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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

Posted
Posted

 

 

I agree. Science IS secular. If it's not, it's not science. Sorry. If you're religious, that doesn't mean you have to discount science. I've heard many a Christian's defense of both religion AND science. It can be done; one doesn't have to cancel out the other. So I don't understand why the vast majority of the science curriculi available to homeschoolers is so, well, not very science-oriented at all.

 

 

 

:iagree: Unless religious tenets will change as new information becomes available, it should never be mixed with science.

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LaxMom

LaxMom

Posted
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Can I just b!itch for a moment? (This is a cue that I'm about to and you should just skip down if you're no so inclined to indulge me :D)

 

I'm in the process of finishing my personal statement to apply to Amherst and finish my degree. (PS is trite drivel, but that's a whole different discussion/annoyance) In the process, I have, of course, requested transcripts sent to them, with copies to me so I can address some of the less outstanding features of my education in said statement.

 

Good news: I have 42 credits that will transfer. I have another 3-12 or so that are accredited for credit classes, but I did not take as such (they may give me credit). My GPA with these is 3.67. I'm annoyed by this, but acknowledge it is a perfectly reasonable grade and more than enough to be accepted.

 

What is really getting my arse up is that my GPA from the first transcript ('89-94) is 2.314. Why? Because in the spring of '94, with my mother's full backing, I was living with her and my step-dad (and my 4 year old), working part time and going to school with a full course load (17 credits) until she announced one day that I would need to go back to working full-time so I could move out. Now. And, of course, this was after the window where I could drop with an official withdrawal. Too bad. So my GPA for that semester is.... 1.412. Three fails, two As. (The two As are in evening classes I could continue)

 

There is also a four year gap in that transcript, between paramedic (at 18) and nursing prerequisites (24), during which time I was married to my !$@& ex-husband who did everything possible to make it so difficult to continue that I just gave up. He continued to make it difficult even after I divorced him, but I had work-arounds in place.

 

So, 20 years hence, with these two Narcissists (and both of them meet more than enough criteria for NPD) firmly behind me, I am still affected by their assholery. And now I get to somehow address this with the most neutral language I can pull out, so as to explain but not come off as a whiner.

 

/B!tching

Thanks for indulging.

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LaxMom

LaxMom

Posted
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Thanks. :) I'm thrilled to be able to do it, and I'm so looking forward to starting that I've signed up for a Coursera statistics for social science majors class. Because I am the only person in the world - according to my Econ prof - who has ever taken Econ without being forced to, so why not add statistic to my list? ;)

 

I realize this is a majorly middle-class problem. I just hate awful performance (on my record... I'm not too fond of Bs) and writing about myself, and the task of writing about horrifying performance without finger pointing is really wearing on me.

 

* I never did get a satisfactory answer as to why he, with a PhD is the subject, thought that.

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

Posted
Posted

:grouphug: It would be one thing if your own foolishness caused the low grades (staying out late partying or whatever), but to have other people's bullshit do it would really make me mad too.

 

Can you just say something about the difficulty of raising a child and working while going to school? Add in the fact that you were much younger then and hadn't learned the skills to balance it all?

 

Congratulations on going back to finish your degree.

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dbmamaz

dbmamaz

Posted
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i think i had some bad grades (but not that bad) and some later good grades when i was applying to school again (but still, that was 24 years ago?) anyways, i made some comment in my essay about being mature enough to take full responsibility for my actions now or something . . . i think its also fair to say you were young and having family problems. they will understand that that is not a reflection on what you are likely to do now

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LaxMom

LaxMom

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Posted

 

 

Me too. I love her posts. I want her to post again.

 

*SIGH*

 

I love that she chose to work with people the rest of the world sees as disposable.

 

It's sad.

 

Me, too. She has brought so much good into the world, it seems so very wrong that she should leave us so early. (Us being the world collective, not just the Hive)

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Jennifer3141

Jennifer3141

Posted
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Me, too. She has brought so much good into the world, it seems so very wrong that she should leave us so early. (Us being the world collective, not just the Hive)

 

 

It's always the good ones. I personally guarantee GWB will be here for 60 more years.

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BrookValley.

BrookValley.

Posted
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I'm very sad about Kay.

 

Me too. Life is just not fair. I know that sounds bratty and whiny and childish, but I can't help it. That's where I am right now. She's such a cool person, that much is obvious, even just through her posts on the Internet (the only way I know her). To be going so early? Unfair.

 

I also lost a young relative this past weekend. It was unexpected and ugly and horrible and traumatic. My family is not dealing well. So yeah, unfair. I may stomp my feet and threaten to hold my breath till I turn blue; I just don't have the energy to deal with the emotions in a mature fashion right now.

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Desert Rat

Desert Rat

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Me too. Life is just not fair. I know that sounds bratty and whiny and childish, but I can't help it. That's where I am right now. She's such a cool person, that much is obvious, even just through her posts on the Internet (the only way I know her). To be going so early? Unfair.

 

I also lost a young relative this past weekend. It was unexpected and ugly and horrible and traumatic. My family is not dealing well. So yeah, unfair. I may stomp my feet and threaten to hold my breath till I turn blue; I just don't have the energy to deal with the emotions in a mature fashion right now.

 

Is it something in the air? Is it that we are getting older and this is just the time in our lives? Does it have something to do with the earth tilting on its axis? I'm being serious here. What the hell is going on?

 

I just seem to be having a hard time avoiding the puddles of sadness in my life. I just keep stepping in them. And I really do tend to look for the positive, so I don't think this is me hyper focusing on the bad stuff.

 

My friend is dying right now. He's 50 and has a 2 yo and a lady who loves him. Nevermind all of us friends. Why?

 

Kay is too young.

 

One of my older friends is slowly losing her mind to dementia and she *knows* it which makes it so much worse.

 

A friend's daughter has cancer...again. She's 8.

 

And the hits keep coming.

 

Eh. Maybe it's the daylight savings horror that's got me so down. It just seems like I'm not alone in the bad things that are happening. Maybe it is the time in my life....less babies being born, more funerals and illness. I'm a Grumplstiltskin today. Sorry.

 

 

 

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BrookValley.

BrookValley.

Posted
Posted

I'm so sorry for what you're going through right now, BV!!

 

 

Thanks. I am ok, but I worry a lot for several of my family members. I didn't mean to whine about my personal stuff, but reading about Kay really got to me this morning on top of everything else.

 

Is it something in the air? Is it that we are getting older and this is just the time in our lives? Does it have something to do with the earth tilting on its axis? I'm being serious here. What the hell is going on?

 

I just seem to be having a hard time avoiding the puddles of sadness in my life. I just keep stepping in them. And I really do tend to look for the positive, so I don't think this is me hyper focusing on the bad stuff.

 

My friend is dying right now. He's 50 and has a 2 yo and a lady who loves him. Nevermind all of us friends. Why?

 

Kay is too young.

 

One of my older friends is slowly losing her mind to dementia and she *knows* it which makes it so much worse.

 

A friend's daughter has cancer...again. She's 8.

 

And the hits keep coming.

 

Eh. Maybe it's the daylight savings horror that's got me so down. It just seems like I'm not alone in the bad things that are happening. Maybe it is the time in my life....less babies being born, more funerals and illness. I'm a Grumplstiltskin today. Sorry.

 

:grouphug: We can be Grumplstiltskins together. I am generally a pretty positive person, but right now I'm feeling pretty run over by sadness and tradgedy. I think I'm just gonna have to wallow in it for a bit, though I know it will get better!

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Spryte

Spryte

Posted
Posted

Easter is coming. What do you all do re: Easter? We have friends in the UU who have their own version of spring rituals, pagan friends, etc. But we are not involved in any type of organized *anything*... I understand the roots of easter, of course, prior to Xtianity, and we talk about that, usually.

 

In years past, we have celebrated it as a cultural holiday. We do bunnies, chocolate eggs, spring time stuff. But it feels a bit off to follow a church's calendar, if that makes sense.

 

So... Do you skip it altogether? Have your own spring ritual? Go with the cultural holiday idea?

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dbmamaz

dbmamaz

Posted
Posted

wait, i thought pi day was coming up? and then by some amazing miracle trader joes starts carrying these fantastic hams . . . ok, sometimes we hide empty plastic eggs in the yard for fun . . . thats it. again, i grew up jewish.

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jar7709

jar7709

Posted
Posted

We do a cultural easter (egg hunts etc) and usually add our own spin. We really enjoy incorporating historical or European traditions around many of these holidays. For easter we do an "egg tree", where we hang decorated blown eggs from cut branches of willow or fruit tree and extra-enjoy the return of new life outside. It is really fun to get different sizes and types of eggs for this but usually we just have to make do with chicken eggs. We'll discuss the connection to the Christian Easter and grandma will probably bring it up so there's that too, haha.

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Guest inoubliable

Guest inoubliable

Posted
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We have some books on the spring equinox that we've read in past years. Not sure that any of the kids will have an interest in hearing about it again this year, though. Last year we made a lamb cake using a 3D pan from Wilton. We put some red dye in the center of the pan so that when it was baked and we cut into it, the lamb "bled". My children are sick little beasties sometimes. This year, we'll probably do a picnic if the weather is nice enough. We've been wanting a picnic day for some weeks now. If a picnic doesn't work out, then I guess we'll....I don't know. Maybe I'll copy some fantastic idea one of you posts! LOL.

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jeninok

jeninok

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Posted

I just had a really brave moment and am hosting my family for Easter. I am now having one of those holy crap, time To be a grown up momemts!

 

I've never had the space to do this before, so despite the fact that I cook Thanksgiving and Christmas plus the summer holidays, every year I've never had to pull it all together myself at my own house.

 

8 people for 2 days, my folks are seriously OCD and my dad will be inspecting all the stuff we have done to the new house, and probably cleaning my yard!

 

We may have a few extras on Easter too, but those are friends and don't worry me!

 

I know its 3 weeks from now, but I've got to finish unpacking and do some more decorating and organizing, paint some new woodwork, clean like crazy, and also do school and keep up with DS growing social life( which is both awesome and tiring!)

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nmoira

nmoira

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Posted

 

 

Mmmmm. Black jelly beans.

 

 

Dark chocolate :D

 

Black jellybeans implies licorice. Ugh. :)

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Guest inoubliable

Guest inoubliable

Posted
Posted

Dark chocolate :D

 

Black jellybeans implies licorice. Ugh. :)

 

 

Yep - I LOVE the black jelly beans for that. I can't find another candy to have for the rest of the year. I've heard rumors of obscure (in the US) European candies with the anise flavor that can be had on Amazon for oodles of money - but no one can ever link for me, or give me a name to go on.

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nmoira

nmoira

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Posted

 

 

Yep - I LOVE the black jelly beans for that. I can't find another candy to have for the rest of the year. I've heard rumors of obscure (in the US) European candies with the anise flavor that can be had on Amazon for oodles of money - but no one can ever link for me, or give me a name to go on.

 

Sounds like Cryptojellybeanology.

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Spryte

Spryte

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Posted

 

Yep - I LOVE the black jelly beans for that. I can't find another candy to have for the rest of the year. I've heard rumors of obscure (in the US) European candies with the anise flavor that can be had on Amazon for oodles of money - but no one can ever link for me, or give me a name to go on.

 

 

Oh! DH just brought home a tin of anise candies that his CEO gave him, stating they are a classic French candy. Hmmmm. I couldn't make it through one candy!

 

I will look up the name for you though, and wish you joy eating all the anise and licorice flavored candy you'd like!

 

He also brought home anise flavored toothpaste for DS. [shudder] ...Want that name, too? :)

 

 

 

 

I confess, my favorite easter candy is absolutely disgusting. Those malted milk robin's eggs - full of bad, waxy chocolate and food dye. Weird, I know.

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Spryte

Spryte

Posted
Posted

 

I loved Kay's posts about her work. The past few months have been so sad. My step-cousin's husband has an incurable brain tumor, and a couple weeks ago her 14 year old grand daughter started having siezures; she's got a malignant brain tumor, also, and will be going through radiation treatment soon.

 

 

:grouphug:

 

And how are you faring? How's the recovery?

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

Posted
Posted

So... Do you skip it altogether? Have your own spring ritual? Go with the cultural holiday idea?

 

 

 

We used to do a cultural Easter. Candy in a basket and plastic eggs hidden in the front yard. Sometimes we took ds to community egg hunts, though we always tried to avoid the ones put on by churches. Often we'd grill out, and sometimes host family if they wanted to come. Now that ds is older we don't even acknowledge it as being different from any other Sunday. I suspect with the grand baby though, we'll go back to doing something cultural again (I'm glad dss and ddil aren't religious). I doubt anything will happen with them this year because he's too young, but starting next year there might be egg hunts and a family dinner.

 

ETA: I don't even know the date without looking it up.

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LaxMom

LaxMom

Posted
Posted

We do a cultural Easter. Baskets, plastic eggs and candy. Sometimes I put outside toys like sidewalk chalk, bubbles etc in their baskets. I usually do a ham, this year we're not having anything special for dinner.

 

This is us, too.

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Desert Rat

Desert Rat

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We do a cultural Easter. I teach the kids its tie to older, pagan holy days. They think it's funny that newer religions just kinda stole stuff. :)

 

I love the excuse to buy stuff for my boys. The are getting a cheapy blueray because we just got a player, a book and some pokemon cards.

 

My mom is very religious but realizes that I'm a very "angry" atheist right now. It's just a phase. I'll be okay. I've been spending too much time with my friend who was sucked into the "cult". So, Mom will keep it hush. She never goes to church on Easter anyway because it's packed with all the C&E people (Christmas and Easter).

 

My brother's favorite food is turkey. He dreams of Thanksgiving dinner for months ahead of time. So, I'm making him a full turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce. All of it. :)

 

Oh, so the new problem with my friend is that the books she once loved, which we both enjoyed, she is "being led away from". Ya know, Harry Potter, Patricia Briggs, Twilight. So now, I don't even have books to talk about. Cross of music, too, as it's all Christian. And she is eliminating TV, soo.... Weather. And recipes. And....weather..... Ha!

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Guest inoubliable

Guest inoubliable

Posted
Posted

Doesn't licorice remind anybody of medicine? It tastes just like cold syrup I was forced to drink as a kid.

 

I can't sleep. The board is depressing today. Maybe I will just go give some kisses to my sleeping monsters.

 

Cold syrup? All I remember as a kid was bubblegum flavored amoxicillin.

 

Depressing, yes. I called it quits last night and watched Bully instead.

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

Posted
Posted

I rarely get on at night. Dh and I have been watching Fringe on Amazon Instant Video, and ds usually uses my computer to play online games with friends. I have a Kindle Fire, but don't often use it to access the forum. I guess that's why I miss so much. I'm here in the morning while I have coffee, pop in and out during the day, then don't usually come back until the next morning.

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suzybluecheese

suzybluecheese

Posted
Posted

 

Oh, so the new problem with my friend is that the books she once loved, which we both enjoyed, she is "being led away from". Ya know, Harry Potter, Patricia Briggs, Twilight. So now, I don't even have books to talk about. Cross of music, too, as it's all Christian. And she is eliminating TV, soo.... Weather. And recipes. And....weather..... Ha!

 

I guess you have mentioned your friend in a pp. Forgive me for not going through the past 1,000 posts to find it. :tongue_smilie: I have a friend who went through something like your friend. I think she was going through a scary time in her life. I remember her tellimg me how she thought it was a good idea for her husband and her to help pick out her daughters' husbands. Then the daughters would do the old fashioned courting thing. She has mellowed quite a bit since then. Good luck with your friend.

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Mom-ninja.

Mom-ninja.

Posted
Posted

I had to get off the board after reading about Kay. It seems like there is so much tragedy here. Deaths, major illnesses, unemployment for long long times, serious accidents, etc. I read about it and then I feel guilty for participating in the fun threads.

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Free

Free

Posted
Posted

I had to get off the board after reading about Kay. It seems like there is so much tragedy here. Deaths, major illnesses, unemployment for long long times, serious accidents, etc. I read about it and then I feel guilty for participating in the fun threads.

 

I get what you are saying. Life just goes on doesn't it? Every time Kay's thread comes to the top and I see other threads around it talking about regular everyday stuff it feels....unfair...callous even, but life just goes on I guess.

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unfrumpable.

unfrumpable.

Posted
Posted

 

I find it ironic that some atheists (and others) talk about "god" so much. What's there to talk about if you don't believe it? LOL Not that I don't GET the need to make sense of it and stuff, but that's a lot of god talk even for someone who does believe!

 

At one point in my life (I was quite young) I did believe there was a god. The author's concept of god did not match mine either.

 

 

I also find it amusing that many atheists/agnostics seem more well versed about the bible vs those who claim to follow it.

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Mom-ninja.

Mom-ninja.

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Posted

 

 

I also find it amusing that many atheists/agnostics seem more well versed about the bible vs those who claim to follow it.

 

 

I don't. It just means we have thoroughly examined religion(s) and have come to the logical conclusion that it is all man made and we chose to follow the evidence and rise above superstition. At least I do. I must investigate something before I can accept or decline a thing.

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Guest inoubliable

Guest inoubliable

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Doesn't it go too fast? I go to the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, and suddenly there is 10 more posts, and the topic has changed twice!

 

 

That's how we roll.

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suzybluecheese

suzybluecheese

Posted
Posted

 

 

I also find it amusing that many atheists/agnostics seem more well versed about the bible vs those who claim to follow it.

 

 

I have a friend who had a folk art painted toilet seat that said "Seeing an angel will cure constipation!" It cited the book of Daniel. I actually knew the story it was referencing!

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