:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: You are not crazy. And you are not the one who is wrong. I am so sorry that you've been hurt.

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I'm a borderline introvert/extrovert, have no trouble with public speaking or anything like that, love getting together with friends and being chatty, but gosh I hate making or even receiving phone calls. I always feel like I'm stumbling over my words, saying the wrong thing, forgetting to ask that important question of the nurse, not knowing the answer to the question *she* asks *me*... in general it makes me feel like an idiot in a way face to face conversation does not. If I had my druthers, every single thing could be done via text/email or online (yay for online pizza ordering!) so that I never had to speak on the phone again.

My Costco offered me the sticker, actually. After about the third time I said no to the upgrade, the cashier asked, "Do you want us to stop asking you?" I was very appreciative of their responsiveness.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

:D:D:D Well, some of my sons' laundry is pretty feisty, but that's BEFORE it goes through the wash. ;) Interesting how she goes to great pains to make it clear that they are not trying to lead anyone down the Spelling Road to Perdition. So...what? Does the bottle come with a warning label?? :lol:

(I know this is an old thread, but...) I just learned about this product recently through a facebook ad, and was confused about the misspelling. And - feeling cranky. ;) So I sent them an e-mail and this was the reply I got: Thank you for contacting Downy. Downy and Procter & Gamble understand that Downy Unstopables spells the word “unstoppable†with only one “pâ€, however the brand does not endorse the misspelling of this or any other word outside of this commercial reason. The word “Unstopables†as a proper name is trademarked under the Downy brand and should only be used in association with the Downy name. Downy chose the word “Unstopables†to describe the playful and standout spirit of the product’s distinct form. The spelling of “Unstopables†offers a new twist on the word, just like how Downy Unstopables introduces exhilarating and fresh new scents that keeps your laundry feisty and fresh for an extended period of time. Downy doesn’t intend to influence or teach children or adults to begin using misspellings of the word “unstoppable,†but rather, has created the term solely for commercial purposes. Thanks again for taking the time to write. Nikki Downy Team Uh, whatever. Apparently there's a market for dryer perfume (what the heck?) among feisty, playful and semi-literate people. I was unaware. Deliberately misspelling words doesn't say "exhilarating, fresh and new" to me, but then I'm a curmudgeon about such things. Thank goodness I have absolutely no need for such a product, it makes it easier not to buy it on principle. :D

Who knew a Dalek could be so adorable?? :lol:

How heartbreaking. I am so sorry. :grouphug:

Yeah, I've often been fairly amazed at how content he is with himself (at least in this respect - he's pretty self-critical in other areas). He's perfectly happy to let other people win the races while he just soldiers slowly on. Good luck with biting your tongue. :) I know it's hard, and I go through seasons of not being successful at keeping my mouth shut. But he's so sweet and amiable that for the most part he just lets my nagging roll off his back, for which I am thankful.

Heh... yep. This is just the way it is. I've got one JUST like this, about to turn 18. Underneath the sweet, mellow, pokey exterior is an unwavering stubbornness. He has not and will not ever go any faster than he is going to go, no matter what I say or do. Nagging, bribing... nothing is going to change that boy. I've learned to focus on the positive - he is determined, deliberate and a stickler for excellence - and take a lot of deep breaths about the rest. I occasionally pray for his future wife's patience, lol. I figure he will find his way in the world, and figure out how to follow a career that makes him happy and allows him to be reasonably self-paced. The best I can say is to just make peace with who your guy is (and try not to look out the window when he's raking ;)).

Echoing all the previous replies: even though they try to act all cool, I think there's a part of them that still just wants to be able to be kids at Christmas. Mine still want to track NORAD Santa, for goodness sake. :001_rolleyes: We fill their stockings with paddle balls, mini-slinkies and little lego sets as well as USB sticks, earbuds and iTunes gift cards. They get one box of sugary cereal apiece as a Christmas present (I don't buy it the rest of the year). We watch the same movies every year (their joke is that all they have to do is walk past me and say "Muppet Christmas Carol" and I will have those blasted songs stuck in my head until Valentine's Day). We make it a point to pick out a Christmas ornament from every place that we travel to, and when we put up the tree we all reminisce about the vacations we've taken, and how much we want to go back. Some of it is pretty "childish" but they like it nonetheless. Are you sure they wouldn't care about some of these shared traditions - even if you asked? Is it possible that they really would like to bake cookies etc, but it's not cool to ask? Would it work to make sampling some new gf cookie recipes a seasonal project with your son? Could you work together with them to brainstorm some new traditions that they'd enjoy in this stage of life, that would fit into their busy schedule? I get your sadness, though. :grouphug: I didn't realize how much I was missing all those Christmas traditions from their childhood until I started thinking, "oh my goodness, with a new grandson, I'm going to be able to do Santa again in a few years!" (and per a pp about Easter eggs; I've always been in charge of our extended family Easter egg hunt. The 9 grandchildren now range in age from 23 to 12, and include a mother, 3 college students, 4 high school students and a middle schooler, and they would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't arrange an egg hunt. I sometimes think I'm still going to be doing this when they are all in their 30's. ;))

My husband just got a new phone through Verizon. It was trying to install an email application every night, and then the screen would stay lit all night long and drain the battery. He called Verizon and they said they would send a new phone; when the new one came, it was a "certified pre-owned" phone sent in replacement. He called back and complained (the first phone was brand new), and they are now sending him yet another replacement. It's been a pain, but never did they suggest that we had to deal with the manufacturer to resolve the issue. Sorry that you're dealing with this, and yeah, I would definitely insist that your carrier refund you for the days that you couldn't use your phone.

I've come to this conclusion about myself, as well. My memory is so poor and I have huge gaps even up to the present. There are whole sections of my kids' lives that are just gone, which is devastating to me. I'm afraid I'm going to be a little old lady in a nursing home who has no recollection of her own life. :crying: I have no idea how to train myself to be more in the present, especially when there's no time. It feels like a catch-22.

I agree, surgery was not a big deal, but it was a rough couple of weeks of recovery. Be prepared for ear pain as well as throat pain - at least that's how my recovery went. I went through a lot of pain meds crushed up in sherbet, and am not a big fan of sherbet to this day, 20 years later. ;) But really - it's only a couple of weeks (and it wasn't brutal that entire time, it got steadily better), and it will be SO much better afterward, not bouncing from infection to infection. Good luck!

It's the different standards for different boys, and the SM's mixed messages, that strike me as a red flag. It didn't sound like the OP's son was disputing that he behaved inappropriately. The SM and ASMs could be using this as a teachable moment for all the boys involved (more than one brief discussion during a troop meeting) but instead it sounded like one boy was being singled out as a fall guy. Perhaps I'm reading it wrong, but if it's the case it's not a troop I'd want my sons to be involved with.

I'm so sorry. What a hard thing for your son to have to be dealing with, especially if he enjoys and is committed to scouts. Is transferring to another troop an option, or not? I was telling my dh and boys about your OA/Summer Camp experience, and they just shook their heads. It made them appreciate their troop, where those sorts of behaviors and attitudes are just not tolerated. :grouphug: for you and your son. Hopefully there's a better resolution for him so he doesn't end up quitting scouting - but if he does, it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of terrific men who were never Boy Scouts.

This is my exact situation, although my disappointment is tempered with relief that they'll never face the exasperation of being a lefty in a right-handed world.

Have you seen free-ed.net? It's a repository of all kinds of free online courses. There's lots to look at there.

Laurie, don't feel bad; you are in good company. :glare: I lost about 6 pounds, and then due to a series of unfortunate potlucks, birthdays and stress, gained it all back. Eh. At least I haven't gained back more than I lost. But this thread comes at a good time, because I had already made up my mind to dust myself off and get back to it. If I lost that 6 pounds once, I can lose it again. I don't know that I can be at goal by Thanksgiving, but I can surely be a lot further down the road than I am now. Peela, you've talked before about the structure of No-S, and I think that might be a key for me. I tend to think about the freedom of No-S, and then because I'm not paying sufficient attention to the structure, the diet aspect, I tend to just forget and eat whatever, whenever. Well, duh. Of course I'm not going to lose weight that way. So my goal this week is to focusfocusfocus on structure. And in the Northern Hemisphere, as we head toward spring I am very much looking forward to having a taste for lighter foods, being hungry less often, and having nicer weather to get out and exercise. Thanks for starting this thread, Laurie! I hope everyone has a good week this week.

Sigh... I have always wistfully thought that when I grow up, I want to be Barb. :) Your descriptions of what goes on in your home, your pictures and videos, the plans that you so generously share - thank you so much, Barb, for being such a blessing and encouragement to the rest of us. You are giving your boys such a deep and thoughtful and lovely education. I aspire to do even half of what you do. (Off to add geography to next year's plan...)

Yep, that's exactly where my 14/almost 15 year old is, too. He will always be more emotional/reactive than his older brother, but he's starting to mellow back to his sweet, funny self more often these days. He knows that incivility and anger earn him pushups - which he usually seems relieved to perform for me, to be honest. Our boys are often as confused about (and uncomfortable with) their raging pubescent moods as we are. Giving them a physical release helped my boys with both the anger that came out of nowhere, and the stress of not understanding why their emotions seemed so out of their own control. :grouphug: for mama. Surviving puberty is not for the faint of heart.

tiffanieh, here is a link to the website. It's basically a common sense approach: No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, except on days that begin with "S" (Saturday, Sunday, Special days, i.e. birthdays). So, three small sensible meals a day. Less attention is paid to carbs, calories, fat grams etc - the thinking being that by eating this way you are naturally lowering and regulating those factors. It's very freeing. More details are on the website, of course. HTH!

Way to go, Jenn! I lost about a pound, which is okay by me. I still need to find a way to keep No-S in the forefront of my consciousness all. the. time. It's all about mindfulness (both when eating, and when NOT eating), and that's a skill that I am sorely lacking. For the first time in my life, I am facing some health issues that will probably largely resolve themselves if I finally, permanently lose weight. I can no longer afford to live with overweight. I HAVE to make this work.

Yes! I'm a big fan of accountability. ;) That is so very cool. I love all the real benefits, as well as the psychological benefits. You probably feel very strong and capable! I like his ideas as well but kinda freak out at swinging a sledgehammer around my living room, heh. But - you're doing something! This is why it irritates me to take neighborhood walks; we are not GOING anywhere. I know I need to exercise and sometimes I can just make myself do it, for the greater good of getting in shape blah blah blah, but mostly it's just easier to stay in bed than go to the gym in the wee hours of the morning.