Vintage81
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Posts posted by Vintage81
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For book club this month we read Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See: "According to Confucius, "an educated woman is a worthless woman," but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.
From a young age, Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other's joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom.
But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, pluck instruments, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.
How might a woman like Yunxian break free of these traditions, go on to treat women and girls from every level of society, and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? Lady Tan's Circle of Women is a captivating story of women helping other women. It is also a triumphant reimagining of the life of a woman who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today."This book was so interesting because there were so many different things it touched on but they all worked so well together in this story. First was the Chinese culture itself at the time...this was the Ming Dynasty. The book started in 1469 and ended in 1511. Then there was all of the medical information, which was fascinating. Apparently, this was based on a real doctor and some of her remedies are still used today. You can probably guess from the title, but there was a lot of focus on the female relationships in this book...wives, mothers, friends, etc. Highly enjoyable! (FYI...there were a few graphic medical things described, so if that stuff bothers you, just be aware.) (4.5 stars)
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42 minutes ago, Sycamore said:
Thank you so much for sharing your experience @Vintage81! Could you tell me what email address was connected with the payment portal email you received? I've searched my email several times for CLRC and no confirmation came up in junk or inbox, but maybe it's from a different address if it's auto-generated?
I don't know if there's another way to contact them. I just want to make sure my daughter doesn't get shut out of a class because of a beaurocratic oversight. 😬
The payment portal email came from mailsender@geniussis.com (however when I replied to that email it just went to support@clrconline.com).
The only other thing you could try is the "Contact Us" page on their website. I'm not sure where that goes...it could be the same support email, but it might be worth a try.
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I registered for two classes on March 4th. I then decided that I only wanted one of those, so I emailed them to cancel the registration for the second class. I never received a reply to that email.
On March 6th, I received the email to make my payment in the portal, so I went ahead and paid for the one class I wanted. I sent a second email to (again) ask them to cancel the other class and let them know I only paid for the one class. I haven't received a response to the second email either.
I also never received a confirmation email for the payment I made (feels like that should've been auto-generated). The only way I know it went through is because I see the transaction on my credit card. The payment portal doesn't show that I paid either.
This is my third year with them and this is all very strange. They have been slow to respond in the past, but this seems a bit much. I think this is the first year using the payment portal, so maybe that's the issue. Hopefully you get things sorted soon!
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Can anyone recommend a good online German class? DD is interested in starting this language next year in 9th grade. I looked at CLRC and WTMA, however the times for those classes are not working for our schedule. Are there others I should look at?
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On 2/21/2024 at 11:22 AM, Vintage81 said:
I started Alchemy of Souls yesterday. Looks like it’s going to be a looooonnnngggg journey, so if y’all don’t hear from me for a while you know what’s going on. 🤣
I did it…I finished Alchemy of Souls! At times it was a bit tedious, but I’m so glad I watched this show because I really loved it!!
I loved the setting and the story of the mages, the fight scenes were all superb, and all of the characters were fantastic. Shout out to Gwigu the dog and the turtle…loved them!! The couples were also all very cute.
At first I wasn’t sure about the female lead change going into season 2, but I didn’t mind it. I’m probably one of the few people who enjoyed season 2 slightly more than season 1, for several reasons. One being that I think the couple in season 2 had better chemistry with each other. While I think the season 1 couple felt bonded to each other, I didn’t get as much of a romantic vibe from them. Also, I really liked the more angry, kick-ass version Jang Uk in season 2.
Someday I’ll give this one a rewatch because I know it’s something I can enjoy over and over again. ☺️
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We are planning here too. So far this is what we've got...
Math - Derek Owens PreCalculus
English - AP English Language & Composition (through Blue Tent)
Science - Chemistry (probably through our local co-op, assuming the scheduling works out)
History - AP European History (most likely through PA Homeschoolers, but not sure which teacher)
Foreign Language - Spanish III (through CLRC)
Electives:
French II (through AIM Academy)
Creative Writing (through AIM Academy)
Intro to Psychology (through AIM Academy)
Extracurriculars:
MMA classes/volunteering
Library volunteering
Also, during this summer she's doing a creative writing camp at Rice University and some sort of online summer editing program (I can't remember where). She hopes to continue doing this editing throughout the year once she completes the program.
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The next book DD and I read for our American Literature study was The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I also had DD pair this with The Poet X, which I have already read. I thought Mango Street was okay, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Poet X (if I'm comparing the two, although they're not super similar). Because each chapter is essentially a tiny short story, just as something started happening it was ending, so it became a bit frustrating. I think I would've preferred the story to continue throughout the chapters. I also felt like the stories in each chapter tended to be more about other people than the narrator herself and I really wanted to know more about her. It certainly wasn't a bad book, but the whole thing was just hard to connect with because it felt so disjointed. (3 stars)
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Happy March Everyone! 🍀
I’m excited that we’re getting some warmer weather. I’m no fan of winter…thank goodness I live in the south! We don’t really have four seasons where I live, so I’m going to enjoy these few weeks of springtime before the heat comes!
February was a slower reading month for me. Oh well! Hopefully I’ll get back on track in March. ☺️ How have y’all been doing…reading some good stuff?
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5 minutes ago, Jann in TX said:
Hey -- why don't we go back to having this a K-Drama thread-- it has so many good recommendations I would hate to have to make a new one!
Someone else can start a K-Pop/idol/sexuality thread if you want...
I've started watching "Marry My Husband"-- really liking it so far-- I would also note that this is probably NOT for teens...
Yes! Sorry! 😬
I started Alchemy of Souls yesterday. Looks like it’s going to be a looooonnnngggg journey, so if y’all don’t hear from me for a while you know what’s going on. 🤣
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18 minutes ago, Jann in TX said:
I actually have my Stray Kids shirt on today...
I really like Stray Kids and Felix's deep DEEP voice-- but Ateez has stolen my heart. LOVE LOVE LOVE the B-side unit songs (with 1-3 members) they recently released-- especially Its You, Everything (awesome!!) and Youth... Love the A-side "Crazy Form"-- it has over 100 MILLION views in just a few weeks-- such a FUN nonsense song about dancing.
I know of Ateez, but I haven’t ventured into their stuff yet. I’m sure I’ll get there!
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On 8/12/2023 at 6:50 PM, Jann in TX said:
OK-- One more t-shirt for KCON next week... I have a simple shiny heart on front with word STAY inside. "Stay" is fandom name for Stray Kids and 'Stray Kids everywhere all around the world' is their slogan.
Shirt is really a nice light blue... this is the back of the shirt.
Just found out there will be a room/area dedicated to K-dramas... I may have found my happy place at the convention!
I was perusing through the thread to get some inspiration for a new show to watch and I saw this post. ☺️ So I’m slowly getting into k-pop thanks to DD and @Jann in TX I just wanted to let you know that I’m loving Stray Kids right now! 🤣 Felix’s voice is….insane.
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I have 13 and 15 year old DDs, so I understand. There are many days where I call myself their punching bag.
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Finished a couple of books...
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim: "A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse...
Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear--no matter what the cost."I still read aloud to DDs and this was the book we just finished. I enjoyed the setting and the Asian influences that were worked into the story. The setting and atmosphere were really nice. This was a pretty typical YA fantasy story, but it was still a fun read. I'm not sure that we'll be continuing on with the series, though. (4 stars)
For our American Literature study, DD and I finished I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. Sci-Fi is not a genre I typically read or like, but this one was interesting. In thinking about our current world and how AI is starting to become more prominent, it has created a good discussion for us to have. I appreciated what Asimov was trying to convey. I thought some of the robots were funny too, although I'm not sure if I was supposed to find them funny. 😆 (4 stars)
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Now I'm impatiently waiting for all of the episodes of Dr. Slump to be released!!
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Just finished Doom at Your Service. I probably shouldn't have watched this show so close to My Demon because the first few episodes I found myself comparing the two. 🤣 Oh well...I ended up liking this one. I feel like some of the middle episodes were really slow and the writing was muddy/unclear sometimes, but I really liked the lead couple. Some of the moments where they were experiencing grief and loss were very emotional. I liked all of the side characters too. Not to compare too much, but the ending on this one (vs. My Demon) was better in the sense that it was less ambiguous, so I liked that.
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This article says the police chief will be releasing video of the incident in a few days, so maybe some clarification will come (depending on what they release).
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2 minutes ago, Heartstrings said:
The police know which bullet it was, the guns used were very different, they’ve already marked out the angles. They know. If it was the mother’s bullet they would be shouting that from the rooftops. That they are still not releasing the information makes it pretty clear that they are protecting the security people by giving them plausible deniability. They will most likely never officially release whose bullet killed the child. This is unlikely to ever go to court, they just have to wait a week or so before the next shooting causes everyone to move on.
I’m not saying that I think it’s necessarily bad to protect them from that information getting out. I think that’s a complicated issue.I’m not disagreeing that they know, based on bullet types, etc. I was simply clarifying that the info has not yet been released publicly. I think it’s a very high probability that the off-duty officers are the ones who shot the boy, but how it happened is unclear until they release more information. (If they do.) I agree it’s a complicated issue.
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17 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:
Actually I started my response stating that the day the shooter got a gun this was a no-win situation. But the bottom line is that she is not the one who shot her son. That wasn’t her bullet. She is responsible for what she did. The security officer that shot her son is responsible for what he did. Everyone is responsible for their own actions and reactions.
I don’t believe the police have confirmed who shot the boy…his mother or the off-duty officers.
“Investigating authorities had not publicly specified as of Friday whether Moreno-Carranza was shot by his mother or one of the off-duty officers who were firing at her.”
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1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:
Both are showing up on my Hulu acct. flex cop sounds awful cheesy so we will probably watch it. Impossible heir has The Heirs vibe to it, so we will probably watch it too eventually.
The only reason we have a Hulu acct is because they have a super cheap college student Hulu/spotify combo membership for $7 a month. I tell you what, my Dh lives for the day he qualifies for both college student and senior citizen discounts at the same time. It’s not quite the yogurt coupon sales event of 2005 but dadgum he loves a deal even if it’s on something he doesn’t use. 🙃
That's funny about your DH. ☺️ I love a good deal too, so I get it!
I'm pretty sure we'll get Disney+ again so we can watch Mandalorian when it comes back out. However, I don't think we'd get Hulu (I think you have to bundle them), so I doubt I'll ever be able to watch those shows. Oh well! Let me know if they're any good!
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31 minutes ago, Jann in TX said:
These are advertised to be on Disney+ but here in the USA they are on HULU (a Disney sub-unit). It is not 'false advertising' as these are international ads and in many countries they are actually on 'Disney +' .
I do not use dubbing-- but I can agree that the subtitle translations are not great-- and this is coming from my very limited understanding of Korean.
I think I like K-dramas (other than story lines and aesthetics) because I'm very ADD/ADHD and I get to SEE, READ and HEAR at the same time. When subtitles throw a poor translation it is like a note being out of tune in my brain!
Thanks for clarifying! I understand now.
That's a bummer about the subtitles/dubbing. 😕
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10 hours ago, Jann in TX said:
All of the one I've seen advertised for Disney+ have been on HULU instead (in USA).
I just added HULU to our Disney+ account so I could watch a few dramas that were not on other platforms-- I did a free trial this past summer to watch Dr Romantic 2 and 3! I will probably keep HULU for a month or two as Viki and Netflix have more of what I watch.
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I've started First Responders (Hulu)-- it is good but pretty intense (crime scenes and crimes in progress...). After a few episodes I switched to watch something on the lighter side-- this time I'm re-re-watching My Roomate is a Gumhio (Viki).
The two that caught my eye on Disney+ were Flex X Cop (I believe this is airing now) and The Impossible Heir (I think this comes out in February sometime). I was curious if the shows actually appeared on Disney+ or HULU. Sounds like both?
9 hours ago, Murphy101 said:Oh wait. I do have to say Disney+ is the only stream in the states where I could watch Family: The Unbreakable Bond. The ml and fl are two of my favorite international actors and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun and has a happy ending.
I watched Soundtrack #1 (bc ML MinMin!!) and Soundtrack #2. Somehow managed to me meh even with minmin in #1. #2 was also meh. Again the translations were off-putting.
The only reason we have Disney is bc a son put us on his acct so Dh could watch Star Wars stuff. The only thing me and the kids ever watch is Bluey. Bluey is fabulous.😁
This is why we had Disney+ before was for Star Wars and Marvel stuff. We shut off our subscription after the last season of Mandalorian came out. We'll turn it back on for a month or two when that show comes back. Looks like I might have a few k-dramas to try out! ☺️
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Anybody watch shows on Disney+? I’ve been seeing a few shows advertised. I used to have it, but we don’t right now. I don’t recall any k-dramas on there before, so I’m wondering if it’s new. I’m just curious how much there is.
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35 minutes ago, Kareni said:
@Vintage81, I agree that Worst Wingman Ever was a fun read. Have you read all of Jimenez's books?
Regards,
Kareni
Yes, I think so. In addition to this newest novella, I’ve read…
- The Friend Zone
- The Happily Ever After Playlist
- Life’s Too Short
- Part of Your World
- Yours Truly
Let me know if I’m missing any. ☺️
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March 2024: What are you reading?
in The Chat Board
Posted
Ooooohhhh...can't wait to hear what you think of this one!