I don't shop with ant company that won't return my $$ if I am not satisfied. Lularue only offers credit. The clothes are cute and I have friends who are obsessed with them but they are no for me.

I get what you are saying. I have always taught my kids that their opinion of who they are is all that matters. If they can look in the mirror and like who they see that is all that matters. If you know you are doing the right thing then that is enough for your own self worth. Outside validation is not needed to know who you are. In theory, if everyone can look at themselves and be happy with who they are then the world would be different. However, as I taught my kids, in life you will have bosses. Your boss will want things from you and you will want things from your boss. It is in your best interest to figure out what your boss wants and give it to them so that you can get what you want. In the example of the original poster, if I want to be a vampire I have to understand that in most cases I will not be able to give my boss what they want. In most cases what the boss wants is someone who looks and behaves like everyone else. If I am wearing red contacts and have fangs I am already off to a bad start. However, I can remove the red contacts when I am interviewing and look the part. Once they hire me and are comfortable with the knowledge that I can do the job maybe I can wear my red contacts to work one day and see what happens. Or I can save my vampire behavior for my own time. The choice is mine because I have not done any noticeable permanent body modification. As a pp stated if a vampire is what he wants to be then own it. Part of owning it is acknowledging that there are employment consequences to being a vampire.

And I just asked my husband if he would hire someone with vampire fangs and red contacts. And he said an emphatic "No". I can't send someone to meet with clients who looks like that.

My initial reaction to your description of the photo shouts "no". On the other hand, you need someone. I might schedule an interview without my child present to see what the person is really like.

Does it improve my street cred if I tell the vampire that I went to art school in NYC and have my BFA?Because I did and I can tell you all about the metamorphosis of an art major who needs to get a job. You enter freshman year as a somewhat clean cut high school graduate. Maybe your hair is a funky color/cut, maybe an unusual piercing. By the end of freshman year you are doing some crazy stuff with your hair. Some more piercings, maybe you even got a tattoo. This trend continues through your sophomore year. Then comes junior year. The light bulb moment that you may not be the next Andy Warhol and your parents won't support you forever and the realization that advertising can pay pretty well while you pursue your art. Some of the piercings come out. The hair gets a little toned down. Senior year you are interviewing and getting feedback from potential employers. Most of whom may love your funky hair and piercings but tell you that it won't fly in the office. By the end of senior year you look like every other corporate sell out but with an artsy hairdo that is somewhat mainstream . But hey, you have a job. On the weekends you get to go out and be crazy. Show off the ink that is hidden when you are at work. Maybe put in those piercings. I will now give you the wisdom that my father gave me. Don't be an idiot. What are you, stupid? How did I raise someone who is such a moron. You want to do crazy things? Go ahead. But don't do permanent changes that are noticeable. Unless you don't want a job one day. Tattoo where they can be hidden by clothes if necessary if you really must have a tattoo. And why are you so sure that when you are my age you will still think fangs are a great idea? They aren't. They are stupid. In 10 years you may wake up one morning and wonder what the hell you were thinking. Now you have to go get expensive dental work. And don't come crying to me when you experience discrimination in the hiring process because you look like an idiot. Yes, it shouldn't matter, but it will

It would depend on where this person is applying for a position. Nanny-not hiring the vampire Corporate office - not hiring the vampire Teacher in a school that is not monster high-not hiring the vampire Bank-no to the vampire Any job where you are the face of the company - not hiring the vampire. Halloween shop, record store, art gallery, funky bohemian store, a company that is known for hiring people who dress outside the norm-will probably hire the vampire. Said person is better off sticking with non permanent body modification.

My first baby was dropped off last Wednesday. We went down on Tuesday because it is 3+ hour drive and stayed overnight. His roommate plays a fall sport and was already moved in. He let us into the room Tuesday night so we could get a jump on the unpacking. Nice young man. Even helped carry a couple of things. Move in day was smooth. Got his room set up. Went to lunch in the dining hall. Purchased the rest of his books while ds went to library open house. At 3pm they had the introduction convocation. A really nice ceremony. After that we said goodbye and left. That night they had the bell ringing ceremony to conclude the days activities. Each student rings the bell in the square to signal the beginning of their college education. They ring it again when they graduate. Classes start today.

Pursuing a degree that you can relate to your passion somehow is not what I was talking about. I am talking about the people who are pressured by parents/family to get a degree in engineering because it pays well. Or become a doctor or a lawyer because it is prestigious and has money making potential. Or go into finance so you can make a killing on Wall Street. Those are the types of situations that are stifling. A friend of mine has a dd that plays the violin. Her daughter has a friend who a fabulous violin player-concert worthy performer. He is going to med school. He would rather play the violin. His family decided that he will be a doctor and that is that.

I am so sorry for your loss. You absolutely did the right thing. I would have made the same decision.

Growing up in NY my parents were friends with our neighbors. Not travel together friends but social. Dinners together etc. As an adult I live in a similar neighborhood to the one I grew up in but we are definitely not friends with our neighbors. We are neighborly. Help each other out during a blizzard, alert you to a strange car kind of neighbors but we don't have dinner parties together. Nor would I want to. We were friendlier with our neighbors when we first moved here but as the kids got older it was obvious we had nothing on common with our neighbors.

In spite of all the $$ we have put into out home I do love a lot of things about it. I am just older and tired now. Tired of repairing things ourself, tired of hiring people to repair things we can't. I am ready for the next chapter. Ds has been dropped off for his freshman year of college and dd has two more years before she leaves for college. I can see the empty nest and I am kind of looking forward to it.

Yes, welcome to my money pit. Our house was built in 1938. We have lived here for almost 19 years. The kitchen was renovated 5 years before we moved in. So far we have replaced the roof on the main house. The garage roof 2x. It is a flat roof. Two years ago we fixed a few cracks in the foundation. Replaced the dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer. Converted to gas heat in 2000 and just replaced the water heater we intalled at that time. I am hoping the refrigerator continues to work as I can't afford to replace it at this time. I wish the housing market would turn around in my area so I could sell. I am ready for a townhouse or apartment where I don't have to deal with landscaping and roofing.

Love me, love my old lady smell. I can't wear perfume. Cologne and perfume give me terrible headaches.

Ugh, that is the worst. I hate discovering a great show only to find it was canceled.

Smacks head. I don't know how I forgot Duloth when giving my Gilden advice since the majority of my tank tops came from them. Love my longtail shirts. Although there is a definite difference in quality from my older ones to the newer ones I purchased they are still better then the ones in the store.

Thank you for sharing. A step, perhaps. However, most people never develop the rash or if they did they were bit somewhere they couldn't see.

Try searching online for gilden tees. They tend to be a little beefier then the clingy, thin, not worth the dollars layering tees in the stores.

I hate the way I sound in a recording. I can't believe anyone finds my voice in any way appealing.

Congrats on the scholarship. Ds has one custom book this year. Over $200. It really ticked me off.

Ended up having to buy a bunch of books new because of the racket of updated versions or custom book. So frustrating.

I haven't had it done. My anecdotal experience, I know a handful of people who have had it. Most loved it and had no issues. I know one person who ended up with a halo effect and can no longer drive at night.

1985 New York City, I still knew a lot of people who thought of aids as a gay disease. I was in college in 1985 and was appalled by how many people were still having unprotected sex because they were straight.

Consumables. My grandma is 104 and we have been sending her flowers, sweets that she likes, and the gift of time for 20 years now. I imagine it is the same for a man. Something they can eat or drink.

Love my insulated kleen kanteen and I love my bubi bottle. It is silicone and rolls up when empty.

Yes, thanks to 4 years of high school spanish. That is one of the few verbs I remember how to conjugate.