[Do You "Dust"? If so how/with what?]

I use a microfiber cloth on regular surfaces, and a vacuum hose with one of those little brush attachments on the books.

[Photoshop Elements 10: What's the learning curve for total newbie to photo editing?]

So, will it do me any good before I buy Photoshop Elements to organize and name pictures or groups of pictures, or do I do all this directly in Photoshop after I buy it?

 

I would suggest getting organized first.

Trying to learn a new program *and* hunt for the files you have in mind would be frustrating.

[Who has a blog that is NOT a homeschool blog]

I just started a photo-a-day blog for my husband. He has so many great photos in the 35+ years of archives, and I think they deserve an audience.

(corkytrewin.com)

[If you have or have had a 12yo]

We gave our boys cell phones when they started participating in activities (music lessons and longer sports practices) at which we would not be present (age 10, I think).

It has been very helpful to know that if for any reason we are running late in picking them up, we can send a text with that information. They also feel more comfortable having a quick way to reach us when they are out without us.

 

Both of them started out with a pre-paid phone, and they worked beautifully for this purpose.

 

My older son is now 17, and he pays for his own more extensive service.

[s/o on tipping]

The huge difference for those stateside is that minimum wage for servers is around $2/hour. ($2 and change, I think?) and tips bring the up to a level closer to the actual min wage.

 

 

 

This depends entirely on the state. In Washington, our minimum wage is $9.04, and restaurants are required to pay waitstaff at least this. Tips do not count toward the minimum hourly wage.

[How do I prevent greasy hair?]

shower every day? :D

 

I can't go more than 24 hours either. Washing it is the only way.

 

That would be my simple solution as well. :)

[What do you think of facial piercings?]

Crissy:

 

Actually, nape of neck has become quite a popular placement. (Also, a tiny one behind the ear is quite widespread.) Both would be described as discreet and not 'in your face'.

 

Right! I meant the throat and the sides of the neck (peeking out from a young man's collar).

[What do you think of facial piercings?]

Facial piercings and tattoos are very distracting. I have always believed it to be a fault of my own, but I have a difficult time paying attention to our conversation when I'm speaking with a person who is pierced or tattooed on the neck or face.

[What is your dogs name?]

Penelope.

My older son was reading The Odyssey when we got her. He just knew she would always be his loyal girl.

[What do you think about these child obesity ads?]

I have a dream of you driving your RV to my house and doing all of my cooking for me. :D

 

:lol::lol:

[What do you think about these child obesity ads?]

 

I have a dream of driving an RV around the city doing free cooking classes in my little RV kitchen.

 

That would be amazing!

[What do you think about these child obesity ads?]

Exactly! How is feeding them crap a good thing? Yes, they're hungry, but there are infinitely better things to add to the backpacks!

 

 

I agree that it looks awful. But when I try to think of cheap, non-perishable and easy to prepare items to pack for a child, I'm at a loss. Given those parameters, what would you all pack?

[Front tooth pain when I bend over?]

I get many weird tooth feelings and pain from sinus issues in the winter. It's usually my first sign, before I start feeling sinus pressure anywhere else.

 

I recall my brother having the same issue. Tooth pain was always his first indication that a sinus infection was starting.

[Do you really think fleece is WARM? Or just soft?]

Wool is probably warmer, but the weather is mild here most months of the year, so fleece is perfect.

It's warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the spring and fall.

 

Oh, and we love the fleece throws that you find everywhere these days. We have so many that you can just add another on the extra cool days.

[What do you think about these child obesity ads?]

I think the idea is more to point out to parents that this is what overweight looks like.

 

Oh, I am certain that that was the *intent*. But when kids watch as much (or more) television as their parents, there will be a great number of overweight and obese kids who are watching these ads and will not understand or care for whom the spots were actually meant.

[What do you think about these child obesity ads?]

I can't imagine that pointing out to children that they are fat is going to have any sort of positive impact. They don't plan the meals, buy the groceries or have any measure of influence on the content of school lunches or family menus.

[The Death of Pretty]

I'm not so sure about that. A nice guy is a nice guy, whether he's talking with the "hot" girl, the "pretty" girl, or the "downright plain" girl.

 

 

 

I agree with this.

As the mother of sons, I hope to be teaching my boys how to treat women. Period.

He should be no less a gentleman whether she's in a cleavage bearing top or a turtleneck.

[AHHH!! Buying the same book twice.]

I've done that more times than I like to admit. :o

 

 

 

:glare: Me too.

[Too Much Emphasis on "Getting Therapy" for every little thing?]

A couple things come to mind when I hear of negative experiences with therapy. 1. Unqualified professional. 2. patient was not really on board. 3. the healing process was more difficult than the patient could handle and it was easier to remain with the unhealthy patterns. (I think there are cases where an individual can make a deliberate choice to live with a certain amount of dysfunction, in exchange for stability or some other pay off)

 

I suspect that the list of reasons counseling or therapy may not work for an individual is much, much longer.

[Too Much Emphasis on "Getting Therapy" for every little thing?]

Geez, for those of us who are Mental Health Therapists, this is starting to remind me of the Pastor thread. I guess all those years dh has spent in school learning his craft and waking up in the middle of the night and racing to a hospital trying to help people have been wasted.

 

Wasted because several of us don't care for counseling? How so?

 

Racing to the hospital in the middle of the night to help someone is vastly different than what the OP is asking about.

[Oh NO - It's that time of the year, again]

I filled out and submitted my son's FAFSA app first thing Sunday morning. I didn't find it terribly long or difficult.

Maybe all the warnings I'd been getting prepared me for something much, much worse. :D

[Too Much Emphasis on "Getting Therapy" for every little thing?]

 

 

Does anyone else think that, while there are certainly wonderful and qualified mental health professionals out there, that there are also a lot of therapists who end up doing more harm than good?

 

Yes.

Had I continued counseling when my husband and I were in a very bad place in our marriage, I would have probably ended up leaving him.

Dredging up and rehashing every minuscule offense from our past in order to 'work through' the current issue only caused building resentment. What I wanted (and finally found) was a way to forgive and move on. That was not what I received from counseling.

[How do you support a smoker who is trying to quit?]

Thank you, everyone. It is always interesting to hear different perspectives.

 

I have decided to send him the Alan Carr book with a note that we love him, and via email I will share the WhyQuit and QuitNet websites.

 

I'll leave the methodology to him and just do my best to 'be here' for him.

 

Thank you!!

[Grateful for...(silly things preferably)]

I'm grateful for the dimmer switch DH put on my bedside lamp.

 

Perfect for reading during the later hours, I bet. :)

[Grateful for...(silly things preferably)]

:confused: What?!? Gobsmacked?!!? You! You're beautiful!! :svengo: You did smack him didn't you?

 

Thank you, Paula.

 

No, I didn't. I hid myself away in the bathroom for a good cry.