Uh, yeah, though my thought process went something like, "Good heavens. If they saw what my 8-year old did with some snap circuits, some matchbox cars, and the 'scat mat,' they'd call in the military." :laugh:

Or...that he was definitely not interested in making anything that looked remotely like a bomb? Because he was making a clock. To show off to his engineering teacher. Not a hoax bomb.

I'm a fan of Jillian Michaels. Also, if you have a decent internet connection, Fitness Blender is an awesome web site. They have hundreds of free workout videos of all types and levels. I love those guys!

No, no, it makes perfect sense, and is the one true way! I am not alone! Yes, caramel is three syllables: care-ah-mel. Unless it's a caramel apple, in which case it is car-mull because it's a car-mull app-ull. They have to match, see?

Well, as someone gainfully employed fixing random capitalization and other grammar no-nos, I say have at it. Random capitalization = job security for poor editors like me. :laugh: I'm currently in the middle of 214 pages of manual in which "user" is randomly capitalized throughout. No. No. And no.

"...or a big hamster." :lol: Well, that is one adorable hamster! I'm glad things are working out for you guys and both pups.

I think that's fraidycat! :lol: I love the grumpy beret cat!

If you can go into it knowing that the cat will do whatever the heck it wants, whenever the heck it wants to, and that any and all of your best-laid plans can and will go out the window on the whim of the cat, then y'all will be just fine. :laugh: We have two very, very different cats. One is a very high-maintenance Bengal cat; despite the super special magical food, he has IBS and frequent digestive distress. Despite what we might like, he goes wherever he wants, and he only wants to hang out with my oldest son (he is curled up on the couch with him now. He doesn't even want any other person touching him, much less snuggling). Despite the fact that he gets completely into the bathtub with oldest son on his own accord, he will not tolerate any type of grooming from anyone. I've never heard him purr. He is, however, a pretty interesting and amazingly intelligent animal. He can be very entertaining. Our other cat is a young, generic "shorthair" cat I brought home from the shelter on a whim about a month ago. That cat will eat anything, no issues. She prefers to hang out in my bedroom, and if we shut the door (to keep the Bengal from terrorizing her), she's happy to sleep on my pillow all day. She prefers to hang out with me and sleeps with me all night, but if I'm not around she will happily climb in anyone else's lap for pets. I could brush her all day; you pick her up and she just goes limp. She purrs constantly, and loudly. Neither cat was what we predicted. lol. There is no guarantee that the cat you visit will be the same cat when you get it home, but if you are able to get a decent feel for personality--and if you know their history, which it sounds like you do--you're more likely to find a kitty that meshes well in your particular household.

Every dog has the potential to bite. Every single dog. We don't know this dog. Halcyon is, by all accounts, a very dedicated and responsible animal owner, trying very hard to do the right thing. Getting rid of the dog is not necessarily the right thing (and Halcyon will have to be the final decision-maker there, not the internet). You don't know that, and calling her "very irresponsible" is not only ridiculous, it's completely unnecessary.

Yep, the way I understand it is what idnib describes--they can convene a special out-of-session session if necessary. But I wager we all likely agree the taxpayers should not foot the bill for any more of this nonsense...

Bill, I think (could be wrong) that she was hired before she converted to Islam. Not that we haven't seen progress in the last 14 years, in a lot of ways. We have. I celebrate every little victory. I'm so sorry about your friend. I know a lot of people are remembering lost loved ones today.

I have no idea with regard to the legal issues, permitting, etc., with having a business run out of their home space, but ideas off the top of my head that make sense for that kind of space include a massage therapist's office, chiropractor, etc.--with all those bedrooms, it seems like the space is already divided up in a way that would lend itself to individual treatment rooms. Maybe a day spa kind of place. Or maybe a tutor(s). If the noise wouldn't be an issue, a small music school (again, individual rooms for individual instrument or voice lessons). It sounds like the space itself could be really useful for a number of applications, really. I think it's the logistics that could be an issue (permits, parking, etc.).

Liz, do you mind a thread hijack? (Not trying to butt in, just figuring your or others reading might be interested in the answer to this question, too.) I have looked at these on an off again, but I would really like to find some decent research on how effective they are? Does anyone have links to any good, impartial information?

No, I don't think that. I'm pointing out that you probably have more common ground in the matter than you think.

Well, I've seen a lot of people on both sides of the issue find plenty of common ground. Loving your fellow human, religious freedom, and basic decency seem to be some common themes.

Of course people don't leave what they feel is right out of the issue. But that's oversimplifying it, or only peeling off one layer--plenty of people can and do hold the idea that gay marriage is wrong based on the teachings of their religion, while voting with their conscience to make it legal. People do this all the time with lots of things. I hate comparing same-sex marriage to something such as religion, because it insinuates that being gay is a choice, but for the purpose of this discussion I think it works. Personally, I find plenty of things about organized religion to be bad for society. I believe plenty of things about organized religion to be hurtful to others. Do I mount campaigns to make practicing certain organized religions illegal? Do I vote for people who think it would be ok to make it hard, or impossible, for people to practice their religion? No. Because that would be wrong, and quite frankly stupid. I don't care how odious I find a particular flavor of religion, I would fight pretty damn hard to ensure the right of those who follow it to practice it as they choose. However, that's not conceding the issue. I can hold these two ideas together but separately just fine. The majority of people practicing any given religion aren't bad for society. They aren't hurtful to others. They're just going about their every day lives, just like me, trying to find peace or personal fulfillment where they can. Most importantly, it's really none of my damn business what they do behind the doors of their churches. It's only if it infringes upon my rights, or directly hurts someone close to me, that I'm going to feel the need to be vocal.

I find it alarming that a girl would feel pressured into doing anything she wasn't into in order to stay in a relationship. The type of sex is a red herring in your example; the problem is thinking you should do something that you are uncomfortable with to make someone happy. That's not ok.

Antlers?! I thought the kitty was wearing a beret! First candy canes, now this. My life is a lie. ETA: Yes, I did just pull up WTM on my big-screen Mac and go to your profile so I could get a closer look at that picture. I'm still going to see a beret when I see your avatar pic. :laugh:

People supporting, donating money towards, and voting to keep anti-same-sex marriage in place are most definitely standing in the way of others doing what they want, and based on religious belief. Also, general attitudes towards LGBTQ people, stereotypes, vocal anti-same-sex marriage campaigns, etc., do real harm, especially to young people trying to find their way in life. Suicide rates among young LGBTQ people are not pretty. They are also more likely to be victims of violence. Now, I'm *not* saying you condone anything like that, or that you wish harm to anyone--I don't think you do. I'm just saying that a culture that tells people they are wrong for feeling like themselves, or that they should just suppress their feelings, all for the way they were born, is harmful. edited for typo.

I didn't make the original comment; I was only explaining. But I get it, in context. Like you said, a lot of people--many of whom also base their belief on the bible--disagree with you. So I think the question was more of "how do you know your version is right?" Not trying to speak for the OP of that comment, just making more conversation.

I think you are misunderstanding me. Of course you have the right to believe and live however you want. By big picture I mean so far as where someone else's right begins. Why would you allow your religious beliefs to infringe on the rights, happiness, lives of others. That's what I mean by big picture.

Do you have a direct line to the big guy upstairs. First-hand account and all that.

So...with that, don't you see why it's important to leave our religious beliefs (or lack of) out of the issue, big picture? So that we can all have the freedom to believe the way we want to believe without any one specific belief getting to make the rules for everyone? And...with that, you don't see a problem? How is that fair? Especially if her belief is not your own? That doesn't sound, well, to oversimplify it, just plain mean?

Who else has had flippin' "eye of the tiger" stuck in their head now, like, all afternoon? ARGH.

It might be hanging out at the bottom of this glass of wine I just drank. That's where mine ran off to. I really need to start writing this paper that's due at 11:59 p.m. tonight, but...