I agree this could turn out to be a big issue. You DON'T want to have to tilt your head up to watch TV!

Can you link it, or give us the name of the product? Many of us will be facing holiday guests, and we don't want any "extra" guests!

I've never known anyone who had them before this year. Maybe people are just "announcing it" more due to the media hype. I think the reason there is media hype is because it IS a growing problem. They're closing stores in NYC, for Jiminey Cricket's sake!

I would destroy clothing/other items that went with the child to the house. Incineration! The child can be preserved but would be given a hot bath and an inspection.

When we use hotels we check the seams of the mattresses under the sheets before even bringing suitcases into the room. We also check the drawers. DDT almost eradicated them back in the 50s/60s, but they're back "with a vengeance," I guess!

Those little critters can travel on clothing, so you should be VERY careful to check yourselves before going to friends, relatives or neighbors' houses with an unwanted gift in tow. That's why they're infesting everything from high end clothing shops to movie theaters in NYC. Good luck!

A hotel (actually suites) with two rooms and a full kitchen: The Caribe Royale. They also have a FANTASTIC pool. We got it for a pretty cheap price, you might want to look into it either directly or thru Hotwire or something. My kids loved it. Not far from Disney.

Well, if the wedding date is approximately five years down the road, I guess I'd sort of treat it like the announcement of "we're going steady." The only difference being, if he is officially "fiance" status (in her mind), that means he must be invited to any family gatherings where a fiance would be included. I'd also be tempted to roll with this, in the sense of making it a point to refer to him as "your fiance" (for example if she forgets to invite him to some important events). In other words, if you seem SUPER enthusiastic about this, it might actually have the opposite effect on her.

The knife needs to be handed over. The XX and XY were even more confusing because of the chromosome thingie.

I agree the concept is scary and gross, but some of the "weight loss tips" would be okay for people who are ACTUALLY overweight. Most of the ones on the first blog page I thought were okay, sort of.

I just check the news on Facebook. If I start reading too much into random opinions, then I'm spending too much time there. There's no cost to keep a niece as a friend. There may be one to do otherwise. You never know if down the road you might want a good relationship with her! And like others have said, I'm so glad no one ever mentions the stupid things I may have said at 19! :D

Effective imagery, unusual use of plain language, unique perspective, excellent eye for detail, ability to make the familiar fresh. Joyce Carol Oates, for example (although I'm not crazy about her stories in general because they're kinda dark). Any given paragraph of hers will have some amazing writing. Also, their descriptions have purpose. A mediocre writer might describe a sunset for no particular purpose. A good one will always be setting a particular tone, or foreshadowing something. Just for starters.

I love the lake region in northern Italy near the Alps/Swiss border. Locarno, Lugano etc.

Reading the OP's post does make me want to cry for her poor DS. Why do things have to be so cruel at this age? Yes, in highschool there are "tryouts" and only so many can make it. But why have an experience that is so positive, only to turn it around into such a HUGE negative? Why is it so darn important to "take it up a notch?" That's what travel teams are for.

Letter of intent needs to be sent within 30 days of starting school (might be wise to send it certified). Annual evaluation or standardized test -- a licensed teacher can admininster it. Lots of homeschool groups have such contacts. We're in central Florida, things seem pretty straightforward and easy. Read an article last spring that homeschooling is exploding in Florida.

Maybe with her "troubled history" this is a sign of her handling responsibility and trying to be a good person? I'd hate to think someone is already labeled "Not Good Enough For Yard Sale Duty" at 15! Unless you think she's coming to just cause trouble or steal stuff. It might be kind to give this girl (and family) a break. But bottom line is it's your decision, your yard!

The police could probably trace the cell number. Just sayin'

My husband was the one who came up with the idea, pushed us to do it this year, and had to persuade ME. I'm now fully on board, but it took about 6 months of research before I realized this actually IS better for my kids.

I'm sort of a creative person so I will give you one small tidbit -- I'm sure you know you need some kind of nice opening hook, or closing line to make the thing memorable. Or a line in there somewhere that they won't forget. How about, "We've come a LONG way from clay tablets, baby!" Just something to inject a little on-topic humor. Apologies if it doesn't fit, but you never know!

I lived in the northeast for the first 30 years of my life, and although I never appreciated the cold (wasn't a skier, etc.) the weather never particularly bothered me, it was just a Fact of Life that we really only had 4 nice months of weather each year. With occasional thaws and flawless fall days. But a LOT of gray, gray days, too! Anytime it's gray here in Florida (which is rare) I say, "feels like home!" After living in Fla for 12 years I have to say the weather is great 90 percent of the time. The other 10 percent is too hot, so we either go swimming or stay inside with the A.C. on. I never truly understood how BAD the weather can be up north until I moved away from it. Now, even Georgia would be too cold for me!

I've definitley done that! (1990s recession) I can guarantee you it makes a difference -- I got a lot more callbacks without the master's. And a job, too. (Ironically, years later my boss asked me if I ever considered getting an MBA, at which point I revealed I already had one, haha!) I don't see how it's dishonest -- a resume is designed to get you the job, not serve as a complete listing of everything you've ever achieved. In a natural progression, the ealier jobs fall off the resume as you gain better experience. If the Ph.D. doesn't help you to get the job, why include it? Just as you wouldn't put down your Red Cross CPR course for a job in accounting, but you WOULD if you were maybe working in a daycare or something like that. We're in a Depression. You do what you gotta do. You're only omitting what isn't relative to the job you're applying for. Of course, if ASKED if you have a Ph.D. I wouldn't lie. You still have to keep your integrity. Good luck!

We live in Lakeland, FL, which has all those things you mentioned EXCEPT low crime -- have to say though we live southeast of the city (closer to Highland City) so it's really more like a 'burb in terms of safety, it feels VERY safe to us unless you go to a particular area north of the downtown at night. Also we just started hsing this year and there's a nice big, well organized group with more activities than we can possibly take advantage of. We're 45 minutes from Tampa, 45 minutes from Disney. There are lots of local lakes, although "the beach" is probably an hour and 20 minutes from here. But we don't have to evacuate in case of hurricanes, either. Taxes low, property prices falling...

If this were a famine I'd say add hot sauce and cook it, but if you haven'th had food poisoning in a while you probably don't want to experience it. What's a chicken, $5-$10? Calculate the cost of a trip to the emergency room. Or even a couple bottles of Maalox!

Even though we live close to DisneyWorld, my kids like to go up for occasional weekends there. They LOVED the Caribe Royale hotel (not far from Disney) which was its own suite-like apartment with a kitchen and a GREAT pool with some super slides. Also you can get very good deals on this hotel at less busy times of year. The kids liked it better than the one time we stayed at the Ritz when my husband had a conference.

Unless you were part of the Greek System you really can't make that call. I doubt that played any role.