Well, I am all over the place with this so I chose "other". It seems to me that some sort of Divine Intelligence, which may be called God, created not just this planet but all of creation. We are not separate from that creation/intelligence but an innate part of it- nothing is separate from it, it is not possible for anything to be separate from it, from God- but we humans make a good job of pretending we are. It seems to me that some sort of evolutionary process is naturally built into creation. It seems to me that the Biblical 7 days of creation may be metaphorical and not necessarily opposing to the concept of evolution, if taken on a huge time scale barely conceivable to us and not taken so literally. However, I do know very clearly that I don't know and can't possibly know, and i dont believe anyone else can possible "know", what the truth is as regards how it all started. We can guess. We can make educated guesses even. However we are too much a small part of the whole of existence and it is not our privilege to know. I am at peace with that not knowing and am not going to create artificial beliefs to feel secure within the huge amount we simply don't know. I teach my kids evolution because it makes sense and the evidence seems to point that way. It doesnt mean we claim to understand or know it all, or that if more evidence comes along to dispute all or parts of evolutionary theory, we won't be open to it. Its not a religious belief for us- we dont "believe" in evolution like Christians "believe" that Jesus came to save them. So to most evolutionists, the issue is not on the same platform as it is to Creationists.

Mmm, good thoughts Rosie. I wonder about Lit analysis too- I have never really enjoyed it- I just like the reading of the book part, and maybe some discussion. OK, so that changes things. I was talking to my friend who is doing Psychology and she kept telling me that even within a degree path towards something "practical" like Psych, there are lots of electives you can choose from other schools. I need to keep talking to people, as you say...I probably need to go and talk to the uni people as well and see what they think.

Thanks Rosie- yes, I have checked out Open Universities. I am more inspired by doing it locally than online- I know I can study online and I feel I need the environment, because its more of a personal expasion type thing than an "I need this degree to do this" kind of thing. That book definitely looks interesting. Yes, really I want to wander my way through an impractical and general bachelor degree but I am trying to pull something together than feels remotely practical.

I use the colourful 10 drawer carts and they don't take much space at all. I only bought them this last year for my teens and it has been a great organizational system for me. It is a good way to just keep thing in order and visually organize all their books and subjects. I don't regret setting it up at all, although I didn't Ed up using parts of the system.

Our system is not the same, but dd is doing a Cert 3 in Media Studies (6 months full time but taken over 18 months), many leadership and sailing courses with recognised qualifications through Sea Scouts (and being on various committees), and will be doing a Diploma of Mass Communications (one year full time), before finishing year 12. ETA she has also done an accounting course through her job doing accounts for a local business.

Thanks Asta, that opens up another whole dimension I hadnt considered.

Wow, I find it so sad that there is so much fear in our society that even adults won't open their door, let alone allow their kids to. I open the door, the kids open the door, always have. I have told dd16 if she is home alone sometimes, to check who is at the door before opening it. Not sure if she ever does though. Now, answering the phone, that a different thing. I dont like answering the phone. I get the kids to do that for me!

We have it at the back of our minds, too. Not so much storing food, but dh knows how to hunt and we have done wilderness survival courses. We have weapons (not guns) and we have a motorhome. Considering the environmental catastophe happening over there,I suspect you may be following your instincts- but as others are saying, it might be a good idea to get practical about it and store food you will eat, or learn what to do with all that grain.

We have never had a big talk because we always answered questions with an age appropriate level of detail when they came up. I would take the soonest opportunity I could to open up the subject in a matter of fact way and stay open on an ongoing basis. Sometimes I forget that there is more detail to the whole thing I still havent discussed with my kids and they are teens- they probably know but I would prefer they hear it from me as well. I asked dh recently to cover a few things with ds14- just so he hears it from his dad and not just elsewhere. But the nuts and bolts, they have known since very small.

Gosh, that would so hard. I think I would ask the police what they thought- telling them what you have said here. And go from there. That is what I wodl feel obligated to do under the circumstances. But man, that's a hard call to make.

Ds14 is using MUS Pre Algebra here (the first MUS he has used) and it is working very well for him. He is very fussy about things as he has LDs, and the way it is broken down in MUS is working brilliantly for him.

Good luck- is that the lemon juice one? It doesnt appeal to me because I like gentle....but if you feel inspired, it has obivously done great things for many people!

I think it would be a good opportunity to be matter of fact, and real, about the fact of death, while at the same time being empathic. All things die. My experience is that young children can be wonderful teachers to us about the realities of death, as long as they are allowed to be themselves. They might cry, and release grief and sadness, but they wont hold onto the pain the way we tend to as adults. They will move on and heal quickly, if given the space.

Yes, it is. Its a lot of years, isnt it? Particularly when I am already in my 40s. Thanks for your thoughts on that. I have been talking to dh. He thinks it might be best if I did some sort of business course first, because I don't want to work for anyone else- I want to be in private practice whatever I do- yet business skills is what I lack. Melissa, I have thought about what you are doing, too. I dont think I couldbear to be a teacher in the school system, though! But I think its a great idea if you are inclined that way.

Love gmail here. I have 2 accounts- one for family and friends, and one for signing up to things. I have the 2nd one sent to my main account. My brother put me onto gmail- I wasnt even unhappy with my ISP mail but I decided to give gmail a go and I havent looked back. I get no spam and I have as many folders as I wish.

Thanks for sharing that. It seems that getting really agnry sometimes is the way people find the energy to do what is right and necessary. I am so sorry for those of you whose beautiful beaches are wrecked. The people and the animals.

I have been feeling it for a while. I have a Diploma, but I have something in me that want sto experience university. However, I am torn between studying something that really interests me- like doing a Bacholor of Arts covering English Literature and Creative Writing.....or, since it will probably put me in debt anyway, doing something like Psychology which would give me a solid career foundation. My possiblities are, within my range of interest: Do a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Complementary Medicine) to "finish off" my Naturopathy Diploma. It would be two years online. Then I could do something Post Graduate- even medicine, possibly, locally. Not sure I am passionate about that. It seems practical though. Do A Psych degree. 6 years until I could set up private practice, but a fairly guaranteed good income after that. I am very interested in personal therapy, but I am not sure I want to deal with peoples' problems days after day, to that extent. Do a Bachelor of Arts covering all sorts of interesting topics I would be fascinated to study, especially English and Creative Writing. But...I feel insecure about doing something that doesnt automatically guarantee me work. Ideally I would like to write...and at this point dont need to work...but I would like to and I do have an urge to be financially independent. Anyone have any ideas? I am sure our system here has many similairities. Anyone really glad they did a Bachelor of Arts even though it didn't seem to be going anywhere particular at the time?

I listen to my body a fair amount but that doesnt mean I dont grab for something innapropriate at times- especially when I am stressed, overwhelmed, actually hungry, or on a sugar rollercoaster, or when I am not organised enough to have my preferred foods at hand. I think we are not taught to listen to our bodies- we are taught to listen to external authorities. It starts with our parents making us eat what is on our plates and not teaching us to stop when full, or avoid foods that we instinctively need to avoid. They meant well of course. Then we are bombarded by advertising and surely, surely they wouldnt advertise things that are actually toxic to us, would they? (Oh, yes they would! Aspartame is poison! ) Then there is the aspect where rather than an immediate reaction to something- whether that is hamburgers every second day, or aspartame filled drinks- we are being killed slowly. So that one drink, that one hamburger, that one processed package food item, doesn't kill us- but years of them can and do. It's easier if you get a stomach cramp from eating sugar, as my daughter does. I tend to react quickly too. The diseases that kill people nowadays- cancer, heart disease- are from years and years of bad diets and not listening to our bodies- so it is much harder, individually- to make the changes because they don't seem urgent enough, and even seem disconnected from the uncomfortable symptoms we get. My dh has an amazing ability to consume that which he knows will upset him later, too. He has a sensitive stomach and is now quite gluten intolerant- but is taking an awfully long time to accept the fact! I think it must be different for different personalities, because for me, the discomfort of eating foods that make me feel bad so outweighs the pull to eat them again that I find it difficult to understand why anyone would! But, I have someone in my life who frequently does, so there must be personality factors going on. The other thing is...is depends which way you are heading. If you have no interest in listening to your body...you wont, and you wont until something happens that makes you want to. Then, when you start listening- you get more and more sensitive to the signs, and things that never bothered you before, start bothering you. And then you wonder why you ever started listening because now so many things affect you and your diet has to change so much!

Congratulations! Lucky you! I have been looking- trying to get one by 30th June for tax reasons- and the one I want is out of stock everywhere!

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

I love fat, so I figure my system likes a certain amount of it. So, I eat avocados, olives, raw nuts and coconuts (and coconut oil) to my hearts content. That tends to satisfy my cravings. However, I do have an inability to resist crispy bacon if it is nearby.

It makes me wonder what we can actually do? I mean, I am in Australia, but if it was happening here on my coast....there would be outrage and uproar and I think many thousands of people woudl be demanding answers and trying to help and even demanding and pushing down barriers and insisting - in other words, breaking the law and making a fuss until the "powers that be" come clean. Because its too big- its everyone's planet, the government doesnt own it, for goodness sakes! I am wondering if there are literally movements happening where people intend to take the law into their own hands and do something? Otherwise....well, this could be so bad people will wonder, in a few years, why they just sat and watched it on TV and shook their heads. What will it take for people to get angry enough ? When will we stop trusting the governments and multinationals to look after us? (Asking myself here too).

I am not against anyone getting medication for depression. However, I read a stat the other day that I think was something like 1/3 of Americans are on anti depressants. I don't think that's a medication deficiency or even a medical condition. That's a vast, societal inability to cope with life in a healthy way. It is pointing to something so hugely wrong with our culture, we can barely step back and look, it's so overwhelming. I would not resort to medication without ALSO making sure I was getting some decent therapy and learning how to handle my anger in particular, in a better way. Anger and depression are VERY connected.

Oh wow, I just discovered this recently too! I too have difficulty responding well in the heat of the moment but am working on it! I have read the book and I want to do a workshop next. I recommend it to anyone. I like this particular book: amazon.com/Liver-Cleansing-Diet-Sandra-Cabot/dp/0967398363/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277475627&sr=8-1 and I have done the diet several times over the years. Very doable, not too extreme, yet effective even if you cheat now and then. However, just taking care of your liver by minimising toxins, eating lots of greens/green juices and vegetables , eliminating trans fats and minimising animal fats, drinking water especially with a squeeze of lemon in it...will go a long way to giving your liver a break. Taking a herbal supplement might help too.

My ds has had fractured bones in both his feet and hands. Each time the doctor has said that it should heal quickly and the latest advice from the Childrens Hospital here was not to worry too much about most fractures and to let pain be a guide to how the child uses the joints. I would splint it and let her go and have fun!