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Reflections

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    Non- Alcoholic Beer

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    When I was pregnant my mother thought I should drink Malta... she called it Booby Beer.  Apparently, there is some research that the barley in the beer help with breastfeeding.  I honestly couldn't get it down.

     

    Another random thought brought to you by an overtaxed brain....

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_%28soft_drink%29

     

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/555584-breastfeeding-and-non-alcoholic-beer/

     

     
    Advice

    Because the polysaccharides in barley – not the alcohol – is the key beer ingredient that helps some women who are nursing, non-alcoholic beer may offer breastfeeding benefits while eliminating the dangers. While research continues about how helpful these compounds are in increasing milk production, non-alcoholic beer offers the undeniable advantage of keeping alcohol out of a baby’s system. Always read labels carefully, because some beers labeled non-alcoholic may actually have a small amount of alcohol. “Near beer" also has a low level of alcohol.

    Help me shop?

    in The Chat Board

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    No, it's just that it seems we are not having the same conversation if you are talking about a guy introducing himself as "I like to bark," and me thinking he said "I like to talk to dogs."  If you'd said in your OP that he told your daughter he likes to bark, why, don't you see how that would have come across differently to us?

     

    If you'd said that in your OP I would have said "he sounds mentally ill."

     

    I still would not have reported a guy for that.

     

    Okay. :D

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Your OP says he told her he likes to talk to dogs.  Not bark at them.

     

    "I like to bark at dogs" sounds a lot different from "I like to talk to dogs."  To me, anyway.

     

    Really?  That bit of nuance: talk vs bark, is the piece you've latched onto?  That's what will make this scenario so much different?  Take it from a friendly interaction to a creepy one?

     

    If you are trying to find holes.. and nitpick... well, that's a bit different for me too.

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I think the dog had a very good creep-o-meter.  Give that dog a bone!  

     

    Honestly, Jean, Hoagie needs to be in 12 step program regarding milkbones.  He's been, very uh, persistent in his need for them.  We've been limiting them to 3 a day.  How about a hamburger instead?  He'd really like that!

    • Like 3

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I walk and run with my dog all the time (with a dog that is much less scary-looking than a GSD), and people stop their cars to chat with me several times a year.  They will compliment my dog, ask what breed she is, tell me about a dog they had that looked just like mine, etc.  One guy stopped to tell me about recently seeing a dog hit exactly where I was--the car came off of the street and hit the dog who was being walked by his owner on the right-of-way.  I've had many people ask me if I've seen their lost dog or ask for directions.  I don't go up to the car but stand a respectful distance from the door, but I have never felt threatened in any way.  

     

    The barking thing is weird, but I wouldn't necessarily ascribe nefarious purposes to this person based solely on that.  I woof at my dog or even howl at her once in a while, in jest (she appreciates a good joke), and I'm not out to harm anyone else's 15 yo daughter (just my own, to listen to her).  People can just be weird about dogs.  I would shrug and chalk it up to that.

     

    I'm wondering if this post should have been labeled "JAWM."  

     

    Yours (post) isn't the only one to infer what you're saying here...but I just wanted to address it....

     

    Had the guy pulled up and said "Hey, nice dog.  I had one like that once".  Or "What a cutie. And the dog's not bad either".  Or "Hey some dog got hit right here, watch yourself" or "I've lost my dog.  Have you seen an loose dogs around here?"  I wouldn't have batted an eyelash and neither would my dd (shy or not). 

     

    If she were at the dog park by herself and some guy stood next to her and started a conversation, no one would think twice.

     

    Standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for me to pick her up downtown after fencing, at the mall in the bookstore or Gamestop... all appropriate places to start a conversation or try out your latest pick up line.

     

    As for me and my family barking at our dog... well, yeah, Hoagie can be real talker, so we all do that with him quite regularly.  We even have it recorded as it's so darn cute.

     

     

    BUT I triple dog dare anyone here to randomly drive around in a dark colored van, catch a woman by herself walking a dog, pull up alongside her, tell her you like to bark at dogs and then actually, BARK AT THE DOG!  I want video or it didn't happen.

    • Like 2

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    So "what would you think about this" isn't actually what you meant.  I get it.  Never mind.

     

    *POKE* 

     

    You know you like to play the other side.  It's cool.  And I did want to hear what the Devils Advocate would have to say. Like I said I was waiting...

     

     

    But I disagree with your assessment of this situation

    Banned books

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    In high school, no, I don't think anything other than "adult" (X rated) literature should be banned from kids' personal reading lists, but I don't think kids should be required to read some topics either.

     

    I remember squirming in a college English class when the topic of sex came up.  I was 17 and really didn't want to go there.  Of course in college I expected to be treated as an adult so I dealt with it.  I don't expect high schoolers to all be ready for that.

     

    Interesting, just this week my kids' 3rd grade teacher sent home a note saying that parents should be careful of the books their kids are choosing for independent reading.  "There are some mature books that are written at the 5th grade level."  Makes me wonder what triggered that comment.

     

     

    Judy Blume is a popular children's author who wrote Forever whose lexile is at 590; which is very close to 5th grade.  There are a few others like that. So, you know, maybe that's it...

     

    Oh, and all the summer, high school age lifeguards at our pool were reading Shades of Grey when on their break....

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    That's why I asked how old he was, and how old she looks.  It would not be odd for a young adult man to be interested in a teen.  It would be rather normal.

     

    Come to think of it, that is how Dolly Parton met her husband.  (She was 18 and he was 21.)

     

    Granted, if he was balding or graying, yeah, weird.  But he didn't do anything, and talking isn't a crime.

     

    Even then, a guy who takes an interest in a 15yo isn't a "child predator" unless the 15yo is very late going into puberty.

     

    I personally don't think it's a good idea to discourage a 15yo from walking her (large, protective) dog because there are men on the street who talk from their car windows.

     

     

    Thanks, SKL, I was waiting for the Devil's Advocate... :laugh:

    • Like 1

    Banned books

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I am curious where the hive stands on this topic. Is it ever ok to ban books in high school? Is it reasonable to expect ninth graders to be able to read about and maturely discuss sensitive topics such as r@pe, inc3$t, and p3dophili@? (Sorry, trying to avoid random google trolls)

     

    I just finished reading "The Glass Castle" and found the story tragic yet fascinating. I also found out that parents had demanded the book be removed from required reading lists for ninth and tenth grade classes. I have a tenth grader whom I feel could handle the content.

     

    While we are on the subject, I need sone book suggestions for my own reading. Maybe I'll focus on banned books for a month or two. So pkease offer you suggestions.

     

    Thanks

     

    Nope.  Everything should be available to be read. Slippery slope imo, about what to ban, even for high schoolers.

     

    And what Sadie said.

    • Like 3

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    by advocating for her, and helping her know what to do in that situation if she should find herself in it in the future - you will be doing her a favor.  1), she'll know what to do (run opposite the direction the car is pointed), and 2) report it to the police.

    most importantly - you will be sending the message to her that. you. care.!

     

    she will know you are listening to her, and taking her seriously.  please don't underestimate what that means.  the messages I was sent because concerns I raised were disregarded, or brushed under the rug were that the adults in my life didn't give a hoot about me.

     

    Of course you're right.  Advocating for her will send the very definite message that she is cared for.  And for your peace of mind, we do do that.  There have been other things that have happened through the years and I have walked her through my mental steps so she KNOWS that not only do I care, but I'm taking the most rational steps that I can.

     

    And no, I don't underestimate it.  My dh was the first to really take what I said and felt seriously.  No matter how kooky it sounded.  I make it a point in my relationship with my kids, too, to really hear what they are saying to me and what is important to them.  

    • Like 1

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    he's in a car, he's safe from the dog.

     

    I was really naïve as a teen, (and didn't have anyone I could confide in that I felt would care) when I was being followed by  some creepy guy in a car while I was walking TWO big dogs I was dog sitting, in the middle of a bright sunny day.  a chocolate lab, and some retriever type.  I would have been safer with my GSD. (which I got later and was more likely to go into protective mode.)  despite the TWO large dogs, he finally made an attempt to speak to me.  I was naïve thinking he wanted directions or something.  he was exposing himself.  as an adult - I *now* know it should have been reported - but I was a naïve teen and staying at my grandmother's neighbor's house. (dogsitting)  my grandmother was NOT someone I trusted to ever advocate for me.

     

    OP - Now, as an adult, I absolutely would report your dd's experience to the police.  at worst, next time he does this, there will already be a record.

     

    Yuck.  I've had that happen as an adult - in a moving car no less.

     

    I'll report it tomorrow.  Like I said the police station is right by the building we have to be at tomorrow.

    benefits of fasting

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    My dh fasts about 3x a year.  He ramps down, plateaus and then ramps up.  What that means is that he starts the fast by only eating raw foods for a day or two and then transitions to only clear liquids for two days and then ramps up with the raw food diet thing again.  He likes doing it.  Feels better after.  Feels like it's a cleanse.  And like someone else who posted up thread, he feels as if it teaches some self discipline and that it's okay to be hungry.

     

    Notice though that "I" have no personal experience to share... :tongue_smilie: I should change that.

    • Like 1

    Counting?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I talk to myself all the time.  So does my dd.  She plans out the plot and dialogue for the book she's writing.  Mine is more random.

     

    My mother used to speak to herself in what we coined as EnglaDeutsch.  It was an amusing mixture of English and German.  Kind of like a made up language.  And strangely, she only did it while running water -as in when washing dishes or cleaning the tub or taking a bath, etc. And further, she claimed it was involuntary and didn't remember doing it.

     

    I've tried numbers a few times, but honestly, it's kinda of boring for me to just think about the numbers.  I invariably wander off on some other topic and lose track of what I was trying to count.  You are more disciplined than me!

     

    My pain coping mechanism has been imagining climbing up a hill, reaching a peak, and then walking back down until the next wave.

    • Like 1

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Yeah, but wouldn't a child predator try to find an easier target that someone walking a 90lb dog? I'd still be cautious, though.

     

    See, I was thinking that too.  And the only conclusion - thought, really - I had is that dogs around here are very sweet. Gentle even. Happy-go-lucky. Even the really big ones are unlikely to bark, more like wag and walk over to greet you.   In VA, I wouldn't have dared approach a dog - they were all protective of person and property.  So Hoagie (our dog), has stood out here because he needs time to warm up before he likes you.  Unless we are at the dog bark, and then he has to greet every.single.person there for pets.

     

    So maybe, if you are still following my logic, he was testing the waters.  Maybe if Hoagie hadn't been protective and barked at him....

     

    Just some more random thoughts...

    • Like 1

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    My dd is already shy.  Walking alone with just the dog is a HUGE thing for her.  I don't want this incident to set her back too much.

     

     

     

    ETA:  Sorry. Random thought.  I've got lots going on in my head... never know what might bubble to the surface.

    • Like 2

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    That is the hard thing -- wondering whether or not to report, because what if it was just some silly guy who was just joking around because he likes dogs, right?

     

    The problem is that a successful predator is the kind of guy who can make you believe that he was probably just some silly guy who likes dogs.

     

    It wouldn't hurt to tell the police what happened, just so they can be on the alert. Who knows how many other people the guy may have approached in addition to your dd? The last thing you want to do is turn on the news and find out that he hurt someone else's dd, because you would probably never forgive yourself for not reporting what happened.

     

    Yeah, I'll probably go in tomorrow.  And - no, I never thought for one minute that this guy was just silly.  No one in their right mind with good intentions pulls alongside a young woman walking alone.  I just didn't know how BIG of a deal to make of this.

    • Like 3

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I think you should report it to the police.  We have those kinds of alerts on our news so that others know that there is someone prowling for kids.  

     

    Yeah... I though about that, but I didn't know if I was over-reacting or not.  For now, I just told her not to walk him anymore.  The dog park was a mud hole so walks through the neighborhood was a substitute.  

     

    The police station is near where she fences... maybe I'll stop in tomorrow.

    • Like 1

    What would think about this?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    My dd15 was out walking our 90lb German Shep mix - just through the neighborhood - when a man pulled up alongside her in his van, rolled down the window and told her he liked to talk to dogs.  Our dog went into protective mode - howl barking and such - and then the man barked back at our dog, rolled up his window and drove away.  

     

    So.... what do you think?

    • Like 1

    I have a knot in my gut. I'm so anxious. Please JAWM.

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I don't mean to increase your anxiety, but I'd like to know if you and your dh are going to be doing the same kind of business just in another office?  If that is the case, how likely is it that she will call you when she doesn't know something?  You might want to make copious "notes" now. Tuck them away.  And right before you leave, present it to her with a sticky that reads something like:  "Here.  My notes on the business."  And then, when she calls, and you don't want to be too snarky, you could say, "Hey, sil, it's in the notes I gave you.  I'm super D duper busy right now.  Catcha ya later!"   And then hang up.  

     

    Other than that... I get all kinds of knotty when I'm dealing with people like your sil.  I distance myself.  That's my reward.  A locked door. A silenced phone.  Snuggles on the couch with my dh and kids.  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

    • Like 3

    Is there a way to get the shampoo smell out of my hair?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Cat, have you taken a pregnancy test? This level of olfactory intensity when you usually don't have this problem makes me wonder if it's you, rather than the shampoo.

     

    Do post the type of shampoo you used though. To protect the innocent, etc.

     

    I swear I haven't been drinking... but when I read this I thought - "Oh my, Cat might be having kittens? "

    • Like 9
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