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OK, I rolled mine over into AARP [2008-11-22]
in January. I made $850 the first quarter and now I have lost $1500 for the year. They put everything in the most conservative things they had because of my age. My friend, however, has lost 50+% of hers this year.
mine's probably obvious [2008-11-21]
aside from the fact that i my initials for tying are MS, which are very common. so, many, many years ago, to separate myself from the group, i changed my initials to MX, which no one had. now, i
also, as is probably common, some of us have other screen names here than just our primary. i have more than one identity here, which shall remain nameless. another one of me is much more of a trouble-maker than the true XanaX, another regards being an ex-employee for another company, and yet another regarding my location in this country. i
Mine hit 50% for me. So long, retirement dreams! [2008-11-21]
Mine comes from the job and my feelings at the end of the day. sm [2008-11-21]
I have done transcription and/or typing of one type or another for years it seems. So the MT is what I do for a living (and the way my brain feels) and the worn out is the way I feel after doing my job all day and then my 2nd job on top of that.
Although for different reasons, I'm putting mine up [2008-11-20]
later than usual. I usually have them up by Thanksgiving, but this year I think I We don I
Our current house is a little small and the tree really clutters it up. We If I didn I love Christmas, but things are just too hectic and cluttered right now.
We only buy for our two sons, and they are older. [2008-11-19]
The youngest (18) wants a decent digital camera, so I think about $250 to $300 range plus some stocking stuffers. Oldest son is easily pleased. HeIndiana Jones style hat, and a book so far. We may round out his gifts with cash, since he's a starving college student. Husband and I do not exchange gifts. My birthday is the day after Christmas, and that is just dinner out for the two of us. Our 24th anniversary is in January, and I already know that I want to get him an iPod. His 50th birthday is in April, and I would love to have a party for him. I'm definitely saving up for that, but it will be a relaxed party.
While are Christmas will be fairly simple, looking ahead, I'm trying to budget for some other things.
Mine does too. She will come home for [2008-11-18]
school and ask Is this whatever I can find for dinner night? She is 14 and has just started cooking, so she absolutely loves it.
Here is mine...sm [2008-11-17]
It is Souper easy (I know, groan!). Chicken, beef or veggie stock (not broth), frozen veggies depending on mood, quite a bit of garlic and onion,frozen tortellini, and maybe some bits of meat (usually not),and herbs depending onthe other ingredientsbeing used. Amount depends on how many people are being fed. This is good for using up leftover veggies, chicken and beef, too.
Probably older. LOL s/m [2008-11-14]
We have Grapes of Wrath in our movie library. When I I pray to God we don headed in that direction.
I wash mine every other day [2008-11-13]
I have pretty short hair so I can get away with it. If I have to I can just wet it a little bit and put some gel in it and it's good to go.
mine doesn't have any. NM [2008-11-06]
.
Mine is usually because I have my children with me! [2008-11-03]
nm
My youngest is much easier than the older 2 were... [2008-11-03]
With my oldest 2, it was easy before they turned 18 - they HAD to be in by 11:00 because of junior licenses. After they turned 18, I think it was 10 on school nights and midnight on weekends unless they were spending the night somewhere. DD was the one to argue at every turn. Drove us crazy. Now my youngest DS on the other hand, is such a homebody. He got his license in October and he doesn't go further than a mile or so to hang out with his friends or his cousin. That might all change some day, so we'll see.
Um..it was my ex-husband's story, not mine. I just retold it. [2008-11-02]
x
She IS cute, but mine is even cuter! sm [2008-10-31]
You have to know, I am NOT a dog person, although dogs think I am. We never had them growing up. I have not been around them and when I have, I mostly can't stand them. They are either filthy and stink, have terrible behavior or terrible owner behavior towards them. It is always something. I would have told you I hate dogs, especially little poodles.
THEN, I downsized because the family grew up and moved out (well for now). I had not been here 3 months when I looked at my fenced yard and my loneliness, and started thinking about a dog. I thought I wanted a big dog because I have poor balance and I trip and fall all the time. A friend who used to breed poodles told me I wanted a poodle or a bichon. She said that poodles don't shed and that I probably needed a small dog. They often live longer with fewer problems and make better companions for quiet people who don't (in my case can't) take them out walking. Then, she got a poodle puppy for herself.
OMG I was IN LOVE. I said, find me a poodle! She said it could take a while, but she'd find me a red poodle. She called the next morning, my pup was on her way here. She was sold to me as red, but she is apricot with white trim. Yup, a 2-tone poodle. She was 8 weeks old, tiny and adorable. I was terrified of her, but I was determined I'd learn to love her and I'd take very gentle loving care of her, no matter how scared and stupid I felt. I'd take her out and play with her and hope I could manage to house break her when I had not a clue. We had many issues over finding a food she could tolerate without puking or scours, but we got there.
You know, she was house broken in under 3 weeks. I worked at teaching her to fetch a little ball and bring it back and she does it beautifully now (she is almost 2). She knows that I require she beg for a treat properly, so that I know what she is asking for and she knows she will get it. She knows how to tell me she needs to go out. When I got her, I said, that dog will N-E-V-E-R sleep in my bed. That lasted until she could jump up on my bed with me and I could not keep her off. She can sleep without me some, but I can't sleep without her at all. She has never chewed a shoe, never peed in something she should not, never chewed furniture or anything like that.
My daughter says she is spoiled. She has a basket of toys and she really does play with them. When she was in that chewy stage, I gave her tiny rawhide bones, which is why I have all my shoes intact. When I go out shopping, which is not often, I buy her a toy or a treat. She is so smart. I bring in the bags and she will go through each one to find what I got her, and never ever takes something that isn't hers.
Last year when my DD came home from college for a weekend and I had not had the dog too long, she kept telling me that my dog would love her better. Nuh uh! The dog loved on her only if I was not there to do it and then ignored my DD when I was!
We have the sort of relationship that every pet and every owner deserves to have. She is like an extra arm or leg, an extra heart with extra love. She is so much a part of me, and I know I am a big part of her too. I love this!!!! I still don't like other people's dogs for the most part, but I love this one to bits.
Some of mine are.............sm [2008-10-25]
The Christmas Shows with Rob Lowe.
Santa and Pete with Hume Cronyn.
The Angel Doll with Keith Carradine.
The Santa Clause with Tim Allen
And my all-time favorite is It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart.
Mine tastes weak [2008-10-24]
We have also bought Folgers for years, and for the past few months I've had to brew it on strong to avoid the sensation I'm drinking dishwater.
A close family friend works at Starbuckgifts uswithbags of whole beans.Transitioning back to Folgers from Starbucklately feels like weaning off a drug.
I donthink Iof the product haschanged!
mine are not that age yet [2008-10-20]
thought about what i would do should that happen... i did it when i was young and i made some very poor choices during the time i smoked. though that's not happened yet, should it happen, i believe i would try to be with my kids as much as i possibly could. i would take them to school, i would pick them up, if they have a school function, guess what? mom's going too.
you know, when i was younger and did that, my parents DID have a clue... they may have wanted to act all naive but they KNEW.. and as ticked off at them as i would have been had they ever confronted me about it, i look back and truly wish they had and maybe shown some tough love. i think your son's father may be going overboard with wanting to kick him out.
the most important thing is, regardless of how you decide to deal with this, is to let him know how much you love him. bottom line is, if you didn't love him, you wouldn't care what he does.
Your life sounds like mine and all [2008-10-16]
the other gays out there. I cannot believe someone actually said that we had an agenda and pushing it down their throats. They are just uninformed and ignorant and unfortunately, they worry too much what goes on behind closed doors. Perhaps if they would not concentrate on the bedroom so much, they could actually see that we are no different from them. I am out and my family and friends accept me for who I am and not what I am - I am no different from anyone else just because I am gay. It still amazes me that people can be so ignorant but that is just the way they were brought up. I was raised to respect all people no matter the color, orientation, etc. Obviously the poster here's why is the one with the agenda.
Mine too, - Kentucky. [2008-10-14]
x
Mine pretty much soaks in immediately but [2008-10-13]
I have found that if you use a primer it does go on a lot smoother. BE has a face and eye primer that I like a lot. On a side note I just got the eyebrow powder in today and love it!
Yield signs have long been a pet peeve of mine. Believe [2008-10-10]
me, they don
Here's mine....see pic [2008-10-08]
I usually have a calico kitten sleeping on my notebook, but I'm not working this afternoon, so not sure where she is.
Good grief - I hope not!!! Mine was not pretty! nm [2008-10-02]
..
How old is your son? Something similar happened to mine in first grade and it escalated. sm [2008-10-01]
It was because he was a bigger, tough boy, and like yours I have taught him to only hurt others in self-defense. This girl ended up dragging him around the playground by the hood of his jacket and almost choking him to death before a teacher who happened to be looking out the window (not the ones who were gabbing on the playground unaware) noticed and ran out to help him. Even after that the teacher was just going to make the girl sit out for a little while because the girl has a little crush on your son. I made such a big deal that the teacher called a class discussion about safety and not touching others and how you can hurt people, etc.
Bring ads from other stores. Most pricematch..sm. [2008-11-22]
So you donThus eliminating running all over town in a mad rush. All you have to do is get to the sale item at that store first before it It makes it sooo much easier and a lot less stressful. I hope I worded that so it makes sense. I'm tired.
Or, get together the day before with a few other people who are going.Each of you is designated a different store and picks up what the others want at their designated store. Then meet for breakfast afterwards to exchange the purchases as well as horror/humor storiesfrom theadventures.Thus, again, eliminating the rushing from one place to another.
I think I I heard you can do that for theblack friday sales and some store will even let you buy online and pick up at the store. (later, after the rush and madness is over!)
Forthe virgin poster, beware, some people can be downright mean, nasty,rude and even violentthat morning. Seriously.Oh, and NEVER leave your cart unattended if you were lucky enough to getone of the limtedamounts per store items. People will literally take them right out of your cart if you And keep your purse in sight at all times. If you bring a purse, have it hang in front of you and not on your side. I like to just keep my money and/or credit card tucked snugly in my front pocket of my jeans and not even bother with a purse.
Kind of cheating [2008-11-21]
At work our user names are the first four letters of our last name and the first two of our first name. Mine came out Horski which I kind of liked and on the boards, no one knows my gender right away too. I'm female by the way! You trying to pick something?
It works! [2008-11-20]
When mine were smaller they had more fun unwrapping and playing with the boxes.
They are all between 12 and 17 now. I told them to count their blessings if they get Christmas dinner this year let alone presents. This year kinda stinks, but I am sure they will get a few things they each want. I always figure it out.
Thanks [2008-11-20]
Maybe I would feel better if I did take over the bills again. It can't add any more stress to me than I already have with the current situation. I thought him seeing it would bring reality but obviously it still hasn't and how much further do I want to go down this path to the big black hole.
I guess we'll have to sit down and I'll have to do my wifely duty of giving him a pep talk and trying to relieve his stress and mine. He is just going to have to realize, whether he wants to or not, we do NOT have the money for xmas and all that if we want to have a xmas in our house. I just don't see any way around that one but I'll do my best to guide him to making the decisions about what to spend, etc. so he doesn't feel like I'm giving him an allowance or telling him no and we'll see how it goes from there.
Thanks again, I appreciate your talk this morning.
We have been spending less than 100 [2008-11-19]
And we are starving. DH took over going to the grocery store from me (He thought I spent too much when I would spend about 150 a week.) It has been months since we do not have a bare cupboard. I am not complaining. I understand we are broke and he needs to pay the creditors. But the one person who has pretty much stopped eating is me. I am home all day and there is never bread to make a sandwich and I often pass up supper because I am tired of eating junky stuff like mac and cheese or spaghetti with meat sauce. He and our 11 year old son, on the other hand eat thirds of whatever meal it is. I get kind of annoyed. Our littlest boy and middle girl eat very little. All 3 take their lunch to school. I say to DH either stop eating so much (for him and the older boy) or buy more. He flips his eyes at me. We even stopped getting microwave popcorn which used to fill them up. So, now I am hoping to work extra to go to the grocery store myself and put an extra 100 a week in myself, but I keep running out of work.
You see, this all started when we started running out of work in transcription about a year ago this fall, and my DH took over the bills. Apparently food was the first to be cut. And, BTW I don't ever go anywhere because there is no gas in my car, and it has 2 flat tires. We live by the school and I borrow DH's car to take the kids but it is always on empty. We seem to make it every time. Oh, well. No need to complain. Just cutting back. The family is lucky I work at home, don't use gas, barely eat. But I do have to pay 10 bucks a month for nerve pills, because it is hard doing without. Like I said, when work picks up transcribing first place I am going after I get gas for the car is to the food store. Eventually I can repair my flat tires.
My 14 yo wants clothes but.. [2008-11-19]
I don She goes shopping (with her older sister) at the mall and puts clothes on hold and several different stores. I go later in the day,with her list of stores, and pick out what I like best, wrap them and put them under the tree. She gets what she really wants, but doesn know exactly what she is getting. Works well for us.
Christmas Gifts [2008-11-19]
We have two daughters 5 and 14. It's harder with the 14 year old because now she wants all the high end gifts. We usually spend about $300 per child and we're probably going to do about the same this year. Luckily they're about the only people we buy for any more. If we had a lot of family members to buy for it would probably be a lot less. Now that the nieces and nephews are older and some married, we don't get them gifts and the few relatives we do buy for we usually don't spend a whole lot. My husband and I already got our Christmas gift for each other, a big flat screen TV so we're basically done with ourselves too.
I have a tracfone - sm [2008-11-18]
the minutes do not expire per se. Your service plan does though. I buy mine one year at a time, $99 for a year of service, then you buy minutes. Granted I buy a service plan and minutes together, and have the double minutes for life plan too. You can rollover minutes when your renew your service. You can get service either every two months or yearly I believe. I can text with my phone which is one of the Motorola flip phones. I used to have an old dinosaur Nokia but upgaded to a new phone for $10 or so at the Dollar store, phones are a lot cheaper there. If he is a yakker then it will get expensive fast, texting is a bit cheaper but he gets into the habit of doing that all the time his units will disappear fast. It is a good phone to have for the occasional call, etc. I would not use it as an everyday general use phone though. My old model phone actually worked better and got a signal just about everywhere, my new one is good but does not work everywhere my old one did, but I like it much better as it is smaller and lighter.
About $100 a week give or take [2008-11-18]
That's for four of us and I live in Upstate New York. My older daughter is a vegetarian so we do have to buy special food for her, but because she's the only one that eats it, it lasts a lot longer. We eat a lot of chicken and pork, but occasionally a good piece of steak. We're in the process of getting a small freezer so we can buy more frozen foods so we don't have to go shopping as much for certain things. My daughter's lunches are $2.00 a day also, but for the types of food they get there's no way I could feed her for less. We eat out once a week by ourselves with our good friends on Saturday night and at least once or twice on the weekends to either McDonald's, Arby's, Burger King, pizza, etc.
YEAH baby!! Me too. sm [2008-11-18]
About 10 years ago I bought a Honda HX with prototype gas-efficient trannie, light wheels, no frills. That puppy would still be with me if not for the prototype trannie pretty much fizzled on most of the HXs but I milked mine for as long as possible.
Ex had a Prelude, same year (99). He loved the car and took great care of it. Gas was killing him though (uses it to drive and travels a bit). He wanted to keep it in the family so he sold it to me. I drive about 5000 miles a year, if that. Amost 300,000 miles on that one and what a dream it is!!!
He bought a new Civic. Another SWEET car.
My son has a 1990 Accord, bought it used with less than 100,000 miles about 3 years ago. We've put some money into it, mostly cosmetic and just catching stuff up, but it runs like new.
My Civic was actually built in US, so I didn't feel too guilty, but how many years have US automakers had to see the writing on the wall? I'm sorry, but I like keeping a car forever. No car payments are great. Honda fits that mold.
Post Your Favorite Soup Recipe Please [2008-11-17]
Now that the weather is turning chilly in some areas (mine included) soup sounds wonderful!
Would you all please post your favorite soup recipes -- thanks!!
My DH drives a Chevy Malibu Maxx... [2008-11-17]
I have a 2005 Buick LeSabre and we also have an older Ford Explorer that DH kept to use for hauling stuff.....
I've never had anything but an American made car........... LOL, I'm not exactly a car salesperson's dream customer........ I keep my cars forever......
1972 Plymouth Duster
1984 Buick Skyhawk
1996 Buick Century
2005 Buick Skyhawk..........
only 4 cars in over 30 years......
I drove Ford pickups most of my life, but - sm [2008-11-17]
I got tired of the fact that the danged things don't steer well. They all have steering-gear problems. Each of my trucks ended up having anywhere from 2-4 new or rebuilt gears put in during my ownership, and they still were next to impossible to drive in a straight line. Getting parts was a pain too, as often you had to know the month the vehicle was built in order to get the right part. Simple do-it-yourself work often had to go to the shop instead, because of the difficulty of accessing the area without taking half of the front end apart. So of course the shop bills were high, too. It became increasingly difficult to get parts after the truck was 5 or 6 years old, and I drove most of mine for 12+ years.
So when it was time for a new car, I wanted a midsize SUM. I did my homework, and chose a 4Runner because of the quality & favorable consumer reports. I couldn't afford a new one, so got a used one that was 5 years old. I'm still driving it, loving it, and it's like they say in the Timex watch commercials: 'It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'!'
It all depends on the airtime cards you get [2008-11-17]
My husband got one that lasts a whole year, but when the year is up no matter how many minutes were left (he hardly uses his) he would have lost them if he didn't purchase another airtime card. I get mine every three months so I have to buy a new airtime card every three months before my expiration date or else I lose my minutes and I believe the whole phone has to be reactivated.
I think you are an inspiration for wanting to do this....sm [2008-11-16]
I guess a lot of us can relate; I have 2 or 3 people from my past that have moved far away and I have no way of finding them right now, but please believe me, I truly want to do the same thing, go to them and make peace, to say be able to forgive each other and leave things on good terms. Regrets and guilts can slowly eat away, and it is good for your own personal health to do this, you must feel so much better. WE all mess up, we all need forgiveness now and then, or to grant forgiveness. You are a lovely person with integrity, honor, and caring to do this, such a lovely post to read!!!
Great dogs at shelters [2008-11-15]
There are so many wonderful dogs at shelters. I always say, the only bad thing about a shelter dog is its previous owner! There are lots of mixed breeds but plenty of purebred dogs, too.
Shelters are overflowing these days (more than usual) because of the number of people who are losing their homes. I've heard stories of people moving out of their foreclosed house & just leaving the dogs behind...terrible. Especially for older dogs, who are so hard to find homes for.
Most are just hoping to have some joy for their kids sm [2008-11-14]
Wefantasy. They do put it together at a certain age and itWe had an older kid who spoiledour Christmas party because he thought it his business to out the Santa thing to the younger ones as he was, bless him, highly intelligent and was told the truth from birth. Had some kids crying at one point. I think the point is, do what's right for your own family and try to have something for the kids to look forward to in these hard times especially. There is no right or wrong, just all interpret things differently and we're all very tired of all this bad news going on in the world. Have to look forward to something! Happy Holidays, no matter how you celebrate! We adults know the reason for the season. Bottom line - be happy! Life is temporary, imagination is wonderful, it takes us away from the bad news for awhile. Joy to the world and to each his own. As long as the older kids keep the secret to themselves, they also should enjoy the excitement of watching the little ones have fun with it. It's all good.
I bet then he sensed his fear [2008-11-13]
Dogs can sense that a mile away. I know mine can. whenever anyone comes over that is nervous about dogs, the dogs wanna hang all over them and like double sniff them. LOL
If it's any consolation [2008-11-13]
It should get better as you get older. I was well into my 40s before I could skip a day washing my hair. Now I can get away with every other day.
Got hit from behind at a stop sign [2008-11-13]
Got out of the car and went back to see that the car that hit me hadlo more damage than mine. Went up to the car and nobody would roll down a window, three guys all on their cellphones (at that time anyway) so I stood there, got out my cellphone and called the police.Tapped on the window then and found out none of them spoke English. Told them in English not to move. The police came and went back to them, came to my car and said they were all illegal immigrants, was not their car, driver didnfriend AND of course, no insurance. His pen was flying as he was writing up those tickets in his car and asI pulled out I saw squad cars surrounding the car and I bet INH was on their way too. Didn
I think thanksgiving would be the [2008-11-12]
perfect time to make it clear you are NOT joining in the free for all giftgiving. Maybe you could make their favorite desserts or breads instead or think of some other inexpensive hand made gifts. My sister makes jelly or tamales for the sibs and my brother buys a bottle of wine each (mine is piling up and getting well aged). This is exactly why I tell my 3 boys to buy for their wives and kids. I myself don't (can't) spend much on the kids, but I figure their parents need to have that fun, I've had my turn with my own. And I don't want anything at all, in fact, I wish when someone came over, they would have to take something when they leave! But, like I told one of mine, you are making memories, it will depend on your attitude and not what you spent that the kid remembers later. One might forget that expensive day at an amusement park, but remember years later a plain simple picnic because of the feeling of family fun and closeness. Good luck with your pregnancy, I am sure you are unusually tired already.
I think thanksgiving would be the [2008-11-12]
perfect time to make it clear you are NOT joining in the free for all giftgiving. Maybe you could make their favorite desserts or breads instead or think of some other inexpensive hand made gifts. My sister makes jelly or tamales for the sibs and my brother buys a bottle of wine each (mine is piling up and getting well aged). This is exactly why I tell my 3 boys to buy for their wives and kids. I myself don't (can't) spend much on the kids, but I figure their parents need to have that fun, I've had my turn with my own. And I don't want anything at all, in fact, I wish when someone came over, they would have to take something when they leave! But, like I told one of mine, you are making memories, it will depend on your attitude and not what you spent that the kid remembers later. One might forget that expensive day at an amusement park, but remember years later a plain simple picnic because of the feeling of family fun and closeness. Good luck with your pregnancy, I am sure you are unusually tired already.
okay, I was looking for a certain cook [2008-11-12]
on PBS who was making an apple dessert in a cast iron skillet about a year or so ago, but I guess they are no longer showing him; an older white haired man with a full white mustache. Anyway, I remember him saying don and he likes granny smith, too.
samcooks.com/relish/apples.htm
I'm so sorry for your loss [2008-11-12]
My older brother committed suicide also, a long time ago now, but I remember how hard that was. Time helps but it never goes away completely. So sorry. :(
You are so good to think ahead! [2008-11-12]
We bought a PS2 last year...what were we thinking...now of course our son wants a PS3 for xmas this year. Go figure.
I hope to start a xmas fund for next year but I always say that and never get my rear in gear to do it. Xmas just gets more expensive as they get older.
I have only bought a few small things so far but trying to look at catalogs and get some ideas and things done now. It is right around the corner!
Good for you to be able to get a big gift out of the way so early. I bet that feels great! Who knows, maybe this will be a great xmas memory for you and your son. :)
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