If it was really significant, I would

If it was really significant, I would [2008-07-01]
think the final cost would be more than $800. My niece was mauled by a dog and spent about a week in the hospital. She was 4 years old at the time. It was the saddest thing seeing her in that hospital bed with her whole head swollen up. The dog bite ripped out a couple of her still-forming permanent teeth and she ended up with quite a nasty scar along one cheek. Most of the stitches were in her scalp. My sister and her husband had to sue the homeowner It took quite a while to sort it all out. They ended up with a settlement that would after 15 years of very modest growth pay for her college and also any future medical bills. She has had revision of that scar on her face, but she is 19 years old now and still hasn She ismissing bone where theimplants need to go and so will need grafting to be able to accomplish it. She was not emotionally scarred forever by the incident. She is fine, and it didn Just keep loving your daughter and shebe back to her old self. Money won Try not to let your anger overtake you. I know they are responsible, but there is no need to try and take them for as much as you can. You could conceivably ruin their future. Accidents happen. What exactly were the circumstances surrounding the bite?

First significant snow fall here today [2008-02-13]
We It is pretty, but I hate winter. On the up side, I don't have to go out in it!!

Well, my significant other and I went away today and I was driving. Now he is a very aggressive [2007-10-07]
driver and I am much more cautious so it did not go well. I just dont pass everything in site with one foot on the gas and one on the brake. What a pain to have a passenger like that in the car telling you this and that and I would have been way up there by nowetc. Not much fun. I dont like to drive by the seat of my pants.

Does your husband or significant other do this? Just now, at 7:30, my husband came home from sm [2006-11-14]
playing sports with a friend. After showering he comes downstairs naked and tries to start a conversation with me. My office is in the living room and he is standing in back of the couch so I can't see any private parts, just him without his shirt, but I can see enough to know he clearly is naked! I think he wants me to be amused or get turned on or something, but I'm not amused one bit. In fact, I keep working and basically ignore him. Poor guy. I swear he thinks he's Vince Vaughn or something. I should at least smile at him but all I want to tell him is to put some clothes on! ugh!

Share a meal when you’re out to eat [2008-10-22]
Have you seen the portions that chain restaurants are serving up lately? There’s no secret why our society is so overweight. You’ll save your heart and your wallet by sharing a meal with your significant other. If you’re one of those people that feels bad doing it, make yourself feel better by tipping 25% to the server.

See, the problem is, you're taking YOUR personal [2008-10-16]
adhere to it, or else they are morally 'WRONG'. This teacher isn't forcing anyone to attend her marriage. Whoever wants to stay home, can. It's just no big deal. How you think as an individual IS your right in the US, whether you believe it is God-given or not. But the deal is, that right may also be Buddha-given, or Allah-given, etc. I find it really strange that people feel there is a different 'lifestyle' associated with homosexuality. Except for a brief period of time spent in the bedroom (which is really NOBODY's business but theirs - not even God's), for most gays, every other aspect of life is exactly the same. They still set their alarms, get up in the morning, go to work, and contribute to society. Actually, a large number of them contribute far MORE to society than your average 'Joe Sixpack' or 'Joe the Plumber'. Among my own gay friends, there are: - An astrophysicist - A doctor - A lawyer - A teacher - A scientist - On individual who graduated from both Harvard AND Yale When it comes to contributing to the outward appearances of the city, the gay community has moved into some areas (like the Castro) which used to be seedy, dangerous neighborhoods, remodelled, repainted, rebuilt, opened restaurants and boutiques, and turned it into one of the city's best neighborhoods with a strong tax base. There are homes in my own neighborhood owned by gays that they put their effort and money into, and now those homes shine, increasing property values all around them. I've been on this earth far more years than I care to admit, and I have to say - I have yet to meet a single homosexual person, male or female, that I didn't like, and who didn't make a significant contribution in life. That can't be said for many of the heterosexuals I've known. And finally, let me tell ya - the best 'girlfriend' you could ask for is a gay guy. My friends keep me laughing nonstop, and brighten my life. Condemning a person's entire existence because of a mere 20-minute difference in bedroom behavior is wrong. If that's what 'God teaches', then I'm glad that's not MY God. My God is tolerant of all those that he created.

You're not alone! [2008-09-26]
Youperfect man, things would change, but for now I am content and happy with just me! :)

do not feel guilty [2008-09-25]
Do not feel guilty and do not second guess yourself. You know your daughter. And no, you are not over-reacting. If you feel there is a problem, there most likely is. I went through this same thing with one of my daughters. She had been a straight A student, triple-letter athlete, etc., etc., etc., and then bang....whole new kid. She couldn for my family the counseling paid off. I now have a very close relationship with this daughter. I hope you find the same.

I've never had one but a friend of mine [2008-09-16]
did. She was 15 at the time and after a lot of pressure from her parents and her boyfriend She still feels guilty to this day. Personally, I am pro-choice. There are just too many variables to make it 1-sided. Fortunately, I I have always used birth control (2 forms before I got married and then just the pill after marriage). I We If that ever fails, I would carry the pregnancy, unless it posed a significant health risk to me. I I do think that abortion has become a method of birth control for so many. There need to be limitations and guidelines to its use, but please don I also believe that pregnancy has become a way for many young, unwed, uneducated mothers to get a free check every month. I think those children should be adopted out, also. But these are just my opinions.

While I agree that...sm [2008-08-26]
some ADHD children have difficulty in school, not all do. There are some who are extremely high achievers academically. My son, in particular, is not. He has struggled in school his whole life. He usually does not feel remorse for what he has done unless he has caused significant injury and then he usually blames it on something or someone else never ever, ever taking responsibility. He swears uncontrollably and calls his sister and brother all kinds of filthy swear names. Not all ADHD children are built the same. What may be for one child, may not be for the other. I had a girlfriend whose son was ADHD. He was mouthy, disrespectful, impulsive, and incredibly difficult to handle. However, he didnHey, they made me mad so they deserved it. It is kind of like a double whammy for parents of these kids. First, they hit, punch, slap, punch walls, etc., and then when you try to punish them, they get even worse. I, too, have tried spanking and the only time it ever seems to work is when I come unglued at my seams, but not necessarily getting physical with him. Everywhere we go as a family or just me and the kids is a battle to end all battles. There is excruciating fighting (fist fighting sometimes) in the car so bad that sometimes they shake the car all over the street, at the malls, fist fights in Wal-Mart (always with him as the instigator), fist fights at grocery stores, fighting and loud swearing at the beach or at someoneMom, love you. Like my husband, when he is good he is the best kid you would want to be around, but when he is bad look out. It is unlike anything you have seen before in any child ever created. Best of luck to you. You are certainly not alone.

Here's what we do -- [2008-08-23]
I have 3 siblings, each married or with a significant other. There are 5 children, including mine. Because it can get expensive to buy all of them or else they all get something small, we decided to do a name exchange amongst the adults. Travel-wise, we We set an amount that the gift should be, usuallybetween $40-$50, that way everyone gets something nice. The adults all buy for the children and we open the gifts when we have our get-together. Might be something you want to try. Otherwise, some nice gift ideas (which I really like yours) might be matching PJs -- just the flannel pants and a nice Tee. Or maybe something to fight winter blues, like a few puzzles and a board game from your childhood years. I stay away from gift cards. I don

My sister [2008-08-09]
has PMDD, and she takes Prozac with great success. I believe I just have PMS, but Prozac is not a good drug for me because of the side effect of apathy I get. If you take it and find yourself wading through dirty laundry, you'll know what I mean, LOL. I'm dealing with perimenopause, so I tried a soy-based estrogen-like product. It helped some, but then I changed to one that contained black cohosh. Wow, did I feel great. No PMS at all. Unfortunately, I lost my appetite and have stomach discomfort and dropped a significant amount of weight while taking it. This site promotes it: http://www.connecticutcenterforhealth.com/black-cohosh.html However, I also read a site that said it could cause GI trouble and even a liver condition, so I quit the black cohosh a week or two ago. My appetite and weight are still not improving much. I'm 5ƌ and my weight is fluctuating between 118 and 120 now. I can do physical activity fine, but yet I'm having a feeling of low energy in my chest area and the stomach discomfort continues. I just had a bunch of lab work, which was all normal. Really weird.

Truly A Day for the History Books [2008-07-14]
DH replaced the empty toilet paper roll last night. In the 32 years we have been together, this is the first time I can remember him replacing a roll. Please don't tell anyone else because they would probably kick him out of the He Man Club, which all men who don't replace rolls (and that would be 99% of them) secretly belong to. This is one of those days where, years from now, I will think back about what I was doing when I discovered it. (Sort of like people do with other significant historical events.) In my world, this is at least as big as discovering a cure for cancer, landing a man on the moon, or discovering life in outer space, so I just wanted to share the good news with you - because, ladies, it proves that there is hope for the rest of you!

maybe it's you... [2008-07-01]
who is pathetic. This person is simply expressing an opinion and you are being extremely rude. that no respect for another opinion. And I agree with them. what good will money do to alleviate your daughter's fears? Perhaps a more calm and reasoned approach would be more effective instead of aggravating the situation by engaging in battle. By law, hospitals have to report animal bites and the animal has to be impounded for a period of time. If none of this has happened, i find it hard to believe there was any significant injury. Chill out. Help your child and forget the legal battles. Do not be a part of the problems of this sue crazy society.

I can't believe you people sm [2008-07-01]
This was a significant bite, and nothing was done about it.

guess what [2008-07-01]
That makes us even - because I am having a hard time believing you! If there was a significant bite, something would have been done. Been there & done that. Again, concentrate on what your child needs, not what you need to make yourself feel righteous.

Okay, cautiously I go here........ [2008-05-29]
Do you know where your husband is most of the time? Anything changed like coming home late, staying gone more than usual, finding excuses about where he was, etc. Sorry, don't mean to stir up bad thoughts but as long as you definitely know he is not straying off. What's his age? Maybe midlife junk. They never communicate so who knows...but the fact that you said he springs to life when his friend calls, well, is his friend single or married, and how committed does he seem to his significant other?

planting a garden [2008-05-12]
I have planted a garden this year. Also as other posters I am trying to plan my shopping around coupons and store sale ads. I live in a rural area so I am planning more day trips to get things done and not running out 2-3 times a week. If possible, its done in one trip on Saturday or Sunday. I am also planning on getting a laundry line outside because I have heard it can have a significant impact on your utilities if you dry clothes outside as opposed to the dryer and started letting my dishwasher air dry instead of heat dry. Every little bit will adds up these days. Not as many weekend trips being planned for this summer either. Those that are being considered are old fashioned tent camping.

Another idea you might consider - sm [2008-04-16]
When my grandfather passed away, my grandmother was in the same situation as your dad. Might sound crazy but this is what we did. Gma and Gpa had a three bedroom home and I had two kids. I talked it over with Gma and we moved in with her temporarily. Her wishes were the same. She wanted to die in her home, her bed. She was still fairly active but she did have some significant health issues and memory issues. Her safety was a big concern. The kids weren't too thrilled at first but it was probably the best 2 years of their childhood. Gma always had a story or something to talk about and we all really re-connected. After Gma passed, we moved back into our home. We did have an occasional home weekend when my aunt was in town to visit. That way they could have a more personal visit and we had a little time to ourselves too. It worked out well for us. Might not be the same for everyone but I sure was glad we could give her what she wanted.

Thanks. I thought it might be a small town. I live SM [2008-04-12]
in south central PA, so the drive would be significant. It would be so wonderful to see him and to see him as a minister.

feel the same sm [2008-04-10]
When someone in my family is sick, I worry, send cards, call, etc. I also worry about gifts and special occasions. Since my kids got married (boys) no one seems to give a rat's pitooty and it's very hurtful. I recently fell and got really hurt, not even a follow-up phone call. Recently celebrated a significant landmark occasion, no acknowledgement. Feel like I wasted all those years caring about those who do not care about me. After working in this field, breaking my back (not to mention my neck and wrists) I feel not one bit appreciated. You are not alone!!!!! They DO call when they want a free sitter though, that's different! Perhaps I'm just blue today.

Have you considered Dyson? sm [2008-04-01]
We have had a Dyson for about four or five years now, and I adore it. You just would not believe what all it picks up. Hubby and I both have allergies AND indoor cats, and if we use the Dyson as often as we should, we can tell a significant difference. We bought ours after trying a friends. They are lighter weight than the Rainbows and Kirbys, and also have an added advantage of being significantly cheaper. Just a thought. HC

As the mom to an openly gay son - sm [2008-03-27]
I have to disagree. Once a person makes the decision to go through the change from one gender to another, they take on the responsibilities, pitfalls, benefits, everything that goes along with changing to the other sex. Men do NOT get pregnant. He was not born a man but chose to undergo significant physical changes to live as a man. Just because he hasn't undergone the complete change shouldn't matter. He is living as a man. In case you are wondering, my son, his partner, and numerous other friends straight, gay, and lesbian disagree with the choice this couple made. They feel it sets them back in their fight for equal ground on the basis of social acceptance. You ARE or you are NOT. If they had chosen to adopt because his wife could not have children, that would be different. It's pretty much accepted.

I have a Eureka Atlantis Opt-Heat and love it...sm [2008-02-23]
we have 3 dogs and a cat that live in the carpeted area of the house, as well as 4 people in the house, so I'm sure you can imagine the beating our carpet takes. I love this carpet cleaner because it has an easily removable plate over where the yucky water, animal hairs, etc. is sucked up and it's easy to clear it. Prior to this unit I had a Bissel heat steam cleaner that worked great except it would jam easily with pet hair and was harder to clean the jams between the layers of the cleaner. My sister now has that cleaner as they only have 1 small dog so the pet hairs aren't a major problem for them to deal with. The unit I have sells at Walmart for $136 online is what I'm seeing now. It also has a collapsable handle which makes it easy to store. Consumer Reports a few months ago rated the home carpet shampooers and found that they usually do as good if not better than RugDoctor or professional cleaners. If you have stains on your carpet there are pre-treaters you can use and oftentimes get them up, depending on how long the stain has been there and what the stain is. If I ever got a significant stain on my carpet I would call the pros so they could work it out with their high powered chemicals. We clean our carpets every other month and it's amazing the dirt the cleaners pull out of the carpet. We vacuum every couple of days but that never gets as deep as the crud gets from everyday walking on it. Another beauty of buying a carpet cleaner is the cost. After using it about 3-4 times it's paid for itself when you look at the rental fees for other cleaners, or what the cost of having a professional come out once runs.

We just moved out of modular and built (sm) [2008-02-19]
We lived in a modular, what some would call a It was a great starter home, but there were a couple of things about it that anyone looking to buy a modular should be aware of. The first thing is that resale on modulars/manufactured homes is not as brisk (at least in my part of the country) as a regular, site-built home. We ended up selling ours via land contract. The second thing to be aware of is that these homes off-gas. If you move into a new house, there is going to be a smell associated with that new construction but in a manufactured home, because of the way they are built, on an assembly line, some things are done differently than in a traditional house. There is a lot of formaldehyde used in the construction of these homes. Heating and ventilation are other things to be concerned about, as well as insulation, and what type of foundation to put underneath the home. My suggestion is that if you go with a modular/manufactured home, go with a full slab. As far as settling goes, any house is going to settle. If the home is set up properly the settling will be held to a minimum, but if it isn I would check with the BBB where you are looking to buy and see if there are any complaints on file with them re: the company/ies you are looking at. Another thing to consider: Where are you putting this home? Many subdivisions have regulations against modular homes of any type, including the one we moved into. These people (small subdivision) freaked out completely when they found out we were building a house in THEIR subd. and that we lived in a modular at the time. I guess they thought the trailer trash was coming to town...let We were able to go through a service where we hired a consultant who is a licensed builder to guide us through the process, and we actually did the general contracting ourselves. We managed to save a significant amount of money in the process, and while there were very stressful times we managed it well and are extremely pleased with the results. While we are not what could be considered tree huggers, we did want to build a house that was more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. There are several ways to do that, and it really is so much simpler than you may think. We just moved in about a month ago, and we do still have quite a bit to do, trim, paint, landscaping (we have a beyoootiful mud pit right now), but it is so very much worth it. In any event, good luck with whatever you decide to do, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. HC

How many more have to die? [2008-02-15]
Well wearing my HUSKIE red today and proud to say that I am an NIU Alum as well as having been on the staff there. My family has now had 3 generations attending the school there as well as my father being retired administration from NIU. In response to your post, it is the PARENTS responsibility to see that their children are raised with PROPER values -- ironic that the shooter was a Sociology major. My own PERSONAL theory on this, is that yes, there was a grudge, and that he may have wanted to get back at an instructor or even professor and possibly felt that that particular person would be there at that particular time. Yes, he was OFF his medications, but think about how MUCH the media is into play with this, think about the fact that we have computer and video games that promote violence and just the downturn of our society in general. When I talked to my father this morning, he was at my sister's house and she lives near Kishwaukee Community Hospital and dad said that a DeKalb and its pronounced DE KALB and not De Calb couny mounty flying down First Street at about 130 miles an hour. I was listening to a local talk radio station here in Miami today, driving up here for the weekend from near the Keys, and callers actually thought there had only been 6-8 school related shootings -- WRONG -- try more like 50-60 and they -- the shooters have been ranging in age from kindergarter to upwards -- what is wrong with this country and in particular IL, is that it is LEGAL to purchase and possess a gun, however, it is ILLEGAL to carry a concealed weapon, and I know of what I speak as my significant other is in law enforcement here in FL, and we can go from FL to MI and visit family there, however, my SO cannot carry in IL -- blame it on our bleeding liberal heart government. In the meantime, please keep all of the NIU community in your thoughts

How many times are you going [2008-02-14]
to mention that his father never contributed any money, not a penny? Since you keep repeating it, it must be very significant in your mind. His father never contributed a penny to raising him. Now there is a rift between you and your son because of money. Anybody else out there think these two points are more connected than they may appear to be on the surface?

Schools have people across the county monitoring weather sm [2008-02-06]
to assess delays and closings. If there was legitimate fog, the school would be aware of it. If it wasn't excused, it likely was A) not significant enough to cause any major delay or B) nonexistent. Think, people.

it is awfully peculiar that he used your cell phone..sm [2008-01-30]
No offense, but he either purposely wanted you to see this or is extremely moronic. I think you deserve better. That is not what someone does to their significant other if they truly love them.