His favorite dinner? Watching his favorite action movie on movie night? ...seems I'm drawing a blank, too.:001_smile:

My husband convinced me to let us all open our presents last night instead of on Christmas Eve...my son spends Christmas Eve with us and leaves for his father's house in the evening to spend Christmas Day with his dad's side. The Tall Bald Guy said that it would give The Young Man more time to enjoy his gifts before running around to relatives' houses and visiting--but I think he just wanted to see what he got for Christmas!:001_smile:

I've often thought I have some auditory processing issue, because I simply can't keep track of two conversations at once. If I'm talking on the phone and someone walks in and says something to me, I don't hear either one of my conversations--it's all a big jumble. Also, I used to work in a factory that had lots of machines that ran on compressed air and had computer beeps and assorted other noises, and I couldn't hear anybody there, either. Pieces of words come to me and my brain gets them all wrong, like it's trying to fill in the blanks, and the results can be hilarious. "Do we gotta go tell Karen?" became "Do we gotta hurt the parrot?" and "Quarter of eleven" became "Hold her up a lemon," etc. It's like my head is one giant Plinko board, and the syllables are those discs that bounce around the pegs on their way down...I will often sit and stare at a person blankly until all the syllables fall into place and I repeat what I think they said; I'm pretty sure "I picked macaroons from these pairs of jeans" is not central to the process of manufacturing airbag sensors. :tongue_smilie:

I think I've seen that at Books A Million before.:001_smile:

Oh, for Pete's sakes! I for one can't fathom why someone would send out photos of their scantily-clad teenagers or Cousin Bob decorating the Christmas tree in a speedo out to all kinds of friends and family knowing they're probably going to be displayed on a mantle or shelf or piano for the whole family (and their friends, and their neighbors, coworkers, and whomever else comes to their house over the holidays) to see for the next month. To me it's the same as being seen out in public. I find it as disgusting as the cheerleaders panhandling in front of WalMart who look like they're wearing their little sisters' clothes, or ladies who show so much bosom pushed up under their chins you literally can't tell if they're coming or going. I agree--send pictures of your children to show how much they've grown, not how much they've developed. It's the people who really don't put a whole lot of thought in the photos they mail or post on Facebook that end up on Awkward Family Photos or People of WalMart.:001_huh:

She might just carry on like this until she needs a shoulder to cry on again...all those slights and offenses are quickly forgotten if the normally captive audience to her performances is available. If you wish to set boundaries with her, expect her to step it up for a while. All those things she used to do to get your attention, she will do, but to a higher degree--when she escalates, she'll either figure out what level she needs to take her drama (histrionics) to or you'll be able to stand firm and wear her out. It will take some time, and you may not have her in your life at all--and frankly, you may become the chief villain in her "stories" to her next captive audience--but if you stand firm things will level out. I've advised people before to think of certain phrases in advance like, "Gee, I'm sorry you feel that way, but..." and "Well, we are doing everything in our power that is best for all concerned, and if you're willing to help, this is what we need from you." Think of it as dealing with a toddler. Sad, but true.

I have heard that Wellbutrin is often used for Seasonal Affective Disorder. When a second antidepressant is prescribed, it's often meant to boost the effectiveness of the first, especially if the first helps with symptoms (but not entirely) and you're maxed out on the dose or going higher will cause uncomfortable side effects. One of the doctors I work with compares it to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich...peanut butter's good, and jelly's good, but put them together and it's even better--sort of a "greater than the sum of its parts" sort of thing. http://www.drugs.com/wellbutrin.html

My husband and I have matching white tungsten carbide rings from Kay Jewelers. http://www.kay.com/product1%7C10101%7C10001%7C-1%7C25198540699%7C15051%7C15051

Serve them in pairs and frost little bikini tops on them. :D Or, sell them in pairs as they are and say that 100% of the proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research.

I haven't read the entire thread--nor have I stopped to think about how many times this has happened to me (:confused:)... ...I'm just sitting here contemplating "ferhoodled." I love it! I always say ya learn something new every day, and today I've decided it's "ferhoodled." It sounds like something Rose Nylund would say: "...and then Hans Keflugelhoffenbacher said, 'I got a little ferhoodled when she said that monkey was her sister.'" Okay, back to your regularly scheduled programming.:D

Well-deserved guilt? Wow...I certainly hope you're not saying the OP deserves to feel guilty about this. Yes, there are many ways for that pain to be ameliorated, but if someone wants to die, really and truly wants to die, they will find a way to do it. If they really don't want help, they won't pick a method that catches someone's attention. Men pick more lethal ways to commit suicide, like shooting themselves, wrecking their cars (like he apparently tried to do before, according to the OP), and, yes, jump into traffic. If he just wanted attention and help, he would have picked a less lethal method like overdose or cutting (which is more typical of women). Statistically, more men complete suicide than women. I don't know a lot about Polish culture, but I'd bet that had something to do with it too...not that all Poles solve their problems in that fashion, but maybe there was a stigma against asking for help, especially with mental issues. It sounds callous and cruel for me to say this, but if he really wanted to die, I doubt he would have said anything to anyone. It sounds to me, elizabeth, that this is a subject that's unfortunately very close to your heart, for whatever reason, and for that I'm sorry.

A friend of mine takes a PiYo class (pilates and yoga)...that might be right up your alley.:001_smile:

I grew up in Evansville, IN, where we all called it "coke," and I moved to Terre Haute to attend college, where they call it "pop." My first college roommate and I were walking around campus before the first day of classes and spotted what I would call a "coke" machine (I think it was a Pepsi machine actually, but that's what I called it). She said, "Do you want a pop?" and I looked at her thinking, "What did I ever do to you?" because in my house a "pop" is what you were threatened with when you smarted off to a parent! :001_smile: I actually just call them "drinks" now...it confuses the Hautians too much to call it "coke," and I'll be darned if I ever call it "pop." It just sounds too violent!:tongue_smilie:

Well, my mom insists that an orange has to go in the toe...we have brought that tradition over to our house. Usually I put things they need as well as things they like in their stockings...the Tall Bald Guy gets his bandana handkerchiefs and the Boy gets kleenex pocket packs... they both get their favorite pens for school and work...lip balm, but in a crazy flavor--one year it was Mountain Dew, one year it was Corn Dog--usually a crazy pair of socks (this year from the Joy of Socks)...and they get a new wallet if they need one that year. I usually put their favorite candies in there...my son likes Ferrero Rocher and Bottlecaps, and my husband likes Reeses...they also get nuts in the shell, if they aren't too expensive that year...a gift card for Little Caesar's (which is really for me, because then I don't have to cook!)...maybe a silly little pocket game (one year it was Potato Guns)...and definitely beef jerky--for some reason that's the first thing in their stockings that gets devoured.:001_smile:

My husband will: fix the dryer fix the car--changing oil, working on brakes, fixing the fan assembly, winterizing, replacing tie rods, etc. ...whatever needs done short of bodywork wash his clothes restore or clean guns for friends (he had his own gun shop before going into the military) computer maintenance (he's our resident expert) help my mother with whatever she needs (this week it's pick out a generator and get it set up and ready for her) haul things to or from storage (we're still cramming two households into one) play Battlefield 3 on PlayStation call his mother in PA every Sunday morning :001_smile: small welding/repair jobs for work (chairs, tables, etc.) take me shopping (he doesn't like for me to go alone, and he LOVES to shop hungry!) :tongue_smilie: He has very little time to himself on the weekends, but I don't think he'd have it any other way...there's always too much to work on at the house, and there's always someone who wants him to tell them how to fix their computer over the phone (which is quite a frustrating task!)

My 17 year old son and I enjoy Star Trek Next Generation, Frasier, and Cosby.:001_smile:

Thonk Gerk?!? I love it! :lol: I'm going to have to call it that from now on...

It's too late...my husband, brother, and son all know about the site. Of course, I perpetuate it by ordering my son's birthday presents from there...

When we would say that a particular dish was too hot, Mom would say, "Well, I can't cook it cold!" Also, we use: Get glad in the same pants you got mad in ...for I am the Great and Powerful Mom; pay no attention to that harried woman behind the curtain. ...for thou art crunchy and good with ketchup. All hat and no cattle (usually reserved for the dog) Shall we run for our lives? Oh, yes, let's! It's hard being little and fuzzy in this house (again, usually reserved for the dog) Dumber than a box of hair My friend's father used to say, "slicker than snot on a hot doorknob" Come on, it's time to eat something that resembles dinner.

I haven't read the replies thoroughly, but I'd talk to the other neighbor about telling the police that she was on the phone impersonating a government official. They should have that on report, just to add to the paper trail.

My husband and I have spent the past couple of months stocking up on food and supplies. This past summer we went about 3 days without electricity, and ended up scrambling a little...we didn't have much that wasn't refrigerated. These days we have a cabinet in our garage which has long-burning candles, flashlights, and battery-powered lanterns (bought during the aforementioned power outage), as well as food and water. Every time we go to the grocery store, we buy water--whether we need it or not--and put it in the cabinet (the guys sometimes take a couple of bottles to work and school). My husband also has a large closed container with a spigot that holds about 5 gallons of water. There's also supplies for purifying water, and extra batteries. My 70-year-old mom lives about a block away, and we've been including her in our supply calculations--we don't expect her to try to stock up--but she and I both have several different food allergies, and my husband wants me to find as many non-perishable items as possible that the two of us are able to eat. He reckons that he and my son will be able to eat whatever we can. We have assembled things like canned fruits, tuna, Minute Rice (takes less water to prepare), beans, vegetables, toilet paper, bottled water, canned chicken, etc. I also recently got an Excalibur and am learning to dry things for storage. My husband also wants me to learn to shoot...he wants to be sure that if we ever had to live someplace else and hunt for our food, I would be able to help out as well as protect myself. We currently live in a neighborhood that is 120 condos (mostly of retired couples and widows) and an assisted living facility that is connected to a nursing home. He is worried that if something ever happens and people are short on food, our neighbors will be easy marks, so to speak. He has also recently purchased what he calls "bug-out bags" from a military surplus store to pack a change of clothes, medicines, etc. in case we need to leave quickly--we live next to a river, and a flood would ruin everything we've stocked up. My bag is for my things as well as my mother's clothes, water, medicines, etc. He would like us to have these bags packed and ready in case of earthquake (New Madrid zone) or flood.

I can't do this because I've got just the one, but I think you all need to make shirts that say, "No, they're not mine. I just started playing my flute and they all lined up behind me and followed me here." Of course, the back of the shirt needs to say, "Heeere's your sign." :D

My family doesn't go completely gluten free, though they do like some of the rice-based things that I cook. I am allergic to several different grains, and going organic is expensive! The Young Man (16) and the Tall Bald Guy are pretty hearty eaters, and it's just cheaper for me to cook two meals sometimes. For example: on a night when I have to work and we throw in a frozen pizza, I get a regular one for the guys (on sale for $2) and pop in a "Gluten Free and Fabulous" pizza for me ($7.50). My pizzas are tiny, and frankly, to feed all three of us my food, it would cost about $30! Given our income, it's a necessity to cook separately.

http://costumeideazone.com/CIZ/CostumesByCategories.aspx?c=9 Looks like a few cute ideas on this site...I especially like Santa on Vacation and Charlie Sheen!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129753532 Liz Murray, from the movie Homeless to Harvard She published a book last year called Breaking Night.