If I couldn't make 1K a week, I would not be in MT.

Maybe they should make [2008-09-01]
those with that addiction be totally immersed in it 24/7 for 30 days. If that doesn't cure them, I don't know what will! (Especally the close-ups!) Eeeww!

I couldn't find the NYC at WalMart [2008-09-01]
nm

all that make people look stupid. [2008-08-31]
nm

We have a 10-week-old boxer now... [2008-08-29]
have had a lab/mix in the past...

I would do pasta salad (I make mine with Ranch and chicken!) [2008-08-28]
dip for the chips, cheesecake and some kind of potatoes, maybe on the grill?

Make him repay every mean thing he does to his brother with 3 nice things sm [2008-08-25]
Take away a privelege he really enjoys and make him spend that time doing three nice things for his brother - through gritted teeth - every time he does something mean. For example - you hit your brother, you clean his room, let him use your favorite toy and clean his plate for him after dinner tonight. If he responds in anger during that timeframe and hits again, he starts all over again, three nice things. I had to do this with my son with negative things he would say. It worked well. Now when he starts to slip up we start the three nice things again and he remembers quickly.

Oh and DON'T back down. Make sure he follows through sm [2008-08-25]
If you decide it is too harsh and slack off he will learn that you are not going to stick to your word and that he can get away with things. I wouldn't make it anything that takes 4 hours, like sitting a chair. But make it something that will bug him enough that he will remember it next time he raises his hand to hit.

Make a list of budget/spending priorities for your self employment income [2008-08-24]
Dave Ramsey's book has a irregular income planning sheet. Basically you list your expenses with the cash flow sheet. With any steady income you allocate it. For irregular income, make a list from the cash flow sheet of what needs to be paid first. Keep a culmulative total.

So let me make sure I have this right... [2008-08-22]
because I am fortunate enough to have a husband who has a good job, a great work ethic and both of us have decided to live debt free and are happy that way,I am the bad person here? Wow, how catty and bitchy some women are. Just think, Icould work for a lousy company making peanuts, work around the clock to make those peanuts, eat top ramen, never have anything new, never take a vacation and then come here and complain about my life, my job situation, etc. No thanks. Some of you need to takea step back and figure out why you are so unhappy for anyone whocan manage to make ends meet in this day and age.None of you would turnit down. DH and I are a team, we work together to have a good life and there is nothing wrong with that. Sorry if that offends you; it works out well for us.

It did not make me feel bad, but it made [2008-08-21]
x

not at all. Not sure why it would make poster [2008-08-21]
the lowest i have weighed since middle school. I've been on depo for 5 years, have hypothyroidism and a sednetary job. It's all about calories in, calories out and self control.!!!

Make sure you're getting all your water in and [2008-08-19]
up your fat a bit. You are in benign ketosis which is what you want to be in if your goal is to lose weight on low carb. Just make sure you Sometimes your electrolytes can get out of balance, but should be easy enough to correct.

We just got WII fit this past week [2008-08-11]
I) We bought this WII for my son last Christmas and I can honestly say it was money well spent. They have a blast with it and they aren't constantly sitting. We don't have the Guitar Hero but maybe that will be next on the list.

Can you not make it and just leave the [2008-08-08]
x

Sorry, I don't mean to make light of the [2008-08-06]
situation from the OP. However, people are going crazy over this and the individual being discussed is not even a part of this conversation. For all anyone knows, this had been handled and the dictator did not mention it in his dictation or has been handled since, so why are so many in an uproar???? I am not in the military, but my nephew is in the Army, and in his unit each situation is handed on an individual basis--there is not a blanket protocol for things of this nature.

My sister opened my eyes the other week and simply stated SM [2008-07-30]
thatmost of the people pulling this country down have children, sometimes lots of them. These kids have no guidance and only know what they see. Unfortunately, a lot of them grow up like mom and dad, thinking they don Thank God for school teachers who are there to provide guidance and structure for a lot of these kids. Sometimes it is the only place they find it.

you couldn't pay me to shop on a tax holiday [2008-07-29]
that's like shopping on the day after thanksgiving. No thanks!!

You make me feel like a slacker... [2008-07-26]
IStop Dressing Your 6-year-old Like a Skank by Celia Riverbark. Very light and very funny. Perfect beach book, if I were at the beach, which I'm not unfortunately.

Thanks for sharing that, I'm seeing it this week with sm [2008-07-21]
my mom, sisters, and sister-in-law. I can>

I pay mine $5 a week, they do a varietuy of things - sm [2008-07-21]
from helping me clean the house (vacuum and mop and pick up/put away), clean bathroom sinks, clean cat litter box, get paper towels, let dogs in/out, clean rooms, and basically anything I can think of that I think they will do an okay job of. I have 2 girls 8 and 9. I do let them buy on credit sometimes but they know they are not getting anything else until they pay off the first debt. .

My daughter gets $10 a week [2008-07-21]
She watches her younger sister while I work, and she loads and reloads the dishes and is supposed to keep her room clean. On Saturdays she'll help me by doing various cleaning chores.

Gotta make sure I have that address! Sounds GOOD. NM [2008-07-15]
xx

The next time I decided to make real [2008-07-14]
mashed potatoes. Didn't know how many potatoes I needed for 2 people, so I peeled about 6 or 7 potatoes. Once again, too many taters! LOL!

I think it's your house and you make the [2008-07-08]
rules. I wouldn't let her spend the night either, for what it is worth. Of course, your daughter is mad - she's 16, but she has no choice but to get over it.

Things to make a bike more fun - sm [2008-07-07]
I'm a big believer in mountain bikes. Not only are they great for riding on regular pavement, but you also have the freedom to go on dirt roads and trails. I don't know why, but riding uphill on pavement seems like a chore to me, but on a trail, it's an adventure. You can probably get the bike shop to replace the standard seat with a wider one... lots of people do that. The ones with gel padding are GREAT... and will make it possible to ride more miles before your posterior gets tired or sore. The other thing I do when I buy a bike (especialy a mountain bike) is have the shop remove the toe-clip-things fom the pedals, and just put on standard pedals. I don't like the feeling of my feet being attached to the pedals, and want to be able to put my feet on the ground at a moment's notice. (Or, jump off! Haha...) If you get a bike with lots of gears, such as a 21-speed, then going up hills will be much easier, since you can put it into a very low gear. If you have the money, a lighter frame adds to the ease of climbing hills (or, just carrying the bike, or loading it into a car or truck.) If you ride lots of bumpy or dirt roads, Rock-Shox on the front wheel can help ease neck, wrist or shoulder pain. I don't have them on my current bike, and boy do I feel it when I hit a bump. But I can't afford them right now. Also, especially with a moutain bike, I believe in getting the tires puncture-proofed. (Or more puncture-RESISTANT, I should say.) Nothing worse then getting far from home, running over a sticker-weed, and then having to walk home pushing the bike. They make interior tire liners called Mr. Tuffies that can be put inside the tire to help resist flats. Finally, invest in a good bicycle lock, so that if you ride it to the market, or leave it anywhere, someone else won't come along and steal your fun!

No fun [2008-09-06]
This is me too. Too many hours in front of this computer trying to make enough money. In this business it has been like this for 5 years. I figure the only way to have a life is to get out. I am looking at going back to college before its too late to have any fun.

In a perfect world [2008-09-05]
What is your idea of a perfect world - it can be anything from the craziest of crazy ideas to very simple ones. Here's my ideas: 1. No more pharmaceutical commercials. Let our doctors tell us what meds we need, not us tell our doctors we think they should give us. 2. Pharmaceutical companies would not rule the doctors (okay sort of part #1, but a little different). 3. No more stup!d commercials that demoralize our intelligence like the pepto bismol commercial, free credit report, and about 95% of the other commercials. 4. Every child would be considered a gift from the gods (whatever one you believe in), and their lives would be treated as precious as they are and there would be no killing or abuse of young children. If parents cannot handle having children they would bring them to the nearest safe place and say I canthem (instead of killing and burying them out where no one can find them). Then couples who can 5.The government would tell us the truth about why they are spraying chemicals (chem trails) into the atmosphere and poisoning all of us. 6. The goverment would tell us what I think we are all adults and can handle the truth. 7. Hollywood actors actresses would quit announcing to everyone all the lavish money they are spending on themsleves (mansions,$12,000 coffee table, etc) and instead we would hear that Brad Angelina spent that $12,000 to help the hungry and needy. 8. They would turn all the abandoned buildings into housing for the homeless. 9. People wouldnonly because of what political party they belonged to, and politicians would keep the promises they make while they are campaigning (haven't met one yet that did). 10. Lawyers would not be trying to re-write the constitution. 11. All people would be considerate of their neighbors and not mow their lawns after 8 pm in the evenings or before 8 am in the mornings. 12. Everyone could pick whatever time you wanted to start working and quit working. 13. We would have an alternative reliable transportation method instead of plane, train, or automobile similar to the transporter you see in Star Trek. So if you live in Washington state, you could still go to Maine for dinner and be back by 9pm. 14. There would be no more gangs. The people who want to be part of a gang would now be part of an Infantry unit. They would learn out to use weapons but they would use them responsibly. 15. There would be no more bullies in the school system. 16. There would be no animal abuse. Every person would take care of animals and love them, and if caught being cruel to an animal you get branded or something so that everyone in public would know that person is cruel to animals and they would be ashamed of what they've done. 17. No more reality shows. Enough with American Idol and Survivor. 18. Scam artists would not try to swindle money out of people (especially the elderly). 19. Everyone would grow food in their yards and neighbors share with others.

I don't eat breakfast - never have been able to [2008-09-05]
Ever since I was in grammar school I have never been able to eat breakfast. My parents always made me eat and Ibreakfast - coffee and whatever it doesn't take me any time to make. I do like life cereal a lot, and sometimes we'll have a bagel or toast. Other times I take some frozen strawberries and blueberries and throw them in the blender with some water and we have a fruit drink. My sister tells me I'm boring and bland. HA HA

I'm not really wasting time during the hours [2008-09-05]
that I am awake - it If I could sleep 4 hours a night, I could: - always have the laundry caught up. - always have my house clean. - cook supper each and every night. - keep my flowers weeded and watered. - read at least a half an hour a day. - spend time in devotions and meditation and prayer. - exercise. If I could accomplish these things throughout the week, then I could have each and every weekend FREE!I feel like I could gain my life back if I could somehow figure out this sleep thing. Thanks everybody for your input.

It depends on the day. [2008-09-05]
School mornings are crazy so its usually a granola bar, pop tart, piece of fruit or something of the like and then maybe a mid morning bowl of cereal, oatmeal, or cream of wheat. On weekends my hubs is usually the one up early so he usually makes a traditional-type breakfast with eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, etc. or pancakes, french toast, or waffles. During the summer I went through a homemade egg mcmuffin sandwich phase. Those were quick and easy but not quick enough for school mornings. Funny, we had breakfast for dinner last night. Scrambled eggs with cheese, hash browns, toast, bacon, and OJ. It's been a long time since I have done that and I told my hubs this should be a once a week dinner. Its so simple, easy, and healthier than a lot of other stuff. Besides kids love it! :) Just this morning I was thinking I need some new ideas for quick mornings but i hate buying prepackaged stuff like poptarts.

Does anyone know what happened to the [2008-09-05]
wonderful guy on America They brought back the acts from last week and announced who was going on to the next round, but he was not there this week and they did not mentionhim. I wonder if he dropped out? He was just wonderful.

I NEED my sleep! [2008-09-05]
I've gotten by on less than 8 hours of sleep, but it's not a pretty sight. I'm like a zombie and can barely keep awake in the afternoon. But I really like to sleep, too! I like the feeling of drifting off, and I love the feeling of waking up after UNINTERRUPTED sleep. And there's the rub! Hubby snores, and he wakes me up. Or, because he goes to bed before me, he's already snoring when I come to bed, and that keeps me from falling asleep. Ear plugs don't do it for me. Now that I have a son in college, I've taken to sleeping in his room when he's away, and I get much better sleep. I've been able to train myself to sleep less in the past, perhaps just 5 hours a night. But I couldn't sustain it longer than 2 or 3 weeks before I'd just crash and burn. I think some people can do it, but I'm not one of them.

I definitely agree with you there. I cook all meals and we [2008-09-04]
rarely eat out. I am very particular in what I cook and how I cook it. At least food that is eaten early in the day has a better chance of all the calories being burned off. A lot of times as well it will give them that extra boost of energy that they need. We as parents should have taught them how to make correct choices. That part is not the schools problem.

I use a timer [2008-09-04]
so My mom got me into this... when I was home visiting she sat a timer in front of me so I couldn't search the internet until I worked a full hour, or 30 or 45 minutes, whichever I chose. Then I could search for a little while... and then right back to turning the timer on. Maybe you could get up and walk around, or watch some TV or something in your break time. It sounds silly and childish, but it actually works. I'll tell you what thogh, some days are just BAD. I promised myself to try to earn $100.00 every day... I was doing great the first three days of the month and now today im worn out. LOL. plus i blame it on politics and me wanting to follow that stuff... and discovering this board... etc. I hope it gets better for you! and I am not a morning person AT ALL, but if you went to bed earlier do you think it would help? It takes a little while to get on that schedule but im seriously in bed by like 10 and up at 6... i get tired in the middle of the day... but once i got past the first couple with no naps, im finding it easier to get up. Good luck! PS how come so many people view posts but only a few answer!?

Thanks for asking this question. [2008-09-04]
I am having the same trouble lately. I blame it on the work flow. I am so unmotivated to work because it doesn't matter how fast I type I'm struggling with production with having to learn new client profiles, etc. Today I turned on the radio and that seemed to help. It was enough to drown out other things running through my mind but not enough that I couldn't focus on the dictators. Chewing gum helps sometimes too...but lately no. I think taking a walk would help but I can't bear the thought of extending my time an extra 20 minutes to cover a break. I am ready to be done when its quitting time!

Nope, I don't watch the news. [2008-09-04]
I find that its all bad stuff or things that are blown out of proportion. If its something important I can read it in the paper every other week or so, or I will hear about it from friends.

You have a lot to deal with here. I suggest (SM) [2008-09-04]
you take 1 issue at a time. You have a good list started...prioritize based on safety and legal issues. Re the will, POA, etc., download some forms from the internet or buy some...they are widely available. Fill out one of them as a draft, leaving blanks where he needs to give input. Then take it to him, go over it with him, and ask what he wants in the blanks. Then compile a final for him to sign and take him to have it notarized, if needed. Then move on to the next thing on the list. I wouldn't make a big deal out of anything, just make dealing with one thing part of your regular routine when you visit him. Re the house, spend some time making a safe, clean space in it for him to live his daily life...kitchen, one bathroom, to start. Get and install any grab bars or other equipment he might need. Get him a medical alert necklace for his birthday. I found one at WalMart that doesn't require a monitoring service...it dials 9-1-1 in an emergency. This is just a start, but that is what you need to do, just start. I hope some of these suggestions are useful.

Take it as a sign of things to come... [2008-09-04]
but don't make a big deal out of it with either of them or hold a grudge. He will probably treat your daughter just as badly if/when they are married, but she has to figure that out for herself. If you need something done, just pretend she doesn't have a boyfriend at all, and get things done on your own henceforth...and don't give them POA when you are old!

Kitty ringworm? [2008-09-04]
I need some advice from all the cat experts out there. A week ago a very nice black male kitty adopted us and since he was so mellow and got along with our dog, we decided to keep him. I took him to the vet for the first time last night to get checked out and get shots. The doctor noticed an area between his shoulder blades that was a little flaky and a little fur was starting to come off. She thought it might possibly be ringworm but couldn't tell yet. Honestly, I didn't even notice this (and I've been petting kitty a lot) until she pointed it out, and it really didn't start flaking until we got to the vet. Today in the same area he has a very small patch of hair loss and still has some flaking but I don't see a lesion like ringworm. Could it be that the lesion just hasn't shown up yet? If it is ringworm, what can I use on it without having to go back to the vet? I already spent a lot of money there yesterday and I do want to take care of kitty, but we do have limited funds. Oh yes, and to my surprise, this kitty who has been outdoors for who knows how long is very clean and actually does not have fleas! And yes, we did try to find his owner, but no one has called. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

sleep, or lack thereof [2008-09-04]
Iread somewhere this past week that Sarah Palin only requires 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night. I remember in the past reading the same about Jay Leno. For along time now I have thought about how much more I could accomplish if I could justget by on less sleep. I seem to functionwell with7 hours and usually that is what I get. Do you think that the ability to sleep 3 to 4 hours a night and actually function normally and enjoy life is a gift that a person is born with, or do you think it is something that can be learned?Do you thinka person could get 1/2 hour less sleep per night every week, gradually getting used to less and less sleep, and still function well?Am I the only one who thinks about these things? Please share your thoughts on this. Do you know anybody who sleeps so few hours, and what is their quality of life?

Ideas for Low Energy [2008-09-04]
hi, just wanted to offer some encouragement, if possible, to say hang in there and we all feel like that sometimes. I think it i know that when i started having perimenopausal symptoms, i wasn another option is an herbal infusion made of stinging nettle: http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Energy_Stamina.htm having energy is a very multifaceted issue, imho, which takes into account one i give myself comfort foods, and yes, coffee.i do an email here and there in between notes or in the middle of one for a very quick break (case in point). if i'm low energy for too long, i ask myself why that might be, which it sounds like you're doing. sounds like you're overworked and worried too, which doesn't help. trying to find ways to reduce stress is key. sometimes for me it's a glass of wine, or watching my favorite show once a week for a treat. whatever is FUN for you is key. again, just my humble opinion, but itgratitude list on occasion, or a gripe list, whatever feels right at the time! Good luck!

How the heck [2008-09-03]
Call me dumb but I have to ask before I try this. You put the dandruff shampoo on your face? and is this a 3-step process, rinsing between, or you put it all on together? How often do you do this once a week, a month?

LOL....no....sm [2008-09-03]
I use the dandruff shampoo on my hair, because I feel like my hair oil contributed to the acne. The facial scrub I do in the shower every day, then when I get out and dry off I use the peroxide - if my face has been breaking out. It usually ends up being once or twice a week that I use the peroxide. How did I come up with it? You try having your face break out from the time you are 15 and still dealing with it when you are 40 - you'll come up with some crazy ideas too :-)

So maybe it wasn't [2008-09-03]
LOL Glad I asked. Something about putting dandruff shampoo on the face didn't seem right. I am almost 30 and have had it since about 14. I took accutane and had great skin for about 10 years, now its slowly creeping. I'm preggers so not sure if its the hormones contributing or not but I don't want to take accutane again. I have tried proactive and just about everything out there and nothing helped except the accutane. I'll give this a shot. I have seen the Apricot Scrub in wal-mart but have never tried it. Oh, if you have one or two problem spots that you want to get rid of quickly, Clean and Clear Persa Gel works great. If I know I have a special event coming up I will use that daily for the week or 2 prior and it helps a lot. It clears up any problem within 2 days but within the first day the redness is completely gone.

A "Lunch Ladies" opinion [2008-09-03]
I work in an elementary school in Ohio. With a lot of hard work we have pretty much removed junk food from our menus. Just today we served Chef Salads for one of our choices. The kids love them. As one first grader said My mouth is watering just looking at my salad!. We have a lot of freash fruit and vegetables too.Please let your school system know your concerns. There really is no reason to serve sodas and they should be removed. I do serve ice cream, but once or twice a week. We laugh sometimes when they call us their Lunch Teachers. When I ask why, they usually say because I teach them how to eat right. As far as the grandmother who brought home food from the kitchen, I hate to tell you but that is stealing!

You should be complaining to the school.. [2008-09-03]
Our SENIORS in high school were complaining at least 3 years ago about how much they hated the fact that they couldn't even have a single soda all year in school. Our vending machines only have sandwiches, lowfat pretzels, baked chips, juice and Propel (the Gatorade water). I think your school needs to be making some better choices.

we were a charity...LOL!! [2008-09-03]
it was end of the week stuff like milk, juice, etc. she only brought home the good stuff at the end of the summer. getting those groceries really helped my parents sometimes!

Exactly. [2008-09-03]
Overall the school lunches in this district are great. The elementary school would offer ice cream or popcorn for 25 cents once a week. Always fresh fruits, vegs with the meal. Itype A (regular) or type B (ala carte crap) lunches and there is no control other than for the parents to discuss their expectations with the student. I'm thinking we may go to packing lunch except for once a week or something. We are going to give a trial this week and see what he says he buys and then address it. I'm hoping he surprises us but I'm sure its just a matter of time before he joins the rest of the crowd.

Good for you:-) We have a wonderful... [2008-09-03]
lunch lady as well. She works hard to make everything healthy and enjoyable for the kids. I donbonus for making it under the lowest budget, but she does a great job managing the food for our children---and we really do appreciate it!!

Forgot to add that they have Chik-Fil-A delivered sm [2008-09-03]
once a week which all the kids love.