Jackie in NE
-
Posts
905 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Jackie in NE
-
-
Dd is really interested in Villanova. She has her heart set on their 5 year Master's program in the Classics. On paper, it looks like a great fit. We haven't visited since we live in WY, and that makes the trip very expensive. We agreed that we would visit those schools where she was accepted....
I searched this forum, and couldn't find any references to Villanova?
Has anyone gone there? Has anyone visited?
Thanks! Jackie
-
If you pray then cover this topic in prayer too. Its amazing what wisdom will come to you. "If any man lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives liberally" That is a promise I have hung onto in parenting. Its amazing how many times inspiration to say just the right thing will come after asking for help/wisdom>
Thank you for reminding me of the amazing power of prayer. I do pray for her while she's testing. I pray that her mind would be clear, and that God would help her to recall the techniques or information as needed. But ahead of her next test, I am going to pray daily for her confidence. I am also going to pray that she can feel his presence, and his loving arms around her. This whole process is just so stressful for her. She feels very inadequate. It also doesn't help that her best friend can just consistently achieve an ACT of 33, and SATs off the charts. Sighhhh.
-
Dd is very bright, an excellent reader, and taking many honors classes with Veritas. She works so hard and so diligently. The problem? Test anxiety. Her ACT and SAT scores are just not up to par with her abilities. She has always had test anxiety..... especially in math and science. She is currently taking Calc 1, and Organic Chemistry. These are HARD classes for her, and she has to work hard to maintain a B avg. in these online classes. But they are far above the information tested on the ACT and SAT. When we received the results from the last ACT, (I paid for the question by question results along with the test booklet so that we could see exactly what was missed), we went over the math portion, and she got most of the problems right! She said "well of course I can get them right here in my bedroom, but I psych myself out on the test." She has taken MANY practice tests. She has studied the ACT study guides. She is currently doing the Chalkdust ACT-SAT Math Review DVD series. We have 2 weeks until her last chance at the ACT. Please, can anyone give me ideas on how to help my dd do better on this test? Dh says that the best thing we can do right now is instill confidence in her abilities. Yes, I agree..... but how? In my own personal experience, the way to feel confident and prepared for something like this is to do all the work (studying) possible ahead of time. But this doesn't seem to be working for Dd.
Ideas? Help? Please? She deserves to do well on these tests, and be accepted at the college of her choice.
Thanks so much, Jackie
-
I don't know. I've had to be a little bit philosophical about this. We bought a ranch in the middle of nowhere about 5 years ago. The nearest town has a population of 250 people. No joke! Most people are related. But we have absolutely no ties there. Didn't know a soul when we bought the place. At first it bothered me that everyone seemed to know everything about us. I couldn't remember ANYBODY'S name. But they all knew me. They were friendly, though. As ranchers, we have to help each other with seasonal work. So that situation is different for us than it is for you. But we got to know and appreciate each other that way. Last year, one of the life-time inhabitants told me, "We don't have a lot to offer here. No big shopping centers; not even a theatre. But we all look out for each other, and if someone wants to be a part of our community, we will make it possible. We will find them a job, we will look after their children." That was a great comfort to me. I want to be a part of the community.... because that's where my dh wants to be. I think it can be a good life for us.... if I choose to see the good, and shrug off the annoying. Know what I mean?
-
I have absolutely no advice since I have never done something like that BUT I would love to see before and after pics once you get the project done. Sounds like SO much fun (except the part where you're living in a torn up kitchen for months!).
Good luck!
Elise in NC
Thanks Elise. I will do my best. It's going to be a while, though. Probably the end of next summer before it's actually all done. We'll live in it "as is" through this winter and spring, except for buying the new stove, and then really remodel next summer.
Jackie
-
We're doing the finishing touches on our 1889 Queen Anne kitchen remodel. I tried hard to have it suit the house. We bought Home Depot's unfinished wood cabinets on a 20% off sale, I painted them white. There are more options in the store than online.
Single bowl deep farmhouse sink http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49847479/
Butcher block counter tops http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40057853/#/40057853
Gas 5 burner stove w/ convection oven. I LOVE IT! Ii didn't buy mine here but here's a link to it. Mine is white.http://www.sears.com/frigidaire-gallery-30inch-freestanding-gas-range/p-02262393000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1
Can't help you on a dishwasher, ours was given to us. My dh did take the front panel off and put a painted skin on, the skins that go on the sides of the cabinets to finish them. We couldn't put a microwave over the stove. The BTU output is so high on our stove that the exhaust or microwave has to be 30 inches above the burner. It would have been too high for me to reach. We put up a standard exhaust and my dh bought 2 extra cabinet doors and made a custom range hood cover out of them. Looks great!
Have fun doing your new kitchen!
Kim
Thanks for all the links, Kim. It's so much fun to look! Couple of questions: Do you use the warming oven much? It's soooooo lowwwww. (I'm tall). I'm really curious about the butcher block counter tops.... Do you think they'll hold up? Is there a lot of upkeep? I'm thinking of having most of the counter tops be composite, and then maybe have a small island with a butcher block top... (My dh is hard on things. It needs to be durable).
I think we'll do the same thing you did with the cabinets. So efficient and easy.
Thanks again! Jackie
-
Here are the things I enjoy about my kitchen:
double convection oven
double dishwasher
granite counter tops
storage space
These are the things I don't enjoy:
glass stovetop
white cabinets
So do you have your double oven right under the range? Or do you have them in the wall somewhere? I've seen both. It seems that if you have a double oven built in with the range, that bottom oven (usually the larger of the two) is SO FAR DOWN, I would break my back pulling a large roast or turkey out of the oven. Thoughts??
What about a hood above the range vs the microwave? I'm thinking the hood would be so much nicer. But I don't want a microwave on the counter either....
-
Sorry, there's no way I would do white cabinets on a ranch. Our current house has white cabinets (were there when we moved in) and they show E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. I'm fortunate that they are good quality and clean well, but boy, it is a constant job. And we are just cushy suburbanites. I shudder to think about farm/ranch dirt and white cabinets.
What about some kind of wood finish on the cabinets?
I don't know.... I had white cabinets in the kitchen of another ranch, and I didn't mind cleaning them...:confused:. I guess I just like the white look that much! :tongue_smilie: At least with white cabinets, when they look clean, they ARE clean. I've had other cabinets with dark stain, and they look pretty good, but sometimes you put your hand on them to open them, and you FEEL the grime! EWWWWWW!!!:eek:
-
The house was built in 1918. It is very cool. I'll be basically starting from the bottom up in the kitchen. I will need a gas range (30 in.), a dishwasher, and a kitchen sink. I cook a lot! (like most of you), so it will need to be very functional. We also keep everything forever! So it all has to be durable. We don't have a lot of money. I would like to keep the range around $1,200. I think I would like a farmhouse sink, but they're very expensive. This house has lots of charm, and will be on our cattle ranch. I will keep a simple country look to it. Wood floors, and likely white cabinetry. Please tell me what I need to think about. I've never done this before. :001_huh:
Ideas, suggestions, and links are most welcome. Thanks hive!
-
Today was a test day for the ACT. The high school where dd took the exam had algebra posters all over the walls and rules for inequalities, some geometry and the like. She did not look closely as she did not need to nor did she want to even possibly considered a cheat. Sadly the proctor was knitting away and texting while the young men in front of her discussed their answers. She already hit her mark on the SAT this was just another exam to buttress those results. I am ill. Does lack of honor extend to the Superintendent who vowed to "raise the ACT scores," two months ago...the possibilities are grotesque. And they started at 8:15 after the kids were told to be there at 7:30. They stood around doing nothing while the head guidance counselour ran about seeking a custodian to unlock the classrooms where the exams HAD to be given. Something stinks to high heaven here. Why on earth could they not have simply used the cafeteria?? No posters all over the walls?
This makes me unreasonably angry. Dd NEEDS to get high scores on these tests in order to go to one of her dream schools. She has studied hard, and is so very stressed over the whole process. To see that the playing field, may not, in fact, be level...... well it just infuriates me! The school and the proctor should be reported, imho.
-
Do they make prescription googles we could order? The problem is that she has a 6+ difference between her eyes so a generic pair with the same prescription strength in both isn't going to work.
Our opthalmologist offered to custom order prescription goggles for us. They were very expensive, so we didn't go that route, but it can be done. Dd wears contacts with regular goggles. It is working well for her.... but she's 17.
-
Thanks so much Nan and Nancy. I really appreciate the information you both provided!
-
-
The bill contains substantial advantages for small businesses. There will now be tax advantages FOR providing insurance, as well as penalties if you don't. Small businesses will also be in a better position to receive affordable coverage since they will have access to the bigger healthcare pools. Insurance companies are being forced to limit their profitability.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2012/08/10/will-obamacare-help-or-hurt-small-businesses/
There is a lot to the bill that is being ignored.
The articles you linked refer to small businesses employing 50 employees or less. The company that dh works for employs, on average, 100 to 120 people. So it will not receive any tax benefits. It will be fined $2000 to $3000 per employee if it does not offer them healthcare. Right now, the company spends about $7800 per full time employee for basic health care benefits. (No vision, no dental). You do the math.
-
To me, this isn't about a specific number at all. Cost of living areas, variations in all sorts of things will be determining factors.
To me, it means you are able to afford to purchase a house at some point (even a small house or condo), feed your family, get health care of some sort, pay your bills, and have a little leftover for luxury things like gifts, a vacation (which could be as simple as camping in a $10/night park), and save some savings for retirement without a huge strain.
If you cannot do the above with some level of comfort, you would not be considered middle class in MY definition.
The PROBLEM (for me) is that many who say they can't live like the above comfortably, but in all truth, have houses they can't afford, cars they can't afford, $200 cell phone and $150 TV bills that hinder them from living within their means. That is what makes it hard to define IMO.
I am NOT referring to anyone here so please don't jump on me. These are just my thoughts on what I consider middle class.
I realize it is pretty complicated so I would love to hear your thoughts on what constitutes middle class.
I like your definition, Dawn. I would amend it a little bit to say that a retirement plan can look dramatically different from family to family. For some it might be a savings account, others an investment in stocks, and still others, a business which could be sold. But yes, I think of middle class in the same way that you described it.
-
You didn't address the content of my post at all. My point was this:
There is neither a penalty nor a benefit to providing coverage *now*. If there will be a benefit to providing it in the future and a fine if you do not, then why are they providing it now and they won't then? The argument makes ZERO sense. I am discussing *this particular* argument.
Actually, I did address the content of your post. You said that the company's decision to stop offering health care made no sense, and that it was political fearmongering. But the reality is this: The plan put in place by President Obama, and upheld by the supreme court (It's so much shorter to just call it "Obamacare"), places requirements on small business that are not currently in effect. The supreme court called it a tax. It is cheaper to pay the fine than to pay the tax. If the company can avoid paying a higher cost for healthcare, they might just be able to stay in business and keep offering jobs to the 100+ people they currently employ. Why do you think business is evil? Business, especially small business, is made up of normal people just trying to make a living. If this business goes under, I will most assuredly have to put my children into public school, and go out and look for a job to replace dh's income. We are not evil. We are trying to provide for our family. We also have the added burden of having a lot of $$ invested in the company, which we will not get back if it fails. Additionally, we have the responsibility to try and make the best business decisions possible for the many employees of the company, some of whom are very near and dear to our hearts.
And there is a benefit to providing coverage right now. The benefit is that the company can attract and keep good employees. Once the new healthcare plan is in effect, that benefit no longer exists. The company merely pays the fine, and the employee has healthcare.
-
I don't know. I think it's an almost impossible discussion because none of the terms are defined. What does "middle class" mean? What does "lower class" mean? What does "poor" mean? What does "wealthy" mean?
We make enough to eat, keep the lights on, and stay afloat. We budget carefully for large expenses through the year (like the $1000 of oil we'll burn this winter keeping warm) and so have a little money in the bank, but not what you would really call savings. When I needed a new computer a year ago we were able to pay cash for it ($250), but that was a need. We don't have $500+ for an iPad even though it would be fun. We live in a very old place, that needed painted 20 years ago, and is less that 800sqft. We haven't been on a vacation (to us that means camping in a tent) for about 5 years. Can't afford it. I do most of our cooking from scratch. We have a paid off car (13 years old, doesn't run well and I don't take it more than 20 miles from home) and a car we are paying on. We do have health insurance, but it has gone up a TON in the last few years, to the point that we are contemplating dropping it. We have no retirement funds, and my husband is 50 years old. We know he'll be working until he's dead.
Is that middle class? I don't know. I don't really care. I don't think of myself or others AS a class. I don't see the point. I give when I can to those with less, but it isn't much, to be honest. I feel absolutely ZERO resentment towards those with more. I am not their problem and I see no reason why they should feel bad for having a lot. Even if they inherited it! I fully expect to leave whatever we are able to accumulate to my children without interference, I see no reason that the wealthy shouldn't be able to do the same without being made to feel that it is somehow wrong. They didn't steal that money, so however they got it, it's theirs to dispose of as they see fit, and rightly so.
I guess I just don't get class discussions at all. I believe the best thing I can do for myself is realize that my economic health is about me and my choices, not about someone else doing something to me. Unless there has been actual fraud, theft, or criminal wrong doing, I don't believe that my economic situation is because of anyone else's doings. If I am foolish and purchase something I can't afford, I believe it is my fault, not that of the seller. If I am foolish and run myself into debt with high interest rate, I believe it is my fault, not that of the credit card carrier or bank.
I think class discussion is meaningful. I think that a vibrant middle class is critical to the life of a culture. There are absolute truths in life. People have value. Without a middle class, society descends into a "haves" vs "have-nots" mentality. The haves, to be very basic about it, control everything. The have-nots become dependent and hopeless. This sort of system is not honoring to the value of human beings.
Of course people have different levels of ability. I will never be an engineer. That is apparently where the money is..... career-wise. but my life is no less valuable than that of an engineer, and I believe that if I'm willing to work, I should still be able to earn enough to support myself. Is this just pie-in-the-sky? I hope not.
-
I addressed most of your post on the other thread. But, this? I have heard this several times and find it ridiculous. There is little incentive NOW to provide Heath care benefits. Why stop when there IS a tangible benefit? That makes no sense. It is political fearmongering.
No, actually, it's NOT "political fearmongering". It's a business decision. My dh has championed the employees of his business time and time again. How dare you question his motivation. Facts are facts. Dh and the management team are doing all they can to SAVE THE BUSINESS. Do you understand that? There are many jobs at stake here, including his own. This is not political. It is a matter of survival. I find your tone offensive and ill-informed.
-
We have an income approaching our area's median (and probably high for our county) and I live in a doublewide with 8 people and 1500 square feet!:lol:
The problem I see as the most glaring is that the "fastest growing jobs" are mostly service-level jobs paying slighly above minimum wage. You can't support a family on what a child care worker or landscape (laborer) makes.
I'm with SKL, though. If I had more money I would higher people to do things that I do for myself now.
:iagree::iagree: It is so frustrating to me that a hard-working person cannot support a family.
-
While we no longer see service station attendants, many more lawn care services exist. There are fewer secretaries but far more child care workers, personal trainers, personal chefs and massage therapists. Fewer factory jobs to enter out of school but with tv and air conditioning fairly common there are far more HVAC techs and cable/satellite installers.
This is not to say that jobs lost to obsolete demand or outsourcing are being replaced in equal numbers, just to note that the products and services demanded change.
Many forget that this economy absorbed the influx of a huge number of laborers over the past 50 years. Take a look at the number of women in the workforce in 1960 versus 2010.
While it is easy to blame corporate greed, it is hard for me to ignore how much larger homes are now on average despite declines in family sizes. Think about what is in these homes: granite countertops, exotic hardwood floors, nickle finished fixtures, stainless steel appliances and so forth.
Just a few thoughts I had not seen included in the discussions.
Really good points. With respect to the homes.... how much of it is financed by debt? How many of these homeowners are upside-down on their mortgages? In our community, many jobs are tied to the State University. Most of the "really nice homes" I've been in, are owned by couples that are pulling down 2 incomes from the University. BUT, some of the people who are doing really well seem to be retailers of luxury goods (boats, snowmobiles, etc.). It seems to be counter-intuitive to the situations of financial duress described here on the boards. And that kind of leads one to conclude that the upper middle class is getting wealthier, and the middle-class, or lower middle-class is getting poorer. Hence the original question..... is the middle class going away?
-
I have been thinking about the "poorer" thread quite a bit. It appears to me that some people are doing well, and many, of course are feeling quite a bit poorer. It seems that many of the jobs that used to be enough to support a family have gone away. My dh has been involved with a small manufacturing business for over 20 years. The jobs provided by that company used to pay enough for an employee to support a family. But because of the recession, the uncertainty in the economy, and MANY other factors, the company had to lay off many of it's workers (about 1/3). Business has picked up a bit in the last 6 months, but instead of re-hiring full-time workers, the company has hired temps. This reduces the burden and the expense of hiring new workers. Let me just say that this is a small business. It normally employs about 125 people. The company is doing all it can to stay afloat. All the owners and management took a 48% pay cut in '08. The owners pumped more $$ into the company. I want to stress the financial situation because this is not about a greedy corporation "putting it to" the workers so that the owners can rake in the big bucks. Everyone is struggling. Dh has told me that when Obamacare begins, the company will stop paying any medical benefits. It will be cheaper to pay the fine.
Many of the employees of this small business have been there from the start... over 20 years... and their job is being whittled away to the point that they can no longer support their families. It is heartbreaking to my dh and to me.
So the question for discussion is: Do you think the middle class in America is going away? Are we headed towards a society that has the fairly wealthy (and extremely wealthy) at the top of the ladder, with nothing in the middle, and the poor at the bottom? I don't think we're there yet.... but it sure seems to me that things are headed that way.
Remember: No politics, please! If at all possible ;)
-
Nail biting! Yikes! I don't know what the right answer is. I do know that the Mr. Hyde in my personality (for me, a certain amount of perfectionism in regards to things like this that I have to keep beating down with reality checks), would be FLIPPING out.
Nan, Creekland, Margaret....where are you? What do you think?
Gack! It would be very difficult for me to leave loose ends for later.
Faith
I knoooooow! I think I might just call the presenter and make sure I understood him correctly! This can't be right! :tongue_smilie:
Thanks Faith.
-
Hmm... None of our schools require the common app, so we didn't bother with it. However, none of our schools evaluated applications prior to receiving all the materials.
I highly doubt that any school would base a scholarship decision, or even an acceptance, on an application file that isn't complete. You can fill it out now, then upload your documents later, but I wouldn't expect any advantage. I doubt anyone will look at it until the application is complete.
This sounds obviously logical to me.
-
Me, too, although I don't think it is just girls who waffle when faced with reality. I've sent mine away for a few months many times. They almost always don't want to go when it comes time to actually go. When they pull out their pack and start thinking about what they will need, they remember all the bad parts of being away from home. People are expecting them, though, so they leave, but it makes the packing pretty miserable. Then we get the "I have arrived safely now I remember why I do this thanks for helping me pack" phone call. I go through a similar process, so I understand. I am just old enough to remember that I go through that process.
I'd let her apply to the close school if she really insists, but I would strongly push her to "just try" the far school for a semester. I'd remind her that she can transfer if it isn't working out, and that it will be easier to transfer from the far school to the near school that from the near to the far (because of the quality of the program) and that beginning with a good scholarship is a good idea.
Nan
:iagree:
Would this upset you or am I overreacting?
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Maybe your dh should have a chance to read this thread so he will see that you are not alone in your assessment of the situation. Fwiw, my dh would have been by my side in the kitchen. I'm sorry your dh acted so poorly. Most likely it was just a lapse of judgement on his part..... Sadly, that ruined things for you, and set a bad example for your dc. I would be livid.... just like you.