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Excelsior! Academy

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Posts posted by Excelsior! Academy

  1. 6 hours ago, Spy Car said:

    I'm one who strongly embraces the idea of aging gracefully.

    For example, I love it when beautiful women allow their hair to go silver, as cultural heroes of mine like Joan Baez and Emmylou Harris have done. Much preferable to my taste than covering it with dye. Perhaps that's a minority position, but one I embrace entirely. Botox? no.

    But, unfortunately, that's not what's going on with Justine. I met her multiple times when we were both young, post-Family Ties but not that many years later, as we had a mutual friend in common.

    The problem was--and I presume still is--that she smoked like a fiend.

    The term "chain smoker" has never been more applicable to anyone I've encountered. Even decades ago I could see the smoking was taking a toll. 

    So while I embrace the idea of "aging naturally," that's not the path that she has followed in my estimation. She has unfortunately damaged herself due to an addiction that has consequences. It isn't nature that has carved the lines in her face, but toxic cigarette smoke.

    Forgive my honesty.

    Bill

     

    I agree with you and believe this!  I've known many woman in their 50s who have not had plastic surgery, yet their skin is in better shape than hers.  I love her message, but I don't think she is aging normally.  It most likely is the cigarettes.  It does awful things to one's body internally and externally.

    • Like 3
  2. Take whatever you decide then add in 1 or 2 more meals or snacks or partial meals or snacks.  Include a note that not only mentions their situation, but also outlines the included food.  Think outside the box.  If you provide dinner, then include breakfast and a few snack items as well or a couple of low $ amount fast food cards so they can pick up a meal on the go or coffee.

    • Like 2
  3. 57 minutes ago, Amy Gen said:

    My 11 year old is a happy kid. Adults are always telling me how much they love seeing her because she is always smiling and enthusiastic about whatever we are doing. 
     

    At home, she loves doing school, she still plays with American Girls and Barbies. She plays SIMs with her 26 year old sister and she plays competitive Teken with her 24 year old brother. 
     

    On the swim team, she is always the first to befriend new kids on the team. She makes sure they get to their races on time and waits to cheer for them. She shares her snacks and introduces them to everyone 

    But a pattern has emerged. She befriends the new kid and when they make other friends, they dump her. I’m happy for them to make new friends that might be a better fit. I just think that when they walk past her, they should still say Hi in passing, but they don’t. 
     

    And then there are the friends that she used to be close to with birthday parties and sleepovers, but now they are only interested in tik tok and makeup while my kid still likes monkey bars and pretend play. I tell her that people have a right to grow up. People have a right to move on. People have a right to have different preferences. But I know it is still a loss. 
     

    She has 2 friends right now who she enjoys and she feels like she could trust with anything. I tell her that is more than many people have. 
     

    She isn’t unhappy. I’m just worried because she is supposed to move groups with the older girls and she would be leaving her 2 close friends in her old group. She wants to move up badly, but every time the coaches test her, half of me hopes she will fail so that she will stay with the nicer girls. 
     

    Is this a big time of change for girls? 
     

    I just find it weird that my 14 year old is very discriminating about who she will even talk to and she is treated with 10 times the respect that my 11 year old is. 
     

    it is so weird to me, and this is my 4th 11 year old girl. 
     

    Can anyone relate?  

    No advice, but I could've written your post almost word for word with the exception being my youngest is 10 and her sister with all of the friends and respect is 12 1/2.  

    • Thanks 1
  4. I want to build a basic food stock pantry. This year many in my state of Oklahoma have experienced a week long power outage due to the recent snow and ice storm and we are right in the middle of tornado alley so having a few basic supplies on hand is wise.  I've tried various methods of building a pantry, but nothing consistently sustainable.  What is the simplest method for building a supply?  What is the recommended amount to store?  

    • Like 1
  5. 9 hours ago, NewIma said:

    My husband has been working at his job for 8 years and loves it. We love where we live and imagined we would live here the rest of our lives. This morning, out of nowhere, my dh's department was completely eliminated.

    I am in shock with waves of grief. We have 14 and a 10 year old. We have the perfect set up-live on a block with lots of kids. A super great friend community. And now it is over. My shins very specialized and there is no way we will be able to stay here.

    I don't know what to do. When do we tell the kids? How do we tell the kids? One of them is emotionally fragile. Do I start cleaning my house? Talk to a realtor? Declutter? Cry? 

    How do I help my dh? I am just at a loss.

    ((hugs))

    A similar thing happened to dh 4-ish years ago.  One of his good friends worked for the same company and knew ahead of time, but was under some sort of gag order and wasn't able to tell us.  I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for him.  Does your dh get any severance?  

    I agree with the above poster about getting your insurance in order.  Take the kids (and yourself) to any dental, vision, and medical appointments you can before your insurance runs out.  Set a little aside just to do something fun on.  Obviously you don't want to stretch yourself too thin financially, but knowing you have $50 set aside for take out or an outing can take the stress out of a tough day.  We looked up free days and took advantage of a local history museum and discount tickets to another science-y type museum.  Dh now works as an IT consultant.  He loves it much more than his previous job.  I hope and pray the same for you.  Feel free to vent anytime and please keep us updated.  

    • Thanks 1
  6. While I do believe people need second chances and to provide for their families, I also have close family members who are convicted felons.  I would not hire them. In the case of my relatives they have been convicted on just a fraction of the crimes that they have committed and served just a fraction of the given sentences.  It's shocking, actually, how little time they've served. The fact that the person you are considering hiring has multiple convictions is concerning.  People can change, but they can also get better at not being caught.  I hope for his and his wife's sake he has changed.  If you do decide to hire him I would stay in the vicinity while he works and trust but verify everything.  A crime's sentence can be completed, but that does not mean that the long lasting consequences of one's choices disappear.

    • Like 3
  7. This reminds me of the mom who threw her little girl a Japanese themed birthday party and the little girl dressed in a kimono and painted her face.  The mom was called a racist.  I don't think it was wrong as they were treating everything with respect.  What are your thoughts?  

     

    https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/08/02/japanese-birthday-party_a_23061529/

  8. 55 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

    And no one commented on the ‘tribe’ comment.  A new found cousin is posting that is wrong to say. Is it?  

    I'll bite.  As a member of the Osage nation and married to a Cherokee neither of us are bothered by the term tribe.

    19 minutes ago, Katy said:

    I know there are some Native American tribes in Oklahoma who use the word Tribe themselves.  And another that doesn't seem to.  So maybe best practice is to refer to the groups the way they want to be referred to? 

    Yep.  Native Oklahoman here in both senses of the word.  Native American, Indian and tribe are okay with me.  Dh strongly dislikes the term indigenous peoples and would much prefer to be called Indian or Native American.

    • Like 6
  9. 3 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

    Why call them anything.? 

    Isn't calling people anything with their appearance racial profiling?

     

    I disagree.  When describing someone you might say red curly hair and green eyes or brown eyes, hair and skin.  Why would that be wrong?

    53 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

    Sorry if I upset you. 

    I have never called someone black. Nor do I know anyone who does. Except some now decease inlaws in Canada. In my area of Australia Aboriginals are called Aboriginals,  Sudanese are called Sudanese, Italians are called Italians, Chinese are  called of Chinese descent. 

    To call someone the colour of their skin is frowned at. It would be like calling Chinese yellow skins or slant eyes. 

    The only time I could imagine calli g someone the colour of their skin would be if there was a police report for a wanted dangerous person and they were giving a description. 

    My son prefers to be called black, so that is the term we use.  

    1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

    That is absolutely bizarre to me that you would never describe someone by the color their skin. Do you also never use hair color or any other physical description to discuss someone?

    Agree! 

    • Like 3
  10. 18 hours ago, saraha said:

    How do you balance full time homeschooling with your job and house stuff? I know I’m still dealing with COVID fatigue, but this is kicking my tail.

    I agree!  I worked part time for a couple of years whilst homeschooling 4 kiddos.  I couldn't do it!  I have so much respect for working moms!!

    16 hours ago, freesia said:

    I don’t think there are that many families where the parent(s) work full time and homeschool. I don’t know any irl and only a handful here. It would kill me completely.

    I've known a few and have decided they must have some secret that lets them skip sleep.  Vampires? Hidden drug addiction?  (That's just a joke! I have the utmost respect for their time management skills and sorely wish they would share some of their knowledge with me!!)

    • Like 2
    • Haha 1
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