a young man in a wheelchair. I almost stopped to ask him if he needed help but looked like he knew what he was doing and I didn't want to offend him. A minute or 2 later I heard him ask DH if he would get him a carton of eggs because he couldn't reach into the case. DH went through and opened 2-3 egg cartons to check for broken eggs and find just the right one to give to the man. I'm not ashamed to admit I almost cried watching it. So far a manly man he has a great sensitive side. So long as he's not tired and irritable.

[girlwonder]

Hey Mandy - I came across this blog the other day and I don't know why, but I thought you would be interested in it. Maybe because you work with people who have issues with communication.

http://mindpop.net/

[Gwenn]

Very cool, Katy! Thanks for sharing!

[daylilies]

I always hesitate to help people in wheelchairs too unless they're obviously struggling. I'm not in a wheelchair but having gone to a number of summer camps and support groups with peers and adults who were, or who needed crutches, I know they can be fiercely independent and sometimes in denial of their different needs. They don't want to be pitied or treated differently, but sometimes the extra hand or a taller person is nice.

[daylilies]

Oh by the way I completely forgot Josh's spring pictures were today. Between his week off being sick and then vacation last week I completely forgot when it was. He went to school wearing a black long sleeved shirt that says Choo Choo and has a train on it. Really spring-like, right? LOL

[Gwenn]

I always hesitate to help people in wheelchairs too unless they're obviously struggling. I'm not in a wheelchair but having gone to a number of summer camps and support groups with peers and adults who were, or who needed crutches, I know they can be fiercely independent and sometimes in denial of their different needs. They don't want to be pitied or treated differently, but sometimes the extra hand or a taller person is nice.

Yes, that's my experience, too. I'm happy to help but I'm hesitant to step in unless I know it would be welcomed.

[girlwonder]

I simply ask if someone needs any help if it looks like there might be some difficulty (kids, disability, elderly, whatever). I worked at the MS Society when I was younger and one of the clients there said that was how she liked it to be handled. That she should be asked politely if she needed help and she would answer according to her need. I don't think I've ever had anyone be rude to me. But maybe I have just been lucky?

[Gwenn]

No one has been rude to me, but many have a very independent spirit and don't like it when people think they aren't capable of doing something they do every day. They don't mind you offering to help, but sometimes they're a little hurt that you thought they needed help. People vary, of course, I've known some who are just the opposite.

[missychrissy]

I do believe in the old addage about not peeking "into a keyhole lest ye be vexed". I peeked into a keyhole and I got vexed. Lesson learned. :winks:

No kidding. He sounds like one of those guys that can justify any of their behavior, no matter how inappropriate or hurtful it is.


On the subject of men, my DH is a very take-charge, traditional type guy and lots of times I feel like he completely misses my emotions. For example, last night I was irritated about my sister and when I came to bed I was ranting (just a little) about it. Instead of just hearing me out, he kept asking me to stop mid-rant, which made me more irritated and I just wanted to rant more.

Ouch! I'm hyper-sensitive to that sort of thing.

It was nice of him to look for a good dozen for that guy though.


No one has been rude to me, but many have a very independent spirit and don't like it when people think they aren't capable of doing something they do every day. They don't mind you offering to help, but sometimes they're a little hurt that you thought they needed help. People vary, of course, I've known some who are just the opposite.

That's what I got from my Americans with Disabilities class...the lesson I learned was it's best to not offer assistance unless it's really clear that they need help.

[girlwonder]

I don't ask someone who is obviously either capable or determined to do it themselves. Only those who are visibly frustrated or with body language somehow are communicating that they are open to help.

[missychrissy]

That's what I try to do too.

[Gwenn]

I don't ask someone who is obviously either capable or determined to do it themselves. Only those who are visibly frustrated or with body language somehow are communicating that they are open to help.

Yes, I try to look for that, too. That makes the most sense to me. If I see someone who is showing that body language, I will offer to help.

[daylilies]

I'm seriously about to ask this chick on twitter what is wrong with her. NKOTB and the Backstreet Boys are performing together on Dancing with the Stars and all she can do is ***** about it.
I'm not looking forward to hanging out with this girl on the cruise and I'm afraid to ask any of the other girls what they think of her for fear of them turning around and telling her I don't like her. She's so freaking negative.

[missychrissy]

Oh no Kate :( I hope she doesn't ruin the trip for you. I doubt she'll get away with being that negative in front of everyone though without looking like the ass. Maybe she's just having a bad day?

[daylilies]

Nope, nearly every single thing she says on twitter is negative. and she uses it quite a bit. It's either about not losing any weight (she has lost something like 165 lbs but I guess she's going for that last 10 or whatever), or something negative about the backstreet boys, and I don't think she understands that supporting the new kids doesn't have to mean bashing somebody else...I really hope that if she's like that on the cruise, somebody who is closer friends with her will speak to her. I've only met her once.

[daylilies]

Oh, and something that kind of makes me :rolleyes: is that she won't fit into her cruise clothes if she doesn't lose like 3 more lbs...and I just don't understand that because she's so tall, and skinny already, how the heck is 3 lbs going to make a difference?

[daylilies]

I don't usually talk behind people's backs like this, but I just have to get it out. I was on twitter exchanging messages with friends during DWTS and she just wouldn't stop. I was seriously about to message her but I know I'd regret it. Don't want to start drama.

[missychrissy]

She sounds like a piece of work. 3 lbs isn't going to make her suddenly fit in those clothes. She's delusional if she believes that.

If she's uber annoying, just do your best to avoid her as much as you can.

[daylilies]

Yeah, I don't respond to her when she's negative, and I try to engage her in positive conversation when I can. Who knows what kind of body issues or other issues she has. =/

[missychrissy]

And it's ok Kate, we know you're not catty. I totally believe she must be one of those that has to complain 24/7--one of the types we complained about in general. They're just exhausting to be around. I really hope she doesn't ruin your cruise for you.

[daylilies]

Actually I am, I talk about you secular girls all the time. "I can't believe what my heathen friends said today..." ;)

[missychrissy]

:lol: lmao!!!

[Gwenn]

Actually I am, I talk about you secular girls all the time. "I can't believe what my heathen friends said today..." ;)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Bridget]

Oooh, I wish more people would refer to me as their "heathen friend".

[Gwenn]

I don't know if any of you care, but I downloaded Scrivener (a writing program for my mac) and it's the coolest.thing.ever. I'm in love. Sorry, just had to share.

[daylilies]

Neat Gwenn! What does it do?

[missychrissy]

I don't know if any of you care, but I downloaded Scrivener (a writing program for my mac) and it's the coolest.thing.ever. I'm in love. Sorry, just had to share.
I've never heard of it...and that's pretty sad when you think the English Dept is one that I support. And...they're writers! lol

[missychrissy]

So Jesi was told by a teacher than she wasn't allowed to have her mohawk as it was a distraction. She piped right up and said that was discriminatory because another boy had had one for months and the same teacher never said a word to him about it. She said, "You just have that attitude because I'm a girl."

I don't like my kids mouthing back to their teachers, but in this case I think she was justified. He didn't say any more about it, and couldn't. The charter school doesn't have any dress code except to keep the private bits covered.

[daylilies]

I think Jesi was right, too.
I just got back from getting waxed :) I only got upper leg and bikini wax (just the edges) It really wasn't terrible, but I have some spots that don't have much feeling due to spina bifida, so I can see where it might be agony for an average person.

[missychrissy]

I soooo want to have it done too Kate. I'm chicken though. And cheap. But there's no way in heck I'm gonna try that myself.

[The10Eels]

Oh, gosh, Ashley, I'm so sorry to hear that. That's just seems so cruel. :( How are you and the rest of your family doing?


Just wow. What is wrong with our health care system today that they didn't do this before she passed away?


:ohno:
Ash, :hugs:
How is your mom?


Oh Ash, how awful. I'm so sorry that they didn't realize it was guillian-barre in time. I know that it's very rare with only 1-2 in 100,000 so many docs might not ever see it in practice....but I am kind of surprised that they never did a spinal tap.


Ashley, I am so sorry to hear about your aunt. How is your mother handling this?



Thanks everyone.. The spinal tap was on the list of things to do, but they had to call a specialist in to do it because of the metal rods/plates she had in her back due to breaking her back in her car accident two years ago.

I guess the specialist didn't make it into town before the neurologist report came back that she had no brain muscle reaction.


I didn't talk to my aunt a whole lot, so it hasn't really affected me as of yet. My mom is pretty quiet about it, but I know she is upset. They are having a Celebration of Life for her on Friday, in their Michigan hometown, and my mom won't be able to attend

[daylilies]

Hugs Ash :( :hugs:

[missychrissy]

Ash, that's truly heartbreaking.

[demigraf]

chrissy - Go Jesi! she's absolutely right. :thumbsup:

ashley - I'm sorry that your mom is very upset about your aunt. It's perfectly natural for her to miss her sister, and I hope she gets comfort from you and her adorable granddaughters.

mandy - I had to Google Scrivener, and now am thinking it would have been perfect for something like the 80 page document that I'd created last month, since it was full of text, and diagrams and graphics. Now I'm looking into getting one for the next project. Thanks! ... I actually have a couple child language-related questions for you that you probably know something about. Bodhi has this habit of transposing letters in certain words of his speech. For example, he can't say the name "Ramon"; he always says "Marone". That's probably the only word I can think of, but no matter how many times we correct him, he goes back to saying it the wrong way. Is it a sign of any worrisome thing (like dyslexia) or do you think it's more of a tongue dexterity thing? Also, I've noticed him trying to "read" lately. He'll encounter the word and picture of an igloo for the first time. He'll hear me pronounce it the typical way "i-gloooo", and then he'll repeat it as "eye-glue", even though he's just heard me say it the other way. Do you think he's starting to try to apply phonics to the letters he's seeing in words? I know he knows the letter "I", but I don't know what to expect from a kid who's 2 years & 3 months.

[3andMe]

I snuck a bunch of peeks in here yesterday but I couldn't respond because I was in a class, and I felt like I had so much to say. And now I just don't have the energy to go back and address everything I wanted to say.

I will say that dh is very alpha male, but he is actually better at recognizing subtext and emotions than I am; a lot of times he just chooses to disregard them, or considers them weak (especially in men) or bothersome (especially in women). He can be impatient with how they get in the way. Nonetheless, despite spending quite a bit less time with our children than I do, he is quite good at recognizing their motivations and emotions and will sometimes have insights that I don't have. He is sometimes annoyingly perceptive. He does not mind at all that I'm not stereotypically feminine - he likes strong, independent types.

Myles, I think it would drive me crazy to date a relationship expert. I would be paranoid that it would be used against me in every clash - "Oh, well, he's the expert so OF COURSE I must be in the wrong" etc.

Ash, I'm sorry to hear about your aunt. One of the doctors I used to work with had Guillain-Barré syndrome and even though it was diagnosed immediately (I believe by himself), he had to be on a ventilator for a while and he has never fully recovered. He was young and healthy, too, in his 30s when he got it.

[Gwenn]

Neat Gwenn! What does it do?


I've never heard of it...and that's pretty sad when you think the English Dept is one that I support. And...they're writers! lol

Here's the synopsis for Scrivener (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php). It's cool to read about but even more cool to use - just one of those things you have to play with to really "get."


Most word processors approach composing a long-form text the same as typing a letter or flyer - they expect you to start on page one and keep typing until you reach the end. Scrivener lets you work in any order you want and gives you tools for planning and restructuring your writing. In Scrivener, you can enter a synopsis for each document on a virtual index card and then stack and shuffle the cards in the corkboard until you find the most effective sequence. Plan out your work in Scrivener’s outliner and use the synopses you create as prompts while you write. Or just get everything down into a first draft and break it apart later for rearrangement on the outliner or corkboard. Create collections of documents to read and edit related text without affecting its place in the overall draft; label and track connected documents or mark what still needs to be done. Whether you like to plan everything in advance, write first and structure later—or do a bit of both—Scrivener supports the way you work.



chrissy - Go Jesi! she's absolutely right. :thumbsup:

ashley - I'm sorry that your mom is very upset about your aunt. It's perfectly natural for her to miss her sister, and I hope she gets comfort from you and her adorable granddaughters.

mandy - I had to Google Scrivener, and now am thinking it would have been perfect for something like the 80 page document that I'd created last month, since it was full of text, and diagrams and graphics. Now I'm looking into getting one for the next project. Thanks! ... I actually have a couple child language-related questions for you that you probably know something about. Bodhi has this habit of transposing letters in certain words of his speech. For example, he can't say the name "Ramon"; he always says "Marone". That's probably the only word I can think of, but no matter how many times we correct him, he goes back to saying it the wrong way. Is it a sign of any worrisome thing (like dyslexia) or do you think it's more of a tongue dexterity thing? Also, I've noticed him trying to "read" lately. He'll encounter the word and picture of an igloo for the first time. He'll hear me pronounce it the typical way "i-gloooo", and then he'll repeat it as "eye-glue", even though he's just heard me say it the other way. Do you think he's starting to try to apply phonics to the letters he's seeing in words? I know he knows the letter "I", but I don't know what to expect from a kid who's 2 years & 3 months.

Totally normal part of development. Reversals are normal in very young kids (I'd say until around 2.5-3, that might vary with who you talk to - much less common after 2.5). What happens is that children learn to identify/recognize the sounds they hear separately from the ability to produce them. They can actually identify the sound of their native language at 6 months old. But the brain/mouth have to learn to produce the sounds and it's like any complex motor activity, like dancing or playing basketball, you have to learn to do it. So his brain is likely telling his mouth to say "ramon" but it comes out the wrong way, if that makes sense. Correcting it won't do any good at this age, as he's trying his best to make the sound. It will probably frustrate him more than it helps him. Just keep an eye on it and make sure the sounds continue to come in and he gets easier to understand over time. If you need some references on speech development I can look for some good ones for you, but I wouldn't worry. It has absolutely nothing to do with dyslexia! And about phonics, kids develop phonolgical awareness (awareness of sounds in language) orally before they do for reading/writing (typically, at least).

Chrissy, great comeback for Jesi!

[demigraf]

Mandy - thank you so much for your knowledge. That definitely satisfied my curiosity. And good suggestion on not correcting Bodhi when he mispronounces "Ramon". :)




Myles, I think it would drive me crazy to date a relationship expert. I would be paranoid that it would be used against me in every clash - "Oh, well, he's the expert so OF COURSE I must be in the wrong" etc.



Luckily, he was not a self-styled relationship expert while we were dating, just an aspiring one. I was there when he got his first book agent and then his first deal. His first book was about internet dating (which is how we had met). He was an aspiring screenwriter too (his script made it into the top 3 of the first season of Project Greenlight). His "credentials" as a relationship expert were simply that he used to work for JDate, and had coached people that would call in for customer service.

Funny story there: So he was supposedly this "expert" internet profile writer. We both went to a Media Bistro party to promote his book, and for fun we entered our profiles into a contest. My profile won first place, and the prize was a Pure Beauty gift basket and $100 gift certificate to the place. His profile won nothing, and he sulked harder than I have seen anybody sulk. He was such a competitive person, that I think that might have been the beginning of the end of us. :laugh:

[Gwenn]

Luckily, he was not a self-styled relationship expert while we were dating, just an aspiring one. I was there when he got his first book agent and then his first deal. His first book was about internet dating (which is how we had met). He was an aspiring screenwriter too (his script made it into the top 3 of the first season of Project Greenlight). His "credentials" as a relationship expert were simply that he used to work for JDate, and had coached people that would call in for customer service.

Funny story there: So he was supposedly this "expert" internet profile writer. We both went to a Media Bistro party to promote his book, and for fun we entered our profiles into a contest. My profile won first place, and the prize was a Pure Beauty gift basket and $100 gift certificate to the place. His profile won nothing, and he sulked harder than I have seen anybody sulk. He was such a competitive person, that I think that might have been the beginning of the end of us. :laugh:

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

So much that is funny here! Where to start? I think the customer service experience as a basis for being a relationship expert takes the cake!

[missychrissy]

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

So much that is funny here! Where to start? I think the customer service experience as a basis for being a relationship expert takes the cake!
My favorite part was his sulking. Sore loser :P

[Gwenn]

Girls, I could really use some secular vibes from you ... DH has a job interview for a management position next week and it could be a great thing for us. And we wouldn't have to move to Georgia (at least not right away, although it's something DH wants to do eventually).

[daylilies]

Ooo, good luck to your DH!

[3andMe]

Good luck!

[missychrissy]

:vibes: Good luck!!

[Ky'sMom]

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

So much that is funny here! Where to start? I think the customer service experience as a basis for being a relationship expert takes the cake!

I agree with this. If customer service is the basis for being a relationship expert, then I must be an undercover relationship guru.

Good luck to your DH on the interview!!

Erin

[demigraf]

Good luck, Mandy! That'd work out so well for both of you! :vibes:

[Gwenn]

Thanks, everyone!

Myles, take a look at this link (http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:XFTZDxwbiKIJ:members.tripod.com/caroline_bowen/tx-/mod-recast-with-example.pdf+recasting+speech&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiLHfGKs7YhWxcKmVz1uDSpk-LFO-oEbbCcx3PGRZrNQGb8Ny48anY1LoVWpPcfnZqkSIT937kENTVd TStoAlYo5RP4fbQz1pkKgSBl1i5e1eEmuf5SmXqE1CFXAYUHh7 vfAHek&sig=AHIEtbQQcOkQcNC_ITYAUy-YzA2-p0hneA) (specifically the part about recasting) for a great alternative to "correcting" speech. Don't worry about the number of repetitions, it's the idea behind it that matters for typically developing children.

[AmeriBrit]

Good luck, Mandy's DH!

[missychrissy]

Bobbie texted me from the bus. The road is flooded in two spots past our house and the bus drove right through both of them. She said the one was rushing so fast she felt the bus shake and slide. :eyeroll: They obviously don't believe in "turn around, don't drown" here.

[Bridget]

Chrissy, you guys are flooded?
Sawyer's been up every hour or two the past few nights. YAWN. I love everything about having a baby in the house again, though. He's such a sweetheart that if I were younger and had more money and possibly a different partner, I'd certainly have another.:laugh: A lot of stipulations there!

[missychrissy]

If only, Bridget! lol

There are flash flood warnings all over and most schools are on a delay or closed altogether.

[daylilies]

Stay safe, Chrissy!
Bridget, I think I could have another child under those conditions too, LOL
So you know I've been worried about being left out on the cruise, well this one girl I talk to on twitter and e mail messaged me the other day and said she wants to make sure she and I get some time together on the cruise. She's been on the other 2 nkotb cruises, so she knows a lot of people and she said she wants to set aside time to hang out with certain people and I'm one of them :) So I'll have at least one buddy...
She also just sent me a bunch of her pics of Joey through Walmart's online photo store and I'm ordering one of each :) We have to decorate our room doors with pics :rolleyes:
I wish she lived closer but she is not one of the Boston girls, she's in Philly :(

[missychrissy]

That's awesome Kate! It sounds like you'll have at least 1 confidant. I'll be Ms. Negative will drive her crazy too.

[demigraf]

Kate, the build-up to your cruise sounds fun just by itself.

Mandy, thank you for the link. I'll check it out today. :)

I've been married 4 yrs today. I can't believe it's only been 4 years. We're taking Bodhi with us on our "date" to a Brazilian grill on the beach.

[missychrissy]

Happy Anniversary!! :vibes:

[Cosmosmom]

Happy Anniversary!!! And jealous of going to the beach.....I'm still in sweaters and it was snowing again this morning.

[Cosmosmom]

I don't see how people can believe in god, especially all loving and great one, when they see (or experience) things like those awful storms in the south or other natual disasters. :(

I really was ready to complain about the snow falling this morning (was not sticking)....until I turned on the news and realized that a few snowflakes was nothing and even kind of pretty.

On a positive note, I think that DH has agreed to maybe go buy the elliptical tomorrow! We are both trying to lose weight...he's better at dieting than me though! I have zero will power but at least trying to stay within points on WW.

And I finally decided I'm just going to buy a Cricut in a few weeks (waiting for the next credit card statement as that will give me enough points to pay for half this machine for free....I do love my Amazon rewards card!) to help with the portfolio making. I am just not a good cutter and cannot see me doing freehand cutting of letters for the pages (like our names or things like Our Home, Family, Cosmo)....and since I have to do two identical books, stickers was starting to look expensive. I don't think at this point that I'm going to be ready for the last step, the home visit, until late June or even early July.

[missychrissy]

I don't see how people can believe in god, especially all loving and great one, when they see (or experience) things like those awful storms in the south or other natual disasters. :(
They use those storms and disasters as more 'proof' that God exists and He is angry. I was just reading this nonesense in the Binghamton's Letter to the Editor section:


The letter referring to elected Republicans
as emotionally weak or misogynists for
trying to limit abortion is scary. The writer
hasn't gotten the message yet that America
and the world are being chastised by God
for our laws allowing legalized murder and
other evils that are promoted as good.

Prophecies have said that natural and
man-made disasters will increase and will
lead up to a worldwide chastisement in
which a great part of humanity will be
destroyed. Did this man not get the
connection last week when our country
experienced destruction from tornadoes
after President Obama refused to limit
funding to Planned Parenthood?

Eventually, people will see the connection
when things get so bad that we are no
longer be able to recover from them.

Maureen Van Dusen

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20110427/VIEWPOINTS03/104270309/God-s-wrath-against-U-S-happening-now?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[Cosmosmom]

Ugg, I could maybe buy that if say only people that did stuff that made him angry got hurt. But not when it's supposed believers (and I'm guess that out of a couple hundred, some were believers especially in the south)....or kids. :(

Oh and there is the whole idea of if there was a god, knowing what would make him angry....since the bible was written by various men and translated many times and changed over the years and contradicts in places. I just don't get how someone can read it and belive it literally.

When DH got home this morning from work and saw the news, his response was global warming in action....

I just feel so awful for those affected. I cannot imagine seeing my home like that. :(

[AmeriBrit]

The storms in the South are so scary; my parents are in northern Arkansas but so far have only had some minor flooding. It's weird how I used to be so used to wild weather and now living over here where we don't even get thunderstorms ever, that wild weather freaks me out a little bit.

Myles, happy anniversary!

Gosh, you guys, Travis has been so wild lately. I think year 3 is going to be a lot harder than the terrible 2's. He never was too bad as a 2 year old. He is really acting out a lot lately. He's been going up to Cash and slapping him (not hard) but looking at me while he does it as if to say, 'look what I can do.' And then we're still having issues with his cousin that he fights with all the time. Travis has now become the aggressor in that situation whereas before, his younger cousin was bullying him. He now pushes him nearly every single time they are together. And he does it like he's excited to see him but he just has to push him. I don't know what to do with him. I've been doing time outs and they work momentarily, but I feel like I need to do something bigger to correct his behavior. Sigh.

[daylilies]

Kate, the build-up to your cruise sounds fun just by itself.

Mandy, thank you for the link. I'll check it out today. :)

I've been married 4 yrs today. I can't believe it's only been 4 years. We're taking Bodhi with us on our "date" to a Brazilian grill on the beach.

Happy anniversary!
The cruise buildup has been a lot of fun. I'm almost afraid the cruise will be a letdown after almost a year of anticipating. But I don't think that will be the case.

I don't see how people can believe in god, especially all loving and great one, when they see (or experience) things like those awful storms in the south or other natual disasters. :(

I really was ready to complain about the snow falling this morning (was not sticking)....until I turned on the news and realized that a few snowflakes was nothing and even kind of pretty.

On a positive note, I think that DH has agreed to maybe go buy the elliptical tomorrow! We are both trying to lose weight...he's better at dieting than me though! I have zero will power but at least trying to stay within points on WW.

And I finally decided I'm just going to buy a Cricut in a few weeks (waiting for the next credit card statement as that will give me enough points to pay for half this machine for free....I do love my Amazon rewards card!) to help with the portfolio making. I am just not a good cutter and cannot see me doing freehand cutting of letters for the pages (like our names or things like Our Home, Family, Cosmo)....and since I have to do two identical books, stickers was starting to look expensive. I don't think at this point that I'm going to be ready for the last step, the home visit, until late June or even early July.

Have fun with the whole scrapbook thing...I know maybe it seems like a drag because you have to do it (and you have to do two) but it'll be nice to have it anyway. It's fun to do once you get into it and if you don't get in over your head.
Also congrats on getting the elliptical. I hope it helps.
I've given up on any strict diet. I used to be so worried about carbs in bread, pasta, etc. that I just wasn't enjoying eating anymore. I'm so close to my desired weight that I don't mind if I maintain or lose really slowly. I try to eat wheat bread and pasta, and I eat more good carbs than I used to. (I never realized oatmeal was a good carb)


The storms in the South are so scary; my parents are in northern Arkansas but so far have only had some minor flooding. It's weird how I used to be so used to wild weather and now living over here where we don't even get thunderstorms ever, that wild weather freaks me out a little bit.

Myles, happy anniversary!

Gosh, you guys, Travis has been so wild lately. I think year 3 is going to be a lot harder than the terrible 2's. He never was too bad as a 2 year old. He is really acting out a lot lately. He's been going up to Cash and slapping him (not hard) but looking at me while he does it as if to say, 'look what I can do.' And then we're still having issues with his cousin that he fights with all the time. Travis has now become the aggressor in that situation whereas before, his younger cousin was bullying him. He now pushes him nearly every single time they are together. And he does it like he's excited to see him but he just has to push him. I don't know what to do with him. I've been doing time outs and they work momentarily, but I feel like I need to do something bigger to correct his behavior. Sigh.

3 was really hard for us too. It was nothing compared to 2. It was actually really hard until recently, it got better and now it's difficult again lately. I think he's going through a major growth spurt since he's hungry all the time and doesn't seem to have his emotions under control. I think even he doesn't know what's going on with him sometimes, and it's sad to watch.
I'm sorry you're still having trouble with Travis's cousin. How often do you see him?

[AmeriBrit]

How often do you see him?

You'll laugh when I tell you. We see them at least 4 out of the 7 days of the week. So....it's haaaard on everybody to be the referee in their fighting. We see each other so often because I live next door to my MIL and we're only a small family, so we're all we have really. If it was anyone else, I think we would limit time with them. :S

[daylilies]

Ugh!
Yeah, you do need to resolve this soon. With that much time together, he's going to negatively affect Travis so much.

[Cosmosmom]

I told DH that after I finish our portfolios that maybe I will do a Cosmo book...he replied that we probably don't have enough pictures of her.....really she is the subject for well over 60% of our photos. LOL

The anticipation for a vacation is all part of the fun! I'm sure that the cruise will be fun too. :)

[missychrissy]

Ugg, I could maybe buy that if say only people that did stuff that made him angry got hurt. But not when it's supposed believers (and I'm guess that out of a couple hundred, some were believers especially in the south)....or kids. :(

Oh and there is the whole idea of if there was a god, knowing what would make him angry....since the bible was written by various men and translated many times and changed over the years and contradicts in places. I just don't get how someone can read it and belive it literally.

When DH got home this morning from work and saw the news, his response was global warming in action....

I just feel so awful for those affected. I cannot imagine seeing my home like that. :(

I totally agree with everything you said. Even your husband's take that it's global warming in action.


Gosh, you guys, Travis has been so wild lately. I think year 3 is going to be a lot harder than the terrible 2's. He never was too bad as a 2 year old. He is really acting out a lot lately. He's been going up to Cash and slapping him (not hard) but looking at me while he does it as if to say, 'look what I can do.' And then we're still having issues with his cousin that he fights with all the time. Travis has now become the aggressor in that situation whereas before, his younger cousin was bullying him. He now pushes him nearly every single time they are together. And he does it like he's excited to see him but he just has to push him. I don't know what to do with him. I've been doing time outs and they work momentarily, but I feel like I need to do something bigger to correct his behavior. Sigh.

3 is definitely harder than 2, I don't care what anyone says. I think the only thing that you can do is remain consistent. Somehow, kids 'get it' eventually.


You'll laugh when I tell you. We see them at least 4 out of the 7 days of the week. So....it's haaaard on everybody to be the referee in their fighting. We see each other so often because I live next door to my MIL and we're only a small family, so we're all we have really. If it was anyone else, I think we would limit time with them. :S

I think it makes sense that they fight so much. They're practically siblings! It's just like sibling rivalry, and statistically the closer they are in age the more likely they are to fight. Although that wasn't true with Bobbie and Jessica.

For whatever it's worth, I was that close with my cousins and we used to fight like brothers and sisters all the time. It went on for years (don't be scared by that!) but we ended up being extremely close. As we got older the fights were less and less frequent, although I do remember getting into it with my cousin Rog (my age) when we were 15. I think that was the last time. :P But even at that age, it was our first physical fight since about the age of 9 or 10. He's like a brother to me though...despite all the fights we had when we were little.

It wasn't due to our parent's lack of trying either. As we got older, we just got more clever about fighting away from them.

[AmeriBrit]

Thank you for your perspective, Chrissy. It makes perfect sense. I used to beat on my sister all the time. I'll mention it to my SIL. :)

[missychrissy]

I know it's not fun when they fight, but I think it's one of those lessons that just takes a really long time to fully grasp. They have more impulses when they're little, but it doesn't ruin lifetime relationships nor indicate how they're going to behave in school with their peers. My cousins and I used to really go at it-but none of us were bullies in school.

[Ky'sMom]

Need to confess that one of my favorite conservative friends on FB has actually gotten on my nerves. I usually don't let FB interactions rub me the wrong way, but he is insinuating that a church group who went to a DMV in CA should be able to go there and hold all the tens of people hostage while they read the bible. He posted a youtube video and the preachers were arrested due to spreading religion at a government facility.

He really lowered my opinion with him on this one. He is an old high school friend and a staunch libertarian and I actually don't mind a lot of his political spews and views since they aren't to the extreme and he denigrates both republicans and democrats on a equal basis. But he is very staunchly religious and says that the preacher speaking was arrested for no cause because he has freedom of speech (eyes rolling out of head here, that is a government building). Sorry to bring my political tirades here, but I have been in a political mood lately.

Erin

[missychrissy]

That's ridiculous Erin! I'd be pissed if one of my friends posted something like that too. Unbelievable.

On a somewhat related note, I actually had a mom on another message board tell me that in the US we're guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. It was in regards to whether or not the military should allow for Atheist chaplains or not.

[Ky'sMom]

That is laughable Chrissy. I can't even fathom how they came up with that!

As I was watching the video he posted I just thought of the plenty of times I've had to wait in long lines at the DMV and since I usually was always POd at the time due to standing in the line, I would have been extra POd if I had had to listen to someone preach at me when I am at a place (government facility mind you) where I am forced to stand. My FB friend then proceeded to try to tell me that the preacher wasn't "in" the DMV just outside and that he could have been on a street corner. Now this is a video he posted and he didn't notice that the preacher was standing in a handicapped parking space next to a sign that said "DMV parking only." So then he says, well the parking lot is not a government building. But the parking lot is DMV property I tell him. He was just being really nit picky. And when I told him that if he were at the DMV and someone came up and started reading the Koran and trying to turn him into a Muslim, I'm sure that he and others would have called the police and accused them of terrorism, he said he wouldn't have a problem with it. Yeah right.

Forgot to mention the part that really upset me, he insinuated that the arresting officer arrested the preacher because the officer was gay and gay people don't like Christianity. For one, the preacher was not reading anything about God hating gay people and two, how would anyone know that the officer was gay. That just was very ridiculous to me. I never assume someone is gay. Plus I know quite a few Christian gay people, it's not like there is no such thing as a Christian homosexual.

Erin

[Gwenn]

Chrissy, I've heard people say freedom of religion, not from religion before ... but it's intended meaning was pretty much the opposite of how that person interpreted it. It's meant to mean the government can't forbid you to believe what you want to believe, not that the government can't allow people not to believe. Just completely the opposite of how that woman interpreted it. Yikes.

[Bridget]

Erin, your friend is being ignorant. I can't stand when people are so staunch in their beliefs that they don't look at the simple obvious facts. I have family like that.
I am so not political either and I've also been in a political mood. It's hard not to be with all the ridiculousness that is going on around us these days.

[AmeriBrit]

I've been watching the royal wedding since I got up and cried when I saw Prince William and cried again when I saw Kate; she's so beautiful and her dress is absolutely stunning. I don't usually bother with the royals but it feels like a special day today.

I told Travis I wanted to get married again after watching all this wedding stuff and he said to me, "Nooooo! You are not Mary; you are Ashley! lol

[daylilies]

I've been watching the royal wedding since I got up and cried when I saw Prince William and cried again when I saw Kate; she's so beautiful and her dress is absolutely stunning. I don't usually bother with the royals but it feels like a special day today.

I told Travis I wanted to get married again after watching all this wedding stuff and he said to me, "Nooooo! You are not Mary; you are Ashley! lol

OMG, that is so funny.
We forgot to record it and DH didn't wake me up until 7:45 eastern time. I'm sure there will be clips on youtube later.

[Bridget]

I thought of one of our convos when last night I went to dinner with my brother and I brought Sawyer with me. All the waitstaff was oggling Sawyer and one really hot and clearly gay waiter was checking out my brother. I jokingly said I was going to kick his arse because for all he knew we were a couple with our new baby. My brother said gay men know when other man are gay and I said. "That may be true but clearly you are living a lie and pretending to be straight with your wife and new baby so he should back off!":laugh:
Anyway, I made a point to call him Uncle T when the waiter walked by our table.:winks:

[daylilies]

LOL Bridget!

[demigraf]

oh, bridget, I love it! I would love to have a gay brother to pal around with. :)

Erin, I can see why your friend's position disappointed you, especially the pejorative stuff about gay people. Hypothetically speaking, though, if the DMV bible-reading group's free speech were protected under their civil liberties, I would just take that to mean I also have the freedom to object just as loudly back at them. Here, in heathenistic California, I've seen my share of street preachers with megaphones and evangelical groups parading through public places - everywhere from the Venice Boardwalk, to the Golden Gate Bridge, to the UC Berkeley campus. Some have even invited strangers to step up and debate them. And as much of a nuisance as it is when I just want to mind my own business and not listen to someone else's "activism" pierce my airwaves, I tend to lean towards the free speech protection side of the argument. I like the phrase from that former Supreme Court Justice: 'Sunlight is the best disinfectant' about openness and transparency of one's speech. I feel sometimes it's best to let people show not just the wrongheadedness of their ideas, but also how far they're willing to go to make a headache of themselves and let the crowd naturally police them by their own response.

However, then you get into the question of people like the Koran-burning Reverend Terry Jones and the Westboro Baptists who picket military funerals with signs that say "God Hates Fags". Admittedly, my defense of free speech position falls apart there. I guess theirs is a different level of speech - hate speech to be precise - and it shouldn't be protected if it creates a peace disturbance.

Chrissy, your friend, on the other hand, just got it all wrong. The "freedom of... not freedom from..." argument does NOT protect the right of anyone to discriminate. Restricting the freedoms of an atheist to perform the duties of a chaplain would be discriminatory. I mean, a Christian chaplain could feasibly be called upon to provide spiritual comfort to a Muslim soldier, right? As long as the individual does his/her job to provide the necessary support, then his/her own spiritual beliefs shouldn't come into question. It does bug me when people hide behind the concept of "freedom" to justify words and actions and legislation that is harmful to other people.

AmeriAsh, I wish I had some wisdom for you with the pushing. I'm just sitting back and taking notes for my parenting-lessons list. I hope things improve for you though. :vibes:

[Bridget]

You guys, I opened this book called I Love You Rituals that I checked out from the library. http://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Rituals-Becky-Bailey/dp/0688161170
It's very sweet. I love it.

[AmeriBrit]

I'll have a look at that book, Bridget.

I have a funny story to share. One of my cousins in Arkansas was at her mom's over a week ago when the storms/tornado-ish weather was going on and they were warned that a big storm was coming, so she said they stayed there for 3 hours with just light rain. She decided to just risk it and go home. But half way there, she said the rain turned to hail and flash floods and she couldn't see anything, so she pulled in to the first driveway that she could find. She sat there and thought she better just go run in and tell the people in the house that she was going to sit in her truck on their drive until the rain let up some. So, she ran to the side of the house where there were some glass sliding doors and knocked. And she said as she knocked, she could see in the room there in front of her were an 80 year old couple doing the deed! The guy got up and opened the door and she said she just said, "I'm just gonna be on your drive for a little bit" and ran back to her truck." LOL

[demigraf]

OMG!!!! :laugh: That gives me a slight bit of hope that I'll still be at it when I'm twice my age, Ashley. And it gives me a slight decrease in appetite.

Bridget, that's the author of "Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline", which I once took out from the library (and thumbed through really quickly). I really like what that author has to say. Like I said, I didn't read her whole book, but every time I turned to a random page and read a passage, there was always some nugget of wisdom in there that stuck with me. Now I want to check out this book you recommend. Games to let your child know you unconditionally love them - how cool is that?!? Thanks!

[missychrissy]

I've been watching the royal wedding since I got up and cried when I saw Prince William and cried again when I saw Kate; she's so beautiful and her dress is absolutely stunning. I don't usually bother with the royals but it feels like a special day today.

I told Travis I wanted to get married again after watching all this wedding stuff and he said to me, "Nooooo! You are not Mary; you are Ashley! lol

:laugh: I watched it too this morning. Even though it was my day off, when my alarm went off and I saw that was on I stayed awake and watched it. :wub: It was very sweet and touching. I like that Kate girl.

[Gwenn]

:laugh: I watched it too this morning. Even though it was my day off, when my alarm went off and I saw that was on I stayed awake and watched it. :wub: It was very sweet and touching. I like that Kate girl.

I got up and watched it and went back to bed! I like Kate, too, and William. But work today was kind of a wash.

[missychrissy]

I like William and Harry too. I was a big Diana fan and I adore her boys. I'm very happy for William. I've heard that William and Kate plan on living in a 4 bedroom house without servants. It sounds like Diana's wish for her boys to be as 'normal' as possible is coming true.

[daylilies]

I'm curious if this is a marriage that is good because of politics or if they are really in love. I hope they are.

[missychrissy]

I think it's real. They've been together for years and when they broke up Kate was offered 10 million dollars to tell all, but she didn't even though William was out with a couple other women. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

[daylilies]

I'd never heard of her until they got engaged. When did they break up?

[Gwenn]

I think it's real. They've been together for years and when they broke up Kate was offered 10 million dollars to tell all, but she didn't even though William was out with a couple other women. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

:wub: You're right. That is love. And likely went a long way toward their getting back together and his marrying her.


I'd never heard of her until they got engaged. When did they break up?

They met in college 10 years ago and started dating shortly after. She's a real commoner, unlike Diana whose father was an Earl. Kate's family is very wealthy but they started with nothing so I don't think it could be political. They broke up a 4 or 5 years ago but I don't think they were broken up for very long. I think it's wonderful to see a royal marry someone he truly is in love with. I hope they'll be very happy together and they won't go through all that Charles put Diana through, simply because he wasn't allowed to marry the woman he really loved (Camilla).

[daylilies]

Aw. :( I never knew much about Diana but she seemed like a lovely woman.

[Bridget]

:yawn:It is 5:20am and Sawyer has been up since 4. This kid. He's all smiles and chatter but not even pretending that he might go back to sleep.

[daylilies]

Hahah. What a cutie.

[3andMe]

Nice smiley, Bridget. I could have used that oh, a zillion times. I didn't even know it existed. Babies!

We had to replace our blu-ray player so dh picked out a Playstation instead, and bought a game for us to play together. I thought it sounded nice. It was not a high-adrenalin game, more like a puzzle game and it's been getting a lot of good reviews - Portal 2. So the other night he started playing it and then handed the controller to me. I could not do it. I moved around awkwardly, looked up when I meant to look down, and had a really hard time with just the basic concept of the portal system. It wasn't clicking for me. DH told me to put the cross hairs on something and push a button, and I couldn't see the cross hairs he was talking about. It ended up being a blue circle, which he had to point out on the screen. We tried to play again last night. I had a longer turn, and I got more practice just moving around, but when I was trying to solve the puzzle I didn't really have an idea and dh got impatient and said he spent the last 20 minutes just watching me move around the room and I should just hand over the controller and he took it and in 3 seconds he moved on to the next level.

It reminds me of when he's explaining to his mom how to do something really basic on her computer and she's just not getting it. I told him this, and he agreed, but he said he'd been as patient as he could. I used to play video games but it's been like 12 years, and it was a whole different world. I feel like I should be getting this, but it's just not clicking. It's not just the moving around--with a little practice, I was getting better--but the whole premise of opening up portals over objects or below objects and being able to transport things through them and thus being able to solve the puzzles was not connecting for me, even after seeing dh do it. I feel like my brain is not performing like it ought to, and so this seemingly minor thing is looming big and scary and I could see dh losing esteem for me over this, and he will not easily dismiss this as well. I feel like I should practice but don't know when I'd have the time.

[Bridget]

:laugh: Yes, it's pure genius that we are biologically wired to think they are adorable. He smiles at me at 4am and suddenly I'm singing him songs and nibbling his toes.

[Bridget]

Nice smiley, Bridget. I could have used that oh, a zillion times. I didn't even know it existed. Babies!

We had to replace our blu-ray player so dh picked out a Playstation instead, and bought a game for us to play together. I thought it sounded nice. It was not a high-adrenalin game, more like a puzzle game and it's been getting a lot of good reviews - Portal 2. So the other night he started playing it and then handed the controller to me. I could not do it. I moved around awkwardly, looked up when I meant to look down, and had a really hard time with just the basic concept of the portal system. It wasn't clicking for me. DH told me to put the cross hairs on something and push a button, and I couldn't see the cross hairs he was talking about. It ended up being a blue circle, which he had to point out on the screen. We tried to play again last night. I had a longer turn, and I got more practice just moving around, but when I was trying to solve the puzzle I didn't really have an idea and dh got impatient and said he spent the last 20 minutes just watching me move around the room and I should just hand over the controller and he took it and in 3 seconds he moved on to the next level.

It reminds me of when he's explaining to his mom how to do something really basic on her computer and she's just not getting it. I told him this, and he agreed, but he said he'd been as patient as he could. I used to play video games but it's been like 12 years, and it was a whole different world. I feel like I should be getting this, but it's just not clicking. It's not just the moving around--with a little practice, I was getting better--but the whole premise of opening up portals over objects or below objects and being able to transport things through them and thus being able to solve the puzzles was not connecting for me, even after seeing dh do it. I feel like my brain is not performing like it ought to, and so this seemingly minor thing is looming big and scary and I could see dh losing esteem for me over this, and he will not easily dismiss this as well. I feel like I should practice but don't know when I'd have the time.
Aw, Lydia. :hugs: I bet if you did practice you'd have it no time. It seems like our brains just go into a different mode when our lives are taken over by mommy-hood. Was it unnerving to have him directing you? Because that would make me perfom even worse.

[missychrissy]

I agree Lydia, I think you might have an easier time figuring it out if he's not right there. I dunno though, 'cause I'm not really good at those games either. But I don't even try because I don't care. :P Conner can beat me on almost any game (even Wii Bowling) and I'm totally ok with that. I just figure that part of my brain probably isn't very developed or large (whichever part makes gaming come easy to some).

I have a small dilemma. My landlord knew we were having trouble getting financing. She's been sending emails nearly every other day asking how things are going and repeatedly telling me to keep her posted. I finally sent a letter yesterday via snail mail to her saying that we'll be moving out by the end of July. I wanted to send an official, signed letter so that there's no question of whether they got notice or not.

My question is, should I also email her or just wait till she gets the letter?

[daylilies]

I never did like any console games either (we had the wii and we now have xbox 360. It just seemed like a lot of the controls were counter-intuitive. I do much better with computer games where the controls are generally the same for all the MMO's we play. it's always WASD to move, space bar to jump, cluck to open bags, etc.

DH is the same way though when he is trying to explain how to do something. He gets frustrated when someone doesn't get it as fast as he does.

Josh did two new things yesterday. There is a new carousel at the zoo and Josh usually picks the bench or an animal that doesn't move up and down. Yesterday he picked a big tiger that moves up and down. He seemed to be concentrating really hard, he didn't smile at all and he looked a little nervous but he did it :)
Then we went to a birthday party and they had one of those bouncy houses with a slide. I was just telling a mother that he never goes down the slide and I looked over and he was going down it. It was seriously the first time I'd ever seen him do it on his own since we tried when he was a toddler and he didn't like it.
Unfortunately I forgot to bring my camera to everything yesterday :( I am so bad with that.
click not cluck, lol. I'm outside and there's a lot of glare on my laptop.

[Bridget]

Way to go Josh! I love when my kids try something they were scared of before. Bravery rocks. And I never remember to bring a camera. Ever. That is why all the pics of my kids are in our house or yard.

We got this awesome microscope that casts the images on the wall and dbf ordered 100 some slides and the kids and him are looking at the stages of a bugs life right now. Savana gets crazy excited about this stuff.

[missychrissy]

Josh did two new things yesterday. There is a new carousel at the zoo and Josh usually picks the bench or an animal that doesn't move up and down. Yesterday he picked a big tiger that moves up and down. He seemed to be concentrating really hard, he didn't smile at all and he looked a little nervous but he did it :)
Then we went to a birthday party and they had one of those bouncy houses with a slide. I was just telling a mother that he never goes down the slide and I looked over and he was going down it. It was seriously the first time I'd ever seen him do it on his own since we tried when he was a toddler and he didn't like it.

:wub: wtg Josh!!! :hooray: I love those moments too.

Never mind about my earlier question, even though I just sent the letter yesterday, they got it today. Steve (the landlord) just called. He was very nice, but he was kind of pressuring us to write another contract and just stay here for 3+ more years. I really, really hate disappointing people that I've made a promise to. Like you have no idea--I was nearly in tears but firm when I said no.

[daylilies]

That's cool!

[daylilies]

I know. it's for the better though.

[Ky'sMom]

I am planting a rose bush in my front yeard and I can't find my gloves. I hate it when I want to do something then can't find something I need to do said thing I want to do. My boss bought me the rose bush for Administrative Assistant's day. She is so sweet. She remembered that I told her I was thinking of planting one this weekend, and I actually was going to go and buy one. She even got me a $50 Home Depot gift card. I didn't even remember that holiday and didn't think anything of it and thought it was very nice of her. I am very happy I actually have a nice boss, I've never really had a nice boss before that I actually talk to.

Ashley the old folks getting it on is pretty funny!! They were having their own personal storm huh!

And Lydia, I too suck pretty bad at video games. I used to be good at them but am not anymore and like Chrissy don't really care too much. I probably would if DH were into them though, we can be very competitive. I am the Scrabble champ and he is the pool (billiards) champ of the house. I tell him that Scrabble is more intellectual so I am smarter than him, he agrees but says he is smarter with math since pool uses more geography. Oddly enough I used to be an actual billiards champ when I was a kid. We used to have tournaments at the Boys and Girls club and I was always the winner in my age group. I did tell him that when I find time to practice I'm going to wipe the floor with him in pool but that he can never beat me at Scabble. He says he's going to read the dictionary LOL! He will make fun of me in a playful way every time I lose at something against him and I admit he does talk a lot of stuff to me but I will usually do my best to at least get better at whatever it is he beat me in.

Way to go to Josh for riding the Tiger. It is so exciting to see them do something that they are afraid of doing. Elle is also afraid of riding anything that moves. She barely likes carousel's at all. And I am the same, forgetting the camera. I have decided that I will just carry it with me everywhere since my phone takes crappy pictures.

Erin

[daylilies]

DH and I try to play scrabble on my ipod touch together, but he gets so frustrated. He finally figured out how to use the bonus spaces to his advantage though.
Too funny about the rose bush and your gloves-I was looking for my clippers to trim some dead stuff off a bush this morning and I couldn't find them. I ended up finding a different pair that I couldn't figure out how to unlock. I finally figured it out.
That was sweet of your boss to remember you on that day.

[missychrissy]

That was very thoughtful of your boss Erin.

I grew up with a pool table in my basement. I remember having to stand on the seat of my tricycle to do a behind the back shot. I was so proud of myself! Well into my teens, that was always my best move! It was the professional style too, so it was larger than what most bars have with much smaller pockets. When I got old enough to play out, I'd kick butt! Not anymore, I'm sure. :P I haven't played since I was in my early 20's.

We're supposed to be cleaning house today-like megaclean day. We had a deal that each of us would do 2 rooms. I was just starting my second room and Rich came in and said something about getting his ladder so Tim could do something outside. I didn't realize the ladder wasn't actually at our house, and now I'm irritated that he's skipped out on housecleaning day. Grrr.

Since we were also going to shampoo the carpets, I'm tempted to clean his 2 rooms and then make him shampoo all four of them.

[daylilies]

Sigh...
so I've had e mails back and forth with my partner for the church class, and the head of the youth group, and I wasn't sure what topic we were doing tomorrow so I e mailed her and she said "I think you should talk about Islam, and oh by the way Cathy (the woman who helps me) will not be there this week and I haven't found anyone else to help, so you might want to have a plan"
IT'S TOMORROW! *I* should have a plan? LOL
:headbang:

[The10Eels]

I confess my friend just caught a scammer on Craigslist...

She was looking for a house, and found one that looked good. She was emailing back and forth with the guy, and we drove by to check it out. There was a realty sign out front and it is under contract. The owner of the house died (and the emailer was using his name saying he got transfered and is working in Spain) The owners son has it up for sale....

[missychrissy]

Sigh...
so I've had e mails back and forth with my partner for the church class, and the head of the youth group, and I wasn't sure what topic we were doing tomorrow so I e mailed her and she said "I think you should talk about Islam, and oh by the way Cathy (the woman who helps me) will not be there this week and I haven't found anyone else to help, so you might want to have a plan"
IT'S TOMORROW! *I* should have a plan? LOL
:headbang:

You should have a plan? Why you? It sounds like she doesn't really know what to do and is expecting you to do all the work.


I confess my friend just caught a scammer on Craigslist...

She was looking for a house, and found one that looked good. She was emailing back and forth with the guy, and we drove by to check it out. There was a realty sign out front and it is under contract. The owner of the house died (and the emailer was using his name saying he got transfered and is working in Spain) The owners son has it up for sale....

:( That's been happening all over. I wouldn't communicate through Craigs List for any real estate at all. It's so sad you can't trust people whatsoever.

Rich still hasn't come inside to help with the house. His two rooms look like hell. I'll probably end up doing them myself.

[daylilies]

Don't do it Chrissy! Make him clean them!
Yeah, I don't know about this church class. I'm about the worst person to teach a world religions class. I'm looking at stuff about Islam and it's kind of coming back to me from like, 7th grade world cultures class, LOL
I wish this class had a real curriculum instead of having to come up with our own lessons and field trip schedule.

[missychrissy]

:( That's really unfair. They really should have some sort of curriculum for you to follow.

I got Rich to do his share...sorta. And not without a fight. :headbang:

[daylilies]

:( Sorry Chrissy.
I'm sorta dreading the class today. I was reading about Islam and I just got kind of overwhelmed. All the conflict...I'm not sure I clearly understand it all.
Oh well, I guess I can mainly stick to the basics.

[missychrissy]

I would be overwhelmed with such a task too. How did it go?

Our landlords are coming over at 3 today to do a walk-through. I guess they're going to be listing the house for sale. I'm a little nervous although I'm not sure why. We haven't destroyed the place, but we've lived here for 3 years and some things have happened. One of the cupboard doors came off because the hinges pulled through the wood, there's a couple pieces of trim that I knocked with the vacuum and busted off. Our wooden shed got caught in the wind and crushed their tin shed. Eek.

[The10Eels]

Dude.. Chrissy. You have lived there for three years already?! I remember when you posted about moving in.

[missychrissy]

Dude.. Chrissy. You have lived there for three years already?! I remember when you posted about moving in.

8/1 it will be 3 years and we plan on being in our 'old' house by 8/1 this year so it will be 3 years by the time we move out.

We have to start calling our 'old' house something else. :P

[Gwenn]

Kate, that does sound like a daunting task. I don't think there are many people who do truly understand it all.

Lydia, about the video game ... I'm sorry your DH reacted that way, but honestly, if he judges you by your ability to play video games he's missing out. You have way too much going for you for him to worry about something so minor in the scheme of things.

[AmeriBrit]

I think I hurt my mother's feelings the other day while talking on the phone. Sometimes, I am too honest for my own good. She was talking about how one of my uncles had said to her that he thought I preferred my dad's side of the family to hers, someting along the lines of "she always talks about her Grandma P but never mentions her Granny R, so you can tell she prefers that side of the family." I should have just said 'oh, well what a nice thing to say' but instead, I had to be all honest and say, 'well, I do like my Grandma P more because we grew up with her and she was always there for us while Granny R had her favorites and she never did a thing for us.'

Now, I'm trying to just keep thinking positively about our upcoming visit to the USA instead of thinking of all the family politics that will be going on. I'll see the people I want to see but I'm not going to stress myself out over people's perception of me. My mom's side of the family has always painted me the black sheep since I actually graduated college and didn't go to work at the factory or collect disability checks like the rest of them.

Honestly, absence does make the heart grow fonder for some people, but it also makes the heart grow fungus for others (as the Bare Naked Ladies once said in a song)....

[missychrissy]

That sounds exactly like my family, except it's my father's mother (Grandma Hopkins) that was more distant to me and my brother than my mother's mom (Grandma Archibald). My Grandma A loves everyone and even though she had 9 kids and countless grandchildren, you never felt like she preferred any one over another. She has a multitude of great-grand kids now, and she attends each and every one of their birthday parties. My Grandma Hopkins, on the other hand, cannot stop herself from bragging about her favorite child, grandchilren, and now great grand children. Even at 35, it stings to feel like I'll never be good enough. As a result, I hardly ever see her. I do feel bad because I know some day she won't be here any longer, but each and every time I talk to her or see her, I cannot mention one good thing about what's going on in my life without hearing about how my cousin did it faster, better, and with more grace. It just makes it so I don't want to talk to her at all. My father even got huffy once when he was out to dinner with her and her church friends. She pulled out pictures of my cousin's kids and my dad asked her, "where's Chrissy's?" She didn't have any with her. :(

At least my dad is fully aware of his mom's shortcomings. It bothers him too. I don't have to pretend anything in front of him ever. I :wub: my dad for that.

[daylilies]

I would be overwhelmed with such a task too. How did it go?

Our landlords are coming over at 3 today to do a walk-through. I guess they're going to be listing the house for sale. I'm a little nervous although I'm not sure why. We haven't destroyed the place, but we've lived here for 3 years and some things have happened. One of the cupboard doors came off because the hinges pulled through the wood, there's a couple pieces of trim that I knocked with the vacuum and busted off. Our wooden shed got caught in the wind and crushed their tin shed. Eek.

Are you ready for this? I got there early and I was looking around at the lists they made about the other religions they'd learned about....Islam was already up there. (wish I'd noticed that before) :headbang: So we did an overview, but it was so lame. Only two kids showed up anyway. The woman I taught with in the fall was there, and she's pretty knowledgeable, so it wasn't bad. I just felt so lame.
Good luck on the inspection!


I think I hurt my mother's feelings the other day while talking on the phone. Sometimes, I am too honest for my own good. She was talking about how one of my uncles had said to her that he thought I preferred my dad's side of the family to hers, someting along the lines of "she always talks about her Grandma P but never mentions her Granny R, so you can tell she prefers that side of the family." I should have just said 'oh, well what a nice thing to say' but instead, I had to be all honest and say, 'well, I do like my Grandma P more because we grew up with her and she was always there for us while Granny R had her favorites and she never did a thing for us.'

Now, I'm trying to just keep thinking positively about our upcoming visit to the USA instead of thinking of all the family politics that will be going on. I'll see the people I want to see but I'm not going to stress myself out over people's perception of me. My mom's side of the family has always painted me the black sheep since I actually graduated college and didn't go to work at the factory or collect disability checks like the rest of them.

Honestly, absence does make the heart grow fonder for some people, but it also makes the heart grow fungus for others (as the Bare Naked Ladies once said in a song)....

Ugh..I'm sorry you have to deal with family politics. And I like the BNL quote.
Oh guess what! My dad and stepmom came over today for my birthday since I'll be gone on my actual birthday. My dad brought me my NKOTB Hangin' Tough record that he'd hung onto :) :wub:
They also bought me a Kindle cover with a light.

[daylilies]

That sounds exactly like my family, except it's my father's mother (Grandma Hopkins) that was more distant to me and my brother than my mother's mom (Grandma Archibald). My Grandma A loves everyone and even though she had 9 kids and countless grandchildren, you never felt like she preferred any one over another. She has a multitude of great-grand kids now, and she attends each and every one of their birthday parties. My Grandma Hopkins, on the other hand, cannot stop herself from bragging about her favorite child, grandchilren, and now great grand children. Even at 35, it stings to feel like I'll never be good enough. As a result, I hardly ever see her. I do feel bad because I know some day she won't be here any longer, but each and every time I talk to her or see her, I cannot mention one good thing about what's going on in my life without hearing about how my cousin did it faster, better, and with more grace. It just makes it so I don't want to talk to her at all. My father even got huffy once when he was out to dinner with her and her church friends. She pulled out pictures of my cousin's kids and my dad asked her, "where's Chrissy's?" She didn't have any with her. :(

At least my dad is fully aware of his mom's shortcomings. It bothers him too. I don't have to pretend anything in front of him ever. I :wub: my dad for that.

Aw. Well I'm glad you and your dad can comiserate about her unfairness.

[missychrissy]

Tough record that he'd hung onto :) :wub:
They also bought me a Kindle cover with a light.
:hooray:What a thoughtful gift!!

Bummer about your church group. It sounds like they're leaving everything up to you. Are you thinking about what you're going to talk about next week?

[missychrissy]

Oh and the inspection went very well. Our landlords were very nice. They're going to list the house for sale. They'll let us know when the realtor will be coming.

[daylilies]

Oh and the inspection went very well. Our landlords were very nice. They're going to list the house for sale. They'll let us know when the realtor will be coming.

Oh good!
Next week I think we will review Judaism because they're supposedly going to the synagogue on the following Saturday (if anyone shows up)
It sounds like a good time; the rabbi is setting aside time after to have lunch with them and answer any questions. I'll be on the cruise though.

[Bridget]

Chrissy, I am glad things are working out with the house.
Kate, did you know your dad had the album or was it a surprise? That's so cool of him.
Lydia, did you get any video game practice in this weekend? :winks: Your dh reminds of of dbf in trying to teach me something he has no patience at all and it pisses me off when he starts acting like I'm stupid because I don't get it.

I've been having so much weirdness with a family in my daycare. I care for all three of her kids, although two of them are in school part time. The 2 year old has been potty trained for awhile but having accidents at my house. I think that she does not like my bathroom because it's a basement bathroom and it's fresh painted and clean but our house is old and all the pipes are right inside the walls of that bathroom and it's pretty loud when you flush or even run the water sometimes. So I've been hanging tapestries in there and trying to make it "warmer" so she won't be afraid. ANYWAY, her mom dropped her off last week and asked me to put her in a timeout every time she had an accident. I told her that I could not do that, it's against the law for me to punish for potty accidents (phew) but that I'd take her every 20 minutes and stay with her and I shared my theory on why she might be having them. THEN same family the kids are always telling other kids they are naughty and I don't make a big deal out of it but I just casually say that no one is naughty at Miss Bridget's house that everyone makes mistakes. So mom makes a sarcastic comment to me about how "real nice" her kids are always telling her now that no one is naughty. I didn't appreciate her acting like i'm some holier that thou person for saying that. My house, my rules and we don't call eachother naughty or anything else for that matter.
And to top it off she is funded by the state and since i'm home daycare they give less money towards her tuition where when she was in a center they covered 100%. So every single time I give her a bill she acts shocked, and suspicious as to why it costs what it costs. Then when I try to explain and write it out for her she barely listens to me or looks at what I've written out for her.
I'm probably to sensitive to all of this but it bugs me and I've been thinking about it all weekend.

[daylilies]

Aw Bridget. I agree with your stances...and is it really against the law for you to punish for accidents?
2 is pretty young to be potty trained. Josh is still having accidents.
Speaking of that, I think he sleepwalks. Last night I heard him thumping around upstairs and I went up and he was standing in our bedroom. He peed on the floor (with his pajama pants still up). I tried to talk to him to guide him into new clothes, etc. and he didn't respond very well to what I was saying and he didn't even look awake even though his eyes were open. It was kind of creepy.
I was pretty sure my dad still had the album-he has an insane amount of albums. But I hadn't thought of it in a while and it was a nice surprise.

[missychrissy]

Too bad for her Bridget. Tell her to suck it :P Or not...but she just has to deal.

Kate, I remember sleepwalking when I was little. Well, not exactly remember actually doing it, but I remember my parents talking about it. My mom even took me to a dr that tried to put me on some medication, but whatever it was my mom didn't like. I think it was an anti-psychotic? Or so she said, but she was a little messed up herself at that time so I'm not sure if it was or not. Anyway, I eventually outgrew it.

[daylilies]

DH used to sleepwalk too, and he also outgrew it.

[missychrissy]

It's probably genetic then. I don't remember anything traumatizing about it...so the good news is it'll probably freak you out more than it does Josh. :D

[daylilies]

Haha, yeah. I asked him about it in the morning and he didn't remember, which led me to think it was sleepwalking.

[3andMe]

I got no video game practice in this weekend. What has been happening is that I'll hang out on the computer doing work or browsing and he'll play the game and it's actually been okay. He's offered to let me play and/or watch him play, and I've said no thanks to playing and maybe to watching, but it hasn't worked out yet and there hasn't been any tension. He called me over to watch a particularly tricky bit he did and I admired it. No tension, thank goodness. That was really awful those first few nights.

We've played Civilization recently against each other and enjoyed it. Back in the day, we played Tomb Raider together. But that was like 12 years ago, and he's put in tens of thousands of hours of gaming since then and I have put in zero.

Anyway, I'm just glad things seem to be normal now. I'm always worried, maybe more than I ought to be, about scenarios where I seem to be a little slow on the uptake, just because of my history of meningitis. It's a distinct possibility that I could be having some level of brain damage with every episode, and about six years ago I had a full day of cognitive testing done, just for baseline readings. Since that time, I haven't had many episodes until two times in the past 3 months. You know how when you walk into a room to get something and you forget what you were going to get? It happens to everyone, right? Well, in my case, I always wonder if it's normal forgetfulness or if it's a sign of something more serious. The videogame thing happened the same day I accidentally hit the wrong button on the intercom at work and made an overhead announcement of something I didn't mean to, so there were two things that I was feeling stupid about.

Bridget, I would have a hard time with parents making sarcastic comments about the 'no one's naughty' rules. I wrote more, but I realized I probably wouldn't actually say that in real life, so I deleted it. Plus it wasn't very nice. I don't blame you for thinking about it, though.

Kate, that was really thoughtful of your dad. And it does sound like Josh was sleepwalking, from what I know about it.

[girlwonder]

So I just saw that Bin Laden is dead. I don't know. It seems so utterly meaningless. It doesn't really matter -things are fubar in the Middle East and it seems like his death will simply be another reason for people to crow about "America!" and pat each other on the back and then everything will be the same tomorrow as it was today, just fubar.

[girlwonder]

And Lydia, I am sorry about the video game thing. I hate those kind of "test" situations. Especially when it is not just about your passing/failing with you dh, but also the scary meningitis damage. Ugh. I'm sorry.

[Bridget]

So I just saw that Bin Laden is dead. I don't know. It seems so utterly meaningless. It doesn't really matter -things are fubar in the Middle East and it seems like his death will simply be another reason for people to crow about "America!" and pat each other on the back and then everything will be the same tomorrow as it was today, just fubar.
Mmmhmm. I have to admit that the celebratory attitude makes me uneasy.

[AmeriBrit]

Mmmhmm. I have to admit that the celebratory attitude makes me uneasy.

It reminds me of how they celebrate over there in the Middle East burning flags and stuff when something bad happens to the US....gives me the creeps big time!

[daylilies]

Yeah, I think bin Laden being dead isn't a big deal either.
Lydia :hugs:
If it makes you feel any better, I don't know what's wrong with me but I cannot grasp certain concepts like war and politics and I hate movies about secret agents. It might as well be in another language. My husband likes these movies so I have tried to watch countless ones with him, and I just don't get it.

I regret saying "not a big deal"-what I really meant was I'll be interested to see if this changes anything.

[Bridget]

Lydia, I'm sorry you have to worry about that. Although, what you describe sounds like typcial busy mom behavior to me. I have been that way for years.
I was just on facebook when I noticed a girl I went to highschool with posted some pics that looked theater-ish. We weren't friends but I remember her being extremely shy so it caught my interest that she might be a theater actress and I clicked on the pics. Before I knew it I'm, like, looking through all her albums and seeing her and her fiance on vacation, out to dinner....Gah! Facebook is so WEIRD!
Do you ever find yourself exhibiting stalkerish behavior?? Or....is it just me?

[missychrissy]

:( Lydia, I understand why those things would make you worry more. I think most of us have experienced periods of extreme forgetfulness and wondered to ourselves if we were crazy, and you have a real issue that could have serious side effects. I don't wonder that you worry about it so much. Can you have another cognitive testing sessions, to see if there's really been any damage done? Or would going through that make you worry more? I'm sure it's just being a busy mom, but maybe having testing done will put your mind at ease.

I'm happy about the Osama bit. It does make me proud to be an American--we haven't done anything like this since the WWII days (imo). It's my first time witnessing something great. Before now, military successes were all stories in history books to me. I don't worry at all about our future. Everything we do militarily comes with risk, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have gone after him. What he did, not only to us but other nations in the world, was atrocious. He got what he deserved.

[AmeriBrit]

I agree with you, Chrissy. I'm very proud of the military but I feel like there will be lots of angry extremists now and it makes me feel a little uneasy since Britain has seemed to produce a lot of home grown Muslim terrorists. When will this war on terror ever end?

[daylilies]

I agree Bridget. Facebook is stalker-ish. I like to go through and find guys I had a crush on in middle school and high school and look at their pics (if it'll let me without adding them as a friend). Is that weird?
I was reading a post from a church friend and I was looking at the people who replied to it. I recognized one of the names so I went to her page to see if she had any pics because I couldn't picture who she was. I found out she's a nkotb fan so I sent her a friend request :D She's one of Josh's church school teachers, so I didn't feel completely weird sending a friend request.

[missychrissy]

I agree with you, Chrissy. I'm very proud of the military but I feel like there will be lots of angry extremists now and it makes me feel a little uneasy since Britain has seemed to produce a lot of home grown Muslim terrorists. When will this war on terror ever end?

Some are saying that none have the power, money, connections, or charisma that Osama had and don't pose the threat he did. I'm sure people aren't going to be happy, but it sounds like we'll have to keep our military over there to continue the crusade of disbanded and disrupting the terrorists for quite some time.

[missychrissy]

I don't think FB is stalker-ish unless you're hacking into a private account. If they don't want people seeing their pictures, they'll keep them private. To me, a stalker goes where he/she isn't welcome.

[3andMe]

I wouldn't call it stalkerish as much as snoopy. I would fully admit that I am snoopy if given the opportunity, within moral constraints. Like, I don't open medicine cabinets but I don't avert my eyes from the label if I see a pill container out at someone's house. And I'm really good at reading upside-down, to the point where it's no effort. I can glance at a desk and words will leap out at me without me trying, even if the papers are turned the other direction.

[missychrissy]

I watch people type-especially those that refuse to give me their passwords at work. I have an over 75% success rate at figuring out their pw and I enter it in our database. I do so much at work where the user isn't needed and it's very inconvenient for me to have them there just to enter their password. Besides, I can track everything they do on our network-heck, I can even change their pw if I want to and set it so they cannot. It's a stupid little power struggle some of our faculty try to have, so I feel rather smug when I can 'read' their password as they type it in :P

[Cosmosmom]

I don't think that FB is stalkerish either. I do the same thing. :) Course I'm nosey like that. Now I have a couple on mine that was part of the adoption group...there are six couples that we went through the process with. The other couples are fine....but this one is uber religious and conservative. I was looking at their pages and the husband did a seven day fast for religious reasons, she writes about being an unclean sinner but it's ok because jesus washes away her sins. Blech.

I'm not really all that busy and I have those moments. Most often it's me telling DH the same thing multiple times. Well I sometimes think about telling him something or discussing something....and than I cannot recall if I just thought about telling him or if I really did. I tend to make a lot of lists or notes to remind me to do certain things (like at work) or things that I need to get done at home.

I'm another that is happy about bin Laden. I'm very anti-war and very anti-death penalty. But he is an exception.
I do wish that I could have seen the last 15 minutes of Celebrity Apprentice though! LOL I cannot stand Trump but the show is funny. It would have been one thing if the President had come out and started speaking but he didn't for another 45 minutes.
I am glad that it was good news though. At 9:27 when they first started saying that the President was going to be making a statement shortly, I got pretty nervous....I mean an unscheduled announcement at 9:30 Sunday night? I thought it was something like the VP had a heart attack, we were going to war with yet another country, or there was going to be an attack on the US.......or even that we found aliens or a metor was going to hit us (and not I was not drinking....but DH and I have been watching too many shows like The Event and Stargate LOL).

[Ky'sMom]

I was also happy about Osama bin Laden. It has been a long time coming and I guess because I know so many people who were affected by 9/11 it makes me feel good that those who lost people will finally have some closure.

I would hope it would mean we could bring the majority of our troops out of the middle east, but I have a feeling that is not going to be the outcome. I also am not worried about more terrorist. I wasn't worried about terrorism though too much before or after 9/11 but I am just not a worrier about things so big and so generalized.


I wouldn't call it stalkerish as much as snoopy. I would fully admit that I am snoopy if given the opportunity, within moral constraints. Like, I don't open medicine cabinets but I don't avert my eyes from the label if I see a pill container out at someone's house. And I'm really good at reading upside-down, to the point where it's no effort. I can glance at a desk and words will leap out at me without me trying, even if the papers are turned the other direction.

I do all of those things as well Lydia. I can also read back words, like if a page is turned over and it is kind of see through, I can read what is written. DH thinks it is because I want to have super duper nosey powers LOL. But really I was just fascinated with learning to read backwards and forwards and upside down and right side up as a kid because I thought it would be interesting to do. But all of those skills do come in handy and I do find myself reading papers, especially at work when people don't think I am reading them.

I also look at medicine that is on the table at people's houses and I do go through FB pictures sometimes. I actually will friend someone who request me and look through all their pics to see what they are about. If they have strange pics (like one of my old high school classmates had about 15 pics of his kids giving the camera the finger and himself smoking blunts of marijuana) then I will automatically defriend them.

Erin

[AmeriBrit]

I like looking through people's pictures on facebook; I figure they wouldn't put them online if they didn't want me to see them. I like sharing my photos and am happy when people comment on them. I am having a big facebook clean-up after our trip to the USA and a lot of the nosy/religious family members are going to be cut.

[missychrissy]

I like looking through people's pictures on facebook; I figure they wouldn't put them online if they didn't want me to see them. I like sharing my photos and am happy when people comment on them.
That's how I feel too.

[AbbeysMom]

Sorry to come from nowhere and b*tch but I have to say:


So irritated with the conservative anti-Obama whackjobs suddenly acting like celebrating someone's death is totally barbaric. Are you even freakin' serious? Unbelievable hypocrisy.

Oh, and I actually am a pacifist. I've been flamed on this very site for saying that children should not "beat up" bullies, I've been flamed on this very site for saying that people who protest using grotesque homophobic slurs should not be "beaten to a bloody pulp." I abhor violence. But I can't help but :eyeroll: :pokey: when I see all these holier-than-thou facebook status updates that condemn the people at ground zero celebrating the demise of the person/thing that masterminded the killing of all those innocent lives.

[missychrissy]

Sorry to come from nowhere and b*tch but I have to say:


So irritated with the conservative anti-Obama whackjobs suddenly acting like celebrating someone's death is totally barbaric. Are you even freakin' serious? Unbelievable hypocrisy.

Oh, and I actually am a pacifist. I've been flamed on this very site for saying that children should not "beat up" bullies, I've been flamed on this very site for saying that people who protest using grotesque homophobic slurs should not be "beaten to a bloody pulp." I abhor violence. But I can't help but :eyeroll: :pokey: when I see all these holier-than-thou facebook status updates that condemn the people at ground zero celebrating the demise of the person/thing that masterminded the killing of all those innocent lives.

:clap: I totally agree with you, so much so that I typed out ita.

To be fair, not all of them are holier than thou. I know our sweet Bridget isn't totally into the celebratory thing, but she's genuine about it and totally non-hypocritical. But I kwym because there are far too many that are being hypocrites.

[AbbeysMom]

Mmmhmm. I have to admit that the celebratory attitude makes me uneasy.


I agree with you, Chrissy. I'm very proud of the military but I feel like there will be lots of angry extremists now and it makes me feel a little uneasy since Britain has seemed to produce a lot of home grown Muslim terrorists. When will this war on terror ever end?

And I agree with both of you too. :ohno:

[AbbeysMom]

:clap: I totally agree with you, so much so that I typed out ita.

To be fair, not all of them are holier than thou. I know our sweet Bridget isn't totally into the celebratory thing, but she's genuine about it and totally non-hypocritical. But I kwym because there are far too many that are being hypocrites.

Yes, my irritation is squarely aimed at those sanctimonious status updates I keep seeing by people who have previously talked openly about supporting distinctly violent causes.

[missychrissy]

Maybe I'm barbaric, but if I lived near Washington DC or NYC, I would have been celebrating too.

[AmeriBrit]

I think with having lived over here for so long where people are so laid back about stuff, I was taken aback when seeing people celebrating but then when I thought about, it makes sense since he was the person that masterminded the 9/11 events.

[Cosmosmom]

Maybe I'm barbaric, but if I lived near Washington DC or NYC, I would have been celebrating too.
I might have been too. I think that it's more than just celebrating a death (though certainly something that is done and is part of the culture, even going back to Wizard of Oz...Ding Dong the wicked witch is dead.....). I mean we went to war for 10 years and the basic idea was to get bin Laden. It's like there is a sense of relief that finally we know his fate and finally we got something from a 10 year war. Normally I'm all about sticking criminals in jail instead of killing them....BUT I think that in this case, a quick death is much easier on the american people and better for us than going through a very long, very expensive fiancially and emotionally, trial.

I do get irritated when I see conservatives b8tching about this when we all know darn well that had this been five years ago and Bush was the CIC, they would have been out celebrating.

Now if only we would get around to stop occupying other countries....I mean Hitler has been dead for more than 60 years and I can barely remember an East and West Germany.....do we REALLY still need to have a bunch of troops there?

[Ky'sMom]

I might have been too. I think that it's more than just celebrating a death (though certainly something that is done and is part of the culture, even going back to Wizard of Oz...Ding Dong the wicked witch is dead.....). I mean we went to war for 10 years and the basic idea was to get bin Laden. It's like there is a sense of relief that finally we know his fate and finally we got something from a 10 year war. Normally I'm all about sticking criminals in jail instead of killing them....BUT I think that in this case, a quick death is much easier on the american people and better for us than going through a very long, very expensive fiancially and emotionally, trial.

I do get irritated when I see conservatives b8tching about this when we all know darn well that had this been five years ago and Bush was the CIC, they would have been out celebrating.

Now if only we would get around to stop occupying other countries....I mean Hitler has been dead for more than 60 years and I can barely remember an East and West Germany.....do we REALLY still need to have a bunch of troops there?


ITA. Though I am happy bin Laden is dead, I am not celebrating or anything of the sort, but I can so understand the cheering in NYC and DC. My cousin was in DC at the time in college and we were so scared as we had not heard from her for a couple days after 9/11. My roomates in college were from NYC. One lost a family member at the trade center and was devastated. New Yorkers (and DCers) went through so much because of this event, are still going through so much, and I do feel they have the right to celebrate and I am happy that they have been given the opportunity to do so.

I won't lie though, I did have reservations about the cheering and such, as I personally don't see the need, but I guess knowing the stories of some of the people who were affected do make me realize that they feel they have something to celebrate and it is not politicized, it is just raw emotion and relief IMO.

Erin

[girlwonder]

This quote pretty much summarizes how I feel about it:

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." --Martin Luther King, Jr

I understand the impulse to celebrate but at the risk of sounding like a crotchety old lady, I find it unseemly and inappropriate. Justice has been served and I am thankful for that, but I don't like the cheering and chanting and flag waving. It looks like the crowds we see in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan who cheer and celebrate when something horrible happens over here. I worry what we as a country are becoming.

Just me 2 cents. :hi:

[Bridget]

This quote pretty much summarizes how I feel about it:

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." --Martin Luther King, Jr

I understand the impulse to celebrate but at the risk of sounding like a crotchety old lady, I find it unseemly and inappropriate. Justice has been served and I am thankful for that, but I don't like the cheering and chanting and flag waving. It looks like the crowds we see in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan who cheer and celebrate when something horrible happens over here. I worry what we as a country are becoming.

Just me 2 cents. :hi:
I agree with this. It's always been one of my favorite quotes of his.
Midge said in the other thread that people's reactions are not right are wrong, they just are. Raw, true reactions. And I guess I can't argue with that. I feel like I should just stay off facebook though because the smugness of it all bothers me a bit. I support our troops and I am thankful for everything they do (even if some think I should pack up and leave if I don't like it here) but my family that has served, including my dad who fought in Vietnam will be the first to tell me that war is horrible and ugly and to many soldier even, killing does not feel good. War is a soul sucking evil. Many innocent people are dead on all side of this and, for lack of eloquence, it just sucks. I love our country and I am thankful that I feel safe here. But I won't rejoice violence. I just won't.

[Gwenn]

Do you ever find yourself exhibiting stalkerish behavior?? Or....is it just me?

I do that, although I agree with the others that if people didn't want you to see it, they wouldn't post it. Sometimes I do feel like a stalker, though.


Some are saying that none have the power, money, connections, or charisma that Osama had and don't pose the threat he did. I'm sure people aren't going to be happy, but it sounds like we'll have to keep our military over there to continue the crusade of disbanded and disrupting the terrorists for quite some time.

The troops aren't going anywhere. There are local affiliates of al Quaeda, and beyond that part of what the troops are doing is building stability so people like bin Laden or the Taliban don't have room to come fill the vacuum that will be left when the military leaves. Otherwise we'll be back to square one with more lives lost. So leaving stability behind when we go is essential.

I thought this article (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bin-laden-death-might-not-pose-new-threat) was pretty good.


I was also happy about Osama bin Laden. It has been a long time coming and I guess because I know so many people who were affected by 9/11 it makes me feel good that those who lost people will finally have some closure.

My brother was in downtown Manhattan on the morning of 9/11 and my brother in law was also in the city. I was chatting with my sister last night and she was talking about how panicked she was that day, not knowing where her husband was, and how so many of her friends were talking about going to Ground Zero. Then I got to work this morning and a co-worker was saying she couldn't understand why the people in NY wanted to go down to Ground Zero - I pointed out to her that out here we don't realize how close to home it came for the people in NY.


So irritated with the conservative anti-Obama whackjobs suddenly acting like celebrating someone's death is totally barbaric. Are you even freakin' serious? Unbelievable hypocrisy.

I totally, completely understand your irritation over hypocrisy - but none of the conservatives I know have made that statement. Although my brother's girlfriend who is extremely liberal has. We must have a very different facebook crowd.


I love our country and I am thankful that I feel safe here. But I won't rejoice violence. I just won't.

:hugs: I get that, and I love that about you. I am glad they caught bin Laden, but I'm not rejoicing at violence. I do rejoice at the thought of the thousands of innocent lives that potentially have been saved by this action, at the cost of a very small number of very, very violent and bloodthirsty lives.

[AbbeysMom]

I totally, completely understand your irritation over hypocrisy - but none of the conservatives I know have made that statement. Although my brother's girlfriend who is extremely liberal has. We must have a very different facebook crowd.







:hugs: I get that, and I love that about you. I am glad they caught bin Laden, but I'm not rejoicing at violence. I do rejoice at the thought of the thousands of innocent lives that potentially have been saved by this action, at the cost of a very small number of very, very violent and bloodthirsty lives.

No rejoicing over violence here either. I hope no one here thought that. I just was a little irritated with the biblical quotes, when the same people were posting biblical quotes supporting murder and violence in other instances. I've defriended a few people now, and permanently hidden others posts. So now I can live in blissful ignorance of other people's hypocrisy.

I've seen the MLK quote about a million times on facebook too, so I must be friends with some good people too. :)

I do have to say that I'm proud that our military made sure that he received a burial in accordance with his beliefs. I'm also proud that our government chose to target the person and not the entire building, which undoubtedly saved lives. I'll cheer that, because those small acts of respect and humanity show how far we as a nation have progressed.

[missychrissy]

I borrowed someones facebook status for my own, "Dear Westboro Baptist Church, we have a funeral you can protest. It's in Pakistan, we'll help you pack. Sincerely, America."

I thought that was pretty clever. :P

[daylilies]

I've seen the MLK quote passed around too. I've wanted to "like" or say I agree with it, but I've decided not to comment on anyone's comments on this topic on fb or twitter. I don't like getting involved in political arguments.

[The10Eels]

My favorite one that I have seen so far was "In a single last act of Terrorism, Osama Bin Laden bombed my news feed"

[Gwenn]

I do have to say that I'm proud that our military made sure that he received a burial in accordance with his beliefs. I'm also proud that our government chose to target the person and not the entire building, which undoubtedly saved lives. I'll cheer that, because those small acts of respect and humanity show how far we as a nation have progressed.

I very much agree with you. And I did not think you were rejoicing over violence - I hope my post did not give you the impression that I did.

[The10Eels]

I confess..... http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/feature/late-night-snack/


YUM

[girlwonder]

:laugh:

The quote that is so meaningful is not real

http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/05/out-of-osamas-death-a-fake-quotation-is-born/238220/
:eyeroll::laugh:

[Gwenn]

Ashley, yum!

This is my new addiction: http://www.haagen-dazs.com/products/five.aspx

[daylilies]

I don't like ice cream. :D
I'm not tempted by someone eating it right next to me. Once in a while I will try a sample of a flavor at a store but that's about it.
I do like ice cream sodas though...my favorite thing when I was pregnant was chocolate soda with chocolate ice cream.

[daylilies]

Too funny about the MLK quote. It was a good one, too. Oh well...I guess it doesn't matter who said it (or if anyone said it at all) if it rings true to people.

[Bridget]

Only the first part of the quote is not real. It probably started out as a case of misplaced quotation marks.

[Bridget]

Remember the mom who wanted me to give a time out for potty accidents? (Oh and Kate, it is against state licensing regulations for me to give timeouts for potty accidents. Not that I would anyway...) Well, the little girl had one yesterday and when mom picked up she was not happy. She spent 10 minutes forcing the girl to apologize to me for peeing in her pants at my house. It was very uncomfortable. Very.
We leave for Canada tomorrow to visit dbf's family. I am actually really looking forward to it for the most part. I really love when my kids get to soak up the adoration of the family. I'm a little nervous because both his mom and his sister have really child unfriendly homes with lots of expensive things to break and spill on. I remember last time his mom was upset that soy sauce got spilled on her silk tablecloth. Jaysus, it's a tablecloth! Even I am nervous to eat at her table! :laugh:

[missychrissy]

I don't like ice cream. :D

:shock: I'm not a fan of it either! Once or twice during the summer I'll get a sundae, but mostly because everyone else in my family begs to go to the ice cream parlor. If it were just me, I'd probably never eat it.


Remember the mom who wanted me to give a time out for potty accidents? (Oh and Kate, it is against state licensing regulations for me to give timeouts for potty accidents. Not that I would anyway...) Well, the little girl had one yesterday and when mom picked up she was not happy. She spent 10 minutes forcing the girl to apologize to me for peeing in her pants at my house. It was very uncomfortable. Very.
We leave for Canada tomorrow to visit dbf's family. I am actually really looking forward to it for the most part. I really love when my kids get to soak up the adoration of the family. I'm a little nervous because both his mom and his sister have really child unfriendly homes with lots of expensive things to break and spill on. I remember last time his mom was upset that soy sauce got spilled on her silk tablecloth. Jaysus, it's a tablecloth! Even I am nervous to eat at her table! :laugh:

Ugh, I feel bad for that little girl. :( Doesn't the mom realize she's making it worse?

And why can't dbf's family put their nice things up for a little while? It won't hurt them none, and will enable everyone to really have a nice time without worrying about a little soy sauce on a table cloth!

[Bridget]

Hopefully they will this time Chrissy. My mil is one who believes that children need to learn the word no. Which, duh, my kids know the word. And they are actually really good about listening at other people's homes and respecting rules and such but they are also kids, you know? So there is that lack of impulse control and just clumsiness in general.
I remember when she was here she was helping us arrange our living room. (She is an interior designer.) The way she had it set up created this little cave of space between two items of furniture with a plant that was on a tall thin plant stand and the plant leaves cascaded down to the floor. Well, hello perfect fort!! The kids immediately went back there and she all, no no no! You can't play back there. She just couldn't believe that I wouldn't have a space like that in my home that was so appealing to them that they weren't allowed in. That they need to learn they can't do whatever they want. The way I see it, it's their home too and I really don't care to have a corner of the living room off limits to them.

[missychrissy]

I agree with you Bridget. Life is too short and their childhood will go by in a blink of an eye. Who wants to spend the entire day saying "No!" to their kids? Somehow, they 'get it' about spaces they can't access as they grow up. Mine did anyway. Bobbie wouldn't go into her home and climb behind her plants. Conner would. :lol:

[3andMe]

I love all of your new siggy pictures, Bridget.

[Ky'sMom]

Remember the mom who wanted me to give a time out for potty accidents? (Oh and Kate, it is against state licensing regulations for me to give timeouts for potty accidents. Not that I would anyway...) Well, the little girl had one yesterday and when mom picked up she was not happy. She spent 10 minutes forcing the girl to apologize to me for peeing in her pants at my house. It was very uncomfortable. Very.
We leave for Canada tomorrow to visit dbf's family. I am actually really looking forward to it for the most part. I really love when my kids get to soak up the adoration of the family. I'm a little nervous because both his mom and his sister have really child unfriendly homes with lots of expensive things to break and spill on. I remember last time his mom was upset that soy sauce got spilled on her silk tablecloth. Jaysus, it's a tablecloth! Even I am nervous to eat at her table! :laugh:

That is so awkward that she would go to that length to have the child apologize. Very strange IMO, I mean kids do have accidents and since you have kids and run a daycare you would think that the mom would know it isn't that big of a deal for you. A couple months ago Elle had an accident at daycare and one of the little boy's told me "Ellasyn peed on herself, you need to give her a whipping." I was like :shocker: huh! I told him I hope no one gives him a whipping if he pees on himself because little kids do that sometimes. Elle kept asking me afterwards was I going to whip her. My childcare provider looked really embarrassed. She has actually had to call DFCS on another child's parents because the parent, when they found out their kid had an accident, gave the child a spanking in her daycare, which is not allowed at all so she reported it. I just don't understand the need for punishment for potty accidents, they really aren't that big of a deal.

I hope you have a good time in Canada and you won't feel too nervous. My MIL is kind of like that and I used to be nervous but now I just ask her to make sure to put up breakables. Luckily, she is a nice thoughtful woman and loves her grandkids and knows that children are clumsy and accidentally distructive sometimes so she prepares when we come for a visit.

Erin

[Cosmosmom]

Wait, so you mean Bobbie wouldn't want to make a fort out of a cool fort space? LOL

The MLK quote being fake is kind of funny. And normally I would agree with the idea behind it.....but I just don't in this case. While I think that two bullets to the head was way too nice and easy for him (too bad we couldn't have sent say Dexter after him....if you know Dexter was real!).....I just don't think it would have been good to have him captured alive and trying to deal with a trial and all that and this big drawn out thing to giving him the death penalty anyway. Seems like that would have just created more chaos.
Plus I don't really think that a person like that deserves to be called a human being.

As for ice cream, I like it and will eat it but I'm not that big on it. It can sit in my freezer for a long time without tempting me. I am much worse with things like leftover pastas (spaghetti, mac and cheese, lasagna...and yup, I like them cold and not reheated), cold pizza, alcohol.....
I do though like frozen custard.....Milwaukee has some great small local places. Now where I live, we have to settle for Culvers....Dh likes a turtle custard sundae and I like the one with strawberries. He likes a two scoop one but for me, one scoop is more than enough. Once I got used to custard, ice cream seems really kind of boring and plain.

[daylilies]

Oh, I didn't think you would punish for accidents anyway, but I was wondering if you said it was against the law so you'd have a way out, or if it was really true.

Only a couple years ago I spilled a glass of red wine on my mom's tablecloth and she blew a gasket about it. I ended up being the one telling her it was okay, instead of the other way around. :rolleyes:

[AmeriBrit]

All these negative comments on facebook about Obama claiming credit for the death of Bin Laden really tick me off; I feel like I need to put something positive out there for the Pres like "thanks, Barack Obama, for making my life as an expat a whole lot easier...I never get asked why my fellow citizens elected such a twat for a President now." I used to cringe when people asked me about GWB. Any how. That's my complaint of the day.

[missychrissy]

Wait, so you mean Bobbie wouldn't want to make a fort out of a cool fort space? LOL

Well, Jesi would for sure! So maybe they don't all learn with age. :P


Only a couple years ago I spilled a glass of red wine on my mom's tablecloth and she blew a gasket about it. I ended up being the one telling her it was okay, instead of the other way around. :rolleyes:

Ugh, I hate that! My mom has a tendency to be that way. Even as an adult, it's hard to not feel like the possession is 'worth more' than yourself as a person. The only thing being that anal about materialistic things does is alienate yourself a little from the people you get huffy at for breaking/ruining/staining your things. I know my girls prefer to not visit my mom just for this very reason. She's done that to herself.


I feel like I need to put something positive out there for the Pres like "thanks, Barack Obama, for making my life as an expat a whole lot easier...I never get asked why my fellow citizens elected such a twat for a President now." I used to cringe when people asked me about GWB.
No kidding. I was seriously embarrassed when he was our president. Heck, I still get embarrassed that he was our president.

[Cosmosmom]

No kidding....we almost went to France a few years ago and I was picturing having to say Je n'aime pas president Bush all the time....Dh and I are pretty obvious Americans. My friend who is French said that she was always explaining that not all americans like Bush or are like that (she considers my family to be family to her....and nobody in my family likes Bush! I grew up with a family full of democrat liberals).

[demigraf]

Hopefully they will this time Chrissy. My mil is one who believes that children need to learn the word no. Which, duh, my kids know the word. And they are actually really good about listening at other people's homes and respecting rules and such but they are also kids, you know? So there is that lack of impulse control and just clumsiness in general.
I remember when she was here she was helping us arrange our living room. (She is an interior designer.) The way she had it set up created this little cave of space between two items of furniture with a plant that was on a tall thin plant stand and the plant leaves cascaded down to the floor. Well, hello perfect fort!! The kids immediately went back there and she all, no no no! You can't play back there. She just couldn't believe that I wouldn't have a space like that in my home that was so appealing to them that they weren't allowed in. That they need to learn they can't do whatever they want. The way I see it, it's their home too and I really don't care to have a corner of the living room off limits to them.

My DH thinks like your MIL sometimes. I don't let him get away with it. There are so many times that I catch him setting unreasonable expectations that our TWO year old will not touch something or stay away from something because we tell him not to. And "if he doesn't know it today, he'll learn soon enough if he gets disciplined for it". He doesn't stop to consider that Bodhi can't help himself if he feels the impulse to do something. It's just setting Bodhi up for failure.

With regards to OBL, I have to say I feel much like Katy & Bridget. Honestly, no part of me had the urge to party at the news of his death. I think it's because I'm still saddened at the loss of lives on and since 9/11. And it's not like I feel the U.S. has conducted a clean fight in the war on terror since then either. On top of that, 9/11 has really brought out the "ugly" in people, with regards to the anti-Muslim hatred and racial profiling that's become sickeningly rampant in open society today. I really feel like the civil rights movement was dealt a blow when 9/11 created a new "enemy" (to small-minded folks) out of all people who looked remotely of Middle East origin. I loathe the attitudes of Islamic extremists, but I can make the separation in my mind between them and peaceful Muslims. Lots of people out there can't make the same distinction, it seems. So , with the weight of all that, it was hard to muster up a celebratory mood.

[daylilies]

I was going to talk about 9/11 when we were supposed to discuss Islam at church that day and then I realized they were like 4 years old when it happened and probably don't remember anything about it, so we just talked about extremists in general. That freaked me out, because it doesn't seem very long ago to me.

[missychrissy]

Bobbie & Jesi were only 6 & 8. I remember I was at work and my instinct was to go get them from school and take them to my dad's house. I don't know why-and I resisted the urge. I don't think they even fully appreciate the magnitude of that day. I remember Bobbie was upset with us because we wanted to watch the news that night and we only had 1 tv at the time. She just didn't get it that what we were watching was incredible. I cried all night.

[Bridget]

I was at work at the preschool I worked at and had the radio on low and thought I heard the announcer say that an airplane had crashed into the world trade center. My best friend worked across the hall from me so I opened the door and called out to her to tell her what I heard and she laughed and told me I heard it wrong. That there was no possible way that happened.
Then of course we all tuned in and listened in horror. And then the office phone rang and it was my dad calling to see how I was and tell me he loved me. :wub:

Thanks Lydia for the compliment on my new pics. I really the one of Savana. She's nearly 6 years old and that little face looks the same to me as the chubby little baby that used to sleep in the crook of my arm.

[demigraf]

I just had my second ocular migraine ever... I think.

A few years ago, I had the same symptoms of blurred peripheral vision, seeing wavy lines and a little accompanying confusion and had to go home. I Googled my symmptoms really quickly and saw they pointed to the ocular migraine. Who knows what happened for sure, but it's almost passed at this point (fresh air and frozen yogurt helped). I called my DH just to let him know what was going on (since I kind of suspected a stroke or something). I suspect that I got exhausted from a dance class I took at noon today. It was really hard.

Anyway, this one activist guy stopped me on the street and asked me "Excuse me, but do you have time to talk about the environment?" I felt bad, but had to say "Sorry, I think I'm having an ocular migraine right now." --- I don't know why, but that awkward over-share is exactly the sort of thing that my BFF from high school would laugh at me for. :laugh: With all that was happening at the time, I'm glad I could at least find a little comedy in the situation.

[Bridget]

I just had my second ocular migraine ever... I think.

A few years ago, I had the same symptoms of blurred peripheral vision, seeing wavy lines and a little accompanying confusion and had to go home. I Googled my symmptoms really quickly and saw they pointed to the ocular migraine. Who knows what happened for sure, but it's almost passed at this point (fresh air and frozen yogurt helped). I called my DH just to let him know what was going on (since I kind of suspected a stroke or something). I suspect that I got exhausted from a dance class I took at noon today. It was really hard.

Anyway, this one activist guy stopped me on the street and asked me "Excuse me, but do you have time to talk about the environment?" I felt bad, but had to say "Sorry, I think I'm having an ocular migraine right now." --- I don't know why, but that awkward over-share is exactly the sort of thing that my BFF from high school would laugh at me for. :laugh: With all that was happening at the time, I'm glad I could at least find a little comedy in the situation.
:lol:Oh, Myles :wub: You are such a gem. I hope I can meet you irl someday.
Feel better. :hugs:

[Ky'sMom]

I just had my second ocular migraine ever... I think.

A few years ago, I had the same symptoms of blurred peripheral vision, seeing wavy lines and a little accompanying confusion and had to go home. I Googled my symmptoms really quickly and saw they pointed to the ocular migraine. Who knows what happened for sure, but it's almost passed at this point (fresh air and frozen yogurt helped). I called my DH just to let him know what was going on (since I kind of suspected a stroke or something). I suspect that I got exhausted from a dance class I took at noon today. It was really hard.

Anyway, this one activist guy stopped me on the street and asked me "Excuse me, but do you have time to talk about the environment?" I felt bad, but had to say "Sorry, I think I'm having an ocular migraine right now." --- I don't know why, but that awkward over-share is exactly the sort of thing that my BFF from high school would laugh at me for. :laugh: With all that was happening at the time, I'm glad I could at least find a little comedy in the situation.


That is hilarious Myles!! :laugh:

[missychrissy]

:lol:

I hope you feel better. Is there any treatment for ocular migraines?

[daylilies]

Aw Myles. At least you were gracious through all your pain. :(
I was still asleep when 9/11 happened. We lived in TN at the time and we were getting some kind of cable upgrade (I don't even remember) so our tv was unplugged. DH heard DJ's on a morning show talking about it and he came into our bedroom, where we had another TV. He turned it on and I woke up in time to see the second plane crash :(

I had nightmares for about a week.

[Ky'sMom]

I was driving to work at a call center for MCI Worldcom on 9/11. I was 5 months PG with Ky at the time and had to stop on the side of the road to puke up an apple I ate as I had horrible hyperemesis when PG with him. After puking, I started driving again and saw a flash on the digital signs on the road that there was a national emergency. I thought there must have been something wrong with that particular sign but it was on every sign all the way to work. When I got there everyone was in a panic and told me about what happened. At that job, we took calls for New York City market of MCI so we weren't getting any calls at all and a lot of people who worked there had family in NY and they were frantic. Everyone was sent home and I remember being afraid that a plane might crash into the freeway.

Erin

[Gwenn]

I was also in bed - it was 3 hours earlier here. DH was watching on TV and I remember him shouting out that a plane had just hit the WTC. Then, as I started to wake up, he shouted that a second plane had hit and I ran into the living room to watch with him in shock.

I was in school at the time and I went to class and everyone was in shock. All we could do was talk about this.

I remember being worried about my sister and her family, especially my brother in law who works in Manhattan. I completely forgot until my mother mentioned it that my brother had recently moved to NY - he lived in Phoenix and then San Jose so I hadn't become used to thinking of him on the east coast. It turned out he was 4 blocks away from the WTC when the planes hit. He and a friend barely got out of Manhattan and home to their families before the port authority shut off all the bridges and tunnels to the city. None of their cell phones worked and no one knew where my brother or BIL were or if they were safe.

[demigraf]

:lol:Oh, Myles :wub: You are such a gem. I hope I can meet you irl someday.
Feel better. :hugs:

Aw, that's such a nice thing to say. :heart: Mwah!! I would LOVE to meet you in IRL too. Maybe we'll go snorkeling together when we live on a commune on the Big Island.

I remember 9/11 well. I overslept that morning. I wasn't in my car until 9am PST, and by that time, they were doing live coverage on NPR. I was so confused by the fact that the story was cutting from NYC to DC. So I sort of found out the news backwards. I listened to firsthand accounts from people on the street, and it was stuff like "crowds of about 500 are walking across the Brooklyn Bridge" and "I still haven't gotten through to my son yet who works in the Pentagon". It listened for about 15-20 minutes, trying to make sense of what everyone was talking about, and finally, some radio announcer summarized that 2 planes had flown into the WTC, one into the Pentagon and one other plane crashed in a field in Philadelphia, and it was likely an act of terrorism.

I was in shock, but I didn't cry until I called my friend's mother to check on her. She lived up the road from my office, and she had 2 daughters - one in NYC and the other one was my friend - an AP reporter who often worked out of the Pentagon. She said she'd heard from both and they were fine. It wasn't until I got off the phone with her that I started shaking and actually processing everything that happened. To be honest, since the awful things happened that day were thousands of miles across the country, the events that day seemed downright cartoonish until I talked to someone who might have lost a loved one.

[AmeriBrit]

Myles, I've had one of those migraines before and thought I was having a stroke or something when it was happening. I really freaked myself out when I started seeing Christmas lights across my eyes and my heart was racing because I was thinking 'what is happening?!'

I didn't even know what the WTC buildings were until 9/11. I guess I lived in a bubble in small-town AR for a long time. I remember driving my sister to school and we turned the radio on and there as just silence and the DJ was telling everyone that something awful had happened in NYC.

[Bridget]

So I have been trying really hard not to intervene when dbf is interacting with the kids. I think I'm doing well but any time I do actually step in he gets really angry and tells me I'm not following through with what I said I would do. But I honestly cannot help it sometimes. Here is what happened last night. Every single night at bedtime I read Savana a story and Kai and dbf go in our bedroom and read a story and then we lay with them until they fall asleep and meet back up in the living room.
Well last night my brother was over visiting so instead of bedtime happening at 7:30, it was 9:30. Savana and I are just opening up our book to read when I hear Kai asking for his story and dbf saying, "No, it's too late for a story" Kai of course asks again. And again. And again. And dbf is saying, "I don't feel like reading a story. We are going straight to bed, big day tomorrow" blah blah blah. The bolded part is the truth of the matter because reading a story will take 5-7 minutes but causing Kai to have a meltdown could take 40.
So I went in and told Kai, who is a puddle of tears by now, that he could come in with Savana and I if he wanted. To which dbf freaked and said it's 9:30! They have to go to bed! I explained to him that Kai does not know what time it is. All he knows is that every single night he goes to bed with daddy and reads one story before going to sleep. And that tonight suddenly daddy is saying no story and it's making him very, very upset.
So then he's all fine, I'll read the story but you said we weren't supposed to cave and give them what they want when they throw a tantrum. Well, I don't consider crying because your dad is being a jackass a tantrum.
And of course now he's highly annoyed that I stepped in. And I honestly do not know if I did the right thing but I CAN'T HELP IT! If he's totally in the wrong and I can avoid my child crying themselves to sleep over his wrongness (and Kai would have been inconsolable without question) I simply have to step in.
I just feel like the simplest parenting concepts are just lost on him.

[missychrissy]

I don't think you were wrong Bridget at all, and his trying to turn things around on you is just an attempt to get the focus off himself.

I worked at mental health when 9/11 happened. One of the therapists came in all worked up saying a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I thought it was one of those passenger, touristy planes that was on a sight-seeing tour of the city. We turned the tv on in the waiting room and were just realizing that no, it was a rather large plane when the 2nd one came in.

Talk about hectic day-a lot of the therapists have family that live in NYC and they were beside themselves because no one could get through to anyone. I felt very overwhelmed trying to talk to the therapists that were actually in crisis, when they were the crisis counselors themselves. I was also handling the switchboard and took a lot of calls from the State Troopers and other agencies asking about our crisis department-hours and how to get ahold of people and such, as well as some of our more paranoid clients that were convinced the world was ending. Like I said, our own crisis workers were in crisis themselves so although I wanted to leave and get my own kids, I didn't feel like I could.

[girlwonder]

Hey Bridget - sounds like you did the right thing. You avoided an even bigger situation that would have developed. I think your dbf hasn't learned that when you have kids it doesn't really matter what you "feel like" - you have to be consistent and follow through on promises, even implicit promises like reading one story before bed every single night. When that happens every night, then it becomes a promise. I wish there was a way to make him understand that your intervention is about the kids and not about him.

[Ky'sMom]

My DH can be the same about the bedtime story as your DBF. When it is only a little past Elle's bedtime, and it is his day to put her to bed, then he will not want to read to her. I recently had to have a talk to him about routines and how the make children feel secure, especially bedtime routines as they wind the child down for the night and solidify to the child that bedtime is about to occur. They also avoid the "I-don't-want-to-go-to-bed" crying sometimes that Elle especially will do in the evening. I will admit, that Elle's routine is pretty long, at least 20 minutes, we read 2 books and sing 3 phrases of Twinkle Twinkle, but she is pretty flexible in this and if you let her know in advance that you will read only one book and sing one phrase, she will be okay. She just needs a book and a song basically and that isn't too much to give.

DH has just went and put her in the bed and she will start screaming for her story. I don't say anything to DH but will just upstairs and read her a story and sing her a phrase of Twinkle. I don't think what you did was interfering. He was interfering with the routine that Kai is used to. No matter the time of day, a bedtime routine is a bedtime routine and should be followed.

Erin

[Cosmosmom]

I just had my second ocular migraine ever... I think.

A few years ago, I had the same symptoms of blurred peripheral vision, seeing wavy lines and a little accompanying confusion and had to go home. I Googled my symmptoms really quickly and saw they pointed to the ocular migraine. Who knows what happened for sure, but it's almost passed at this point (fresh air and frozen yogurt helped). I called my DH just to let him know what was going on (since I kind of suspected a stroke or something). I suspect that I got exhausted from a dance class I took at noon today. It was really hard.

.
I have had them a few times too. First time scared the beejesus out of me....I was at work and suddenly couldn't read words on the computer and I just felt weird. I was just about getting ready to walk myself over to the eye clinic (can be handy working in a hospital...and at that time I was a major teaching medical school and hospital with a top notch eye clinic).....and suddenly I started being able to read again. I thought I was going to go blind....I'm kind of paranoid like that since I have been told a few times that my vision is so awful that I'm at a higher risk of retinal detachment.

Eyeballs really gross me out and I try to pass on all the eye things to my boss. Wound care, dermatology....those can have some interesting pictures but I'm fine with those. The boss likes to leave any new ophthalmology books we get in on my desk to be funny.

[Cosmosmom]

I was another one who was sleeping 9/11. I was away at college and didn't have classes until later in the day so of course I didn't get up early. My birthday is 9-12 and my parents were going to be coming up for some reason on 9/11 to celebrate with me instead of the next day. My mom called and woke me up...I said Hello all groggy like and she didn't say hi or anything. It was, Jennifer, we are getting attacked and Dad and Uncle Tom says we are are going to war turn on the tv now. I believe I replied, huh, are you on drugs or something (my mom is a sleepwalker so that occurred me too until I turned on the TV). Mom said we are not coming up today, Dad things that we should be at home and not on the freeway (school was about an hour away). I went to school in Milwaukee and it was so strange to not hear airplanes or helicopters in the air. I turned on the TV and called DH, who was BF at the time and lived at home, and said, I am not going to class today, come and get me and bring me home with you. DH, MIL and I were just glued to the TV and crying.

[daylilies]

Stuff like that happens over here too Bridget. Just the other day DH had gotten up with Josh and I was still in bed. I heard them arguing. Josh said his pants were wet and that he needed to change. DH was trying to tell him his pants weren't wet and that he didn't need to change. After a few seconds of this back and forth, I yelled down, "Just let him change his pants!" I didn't care if his pants were actually wet or not. Why not just let him change if he wants to? DH says well then there will be clean clothes in his laundry. Oh who cares, just take them out when Josh isn't looking!

[missychrissy]

Jesi just called me all upset. She forgot today was gym day and didn't bring her shorts with her. There's no dress code at this school, and since she has a liberal momma she wears pretty much what she likes. Today was a short skirt and lacy black stockings. I thought she looked cute.

Anyway, when she told the gym teacher she wouldn't be doing the stretches because she forgot her shorts, he said to her, "I thought you'd want everyone to see. Look at how you dress."

She got so upset, she told him off and walked out of the school. To her credit, she did call me. She was crying because he hurt her feelings. :( I talked to her a bit and she was going to go back and see if she could talk to someone at the school about what happened.

I hope they don't get hung up on the fact that she walked out.

[girlwonder]

Wow, Chrissy - what a horrible thing to say to a teenage girl. Just horrible and mean.

[missychrissy]

An admin from the school called me. He said he had had a good talk with her and things were calmed down. She left his office and got into it with what I assume is the same teacher in the hall. He didn't hear what was said, but she got all upset again and walked out of the school. The admin tried to stop her, but she told him she was coming up to my work and that I said it was ok. She got into her boyfriend's car.

:headbang:

[missychrissy]

and no, I did not say she could come to my work. And no way would I let her go with that stupid boyfriend anywhere. She knows that.

[Bridget]

Oh man. I'm so sorry Chrissy.

I'm outta here my heathen friends. Not sure if I will get on while I am in Canada so you all take care and be well. I love you ladies.:wub:

[Cosmosmom]

Chrissy :hugs:

Bridget have fun! Just when things start to finally warm up in WI, you go to further north. :)

[demigraf]

Wow, Chrissy. Completely inappropriate for the teacher to say that. If a guy said that to me in a bar, even, I'd throw a dri k in his face.How dare he! ... Are you going to say anything? Jesi is right to stand up against his comment, but I notice she walks out/disappears in tough situations, which seems to make everyone just worry and makes things worse. I hope this situation doesn't escalate for you and the right people get set straight. :comfort:

bridget, sometimes your dbf sounds like my DH, and I have to admit sometimes I feel sorry for mine. I imagine it's hard to keep up with a thoughtful mama like you. If you're responsive to your children's cues and always willing to educate yourself and try new things with your kids, it must seem to daddy that the rules keep changing . It's not an excuse for anyone's laziness or inflexibility. I'm just trying to say that it must be hard to keep up with a mom as dynamic as yourself, and even harder for Mark to earn the adoration of your kids when they compare him to their fabulous mama. It seems like Mark is trying to figure things out, but just not getting the subtleties of your parenting style.

[daylilies]

We love you too! Talk to you soon!

[missychrissy]

Wow, Chrissy. Completely inappropriate for the teacher to say that. If a guy said that to me in a bar, even, I'd throw a dri k in his face.How dare he! ... Are you going to say anything? Jesi is right to stand up against his comment, but I notice she walks out/disappears in tough situations, which seems to make everyone just worry and makes things worse. I hope this situation doesn't escalate for you and the right people get set straight. :comfort:
That's just it-I'm pissed about what that teacher said to her and I totally didn't blame her one bit for getting mouthy with him and even walking out. She called me, we talked it out, and she went back. I was going to leave it up to the school to deal with him, unless they ignored the issue or he said/did something worse.

Now she's exacerbated the problem by getting upset again and totally leaving the school to go with her boyfriend. That I'm mad at her about. And I know Jesi-if I try to talk about what she did, she'll keep going back to the teacher. Yeah, he made an awful, inappropriate comment. But she has to take responsibility for her actions too.

[daylilies]

Oh dear, Chrissy.
But yeah, that was completely disgusting of the teacher to say.

[missychrissy]

bridget, sometimes your dbf sounds like my DH, and I have to admit sometimes I feel sorry for mine. I imagine it's hard to keep up with a thoughtful mama like you. If you're responsive to your children's cues and always willing to educate yourself and try new things with your kids, it must seem to daddy that the rules keep changing . It's not an excuse for anyone's laziness or inflexibility. I'm just trying to say that it must be hard to keep up with a mom as dynamic as yourself, and even harder for Mark to earn the adoration of your kids when they compare him to their fabulous mama. It seems like Mark is trying to figure things out, but just not getting the subtleties of your parenting style.
And how incredibly insightful you are! I imagine there's a lot of truth to this.

Have a wonderful trip Bridget!

[daylilies]

Wow Myles...that was very insightful.

[demigraf]

And safe travels, bridge!!

[missychrissy]

Stuff like that happens over here too Bridget. Just the other day DH had gotten up with Josh and I was still in bed. I heard them arguing. Josh said his pants were wet and that he needed to change. DH was trying to tell him his pants weren't wet and that he didn't need to change. After a few seconds of this back and forth, I yelled down, "Just let him change his pants!" I didn't care if his pants were actually wet or not. Why not just let him change if he wants to? DH says well then there will be clean clothes in his laundry. Oh who cares, just take them out when Josh isn't looking!

Rich will have silly arguments with the kids like that too. Choose your battles! I've been saying that for 18 years (it seems) and I don't know if Rich will ever get it.

Over the weekend I wanted a count of how many mini-blinds we needed to replace before we moved out. My dogs jump up to look out the window and bend the slats so they're guady looking. Anyway, Bobbie's one window is totally bare. She had a mishap climbing in her window one day after locking herself out, and yanked down the entire miniblind. :laugh: Something else must have happened since then, because her whole curtain rod was down too.

Rich was gruff with her asking what happened to it. I heard him say sarcastically, "Yeah, blame Conner." It went on and on and I finally said to him, "Who cares how it got broke? It's broke!! Arguing about it or how it happened won't fix it!" GOD!!

[AmeriBrit]

Have fun, Bridget!

[daylilies]

Rich will have silly arguments with the kids like that too. Choose your battles! I've been saying that for 18 years (it seems) and I don't know if Rich will ever get it.

Over the weekend I wanted a count of how many mini-blinds we needed to replace before we moved out. My dogs jump up to look out the window and bend the slats so they're guady looking. Anyway, Bobbie's one window is totally bare. She had a mishap climbing in her window one day after locking herself out, and yanked down the entire miniblind. :laugh: Something else must have happened since then, because her whole curtain rod was down too.

Rich was gruff with her asking what happened to it. I heard him say sarcastically, "Yeah, blame Conner." It went on and on and I finally said to him, "Who cares how it got broke? It's broke!! Arguing about it or how it happened won't fix it!" GOD!!

Yep, that kind of stuff happens here, too. Josh even does it now, saying things like "It's not my fault" or "It's your fault"
It drives me crazy because my mom is like that, always wanting to place blame.

[missychrissy]

I think that making a big deal about silly things like a bent curtain rod just makes kids not want to accept responsibility. We all make mistakes and stuff gets broken. It doesn't have to be a big deal.

[demigraf]

chrissy, I know Overstock.com has some deals on blinds if you can get standard sized ones instead of custom sizes. they just take awhile to arrive sometimes. I've been a-decoratin'. :)

[missychrissy]

I'm just hanging the $4 ones from Walmart. That's what our landlord used to replace the nice ones that broke while they still lived there. I figure if they're good enough for them to buy, then that's all I'll do too.

But I'll keep Overstock in mind for our remodel. I want the wider slats.

[Ky'sMom]

My DH likes to have arguments with Elle of all people. She is 2.5, I'm like "what can you possibly argue about with a toddler?" It actually cracks me up. He will get upset because I laugh at him about it. He also will hold grudges against her, which I don't like. Like she won't want to give him a hug because she is grumpy and he'll be like "well I'm not going to hug you later." Like she will even remember that. I remind him not to be 2 years old quite often, then he gets all embarrassed.

I need to go on overstock. I need a new kitchen table but am afraid of buying something like that online. I also need new curtains and they had some nice pics of curtains but I also am afraid of buying anything of color online, I always think the color will not be exactly like it is in the pic and then I'll be pissed off.

Erin

[missychrissy]

She texted me a few minutes ago and says that she's returned to school. Unfortunately, I can't always take her at her word, so I emailed the admin that called me earlier and asked him to confirm that.

[daylilies]

I hope she is back at school, Chrissy.
I don't buy much online either.
Can I just say....I am so tired of shopping. I'm not even done because I have the stuff for the cruise but it is all kind of dressy and I need some basic things for wearing at home.

[missychrissy]

She is! The admin emailed me and confirmed. He also said that other students heard what the teacher said and that that will be addressed.

I hate shopping for any reason.

[daylilies]

Oh good, I'm glad she's back.
I liked the shopping at first, but I keep thinking of things, and I just want to be done with it. I leave in a week.

[demigraf]

I need to go on overstock. I need a new kitchen table but am afraid of buying something like that online. I also need new curtains and they had some nice pics of curtains but I also am afraid of buying anything of color online, I always think the color will not be exactly like it is in the pic and then I'll be pissed off.

Erin


I have to admit that I'm having to find the time to disassemble and box up something I'm returning to Overstock.com, and it's a huge PITA. But they do try to make it as painless as possible, in that they e-mail you a prepaid UPS label, and all you have to do is get your item to a UPS store. I just wish I hadn't thrown out all the boxes and cushiony stuff.

You're right about the color of things online. It's especially hard to see the true tone of a wooden item you're buying. I'm thrilled with the quality of 90% of the things I buy from them, though.

[demigraf]

I'm about to go into a meeting I've been dreading all week. The nerves are mainly from the fact that I have this deep-seated fear of authority figures. I've been meditating on it all week - how the "exec" types who are attending are mostly really intelligent people I've spoken to before, and I can learn from them. But there's this little girl still in me that's afraid of getting in trouble for one reason or another. I'll check back in in 2 hrs to let you know how it went. Eeks!

[Cosmosmom]

I do a fairly good amount of shopping online. The colors were slightly different on the shower curtain (couldn't find one in a store because I needed a special size) but pretty close. I even bought my snowblower online because they were sold out locally...nothing like finding out the one given to you is a POS during a 22 inch snow fall!). It was great, i got a good deal on it and didn't have to pay taxes on it. I ordered the nursey set online and likely will get most of the rest of the baby stuff online too. We just don't have a babies r us locally or a store like bed bath beyond....most of that would be in the Twin Cities and I don't want to drive 90 minutes each way.
Oh and last year I even ordered our faucets online....got a way better price than even the builder could get locally with his discount and I was pretty specific in wanting certain things.
I was going to buy the elliptical online but found it locally for the same price and they also delivered and assembled it for a price that was worth it to DH so we did it that way.

I just try to find whatever it is on multiple sites to see how it looks and what the prices are...and try to read as many reviews as possible.

[Cosmosmom]

Sending good meeting vibes your way!

[AmeriBrit]

I hope it's going well, Myles!

Cash has been suffering with teething this past week so i've not had much more than 3 or 4 hours of sleep each night. I will be so thankful when his teeth finally come through.

[AmeriBrit]

I hope it's going well, Myles!

Cash has been suffering with teething this past week so i've not had much more than 3 or 4 hours of sleep each night. I will be so thankful when his teeth finally come through.

[missychrissy]

I'm about to go into a meeting I've been dreading all week. The nerves are mainly from the fact that I have this deep-seated fear of authority figures. I've been meditating on it all week - how the "exec" types who are attending are mostly really intelligent people I've spoken to before, and I can learn from them. But there's this little girl still in me that's afraid of getting in trouble for one reason or another. I'll check back in in 2 hrs to let you know how it went. Eeks!

:vibes: <--easy meeting vibes!


I hope it's going well, Myles!

Cash has been suffering with teething this past week so i've not had much more than 3 or 4 hours of sleep each night. I will be so thankful when his teeth finally come through.

The teething phase can be the worst, and if they have a hard time with it, it seems to go on and on forever. Just when you think it won't ever end, it does. :P Hopefully that point comes soon for you.

I had a good talk with Jesi and men in general. Unfortunately, I had to prepare her for hearing crap like that from men from here on out. Not that what he said was appropriate-it wasn't. And I told her it was ok that she blew up at him. She even admitted to swearing at him, which I understand and didn't say anything to her about. But I did tell her if it happened at work and she got that upset and walked out, it could end up with her losing her job.

How sad is it that these discussions even have to happen? It's not a part of parenting that I really put too much thought into.

[demigraf]

Oh, ugh, Ashley. The teething phase is so hard. It's rough on the little one and it's so hard to watch your little guy suffer. Abbeysmom turned us onto frozen grapes in a mesh feeder. Could you give that a try? I hope it stops hurting your little bug soon!

I think you're having some really vital conversations with Jesi, Chrissy. Not all mothers out there take the time to boil everything down for their kids. It is sad that we have to teach our kids to protect themselves, and I wonder if moms were having the same types of talks with their daughters a thousand years ago. I suspect they were.

My meeting didn't go fine, IMO. I felt like I sounded like a stoner. But my boss and her big boss both thought I did great. I'm disappointed that I didn't get more people engaged in the discussion, and there were long awkward pauses, but I guess overall my higher-ups were pleased with the outcome.

[missychrissy]

Good point...I didn't have a mom to talk to me about such things so I sometimes feel like a fish gasping for air, wondering if I'm touching on all the right topics at the right time. Should I have prepared her better for comments from men? Could I have?

We're our own worse critics. I'm confident that if your boss and boss's boss thought you did fine, then you did.

[missychrissy]

...I sometimes feel like a fish gasping for air, wondering if I'm touching on all the right topics at the right time. Should I have prepared her better for comments from men? Could I have?
These are rhetorical questions, by the way. Thoughts I wonder to myself all the time.

My car is falling apart fast. It started making a chunking sound when I turned corners. I was alarmed, but my brother said that it would get a lot worse before it totally broke. I was a bit worried about money because things are going to be very tight for us for the next few months-maybe even this whole year! Today it was chunking while I drove straight, so I have to suck it up and buy an axle shaft before it drops out of the car while I'm going down the road.

Jesi's weekly appointment is tonight, and it's 30 miles from Ithaca. I'm worried if it will even make it, but I don't want to cancel. The last two appointments were cancelled by them.

[AmeriBrit]

As I was going to bed last night, I jokingly said, 'lord, if you are up there, please let my children sleep through tonight.' And they did. Lol. Now I know i'll definitely have to go to a church service while we're in America to say thanks. ;-)

[daylilies]

LOL Ash.
I used to believe in prayer...there were certain silly things as a teen and preteen I'd pray for and some would come true. Maybe I was just lucky. I don't think a god would be particularly interested in making sure I ran into my crush that day. XD
Sorry about your car Chrissy!

[AmeriBrit]

Lol. I used to pray like that, too, Kate.

[missychrissy]

Me too. I still like Garth Brooke's "sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers" song. Even if you don't believe in God, you still have hopes, dreams, and desires, and sometimes when you don't get what you want, later you find out you were better off anyway.

[Cosmosmom]

Good point...I didn't have a mom to talk to me about such things so I sometimes feel like a fish gasping for air, wondering if I'm touching on all the right topics at the right time. Should I have prepared her better for comments from men? Could I have? .
Really I think that some things just need to be addressed as they come up....and times change and topics change. That teacher was MORE than out of line and not something that you should have seen coming or expected.
I don't remember my mom talking about comments from men to me....but I have also never experienced that since I have always been overweight and tend to dress more conservatively.

It would be great to live in a world where we could wear whatever we wanted and not have comments or be judged....but my personal belief is that the world is harsh and unfair and we are judged based on clothes....it's why I dress a certain way for work. It's been shown that if one is dressed in a professional way, they are seen as more competent.

[Cosmosmom]

And yeah for sleeping through the night! :)