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Times gone by......... sm [2008-11-30]
I remember when I was a child the dime store in our town. It had everything from pencils to yard goods to toys to old medicinal remedies. They had a wonderful candy counter where you bought your candy by weight. You made your selection from the glass-fronted counter that was juuuuust above eye level for a small child. The clerk would scoop out the desired amount of candy with an old brass candy scoop and weigh it on an old balance scale. Then she would put the candy in a little white paper sack. There were all kinds, jelly beans, butterscotch that melted in your mouth, peppermint that really cleared the sinuses, and wonderful little maple goodies to name but a few. It tasted so much better than candy tastes these days. And yes, they had Evening in Paris and Old Spice and hankies for both mom and dad. I even held my very first job there in high school where I helped take inventory every year right after Christmas. We had to count each and every item (well, probably not the jelly beans) by hand. I remember counting boxes and boxes of pens and pencils and rulers. I miss that store as it closed down many years ago when the big discount houses started opening up in the nearby big town.
I have asked that question many times. See msg. [2008-11-27]
I have been told that fresher eggs are harder to peel. I've been told that you have to peel them immediately after cooling them. I've been told to peel them under running water.
I wish I knew which was the right answer? How come some eggs from the same carton cooked in the same pan in the exact same way for the same amount of time are easy to peel, yet others are difficult? Grrr...
We eat out an average of 4 times a week... [2008-11-19]
linch and/or dinner. We usually spend about 20-30 for lunch and 30-50 for dinner. We vary our restaurants, donjust drenched in a different gravy or sauce. We used to like Olive Garden several years ago, but that is so non-Italian now it's not worth it, just your average pasta drenched in some too cheesy, fattening sauce. We have a great Japenese sushi/steak house near us, a great prime rib place, a vegetarian restaurant that I love.
I live alone now, but I remember other times sm [2008-11-19]
I am vegan and a celiac, not choices here...I am allergic to most proteins.
I spend about $40-$50 one time a month and about $75 another time, as I only shop twice a month. I will go and have a huge bill of about $150 when I stock up, but that is only every 3 or 4 months. I DO keep an extensive pantry and every fall I splash out on about $200 worth of canned goods for the winter. I live in a very rural place and you can't always get out on the road to get anything.
I buy the pantry dry goods primarily at Walmart and buy their own brand. I buy rice in large bags because that is primarily what I eat, and I keep 5 or 6 kinds...as many as I can find. Buying stuff to make celiac bread is extremely expensive and I don't have bread like things very much because of that, and I even make my own flour mixes, but it is still expensive.
When I had a family, I fed 6 of us on $250 a month, and it was not that long ago. I would go every 3rd month for bulk dry goods. I baked all our bread. We ate primarily fresh fresh and vegetables, beans and tofu. The kids had eggs and cow's milk, but I didn't because I am allergic. We always had plenty of food, except for bread. Although I baked 8-10 round can loaves 5 times in 2 weeks, we never had bread, and I can't eat it! LOL They never seemed to grow tired of oven warm bread with my homemade canned preserves and if I made 8 loaves, only 4 or 5 made it to the next day.
I love that short snout face too..sm [2008-11-13]
It is the blood line I guess because his daddy has the short snout like him too.
I thought her face looked like she had Yorkie ...sm [2008-11-13]
in her. She is so pretty. I would love to see the pups all grown up now. What was the father of the pups? Yorkie, Shih Tzu, etc? I bet they are cuties too.
He is adorable...he just has a boxer face to me... [2008-11-13]
not pointy like some pits are...
LOL!!! One of the few times I actually [2008-11-11]
LOL'd when I typed those letters . . . heavily!
I love it too. We go a couple of times a month.. [2008-11-07]
spend about 500 bucks each time. Sometimes we come home with money, sometimes not, that the second time same thing, hit for 1500 bucks. I usually do pretty well, only play penny machines and have won as much as 800 bucks on one spin. We never spend more than 500 each. It's our vice and we enjoy it. We visit my family every year in Philly and for the 2 weeks we are there we usually gamble at least half the time. We save our money, take a couple of thousand with us for that purpose only and if we win great, if not, that's okay too.
I watch it 12 times every season on the TBS marathon. I can't wait to do it AGAIN for 15th year. [2008-10-26]
nm
I know it is very harsh...the thing is I have asked her so many times (sm) [2008-10-21]
and the things she says are hurtful to my children. I am not petty and it is not over something small like candy or just having a difference of opinion. The things she says to them really scare and upset them. She let them watch a woman giving birth on TV once when they were very young...I had not explained yet to them exactly how a baby gets out...they were both very upset. She also has told other family members that she believes my husband is a child molester and that he has made my son, who is 11, gay. My husband is not a molester. My son likes girls. He has no idea she ever said that, but if he ever heard that she did, it would probably be very devastating to him. Each time I have sat down and tried to explain to her that we donoh, yeah, that She kept the kids while I was gone overnight this past weekend and I specifically asked her not to say anything that would scare them. She let my daughter invite a friend to sleep over. She told them all about ghosts and demons and how she once saw a demon in her closet. The girl sleeping over got scared and cried to go home at midnight. My daughter called me on my cell at midnight crying because her friend was scared and going home and she was also scared. At what point do I draw the line?
Thanks both of you. My heart is just broken sm [2008-10-21]
not much else I can say. I have tried so many times to talk to her about this and she just doesn't care.
what? get in your face? that's why i started with HAHA [2008-10-11]
i suppose this is the trouble with typing you canin your face and i thought my last paragraph about you never know was not derogatory or rude or anything
im sorry if it came off that way, not intended.
How many times have you contacted a gov't official? [2008-09-17]
As in your state senator or congressman, etc., to complain about something. What did you complain about and did you get a response?
My husband I have, many times. Gas gouging, oil, immigration, Iraq. sm [2008-09-17]
he calls about anything he feels they should know about. You would be amazed at how easily you can get through to talk to them. If they are not there, their aide will take a message and you either get a phone call back or a letter.
In Michigan we have Carl Levin, Debby Stabenow, and Vern Ehlers. Their aides and my husband are on a first name basis. Literally. The aides are the front line of the reps and sens etc. They DO make note and you DO get a letter in the mail about your phone call. It doesn't really change anything, but at least the elected officials are aware of what the temprament of the voting public is.
I have contacted gov't reps many times, as well. [2008-09-17]
Since the anthrax attacks years ago, if you contact them in writing, email is preferred. I usually email or call, and I always get a response. It's not like they're going to change everything based on my one call, but it does help them to know what constituents are thinking.
Broken hearts? [2008-09-16]
HELP...... My son is 17, almost 18 years old. His girlfriend of one year (a lifetime at this age) has just left (two weeks ago) for college about 4 hours away from hometown... my son is having a HORRIBLE time adjusting to this. She is partying, not text messaging, no emails, etc. etc. all the while claiming she loves him but just does not think about him much anymore. I was up until almost midnight last night with a crying teenager and trying to explain to him that this too will make him stronger and all the crap you are supposed to say, none of which seemed to make him feel any better. He is horribly lonely... they have not officially broken up though she said if that would make him happy she understands... What is a mother to do? Back away slowly and let him walk through it... make cookies and wring my hands until I go nuts... watch him be depressed and say nothing at all???? Any other Mom ANY help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I think my spirit is broken also (sm) [2008-09-11]
He said to me this morning You can Well, I would probably have to work more but the fact is I make pretty darn good money considering I do 99.9% of the taking care of our children and everything around our house. Just another way to degrade me I think.
I've done it so many times -- most exciting thing [2008-08-29]
Wow, where do I start? I left MI when I was 23, having heard San Diego was nice. I loaded up the Chevy and headed West. One of many, many adventures I I Atlanta, Chicago, LA, San Diego. I I have a CB radio to keep in touch with the truckers and they would always help me when I would break down, overheat, or need any sortof help. There is nothing like seeing this great country of ours one slow mile ata time. Colorado and Utah are by farthe most beautiful, but treacherousbecause of the Rocky Mountains.
As far as moving to a city you donthe Chamber of Commerce for any particular city for all sorts of information about their town --- also part of the adventure. I always loved being a stranger in a strange land.
And fear, oh yes, but more bravery than anything. I If you're young and courageous, I say totally go for it!!
I've done it too a couple of times. [2008-08-29]
I moved from OH to FL when I was 19. I wanted to get away from the snow! I had the best time and wouldn't trade the experience for the world.
I lived in Atlanta for 5 years, moved from there 5 years ago. The area was way too congested for my liking. Just to go to the grocery store was bumper to bumper traffic. As a matter of fact, there was traffic any time of the day or night. Even when you leave Atlanta and go 1 hour in any direction, you are STILL in traffic! It was ridiculous.
The other thing about Atlanta that we did not like is that because of the rapid growth, we had trouble hiring anybody to do anything. We would get estimates for work on our house. They would want the money up front and then say we. It was awful. We ended up always hiring illegals (which there is also an abundance of in Atlanta and surrounding area) who always did a good job and always showed up! It even took 6 weeks to get a phone line put in.
I could rant and rave for a long time about Atlanta but you get the picture. I really cannot recommend it.
On the other hand, I am feeling a little jealous of your freedom. Do it while you can! Good luck.
nah, just young the first two times. nm [2008-08-21]
Keep your hands off your face [2008-08-19]
and be very gentle with the skin around your eyes and face. I see other people rub their eyes and faces vigorously when they're tired, and when the hands come down, I see wrinkles around the eyes. I'm 45 and people think I'm as young as 26. I do have the dark circles, which I have to cover with 16-hour foundation in a shade lighter than my regular foundation. Then I set with powder. I sometimes apply a dab of pink powder to the darkest areas or the inside corner area. This is what the makeup artist from What Not To Wear does to counter darkness. Preparation H is supposed to shrink bags.
Numbness/tingling/slight swelling in face [2008-08-08]
I had a 1-hour massage 2 days ago. I have problems most with my neck and upper back being tight and sore, limited ROM...wonder why?? lol
This morning I had a fullness in the right supraclavicular area, kind of fluidy, and a sense of it being full but no pain. Later on I noted numbness, tingling and very slight swelling in the right side of my face.
As far as I know, I didn This happened last year two or three times, but much more swelling and numbness (looked almost like Bell These other times I never felt the fluidy fullness in my neck like today...this time because it started in my neck, I was worried it was due to some lymphatics draining in my neck. The fluidness feeling is gone but I have a more definite area of supraclavicular swellingand it is painful to palpate.
I am thinking of going to our ER/walk-in clinic to get it checked out...or should I just wait it out and see what happens?
BTW, I am waiting for my Rheumatology referral, due to chronically elevated sed rate (76 last time), low positive CRP and slightly positive RF. Joint and muscle pains abound...
Thanks in advance.
My kids get this in the summer at times [2008-07-31]
I tend to think it I wouldn Benadryl wouldn't hurt him, though, (and it might give you some peace and quiet -- LOL).
Check the wait times in Canada for MRIs, etc, and see... [2008-07-30]
how bad universal healthcare really is. Believe me, nothing isfree...if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
$70 hr autoworker [2008-12-01]
The media myth: Detroit's $70-an-hour autoworker
Itthe average worker was paid about $70 an hour, including health care and pension costs.
The nugget was part of a column in which Sorkin argued that the government should not bail out the ailing Big Three automakers and that they instead should embrace bankruptcy.
Sorkingold-plated benefits -- and that during bankruptcy, the auto companies could address those runaway wages.
As I mentioned, it's been one week since the column appeared, which seems like plenty of time for Sorkin and the Times to correct the misleading $70-an-hour claim. But to date, there's been no clarification from the newspaper of record or from Sorkin himself.
And he isnhourly wage of Detroittowards $80 an hour.
Somebody at the Times needs to clarify the record, because the average United Auto Workers member is not paid $80 an hour. Or even $70. Not even close. Yet (thanks to the Times?) the issue has become a central talking point in the unfolding national debate about the future of America's automotive industry.
Indeed, that $70-an-hour meme, actively promoted by the anti-union conservative media, has ricocheted around the traditional press as well as the political landscape, where it was picked up by congressional critics last week during hearings and used to argue against aiding GM, Ford, and Chrysler.
For the record, I'm not from Michigan, and I don't have friends or family members who work in the auto or auto-supply business. And honestly, I think there are compelling arguments on both sides of the question about whether to bail out the U.S. auto industry. So I'm genuinely torn on the issue. But what's obvious to me is that it's harmful to public discourse when the press, on such a central issue facing our country, fails to clearly state the facts and instead perpetuates misinformation with sloppy reporting -- reporting that seems to hold blue-collar workers to a different standard than their white-collar counterparts.
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that automotive executives should return to Washington in coming weeks to make their case, to the Congress and the American people, for a federal bailout. And as Times columnist and Nobel Prize winner for economics Paul Krugman wrote recently, [M]aybe letting the auto companies die is the right decision, even though an auto industry collapse would be a huge blow to an already slumping economy. But it [emphasis added].
But having the media echo conservative misinformation and bandy about urban-myth salary figures about allegedly high-on-the-hog GM workers does not constitute a careful review of the facts.
Question: Is the press just being sloppy on this issue of supposedly pampered autoworkers, or are there other elements in play? Because honestly, I i.e., These autoworkers get paid that?!
Answer: No, they don't, so please stop reporting it. (And why has the press been so reticent to note that Big Three autoworkers recently made significant concessions to management?)
And it's funny, because I don't remember hearing much coverage in the press about AIG workers' six- and seven-figure salaries when the U.S. government announced it was bailing out the insurance giant. And I haven't seen or heard a single press reference to the annual salaries pocketed by Citigroup employees, even though the government has moved in quickly to bail the banking giant out of a hole its executives dug.
As Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) pointed out during congressional hearings last week, There is apparently a cultural condition that
That cultural condition seems to extend to, and be embraced by, today's white-collar press corps.
Make no mistake: The $70-an-hour claim represents a classic case of conservative misinformation. It's also a very dangerous one. The falsehood about autoworkers is being spread at a crucial time, when a make-or-break public debate is taking place, a debate that could affect millions of American workers.
Lavish contracts granted to the United Auto Workers, for instance, put GM on the hook for more than $70 an hour per worker. [New York Post]
The United Auto Workers are keen on saving their jobs and the $70-an-hour paychecks that go with them. [National Review]
[T]here [James Gattuso, from the conservative Heritage Foundation, appearing on MSNBC]
Given that we [Right Wing News]
The bailout as proposed today is a bailout of the UAW; it [Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer, appearing on the syndicated television show Inside Washington]
Companies at which union workers make $71 an hour in wages and benefits -- compared to just $47 an hour at Toyota [Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, writing at Human Events Online]
Big Three union workers, with their gold-plated health care plans, make about $73 an hour in total compensation. [Conservative columnist Amanda Carpenter at Townhall.com]
When you [Conservative radio host Lars Larson] The average Detroit autoworker makes more than $100K each year. [On-screen Fox News graphic]
Let's note that any suggestion in the press that most UAW workers earn, or are paid, $70 an hour is spectacularly dishonest. Period. (As one Daily Kos diarist pointed out last week, according to the UAW website, the base pay for a worker in a UAW plant is about $28 an hour.)
What that $70 figure (or $73) actually represents is what it costs GM in total labor expenses, on an hourly basis, to manufacture autos.
Do you see that there's a big distinction? General Motors doles out $70 an hour in overall labor costs to manufacture cars. But individual employees don't get paid $70 an hour to make cars. (The discrepancy between costs and wages is explained by additional benefits, pension fees, and health-care costs GM pays out to current and retired employees.)
Simply put, GM's labor costs are not synonymous with hourly wages earned by UAW employees. Many in the press have casually used the two interchangeably. But they're not.
Felix Salmon at Portfolio did perhaps the best job explaining the misinformation at play:
The average GM assembly-line worker makes about $28 per hour in wages, and I can assure you that GM is not paying $42 an hour in health insurance and pension plan contributions. Rather, the $70 per hour figure (or $73 an hour, or whatever) is a ridiculous number obtained by adding up GM's total labor, health, and pension costs, and then dividing by the total number of hours worked. In other words, it includes all the healthcare and retirement costs of retired workers. [emphasis in original]
Indeed, according to this Associated Press report, a chunk of GM's $70-an-hour labor costs goes toward paying current retirees' pensions and health-care coverage. In other words, that's money that's not going to end up in the pocket of any autoworker when he cashes his paycheck this week. That's money GM has to set aside in order to pay off costs associated with workers already in retirement. That money has absolutely nothing to do with calculating the hourly wage of a full-time UAW employee today. None.
So, no, UAW workers don't make $70 an hour even if you factor in benefits, because a portion of those benefits are going to people who retired years ago.
Nonetheless, that formulation (wages+benefits=$70 an hour) has been widespread. ThatThe average worker was paid about $70 an hour, including health care and pension costs.
Not only is that inaccurate, but there's also a problem in terms of perception. It's true that autoworkers don't earn annual salaries and that when calculating hourly wages, the cost of benefits paid directly to the worker can be included. But some media outlets have been so casual and sloppy in presenting the facts that news consumers are left with the false impression that GM workers pocket $70 an hour. That's not true, and it seems some in the press are doing very little to correct that misperception.
For instance, BusinessWeek also used the same convoluted language: Older UAW members make more than $70 per hour in combined wages and benefits. Dallas Morning News columnist Cheryl Hall did it, too: GM
Why does the press use that convoluted equation when calculating how much autoworkers supposedly make?
I have a hunch it's because that $70 an hour is a real eyepopper. It makes a very deep impression within the space of just a few words.
Igold-plated benefits UAW workers enjoyed. (They were off the charts, he stressed.) And since ithealth care and pension costs.
The takeaway from Sorkin's column was quite clear: GM is mismanaged, and its workers are wildly overpaid.
By the way, hereneed to bring their labor costs, which average $72 an hour, closer to the Honda or Toyota level of about $45. Note how Nicklaus never implied that labors costs equaled take-home wages. Why? Because they don't. (And kudos to Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein, who refuses to use the $70-an-hour figure because it's so misleading.)
How much money GM's workers make is certainly relevant when discussing the unfolding automotive crisis. But the press should stop confusing the issue, and tainting the perceptions of news consumers, by casually suggesting that $70-an-hour labor costs represent what UAW workers pocket every 60 minutes.
That's misleading and dishonest.
And that's why it's still not too late for Sorkin and the Times to correct the record.
— E.B.
Posted to the web on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 03:12 PM ET
The spleen can enlarge and/or rupture if [2008-12-01]
not watched. My daughter had it and though there wasn't much done, she did go back to see the doctor a couple of times.
misery [2008-12-01]
The only way to be truly miserable is to think that the situation you are in is permanent....and it is not.
Thinking that bad people get away with the things they do is short-sighted. You will live long enough to see each and every one of them fall on their face.
Why did they say your dog needed a bath? [2008-11-30]
I just throw my collie mix outside when it rains and maybe take him to the groomer 2 or 3 times a year. If he was rolling around in mud and dead animals, that would be different.
About the coming change to all... [2008-11-30]
If there's anyone left on the planet (well, maybe it's just this country) who doesn't know this, and isn't sick and tired of hearing about it, seeing TV spots about it, etc. It's been going on for what, almost a year? It started before Feb 2008 because some got the idea THAT was when it was going to change, but it was 2009- over a year away.
I haven
Thinking it was some big news story, I read it, and I don't know if it's been saying this all along but, along with saying you won't get (or might NOT get) good or any TV when it changes, unless you get a converter box, it also says YOU CAN USE A VCR OR DVD (as a convertor)!
Not a lot of people don't have a VCR or DVD player and if not, you can get a cheap one for $39.99 or so.
So, you can hook up your antenna to the VCR or DVD player and that converts it to the digital the TV needs, and you also get the VCR and DVD player (if you don't already have one)? So, why haven't they said this before? Or, if they have it wasn't stressed.
People can get coupons to buy a converter box, more wires and things to hook up, when they can use their VCR or DVD player (or buy a cheap one and watch tapes or DVDs or record, etc. on them, too)?
Maybe I have this wrong, but I know it said you either MIGHT need a convertor box, OR a VCR or DVD player to get the digital signal (just not with your TV and anntenna)
Just thought I'd pass this on, in case anyone who uses an antenna still hasn't gotten a converter box but might have a VCR or DVD player (or would rather buy one, instead)
I'm sure some of your relatives are feeling sm [2008-11-30]
the same horrible crunch. Feel them out gently. Together you can approach the insensitive members of your family.
Instead of saying you won say you can instead. It's the sign of the times, and not a reflection on you.
You can have a very merry and wonderful Christmas without gifts. It's love that makes Christmas Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and all the other posters and readers!
Hubby with hearing and greedy problems [2008-11-30]
Dear NOT Silly Girl,
I am a clinical psychologist and now teach medical transcription. I lost my deaf old sweetie 2 years ago. He was incredibly vain about wearing aids and/or his glasses. FINALLY got him to an audiologist in Canada (half the price than here in US) but getting him to wear the aids was another matter. Solved it by training just like dog or horse. Yep! Intermittent positive reinforcement - rewards, treats, smooches, etc. I told him I would only go out to dinner or shopping with him if he wore the hearing aids. Refused to go out of house with him unless he had them on -- and he loved going out! It worked, except then I still had to repeat everything 3 times inside! Many, many frank discussions also helped. Turned out he was incredibly vain and thought he looked old with hearing aids. I finally convinced him that shouting at people REALLY made him look old. He got contacts instead of glasses.
As to self-centeredness, that has to be educated out of him, too. All this takes time. Just talk to him about values whenever he acts that way, and when he stops the selfishness, reward him. That is not acceptable behavior in an adult -- and I would tell him so directly.
Good luck.
Rosie
By the way, I would take
The update on kitty - sm [2008-11-30]
I have been overthere at various times of the day and making sure I was there at the regular times I had seen him previously (sometimes 4 times in a single day!) and have not seen him again. I have waited in my car for him and gotten out to call *kitty.* I still have the carrier in my car and I am ready to bring him home. I have put out 2 cans of really yummy canned food over there for him, but they have gone untouched. I sure hope the little guy is okay. I will continue towatch outfor him!
men [2008-11-30]
Me and my husband used to smoke...a lot, each over two packs a day. I got sick and quit, but I did not ask him to quit. He would blow smoke in my face and really kept hoping I would start up again, but I never did.
He was really angry with me for quitting.
Then his ego could not take it anymore and he quit. He figured if I could do it, how hard could it be? Believe me, he was humbled. Anyone who quits smoking is humbled. Cigarettes are tough to beat.
He was really mean to me when he was quitting smoking too like it was my punishment.
My point is that no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to stand up to the ones you love, maybe your kids or your husband, whoever. Sometimes people we love take us forgranted or bully us. Maybe we think that if they loved us they would not put us through that stuff. I think the truth is we are just supposed to stand up for ourselves period, even at home. Good Luck!
I just need to VENT and see what you all think...Beware...this is long...sm [2008-11-30]
I have tried twice to tell this story but deleted it both times because the story is just too long so I will be as short as I can.
I have a bunch of ROTTEN TO THE CORE sisters.My sisters are just about the worst people I have ever met in my whole 43 years on this planet. There is one who is especially bad and I just told my other sister that if she ever dies, to please not call me as I won I come from a very large family with 5 sisters and 1 brother with my brother being the oldest. He is not involved. He sort ofleft the family years ago because he couldn They did terrible things to him after his divorce. We rarely see him now.I am considered a scumbag and a loser because my husband and I don We don We don We can We love our children with everything in our souls. They have made fun of me and my husband and insulted us to our faces.My husband and I have a difficult marriage as he is tough to get along with so they hate my husband My sistershave all gone out to dinner without inviting me. I have found out because of someone They have made threats and sent rumors flying throughout the family, without me knowing, about calling DCYF on me. I heard that one too from a slip of the tongue. I cried for 2 hours in the shower that day. They talk about everyone and I mean everyone badly. They have awell known reputation ina couple of our towns here for being mean horrible girls. They are about as fake and phony as a person can get. Sweet and all smiles to your face and when you turn around, they stick that knife in as far as they can get it in. They have what they have in their lives because of what someone has given them. My sister had her property given to her by her in-laws. It is worth about $1,000,000. My other sister had land given to her by her husbandto lessen their mortage burden so now they owe almost nothing on their $500,000 house. They think they are fabulous people. They think they are the cat In the past years when we were all talking and I would be invited to a holiday, I was not spoken to at all the whole time I was there. I am a venter and I always have been so if my husband and I are fighting, I will always go to my older sister (one up from me) and vent and vent until I can She gets on the phone the second I leave and tells every person in my family what is going on. They in turn judge me and my husband, make their threats, and so on. This is also happening to my oldest sister and her partner (she is in a gay relationship but was always dating a man and was married twice) and my sister The three of us, me, my sister and her partner, and my sister We get along well. We are happy with each other. We don Whatever happens in each other lives, we just accept it and don I now attend holidays at my sister I don I don The sisters (I like to call them the Witches of Eastwick) all attend holidays with each other up at my sister The three of us are not invited. My older sister has a son. Several yeas ago, my sister and her partner had a terrible fight with him. He went to the witches and told them a bunch of lies and now they have pretty much shunned her and her daughter and me too because we still talk to her.I have a sister, who is involved in all of this, that I speak to on a regular basis. She is close to my kids or at least my oldest son. She pretty much ignores my other two children and they tell me, It She is the one who has spread rumors about me in the family trying to get everyone to call DCYF on me. I heard this too by a slip of the tongue from another sister a few years back. I tend to be a forgiving person so I quietly forgave her for this without her ever knowing that I knew what she was trying to do. Now that they are all inviited to the holidays up to my sister They are extremely fat just like her. These holiday trips up north are usually kept quiet and I only know about it the day before they are leaving to go, which is when she inevitably asks me to come feed her f******g cats. This is how Iknow that a big party is going on up at the cabin and once again only the chosen selected few are going. This is usually for 3 or 4 days and they get fed twice a day so I have to goto her house twice a day. Sometimes I have to give them medication and the last time she asked me, I even had to soak her sick cat She lives about 20 minutes away from me. This girl would NEVER, NEVER, EVER do this for me. My husband and I took our children on a cruise 3 years ago and we have a cat and I never asked her to do this for me as I know she would have laughed in my face. I have been feeding her cats for years now when she goes away. Keep in mind though that she was in the select chosen few to be invited up to the cabin. I was not as I am considered trash in the family. I am SICK AND TIRED of feeding this girl My sister who invites everyone to go is a mean, horrible, sadistic, vicious, backstabbing wretched b***h. No one will say anything to her like, Gee Pat, where is everyone else? Didn They could care less. All they know is that THEY were invited.
Anyway, I am sorry this is so long. I cananymore. I have been thinking of this all day all weekend long. I am really to the point where I just don I am goingto tell my fat a** b***h sister to fnd another way to get her cats fed because I She is just using me and believe me when I tell you, she enjoys it. She is verydiabolical. She loves it that I am not invited and she and her husband are.She even questions me and counts the cat food cans to make sure that I came on all of the days they were gone. These people have balls of brass and I have had ENOUGH.I am just sitting and waiting patiently for the next time she says, Oh, we Can you come and feed the cats? I just canNo. I can I will never feed your cats again! Find some other sucker to do it!
I believe that they are severely narcissistic people and this is nothing to take lightly.These types of people are very destructive. Do any of you have family members like this and what do you do about them? How do you stop them from making you feelsad, lonely, excluded andless than you are or deserve? I think it is time for me to cut all ties with them. I just can
Has society become this bad and why [2008-11-29]
I saw the post down below about the Wal-Mart worker. Here is a new article that just came out (link below). The police are now looking at video surveillance to see who trampled this poor worker to death. Personally I hope they find all responsible and prosecute them to the fullest. It doesn I like their store just fine, it is what society is doing to people that nobody even bothered to stop and help this person. I grew up in the 60s/70s in a small town in New England. Maybe I'm old fashioned but my parents/grandparents taught me better than this.
I just can And for what? Getting a Christimas item? This is one of many reasons why I do my Christmas shopping (what very little I do) online and gift cards.
I think the traditions of the big shopping day the day after Thanksgiving should go away. I really donlove thy neighbor, not trample, bite, and spit at them so you can grab that item. (BTW - you can shop online at Walmart too).
I think to myself that I thought the spirit of Christmas was supposed to celebrate Christ. Oh yeah, I'm sure he is so proud of people like those who harm others and cause death so they can get what they want.
I hope those guilty are sitting at home worrying about whether or not their face is going to show up on the video camera.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081129/D94OJ4NG0.html
OMG [2008-11-28]
Bitten? My hubs went out one year for 3 items at WalMart at 5 a.m., got all 3, but almost got trampled at the checkout, was shoved a few times, and said never again.
Boy men are such children - sm [2008-11-26]
my DH is a j*e*r*k like that too sometimes. He refuses to stay at my dad's house because he re-married so quickly after my mom died. (he wants to stay in hotel--which is very expensive where they live--....though we have not done it yet because as yet he has refused to go, so I go w/o him and the kids and I have lots of fun--he did go once 2 years ago though he made us stay at a friends apartment, very silly). There is more to it than that but that is a big part of it, and he thinks my stepmom's family thinks he is a loser. He is hung up on what people think about him and imagines slights, looks, etc. all the time, very hard to live with. But he know I will leave him in the dust and do what I want as he is acting like a 2-year-old. I would just go and not worry about him acting like a baby. If you stay home with him you will be mad, resent him for making you miss out spending time with your mom (which you will regret if something happened to her any time soon), and probably have a boring day at home while he watched football all day and you cook or twiddle your thumbs. He will probably never be the bigger person and bite his tongue and go, though he should. Men really are babies though at times.
Don't give up! [2008-11-26]
Iso easy, even a child can do it! I learned to sew before I even went to school! He even had some antique machines with foot pedals that we kids used to play with. I have all sorts of machines, from antique hand-crank Singers to cheap Wal-Mart plastic machines, and high-end Pfaff and Viking sewing machines and sergers.
Check out local sewing and fabric stores for classes. You can also try visiting Meetup.com, which is a really cool place to find all sorts of people who get together to pursue their interests. I don't know where you live, but I checked in my area, and there are several groups for beginning sewing listed. Maybe there are in yours, too.
With that said, I really have to tell you that Singer machines are not the best. Since the company was sold many, many years ago the quality has gone downhill. They are not built to last and have many parts that break very easily. In my experience, a simple mistake in threading some Singers will place a lot of tension on a weak part in the thread line. Something will snap or break, and once it's broken, you can't get the machine to feed thread properly as you sew.
Unfortunately, a really good machine can cost hundreds of dollars, and it's hard for a beginning sewer to make that sort of investment not knowing if it's something they'll be doing for a long while. I always recommend going to a store that deals in higher end machines. (Pfaff happens to be my favorite.) Then ask to try machines or take classes with their display machines. You learn basic sewing techniques and you learn what makes one machine better than another.
I suggest that if your machine is brand new, you return it for a refund. Take some sewing classes first, and try different machines. Then you can make a better, more informed purchase, which in turn, should result in successful and fun sewing!
I'm sorry. You probably didn't want to hear that, but I can't say that I'm a fan of Singer machines. Even if you get it to work, it's likely to fail not long down the road, which will only frustrate you. I'm willing to bet it's the machine and not you.
Guess you never had a bad experience [2008-11-26]
My ex likes to lend things. They get returned...sometimes. When they do get returned, they And usually whoever had them is irritated thatthey had to be naggedto return it, and the friendship suffers. Some friends of his borrowed and destroyed an expensive carpet cleaner last year, he They are no longer friends.
I lent my car to a friend once after she wore me down with her whining. I begged her to treat it gently, it was an old car and I knew she was a rowdy driver. She supposedly needed it to take her poor hurting, mother to the chiropractor. She destroyed my transmission, then refused to pay a cent to help me fix it, because my family had more money than her family.
These were people we thought we knew pretty well beforehand. Rough way to find out what people are really like.
Hanging around your house (as long as [2008-11-26]
you are home) I do not see as a problem. My daughter is 14 and really the only place I let her go with a gruop is on church outings where I know they are supervised. She does have a male friend that hangs out here (same age) at times, but I am always around.
As for hanging out at a pizza place, there are probably older kids there and I would be a little leery of that.
Hanging out at your house is a good thing [2008-11-26]
as long as you are there. My house became the hang out house, and it was hard, especially when I was trying to get my work done. But I knew where they were and could step in and keep things under control when necessary. I donrule of 16 which meant my sons could not date until they were 16 years old. Boys don't really seem to fight this so much. My oldest didn't have a steady girlfriend until he was 18. My youngest was 17 when he first started dating. I also had problems with some of their friends being just plain rude. They'd swear, never say please or thank you, and just generally act like snotty brats at times. That wasn't a problem for me. I corrected them and taught them manners. I used humor, which again boys seem to respond to. Usually, when we had girls over who acted that way, the boys were quick to correct them, and I didn't have to step in myself.
As far as going out, my boys did go out to hang at the local pizza parlor in mixed groups when they were 13. I never had a problem, but they were held to time limits.
I think itYou know, I Good luck!
Thank you to all for suggestions/advice [2008-11-26]
It It is so isolating working from home sometimes. I don Working from home is a mixed blessing sometimes... I do this so I can be available for my kids, but at the same time I feel I am always working and can On the days they don Iguess I thought it would be easieronce they got older, but it is just as complicated in many ways.Well, another day off from school is almost over and at least we all survived.
Oh YES they are all like that LOL [2008-11-26]
Or at least I am sure the majority are. I have less of a bad time with my 13-year-old than I did my 18-year-old when she was that age, but we still butt heads at times. I have been honest with her that I do not trust her friends, but we agreed until SHE gives me a reason not to trust HER, then I will back off a little.
She likes the older boys (like her mother did) and that worries me, but she has a good head on her shoulders and most times understands the limitations I give her. Thankfully most of her friends started doing stupid stuff long ago and she watched and learned from them (not to mention her older sister :)!
Its a tough road, feel free to email me privately if you ever need an ear to bend.
I can tell you they are defiant at that [2008-11-26]
age. If I were to tell my daughter to make her bed or clean up the house, she argued. Then when I changed my tune and said be a slob if you want and acted like I didn They really test you at that age. Now that I look back though, I realize there was never a dull moment and I miss those days.
You have to keep thinking unconditional love to get you through the rough times with your kids.
Calling all you animal lovers - live and let live or intervene? - sm [2008-11-25]
I have a dilemma. I am an animal lover and have something I cannot come to a conclusion about. At a restaurant where I eat lunch every Friday with a friend of mine, I have noticed a young male kitty hanging around outside looking for food. This past week he ran up to my friend and rubbed her legs and quietly meowed. I purposely did not try to pet him because I knew I would get attached and ignored him. Well, ever since then I find myself thinking about him and wanting to rescue him. Meanwhile, I already have 4 inside cats (2 rescues, 2 Maine Coons) and hubby really does not want another cat in the house because a few years ago I promised we would never have more than 4 (had up to 5 at one point previously). I actually have a huge screened deck he could stay on indefinitely because I do not believe in letting cats run loose for their own safety. I could provide plenty of food, a warm place to sleep, and veterinary care. At some point I would even probably work him into our household, but I just cannot do it at the moment. Just not sure I would be doing right by that kitty because I am sure he would be upset and confused for a good while as to where he was and what was going on, but is that better than being hungry and cold? I know there are lots of animal lovers out there. What does everyone think??
I Have Never Been So Frustrated In My Life [2008-11-25]
I asked my sweet hubby for a sewing machine as I wanted to learn the basics of sewing. I cannot for the life of me get this machine to work. I was able to somehow get it right once to use it to mess with but I cannot seem to get it right. These machines are so finicky. I took it to a repair shop the other day because my friend who can use a machine couldnt figure it out either. They fixed the tension etc on the machine and told me a couple tips about the bobbin. Worked perfectly fine when they did it. I get it home and cannot get the *(* thing to work to save my life. I have threaded and rethreaded, got my book out and tried again. Have taken the bobbin out and tried to put it back in a hundred times and it is a mess. I am ready to throw the *(^% thing out the window!!!! I cant learn to do even a basic thing cause I can't seem to get the machine going to start with. AARRGGHHHH
About tatting sm [2008-11-24]
I tried to learn as kid and I just didn't get it. The gal who tried to teach me was very good and got me interested, but I could not get it. It is very like making a fishing net. Those little knots have to be just so or you end up with a knot. I have done that more times than I can tell you.
I had a neighbor who handed me a can before she moved. In the can was a shuttle and some tatting thread. She says to me TO ME! LOL I'll bet you don't know what that is. As it happens, she didn't know what it was! I picked it up and said bet I do...and started to tat.
By the time I was in high school, I could TAT pretty well. I made a couple of blouses for work that had Peter Pan collars. One was baby pink, the other baby blue. I embroidered on the collar and then tatted enough matching lace for the edges. I loved those and wore them a very long time. I wish I had time to make another one in white, but most of my efforts going into sewing for others. I have 15 pr of boxers on my sewing table for my son who won't wear anything else...as in he hates store bought boxers. He is married and should grow up, but he won't until I am gone and can't do it for him any longer.
Right now, I have a soft sheer crepe that I am making into a wedding dress for my daughter. They are going to the JP in January before he deploys and we'll do the first ceremony. When he returns they will get married by a lake in Minnesota. He wants to build a pontoon with his dad and get married on the pontoon at sunset. We'll do her wedding gown next summer. Both dresses have to be baby pink and please don't ask! She gets what she wants, it is her day(s).
These are good ideas, but how about [2008-11-24]
with a piece of turkey, some vegetables for eyes, etc. Maybe they Maybe some will say do not play with your food but it is a holiday!
Thanks, was thinking the same but hate to do it. [2008-11-24]
My kids loved it all, then they turnedorganic andvegan, etc., their kids are fussier than they were, but they don cheese. Funny, as I was food shopping yesterday, one little girl was screaming at her mom to buy some Kraft mac cheese, the orange kind. So I guess theyYuckkkk! they say.There is just so much room for all these different offerings. Peas are out! You're right it's only one day and I'm only the grandmother so they will eat again at home at night.
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