There are 4 types of dengue fever. You develop an immunity only to the type you were infected with but not the other 3. Also, if you get one of the other 3 then it is likely your symptoms will be more severe. The Mosquitos are out of control around here!

I love cats. I would probably have them all spayed or neutered and keep them all. But I'm a bit crazy. :) For you, pick two, have them fixed, take the rest to the shelter. Cats are the easiest pets!

That's only sort of true. It was more like every inch of me hurt and no pain meds could touch it. Even my eyelashes hurt. They call it "break-bone" disease here because that's what it feels like...all your bones are broken. It was brutal. We are having an epidemic of Dengue in this area right now. :(

I got Dengue Fever and I was so sick for two weeks that I couldn't even read (shocking, I know!). But I finally managed to finish one book and I am feeling better now so I am back at it! Started reading: Mere Christianity by CS Lewis Still reading: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell Finished reading: 1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan (AVERAGE) 2. The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (GOOD) 3. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (EXCELLENT) 4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (EXCELLENT) 5. The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens (AMAZING) 6. Champion by Marie Lu (PRETTY GOOD) 7. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink (INCREDIBLE) 8. Cultivating Christian Character by Michael Zigarelli (HO-HUM) 9. Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff (um...WOW. So amazing and sad) 10. Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church by JD Payne (SO-SO) 11. The Happiness Project: Or Why I spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. by Gretchen Rubin (GOOD) 12. Reading and Writing Across Content Areas by Roberta Sejnost (SO-SO) 13. Winter of the World by Ken Follet (PRETTY GOOD) 14. The School Revolution: A New Answer for our Broken Education System by Ron Paul (GREAT) 15. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (LOVED IT) 16. Beyond the Hole in the Wall: Discover the Power of Self-Organized Learning by Sugata Mitra (GOOD) 17. Can Computers Keep Secrets? - How a Six-Year-Old's Curiosity Could Change the World by Tom Barrett (GOOD) 18. You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself by David McRaney (GOOD) 19. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (OK) 20. Follow Me by David Platt (GOOD) 21. The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman (SO-SO) 22. Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman (OK) 23. A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home by Jason Helopoulos (GOOD) 24. The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan (DEPRESSING) 25. No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (SO-SO) 26. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff (DELIGHTFUL) 27. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman (WORST ENDING EVER) 28. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (SO-SO)

http://www.str.org/articles/the-problem-with-happiness#.U4GGZCcaySM "I think it's one of the most meaningless of all goals, pursuing happiness, because there are other values that are much more important. As a matter of fact I'm not entirely convinced that happiness is something that can be attained by pursuing it... The problem is that it sets us up. Unhappiness becomes something that is abnormal. It's a falling short of a critical ideal. The phrase then, "As long as you're happy" becomes not just a goal but a requirement for successful living, a requirement that breeds guilt if it's not fulfilled--"What's wrong with me?" My answer to that situation is, "More often than not, there's nothing wrong at all." Much of what we experience of a negative sort, maybe even most of it, is simply real life, common to everybody... First, life is tough, no matter how you cut it. Secondly, people who think they're neurotic are usually perfectly normal people who have unrealistic expectations of what life should bring them. I'd contend that one of those unrealistic expectations, which ultimately becomes an inappropriate goal, is happiness... When I talk like this people think I'm being depressed and morbid. I'm not. I'm not unhappy, I don't think, and I'm probably as happy as the next guy. And this vague response really makes my point: I don't think of it as a meaningful goal, so it's not a meaningful question, and it's hard for me to give a meaningful answer. I guess my basic contention is that to the degree we cling to this expectation of personal happiness, we will define good life, appropriate life, successful living in the context of freedom from problems and pain. And it's to that degree that life will deliver to us the severest disappointment, because life is not like that. Instead, I would direct you to higher goals. Some things are more important than happiness, like faithfulness, and integrity and justice--that is, right conduct and right behavior, right living. I would hold that in the long run this right conduct will bring the most satisfaction, some may even say happiness. But it's certainly often not true in the short run. So don't make it your goal to be happy. Make it your goal to be faithful. Happiness will take care of itself. And the times that it doesn't, so what? Generally, if I'm really bummed out, I don't despair because there's probably nothing critically wrong with me, and it probably won't last. And if I'm really thrilled about something I enjoy it, but I don't cling to it because sooner or later I'll return to normal living, and that's OK--no guilt trips. And I never expect anything in this life to sustain me at anything like a blissful level."

Oh yippee... Yet one more way moms can "prove" how they are so much better than other moms. Gotta love the mommy wars. I do not worship at the altar of my offspring. I do not believe their every movement, syllable and facial expression must be witnessed by me and seared into my memory. I do not find anything innately wondrous about kids on a playground. It does not fill me with awe. If you are happy and confident about your parenting decisions, great. It just so happens that I am also. So let's agree to leave each other alone about it.

But what in the heck does "understands math concepts taught" even mean? That is so vague. Exactly which math concepts does she understand and not understand? You could help your dd more if they could be more specific.

I don't think children that young should be getting letter grades. They tell you very little about what is actually happening. We use standards-based report cards. So under the heading of Math there would be a list of our goals for that quarter and your dd would be assessed on each one and marked either... Limited progress Approaching standard Meeting standard Exceeding standard That way you know exactly which aspects of math she is struggling with. Not an overarching "C" which tells you almost nothing. For instance, perhaps she is doing well with her multiplication facts for 1, 3, 5 but struggling with 7, 8, 9. Or maybe she is doing well with subtracting 3 digit numbers but struggling when she has to use regrouping to do it. You need to have detailed information in order to help her progress.

I walked for my bachelor and my first master's degree but I cannot remember who spoke at either.

We have moved a lot and it has never occurred to me to let the kids pick their own rooms. Dh and I decide who goes where based on a variety of factors. The kids have never complained or even asked to choose a room. It was that way for me growing up, too. I guess it is odd to me that the kids, who are not paying the bills, get the choice.

No. If the paint itself is in good condition then the tenant pays to change it. You knew the color of the room when you agreed to rent. We rent here in Malaysia and we paid out of pocket to paint the home because we wanted different colors. Our choice to paint. Our money.

It's a tough one but I'd go with be honest. Some people suck. That's it. That's life. She will get it from other people in the world so she might as well know about it now. My family is one of those "sweep it under the rug and pretend everything is great" kind of families and it has caused a lot of problems. I am estranged from my father and have not seen or spoken to him in 14 years. When my kids ask about him and why he is not in our lives I say, "because he is not a good person and he would only bring negative things to our lives." Although with my oldest ds I am more likely to say, "because he is a selfish, abusive egomaniac and he is not coming anywhere near my family." I don't think someone who is racist, or treats someone poorly because they are HIV+, or adopted, etc., deserves to be protected. Some people suck. She is one of them. Your daughter deserves to know that. End of story.

Beloved by Toni Morrison is one of the most haunting books I've ever read... It's also my favorite novel of all time. If I'd been warned it would have ruined it.

In Malaysia you can pump your own but you can also get full service.

I love jeopardy. It's one of the things I miss most about the US. They don't show it here. :(

It was planned. :)

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens? :) Things that make me happy: A steaming cup of masala tea Alone time (rare) A new book A soft mattress A new outfit to wear to work Listening to young children sing hymns Pedicures Presents (gifts are my love language) Sunshine Thunderstorms

LOL. We had just arrived. Believe me, about 10 minutes later the makeup was sliding off my face! Thank you! Ok, I have to share one more with my handsome son: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203828412936683&set=a.10203828427537048&type=3&theater His first prom!!! :)

I want to thank you all for sharing your stories. I am trying to wrap my head around it all... all the pain in these stories breaks my heart. I want to do all I can to provide a safe school environment and this is an aspect of bullying that I was not really familiar with. I'm going to do all I can to make sure kids have someone to go to. I'm not sure how yet. Still processing.

We used to. Then we had children. They have been in our bed ever since so there is no room for pets! :)

What is this "sewing" of which you speak? Seriously, I can sew a button and might be able to hem something simple but I do not guarantee it will be straight. That's it.

Slightly off topic..it's always interesting to me to read threads where people are nervous to meet with the principal. I am the principal and I am the one who is usually nervous to meet with parents! :) Back on topic, a good principal always finds time to meet with the families of the student. You don't even need an appointment to see me. I have an open door policy. As long as I'm not already in a meeting, I will talk to you on the spot. And sometimes even if I am in a meeting, I will leave to see a parent who really wants to speak to me. I answer emails as fast as possible even at 11pm at night. My iPad is perpetually attached to my hand. You are the customer. You deserve good service.

This is my dh and I about 3 weeks ago. We were chaperones for the prom at my school. I'm not sure if the link will work: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203828411696652&set=a.10203828427537048&type=3&theater I am squinting in the sunlight and it was about 97 degrees with 90% humidity at that moment. My poor dh! I would embed the pic but I'm on an iPad and I can't figure out how!!

I agree. Also, and I know this will be unpopular, but if this was a homeschool prom, it is a private event run by a private organization which has the right to make up their own rules, right? If it were a prom for a public school...things get dicey...taxpayer dollars and all that. And while I deplore the "you are making men stumble with your sinful curvy figure" bit, I am a big fan of freedom of association. I'm a big fan of freedoms in general. What they did was not cool but did they have the right to do it? That's the real question for me.

I am in awe of you. Your words are so touching. I have a hard time even opening this thread because it is so heart-wrenching. Can you believe that? I'm having a hard time? What a stupid thing to even think! Even more stupid confession... I was actually in Australia when it happened. I've never been there before. I was only there for 4 days and I was in Sydney which is not even close to you. But I just keep thinking I wish I could have come to you, been there for you. How could I just happen to be in Australia for the first time ever at that exact moment and not help you? But I didn't read the boards and missed the opportunity. I know it sounds silly but that's how I feel. But that is the effect you have on people, Rosie. You have such an amazing heart that we all want to rush to where you are and hold you up and it hurts to have been so close but so far away. I feel like I let you down even though I know that makes no sense. My heart bleeds for you right now.