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Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:45 pm
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 7, 2005 3:37 pm (#1901 of 2956)
Happy birthday Michelle!
Around here we just pop popcorn in the nuke machine, eat all we want, then feed leftovers to horse. No muss, no fuss, no worries with unpopped kernels!
Thirty-seven and a half more hours of party time! Later gators. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!
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The giant squid - Feb 7, 2005 3:58 pm (#1902 of 2956)
I was annoyed that it was on my birthday!
Happy Birthday, Michelle! I can totally relate to the "Superbowl on my birthday" woes. It's usually played the last weekend of January, and my birthday is the 31st. Try getting a decent present from your friends when they've spent their entire paycheck on steaks, hot dogs and nachos...
I also agree that popcorn popping time, kernels popped, anything about popcorn is probably more fun than watching football.
An addendum: it's more fun than watching football when your team isn't playing.
--Mike
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Madam Pince - Feb 7, 2005 4:14 pm (#1903 of 2956)
"But why is the rum gone???"
(**snort**) That's one of my favorite movie lines, too. In fact, I pretty much laughed through that whole scene.
Thanks for the advice on screen resolution, etc., Mike. I shall play around with it as soon as the opportune moment presents itself.
OK, now I'm lapsing into pirate-ese...
Super Bowl commercials -- I liked the one where the airplane pilot jumped out of the plane to retrieve the case of beer.
Oh, and Catherine? on your UVA observation. (True though it is...sadly enough.) ***wanders off to commiserate with Loopy with a Grillswith and a butterbeer***
(P.S. a "Grillswith" is the divine creation of an all-night diner just off the Grounds of our hallowed halls....it's a grilled doughnut topped with ice cream.)
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haymoni -Feb 7, 2005 4:54 pm (#1904 of 2956)
I LOVED the SuperBowl this year!
I won $100 on one of those grid things. I had 7 & 7 so I had the half-time score. Whoo Hoo!
I liked the Diet Pepsi commercial with Cindy and Carson. Very funny!
Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday so we're going out to lunch. I have no idea what I will be giving up for Lent yet, but it will probably involve sugar.
Take care all!
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Catherine - Feb 7, 2005 5:05 pm (#1905 of 2956)
Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday so we're going out to lunch. I have no idea what I will be giving up for Lent yet, but it will probably involve sugar. --Haymoni
I know. I'll give up watching football! **waves to Haymoni**
I suppose if I was to give up something addictive, then I would have to give up the Forum or Harry Potter or chocolate....ooh, I could give up television.
That's it! I will give up Desparate Housewives.
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boop - Feb 7, 2005 6:32 pm (#1906 of 2956)
Catherine, Its just not fair. Your dad needs to give you the tickets next time. It could be a girls night out.
Michelle, sorry I missed posting your Birthday. I wrote the wrong day. I put the 16th down instead. Happy Birthday to you
Denise, I found your popcorn study very interesting.
Epione, Glad your teaching is going good. I hope it keeps going that way.
Haymoni, wow that is great winning that money.
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Madam Pince - Feb 7, 2005 7:27 pm (#1907 of 2956)
****waves to Boop!****
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Gina R Snape - Feb 7, 2005 8:56 pm (#1908 of 2956)
Hey everyone!
Mare, did you see the link with the Lexicon squid drawings? I never heard from you.
Anyway, some of you might know my elderly kitty Faberge has been ill. After another round of visits to the vet this weekend, it seems she either has kitty Crone's disease or a very slow acting cancer in her intestines. She'll now be on a few pills a day, indefinitely. She hates to be pilled, but at least she doesn't have renal failure or diabetes.
Here are two links to pictures I took of her in my bed. She is trying her best to ignore me because I just put some ointment in her ear for a minor skin infection.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/ginarsnape/Fabresting1.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/ginarsnape/Fabrestingtwo.jpg
And here at last is the cake I decorated at Thanksgiving for Severus (don't ask)...
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/ginarsnape/IheartSeverus.jpg
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 7, 2005 10:16 pm (#1909 of 2956)
Gina, Faberge is so cute! I'm sorry she's been ill. I hope the medicine helps! BTW, if that was Severus's Thanksgiving cake, I can't wait to see what you do for Valentine's Day! He's a lucky man!!!
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Julia. - Feb 7, 2005 10:34 pm (#1910 of 2956)
Awwww, poor Faberge! If she'll let you get close enough, hug her for me please! I hope she feels better soon, she's such a sweetie pie.
Woo, I'm slowly building my Shlock Rock collection. My friend is sending me their albums one at a time, which I'm loving. However, he's gone to sleep for the night, so I'm stuck for now. *sigh* I guess I'll read the threads then.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 7, 2005 10:35 pm (#1911 of 2956)
Gina, I'm so sad to hear about your kitty being ill. I truly hope that the medicine will help her to feel better.
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kabloink! - Feb 7, 2005 10:40 pm (#1912 of 2956)
I have to admit, I worked during the SUperBowl, as did my poor hubby. I, however, did not care. While I LOVE going to football, baseball, or hockey games, the only one of those three that I can stand to watch on TV is hockey. But alas, none of that this year. Also, I typically do not follow basketball, but I was mildly interested last week when #11 MSU (my school) played #1 ranked Illinois, alas, we lost 81-68, I believe. But we beat Iowa a few days later. Also for all you actual college basketball fans out there, I don't knkow leagues aside from the BIg Ten, but as there are only 11 teams in the Big Ten, I am really hoping that those are NCAA rankings and not Big Ten rankings, but I really don't know.
EDIT: GIna I am also very sorry to hear about your kitty. I hope she(?) feels better soon.
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The giant squid - Feb 8, 2005 12:47 am (#1913 of 2956)
Big hug for Betty
Gina, give Faberge a scritch from me as well. I don't care how sick a cat is, if you start scratching it just behind the ears, it'll let you continue.
I'm going to continue my tradition this year and give up eating liver for Lent. In fact, I tend to overdo it--I haven't eaten a piece of liver for close to 20 years now.
--Mike
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boop - Feb 8, 2005 5:06 am (#1914 of 2956)
~~~Wave's back to Madam Pince~~~
~~~~Hugs Mike Back~~~~
Hello everyone, My one granddaughter is really sick with Ammonia. Sheila is taking care of her home. Called last night and her fever is broken. Well got to run for work. Have a great day!!
HUGS ALWAY
boop
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VeronikaG - Feb 8, 2005 5:06 am (#1915 of 2956)
Awww, I can't look at a picture of a cat without wanting to reach into the computer and hug it!
Happy birthday Michelle! I hope it was a good one.
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mike miller - Feb 8, 2005 6:02 am (#1916 of 2956)
Happy belated birthday Michelle!
Gina - I hope Faberge feels better.
Betty - I hope your grandaughter is over the worst of it. It's always difficult for young children in that they can't always tells us what's wrong. *Hugs to you and your family*
We're still suffering with home computer problems. The guy from Geeks on Call was out a week ago and thought he had it fixed only to have the problems resurface. They came and took the computer over the weekend to watch it and the problems remain difficult to correct. The current diagnosis is there may be something wrong with the motherboard. So I'm checking in from work which has been "off the chart" for far too many weeks. I feel like Frank Longbottom being attacked by a group of DE's. Enough complaining, back to work...
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Chemyst - Feb 8, 2005 6:55 am (#1917 of 2956)
a "Grillswith" [...] it's a grilled doughnut topped with ice cream.) - Madam Pince
Now there is a fine nostalgia-buster if ever I read one! Thank you Madame Pince. If ever I start pining for the good old college days, it's nice to have fine folk like you around to give me a happy grip on reality.
Just for the record, I replied to Denise's popcorn project right away! – Catherine
mea culpa Indeed, you did.
It's good that your granddaughter's fever broke, Boop. Now on to plenty of bed rest while her mom reads HP to her, right?
Faberge is so lucky to own you, Gina.
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librarian314 - Feb 8, 2005 7:42 am (#1918 of 2956)
Hey all!
Thanks again for the b-day wishes!
Gina hope your cat feels better soon!
Boop! I hope your granddaughter recovers quickly. Pneumonia can take a while to get over. My husband had it a couple of years ago and it took over 6 months for him to feel entirely better.
Catherine - Don't give up chocolate or the Forum, both are essential to life and have medicinal properties. ;-) TV is okay, though. :-) I gave up chocolate one year in high school and it was one of the hardest things I'd ever done up until then. I had no idea how much I ate it or that I really did self-medicate with it. These days giving it up is not an option as I do use it to stave off headaches (the caffeine) pretty regularly.
Y'all take care and may you have your own personal Lupin handing out chocolate as needed ;-)
**michelle the librarian**
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Gina R Snape - Feb 8, 2005 8:07 am (#1919 of 2956)
Hey, thanks everyone! Faberge is indeed feeling more energetic. She even tried to wake me up this morning, which she never does. Her fur is not looking so good, but I'm hoping that will improve with her health. Whenever she gets sick, I always see it first in her fur.
She luuuuurves to be skritched behind the ears, Mike. Will do!!!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 8, 2005 8:27 am (#1920 of 2956)
Faberge is a beautiful kitty, Gina. My cats like to be scratched behind the ears too but they love to have their chins scratched more. So, I send chin scratching to Faberge since Mike has sent the ear scratching.
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kabloink! - Feb 8, 2005 8:37 am (#1921 of 2956)
Boop, I am glad to hear that your granddaughter's fever broke. It has been a long time since I have had pneumonia, or at least since I've had it diagnosed, but I had it all the time when I was little and I know it wasn't any fun. Children usually do bounce back from these things much quicker than do adults, however. I think what would take an adult 6 months to recover from, it would take most children 6 weeks. I could be wrong though. At times I think my many bouts with pneumonia as a child have left me with no breath when I try to run or exercise for long periods of time.
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Julia. - Feb 8, 2005 8:43 am (#1922 of 2956)
Gina, I'm glad to hear Faberge is feeling a bit better.
Betty, I'm glad to hear your Grand daughter's feever broke. I hope she feels better soon. Hug her for me!
Well, Mount Reading is screaming for me. TTFN!
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From Venus - Feb 8, 2005 10:09 am (#1923 of 2956)
Well, I just got finished catching up on 77 posts, and all I can think of saying is "poor chicken."
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Denise P. - Feb 8, 2005 10:24 am (#1924 of 2956)
Ugh! Skunk attack part deux! If you recall (or maybe not) over the summer, my dogs managed to kill a baby skunk and in the process, the back door to our garage was sprayed. It missed the dogs but the inside of the house was absolutely horrid for a few days. It was summer so we could open windows and circulate the nasty out.
Well, we got woken up at 6 am by burning eyes and the inability to breathe easily. Skunks are out a bit early since it has been so warm and apparently one was near the front of our house, got scared, sprayed and ran off. Our house reeks again! It is only 56ºF out but I have windows open, fans going, potpourri going, house fan going ...all in an attempt to circulate the foul air out and get fresh air in.
It smells fine outside but walk in and eeewwww!! We close the crawl space under the house so we know it is not under there but still.....I am walking around with a wet washcloth over my nose to breathe without smelling that horrible smell.
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Catherine - Feb 8, 2005 11:00 am (#1925 of 2956)
Evanesco Skunk Musk!
Denise, how did you get so lucky as to have two skunk incidents in the space of a year? Ewwww! You have all my symapthies and aromatherapies.
That happened to us about ten days ago. I went outside and realized that a skunk had obviously been made VERY angry by something. Fortunately, we could not smell it in the house, but if you opened the back door, the smell would make your eyes water. Ick.
In the meantime, Accio gas mask! Hope the critters don't bother you any more this year.
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Madam Pince - Feb 8, 2005 11:10 am (#1926 of 2956)
Oh, Denise and Catherine! Eeeeeccccckkkk! So sorry to hear about your skunky stinks. That is just no fun. And there's not much you can do about it, either, until it just goes away. Sympathies.
Gina, hope Faberge is feeling better soon! I know that's tough on you, too. Keeping fingers crossed for you and her! (By the way, you have lovely taste in bed linens! They look very familiar to me...)
Boop, hope your granddaughter feels better also! Sounds like she's at least starting down the road to recovery.
Mike, I can empathize with your computer woes, having just gone through similar things also. Hope the Geeks can figure it all out!
Chemyst, I can't decide if you're feeling that a Grillswith would be yummy, or totally disgusting. Anyway, at the time, it was pretty yummy! It all depends on if you're a "sweets" snacker, or a "salties" snacker, I suppose.
Baby Pince wandered through the living room this morning, waving the wand that Mr. Pince made for him and muttering "Fwish and Slick! Fwish and Slick! Ingardumb Leviosa!" Too funny.
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librarian314 - Feb 8, 2005 11:35 am (#1927 of 2956)
Hey all!
Last night when I told my daughter that Mr. Weasley's birthday was the same day as both of her parents, she insisted that we sing him happy birthday. I think that may have been the first time I've sung happy birthday to a fictional character. Little kids are great!
**michelle the librarian**
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Chemyst - Feb 8, 2005 12:01 pm (#1928 of 2956)
Chemyst, I can't decide if you're feeling that a Grillswith would be yummy, or totally disgusting.
Perfectly understandable. I meant that I would have loved it at that age, but find it trending toward stupid-youth now.
My story: There was a bakery about four blocks from my campus that used to open their backdoor at 4:30 a.m. when the first batch of doughnuts came out of the oven. We'd go buy them still warm before the icing was even set. Walking nearly 2 miles round-trip for doughnuts at 4:30 a.m. ! ! ! We put the "nuts" in doh-nuts.
Loopy Lupin - Feb 8, 2005 12:38 pm (#1929 of 2956)
There was a bakery about four blocks from my campus that used to open their backdoor at 4:30 a.m. when the first batch of doughnuts came out of the oven.—Chemyst
"Campus"?
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Catherine - Feb 8, 2005 12:55 pm (#1930 of 2956)
Walking nearly 2 miles round-trip for doughnuts at 4:30 a.m. ! ! ! We put the "nuts" in doh-nuts. –Chemyst
Nothing like "hot doughnuts now!" Now these days, I wouldn't think it was nutty to walk 2 miles for the fresh doughnuts, but that someone would actually get up/be awake at 4:30 a.m. if they didn't have to!
Our college "wee small hours of the morning" tradition was to go to an open-all-night truck stop for "breakfast" or "3 a.m. snack." That establishment wouldn't have earned a dietician's seal of approval, but it was cheap, it served breakfast 24 hours a day, and it was good.
Darn this chat thread. Now I'm starting to think about breakfast food...
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 8, 2005 3:00 pm (#1931 of 2956)
Duke's fun campus tradition: on the night before the first exam day, at midnight, students on campus go outside and scream at the top of their lungs, and then the cafeterias serve free midnight breakfast! It's a great stress reliever and one of my favorite traditions!
I remember my freshman year being completely stressed out and worried, but when I went outside and heard the screams rolling toward east campus from west and central campuses, I realized that I was not alone in my worry. By the time I had midnight "breakfast" with my friends, I was fueled for several more hours of study!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 8, 2005 3:46 pm (#1932 of 2956)
UVa yelled too, but somehow we got gypped on the midnight breakfast!
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Chemyst - Feb 8, 2005 4:31 pm (#1933 of 2956)
"Campus"? - Loopy Lupin
Yes, dear, it is an area of land that contains the main buildings and grounds of a university or college. (As if he didn't know! Hmph!)
There are daffodils blooming today in the next door neighbor's pasture. I believe this is the earliest I've seem them bloom here.
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Phoenix song - Feb 8, 2005 4:54 pm (#1934 of 2956)
Madame Pince and Michelle the Librarian: AWWWW!! Aren't kids the best? Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy when the kids begin to pick up on your love of Harry? I nearly melted last year when one of my girls came whining that she had been hurt by the other one. It turned out that they had both been playing "Whomping Willow" too close to one another. Apparently the 3 year old had gotten hit by one of the 4 year old's "branches".
Denise and Catherine: You have my deepest sympathies with the skunk issue. I've never (thankfully) smelled a skunk's odorous emissions, but I've heard about them. My husband drives tanker trucks cross-country and I have heard him complain often about being the unlucky driver that happens to be the first one to pass through a recently squashed skunk. Yuck! He says that the smell lasts in the cab of the truck for hours.
To add to the discussion about delicious breakfast-type sweets, I have to tell you that there's nothing quite as tempting as fresh beignets from the French Quarter. Hmmm...yummy. And speaking of the French Quarter, Happy Mardi Gras everybody!
Barbie
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Catherine - Feb 8, 2005 5:37 pm (#1935 of 2956)
Happy Mardi Gras to everyone.
Yes, Loopy Lupin, a campus is exactly what I remember from my college days. **waves to Chemyst and those individuals who had a campus** as opposed to grounds, which sound like something you throw out from the coffee pot....
I have wonderful news from the pet-obsessed front. My parents may be adopting a rescued shih-tzu. She is currently undergoing eye surgery to remove a damaged eye, and then this dog may be joining our family. **waves to Loopy Lupin who has many bassett hound siblings!**
My parents have become, over the years, staunch lovers of shih-tzus. The loss of our old terrier, Sandy, hit them so hard that, until now, which is eight years later, they weren't willing to risk their hearts again. I am so hopeful that this will go through.
So I am posting, most wishfully.
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Madam Pince - Feb 8, 2005 8:39 pm (#1936 of 2956)
"Campus"? - Loopy Lupin
"Yes, dear, it is an area of land that contains the main buildings and grounds of a university or college." –Chemyst
Ah, grounds! Now I know what you're talking about!!!
Denise, Mr. Pince just this minute came home from a painting trade show with this magic goop stuff that is supposed to remove every type of strong odor -- paint, pets, smoke, fumes, etc. So while I wouldn't exactly call a skunk a "pet," it might still be effective. I took it away from him and dragged it over to the computer; told him "Denise needs this!" Anyway, it's called "Natural Magic Odor Absorbing Gel." Apparently you just take the lid off and the brown gel stuff inside absorbs any and all odors, then "converting them to non-toxic compounds." Mr. Pince thinks you can get it at places like Home Depot or perhaps a paint store. There is a website naturalmagic.com -- for what it's worth I hope this helps. Wish I could send this over to you by owl delivery....
Please note that I am not endorsing this product personally, as I've never really used it. However, skunk odor is the kind of thing that makes you want to try almost anything!
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 8, 2005 8:50 pm (#1937 of 2956)
"Ah, grounds! Now I know what you're talking about!!!"
Isn't that whats left in the filter of my coffeemaker? :-)
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Madame Librarian - Feb 8, 2005 9:28 pm (#1938 of 2956)
This may be an old wives tale or maybe it works. I was told that if your dog wrangles with a skunk and gets ubersmelly, you give the dog a bath in tomato juice. Huh? Yeah, tomato juice.
I've never had a dog, let alone a dog that tussled with a skunk so whether someone was pulling my leg I can't say. They swore it worked, assuming you could get the dog to get in the tub filled with tomato juice. (I hope this is at least producing some hilarity at the image of poor dog, smelling like...well...um, skunk, being dragged kicking and whimpering into a bathroom, then being dumped into a tub filled with what looks like blood and smells almost as bad a skunk).
But, Denise's problem is not merely a smelly dog, is it? I don't think it'd be a good tactic to try to swab down the house with tomato juice.
Now, V8, that's another thing altogether....
Ciao. Barb
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 8, 2005 9:31 pm (#1939 of 2956)
Tomato juice, trust me, it helps. Will not get rid of the smell, but it helps, and is a starting point for more aromatic scented baths to come...
:-)
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Denise P. - Feb 8, 2005 9:43 pm (#1940 of 2956)
You get a dog smelling like a skunky tomato. When the dogs got a bit of the smell on them from killing the skunk, the thing that worked the best was a mix of baking soda, Dawn dishwashing soap and perioxide. Two rinses with this and they smelled normal again. Now, it did resurface faintly when they got wet but I rinsed them again with no problem. I got the recipe from a dog groomer here in town, he deals with skunked dogs many times during the year. You can also used some feminine products and they work well too but the groomer says the mix of Dawn/soda/perioxide is the best.
The smell is almost gone from the house, I am the only one who still smells it.
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 8, 2005 9:57 pm (#1941 of 2956)
See, told you more aromatic scented baths would come... (smiles at Denise). A skunky smelling tomatoe is preferable over a skunky smelling dog anyday!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 8, 2005 10:33 pm (#1942 of 2956)
To add to the discussion about delicious breakfast-type sweets, I have to tell you that there's nothing quite as tempting as fresh beignets from the French Quarter. Hmmm...yummy. And speaking of the French Quarter, Happy Mardi Gras everybody!—Barbie
Barbie, no fair!! I can almost taste beignets. Accio beignets... Accio beignets. Oh, well; guess I need to practice that one a bit more. I'm imagining myself sitting at Cafe du Monde on a lovely spring day...... Great, now I'm starving and I have a sweet tooth! I brought some of the mix back with me last time I visited, but somehow it's not the same!
Happy Mardi Gras everyone!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 8, 2005 10:59 pm (#1943 of 2956)
A warm donut with ice cream sounds heavenly. I'll have to try that some day. I went to Disneyland for a few hours today. I went to meet some friends who were up from San Diego. It I think, because of traffic, that I may have spent just as much time in the car as I did in the park. But I did get to ride the Peter Pan ride, which I love.
On the way in from the parking garage to the park (it's so far now that everyone must take a 5 minute tram ride, wasn't like that when I was a kid) I was thinking how incredibly cool it would be to have a HP themed park. You could have the Gringotts cart-roller coaster, the Shreiking Shack, Flying Ford Anglia ride (thinking like the Star Tours ride for those of you who have done that), Hogwarts express, a Zoo with a reptile house, a fun house "castle" with moving staircases and paintings that talk. Some sort of fireplace ride a la floo powder. The possibilities are endless! It would be so fun.
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Julia. - Feb 8, 2005 11:13 pm (#1944 of 2956)
Good evening everyone. I hope you all had a pleasent Mardi Gras. I was surprised to be greeted with many beads this evening when I walked into the dining hall.
I cannot even begin to tell you all how much my ankle hurts right now. It is, however, being slightly relieved my Advil, and Shlock Rock.
I'm going to sleep as soon as I clear the threads, so good night and sweet dreams all around!
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The giant squid - Feb 8, 2005 11:31 pm (#1945 of 2956)
Chemyst, Loopy, stop the bickering or it'll be grounds for Denise to break out Thumper...
What a day...from cats to skunks to Schlock Rock. Mike, I hope they manage to figure out your computer problem. More than likely, though, they'll respond with, "You need to upgrade. Everything. Immediately."
Baby Pince with his "fwish and slick" is probably the cutest thing I've heard all day. You actually got an out-loud "Awwww!" from me. I love children, as long as they're not mine.
--Mike
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Marie E. - Feb 9, 2005 6:43 am (#1946 of 2956)
We ran over a skunk once in our car. It was not fun, let me tell you. I hope the smell leaves soon, Denise.
I always found that the popcorn that pops the most (leaving the fewest unpopped kernals) was the brand sold by the Boy Scouts. I don't think their price would work for the Science experiment though.
An update on Shayla's ADD: We started her on Concentra, which she takes once a day. After only four days there was a noticable difference. She's doing much better in school behavior-wise and it's taking a fourth of the time to do homework at home. Last night was the first time all school year that she did her homework without any help at all from me. Well, she asked what punctuation to use with a certain sentence, but that hardly counts! Normally I had to sit next to her and coax each and every word out of her. I am calling her doctor today because she's been complaining of abdominal pains since Sunday. She says the pains are right below her belly button. I'm thinking either constipation or maybe a UTI. We'll see what the doctor says.
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Denise P. - Feb 9, 2005 7:22 am (#1947 of 2956)
Marie, it is funny. We actually had a slew of Trail's End Popcorn (the Cub Scout stuff) because I had 2 boys selling it and I was in charge of the money for the pack. We ate it in short order and my kids did prefer that over the other brands. Had I known Ryan planned to do this, I would have secreted away a bag to use.
Right now we are in the midst of Girl Scout Cookies. Last year was a lackluster year for our troop, less than half the girls sold cookies and it was a cool response at best. Between 8 girls and 2 booth sales, only 26 cases were sold total. This year, all 15 girls have sold. We orginally ordered 96!! cases and so far, I have had to go get an additional 21 cases for additional orders they have. We have a booth sale this weekend so I need to go get a few more cases of the popular cookies to be sure we have them. We are putting the girls with lower numbers at the booth first in order to boost their total and get them a patch. I am the Cookie Mom and it is crazy how often my phone is ringing to get more cookies. We made little reciepts for people that had the girl's name, number and what they ordered on it and people have been calling to get more and more and more!
The skunk smell is almost gone from the house, I am the only one who can still smell it...lucky me!
My almost 4 year old has a field trip today, to Chuck E. Cheese. He is already pinging off the walls waiting for his bus to come get him. I bet that will be a FUN time ....NOT! I am so glad that I don't have to go along.
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Catherine - Feb 9, 2005 7:28 am (#1948 of 2956)
Yay, Shayla and Marie! If you've found something that helps on the first go-round, then you are very fortunate. Many times people have to "shop" around and until they find what works for them.
We tried Concerta for Claire, and it just didn't do the trick in the classroom setting for us. This was so disappointing because Concerta doesn't inhibit appetite like the stimulant ADD/ADHD medicines do. We found that a lot of these medicines can make your stomach hurt, though.
I have to admit that I smiled at your description of some homework sessions. We've had the marathon, pulling teeth words out one by one. I was actually able to get Claire's assignments modified, as a lot of it was busywork. It seems ridiculous to me that a child who is an excellent speller who has other learning disabilites that make homework slow going should have to write 20 spelling words 10 times each when she already knows how to spell them. I managed to convince her teacher that Claire should take a pretest with me on Mondays when the words are assigned and only have to write the words she can't spell 3 times each. The child always makes a 100% on her spelling tests; it seems ridiculous for her to be spending so much time writing the words over and over. Pure Crucio, if you ask me.
Well, I hope everyone is recovering from the revels of Mardi Gras. Have a good Wednesday.
EDIT: My almost 4 year old has a field trip today, to Chuck E. Cheese. He is already pinging off the walls waiting for his bus to come get him. I bet that will be a FUN time ....NOT! I am so glad that I don't have to go along. –Denise
I'm glad for you. That place can give you a migraine withhin one minute of walking in the door. Congrats to the Cookie Mom and your troop for the big numbers!
Come to think of it...our cookies haven't been delivered yet....
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Denise P. - Feb 9, 2005 7:33 am (#1949 of 2956)
Catherine, that is one thing I like about the way my 2 in second grade have spelling tests. They take a pretest on Monday. If they miss less than 3 words, they only test on those words they missed and 5 bonus words. If they miss more than 3 words, they test on all the words and NO bonus words. It has never made sense to me to make kids learn, write out and test on words they showed they know already.
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Catherine - Feb 9, 2005 7:48 am (#1950 of 2956)
That is a very good system for spelling, in my opinion, Denise.
I just couldn't resist reporting this bit of news here, given this summer, many members shared their opinions of appropriate dress for children.
I got a giggle when I read the news this morning that my home state of Virginia has proposed a bill to prohibit the wearing of very low-slung pants. I had an image of pant-vigilantes running amok and yanking people's pants up!
TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 7, 2005 3:37 pm (#1901 of 2956)
Happy birthday Michelle!
Around here we just pop popcorn in the nuke machine, eat all we want, then feed leftovers to horse. No muss, no fuss, no worries with unpopped kernels!
Thirty-seven and a half more hours of party time! Later gators. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!
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The giant squid - Feb 7, 2005 3:58 pm (#1902 of 2956)
I was annoyed that it was on my birthday!
Happy Birthday, Michelle! I can totally relate to the "Superbowl on my birthday" woes. It's usually played the last weekend of January, and my birthday is the 31st. Try getting a decent present from your friends when they've spent their entire paycheck on steaks, hot dogs and nachos...
I also agree that popcorn popping time, kernels popped, anything about popcorn is probably more fun than watching football.
An addendum: it's more fun than watching football when your team isn't playing.
--Mike
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Madam Pince - Feb 7, 2005 4:14 pm (#1903 of 2956)
"But why is the rum gone???"
(**snort**) That's one of my favorite movie lines, too. In fact, I pretty much laughed through that whole scene.
Thanks for the advice on screen resolution, etc., Mike. I shall play around with it as soon as the opportune moment presents itself.
OK, now I'm lapsing into pirate-ese...
Super Bowl commercials -- I liked the one where the airplane pilot jumped out of the plane to retrieve the case of beer.
Oh, and Catherine? on your UVA observation. (True though it is...sadly enough.) ***wanders off to commiserate with Loopy with a Grillswith and a butterbeer***
(P.S. a "Grillswith" is the divine creation of an all-night diner just off the Grounds of our hallowed halls....it's a grilled doughnut topped with ice cream.)
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haymoni -Feb 7, 2005 4:54 pm (#1904 of 2956)
I LOVED the SuperBowl this year!
I won $100 on one of those grid things. I had 7 & 7 so I had the half-time score. Whoo Hoo!
I liked the Diet Pepsi commercial with Cindy and Carson. Very funny!
Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday so we're going out to lunch. I have no idea what I will be giving up for Lent yet, but it will probably involve sugar.
Take care all!
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Catherine - Feb 7, 2005 5:05 pm (#1905 of 2956)
Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday so we're going out to lunch. I have no idea what I will be giving up for Lent yet, but it will probably involve sugar. --Haymoni
I know. I'll give up watching football! **waves to Haymoni**
I suppose if I was to give up something addictive, then I would have to give up the Forum or Harry Potter or chocolate....ooh, I could give up television.
That's it! I will give up Desparate Housewives.
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boop - Feb 7, 2005 6:32 pm (#1906 of 2956)
Catherine, Its just not fair. Your dad needs to give you the tickets next time. It could be a girls night out.
Michelle, sorry I missed posting your Birthday. I wrote the wrong day. I put the 16th down instead. Happy Birthday to you
Denise, I found your popcorn study very interesting.
Epione, Glad your teaching is going good. I hope it keeps going that way.
Haymoni, wow that is great winning that money.
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Madam Pince - Feb 7, 2005 7:27 pm (#1907 of 2956)
****waves to Boop!****
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Gina R Snape - Feb 7, 2005 8:56 pm (#1908 of 2956)
Hey everyone!
Mare, did you see the link with the Lexicon squid drawings? I never heard from you.
Anyway, some of you might know my elderly kitty Faberge has been ill. After another round of visits to the vet this weekend, it seems she either has kitty Crone's disease or a very slow acting cancer in her intestines. She'll now be on a few pills a day, indefinitely. She hates to be pilled, but at least she doesn't have renal failure or diabetes.
Here are two links to pictures I took of her in my bed. She is trying her best to ignore me because I just put some ointment in her ear for a minor skin infection.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/ginarsnape/Fabresting1.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/ginarsnape/Fabrestingtwo.jpg
And here at last is the cake I decorated at Thanksgiving for Severus (don't ask)...
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/ginarsnape/IheartSeverus.jpg
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 7, 2005 10:16 pm (#1909 of 2956)
Gina, Faberge is so cute! I'm sorry she's been ill. I hope the medicine helps! BTW, if that was Severus's Thanksgiving cake, I can't wait to see what you do for Valentine's Day! He's a lucky man!!!
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Julia. - Feb 7, 2005 10:34 pm (#1910 of 2956)
Awwww, poor Faberge! If she'll let you get close enough, hug her for me please! I hope she feels better soon, she's such a sweetie pie.
Woo, I'm slowly building my Shlock Rock collection. My friend is sending me their albums one at a time, which I'm loving. However, he's gone to sleep for the night, so I'm stuck for now. *sigh* I guess I'll read the threads then.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 7, 2005 10:35 pm (#1911 of 2956)
Gina, I'm so sad to hear about your kitty being ill. I truly hope that the medicine will help her to feel better.
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kabloink! - Feb 7, 2005 10:40 pm (#1912 of 2956)
I have to admit, I worked during the SUperBowl, as did my poor hubby. I, however, did not care. While I LOVE going to football, baseball, or hockey games, the only one of those three that I can stand to watch on TV is hockey. But alas, none of that this year. Also, I typically do not follow basketball, but I was mildly interested last week when #11 MSU (my school) played #1 ranked Illinois, alas, we lost 81-68, I believe. But we beat Iowa a few days later. Also for all you actual college basketball fans out there, I don't knkow leagues aside from the BIg Ten, but as there are only 11 teams in the Big Ten, I am really hoping that those are NCAA rankings and not Big Ten rankings, but I really don't know.
EDIT: GIna I am also very sorry to hear about your kitty. I hope she(?) feels better soon.
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The giant squid - Feb 8, 2005 12:47 am (#1913 of 2956)
Big hug for Betty
Gina, give Faberge a scritch from me as well. I don't care how sick a cat is, if you start scratching it just behind the ears, it'll let you continue.
I'm going to continue my tradition this year and give up eating liver for Lent. In fact, I tend to overdo it--I haven't eaten a piece of liver for close to 20 years now.
--Mike
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boop - Feb 8, 2005 5:06 am (#1914 of 2956)
~~~Wave's back to Madam Pince~~~
~~~~Hugs Mike Back~~~~
Hello everyone, My one granddaughter is really sick with Ammonia. Sheila is taking care of her home. Called last night and her fever is broken. Well got to run for work. Have a great day!!
HUGS ALWAY
boop
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VeronikaG - Feb 8, 2005 5:06 am (#1915 of 2956)
Awww, I can't look at a picture of a cat without wanting to reach into the computer and hug it!
Happy birthday Michelle! I hope it was a good one.
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mike miller - Feb 8, 2005 6:02 am (#1916 of 2956)
Happy belated birthday Michelle!
Gina - I hope Faberge feels better.
Betty - I hope your grandaughter is over the worst of it. It's always difficult for young children in that they can't always tells us what's wrong. *Hugs to you and your family*
We're still suffering with home computer problems. The guy from Geeks on Call was out a week ago and thought he had it fixed only to have the problems resurface. They came and took the computer over the weekend to watch it and the problems remain difficult to correct. The current diagnosis is there may be something wrong with the motherboard. So I'm checking in from work which has been "off the chart" for far too many weeks. I feel like Frank Longbottom being attacked by a group of DE's. Enough complaining, back to work...
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Chemyst - Feb 8, 2005 6:55 am (#1917 of 2956)
a "Grillswith" [...] it's a grilled doughnut topped with ice cream.) - Madam Pince
Now there is a fine nostalgia-buster if ever I read one! Thank you Madame Pince. If ever I start pining for the good old college days, it's nice to have fine folk like you around to give me a happy grip on reality.
Just for the record, I replied to Denise's popcorn project right away! – Catherine
mea culpa Indeed, you did.
It's good that your granddaughter's fever broke, Boop. Now on to plenty of bed rest while her mom reads HP to her, right?
Faberge is so lucky to own you, Gina.
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librarian314 - Feb 8, 2005 7:42 am (#1918 of 2956)
Hey all!
Thanks again for the b-day wishes!
Gina hope your cat feels better soon!
Boop! I hope your granddaughter recovers quickly. Pneumonia can take a while to get over. My husband had it a couple of years ago and it took over 6 months for him to feel entirely better.
Catherine - Don't give up chocolate or the Forum, both are essential to life and have medicinal properties. ;-) TV is okay, though. :-) I gave up chocolate one year in high school and it was one of the hardest things I'd ever done up until then. I had no idea how much I ate it or that I really did self-medicate with it. These days giving it up is not an option as I do use it to stave off headaches (the caffeine) pretty regularly.
Y'all take care and may you have your own personal Lupin handing out chocolate as needed ;-)
**michelle the librarian**
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Gina R Snape - Feb 8, 2005 8:07 am (#1919 of 2956)
Hey, thanks everyone! Faberge is indeed feeling more energetic. She even tried to wake me up this morning, which she never does. Her fur is not looking so good, but I'm hoping that will improve with her health. Whenever she gets sick, I always see it first in her fur.
She luuuuurves to be skritched behind the ears, Mike. Will do!!!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 8, 2005 8:27 am (#1920 of 2956)
Faberge is a beautiful kitty, Gina. My cats like to be scratched behind the ears too but they love to have their chins scratched more. So, I send chin scratching to Faberge since Mike has sent the ear scratching.
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kabloink! - Feb 8, 2005 8:37 am (#1921 of 2956)
Boop, I am glad to hear that your granddaughter's fever broke. It has been a long time since I have had pneumonia, or at least since I've had it diagnosed, but I had it all the time when I was little and I know it wasn't any fun. Children usually do bounce back from these things much quicker than do adults, however. I think what would take an adult 6 months to recover from, it would take most children 6 weeks. I could be wrong though. At times I think my many bouts with pneumonia as a child have left me with no breath when I try to run or exercise for long periods of time.
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Julia. - Feb 8, 2005 8:43 am (#1922 of 2956)
Gina, I'm glad to hear Faberge is feeling a bit better.
Betty, I'm glad to hear your Grand daughter's feever broke. I hope she feels better soon. Hug her for me!
Well, Mount Reading is screaming for me. TTFN!
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From Venus - Feb 8, 2005 10:09 am (#1923 of 2956)
Well, I just got finished catching up on 77 posts, and all I can think of saying is "poor chicken."
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Denise P. - Feb 8, 2005 10:24 am (#1924 of 2956)
Ugh! Skunk attack part deux! If you recall (or maybe not) over the summer, my dogs managed to kill a baby skunk and in the process, the back door to our garage was sprayed. It missed the dogs but the inside of the house was absolutely horrid for a few days. It was summer so we could open windows and circulate the nasty out.
Well, we got woken up at 6 am by burning eyes and the inability to breathe easily. Skunks are out a bit early since it has been so warm and apparently one was near the front of our house, got scared, sprayed and ran off. Our house reeks again! It is only 56ºF out but I have windows open, fans going, potpourri going, house fan going ...all in an attempt to circulate the foul air out and get fresh air in.
It smells fine outside but walk in and eeewwww!! We close the crawl space under the house so we know it is not under there but still.....I am walking around with a wet washcloth over my nose to breathe without smelling that horrible smell.
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Catherine - Feb 8, 2005 11:00 am (#1925 of 2956)
Evanesco Skunk Musk!
Denise, how did you get so lucky as to have two skunk incidents in the space of a year? Ewwww! You have all my symapthies and aromatherapies.
That happened to us about ten days ago. I went outside and realized that a skunk had obviously been made VERY angry by something. Fortunately, we could not smell it in the house, but if you opened the back door, the smell would make your eyes water. Ick.
In the meantime, Accio gas mask! Hope the critters don't bother you any more this year.
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Madam Pince - Feb 8, 2005 11:10 am (#1926 of 2956)
Oh, Denise and Catherine! Eeeeeccccckkkk! So sorry to hear about your skunky stinks. That is just no fun. And there's not much you can do about it, either, until it just goes away. Sympathies.
Gina, hope Faberge is feeling better soon! I know that's tough on you, too. Keeping fingers crossed for you and her! (By the way, you have lovely taste in bed linens! They look very familiar to me...)
Boop, hope your granddaughter feels better also! Sounds like she's at least starting down the road to recovery.
Mike, I can empathize with your computer woes, having just gone through similar things also. Hope the Geeks can figure it all out!
Chemyst, I can't decide if you're feeling that a Grillswith would be yummy, or totally disgusting. Anyway, at the time, it was pretty yummy! It all depends on if you're a "sweets" snacker, or a "salties" snacker, I suppose.
Baby Pince wandered through the living room this morning, waving the wand that Mr. Pince made for him and muttering "Fwish and Slick! Fwish and Slick! Ingardumb Leviosa!" Too funny.
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librarian314 - Feb 8, 2005 11:35 am (#1927 of 2956)
Hey all!
Last night when I told my daughter that Mr. Weasley's birthday was the same day as both of her parents, she insisted that we sing him happy birthday. I think that may have been the first time I've sung happy birthday to a fictional character. Little kids are great!
**michelle the librarian**
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Chemyst - Feb 8, 2005 12:01 pm (#1928 of 2956)
Chemyst, I can't decide if you're feeling that a Grillswith would be yummy, or totally disgusting.
Perfectly understandable. I meant that I would have loved it at that age, but find it trending toward stupid-youth now.
My story: There was a bakery about four blocks from my campus that used to open their backdoor at 4:30 a.m. when the first batch of doughnuts came out of the oven. We'd go buy them still warm before the icing was even set. Walking nearly 2 miles round-trip for doughnuts at 4:30 a.m. ! ! ! We put the "nuts" in doh-nuts.
Loopy Lupin - Feb 8, 2005 12:38 pm (#1929 of 2956)
There was a bakery about four blocks from my campus that used to open their backdoor at 4:30 a.m. when the first batch of doughnuts came out of the oven.—Chemyst
"Campus"?
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Catherine - Feb 8, 2005 12:55 pm (#1930 of 2956)
Walking nearly 2 miles round-trip for doughnuts at 4:30 a.m. ! ! ! We put the "nuts" in doh-nuts. –Chemyst
Nothing like "hot doughnuts now!" Now these days, I wouldn't think it was nutty to walk 2 miles for the fresh doughnuts, but that someone would actually get up/be awake at 4:30 a.m. if they didn't have to!
Our college "wee small hours of the morning" tradition was to go to an open-all-night truck stop for "breakfast" or "3 a.m. snack." That establishment wouldn't have earned a dietician's seal of approval, but it was cheap, it served breakfast 24 hours a day, and it was good.
Darn this chat thread. Now I'm starting to think about breakfast food...
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 8, 2005 3:00 pm (#1931 of 2956)
Duke's fun campus tradition: on the night before the first exam day, at midnight, students on campus go outside and scream at the top of their lungs, and then the cafeterias serve free midnight breakfast! It's a great stress reliever and one of my favorite traditions!
I remember my freshman year being completely stressed out and worried, but when I went outside and heard the screams rolling toward east campus from west and central campuses, I realized that I was not alone in my worry. By the time I had midnight "breakfast" with my friends, I was fueled for several more hours of study!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 8, 2005 3:46 pm (#1932 of 2956)
UVa yelled too, but somehow we got gypped on the midnight breakfast!
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Chemyst - Feb 8, 2005 4:31 pm (#1933 of 2956)
"Campus"? - Loopy Lupin
Yes, dear, it is an area of land that contains the main buildings and grounds of a university or college. (As if he didn't know! Hmph!)
There are daffodils blooming today in the next door neighbor's pasture. I believe this is the earliest I've seem them bloom here.
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Phoenix song - Feb 8, 2005 4:54 pm (#1934 of 2956)
Madame Pince and Michelle the Librarian: AWWWW!! Aren't kids the best? Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy when the kids begin to pick up on your love of Harry? I nearly melted last year when one of my girls came whining that she had been hurt by the other one. It turned out that they had both been playing "Whomping Willow" too close to one another. Apparently the 3 year old had gotten hit by one of the 4 year old's "branches".
Denise and Catherine: You have my deepest sympathies with the skunk issue. I've never (thankfully) smelled a skunk's odorous emissions, but I've heard about them. My husband drives tanker trucks cross-country and I have heard him complain often about being the unlucky driver that happens to be the first one to pass through a recently squashed skunk. Yuck! He says that the smell lasts in the cab of the truck for hours.
To add to the discussion about delicious breakfast-type sweets, I have to tell you that there's nothing quite as tempting as fresh beignets from the French Quarter. Hmmm...yummy. And speaking of the French Quarter, Happy Mardi Gras everybody!
Barbie
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Catherine - Feb 8, 2005 5:37 pm (#1935 of 2956)
Happy Mardi Gras to everyone.
Yes, Loopy Lupin, a campus is exactly what I remember from my college days. **waves to Chemyst and those individuals who had a campus** as opposed to grounds, which sound like something you throw out from the coffee pot....
I have wonderful news from the pet-obsessed front. My parents may be adopting a rescued shih-tzu. She is currently undergoing eye surgery to remove a damaged eye, and then this dog may be joining our family. **waves to Loopy Lupin who has many bassett hound siblings!**
My parents have become, over the years, staunch lovers of shih-tzus. The loss of our old terrier, Sandy, hit them so hard that, until now, which is eight years later, they weren't willing to risk their hearts again. I am so hopeful that this will go through.
So I am posting, most wishfully.
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Madam Pince - Feb 8, 2005 8:39 pm (#1936 of 2956)
"Campus"? - Loopy Lupin
"Yes, dear, it is an area of land that contains the main buildings and grounds of a university or college." –Chemyst
Ah, grounds! Now I know what you're talking about!!!
Denise, Mr. Pince just this minute came home from a painting trade show with this magic goop stuff that is supposed to remove every type of strong odor -- paint, pets, smoke, fumes, etc. So while I wouldn't exactly call a skunk a "pet," it might still be effective. I took it away from him and dragged it over to the computer; told him "Denise needs this!" Anyway, it's called "Natural Magic Odor Absorbing Gel." Apparently you just take the lid off and the brown gel stuff inside absorbs any and all odors, then "converting them to non-toxic compounds." Mr. Pince thinks you can get it at places like Home Depot or perhaps a paint store. There is a website naturalmagic.com -- for what it's worth I hope this helps. Wish I could send this over to you by owl delivery....
Please note that I am not endorsing this product personally, as I've never really used it. However, skunk odor is the kind of thing that makes you want to try almost anything!
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 8, 2005 8:50 pm (#1937 of 2956)
"Ah, grounds! Now I know what you're talking about!!!"
Isn't that whats left in the filter of my coffeemaker? :-)
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Madame Librarian - Feb 8, 2005 9:28 pm (#1938 of 2956)
This may be an old wives tale or maybe it works. I was told that if your dog wrangles with a skunk and gets ubersmelly, you give the dog a bath in tomato juice. Huh? Yeah, tomato juice.
I've never had a dog, let alone a dog that tussled with a skunk so whether someone was pulling my leg I can't say. They swore it worked, assuming you could get the dog to get in the tub filled with tomato juice. (I hope this is at least producing some hilarity at the image of poor dog, smelling like...well...um, skunk, being dragged kicking and whimpering into a bathroom, then being dumped into a tub filled with what looks like blood and smells almost as bad a skunk).
But, Denise's problem is not merely a smelly dog, is it? I don't think it'd be a good tactic to try to swab down the house with tomato juice.
Now, V8, that's another thing altogether....
Ciao. Barb
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 8, 2005 9:31 pm (#1939 of 2956)
Tomato juice, trust me, it helps. Will not get rid of the smell, but it helps, and is a starting point for more aromatic scented baths to come...
:-)
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Denise P. - Feb 8, 2005 9:43 pm (#1940 of 2956)
You get a dog smelling like a skunky tomato. When the dogs got a bit of the smell on them from killing the skunk, the thing that worked the best was a mix of baking soda, Dawn dishwashing soap and perioxide. Two rinses with this and they smelled normal again. Now, it did resurface faintly when they got wet but I rinsed them again with no problem. I got the recipe from a dog groomer here in town, he deals with skunked dogs many times during the year. You can also used some feminine products and they work well too but the groomer says the mix of Dawn/soda/perioxide is the best.
The smell is almost gone from the house, I am the only one who still smells it.
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 8, 2005 9:57 pm (#1941 of 2956)
See, told you more aromatic scented baths would come... (smiles at Denise). A skunky smelling tomatoe is preferable over a skunky smelling dog anyday!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 8, 2005 10:33 pm (#1942 of 2956)
To add to the discussion about delicious breakfast-type sweets, I have to tell you that there's nothing quite as tempting as fresh beignets from the French Quarter. Hmmm...yummy. And speaking of the French Quarter, Happy Mardi Gras everybody!—Barbie
Barbie, no fair!! I can almost taste beignets. Accio beignets... Accio beignets. Oh, well; guess I need to practice that one a bit more. I'm imagining myself sitting at Cafe du Monde on a lovely spring day...... Great, now I'm starving and I have a sweet tooth! I brought some of the mix back with me last time I visited, but somehow it's not the same!
Happy Mardi Gras everyone!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 8, 2005 10:59 pm (#1943 of 2956)
A warm donut with ice cream sounds heavenly. I'll have to try that some day. I went to Disneyland for a few hours today. I went to meet some friends who were up from San Diego. It I think, because of traffic, that I may have spent just as much time in the car as I did in the park. But I did get to ride the Peter Pan ride, which I love.
On the way in from the parking garage to the park (it's so far now that everyone must take a 5 minute tram ride, wasn't like that when I was a kid) I was thinking how incredibly cool it would be to have a HP themed park. You could have the Gringotts cart-roller coaster, the Shreiking Shack, Flying Ford Anglia ride (thinking like the Star Tours ride for those of you who have done that), Hogwarts express, a Zoo with a reptile house, a fun house "castle" with moving staircases and paintings that talk. Some sort of fireplace ride a la floo powder. The possibilities are endless! It would be so fun.
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Julia. - Feb 8, 2005 11:13 pm (#1944 of 2956)
Good evening everyone. I hope you all had a pleasent Mardi Gras. I was surprised to be greeted with many beads this evening when I walked into the dining hall.
I cannot even begin to tell you all how much my ankle hurts right now. It is, however, being slightly relieved my Advil, and Shlock Rock.
I'm going to sleep as soon as I clear the threads, so good night and sweet dreams all around!
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The giant squid - Feb 8, 2005 11:31 pm (#1945 of 2956)
Chemyst, Loopy, stop the bickering or it'll be grounds for Denise to break out Thumper...
What a day...from cats to skunks to Schlock Rock. Mike, I hope they manage to figure out your computer problem. More than likely, though, they'll respond with, "You need to upgrade. Everything. Immediately."
Baby Pince with his "fwish and slick" is probably the cutest thing I've heard all day. You actually got an out-loud "Awwww!" from me. I love children, as long as they're not mine.
--Mike
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Marie E. - Feb 9, 2005 6:43 am (#1946 of 2956)
We ran over a skunk once in our car. It was not fun, let me tell you. I hope the smell leaves soon, Denise.
I always found that the popcorn that pops the most (leaving the fewest unpopped kernals) was the brand sold by the Boy Scouts. I don't think their price would work for the Science experiment though.
An update on Shayla's ADD: We started her on Concentra, which she takes once a day. After only four days there was a noticable difference. She's doing much better in school behavior-wise and it's taking a fourth of the time to do homework at home. Last night was the first time all school year that she did her homework without any help at all from me. Well, she asked what punctuation to use with a certain sentence, but that hardly counts! Normally I had to sit next to her and coax each and every word out of her. I am calling her doctor today because she's been complaining of abdominal pains since Sunday. She says the pains are right below her belly button. I'm thinking either constipation or maybe a UTI. We'll see what the doctor says.
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Denise P. - Feb 9, 2005 7:22 am (#1947 of 2956)
Marie, it is funny. We actually had a slew of Trail's End Popcorn (the Cub Scout stuff) because I had 2 boys selling it and I was in charge of the money for the pack. We ate it in short order and my kids did prefer that over the other brands. Had I known Ryan planned to do this, I would have secreted away a bag to use.
Right now we are in the midst of Girl Scout Cookies. Last year was a lackluster year for our troop, less than half the girls sold cookies and it was a cool response at best. Between 8 girls and 2 booth sales, only 26 cases were sold total. This year, all 15 girls have sold. We orginally ordered 96!! cases and so far, I have had to go get an additional 21 cases for additional orders they have. We have a booth sale this weekend so I need to go get a few more cases of the popular cookies to be sure we have them. We are putting the girls with lower numbers at the booth first in order to boost their total and get them a patch. I am the Cookie Mom and it is crazy how often my phone is ringing to get more cookies. We made little reciepts for people that had the girl's name, number and what they ordered on it and people have been calling to get more and more and more!
The skunk smell is almost gone from the house, I am the only one who can still smell it...lucky me!
My almost 4 year old has a field trip today, to Chuck E. Cheese. He is already pinging off the walls waiting for his bus to come get him. I bet that will be a FUN time ....NOT! I am so glad that I don't have to go along.
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Catherine - Feb 9, 2005 7:28 am (#1948 of 2956)
Yay, Shayla and Marie! If you've found something that helps on the first go-round, then you are very fortunate. Many times people have to "shop" around and until they find what works for them.
We tried Concerta for Claire, and it just didn't do the trick in the classroom setting for us. This was so disappointing because Concerta doesn't inhibit appetite like the stimulant ADD/ADHD medicines do. We found that a lot of these medicines can make your stomach hurt, though.
I have to admit that I smiled at your description of some homework sessions. We've had the marathon, pulling teeth words out one by one. I was actually able to get Claire's assignments modified, as a lot of it was busywork. It seems ridiculous to me that a child who is an excellent speller who has other learning disabilites that make homework slow going should have to write 20 spelling words 10 times each when she already knows how to spell them. I managed to convince her teacher that Claire should take a pretest with me on Mondays when the words are assigned and only have to write the words she can't spell 3 times each. The child always makes a 100% on her spelling tests; it seems ridiculous for her to be spending so much time writing the words over and over. Pure Crucio, if you ask me.
Well, I hope everyone is recovering from the revels of Mardi Gras. Have a good Wednesday.
EDIT: My almost 4 year old has a field trip today, to Chuck E. Cheese. He is already pinging off the walls waiting for his bus to come get him. I bet that will be a FUN time ....NOT! I am so glad that I don't have to go along. –Denise
I'm glad for you. That place can give you a migraine withhin one minute of walking in the door. Congrats to the Cookie Mom and your troop for the big numbers!
Come to think of it...our cookies haven't been delivered yet....
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Denise P. - Feb 9, 2005 7:33 am (#1949 of 2956)
Catherine, that is one thing I like about the way my 2 in second grade have spelling tests. They take a pretest on Monday. If they miss less than 3 words, they only test on those words they missed and 5 bonus words. If they miss more than 3 words, they test on all the words and NO bonus words. It has never made sense to me to make kids learn, write out and test on words they showed they know already.
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Catherine - Feb 9, 2005 7:48 am (#1950 of 2956)
That is a very good system for spelling, in my opinion, Denise.
I just couldn't resist reporting this bit of news here, given this summer, many members shared their opinions of appropriate dress for children.
I got a giggle when I read the news this morning that my home state of Virginia has proposed a bill to prohibit the wearing of very low-slung pants. I had an image of pant-vigilantes running amok and yanking people's pants up!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:47 pm
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Marè- Feb 9, 2005 7:57 am (#1951 of 2956)
Gina: Mare, did you see the link with the Lexicon squid drawings? I never heard from you.
I'm here, I'm just now checking the chat thread. (I don't have internet in the weekends and have been quite busy...) I grabbed them! Thank you so much.
And Faberge looks lovely, (don't all cats do?) I hope she will be allright!
Good Evans II: And for those of you going to Accio in July, I hope to finally meet some of you there.
Oh yes you will, our group is growing quite nice! Be sure to check here for any information on fun things we are planning to do and if you are coming alone, the "kitchen group" might be an idea!
Fawkes Forever sends all of you hugs and hello's, she's currently very busy warding of Dementors and trying to get people to fix her roof... poor girl!
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Sirius Lee - Feb 9, 2005 10:17 am (#1952 of 2956)
I was thinking how incredibly cool it would be to have a HP themed park.
I've thought the same thing! On my last visit home, my brother had this computer game called "Rollercoaster Tycoon" where you design a theme park. NATURALLY mine was called "Potter's World" or something like that and all the rides had HP themed names and colors (A red and gold rollercoaster named 'Fawkes' Flight' and a haunted house called 'The Riddle House'). I so wanted to jump into the screen and play all day!
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Penny Lane. - Feb 9, 2005 11:54 am (#1953 of 2956)
I just caught up with 90ish posts since the chicken thing... and EWWWW!!! I feel slightly quesy now, but it's probably because I have to fast for Ash Wednesday. I still haven't figured out what to give up, it may be TV, or soda. I could give up junk food, but then what would I eat? It's not like we have a vast selection of healthy, non fried, low carb, vegitarian food on campus.
I'm going a bit insane, I have tons of homework to catch up on, and no laptop, so I have to use the school's computers, which are a pain and a half. Most of them are really slow, the lab is noisy, and the only ones open are next to a printer where people keep walking buy. I don't know about any of ya'll, but I have issues with people walking buy and looking at my screen - even when I'm not looking at anything wrong.
Chuck E. Cheese's frightens me. When I was 17, my friend and I drove there to go to her little brother's birthday party. They wouldn't let us in until we called her mother over to tell them that we were legit. Later, we had to leave early to go shopping and do other things that high school girls did in 1999, and they wouldn't let us leave. They said we had to leave with a parent. I know why they have the rules, and how they don't want children running in and out and pediphiles and kidnappers, but really - use some common sense. Also, they had a coupon, but the place didn't want to honor it for some stupid reason. Anyway, I liked the place when I was little, but now it just seems dirty and gross.
Oooh good news! I had the greatest day yesterday. I was all paranoid because I thought I had a french test that needed to be studied for. I have class from 2-3:15 then 3:30-4:45, and the test was at 5:30. I tried to finish my lab and study during the other classes, but it turned out that no one wanted to teach, and I got out of both classes early. I went to study, and finally I went to take the test, when I found out that it wasn't even yesterday. It's on Thursday, but... the instructor has to go to france to say good bye to his dying mother! So the test might not be until Monday, which is good for me, but bad for him. Oh, and I also have a test in my Poli Sci 450 class tomorrow, and on tuesday this guy came up to me after class and asked me on a study date! I'm so happy, cause he's like preppy cute, which is not normally my type, but it's nice! Yay~!
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Accio Sirius - Feb 9, 2005 12:36 pm (#1954 of 2956)
Catherine, as someone currently living in Virginia, I can say that we need to get our priorities straight!
As for the popcorn, I was paying close attention to your experiment Denise, as that is a favorite after school snack at our house. My daughter loves the Kettle Corn stuff which has a zillion calories, but I agree, the Boy Scouts rule as far as taste and popcorn to kernel ratio.
And because I am a child of television..wasn't there an episode of The Partridge family about an errant skunk and having to take baths in tomato juice???
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VeronikaG - Feb 9, 2005 1:20 pm (#1955 of 2956)
Hi there, everybody.
Marie, I hope Shayla gets better, and that the medication that seems to do the trick for her won't have to be replaced because of side effects.
Reading the descriptions of Shayla and Claire's homework nightmare scarily reminds me of how my mother fought to get me to do my homework from first to third grade. I hardly had an attention span at all, and just writing one small page could often take me two hours. Mom had to sit with me all the time, and even then I lost focus between every line. All kinds of toys, comics or other thingamajigs that could catch my attention had to be removed. In class I would very often get nasty surprises because the teacher had given information I had not heard because something had distracted me. I was never diagnosed with attention disorders, probably becaused I was a "good" kid and didn't make any noise in class. I was also at an advanced level for my age when it came to reading and spelling, so most adults, including my own parents blamed it on me lacking discipline. (My parents thought they hadn't been strict enough on me, as if... LOL) Still I wonder if I should perhaps have been checked. There are still strange "bugs" in my attention abilities, like I can only listen to one voice at a time. If somebody in the room speaks to me while I'm on the phone, I completely lose track of who is saying what. And when I manage to concentrate on one thing everything else is blocked out. While I'm reading people can shout my name and I won't hear it. :-s
I was on a trip to Denmark last night. It was a "there and right back again" sort of trip only meant to have fun. As I was literally up all night, I'm still a bit sleepy now. I was the only one planning on sleeping, and I ended up being the only person not sleeping. After getting perhaps ten minutes of sleep my room mates came in and made a lot of noise, announcing they were going to stay up. I got dressed again, and followed them. Only a short while later almost everybody disappeared, and we later found them passed out in the room. By then it was only an hour left before we had to be out of the rooms, so no point in going to bed. Grr.
On the happy note, I discovered that one of our exchange students is a potential Potter head. I'll try to have him look into the forum.
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Good Evans - Feb 9, 2005 1:41 pm (#1956 of 2956)
I really liked the idea that Michelle sang happy Birthday to Mr Weasley, I bet he felt all warm inside!!!!! Yeay children and yeay JK for the characters!!!!
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Madam Pince - Feb 9, 2005 4:40 pm (#1957 of 2956)
I wanna go to "Potter's World", I wanna, I wanna! Are we almost there yet????
Julia, I'm so sorry your ankle is still hurting. Bad ankle! I hope it feels better soon!
Mike, glad to have provided your daily entertainment. Today Baby Pince was doing the same charms, except this time he used a wand made of Legos chained together to about a 15-inch length. He's also started using "Bespecto Patronum!" (without the fwish-and-slick, of course.)
Marie, hope Shayla feels better soon too. It's great that her meds are helping so well!
About that proposal to outlaw the big baggy pants: I was wondering what they're going to do about all the plumbers, etc.? The guy who was over here on his hands and knees hooking up the cable line for my new ISP the other day would've been arrested for sure! However, I did once see a "public service announcement" or some such that demonstrated a perfectly normal-looking teen wearing those type of pants, and then he started pulling out an arsenal of weapons which he had stashed therein. I was absolutely amazed at what could be concealed in there. So perhaps that has something to do with the proposed law? Except that Virginia has a "right-to-carry" law, too, so I don't know....
I've been moping around the house most of the day nursing a sore throat and general malaise. Bleah. I didn't even feel like reading, and that is saying something. I have been re-reading OoP, and I am finding that I am not nearly as annoyed by Harry's attitude as I was the first time around. I think the last time I was so pumped up by the ending of GoF and was thinking "Hooray! Now they're really going to get down to brass tacks and start battling Voldemort!", that I felt that Harry's attitude was hindering the book going forward. How silly of me. Anyway, now I'm enjoying this re-reading much more.
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kabloink! - Feb 9, 2005 4:48 pm (#1958 of 2956)
Wow, 31 posts and so much to respond to!
As far as skunks go, I can't imagine never having smelled on before. In the spring, you can rarely drive on ANY 2 lane (or larger) highway in Michigan without smelling a skunk at least every other day. WHen I used to park my car in Ann Arbor, I used to see them near the cemetary and arboretum as I was walking back to my dorm. I would, of course cross to the other side of the road as to avoid it... I have also heard of the tomato juice bath from my grandma, I would also suggest vinegar. It gets out a lot of other amonia-based smells.
I think I have decided to give up soda (pop for fellow midwesterners...) for Lent. Which is really difficult right now, as the only beverages we have in our house are pop, and our water is of very poor quality here. It also appears that I was the only one in my family that celebrated fat Tuesday by eating Packi's yesterday. Oh well, their loss.
Finally, I am heading out to Vegas tomorrow night! My parents are taking my husband and I out there for our anniversary, which is Monday. I'm so geeked! I haven't been to Vegas since I was 11, and in all honesty, it wasn't a whole lot of fun then, as I couldn't do much. I'm dying to see the Treasure Island street show again. Who knows, maybe we'll even get to eat at Bobby Flay's Grill...I doubt it though. Okay, well, off to go pack. Have a great weekend everyone!
EDIT: Oh yeah, I had wanted to comment on the pants thing too. What would happen if you were wearing reasonbly waisted pants, but high waisted underwear? Or if the waistband on your pants simply is too big for you(though the rest of the jeans fit fine), and thus shows you underwear when you sit down? I used to have both of these problems in high school, but I never wore ridiculously low-riders. Madame Pince, maybe I misunderstood the news, but I was assuming that the law was for people who wore the extremely tight-fitting, low-cut pants that showed off your tush. I totally agree with the people who wear their pants 5 sizes too big and hanging off their tushes, though. THat drive me nuts. I'll be sitting in the mall, watching people go by, and I always find one or two guys that I swear their pants are about to fall off.
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Eponine - Feb 9, 2005 5:48 pm (#1959 of 2956)
Speaking of interesting laws, I read that someone in Georgia was proposing a bill that would allow parents to suspend their child's license. That's quite the ultimate threat for teenagers. Parents would just have to pay $15 to the DMV, and the kid would get their license suspended for either 60-90 days (don't remember which) or until they turn 18 (it's up to the parents).
I hope everyone is doing well today.
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Chemyst - Feb 9, 2005 5:59 pm (#1960 of 2956)
(Virginia) House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner." The measure was approved 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate. - Fox News
...stay away from the topics of religion and politics in our world [...] someone may be offended - Lexicon Steve, Philosophy of this Forum
Forum philosophy prevents me from commenting on this issue beyond the general observation that political power is the privilege of using force on persons who have not harmed anyone.
Gina R Snape - Feb 9, 2005 6:05 pm (#1961 of 2956)
Wow. In NYC it's the trend for some girls to wear very tight low-waist jeans with the straps of their underwear (usually they type with the letter 'G') deliberately hiked up over their hips (I am not one of them...). You could never outlaw the visibility of underwear here!
Someone, was it Barb?, complimented me on my linens and I meant to say thank you before. Long live the white sale at Macy's! I got embroidered sheets and 'bed in a bag' (including that blanket) for cheap cheap cheap!
I am surprised, but nobody noticed my copy of GoF on the windowsill behind Faberge.
Anyway, I'm in a good mood today. I heard Elizabeth Hurley will not be playing Bellatrix LeStrange. :phew:
Woke up this morning with "Welcome to the House of Fun" by Madness in my head for some completely unknown reason. Weird, huh?
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Catherine - Feb 9, 2005 8:20 pm (#1962 of 2956)
Chemyst, your restraint is noted and Accio Sirius, your concerns about priorities seem very close to my own. Since JKR hasn't seen fit to legislate wizards' display of underpants, I will restrain myself. **hoping that underpants displays stay firmly in the Muggle world**
Any Forum members with info about radio advertising please see my profile and email me. Currently, our Humane Society has TV spots once weekly, but I think that radio adverts would do the trick as well, at least with alerting people to our very presence and location. I welcome your input.
'Nighty-night.
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Julia. - Feb 9, 2005 8:30 pm (#1963 of 2956)
This is not fair. It's raining now, then all the water on the ground is going to freeze and become ice. Then it is going to snow. I've heard everything from 1-6 to 8-12 inches. Dude, I'm on crutches for G-d sake! How am I supposed to move?!
OK, rant over. We now return to your regurlarly (sort of) scheduled chat.
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Madam Pince - Feb 9, 2005 9:00 pm (#1964 of 2956)
Oh Julia, that is really not fair. Please do be careful while you're hobbling around out there -- you don't want anything else broken!
Gina, that was me who had the similar bed linens.
I wrote a whole paragraph on the "underwear law," but I just deleted it because of Forum philosophy. Also, well really, it's just kind of ridiculous, isn't it? It's difficult to legislate manners and/or good taste....
Catherine, JKR did write about Sirius exposing Snape's greying undies, and also the poor Muggles at the Cup, although no laws were passed! But I don't suppose that would mean we could go onto that tangent too much, except to say that it seems that Jo is not much in favor of viewing people's underthings.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 9, 2005 9:24 pm (#1965 of 2956)
I'm so happy! Duke beat Carolina 71-70!!!! That was a great game!
Julia, I'm sorry about the snow. I guess I don't have to tell you to be careful
. Too bad you can't just ride your broom to class! We're only getting a dusting in NYC, but I saw that New England is getting blasted. I'll be thinking about you tomorrow.
Helen
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Madam Pince - Feb 9, 2005 9:38 pm (#1966 of 2956)
Shoot, too late to edit...
Oh, well, I just wanted to tell you, Denise, that I was looking over the Survivor contestants' previews, and I hate to tell you, but I'm thinking your Katie might not go too far....
Double shoot, I should've watched that game, Accio! Sounds like a good one!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 9, 2005 9:40 pm (#1967 of 2956)
Ash Wednesday today. I'm always caught unawares by everyone walking around with such dirty foreheads. Had to tell my husband and son to stay off the good furniture until they get cleaned up tomorrow.
So now we start Lent. I was going to prepare ribs tonight before I remembered--no meat. I think I'm going to have to break out my fish cakes recipe. Mmmmmm, fish cakes. Say it with me now, Old Bay Seasoning. Everything's tastier with Old Bay.
I don't know what I'm going to give up for Lent, but I better think of something...fast.
And for those who weighed in, I still haven't sated my desire to educate my son's vocabulary-challenged teacher. But I will!
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 9, 2005 9:49 pm (#1968 of 2956)
Julia don't panic, well not just yet anyway. They now think it will likely stay all-rain in Connecticut.
Oh Marie, I'm glad the medication has worked for you and Shayla. We have one more trip to the naturalpath, and if we don't get marked results I think we are going to try traditional drugs.
Gina so sorry about Faberge, my last 2 cast needed lots of medical care towards the end (one had diabetes and the have kidney failure). You just want to whatever you can to make them comfortable and pain free.
I remember the skunk episode of the Partridge family. They tried to check into a hotel afterwards but made the hotel clerk back away from the desk before they would get close to it themselves. So funny to a 10 year old New York kid.
I told my kids that for Lent we are giving you screaming and shouting. he he he
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Ydnam96 - Feb 9, 2005 10:57 pm (#1969 of 2956)
today was a horrible day
I'm just waiting till I can go to bed. I'm really wishing there were a Potter World right about now where I could escape to. I'm too tired to even read through the rest of the new posts...
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 1:32 am (#1970 of 2956)
Ydnam, I'm so sorry! I do hope that a refreshing night will make you feel better on tomorrow morning. I also send my cheering charms to everyone who needs them: Julia, Madam Pince, I do hope you will feel better soon; Marie, I hope your daughter will feel better soon!
Gina, Faberge is so cute! I hope she will be better soon too.
When I read about your skunks stories, I am SO happy not to have them in the neighbourhood here! "Odorous" animals are pretty rare here, the billy goat is probably the worst we have in countrysides. There are some polecats too, but they are so rare that the probability to meet one is very low. Phew!
About those pants, I know that some high schools here have forbidden them because they noticed that the boys's visual field had the curious tendency to narrow and avoid the blackboard for more interesting sights...
It's been a hard week till now because we had school 3 days in a row (here elementary schools work on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday only but kids stay at school longer, till 4.30) because of the winter holidays that start TODAY!!!! We celebrated Mardi Gras at school and some kids came dressed up on Tuesday, there were 2 clowns, 2 witches, several princesses, one musketeer, a ladybug, a "little red hooded" and some "armed" ones from all history periods that we desarmed at once... It was funny but also difficult to make them work dressed like that!
I made them make some masks they will use during the holidays. I had found owl masks patterns and it was very cute to open the door of the "birdcage" yesterday at 4.30 p.m. and see them fly back to their parents (good luck to them for the holidays!). We will be on holidays till the end of next week and I badly need them! for now, the weather is better than it was, still very cold in the morning when everything is white with frost but afternoons are far milder, it should be about 10°C (50°F) this afternoon. I'm planning to have a nice walk in the sun, if my ankle agrees because I had those injections in it yesterday again and for now it really hurts.
Good Evans, I'm so happy you will be at Accio too! And I will think to your sons while watching the match on Sunday! It should be great.
Lizzy, I love to see your rugby team playing, they are fantastic and the last World cup there was perfect!
Bonjour to my fellow European members, good night America, good afternoon Australia! I wish I forget no one.
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VeronikaG - Feb 10, 2005 1:39 am (#1971 of 2956)
I can't find the post about the baggy pants. Who's was it?
Low ride jeans with hiked up thongs are high fashion in Norway too, and I guess it's quite a worldwide trend. After all they sell some models complete with decorated thongs designed to be shown off. It doesn't upset me if it's simply the underwear that is hiked up too high, it's worse when the pant's waist line is too low (like the guy who was sitting in front of me at finals in December, the one with the zit).
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The giant squid - Feb 10, 2005 3:22 am (#1972 of 2956)
I am heading out to Vegas tomorrow night--kabloink!
Cool! If you're at all interested in meeting up with a giant squid, e-mail me (it's in my profile) & let me know when & where. 'Bout time someone from the Forum came to my neck of the woods.
Julia, do your crutches have those little rubber "feet" on the bottom? If so, just get a few thumbtacks, take off the feet, push the tacks through from the inside and put them back on the crutches. Voila! Snow crutches! Hey, it's the same process behind snow tires, and after you've avoided a slip or two you won't mind the "click click click" of tacks on the floor.
Marie, make sure you give Shayla a hug from me. Getting a 7-year-old to accept having to take a pill every day deserves a big hug.
--Mike
septentrion - Feb 10, 2005 3:44 am (#1973 of 2956)
Every one have a great day ! (or night)
I've spent my entire afternoon yesterday trying to find how to "flash" the firmware of my DVD-writer on my new computer to dezone it (not a good way to begin Lent BTW) and no recipe I found on the web worked for me. It was frustrating : how am I supposed to watch my DVD zone 1 if my computer is blocked on zone 2 ? How is it computers give us woes so easily ?
Everything else is fine for me thank goodness.
Julia, how long will you have to go with your crutches ? I agree the weather's cruel to be snowy when you'd need a dry floor.
So Elanor, you're at least on holiday. I like when it's holiday time, even if I work, because there're lesser cars on the road, much room on car parks...
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 5:40 am (#1974 of 2956)
I'm so happy! Duke beat Carolina 71-70!!!! That was a great game! -Accio HBP
Mr. Catherine felt a bit blue after that! I'm sure Loopy Lupin and Madam Pince won't crow too loudly about Carolina's defeat last night. Perhaps I'll send sympathies to Mr. Eponine and Eponine in-laws.
Mmmm....Old Bay Seasoning....that could even make fish cakes sound good! Hope everyone at Kim's house was sated when they left the dinner table.
About the low-riding pants law, the picture that I saw on CNN.com showed a male torso with pants so low that about eight inches of boxer shorts were showing. In the report about the bill, everyone seemed to assume that this bill affects males. No one mentioned the issue of young ladies displaying their undergarments publicly!
Madam Pince, you are correct that JKR does have underwear displays, but the ones in the books so far have been involuntary! Choices, that's what it's about!
More from the pet-obsessed front **waves to Gina and Faberge**. It appears that my parents will become pet owners again after a hiatus of nearly eight years. Our old dog, who looked amazingly like Dizzy Lizzy's dog in her avatar, died at age 17 1/2 and her loss was just devastating to all of us. I thought they were content to have "granddogs," but now they want to be dog parents again! I am scheduled to meet the new dog sometime this weekend or early next week.
I couldn't resist emailing my brother (who pretends to pout that my kids and my dogs are "higher" in my parents' esteem than he is) the news of the new arrival. Bwahahahaha!
Enjoy your Thursday!
EDIT: Edited for glaring typos. If I left any, apologies. I'm not feeling myself today!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 10, 2005 5:47 am (#1975 of 2956)
Ydnam96, whatever happened, I'm sorry. Your chat companions support you and send you hugs.**sending Ydnam96 butterbeer and chocolate frogs**
About the low-riding pants law, the picture that I saw on CNN.com showed a male torso with pants so low that about eight inches of boxer shorts were showing. In the report about the bill, everyone seemed to assume that this bill affects males. No one mentioned the issue of young ladies displaying their undergarments publicly!--Catherine
If this is true, I'm quite interested in the originators and goals of the bill. While I don't find low-slung pants with baggy boxers particularly appealing, that is much better than VeronikaG's experience (I'm still cringing jut from reading that, Veronika)!
Mr. Catherine felt a bit blue after that! I'm sure Loopy Lupin and Madam Pince won't crow too loudly about Carolina's defeat last night. Perhaps I'll send sympathies to Mr. Eponine and Eponine in-laws. --Catherine
I hope I didn't sound like I was crowing...I was seriously trying to refrain from crowing on this forum because I don't want to offend any of my new fans. I can't send my condolences because I may be perceived as "rubbing it in". Can I buy everyone a round of butterbeer??? For Mr. Catherine, Loopy Lupin, and Madam Prince: there's always the Dean Dome! I'm so glad that Carolina is a good team this year. It makes the rivalry much more fun when both teams are nationally ranked in the top 10.
EDIT: Did you hear that Prince Charles is marrying Camilla Parker Bowles?
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Julie Aronson - Feb 10, 2005 6:11 am (#1976 of 2956)
Mandy:
Cheer up and hang in there!
Audrey:
I hope your ankle injections work. Constant pain is a real bummer. I guess it's good that you have a few days to take it easy...
Julie
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 6:13 am (#1977 of 2956)
Accio HBP, I didn't think you were crowing at all! **waits to see what Loopy Lupin will say ** All's fair in love, war, and ACC basketball. I'm sure that the next time my dad sees Mr. Catherine, he will really pour salt in the wounds, if he hasn't emailed him something already!
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Pinky - Feb 10, 2005 6:28 am (#1978 of 2956)
I am surprised, but nobody noticed my copy of GoF on the windowsill behind Faberge. ~Gina
Gina, I think we would have commented had it not been there!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 10, 2005 7:23 am (#1979 of 2956)
Hi All, sorry to post again so soon, but I think some of you may be interested in this CFP (Call for papers) that I received for a Harry Potter Conference in Salem, Massachusetts. I imagine scholars will have priority, but non-academics seem to be welcome to apply. It sounds really interesting! If you're interested, read below. If not, forgive the long post.
CALL FOR PAPERS: THE WITCHING HOUR Salem, MA October 6-10, 2005 Deadline: May 15, 2005 A Harry Potter Symposium presented by HP Education Fanon, Inc.
UPDATE: Keynote Speakers: Henry Jenkins, John Cech Special Guests: Marleen Barr, Vicky Dann, Eliza T. Dresang, Tamora Pierce, Nancy Farmer, Charles de Lint, Ellen Datlow, Holly Black, Charles N. Brown
The Witching Hour is an interdisciplinary symposium designed to allow scholars and adult enthusiasts of the Harry Potter series to gather and share research. The conference programming will engage attendees in a broad exploration and understanding of the Harry Potter texts and phenomenon, as well as foster dialogue between academics and fans. The theme of the symposium - as befits the season, locale and current tone of the series - is choice, moral ambiguity and the darkness within everyone. While we shall warmly receive submissions dealing with our theme, we wish to stress that we welcome proposals on any and all topics - whether academic, creative or fan - relating to Harry Potter, including examinations of writing, art and young adult fantasy literature. Suggested topic tracks include, but are in no way limited to:
Literary: critical issues concerning the novels themselves, as well as the wider arena of children's and young adult literature, including structural analysis, genre considerations, and the response of the academic establishment and publishing industry
Social Sciences: critical responses to the texts through the lenses of anthropology, sociology, psychology, folklore, and so forth
Education: The use and abuse of the novels in the classroom and libraries, censorship controversies and teachers' and librarians' guides
Creative: Examinations of the writing or artistic creative process
Legal: Analyses of legal issues raised by the text of the novels, including wizarding law as set forth therein, and legal controversies relating to the phenomenon or the fan community
Fandom Studies: Studies of the fan response to the novels, including discussions of specific fan activities (e.g., vidding, artwork and fanfiction), and critical examinations of fanfictional tropes
Guides: Examinations of subjects such as the history of the wizarding world, a beginner's guide to the online fandom, and an overview of the numerous Harry Potter "companion" encyclopedias
Film: Critical responses to the Harry Potter films
Music: Studies of the use of music in the Harry Potter books, films and fan culture, such as analyses of the John Williams score or an examination of fans' musical activities
In addition to formal papers, The Witching Hour is seeking a variety of presentation models, including pre-organized critical panels, round table-style discussions, and craft-based workshops. We intend that the round tables and workshops, in particular, focus on audience participation and interaction. Finally, our website contains a list of panels for which we are seeking participants. Please visit our website, http://www.witchinghour.org, for more information on these elements and the conference itself, as well as an overview of our review process for submissions and biographies of our review board members.
All submissions must be made electronically via http://www.witchinghour.org by May 15, 2005. Applicants should be prepared to provide a 400-500 word abstract, a 50-100 word summary for program schedules, and a brief 50-100 word personal biographical note. Presenters must be registered for the conference by August 1, 2005. Please direct all queries regarding academic programming to Catherine Tosenberger at programming@witchinghour.org. To subscribe to our conference newsletter, please e-mail updates@witchinghour.org.
HP Education Fanon, Inc. (HPEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2002 to promote and produce educational, Harry Potter-themed symposia on an international scale. HPEF produced its first event, Nimbus - 2003, in July 2003. More information can be found at http://www.witchinghour.org/who/hpef.html.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 10, 2005 7:52 am (#1980 of 2956)
Hey, Accio HBP. I am thinking of going if I can get away that weekend. Isn't Lexicon Steve speaking there as well? Or just at Accio?
*waves at Catherine* I am not surprised they want another dog. When you're used to the sound of little four-legged pats on the floor it's hard to have an empty house.
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From Venus - Feb 10, 2005 8:19 am (#1981 of 2956)
Hello everyone. It's snowing and blowing over here today, but I'm still in a crummy mood. (Snow usually cheers me up.) Can't really put my finger on it, I think it's a number of things all piling up; a few bad days in a row with nothing cheerful in between. (*Commiserates with Ydnam96*) Oh well, nothing a little Lenten soul-searching shouldn't be able to sort out.
Catherine, I love your little pooch avatar. What a cutie! I miss dogs so much. I love them, and they love me, but my husband won't allow me to have one. I ache when I see one, I want one so much. I have 3 cats and I do love them all, but they are NOT dogs.....
Speaking of ADHD; my grandson has been diagnosed with it, and Adderall XR has been prescribed. I brought the prescription to the drug store yesterday. Now, this morning I've heard on the news that Canada has taken the drug off the market and warned people to return what they have to their drug stores for proper disposal. They said that it is causing stroke and sudden death. Has anyone else heard this? The US hasn't followed suit, but that's understandable, since Americans don't like to cut their profits over a little something like stroke and sudden death. Enough said, I might get deleted. Anyways, now I'm unsure whether I should give it to him or not. I guess I'll call the doctor and ask her. *Sigh*
Julia, it sounds like someone doesn't like the way you've been treating his chickens...
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Phoenix song - Feb 10, 2005 9:17 am (#1982 of 2956)
From Venus and Ydnam 96: I'm sending my strongest cheering charms your way and throwing in a few Patronuses to protect you both from whatever gloom is attempting to settle upon you. Perhaps Madam Pince will allow Baby Pince to perform a few of his extra special "Bespecto Patronums" for you both? Who wouldn't be charmed and uplifted with those?
From Venus, how mean of your husband to "not allow" you to have a dog! I'm sure that a cute little puppy would help to lift your spirits. On a different topic, call the pediatrician if you have any questions about your grandson's medication. (It's better safe than sorry.)
Congratulations Catherine on your new "sibling puppy". I'm sure that your folks will be happy. How did he do in the surgery for his eye? (Love your avatar, by the way. Is she one of your puppies?)
Have a great day everybody!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Feb 10, 2005 10:04 am (#1983 of 2956)
Hey all!
I'm definitely going to the Witching Hour in Salem this October. I'm really very excited. I'm already planning my wardrobe, since I've got lots of sewing to do.
Well, y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 10:08 am (#1984 of 2956)
Love your avatar, by the way. Is she one of your puppies?—Barbie
Thank you! No, that dog isn't mine. That is what Daisy looked like before her infamous scalping grooming in July. Speaking of grooming, my two pups are at the groomer today. Don't worry, though, this not the same moronic misguided fiend individual who was the cause of the sad state of affairs last summer. I'm crossing my fingers that I will at least recognize both dogs when I pick them up. I even took pictures of appropriate doggy hair-"dos" and hair-"don'ts" this time. Let's hope for the best.
Gina, you are right about missing the sounds of paws. I came back from running errands, and was struck the by absence of my dogs. No one came running to greet me. It feels like I am not really at home. Even when they are just sleeping, their presence is very comforting.
I got an email this morning saying that the new pup is undergoing her eye surgery this morning, several days early. I don't know when my parents will be able to get her from the "foster mom," but I think it's an exciting new chapter in our lives.
EDIT: Michelle, are you sewing costumes for Witching Hour? The only reason I bring it up is that I thought most of the events were designated "costume-free." I might be mis-remembering, but I didn't want you to go to all the trouble for nothing! Perhaps I should look again.
EDIT #2: Cool. I got post #1984. How Orwellian!
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Julia. - Feb 10, 2005 12:04 pm (#1985 of 2956)
YAY! I get post 1985!!! I've always wanted 1985, being that in September of that year, I was born!!! *dances*
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 10, 2005 12:33 pm (#1986 of 2956)
Post 1986! w00t! That was a year after Julia was born and it was during that year that I was, for the last time, a minor. Stupid adulthood.
"Campus"? - Loopy Lupin Yes, dear, it is an area of land that contains the main buildings and grounds of a university or college. (As if he didn't know! Hmph!) – Chemyst
Oh, I knew. I'm sorry, I thought you went to UVa and just funning you a bit. Stupid memory.
Lupin is Lupin-- One year I gave up religion for Lent. Oddly enough, I haven't had to worry about the Lenten season since. I was in DC for most of the day yesterday and I had been wondering why so many people had been bonked on the forehead hard enough to leave bruises, but then it dawned on me. Stupid cluelessness.
Catherine-- Ah. Any day in which Carolina looses is a great day. You would think the purported #2 team in the country would have, at least, gotten a shot off in the final seconds when it counted. Stupid dribbling.
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VeronikaG - Feb 10, 2005 1:10 pm (#1987 of 2956)
Loopy, you are dating yourself. LOL
1987, the year I started school.
Don't worry Accio HBP, I got an A on that final, even with that staring me in the face. One of my rare and much appreciated A's. I actually had the flu all the time during finals. Maybe laughing of him in my mind during the hour or so he sat there (left early) cured it a bit, as laughter is the best medicine.
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 1:33 pm (#1988 of 2956)
Let's see, 1988... I turned 16 in 1988 and I went in England for the first time that summer. I had a penpal there, who was a little older than I was. She lived in the Wiltshire, near Bath, had an hundred-years-old tortoise and a lovely grand-mother who was nearly that old and knew Esperanto. I learnt a lot then, and not only the language! She loved parties and showed me what real ones were (and how cute English boys could be. I can tell you, the "eemproove my English" method works!); we were listening U2 and Depeche Mode... What a great summer it was! (and what terrible headaches too... She loved vodka...).
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 1:53 pm (#1989 of 2956)
Lovely avatar, Elanor. What an interesting summer! No wonder it was so memorable, the "headaches" notwithstanding!
Loopy, you are dating yourself.—VeronikaG
I've been telling him for ages that he needs to embiggen his social circle!
Valentine's Day has come early to our household. I picked up the pups from the groomer, and they are decked out with red and pink ribbons and heart-printed bandanas. I am relieved to report that they still have their fur and look like little clouds of fluff. They look so cute! **waves to Kim**
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The giant squid - Feb 10, 2005 2:25 pm (#1990 of 2956)
1990...the year I graduated from high school & entered the real world. I still haven't recovered.
Catherine, it's good to hear your "children" survived the trip to the groomers. If Daisy's fur had been butchered again I don't know if we'd be able to talk you down like we did last time.
Elanor, I have to say your summer of '88 was a heck of a lot more interesting than mine. Sounds like you had a blast.
I noticed Julia's last post was rather short. She must be having trouble balancing on her crutches long enough to type.
--Mike
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John Bumbledore - Feb 10, 2005 2:35 pm (#1991 of 2956)
Can you believe it?
Mike, The Giant Squid (isn't he living in a desert?) giving advice on how to modify crutches for snow/ice is... ironic. No?
But, I agree. Studded crutches would improve your grip in snow and ice, but watch out for scratching hardwood and vinyl floors. Funny, I grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania, (is Squid-Mike from a Dakota state?) and I didn't think of that solution nor had I ever heard of it before. Mike, take a bow! Julia, get a two footed friend to test it first! But it sounds like an excellent idea to me.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore.
Edit: P. S. Hmm, in 1991 I was married just one year and moved to South Carolina (now in NC and completing 15th of marriage and looking forward at least twice as many more!) How long can we all keep this post# year going? Elanor?
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 2:41 pm (#1992 of 2956)
LOL Mike! Yes, it was great! (though no one will never be able to make me eat "fish and chips" when it is 30°C (85°F) in the shade again...)
Mike, I graduated from high school in 1990 too, would you be another 1972 child? I always loved the idea to have been born during the "peace and love" period. The pictures of that time are a nightmare but so cool at the same time.
Catherine, I'm happy about your lovely babies! Thanks about my avatar, it is a kind present from Solitaire, she does wonderful avatars!
Edit: 1992? let's see... I was 20, I was studying history at the university and first worked as a guide in the monuments of my town during the holidays. I was fun too, you can't imagine the weird people you I met there! I remember a guy with a pendulum who wouldn't get out the cloister because he was searching the Templar's treasure there...
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Denise P. - Feb 10, 2005 2:52 pm (#1993 of 2956)
Lets see....in 1988, I had been out of the Army for 2 years, been married for 4 years and about to start college. I graduated from college in 1991, had 2 children and been married for 7 years.
Since I am post #1993, my sister moved in with us, expecting her first child. I discovered that I was expecting first born baby (previous two were adopted) and we visited my parents for the first time in several years out in CA. My neice just turned 12 and our first born baby, home sick today, will be turning 12 in April.
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Ladybug220 - Feb 10, 2005 3:01 pm (#1994 of 2956)
Well, Denise got 1993 which was when I had graduated from high school and had 2 of my 3 knee surgeries. 1994 marked the end of my freshman year of college and the only summer I went home in college. Since then I haven't been at my parent's house longer than 2 weeks for a visit.
Elanor - I think you started a trend!
Good news! I am now fully in my apartment and my new DSL service has been turned on. I knew that after living with friends that had cable internet service that I would never be able to go back to dial-up. Also, the cats are much happier now that there isn't an 80-odd pound golden retriever puppy trying to chase them around the house. Now, I just have to get the mountains of boxes unpacked.
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 4:00 pm (#1995 of 2956)
LOL! But I should have reread what I wrote when I edited my previous post because now it is too late for editing it again though I should have written: "It was fun too, you can't imagine the weird people I met there! I remember a guy with a pendulum who wouldn't get out of the cloister because he was searching the Templar's treasure there...". Sorry! It must be a sign I should go to bed instead of reading the forum (it is nearly midnight here)!
Except that now, I have to find something for 1995... I was still buried in history studies, the nose on 17th century's parchments in several Regional Archives or in the Hospital Museum of my town, not very exciting... Wait! It was also the year I visited Egypt, that was great! Two weeks on a cruise on the Nile, from Cairo to Assouan, another fantastic souvenir!
Ladybug, I'm very happy about you apartment! I do agree, it is difficult to use something else when you have tried DSL!
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Phoenix song - Feb 10, 2005 5:04 pm (#1996 of 2956)
Let's see...If I'm post # 1996, then the only memorable thing that I can remember about that year was that I was declared "unable to conceive" without surgery by my ob/gyn and found out a month later that I was expecting. (The doctors aren't always right, are they?) Child #1 was born at a whopping 10 pounds on Feb 16 of '97.
I can't believe that my "baby" will be 8 years old next week!!
Barbie
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Accio Sirius - Feb 10, 2005 5:50 pm (#1997 of 2956)
Well I just had to post in 1997, the year my daughter was born! It was a good year!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 10, 2005 6:18 pm (#1998 of 2956)
Thanks Elanor. I have to say it is very nice being in my own place and having all of my stuff around me.
1998 - the year I graduated from college after spending an extra year getting a second major.
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Pinky - Feb 10, 2005 6:27 pm (#1999 of 2956)
I had been out of the Army for 2 years, Wait a second... Denise? You were in the Army? I know your husband is, but you too? *view of Denise shifts abruptly*
Hmmmm.... 1999 - I began dating the man I would marry the following year. Literally one of the worst and best years of my life: worst because we had a hard time getting together at first, and best because we finally did!
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Eponine - Feb 10, 2005 6:32 pm (#2000 of 2956)
Post 2000! W00t!
Hmm...what happened in 2000? I was in college, and I wasn't dating anyone seriously. Computers stayed okay, so no one was living in the dark ages again.
School is still going okay, but I am sick today so that made things quite a bit harder. Although, kids can surprise you sometimes. They knew I was sick, and they were better today. Maybe I should be sick every day.
I hope everything is going well for everyone.
Marè- Feb 9, 2005 7:57 am (#1951 of 2956)
Gina: Mare, did you see the link with the Lexicon squid drawings? I never heard from you.
I'm here, I'm just now checking the chat thread. (I don't have internet in the weekends and have been quite busy...) I grabbed them! Thank you so much.
And Faberge looks lovely, (don't all cats do?) I hope she will be allright!
Good Evans II: And for those of you going to Accio in July, I hope to finally meet some of you there.
Oh yes you will, our group is growing quite nice! Be sure to check here for any information on fun things we are planning to do and if you are coming alone, the "kitchen group" might be an idea!
Fawkes Forever sends all of you hugs and hello's, she's currently very busy warding of Dementors and trying to get people to fix her roof... poor girl!
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Sirius Lee - Feb 9, 2005 10:17 am (#1952 of 2956)
I was thinking how incredibly cool it would be to have a HP themed park.
I've thought the same thing! On my last visit home, my brother had this computer game called "Rollercoaster Tycoon" where you design a theme park. NATURALLY mine was called "Potter's World" or something like that and all the rides had HP themed names and colors (A red and gold rollercoaster named 'Fawkes' Flight' and a haunted house called 'The Riddle House'). I so wanted to jump into the screen and play all day!
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Penny Lane. - Feb 9, 2005 11:54 am (#1953 of 2956)
I just caught up with 90ish posts since the chicken thing... and EWWWW!!! I feel slightly quesy now, but it's probably because I have to fast for Ash Wednesday. I still haven't figured out what to give up, it may be TV, or soda. I could give up junk food, but then what would I eat? It's not like we have a vast selection of healthy, non fried, low carb, vegitarian food on campus.
I'm going a bit insane, I have tons of homework to catch up on, and no laptop, so I have to use the school's computers, which are a pain and a half. Most of them are really slow, the lab is noisy, and the only ones open are next to a printer where people keep walking buy. I don't know about any of ya'll, but I have issues with people walking buy and looking at my screen - even when I'm not looking at anything wrong.
Chuck E. Cheese's frightens me. When I was 17, my friend and I drove there to go to her little brother's birthday party. They wouldn't let us in until we called her mother over to tell them that we were legit. Later, we had to leave early to go shopping and do other things that high school girls did in 1999, and they wouldn't let us leave. They said we had to leave with a parent. I know why they have the rules, and how they don't want children running in and out and pediphiles and kidnappers, but really - use some common sense. Also, they had a coupon, but the place didn't want to honor it for some stupid reason. Anyway, I liked the place when I was little, but now it just seems dirty and gross.
Oooh good news! I had the greatest day yesterday. I was all paranoid because I thought I had a french test that needed to be studied for. I have class from 2-3:15 then 3:30-4:45, and the test was at 5:30. I tried to finish my lab and study during the other classes, but it turned out that no one wanted to teach, and I got out of both classes early. I went to study, and finally I went to take the test, when I found out that it wasn't even yesterday. It's on Thursday, but... the instructor has to go to france to say good bye to his dying mother! So the test might not be until Monday, which is good for me, but bad for him. Oh, and I also have a test in my Poli Sci 450 class tomorrow, and on tuesday this guy came up to me after class and asked me on a study date! I'm so happy, cause he's like preppy cute, which is not normally my type, but it's nice! Yay~!
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Accio Sirius - Feb 9, 2005 12:36 pm (#1954 of 2956)
Catherine, as someone currently living in Virginia, I can say that we need to get our priorities straight!
As for the popcorn, I was paying close attention to your experiment Denise, as that is a favorite after school snack at our house. My daughter loves the Kettle Corn stuff which has a zillion calories, but I agree, the Boy Scouts rule as far as taste and popcorn to kernel ratio.
And because I am a child of television..wasn't there an episode of The Partridge family about an errant skunk and having to take baths in tomato juice???
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VeronikaG - Feb 9, 2005 1:20 pm (#1955 of 2956)
Hi there, everybody.
Marie, I hope Shayla gets better, and that the medication that seems to do the trick for her won't have to be replaced because of side effects.
Reading the descriptions of Shayla and Claire's homework nightmare scarily reminds me of how my mother fought to get me to do my homework from first to third grade. I hardly had an attention span at all, and just writing one small page could often take me two hours. Mom had to sit with me all the time, and even then I lost focus between every line. All kinds of toys, comics or other thingamajigs that could catch my attention had to be removed. In class I would very often get nasty surprises because the teacher had given information I had not heard because something had distracted me. I was never diagnosed with attention disorders, probably becaused I was a "good" kid and didn't make any noise in class. I was also at an advanced level for my age when it came to reading and spelling, so most adults, including my own parents blamed it on me lacking discipline. (My parents thought they hadn't been strict enough on me, as if... LOL) Still I wonder if I should perhaps have been checked. There are still strange "bugs" in my attention abilities, like I can only listen to one voice at a time. If somebody in the room speaks to me while I'm on the phone, I completely lose track of who is saying what. And when I manage to concentrate on one thing everything else is blocked out. While I'm reading people can shout my name and I won't hear it. :-s
I was on a trip to Denmark last night. It was a "there and right back again" sort of trip only meant to have fun. As I was literally up all night, I'm still a bit sleepy now. I was the only one planning on sleeping, and I ended up being the only person not sleeping. After getting perhaps ten minutes of sleep my room mates came in and made a lot of noise, announcing they were going to stay up. I got dressed again, and followed them. Only a short while later almost everybody disappeared, and we later found them passed out in the room. By then it was only an hour left before we had to be out of the rooms, so no point in going to bed. Grr.
On the happy note, I discovered that one of our exchange students is a potential Potter head. I'll try to have him look into the forum.
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Good Evans - Feb 9, 2005 1:41 pm (#1956 of 2956)
I really liked the idea that Michelle sang happy Birthday to Mr Weasley, I bet he felt all warm inside!!!!! Yeay children and yeay JK for the characters!!!!
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Madam Pince - Feb 9, 2005 4:40 pm (#1957 of 2956)
I wanna go to "Potter's World", I wanna, I wanna! Are we almost there yet????
Julia, I'm so sorry your ankle is still hurting. Bad ankle! I hope it feels better soon!
Mike, glad to have provided your daily entertainment. Today Baby Pince was doing the same charms, except this time he used a wand made of Legos chained together to about a 15-inch length. He's also started using "Bespecto Patronum!" (without the fwish-and-slick, of course.)
Marie, hope Shayla feels better soon too. It's great that her meds are helping so well!
About that proposal to outlaw the big baggy pants: I was wondering what they're going to do about all the plumbers, etc.? The guy who was over here on his hands and knees hooking up the cable line for my new ISP the other day would've been arrested for sure! However, I did once see a "public service announcement" or some such that demonstrated a perfectly normal-looking teen wearing those type of pants, and then he started pulling out an arsenal of weapons which he had stashed therein. I was absolutely amazed at what could be concealed in there. So perhaps that has something to do with the proposed law? Except that Virginia has a "right-to-carry" law, too, so I don't know....
I've been moping around the house most of the day nursing a sore throat and general malaise. Bleah. I didn't even feel like reading, and that is saying something. I have been re-reading OoP, and I am finding that I am not nearly as annoyed by Harry's attitude as I was the first time around. I think the last time I was so pumped up by the ending of GoF and was thinking "Hooray! Now they're really going to get down to brass tacks and start battling Voldemort!", that I felt that Harry's attitude was hindering the book going forward. How silly of me. Anyway, now I'm enjoying this re-reading much more.
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kabloink! - Feb 9, 2005 4:48 pm (#1958 of 2956)
Wow, 31 posts and so much to respond to!
As far as skunks go, I can't imagine never having smelled on before. In the spring, you can rarely drive on ANY 2 lane (or larger) highway in Michigan without smelling a skunk at least every other day. WHen I used to park my car in Ann Arbor, I used to see them near the cemetary and arboretum as I was walking back to my dorm. I would, of course cross to the other side of the road as to avoid it... I have also heard of the tomato juice bath from my grandma, I would also suggest vinegar. It gets out a lot of other amonia-based smells.
I think I have decided to give up soda (pop for fellow midwesterners...) for Lent. Which is really difficult right now, as the only beverages we have in our house are pop, and our water is of very poor quality here. It also appears that I was the only one in my family that celebrated fat Tuesday by eating Packi's yesterday. Oh well, their loss.
Finally, I am heading out to Vegas tomorrow night! My parents are taking my husband and I out there for our anniversary, which is Monday. I'm so geeked! I haven't been to Vegas since I was 11, and in all honesty, it wasn't a whole lot of fun then, as I couldn't do much. I'm dying to see the Treasure Island street show again. Who knows, maybe we'll even get to eat at Bobby Flay's Grill...I doubt it though. Okay, well, off to go pack. Have a great weekend everyone!
EDIT: Oh yeah, I had wanted to comment on the pants thing too. What would happen if you were wearing reasonbly waisted pants, but high waisted underwear? Or if the waistband on your pants simply is too big for you(though the rest of the jeans fit fine), and thus shows you underwear when you sit down? I used to have both of these problems in high school, but I never wore ridiculously low-riders. Madame Pince, maybe I misunderstood the news, but I was assuming that the law was for people who wore the extremely tight-fitting, low-cut pants that showed off your tush. I totally agree with the people who wear their pants 5 sizes too big and hanging off their tushes, though. THat drive me nuts. I'll be sitting in the mall, watching people go by, and I always find one or two guys that I swear their pants are about to fall off.
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Eponine - Feb 9, 2005 5:48 pm (#1959 of 2956)
Speaking of interesting laws, I read that someone in Georgia was proposing a bill that would allow parents to suspend their child's license. That's quite the ultimate threat for teenagers. Parents would just have to pay $15 to the DMV, and the kid would get their license suspended for either 60-90 days (don't remember which) or until they turn 18 (it's up to the parents).
I hope everyone is doing well today.
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Chemyst - Feb 9, 2005 5:59 pm (#1960 of 2956)
(Virginia) House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner." The measure was approved 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate. - Fox News
...stay away from the topics of religion and politics in our world [...] someone may be offended - Lexicon Steve, Philosophy of this Forum
Forum philosophy prevents me from commenting on this issue beyond the general observation that political power is the privilege of using force on persons who have not harmed anyone.
Gina R Snape - Feb 9, 2005 6:05 pm (#1961 of 2956)
Wow. In NYC it's the trend for some girls to wear very tight low-waist jeans with the straps of their underwear (usually they type with the letter 'G') deliberately hiked up over their hips (I am not one of them...). You could never outlaw the visibility of underwear here!
Someone, was it Barb?, complimented me on my linens and I meant to say thank you before. Long live the white sale at Macy's! I got embroidered sheets and 'bed in a bag' (including that blanket) for cheap cheap cheap!
I am surprised, but nobody noticed my copy of GoF on the windowsill behind Faberge.
Anyway, I'm in a good mood today. I heard Elizabeth Hurley will not be playing Bellatrix LeStrange. :phew:
Woke up this morning with "Welcome to the House of Fun" by Madness in my head for some completely unknown reason. Weird, huh?
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Catherine - Feb 9, 2005 8:20 pm (#1962 of 2956)
Chemyst, your restraint is noted and Accio Sirius, your concerns about priorities seem very close to my own. Since JKR hasn't seen fit to legislate wizards' display of underpants, I will restrain myself. **hoping that underpants displays stay firmly in the Muggle world**
Any Forum members with info about radio advertising please see my profile and email me. Currently, our Humane Society has TV spots once weekly, but I think that radio adverts would do the trick as well, at least with alerting people to our very presence and location. I welcome your input.
'Nighty-night.
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Julia. - Feb 9, 2005 8:30 pm (#1963 of 2956)
This is not fair. It's raining now, then all the water on the ground is going to freeze and become ice. Then it is going to snow. I've heard everything from 1-6 to 8-12 inches. Dude, I'm on crutches for G-d sake! How am I supposed to move?!
OK, rant over. We now return to your regurlarly (sort of) scheduled chat.
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Madam Pince - Feb 9, 2005 9:00 pm (#1964 of 2956)
Oh Julia, that is really not fair. Please do be careful while you're hobbling around out there -- you don't want anything else broken!
Gina, that was me who had the similar bed linens.
I wrote a whole paragraph on the "underwear law," but I just deleted it because of Forum philosophy. Also, well really, it's just kind of ridiculous, isn't it? It's difficult to legislate manners and/or good taste....
Catherine, JKR did write about Sirius exposing Snape's greying undies, and also the poor Muggles at the Cup, although no laws were passed! But I don't suppose that would mean we could go onto that tangent too much, except to say that it seems that Jo is not much in favor of viewing people's underthings.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 9, 2005 9:24 pm (#1965 of 2956)
I'm so happy! Duke beat Carolina 71-70!!!! That was a great game!
Julia, I'm sorry about the snow. I guess I don't have to tell you to be careful
. Too bad you can't just ride your broom to class! We're only getting a dusting in NYC, but I saw that New England is getting blasted. I'll be thinking about you tomorrow.Helen
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Madam Pince - Feb 9, 2005 9:38 pm (#1966 of 2956)
Shoot, too late to edit...
Oh, well, I just wanted to tell you, Denise, that I was looking over the Survivor contestants' previews, and I hate to tell you, but I'm thinking your Katie might not go too far....
Double shoot, I should've watched that game, Accio! Sounds like a good one!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 9, 2005 9:40 pm (#1967 of 2956)
Ash Wednesday today. I'm always caught unawares by everyone walking around with such dirty foreheads. Had to tell my husband and son to stay off the good furniture until they get cleaned up tomorrow.
So now we start Lent. I was going to prepare ribs tonight before I remembered--no meat. I think I'm going to have to break out my fish cakes recipe. Mmmmmm, fish cakes. Say it with me now, Old Bay Seasoning. Everything's tastier with Old Bay.
I don't know what I'm going to give up for Lent, but I better think of something...fast.
And for those who weighed in, I still haven't sated my desire to educate my son's vocabulary-challenged teacher. But I will!
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 9, 2005 9:49 pm (#1968 of 2956)
Julia don't panic, well not just yet anyway. They now think it will likely stay all-rain in Connecticut.
Oh Marie, I'm glad the medication has worked for you and Shayla. We have one more trip to the naturalpath, and if we don't get marked results I think we are going to try traditional drugs.
Gina so sorry about Faberge, my last 2 cast needed lots of medical care towards the end (one had diabetes and the have kidney failure). You just want to whatever you can to make them comfortable and pain free.
I remember the skunk episode of the Partridge family. They tried to check into a hotel afterwards but made the hotel clerk back away from the desk before they would get close to it themselves. So funny to a 10 year old New York kid.
I told my kids that for Lent we are giving you screaming and shouting. he he he
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Ydnam96 - Feb 9, 2005 10:57 pm (#1969 of 2956)
today was a horrible day
I'm just waiting till I can go to bed. I'm really wishing there were a Potter World right about now where I could escape to. I'm too tired to even read through the rest of the new posts..._____________________________________
Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 1:32 am (#1970 of 2956)
Ydnam, I'm so sorry! I do hope that a refreshing night will make you feel better on tomorrow morning. I also send my cheering charms to everyone who needs them: Julia, Madam Pince, I do hope you will feel better soon; Marie, I hope your daughter will feel better soon!
Gina, Faberge is so cute! I hope she will be better soon too.
When I read about your skunks stories, I am SO happy not to have them in the neighbourhood here! "Odorous" animals are pretty rare here, the billy goat is probably the worst we have in countrysides. There are some polecats too, but they are so rare that the probability to meet one is very low. Phew!
About those pants, I know that some high schools here have forbidden them because they noticed that the boys's visual field had the curious tendency to narrow and avoid the blackboard for more interesting sights...
It's been a hard week till now because we had school 3 days in a row (here elementary schools work on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday only but kids stay at school longer, till 4.30) because of the winter holidays that start TODAY!!!! We celebrated Mardi Gras at school and some kids came dressed up on Tuesday, there were 2 clowns, 2 witches, several princesses, one musketeer, a ladybug, a "little red hooded" and some "armed" ones from all history periods that we desarmed at once... It was funny but also difficult to make them work dressed like that!
I made them make some masks they will use during the holidays. I had found owl masks patterns and it was very cute to open the door of the "birdcage" yesterday at 4.30 p.m. and see them fly back to their parents (good luck to them for the holidays!). We will be on holidays till the end of next week and I badly need them! for now, the weather is better than it was, still very cold in the morning when everything is white with frost but afternoons are far milder, it should be about 10°C (50°F) this afternoon. I'm planning to have a nice walk in the sun, if my ankle agrees because I had those injections in it yesterday again and for now it really hurts.
Good Evans, I'm so happy you will be at Accio too! And I will think to your sons while watching the match on Sunday! It should be great.
Lizzy, I love to see your rugby team playing, they are fantastic and the last World cup there was perfect!
Bonjour to my fellow European members, good night America, good afternoon Australia! I wish I forget no one.
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VeronikaG - Feb 10, 2005 1:39 am (#1971 of 2956)
I can't find the post about the baggy pants. Who's was it?
Low ride jeans with hiked up thongs are high fashion in Norway too, and I guess it's quite a worldwide trend. After all they sell some models complete with decorated thongs designed to be shown off. It doesn't upset me if it's simply the underwear that is hiked up too high, it's worse when the pant's waist line is too low (like the guy who was sitting in front of me at finals in December, the one with the zit).
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The giant squid - Feb 10, 2005 3:22 am (#1972 of 2956)
I am heading out to Vegas tomorrow night--kabloink!
Cool! If you're at all interested in meeting up with a giant squid, e-mail me (it's in my profile) & let me know when & where. 'Bout time someone from the Forum came to my neck of the woods.
Julia, do your crutches have those little rubber "feet" on the bottom? If so, just get a few thumbtacks, take off the feet, push the tacks through from the inside and put them back on the crutches. Voila! Snow crutches! Hey, it's the same process behind snow tires, and after you've avoided a slip or two you won't mind the "click click click" of tacks on the floor.
Marie, make sure you give Shayla a hug from me. Getting a 7-year-old to accept having to take a pill every day deserves a big hug.
--Mike
septentrion - Feb 10, 2005 3:44 am (#1973 of 2956)
Every one have a great day ! (or night)
I've spent my entire afternoon yesterday trying to find how to "flash" the firmware of my DVD-writer on my new computer to dezone it (not a good way to begin Lent BTW) and no recipe I found on the web worked for me. It was frustrating : how am I supposed to watch my DVD zone 1 if my computer is blocked on zone 2 ? How is it computers give us woes so easily ?
Everything else is fine for me thank goodness.
Julia, how long will you have to go with your crutches ? I agree the weather's cruel to be snowy when you'd need a dry floor.
So Elanor, you're at least on holiday. I like when it's holiday time, even if I work, because there're lesser cars on the road, much room on car parks...
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 5:40 am (#1974 of 2956)
I'm so happy! Duke beat Carolina 71-70!!!! That was a great game! -Accio HBP
Mr. Catherine felt a bit blue after that! I'm sure Loopy Lupin and Madam Pince won't crow too loudly about Carolina's defeat last night. Perhaps I'll send sympathies to Mr. Eponine and Eponine in-laws.
Mmmm....Old Bay Seasoning....that could even make fish cakes sound good! Hope everyone at Kim's house was sated when they left the dinner table.
About the low-riding pants law, the picture that I saw on CNN.com showed a male torso with pants so low that about eight inches of boxer shorts were showing. In the report about the bill, everyone seemed to assume that this bill affects males. No one mentioned the issue of young ladies displaying their undergarments publicly!
Madam Pince, you are correct that JKR does have underwear displays, but the ones in the books so far have been involuntary! Choices, that's what it's about!
More from the pet-obsessed front **waves to Gina and Faberge**. It appears that my parents will become pet owners again after a hiatus of nearly eight years. Our old dog, who looked amazingly like Dizzy Lizzy's dog in her avatar, died at age 17 1/2 and her loss was just devastating to all of us. I thought they were content to have "granddogs," but now they want to be dog parents again! I am scheduled to meet the new dog sometime this weekend or early next week.
I couldn't resist emailing my brother (who pretends to pout that my kids and my dogs are "higher" in my parents' esteem than he is) the news of the new arrival. Bwahahahaha!
Enjoy your Thursday!
EDIT: Edited for glaring typos. If I left any, apologies. I'm not feeling myself today!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 10, 2005 5:47 am (#1975 of 2956)
Ydnam96, whatever happened, I'm sorry. Your chat companions support you and send you hugs.**sending Ydnam96 butterbeer and chocolate frogs**
About the low-riding pants law, the picture that I saw on CNN.com showed a male torso with pants so low that about eight inches of boxer shorts were showing. In the report about the bill, everyone seemed to assume that this bill affects males. No one mentioned the issue of young ladies displaying their undergarments publicly!--Catherine
If this is true, I'm quite interested in the originators and goals of the bill. While I don't find low-slung pants with baggy boxers particularly appealing, that is much better than VeronikaG's experience (I'm still cringing jut from reading that, Veronika)!
Mr. Catherine felt a bit blue after that! I'm sure Loopy Lupin and Madam Pince won't crow too loudly about Carolina's defeat last night. Perhaps I'll send sympathies to Mr. Eponine and Eponine in-laws. --Catherine
I hope I didn't sound like I was crowing...I was seriously trying to refrain from crowing on this forum because I don't want to offend any of my new fans. I can't send my condolences because I may be perceived as "rubbing it in". Can I buy everyone a round of butterbeer??? For Mr. Catherine, Loopy Lupin, and Madam Prince: there's always the Dean Dome! I'm so glad that Carolina is a good team this year. It makes the rivalry much more fun when both teams are nationally ranked in the top 10.
EDIT: Did you hear that Prince Charles is marrying Camilla Parker Bowles?
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Julie Aronson - Feb 10, 2005 6:11 am (#1976 of 2956)
Mandy:
Cheer up and hang in there!
Audrey:
I hope your ankle injections work. Constant pain is a real bummer. I guess it's good that you have a few days to take it easy...
Julie
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 6:13 am (#1977 of 2956)
Accio HBP, I didn't think you were crowing at all! **waits to see what Loopy Lupin will say ** All's fair in love, war, and ACC basketball. I'm sure that the next time my dad sees Mr. Catherine, he will really pour salt in the wounds, if he hasn't emailed him something already!
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Pinky - Feb 10, 2005 6:28 am (#1978 of 2956)
I am surprised, but nobody noticed my copy of GoF on the windowsill behind Faberge. ~Gina
Gina, I think we would have commented had it not been there!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 10, 2005 7:23 am (#1979 of 2956)
Hi All, sorry to post again so soon, but I think some of you may be interested in this CFP (Call for papers) that I received for a Harry Potter Conference in Salem, Massachusetts. I imagine scholars will have priority, but non-academics seem to be welcome to apply. It sounds really interesting! If you're interested, read below. If not, forgive the long post.
CALL FOR PAPERS: THE WITCHING HOUR Salem, MA October 6-10, 2005 Deadline: May 15, 2005 A Harry Potter Symposium presented by HP Education Fanon, Inc.
UPDATE: Keynote Speakers: Henry Jenkins, John Cech Special Guests: Marleen Barr, Vicky Dann, Eliza T. Dresang, Tamora Pierce, Nancy Farmer, Charles de Lint, Ellen Datlow, Holly Black, Charles N. Brown
The Witching Hour is an interdisciplinary symposium designed to allow scholars and adult enthusiasts of the Harry Potter series to gather and share research. The conference programming will engage attendees in a broad exploration and understanding of the Harry Potter texts and phenomenon, as well as foster dialogue between academics and fans. The theme of the symposium - as befits the season, locale and current tone of the series - is choice, moral ambiguity and the darkness within everyone. While we shall warmly receive submissions dealing with our theme, we wish to stress that we welcome proposals on any and all topics - whether academic, creative or fan - relating to Harry Potter, including examinations of writing, art and young adult fantasy literature. Suggested topic tracks include, but are in no way limited to:
Literary: critical issues concerning the novels themselves, as well as the wider arena of children's and young adult literature, including structural analysis, genre considerations, and the response of the academic establishment and publishing industry
Social Sciences: critical responses to the texts through the lenses of anthropology, sociology, psychology, folklore, and so forth
Education: The use and abuse of the novels in the classroom and libraries, censorship controversies and teachers' and librarians' guides
Creative: Examinations of the writing or artistic creative process
Legal: Analyses of legal issues raised by the text of the novels, including wizarding law as set forth therein, and legal controversies relating to the phenomenon or the fan community
Fandom Studies: Studies of the fan response to the novels, including discussions of specific fan activities (e.g., vidding, artwork and fanfiction), and critical examinations of fanfictional tropes
Guides: Examinations of subjects such as the history of the wizarding world, a beginner's guide to the online fandom, and an overview of the numerous Harry Potter "companion" encyclopedias
Film: Critical responses to the Harry Potter films
Music: Studies of the use of music in the Harry Potter books, films and fan culture, such as analyses of the John Williams score or an examination of fans' musical activities
In addition to formal papers, The Witching Hour is seeking a variety of presentation models, including pre-organized critical panels, round table-style discussions, and craft-based workshops. We intend that the round tables and workshops, in particular, focus on audience participation and interaction. Finally, our website contains a list of panels for which we are seeking participants. Please visit our website, http://www.witchinghour.org, for more information on these elements and the conference itself, as well as an overview of our review process for submissions and biographies of our review board members.
All submissions must be made electronically via http://www.witchinghour.org by May 15, 2005. Applicants should be prepared to provide a 400-500 word abstract, a 50-100 word summary for program schedules, and a brief 50-100 word personal biographical note. Presenters must be registered for the conference by August 1, 2005. Please direct all queries regarding academic programming to Catherine Tosenberger at programming@witchinghour.org. To subscribe to our conference newsletter, please e-mail updates@witchinghour.org.
HP Education Fanon, Inc. (HPEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2002 to promote and produce educational, Harry Potter-themed symposia on an international scale. HPEF produced its first event, Nimbus - 2003, in July 2003. More information can be found at http://www.witchinghour.org/who/hpef.html.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 10, 2005 7:52 am (#1980 of 2956)
Hey, Accio HBP. I am thinking of going if I can get away that weekend. Isn't Lexicon Steve speaking there as well? Or just at Accio?
*waves at Catherine* I am not surprised they want another dog. When you're used to the sound of little four-legged pats on the floor it's hard to have an empty house.
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From Venus - Feb 10, 2005 8:19 am (#1981 of 2956)
Hello everyone. It's snowing and blowing over here today, but I'm still in a crummy mood. (Snow usually cheers me up.) Can't really put my finger on it, I think it's a number of things all piling up; a few bad days in a row with nothing cheerful in between. (*Commiserates with Ydnam96*) Oh well, nothing a little Lenten soul-searching shouldn't be able to sort out.
Catherine, I love your little pooch avatar. What a cutie! I miss dogs so much. I love them, and they love me, but my husband won't allow me to have one. I ache when I see one, I want one so much. I have 3 cats and I do love them all, but they are NOT dogs.....
Speaking of ADHD; my grandson has been diagnosed with it, and Adderall XR has been prescribed. I brought the prescription to the drug store yesterday. Now, this morning I've heard on the news that Canada has taken the drug off the market and warned people to return what they have to their drug stores for proper disposal. They said that it is causing stroke and sudden death. Has anyone else heard this? The US hasn't followed suit, but that's understandable, since Americans don't like to cut their profits over a little something like stroke and sudden death. Enough said, I might get deleted. Anyways, now I'm unsure whether I should give it to him or not. I guess I'll call the doctor and ask her. *Sigh*
Julia, it sounds like someone doesn't like the way you've been treating his chickens...
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Phoenix song - Feb 10, 2005 9:17 am (#1982 of 2956)
From Venus and Ydnam 96: I'm sending my strongest cheering charms your way and throwing in a few Patronuses to protect you both from whatever gloom is attempting to settle upon you. Perhaps Madam Pince will allow Baby Pince to perform a few of his extra special "Bespecto Patronums" for you both? Who wouldn't be charmed and uplifted with those?
From Venus, how mean of your husband to "not allow" you to have a dog! I'm sure that a cute little puppy would help to lift your spirits. On a different topic, call the pediatrician if you have any questions about your grandson's medication. (It's better safe than sorry.)
Congratulations Catherine on your new "sibling puppy". I'm sure that your folks will be happy. How did he do in the surgery for his eye? (Love your avatar, by the way. Is she one of your puppies?)
Have a great day everybody!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Feb 10, 2005 10:04 am (#1983 of 2956)
Hey all!
I'm definitely going to the Witching Hour in Salem this October. I'm really very excited. I'm already planning my wardrobe, since I've got lots of sewing to do.
Well, y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 10:08 am (#1984 of 2956)
Love your avatar, by the way. Is she one of your puppies?—Barbie
Thank you! No, that dog isn't mine. That is what Daisy looked like before her infamous scalping grooming in July. Speaking of grooming, my two pups are at the groomer today. Don't worry, though, this not the same moronic misguided fiend individual who was the cause of the sad state of affairs last summer. I'm crossing my fingers that I will at least recognize both dogs when I pick them up. I even took pictures of appropriate doggy hair-"dos" and hair-"don'ts" this time. Let's hope for the best.
Gina, you are right about missing the sounds of paws. I came back from running errands, and was struck the by absence of my dogs. No one came running to greet me. It feels like I am not really at home. Even when they are just sleeping, their presence is very comforting.
I got an email this morning saying that the new pup is undergoing her eye surgery this morning, several days early. I don't know when my parents will be able to get her from the "foster mom," but I think it's an exciting new chapter in our lives.
EDIT: Michelle, are you sewing costumes for Witching Hour? The only reason I bring it up is that I thought most of the events were designated "costume-free." I might be mis-remembering, but I didn't want you to go to all the trouble for nothing! Perhaps I should look again.
EDIT #2: Cool. I got post #1984. How Orwellian!
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Julia. - Feb 10, 2005 12:04 pm (#1985 of 2956)
YAY! I get post 1985!!! I've always wanted 1985, being that in September of that year, I was born!!! *dances*
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 10, 2005 12:33 pm (#1986 of 2956)
Post 1986! w00t! That was a year after Julia was born and it was during that year that I was, for the last time, a minor. Stupid adulthood.
"Campus"? - Loopy Lupin Yes, dear, it is an area of land that contains the main buildings and grounds of a university or college. (As if he didn't know! Hmph!) – Chemyst
Oh, I knew. I'm sorry, I thought you went to UVa and just funning you a bit. Stupid memory.
Lupin is Lupin-- One year I gave up religion for Lent. Oddly enough, I haven't had to worry about the Lenten season since. I was in DC for most of the day yesterday and I had been wondering why so many people had been bonked on the forehead hard enough to leave bruises, but then it dawned on me. Stupid cluelessness.
Catherine-- Ah. Any day in which Carolina looses is a great day. You would think the purported #2 team in the country would have, at least, gotten a shot off in the final seconds when it counted. Stupid dribbling.
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VeronikaG - Feb 10, 2005 1:10 pm (#1987 of 2956)
Loopy, you are dating yourself. LOL
1987, the year I started school.
Don't worry Accio HBP, I got an A on that final, even with that staring me in the face. One of my rare and much appreciated A's. I actually had the flu all the time during finals. Maybe laughing of him in my mind during the hour or so he sat there (left early) cured it a bit, as laughter is the best medicine.
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 1:33 pm (#1988 of 2956)
Let's see, 1988... I turned 16 in 1988 and I went in England for the first time that summer. I had a penpal there, who was a little older than I was. She lived in the Wiltshire, near Bath, had an hundred-years-old tortoise and a lovely grand-mother who was nearly that old and knew Esperanto. I learnt a lot then, and not only the language! She loved parties and showed me what real ones were (and how cute English boys could be. I can tell you, the "eemproove my English" method works!); we were listening U2 and Depeche Mode... What a great summer it was! (and what terrible headaches too... She loved vodka...).
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Catherine - Feb 10, 2005 1:53 pm (#1989 of 2956)
Lovely avatar, Elanor. What an interesting summer! No wonder it was so memorable, the "headaches" notwithstanding!
Loopy, you are dating yourself.—VeronikaG
I've been telling him for ages that he needs to embiggen his social circle!
Valentine's Day has come early to our household. I picked up the pups from the groomer, and they are decked out with red and pink ribbons and heart-printed bandanas. I am relieved to report that they still have their fur and look like little clouds of fluff. They look so cute! **waves to Kim**
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The giant squid - Feb 10, 2005 2:25 pm (#1990 of 2956)
1990...the year I graduated from high school & entered the real world. I still haven't recovered.
Catherine, it's good to hear your "children" survived the trip to the groomers. If Daisy's fur had been butchered again I don't know if we'd be able to talk you down like we did last time.
Elanor, I have to say your summer of '88 was a heck of a lot more interesting than mine. Sounds like you had a blast.
I noticed Julia's last post was rather short. She must be having trouble balancing on her crutches long enough to type.
--Mike
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John Bumbledore - Feb 10, 2005 2:35 pm (#1991 of 2956)
Can you believe it?
Mike, The Giant Squid (isn't he living in a desert?) giving advice on how to modify crutches for snow/ice is... ironic. No?
But, I agree. Studded crutches would improve your grip in snow and ice, but watch out for scratching hardwood and vinyl floors. Funny, I grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania, (is Squid-Mike from a Dakota state?) and I didn't think of that solution nor had I ever heard of it before. Mike, take a bow! Julia, get a two footed friend to test it first! But it sounds like an excellent idea to me.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore.
Edit: P. S. Hmm, in 1991 I was married just one year and moved to South Carolina (now in NC and completing 15th of marriage and looking forward at least twice as many more!) How long can we all keep this post# year going? Elanor?
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 2:41 pm (#1992 of 2956)
LOL Mike! Yes, it was great! (though no one will never be able to make me eat "fish and chips" when it is 30°C (85°F) in the shade again...)
Mike, I graduated from high school in 1990 too, would you be another 1972 child? I always loved the idea to have been born during the "peace and love" period. The pictures of that time are a nightmare but so cool at the same time.
Catherine, I'm happy about your lovely babies! Thanks about my avatar, it is a kind present from Solitaire, she does wonderful avatars!
Edit: 1992? let's see... I was 20, I was studying history at the university and first worked as a guide in the monuments of my town during the holidays. I was fun too, you can't imagine the weird people you I met there! I remember a guy with a pendulum who wouldn't get out the cloister because he was searching the Templar's treasure there...
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Denise P. - Feb 10, 2005 2:52 pm (#1993 of 2956)
Lets see....in 1988, I had been out of the Army for 2 years, been married for 4 years and about to start college. I graduated from college in 1991, had 2 children and been married for 7 years.
Since I am post #1993, my sister moved in with us, expecting her first child. I discovered that I was expecting first born baby (previous two were adopted) and we visited my parents for the first time in several years out in CA. My neice just turned 12 and our first born baby, home sick today, will be turning 12 in April.
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Ladybug220 - Feb 10, 2005 3:01 pm (#1994 of 2956)
Well, Denise got 1993 which was when I had graduated from high school and had 2 of my 3 knee surgeries. 1994 marked the end of my freshman year of college and the only summer I went home in college. Since then I haven't been at my parent's house longer than 2 weeks for a visit.
Elanor - I think you started a trend!
Good news! I am now fully in my apartment and my new DSL service has been turned on. I knew that after living with friends that had cable internet service that I would never be able to go back to dial-up. Also, the cats are much happier now that there isn't an 80-odd pound golden retriever puppy trying to chase them around the house. Now, I just have to get the mountains of boxes unpacked.
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Elanor - Feb 10, 2005 4:00 pm (#1995 of 2956)
LOL! But I should have reread what I wrote when I edited my previous post because now it is too late for editing it again though I should have written: "It was fun too, you can't imagine the weird people I met there! I remember a guy with a pendulum who wouldn't get out of the cloister because he was searching the Templar's treasure there...". Sorry! It must be a sign I should go to bed instead of reading the forum (it is nearly midnight here)!
Except that now, I have to find something for 1995... I was still buried in history studies, the nose on 17th century's parchments in several Regional Archives or in the Hospital Museum of my town, not very exciting... Wait! It was also the year I visited Egypt, that was great! Two weeks on a cruise on the Nile, from Cairo to Assouan, another fantastic souvenir!
Ladybug, I'm very happy about you apartment! I do agree, it is difficult to use something else when you have tried DSL!
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Phoenix song - Feb 10, 2005 5:04 pm (#1996 of 2956)
Let's see...If I'm post # 1996, then the only memorable thing that I can remember about that year was that I was declared "unable to conceive" without surgery by my ob/gyn and found out a month later that I was expecting. (The doctors aren't always right, are they?) Child #1 was born at a whopping 10 pounds on Feb 16 of '97.
I can't believe that my "baby" will be 8 years old next week!!
Barbie
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Accio Sirius - Feb 10, 2005 5:50 pm (#1997 of 2956)
Well I just had to post in 1997, the year my daughter was born! It was a good year!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 10, 2005 6:18 pm (#1998 of 2956)
Thanks Elanor. I have to say it is very nice being in my own place and having all of my stuff around me.
1998 - the year I graduated from college after spending an extra year getting a second major.
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Pinky - Feb 10, 2005 6:27 pm (#1999 of 2956)
I had been out of the Army for 2 years, Wait a second... Denise? You were in the Army? I know your husband is, but you too? *view of Denise shifts abruptly*
Hmmmm.... 1999 - I began dating the man I would marry the following year. Literally one of the worst and best years of my life: worst because we had a hard time getting together at first, and best because we finally did!
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Eponine - Feb 10, 2005 6:32 pm (#2000 of 2956)
Post 2000! W00t!
Hmm...what happened in 2000? I was in college, and I wasn't dating anyone seriously. Computers stayed okay, so no one was living in the dark ages again.
School is still going okay, but I am sick today so that made things quite a bit harder. Although, kids can surprise you sometimes. They knew I was sick, and they were better today. Maybe I should be sick every day.
I hope everything is going well for everyone.
Last edited by Lady Arabella on Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:50 pm
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Denise P. - Feb 10, 2005 6:38 pm (#2001 of 2956)
Woo! 2001! The year the Lexicon Forum was started!
Yes, I was in the US Army from 1983-1986, where I met my husband. I did boring admin type paperwork for a transportation unit.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 10, 2005 7:42 pm (#2002 of 2956)
Post 2002! HEY!!! That's the year I joined the forum and married Snape.
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Julia. - Feb 10, 2005 8:59 pm (#2003 of 2956)
2003, I graduated high school, started college, joined the forum, and met my first real boyfriend.
My last post was so short because I was so excited to get 1985 that I didn't think of much else to say.
Mike, that's good idea, except I'm far too lazy to do it. I like John's idea of having a 2 footed friend test it out.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 10, 2005 9:22 pm (#2004 of 2956)
2004: I read the Harry Potter books, joined the forum, passed my oral examination, became ABD, and started writing my dissertation. A big year!!! Helen
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Denise P. - Feb 10, 2005 9:53 pm (#2005 of 2956)
What? No one has said it yet? 2005.....Half Blood Prince comes out!!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 10, 2005 11:07 pm (#2006 of 2956)
Unfortunately I'm not a seer, so I have no idea what is going to happen to me in 2006.
But I finally got my other hearing aid repaired and I picked it up today. The audiologist then did another hearing test only to find out I have lost hearing. As my hearing aids are digital ones, he re-programmed them to boost the volume and the bass and cut out some of the distressing high pitched noises. Just as an aside I travelled 300km to the audiologist and 300km back today and I'm exhausted.
I'm going to jump around in years here, but 1987 was a good year for me. It was the year I finally had my back operated on and straightened. It did wonders for my self esteem.
And in 1989, in my first year of University, I got a new set of hearing aids. The amazing thing about these ones is the technology back then was new; and for the first time I could hear the knives and forks scraping across plates as people ate dinner. I was living in college at the time and it was an excruciating couple of weeks hearing all this high pitched scrapes until I adjusted.
Hope everyone is having a good day. Cheering charms to all those who need it and Get Well charms for those who aren't feeling the best.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 11, 2005 12:29 am (#2007 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Lizzy, what a trip you made today, no wonder you're exhausted! I send you Strengthening Charms and I hope everything will go well with your hearing aids this time.
It was a funny game with the posts numbers! I wish I knew what 2007 will bring me. Who knows, maybe I will have met Mr Right then and I would be expecting flowers for Valentine's day for a change?
Have a great Friday everyone!
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septentrion - Feb 11, 2005 2:09 am (#2008 of 2956)
Lizzy, I hope the 600 km journey will be worth it !
As we're talking about biography :
1988 : I graduated from high school and began university
1990 : I met my husband
1993 : I got married
1995 : I began working
2000 : I got the 1st car of my life
2002 : I discovered the Potterverse
Since then, I subscribed on the forum, began to look for any news about the books etc
I don't work this afternoon, so week-end will begin early...so to speak because I think I'll take advantage of it to do my ironing.
Everyone have a great Friday !
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The giant squid - Feb 11, 2005 6:04 am (#2009 of 2956)
600km? Suddenly my 35 mile round-trip for work doesn't seem so bad.
Mike, The Giant Squid (isn't he living in a desert?) giving advice on how to modify crutches for snow/ice is... ironic. No?—Bumbledore
Ah, but I grew up in the snowy wastes some refer to as North Dakota (and others call "South Canada"). I've navigated my share of icy sidewalks. My share, and your share and Lizzy's share...
Elanor, I was indeed born in '72--33 years, 10 days and an odd number of hours ago. Now I just need to find a 111 year old hobbit to give me a magic ring.
--Mike
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Marie E. - Feb 11, 2005 6:33 am (#2010 of 2956)
Ah, but you really don't want that magic ring, do you Mike?
I'll bore you all quickly since I missed the fun yesterday. 1988-graduated high school and entered college 1991-got married, moved to Georgia 1995-graduated college, moved to Colorado 1997-first daughter 1999-second daughter
That's boring enough, eh?
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 11, 2005 6:57 am (#2011 of 2956)
Loopy, you are dating yourself.—VeronikaG
Yes. As you can see, my social standards are not particularly high. At least I'm a cheap date.
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 7:44 am (#2012 of 2956)
As you can see, my social standards are not particularly high.--Loopy Lupin
HEY! What are we, the next door neighbors?
Gosh, you'd think we were some kind of uber-goobers or something!
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Denise P. - Feb 11, 2005 7:58 am (#2013 of 2956)
Yesterday, my almost 12 year old came home sick. He slept the day away. Since he had a fever yesterday and school policy is you can't send them within 24 hours of a fever, he is home today as well. Everyone else has been gone for less than an hour and he just said to me, "What do you do all day? It is boring!" I want to be bored today! I guess if he is feeling bored, he can help me sort the laundry, he can sweep while I do the dishes and then he can keep the two wee ones out of the way while I mop. Then we can have the fun, exciting task of getting dinner out and ready to cook. After fixing lunch, half of which will end up being thrown on the floor, we can remop the floor. Hey, since he is here, I can show him how to clean the bathroom upstairs. I think maybe I should keep kids home more often...
“Heh, what do I do all day....”
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Elanor - Feb 11, 2005 8:08 am (#2014 of 2956)
Mike "Elanor, I was indeed born in '72--33 years, 10 days and an odd number of hours ago. Now I just need to find a 111 year old hobbit to give me a magic ring.
I know what you mean, though I still have some months'grace before the fateful day next September... Come to think of it, I would rather use the Philosopher's Stone, I am not really fond of the Ring's sides effects personally... As for 1972, it was a great vintage year for Champagnes here, I always thought it was a good omen! (and according to the Lexicon, it is also Charlie Weasley's year of birth, cool too!)
Septentrion, I went to the station this morning searching for informations about the trains going to England (for Accio) and it is very interesting. There is a bus which leaves at 7 a.m. less than 5 km from my town and takes you to Le Creusot, the TGV (high-speed train) station not very far from here. I used to take the Paris TGV there and thought I should do the same but there is a better solution. From there, leaves another TGV, the one that goes to Lille and, in Lille, I can take the Eurostar to London. If I leave from here at 7 a.m., I can be in London before noon (thanks to the one hour of time difference). If, fortunately, you're able to come to Accio then, we could meet in Lille and travel together, what do you think?
Have a great Friday everyone, here a cold and dull rain is falling since this morning, so if you are lucky enough to have a beautiful and sunny day, enjoy it for the ones who are freezing!
And Marie, it is not boring at all! I just loved Colorado when I visited it, especially Durango.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 11, 2005 8:23 am (#2015 of 2956)
Oh, Denise. Something tells me he will live to regret those words, in a manner of speaking!
I am exhausted just reading your list. I don't think I could ever live your life without needing a potion stronger than coffee to make it through the day...
I really am a career girl/scholar. Oh well. At least there are house elves to clean the Hogwarts dungeons.
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 8:34 am (#2016 of 2956)
Heh, what do I do all day.... –Denise
I had someone ask me that once, and I didn't bat an eyelash. I said, "Why, I lay on the couch all day, eating bon-bons and sipping tequila." Come to think on it, he may not have known that I was being ironic....
Something tells me that your son will not be "bored" for long....
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septentrion - Feb 11, 2005 8:48 am (#2017 of 2956)
Hi Elanor ! That's a great idea you have ! Let's keep fingers crossed.
I think I couldn't do all you do Denise. When I have choice between moping or lurking on the forum, the forum wins in 99% of the cases.
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From Venus - Feb 11, 2005 8:49 am (#2018 of 2956)
2018...let's see, I'll be in my 60's, my youngest granddaughter (will she be my youngest then?) will be close to graduating from high school, my mother-in-law will be in her 90's and probably VERY ornery, and...WE WILL ALL KNOW HOW THE HARRY POTTER SERIES ENDS!!! How's that for a year!
BTW...I'm in a much better mood today. The sun is shining again. I do believe I'm one of those people who need a certain amount of sunshine in the winter, or I go kinda loopy. It's strange, since I always hide from the sun in the summertime.
Have a great Friday everyone!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 11, 2005 8:53 am (#2019 of 2956)
Mmm. I think a certain 12 year-old is learning why curiosity is deadly to felines.
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Phoenix song - Feb 11, 2005 9:14 am (#2020 of 2956)
Denise, your days sound remarkably similar to my own, except that I have to add in "school lessons" since I teach my 3 at home. I cringe inside each time some insane person looks at me with that horrified "You're-a-housewife?" look and asks the inevitable questions... "What do you DO all day?" followed quickly with an "Aren't you BORED?" Yeah, as if!!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Feb 11, 2005 9:41 am (#2021 of 2956)
Hey all!
Catherine, not to worry, I'm not making costumes for the Witching Hour. I read the fine print! ;-) There's a formal dance one evening and since I've not attended a proper formal since college, I need a dress. I'm thinking a midnight blue velvet/satin strapless number with a full skirt and a bolero jacket. I'm trying to decide if the jacket should be velvet or satin and if velvet, whether or not should I bead it.
Then there are the shirts. As a run of the mill government employee in an arts organization/wife/mom my daily wardrobe is not terribly interesting. Long skirts and plain tops for work and sweats/skirts and t-shirts at home. Not exactly what I want to wear at an academic conference. So I've got two linen shirts I want to make. One royal blue with silver embroidery around the neck reminiscent of the branches on the Tree of Gondor as seen on the livery worn by Gondorian soldiers in Return of the King. The other in white linen with a Celtic knot work pattern embroidered in blackwork at the collar and cuffs.
There is also the Mrs. Weasley sweater (from the breakfast scene in the film version of CoS)I'm crocheting. That's the closest thing to "costuming" as I'm getting.
With all this work to do, I've got to get started if I'm going to be anywhere near finished by Oct. (Not too mention all the sewing I need to do for my daughter for our other hobby...)
Hmmm....let's see in 2021, I'll (hopefully) be 52 and my daughter will be 22 and maybe graduating from college!
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
P.S. If anyone has some Pepper-up Potion I could sure use some. The cold germs have descended leaving me pretty muddle headed. :-P
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 10:12 am (#2022 of 2956)
Michelle, I am in awe of your ability to create the clothes you wish to wear. I can sew on buttons, though!
Sewing is something that I never learned to do, and it seems like it would be handy to know. There's a mom at Hayley's school who makes window treatments that look like something you'd see in a high-end design magazine.
Sigh. Did I mention that I can sew on a button? **passes Michelle the Pepper-Up Potion**
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From Venus - Feb 11, 2005 10:43 am (#2023 of 2956)
Catherine, sewing buttons on is great. A very good beginning. I know how to sew, but haven't done it in years. I just can't seem to find the time. I'm even behind on my buttons...
Librarian314, if your daughter is anything like my son, don't count on her graduating college in 2021. My youngest son is in his 5th year of college and figure he'll still be at it for the next few decades.
On housewifeing...no one knows what we do all day, but, BOY, do they notice when we DON'T do it!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 11, 2005 11:08 am (#2024 of 2956)
Well, I can't sew on buttons so Catherine you are waaayyy ahead of me. My mom has tried to teach me on several occasions but it seems to leak out of my head as soon as it goes in. She tried to show me how to do simple seams as well but it stuck less than the button lesson.
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Chemyst - Feb 11, 2005 12:02 pm (#2025 of 2956)
'Just checking in after morning grooming, walking dog, feeding dog, unloading dishwasher, making breakfast, clearing kitchen counters, emptying trash & replacing bag, checking email, 1st forum check of day, 45 minutes of C.S. Lewis, pre-treating laundry, preparing writing class, chocolate snack, mopping kitchen & bath - includes shaking out throw rugs, fixing lunch, reminding son to take dog out again, beginning dishwasher reload, fixing hinge on bathroom door (required removal of door & power tools were involved), 2nd forum check of the day, and now I'm headed off to do algebra. So, Denise, if your son gets too bored there, you can always send him over here, we'll be dong valentines and Aztec history and cleaning the sun porch before starting dinner. All button sewing was completed last week.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 11, 2005 12:02 pm (#2026 of 2956)
I know how to sew and mend...I just never get round to doing it!
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librarian314 - Feb 11, 2005 12:03 pm (#2027 of 2956)
Hey all!
Yeah, I know I'm being hopeful when I think my daughter will finish school in 2021 but her dad and I each finished in 4 years, so I hope she will too.
My mom and both grandmothers taught me to sew, embroider, knit, and crochet when I was little. Sewing (and fiber arts in general) is just one of those things that I do. By the time I'd finished high school I'd already made three formal dresses, not to mention countless other garments.
In college I studied theatrical costuming and loved it but realized that I didn't have the temperment to be a costume designer. (I put too much effort into my outfits and get pretty annoyed when others treat them badly. I told my sister I'd re-posses her wedding gown if I saw her mistreating it! ;-) )
Mending...that's one of the things I hate. I'm pretty awful about sewing on missing buttons or fixing hems. That's too much like work. ;-)
One of things that I kind of miss about the HP series is that their outfits aren't very interesting/JKR doesn't go into a lot of detail about what they are wearing. Not a lot for a costume designer to focus on.
Thanks for the Pepper-up!
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Penny Lane. - Feb 11, 2005 1:38 pm (#2028 of 2956)
Speaking of sewing - I've been meaning to sew the buttons that fell off of my coat last week - unfortunatly, there is no where within walking distance that sells sewing needles and thread. Also, I've had laundry to do for 3 weeks now, and I'm just now running out of clothing completely. The only problem is that it's now midterm time, and I'm starting to spaz. My mother told me to just send everything out that needs cleaning and mending so I don't have to worry about it, but apparently this city doesn't have a pick up laundry service.
On the plus side, I did finish knitting my first hat. A bunch of girls (and a few guys!) started a knitting club/circle on Wednesday nights. I learned how to knit back in 2000, but I've never been motivated enough to finish more than a dishrag/half a scarf. Working with other people, I learned that I've been doing it wrong, and there is a much simpler way. Anyway, I finished a hat! I'm so excited that I managed to finish it just as spring was beginning.
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Winky Woo - Feb 11, 2005 3:16 pm (#2029 of 2956)
Talking of housework, there is a reason I chose the name Winky...At this moment in time I am letting all my house work slip and feel like I'm an awful self pitying house-elf who feels she should be punished. I have been working free-lance and part-time, so naturally all the house chores fall to me. Till recently I've been quite career focused, long hours and all house hold duties split fairly down the middle, or we got someone else to do it. Now suddenly I find that everything from shopping, cleaning, laundry, cooking paying bills, dog walking etc etc is up to me! Whereas previously if the house got a little messy or we ran out of something it was no big deal. Now I feel like a failure! It is by far the hardest thing I've done, being a home-maker. I have to be fair to Mr Winky, when we both worked full-time he would get up at 6am, put the coffee on, turn on the shower for me, then make me breakfast as I showered and even make me a packed lunch,even though he didn't need to get up till 7.30!
I do appreciate being able to take the dogs on long walks, and must confess to having spent more time than I should on this wonderful forum.
Sorry for off loading. I know that its a small thing but I think people like Denise are wonderful, I wish I had a third of her energy!~I just couldn't cope, I think I would go/have gone into complete melt down!
Thanks to everyone here for putting a smile on my face, it really lifts me up when I get down
Winky
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Pinky - Feb 11, 2005 3:27 pm (#2030 of 2956)
Penny, if you're desperate, try the checkout aisles in a grocery store, or even at a convenience store. They may have little sewing kits available. They usually come with a couple needles, safety pins, buttons. and a few lengths of several colors of thread.
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Acceber - Feb 11, 2005 4:11 pm (#2031 of 2956)
...it's about time Boston really gets their turn!-Sirius Lee, a while ago.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
I'm going to try and remember everything I wanted to comment on from the past 203 posts, but if I don't remember within 30 minutes, you have my sincrest apologies.
Spelling tests/words--Anyone who moaned about spelling tests, I feel your pain. When I was in elementary school, which wasn't too long ago, we had a pre-test on Monday with a set number of words. There were about 10 in the earlier grades, which gradually increased to 20 by fifth grade. Whatever words you didn't get right on the pre-test became your words to learn for that week, as well as pre-set words by the teacher. When I got 100% on the first few pre-tests in second grade, I wanted harder words than what the teacher was assigning us. So my parents complained and I got challenge words like soothsayer, cantankerous, and probability. In fourth and fifth grades, we got to choose our own words. Also, I take great pleasure in correcting teachers who can't add long strings of numbers or use apostrophes in the right places.
I'm Post #2031, and in 2031 I'll be 40. I hopefully will have graduated college and grad school and be happily married with kids.
Cats--I have two furballs, and right now they are happily enjoying dinner (does anyone find it weird that pets eat virtually the same food for every meal, yet humans need more variety?). One of my friends is mildly allergic, so we have to shut them in a room when she comes over.
One of the worst parts about having a birthday at the end of January is that your birthday inevitably falls on a playoff weekend of some sort. A few years ago, we had the game on during my party so my friends who were football fans wouldn't miss it.
Happy Belated Mardi Gras and a belated congratulations to the Pats for their third Super Bowl victory in four years.
rant beginning; skip if necessaryI DIDN'T GET ANY HARRY GIFTS FOR MY BIRTHDAY OR FOR CHANUKAH!!!!! Does no one know that I'm a Harry addict? Don't they realize that I don't have the PoA DVD yet *dodges tomatoes* and I want it? Can my mom remember that I explicitly asked for the 2005 Harry desk calendar? I'll just have to use my Barnes & Noble and Borders gift cards to buy the items mentioned above.rant over
Happy Friday to all. Only one more week until vacation. We're going skiing!
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Madam Pince - Feb 11, 2005 4:36 pm (#2032 of 2956)
I have found an excellent way to deal with mending. You just pile it all up in one place, waiting for an opportune time to deal with it. Eventually, this pile will get moved to someplace in your house where you can't find it, and voila! There is no mending to do.
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 4:43 pm (#2033 of 2956)
Also, I take great pleasure in correcting teachers who can't add long strings of numbers or use apostrophes in the right places. –Acceber
I'm certainly with you on the apostrophes, dear, although I'm sure I would need your help with the long strings of numbers!
I was amused by Acceber's observations that her cats eat the same food every night. My dogs seem to require variety, judging from their pleading looks and little whimpers that they try to issue when we eat dinner.
As for me, I tried to "keep track" of my housewifely activities today, so skip ahead, it is not that exciting: Wake up, dress, prepare lunch for child, forcibly awaken child from slumber, feed both children, take one child to school, come home, empty dishwasher, fill dishwasher, take other child to preschool, collect dirty laundry, do 3 loads, fold 2 loads, check Forum, respond to email, read paper, cup of tea, return phone calls, pick up child from preschool and prepare her lunch, clean up kitchen, brush dogs, take child to Valentine's Day party, pick up other child from school, pay 4 bills, organize tax info--BLECH, write 20 "thank-you" notes from the Humane Society and take to the Post Office to mail, update new Humane Society database--blech, I hate spreadsheets, check Forum, clean master bathroom, pick up child from party, cook dinner except for the fish (done by Mr. Catherine), clean up from dinner, feed dogs, take out trash, take dogs out for evening constitutional, check Forum. And here I am. This is my too-faithful account from 6:15 p.m. to present.
Looking over the previous paragraph, I wish I was studying Aztec history with Chemyst and her son! **waves to Chemyst** Perhaps you can study the origins of chocolate? I know the Aztecs drank a beverage made from cocoa beans.
But tomorrow is our day to tackle Valentines. We have 44 to do if you include both the children's classes. I also have to prepare for the adoption event at the Humane Society on Sunday, so if anyone has Good Luck spells, we can use it.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 11, 2005 5:04 pm (#2034 of 2956)
Yikes. Thanks for the reminder Catherine. Gotta work on the valentines this weekend as well. Plus pick up the girl scout cookies too. Hubbie is helping with transport of said cookies. You know he's just in it for the thin mints.
Denise, your tell of your 12-year-old reminds me of a story. A few years ago, my sister went to her daughter's back to school night only to see the wall covered with drawings the kids made about what their mothers do. In between the doctors, lawyers and homemakers was my niece's picture which had the caption: "My mom rests on the couch all day." Not true of course, but my sister still had to slink out of the room anyway!
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 5:14 pm (#2035 of 2956)
In between the doctors, lawyers and homemakers was my niece's picture which had the caption: "My mom rests on the couch all day." Not true of course, but my sister still had to slink out of the room anyway! --Accio Sirius
**still holding sides and laughing** Oh, no! Perhaps I should just tell my kids to represent me artistically as a potato on a couch.
Kids do write hilarious/embarrassing things about their parents, given the chance. Hayley, on Mother's Day last year, wrote on a sheet that my favorite restaurant is "McDonald's," my favorite color is "pink," and that my favorite activity is "to clean the house." All of these are SO false that my friends laughed when they saw them. My friend's son topped everything, though. He claimed that the best thing his mommy cooked was "Domino's Pizza." We ALL got a chuckle out of that one.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 11, 2005 7:04 pm (#2036 of 2956)
From the mouths of babes...
A pre-school teacher was going around the room asking her students if they knew what jobs their parents had. So she gets to little Johnny, "What does your daddy do, Johnny?"
Little Johnny stands up, thinks for a minute and says, "Nothing. My mommy does all the work. My daddy gets up every morning and leaves. When he comes home at night, everything's done!"
I love this "Reader's Digest" moment.
Ciao. Barb
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Ydnam96 - Feb 11, 2005 8:08 pm (#2037 of 2956)
Thanks for the good wishes the other day. It's just been one of those weeks. Today I dumped my ceaser salad on my lap and computer at work. Ick. Oh well. I laughed at it, you have to right?
It's raining like crazy here. I really don't like this much rain, the whole of Southern California is going to fall into the ocean.
At least it's the weekend.
2037 I'll be 59. Hopefully I'll be smarter, have my school loans paid off, be married, be ready to *almost* retire from a career I have truly enjoyed, and have visited England (and Peru, and Central Mexico, and Isreal) at least once.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 11, 2005 9:20 pm (#2038 of 2956)
Boy you folks are making me feel old! Julia, born 1985, I was a flight attendant in my own apartment in New Jersey. 1982- graduated college.
Denise, oh good for you! My school has a 24 hour policy too and it and it is tough having an otherwise healthy child at home when you have a full schedule because contrary to what our children and husbands believe, we are not sitting around eating bon bons and watching Ophra. I have, in fact, not watched a single talk show or soap opera since my children have gone of to school all day.
I pile clothes for mending but I still just can't get to that pile of chores. I have however, just finished polyurathaning 5 cabinettes in our kitchen, and am painting my bathroom. I also painted my son's room and built built-in shelving for his room.
Venus, I've heard more about the Adderal recall. Canadian officials have pulled the medication because they have become aware of 20 deaths of children and adults from strokes and heart problems. U.S. authorities are not pulling it because they have years of data that it's safe. The deaths were in people who had histories of heart problems or were exherting themselves physical.
The school nurse at my children's elementary school however has given parents a copy of this story and advised them to see their pediatrician as a child at the school did report heart problems. The child was taken of the medication and is fine.
EDIT: Did you hear that Prince Charles is marrying Camilla Parker Bowles? Accio HPB If I don't have something nice to say I don't say it:-)
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haymoni - Feb 11, 2005 10:18 pm (#2039 of 2956)
I think the line is...If you don't have something nice to say...come sit next to me!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 12, 2005 3:09 am (#2040 of 2956)
I'm on late tonight. It's Saturday here and a friend (Candice)and I went to visit my Dad and Stepmother. Believe it or not it's a 400km round trip. So in a little under 2 days I've travelled close to 1000km. And I am really exhausted now. Candice doesn't like driving other peoples cars, so I ended up doing the driving.
It was a lovely day and good to see my Dad. I try and make the round trip every two months as Dad is slowly bringing up the property up to scratch (bought 8 months ago) and barely has time to travel away as yet. So it's easier if I do the travelling and he pays me petrol money.
I do a bit of sewing. I've recently come to like long skirts and dresses and they are difficult to buy in shops when they are not in fashion! So I have bought some nice patterns and material and have sewed a couple of skirts and one dress.
Then my sewing machine died for want of a service, so I have the material and patterns and I have to wait another 6 weeks, because I missed the travelling sewing machine repairman by one day. Grrrr!!!
Yndam: I hope you are feeling better. and you have been able to clean your laptop up.
From Venus: I am fond of sunshine in winter to as it stops the glooms descending on me.
For everyone: Have a lovely weekend.
Lizzie
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Kip Carter - Feb 12, 2005 4:30 am (#2041 of 2956)
Lizzie, I do understand the long trips. My daughter, her husband plus daughter (my granddaughter) live some 720 miles (approximately 1160 kilometers) one-way takes us about 12 hours including the stops for gas and other necessities. When we get there, we're somewhat beat for the rest of that day. Then the trip home is always taken one day early so we can have a day to rest at home. But it is always worth it!
Now for your sewing machine problem, many problems with sewing machines can be fixed with a small brush to clean out the lint that accumulates around the various movement areas. Once cleaned, you should slightly oil the movement area where metal is touching metal. Run the machine for a while to allow the oil to penetrate. Always use sewing machine oil (a light clear oil).
The two other problems deal with the improper tensions: one on the bobbin thread (especially when you change thicknesses of thread) and the second with the feed tension (generally adjusted on the front of your machine). Both are real easy adjustments.
One last problem that many seamstresses have is regulating the stitch distances. Certain threads require a change in the stitch distance.
You should at least try to correct the problems before spending the funds to have someone else correct something simple. Even if you wait, ask the repair person to show you what he does to correct the problems so you can possibly avoid them in the future.
Have fun!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 6:57 am (#2042 of 2956)
Kip! Is there anything you don't know something about? You really are multi-talented.
Dizzy Lizzy, I dumped my salad on my work computer. Opppssss... a colleague and I were talking and I went to turn my salad container around (as the lid was getting in my way) and boom. Salad all over the keyboard and my pants. It was a Ceaser salad, so I smelled a bit for the rest of the day. I think I got all the dressing and cheese out of the keyboard :sheepishgrin:
Well it's super duper early in the AM here for me to be up on a Saturday. But for some reason I can't sleep. Off to watch The Two Towers, Extended Edition.
Happy Saturday.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 12, 2005 7:34 am (#2043 of 2956)
I know we have a bunch of dog lovers on the Forum, so I'll direct your attention to the "HP References in Pop Culture" thread, post 246:
or click here
Have a nice weekend.
Ciao. Barb
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Catherine - Feb 12, 2005 8:12 am (#2044 of 2956)
I know we have a bunch of dog lovers on the Forum—Barb
**looks around innocently**Hmm...whoever is Barb talking about? Interesting reading about the movie Fang's breed.
Kip, maybe I should be surprised that you know how to fix a sewing machine, but I'm not! Too bad I didn't go to you about my broken garage door.
Hello to everyone, and have a great Saturday. We're off to do Valentines.
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 8:40 am (#2045 of 2956)
Today is the great Girl Scout Cookie Booth sale in front of a local store. My van is packed with several hundred little multi colored boxes in the hope that we can unload sell these yummy treats to people and get them out of my garage. We have a two hour slot but I have to go a bit earlier to wrangle a trade for 6 boxes of a specific cookie we need to fill an additional order. Fun! Fun! Fun! Then, this evening, I get to switch uniforms, trading my Girl Scout one for the Cub Scout one and go to a District Banquet. I don't believe I am getting any award but it is still one of those events that it is good for Council and District to see you at.
Have a great day all!
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Marie E. - Feb 12, 2005 8:47 am (#2046 of 2956)
You have cookies already? Ours aren't being delivered until this Thursday. Our booth sale is on February 20th. Since this is our first booth sale and we have a small troop we're only doing one booth. There is a very good chance that my co-leader will be out of town that day for her anniversary (bah! Forsaking cookie sales to spend time with her husband.) so it may be just me and Shayla for most of that sale.
As far as sewing goes, I wish I'd been blessed with some of my mom's sewing skills. I can sew buttons and do some minor mending. We are actually having a Junior Girl Scout troop come and help our Brownies earn their sewing Try-It because we are so inept at it.
Have a fun Saturday!
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 9:21 am (#2047 of 2956)
We got out cookies on the 3rd, this is our one and only booth sale. Our money is already due next week...eeek! My heart thuds every time I have to sign for more cases since I know I am responsible for the money, meaning I have to hound the parents to turn it in.
Bored son from yesterday is feeling kinda surly today every time I ask him to help me with something. He is feeling much put upon that he has been asked to empty trash cans and take it to the outside trash, wipe down toilets, sweep floors, bring laundry to the washer and pick up assorted items from the floor. Wanna bet he won't ever ask what I do all day again? In all fairness, the other kids are also being asked to do things today as well (normal Saturday stuff), he just thinks he should be excluded since he helped yesterday as well. Even the 3 year old and almost 2 year old help out by picking up stuff, putting things in the sink and throwing trash away.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 9:48 am (#2048 of 2956)
I think the line is...If you don't have something nice to say...come sit next to me and I can just tell you're a slytherin.
Oh, and Denise? I'll take a box of samoas and a box of thin mints, please.
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Marie E. - Feb 12, 2005 10:05 am (#2049 of 2956)
There's a local ice cream parlor that is selling Girl Scout cookie flavored ice cream. They have Thin Mint, Peanut Butter Patty, and Carmel Delight (Samoa). Mmmmmm...
We may have to stop by there after shopping today. We're off on a mission to find jeans that actually fit Shayla. She's a bit on the skinny side so most jeans slide right off of her. I'm going to try to talk her into some of those jeans with the adjustable waistbands. Wish me luck!
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Madam Pince - Feb 12, 2005 10:26 am (#2050 of 2956)
Denise, tell "Bored Son" about the last time Mom got excluded from having to do chores just because she did them yesterday also.
****sound of crickets chirping*****
Denise P. - Feb 10, 2005 6:38 pm (#2001 of 2956)
Woo! 2001! The year the Lexicon Forum was started!
Yes, I was in the US Army from 1983-1986, where I met my husband. I did boring admin type paperwork for a transportation unit.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 10, 2005 7:42 pm (#2002 of 2956)
Post 2002! HEY!!! That's the year I joined the forum and married Snape.
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Julia. - Feb 10, 2005 8:59 pm (#2003 of 2956)
2003, I graduated high school, started college, joined the forum, and met my first real boyfriend.
My last post was so short because I was so excited to get 1985 that I didn't think of much else to say.
Mike, that's good idea, except I'm far too lazy to do it. I like John's idea of having a 2 footed friend test it out.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 10, 2005 9:22 pm (#2004 of 2956)
2004: I read the Harry Potter books, joined the forum, passed my oral examination, became ABD, and started writing my dissertation. A big year!!! Helen
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Denise P. - Feb 10, 2005 9:53 pm (#2005 of 2956)
What? No one has said it yet? 2005.....Half Blood Prince comes out!!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 10, 2005 11:07 pm (#2006 of 2956)
Unfortunately I'm not a seer, so I have no idea what is going to happen to me in 2006.
But I finally got my other hearing aid repaired and I picked it up today. The audiologist then did another hearing test only to find out I have lost hearing. As my hearing aids are digital ones, he re-programmed them to boost the volume and the bass and cut out some of the distressing high pitched noises. Just as an aside I travelled 300km to the audiologist and 300km back today and I'm exhausted.
I'm going to jump around in years here, but 1987 was a good year for me. It was the year I finally had my back operated on and straightened. It did wonders for my self esteem.
And in 1989, in my first year of University, I got a new set of hearing aids. The amazing thing about these ones is the technology back then was new; and for the first time I could hear the knives and forks scraping across plates as people ate dinner. I was living in college at the time and it was an excruciating couple of weeks hearing all this high pitched scrapes until I adjusted.
Hope everyone is having a good day. Cheering charms to all those who need it and Get Well charms for those who aren't feeling the best.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 11, 2005 12:29 am (#2007 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Lizzy, what a trip you made today, no wonder you're exhausted! I send you Strengthening Charms and I hope everything will go well with your hearing aids this time.
It was a funny game with the posts numbers! I wish I knew what 2007 will bring me. Who knows, maybe I will have met Mr Right then and I would be expecting flowers for Valentine's day for a change?
Have a great Friday everyone!
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septentrion - Feb 11, 2005 2:09 am (#2008 of 2956)
Lizzy, I hope the 600 km journey will be worth it !
As we're talking about biography :
1988 : I graduated from high school and began university
1990 : I met my husband
1993 : I got married
1995 : I began working
2000 : I got the 1st car of my life
2002 : I discovered the Potterverse
Since then, I subscribed on the forum, began to look for any news about the books etc
I don't work this afternoon, so week-end will begin early...so to speak because I think I'll take advantage of it to do my ironing.
Everyone have a great Friday !
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The giant squid - Feb 11, 2005 6:04 am (#2009 of 2956)
600km? Suddenly my 35 mile round-trip for work doesn't seem so bad.
Mike, The Giant Squid (isn't he living in a desert?) giving advice on how to modify crutches for snow/ice is... ironic. No?—Bumbledore
Ah, but I grew up in the snowy wastes some refer to as North Dakota (and others call "South Canada"). I've navigated my share of icy sidewalks. My share, and your share and Lizzy's share...
Elanor, I was indeed born in '72--33 years, 10 days and an odd number of hours ago. Now I just need to find a 111 year old hobbit to give me a magic ring.
--Mike
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Marie E. - Feb 11, 2005 6:33 am (#2010 of 2956)
Ah, but you really don't want that magic ring, do you Mike?
I'll bore you all quickly since I missed the fun yesterday. 1988-graduated high school and entered college 1991-got married, moved to Georgia 1995-graduated college, moved to Colorado 1997-first daughter 1999-second daughter
That's boring enough, eh?
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 11, 2005 6:57 am (#2011 of 2956)
Loopy, you are dating yourself.—VeronikaG
Yes. As you can see, my social standards are not particularly high. At least I'm a cheap date.
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 7:44 am (#2012 of 2956)
As you can see, my social standards are not particularly high.--Loopy Lupin
HEY! What are we, the next door neighbors?
Gosh, you'd think we were some kind of uber-goobers or something!
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Denise P. - Feb 11, 2005 7:58 am (#2013 of 2956)
Yesterday, my almost 12 year old came home sick. He slept the day away. Since he had a fever yesterday and school policy is you can't send them within 24 hours of a fever, he is home today as well. Everyone else has been gone for less than an hour and he just said to me, "What do you do all day? It is boring!" I want to be bored today! I guess if he is feeling bored, he can help me sort the laundry, he can sweep while I do the dishes and then he can keep the two wee ones out of the way while I mop. Then we can have the fun, exciting task of getting dinner out and ready to cook. After fixing lunch, half of which will end up being thrown on the floor, we can remop the floor. Hey, since he is here, I can show him how to clean the bathroom upstairs. I think maybe I should keep kids home more often...
“Heh, what do I do all day....”
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Elanor - Feb 11, 2005 8:08 am (#2014 of 2956)
Mike "Elanor, I was indeed born in '72--33 years, 10 days and an odd number of hours ago. Now I just need to find a 111 year old hobbit to give me a magic ring.
I know what you mean, though I still have some months'grace before the fateful day next September... Come to think of it, I would rather use the Philosopher's Stone, I am not really fond of the Ring's sides effects personally... As for 1972, it was a great vintage year for Champagnes here, I always thought it was a good omen! (and according to the Lexicon, it is also Charlie Weasley's year of birth, cool too!)
Septentrion, I went to the station this morning searching for informations about the trains going to England (for Accio) and it is very interesting. There is a bus which leaves at 7 a.m. less than 5 km from my town and takes you to Le Creusot, the TGV (high-speed train) station not very far from here. I used to take the Paris TGV there and thought I should do the same but there is a better solution. From there, leaves another TGV, the one that goes to Lille and, in Lille, I can take the Eurostar to London. If I leave from here at 7 a.m., I can be in London before noon (thanks to the one hour of time difference). If, fortunately, you're able to come to Accio then, we could meet in Lille and travel together, what do you think?
Have a great Friday everyone, here a cold and dull rain is falling since this morning, so if you are lucky enough to have a beautiful and sunny day, enjoy it for the ones who are freezing!
And Marie, it is not boring at all! I just loved Colorado when I visited it, especially Durango.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 11, 2005 8:23 am (#2015 of 2956)
Oh, Denise. Something tells me he will live to regret those words, in a manner of speaking!
I am exhausted just reading your list. I don't think I could ever live your life without needing a potion stronger than coffee to make it through the day...
I really am a career girl/scholar. Oh well. At least there are house elves to clean the Hogwarts dungeons.
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 8:34 am (#2016 of 2956)
Heh, what do I do all day.... –Denise
I had someone ask me that once, and I didn't bat an eyelash. I said, "Why, I lay on the couch all day, eating bon-bons and sipping tequila." Come to think on it, he may not have known that I was being ironic....
Something tells me that your son will not be "bored" for long....
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septentrion - Feb 11, 2005 8:48 am (#2017 of 2956)
Hi Elanor ! That's a great idea you have ! Let's keep fingers crossed.
I think I couldn't do all you do Denise. When I have choice between moping or lurking on the forum, the forum wins in 99% of the cases.
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From Venus - Feb 11, 2005 8:49 am (#2018 of 2956)
2018...let's see, I'll be in my 60's, my youngest granddaughter (will she be my youngest then?) will be close to graduating from high school, my mother-in-law will be in her 90's and probably VERY ornery, and...WE WILL ALL KNOW HOW THE HARRY POTTER SERIES ENDS!!! How's that for a year!
BTW...I'm in a much better mood today. The sun is shining again. I do believe I'm one of those people who need a certain amount of sunshine in the winter, or I go kinda loopy. It's strange, since I always hide from the sun in the summertime.
Have a great Friday everyone!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 11, 2005 8:53 am (#2019 of 2956)
Mmm. I think a certain 12 year-old is learning why curiosity is deadly to felines.
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Phoenix song - Feb 11, 2005 9:14 am (#2020 of 2956)
Denise, your days sound remarkably similar to my own, except that I have to add in "school lessons" since I teach my 3 at home. I cringe inside each time some insane person looks at me with that horrified "You're-a-housewife?" look and asks the inevitable questions... "What do you DO all day?" followed quickly with an "Aren't you BORED?" Yeah, as if!!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Feb 11, 2005 9:41 am (#2021 of 2956)
Hey all!
Catherine, not to worry, I'm not making costumes for the Witching Hour. I read the fine print! ;-) There's a formal dance one evening and since I've not attended a proper formal since college, I need a dress. I'm thinking a midnight blue velvet/satin strapless number with a full skirt and a bolero jacket. I'm trying to decide if the jacket should be velvet or satin and if velvet, whether or not should I bead it.
Then there are the shirts. As a run of the mill government employee in an arts organization/wife/mom my daily wardrobe is not terribly interesting. Long skirts and plain tops for work and sweats/skirts and t-shirts at home. Not exactly what I want to wear at an academic conference. So I've got two linen shirts I want to make. One royal blue with silver embroidery around the neck reminiscent of the branches on the Tree of Gondor as seen on the livery worn by Gondorian soldiers in Return of the King. The other in white linen with a Celtic knot work pattern embroidered in blackwork at the collar and cuffs.
There is also the Mrs. Weasley sweater (from the breakfast scene in the film version of CoS)I'm crocheting. That's the closest thing to "costuming" as I'm getting.
With all this work to do, I've got to get started if I'm going to be anywhere near finished by Oct. (Not too mention all the sewing I need to do for my daughter for our other hobby...)
Hmmm....let's see in 2021, I'll (hopefully) be 52 and my daughter will be 22 and maybe graduating from college!
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
P.S. If anyone has some Pepper-up Potion I could sure use some. The cold germs have descended leaving me pretty muddle headed. :-P
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 10:12 am (#2022 of 2956)
Michelle, I am in awe of your ability to create the clothes you wish to wear. I can sew on buttons, though!
Sewing is something that I never learned to do, and it seems like it would be handy to know. There's a mom at Hayley's school who makes window treatments that look like something you'd see in a high-end design magazine.
Sigh. Did I mention that I can sew on a button? **passes Michelle the Pepper-Up Potion**
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From Venus - Feb 11, 2005 10:43 am (#2023 of 2956)
Catherine, sewing buttons on is great. A very good beginning. I know how to sew, but haven't done it in years. I just can't seem to find the time. I'm even behind on my buttons...
Librarian314, if your daughter is anything like my son, don't count on her graduating college in 2021. My youngest son is in his 5th year of college and figure he'll still be at it for the next few decades.
On housewifeing...no one knows what we do all day, but, BOY, do they notice when we DON'T do it!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 11, 2005 11:08 am (#2024 of 2956)
Well, I can't sew on buttons so Catherine you are waaayyy ahead of me. My mom has tried to teach me on several occasions but it seems to leak out of my head as soon as it goes in. She tried to show me how to do simple seams as well but it stuck less than the button lesson.
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Chemyst - Feb 11, 2005 12:02 pm (#2025 of 2956)
'Just checking in after morning grooming, walking dog, feeding dog, unloading dishwasher, making breakfast, clearing kitchen counters, emptying trash & replacing bag, checking email, 1st forum check of day, 45 minutes of C.S. Lewis, pre-treating laundry, preparing writing class, chocolate snack, mopping kitchen & bath - includes shaking out throw rugs, fixing lunch, reminding son to take dog out again, beginning dishwasher reload, fixing hinge on bathroom door (required removal of door & power tools were involved), 2nd forum check of the day, and now I'm headed off to do algebra. So, Denise, if your son gets too bored there, you can always send him over here, we'll be dong valentines and Aztec history and cleaning the sun porch before starting dinner. All button sewing was completed last week.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 11, 2005 12:02 pm (#2026 of 2956)
I know how to sew and mend...I just never get round to doing it!
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librarian314 - Feb 11, 2005 12:03 pm (#2027 of 2956)
Hey all!
Yeah, I know I'm being hopeful when I think my daughter will finish school in 2021 but her dad and I each finished in 4 years, so I hope she will too.
My mom and both grandmothers taught me to sew, embroider, knit, and crochet when I was little. Sewing (and fiber arts in general) is just one of those things that I do. By the time I'd finished high school I'd already made three formal dresses, not to mention countless other garments.
In college I studied theatrical costuming and loved it but realized that I didn't have the temperment to be a costume designer. (I put too much effort into my outfits and get pretty annoyed when others treat them badly. I told my sister I'd re-posses her wedding gown if I saw her mistreating it! ;-) )
Mending...that's one of the things I hate. I'm pretty awful about sewing on missing buttons or fixing hems. That's too much like work. ;-)
One of things that I kind of miss about the HP series is that their outfits aren't very interesting/JKR doesn't go into a lot of detail about what they are wearing. Not a lot for a costume designer to focus on.
Thanks for the Pepper-up!
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Penny Lane. - Feb 11, 2005 1:38 pm (#2028 of 2956)
Speaking of sewing - I've been meaning to sew the buttons that fell off of my coat last week - unfortunatly, there is no where within walking distance that sells sewing needles and thread. Also, I've had laundry to do for 3 weeks now, and I'm just now running out of clothing completely. The only problem is that it's now midterm time, and I'm starting to spaz. My mother told me to just send everything out that needs cleaning and mending so I don't have to worry about it, but apparently this city doesn't have a pick up laundry service.
On the plus side, I did finish knitting my first hat. A bunch of girls (and a few guys!) started a knitting club/circle on Wednesday nights. I learned how to knit back in 2000, but I've never been motivated enough to finish more than a dishrag/half a scarf. Working with other people, I learned that I've been doing it wrong, and there is a much simpler way. Anyway, I finished a hat! I'm so excited that I managed to finish it just as spring was beginning.
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Winky Woo - Feb 11, 2005 3:16 pm (#2029 of 2956)
Talking of housework, there is a reason I chose the name Winky...At this moment in time I am letting all my house work slip and feel like I'm an awful self pitying house-elf who feels she should be punished. I have been working free-lance and part-time, so naturally all the house chores fall to me. Till recently I've been quite career focused, long hours and all house hold duties split fairly down the middle, or we got someone else to do it. Now suddenly I find that everything from shopping, cleaning, laundry, cooking paying bills, dog walking etc etc is up to me! Whereas previously if the house got a little messy or we ran out of something it was no big deal. Now I feel like a failure! It is by far the hardest thing I've done, being a home-maker. I have to be fair to Mr Winky, when we both worked full-time he would get up at 6am, put the coffee on, turn on the shower for me, then make me breakfast as I showered and even make me a packed lunch,even though he didn't need to get up till 7.30!
I do appreciate being able to take the dogs on long walks, and must confess to having spent more time than I should on this wonderful forum.
Sorry for off loading. I know that its a small thing but I think people like Denise are wonderful, I wish I had a third of her energy!~I just couldn't cope, I think I would go/have gone into complete melt down!
Thanks to everyone here for putting a smile on my face, it really lifts me up when I get down
Winky
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Pinky - Feb 11, 2005 3:27 pm (#2030 of 2956)
Penny, if you're desperate, try the checkout aisles in a grocery store, or even at a convenience store. They may have little sewing kits available. They usually come with a couple needles, safety pins, buttons. and a few lengths of several colors of thread.
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Acceber - Feb 11, 2005 4:11 pm (#2031 of 2956)
...it's about time Boston really gets their turn!-Sirius Lee, a while ago.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
I'm going to try and remember everything I wanted to comment on from the past 203 posts, but if I don't remember within 30 minutes, you have my sincrest apologies.
Spelling tests/words--Anyone who moaned about spelling tests, I feel your pain. When I was in elementary school, which wasn't too long ago, we had a pre-test on Monday with a set number of words. There were about 10 in the earlier grades, which gradually increased to 20 by fifth grade. Whatever words you didn't get right on the pre-test became your words to learn for that week, as well as pre-set words by the teacher. When I got 100% on the first few pre-tests in second grade, I wanted harder words than what the teacher was assigning us. So my parents complained and I got challenge words like soothsayer, cantankerous, and probability. In fourth and fifth grades, we got to choose our own words. Also, I take great pleasure in correcting teachers who can't add long strings of numbers or use apostrophes in the right places.
I'm Post #2031, and in 2031 I'll be 40. I hopefully will have graduated college and grad school and be happily married with kids.
Cats--I have two furballs, and right now they are happily enjoying dinner (does anyone find it weird that pets eat virtually the same food for every meal, yet humans need more variety?). One of my friends is mildly allergic, so we have to shut them in a room when she comes over.
One of the worst parts about having a birthday at the end of January is that your birthday inevitably falls on a playoff weekend of some sort. A few years ago, we had the game on during my party so my friends who were football fans wouldn't miss it.
Happy Belated Mardi Gras and a belated congratulations to the Pats for their third Super Bowl victory in four years.
rant beginning; skip if necessaryI DIDN'T GET ANY HARRY GIFTS FOR MY BIRTHDAY OR FOR CHANUKAH!!!!! Does no one know that I'm a Harry addict? Don't they realize that I don't have the PoA DVD yet *dodges tomatoes* and I want it? Can my mom remember that I explicitly asked for the 2005 Harry desk calendar? I'll just have to use my Barnes & Noble and Borders gift cards to buy the items mentioned above.rant over
Happy Friday to all. Only one more week until vacation. We're going skiing!
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Madam Pince - Feb 11, 2005 4:36 pm (#2032 of 2956)
I have found an excellent way to deal with mending. You just pile it all up in one place, waiting for an opportune time to deal with it. Eventually, this pile will get moved to someplace in your house where you can't find it, and voila! There is no mending to do.
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 4:43 pm (#2033 of 2956)
Also, I take great pleasure in correcting teachers who can't add long strings of numbers or use apostrophes in the right places. –Acceber
I'm certainly with you on the apostrophes, dear, although I'm sure I would need your help with the long strings of numbers!
I was amused by Acceber's observations that her cats eat the same food every night. My dogs seem to require variety, judging from their pleading looks and little whimpers that they try to issue when we eat dinner.
As for me, I tried to "keep track" of my housewifely activities today, so skip ahead, it is not that exciting: Wake up, dress, prepare lunch for child, forcibly awaken child from slumber, feed both children, take one child to school, come home, empty dishwasher, fill dishwasher, take other child to preschool, collect dirty laundry, do 3 loads, fold 2 loads, check Forum, respond to email, read paper, cup of tea, return phone calls, pick up child from preschool and prepare her lunch, clean up kitchen, brush dogs, take child to Valentine's Day party, pick up other child from school, pay 4 bills, organize tax info--BLECH, write 20 "thank-you" notes from the Humane Society and take to the Post Office to mail, update new Humane Society database--blech, I hate spreadsheets, check Forum, clean master bathroom, pick up child from party, cook dinner except for the fish (done by Mr. Catherine), clean up from dinner, feed dogs, take out trash, take dogs out for evening constitutional, check Forum. And here I am. This is my too-faithful account from 6:15 p.m. to present.
Looking over the previous paragraph, I wish I was studying Aztec history with Chemyst and her son! **waves to Chemyst** Perhaps you can study the origins of chocolate? I know the Aztecs drank a beverage made from cocoa beans.
But tomorrow is our day to tackle Valentines. We have 44 to do if you include both the children's classes. I also have to prepare for the adoption event at the Humane Society on Sunday, so if anyone has Good Luck spells, we can use it.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 11, 2005 5:04 pm (#2034 of 2956)
Yikes. Thanks for the reminder Catherine. Gotta work on the valentines this weekend as well. Plus pick up the girl scout cookies too. Hubbie is helping with transport of said cookies. You know he's just in it for the thin mints.
Denise, your tell of your 12-year-old reminds me of a story. A few years ago, my sister went to her daughter's back to school night only to see the wall covered with drawings the kids made about what their mothers do. In between the doctors, lawyers and homemakers was my niece's picture which had the caption: "My mom rests on the couch all day." Not true of course, but my sister still had to slink out of the room anyway!
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Catherine - Feb 11, 2005 5:14 pm (#2035 of 2956)
In between the doctors, lawyers and homemakers was my niece's picture which had the caption: "My mom rests on the couch all day." Not true of course, but my sister still had to slink out of the room anyway! --Accio Sirius
**still holding sides and laughing** Oh, no! Perhaps I should just tell my kids to represent me artistically as a potato on a couch.
Kids do write hilarious/embarrassing things about their parents, given the chance. Hayley, on Mother's Day last year, wrote on a sheet that my favorite restaurant is "McDonald's," my favorite color is "pink," and that my favorite activity is "to clean the house." All of these are SO false that my friends laughed when they saw them. My friend's son topped everything, though. He claimed that the best thing his mommy cooked was "Domino's Pizza." We ALL got a chuckle out of that one.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 11, 2005 7:04 pm (#2036 of 2956)
From the mouths of babes...
A pre-school teacher was going around the room asking her students if they knew what jobs their parents had. So she gets to little Johnny, "What does your daddy do, Johnny?"
Little Johnny stands up, thinks for a minute and says, "Nothing. My mommy does all the work. My daddy gets up every morning and leaves. When he comes home at night, everything's done!"
I love this "Reader's Digest" moment.
Ciao. Barb
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Ydnam96 - Feb 11, 2005 8:08 pm (#2037 of 2956)
Thanks for the good wishes the other day. It's just been one of those weeks. Today I dumped my ceaser salad on my lap and computer at work. Ick. Oh well. I laughed at it, you have to right?
It's raining like crazy here. I really don't like this much rain, the whole of Southern California is going to fall into the ocean.
At least it's the weekend.
2037 I'll be 59. Hopefully I'll be smarter, have my school loans paid off, be married, be ready to *almost* retire from a career I have truly enjoyed, and have visited England (and Peru, and Central Mexico, and Isreal) at least once.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 11, 2005 9:20 pm (#2038 of 2956)
Boy you folks are making me feel old! Julia, born 1985, I was a flight attendant in my own apartment in New Jersey. 1982- graduated college.
Denise, oh good for you! My school has a 24 hour policy too and it and it is tough having an otherwise healthy child at home when you have a full schedule because contrary to what our children and husbands believe, we are not sitting around eating bon bons and watching Ophra. I have, in fact, not watched a single talk show or soap opera since my children have gone of to school all day.
I pile clothes for mending but I still just can't get to that pile of chores. I have however, just finished polyurathaning 5 cabinettes in our kitchen, and am painting my bathroom. I also painted my son's room and built built-in shelving for his room.
Venus, I've heard more about the Adderal recall. Canadian officials have pulled the medication because they have become aware of 20 deaths of children and adults from strokes and heart problems. U.S. authorities are not pulling it because they have years of data that it's safe. The deaths were in people who had histories of heart problems or were exherting themselves physical.
The school nurse at my children's elementary school however has given parents a copy of this story and advised them to see their pediatrician as a child at the school did report heart problems. The child was taken of the medication and is fine.
EDIT: Did you hear that Prince Charles is marrying Camilla Parker Bowles? Accio HPB If I don't have something nice to say I don't say it:-)
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haymoni - Feb 11, 2005 10:18 pm (#2039 of 2956)
I think the line is...If you don't have something nice to say...come sit next to me!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 12, 2005 3:09 am (#2040 of 2956)
I'm on late tonight. It's Saturday here and a friend (Candice)and I went to visit my Dad and Stepmother. Believe it or not it's a 400km round trip. So in a little under 2 days I've travelled close to 1000km. And I am really exhausted now. Candice doesn't like driving other peoples cars, so I ended up doing the driving.
It was a lovely day and good to see my Dad. I try and make the round trip every two months as Dad is slowly bringing up the property up to scratch (bought 8 months ago) and barely has time to travel away as yet. So it's easier if I do the travelling and he pays me petrol money.
I do a bit of sewing. I've recently come to like long skirts and dresses and they are difficult to buy in shops when they are not in fashion! So I have bought some nice patterns and material and have sewed a couple of skirts and one dress.
Then my sewing machine died for want of a service, so I have the material and patterns and I have to wait another 6 weeks, because I missed the travelling sewing machine repairman by one day. Grrrr!!!
Yndam: I hope you are feeling better. and you have been able to clean your laptop up.
From Venus: I am fond of sunshine in winter to as it stops the glooms descending on me.
For everyone: Have a lovely weekend.
Lizzie
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Kip Carter - Feb 12, 2005 4:30 am (#2041 of 2956)
Lizzie, I do understand the long trips. My daughter, her husband plus daughter (my granddaughter) live some 720 miles (approximately 1160 kilometers) one-way takes us about 12 hours including the stops for gas and other necessities. When we get there, we're somewhat beat for the rest of that day. Then the trip home is always taken one day early so we can have a day to rest at home. But it is always worth it!
Now for your sewing machine problem, many problems with sewing machines can be fixed with a small brush to clean out the lint that accumulates around the various movement areas. Once cleaned, you should slightly oil the movement area where metal is touching metal. Run the machine for a while to allow the oil to penetrate. Always use sewing machine oil (a light clear oil).
The two other problems deal with the improper tensions: one on the bobbin thread (especially when you change thicknesses of thread) and the second with the feed tension (generally adjusted on the front of your machine). Both are real easy adjustments.
One last problem that many seamstresses have is regulating the stitch distances. Certain threads require a change in the stitch distance.
You should at least try to correct the problems before spending the funds to have someone else correct something simple. Even if you wait, ask the repair person to show you what he does to correct the problems so you can possibly avoid them in the future.
Have fun!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 6:57 am (#2042 of 2956)
Kip! Is there anything you don't know something about? You really are multi-talented.
Dizzy Lizzy, I dumped my salad on my work computer. Opppssss... a colleague and I were talking and I went to turn my salad container around (as the lid was getting in my way) and boom. Salad all over the keyboard and my pants. It was a Ceaser salad, so I smelled a bit for the rest of the day. I think I got all the dressing and cheese out of the keyboard :sheepishgrin:
Well it's super duper early in the AM here for me to be up on a Saturday. But for some reason I can't sleep. Off to watch The Two Towers, Extended Edition.
Happy Saturday.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 12, 2005 7:34 am (#2043 of 2956)
I know we have a bunch of dog lovers on the Forum, so I'll direct your attention to the "HP References in Pop Culture" thread, post 246:
or click here
Have a nice weekend.
Ciao. Barb
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Catherine - Feb 12, 2005 8:12 am (#2044 of 2956)
I know we have a bunch of dog lovers on the Forum—Barb
**looks around innocently**Hmm...whoever is Barb talking about? Interesting reading about the movie Fang's breed.
Kip, maybe I should be surprised that you know how to fix a sewing machine, but I'm not! Too bad I didn't go to you about my broken garage door.
Hello to everyone, and have a great Saturday. We're off to do Valentines.
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 8:40 am (#2045 of 2956)
Today is the great Girl Scout Cookie Booth sale in front of a local store. My van is packed with several hundred little multi colored boxes in the hope that we can unload sell these yummy treats to people and get them out of my garage. We have a two hour slot but I have to go a bit earlier to wrangle a trade for 6 boxes of a specific cookie we need to fill an additional order. Fun! Fun! Fun! Then, this evening, I get to switch uniforms, trading my Girl Scout one for the Cub Scout one and go to a District Banquet. I don't believe I am getting any award but it is still one of those events that it is good for Council and District to see you at.
Have a great day all!
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Marie E. - Feb 12, 2005 8:47 am (#2046 of 2956)
You have cookies already? Ours aren't being delivered until this Thursday. Our booth sale is on February 20th. Since this is our first booth sale and we have a small troop we're only doing one booth. There is a very good chance that my co-leader will be out of town that day for her anniversary (bah! Forsaking cookie sales to spend time with her husband.) so it may be just me and Shayla for most of that sale.
As far as sewing goes, I wish I'd been blessed with some of my mom's sewing skills. I can sew buttons and do some minor mending. We are actually having a Junior Girl Scout troop come and help our Brownies earn their sewing Try-It because we are so inept at it.
Have a fun Saturday!
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 9:21 am (#2047 of 2956)
We got out cookies on the 3rd, this is our one and only booth sale. Our money is already due next week...eeek! My heart thuds every time I have to sign for more cases since I know I am responsible for the money, meaning I have to hound the parents to turn it in.
Bored son from yesterday is feeling kinda surly today every time I ask him to help me with something. He is feeling much put upon that he has been asked to empty trash cans and take it to the outside trash, wipe down toilets, sweep floors, bring laundry to the washer and pick up assorted items from the floor. Wanna bet he won't ever ask what I do all day again? In all fairness, the other kids are also being asked to do things today as well (normal Saturday stuff), he just thinks he should be excluded since he helped yesterday as well. Even the 3 year old and almost 2 year old help out by picking up stuff, putting things in the sink and throwing trash away.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 9:48 am (#2048 of 2956)
I think the line is...If you don't have something nice to say...come sit next to me and I can just tell you're a slytherin.
Oh, and Denise? I'll take a box of samoas and a box of thin mints, please.
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Marie E. - Feb 12, 2005 10:05 am (#2049 of 2956)
There's a local ice cream parlor that is selling Girl Scout cookie flavored ice cream. They have Thin Mint, Peanut Butter Patty, and Carmel Delight (Samoa). Mmmmmm...
We may have to stop by there after shopping today. We're off on a mission to find jeans that actually fit Shayla. She's a bit on the skinny side so most jeans slide right off of her. I'm going to try to talk her into some of those jeans with the adjustable waistbands. Wish me luck!
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Madam Pince - Feb 12, 2005 10:26 am (#2050 of 2956)
Denise, tell "Bored Son" about the last time Mom got excluded from having to do chores just because she did them yesterday also.
****sound of crickets chirping*****
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:52 pm
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Catherine - Feb 12, 2005 10:34 am (#2051 of 2956)
MMmmmm....that ice cream sounds delicious.
We have a fundraising contest here in which local chefs make desserts from Girl Scout Cookies. As if Girl Scout cookies weren't already yummy enough on their own! The prize-winning recipes get printed in the paper, so I hope they do it again this year.
We haven't gotten our cookie delivery yet. I hope Mr. Catherine ordered some of the Peanut Butter Patties along with the required Carmel Delites and Thin Mints.
Good luck to the Cookie Moms, and I hope you get all your money without having to rattle the collecting tin under the parental noses!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 11:01 am (#2052 of 2956)
Hey Denise, if you have any left over cookies I would seriously buy some from your troop! Samoas and Thin mints are my fave. So email me if you have extras
By the way, how is it that you get so much done? I constantly read your posts about your family, your responsibilities, and I see that you are all over this forum all the time doing your mod job (which you do quite well). I'm wondering if you have some magical abilities which you are keeping from us. I've also seen the website in your profile and I am even more in awe of you and your family. You truly are amazing. You make me feel so lazy, just taking care of me and my cat (well and of course my 145 wards here in the Shire- the living area I am in charge of at the college I work at).
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Eponine - Feb 12, 2005 12:22 pm (#2053 of 2956)
There was all this talk of Girl Scout cookies, and guess what we saw today at the grocery store. Mmm...Thin Mints. I was disappointed to find they weren't selling the Double Dutch cookies this year. So, I got online to find out about them, and I learned some things about Girl Scout cookies. I didn't know that the bakeries make different cookies each year. They are only required to make Thin Mints, Do Si Do's/peanut butter sandwiches, and Trefoils/shortbread. The other five types they bake are up to the individual bakeries. One of the bakeries had made the Double Dutch, so I'm hoping I might be able to find them somewhere else. I liked those last year, but if not, I'll just have to be satisfied with frozen Thin Mints.
I hope everyone is doing well today!
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Dr Filibuster - Feb 12, 2005 1:53 pm (#2054 of 2956)
Hi all,
Just popped in to say that Azkaban has won the public vote for best 2004 film in tonight's BAFTAs (British Oscars).
I'll put more details in the "3rd Movie" thread.
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 3:24 pm (#2055 of 2956)
**blushing and scuffling feet** You make me sound like some super woman, which I am not! LOL I have had literally years to come up with a routine to get things done in the house but still allow me to have Denise time as well as the kids to get to their activities. I don't overschedule (often) and we didn't go from zero to numerous children overnight so we had time to adjust and work with each addition to the family and schedule. I wish I had a magical secret or formula for you. I really don't, I just don't put a high priority on having a Home and Garden house, my house looks like we have 6 kids that run wild through it.
Little Brownie Bakers, one of the two authorized cookie bakers in the US, is the one who makes Double Dutch. They did bake them this year, they are supposed to be "softer". I think they are marginally less rock hard than last year. ABC Bakers, the other baker in the US, does not do Double Dutch cookies. It depends on which baker services your area on what cookies you get.
We sold out of ALL of our cookies in less than 90 minutes. Horror upon horror, one of my children (sweet children!) inadvertantly added in an order that had been placed and we sold those too. Ack! I have to call now and get more cookies and trade around since I only need 2 boxes of this, 1 of this, 3 of that... We also have almost a dozen donated boxes to give to the Red Cross, our charity of choice.
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Marie E. - Feb 12, 2005 3:51 pm (#2056 of 2956)
Mmmm...we have the ABC Bakers here and we don't get Double Dutch. They look really good. Maybe Denise and I could work out a trade. Heehee. Are the Lemon Coolers any good? In addition to the "regular" flavors we have Animal Treasures, Pinatas, and Lemon Pastry Cremes.
My mom just called and said she found the Hogwarts Castle at her Walmart for $50 and asked if I wanted it. Hmmm...let me see. I will, of course, be paying her back.
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Caput Draconis - Feb 12, 2005 6:09 pm (#2057 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 12, 2005 5:10 pm
Cookie selling sounds fun! I'm adding it to spelling (I just spelt spelling 'speeling', how ironic) bees as a reason I wish I was a US kid. *hugs Denise* And you still find time for Survivor...you are my hero. I love Lost, by the way, the first two eps have hooked me.
I've been in Queensland, sun and surf and all that, but more importantly MovieWorld, a big Warner Bros. themed park. I walked in the gate, and ran into Severus Snape. Literally. I just made a spluttering noise, then...
Me: "Hello Professor."
SS: "Hello...(I hug him, he hugs me in a restrained Snape-like fashion)...you're shaking, my dear." (ha)
Me: "Well...you're Snape..."
SS: "Nothing to be afraid of..." (gah)
Me: "Ah, just a big teddy bear on the inside, right?"
(McGonagall wanders up, smiles and nods)
SS: "Exactly."
*grin* Then off he went. I yelled at him later as he and McGonagall were going to the teacher's lounge, he swooped around and waved at me, again in a Snapish fashion. Needless to say I was very chirpy for the rest of the day. The actor was really cool, more book Snape than movie Snape, but still...gah.
Geekiest story ever. I'll put the photo up later. Hope everyone's well!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 7:05 pm (#2058 of 2956)
AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!! NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED PHOTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good on you, Lauren.
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boop - Feb 12, 2005 8:11 pm (#2059 of 2956)
Denise, Hello, wow that made me tired just reading what goes on in your household. What a busy mom, who also gives herself the time which is well deserved!!!! That was so great you guys sold all those cookies.
Capat Draconis, Hello, Yes it will be fun when Survivor comes back on. There is a former student of Penn State on the show. Sounds like you had a great time at the Movie World. What makes it even better is meeting Snape, and getting a hug!!! Can't wait to see the picture
Hugs Always
boop
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Ladybug220 - Feb 12, 2005 8:18 pm (#2060 of 2956)
How did we know that Gina would demand the photo? Ok, well I second the demand for the photo!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 8:58 pm (#2061 of 2956)
Oh, my has anyone noticed the cherubs on the Lexicon? WOW.
very festive.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 8:58 pm (#2062 of 2956)
Speaking of photos... Mischa Fan must be dying when he sees this posted on TLC.
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 9:19 pm (#2063 of 2956)
I just got back from the Boy Scout District Banquet. Guess what?? This message is being typed by the 2004 Cogioba District Trailblazer Award winner for Outstanding Participating Parent! A committe of 8 chose from those nominated from 3 counties and the local military installation and it was meeeeeee! Can you tell I am a wee bit excited, I thought I had been put in for a certificate, never expected this!
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haymoni - Feb 12, 2005 9:42 pm (#2064 of 2956)
Denise - I'm not surprised in the least!
After all - you are OUR Outstanding Participating Parent!
Congrats!
From an Envious Slacker Mom
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 9:44 pm (#2065 of 2956)
Congratulations Denise!
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 9:45 pm (#2066 of 2956)
Gina, I have always loved that quote because I can so relate to the man at that moment :::giggle::
Haymoni, you are making me blush! Thanks!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 9:55 pm (#2067 of 2956)
Congrats Denise! Well earned.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 12, 2005 10:00 pm (#2068 of 2956)
Denise, you are a hero super mom! Congratulations!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 12, 2005 10:00 pm (#2069 of 2956)
Congrats Denise!!
As far as I know, our Cub scouts, Scouts and Girl Guides, don't run any big fundraisers like yours do. So I am a little envious of those that have the chance to try those cookies out. Especially the thin mints.
Kip, ROFL! that was an amazing response of yours! - I will try those suggestions of yours before I book the machine in for a service/repair.
Caput Draconis: I've taped both of the "lost" episodes so far. They are pretty good and much better that I expected. The same goes for "desperate housewives", I like it much better than I expected as well.
Of course it helps that I cheat and get the episode summary off the net and read up on it before the relevant episode goes to air. One benefit of having the shows aired in the US before Australia!
Have a wonderful day everyone.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 13, 2005 12:09 am (#2070 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Congratulations Denise!
There is nothing better than a Mom! Since yesterday, I have the flu (not fun: fever, aching all over...) and yesterday afternoon, I saw my Mom coming with some dinner because she thought I would not feel like cooking (which was true) and lovely flowers to cheer me up. She is such a sweetie!
As I couldn't sleep this very early morning, I thought I'd better turn on the computer and read the posts instead of looking at the alarm clock every five minutes and it was a very good idea: your posts are more efficient than vitamin C for fighting the flu! Thanks!
Have a great day everybody!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 13, 2005 2:26 am (#2071 of 2956)
I was just woken up with the worst case of hiccups, painful ones. Anyone know if hiccups can be a sign of side effects for new drugs or anything? My doctor just put me on a new medicine and I've only been taking it a few days. I've never really had hiccups before. It seems weird that they started while I was sleeping!
Alas...well happy Sunday.
Off to find someone still awake that may want to scare the hiccups out of me!
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The giant squid - Feb 13, 2005 2:44 am (#2072 of 2956)
Heh, what do I do all day....
Congrats, "SuperMom"! Lucky for you, you had an assistant the other day, allowing you the extra oomph needed to become the 2004 Cogioba District Trailblazer Award winner for Outstanding Participating Parent. (I love copy-and-paste. )
As for sewing, that falls under the same category as cooking, cleaning and laundry for me: I know how, I just choose to let my wife do it instead. Actually, I made dinner tonight, and neither of us died or got sick so I must have done something right.
Becca, that's horrible that no one got you any HP gifts! Maybe if you ask real nice and bat your eyelashes, Marie will give you her new Hogwarts Castle Lego. Okay, probably not.
Mandy: BOO!!
--Mike
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Detail Seeker - Feb 13, 2005 3:58 am (#2073 of 2956)
Congratulations to that hard earned title, Denise. May your children always remember that.
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septentrion - Feb 13, 2005 4:05 am (#2074 of 2956)
Lauren, I too support the demand for the photo.
Congrats Denise for you award.
Elanor, I hope you're getting better today. My husband got the flu last week-end, and now he has bronchitis and a new red skin color due to allergy to one medicine. So I'm to play the mothers again this week-end.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 13, 2005 6:35 am (#2075 of 2956)
Congratulations Denise! You've earned it!
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boop - Feb 13, 2005 6:43 am (#2076 of 2956)
Denise you got a well deserving award. With all your hard work at home and away from home. You earned ten of those awards. Congratulation Denise we are very proud of you.
~~~waves to Mike~~~
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 6:45 am (#2077 of 2956)
Denise, Congratulations!
I'm proud to "know" you and the Forum is lucky to have you, also.
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Chemyst - Feb 13, 2005 7:32 am (#2078 of 2956)
Oh Denise, I'm not surprised in the least either. Your enthusiasm for scouting spills over into the forum so much that you're teasing me with guilt complexes for not doing more myself. (Actually that is a good & positive challenge and I have to get to I remind myself that I already am involved with three organizations that keep me nicely balanced between helping-out and over-extended.) It is wonderful that the Cogioba District recognizes you as outstanding too.
Elanor, you've discovered the secret of Vitamin Cheer!
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Madam Pince - Feb 13, 2005 9:07 am (#2079 of 2956)
Congrats, Denise! And here you were thinking that you weren't going to get any awards.....
Caput, that sounds like such a cool theme park! I'm so jealous! Did they have anything else Potter-related besides the characters walking around? It's the closest we've gotten to a "Potter World" so far....
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Good Evans - Feb 13, 2005 9:09 am (#2080 of 2956)
wey hey Denise - well done you !!!
On a somewhat nerdy note, for anyone who ballroom dances, I discovered on Friday night that you can viennese waltz quite well to hedwigs theme.... DON'T ASK
Congrats to prisoner of Azkaban, it won the BAFTA orange award for most popular film last night. Emma and Dan ( I think ?) picked up the award, I saw the piccies of Emma but wasn't clear if it was Dan with her. What great taste the British public have!!!!!
roll on oscars..
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 9:12 am (#2081 of 2956)
I read on TLC that Dan wasn't there because he was revising for his OWLS GCSE exams.
Ydnam96, try drinking some water. That might cure your hiccups. I've never heard of a drug that causes hiccups, but anything is possible.
EDIT: Question. Did the GCSEs replace O levels or A levels? I can never remember. I'm assuming O levels based on Dan's age. But I just thought I'd ask.
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 9:16 am (#2082 of 2956)
How appropriate after discussing the Supermoms vs the Slacker Moms, that someone on another board of mine posted a link about the Supermom phenomenon. I saw a link that caught my eye and I read it. I love it! It was called Slacker Mom Manifesto I put the URL to the article behind my picture if you are interested in reading it. I think the Slacker Mom shows a lot more common sense than the moms profiled in the Supermom article but if one has it in them to be Supermom, go for it.
Down near the end of the Slacker article is the link to the Supermom one, called Mommy Madness
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Good Evans - Feb 13, 2005 9:25 am (#2083 of 2956)
Gina - GCSE's replace O levels - you are right - A levels are still there and follow GCSE's if you get good enough grades to carry on(as I am telling my 15 year old at the moment!!)
Denise - ha ha -love the idea of a slacker mom manifesto - I need to go and have a look ......
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Julia. - Feb 13, 2005 9:42 am (#2084 of 2956)
Woo!! Mazel tov Denise!! We always knew you were an outstanding parent!! *hands Denise butterbeer* Congrats again to our bestest supermom ever.
Lauren, I too would love to see pictures of you and Snape.
Gina, I'm sure Misha Fan (Jim) has seen the pictures or Misha and Emma on TLC. I'm sure Betty wouldn't let them slip under his radar.
Did anyone in the US watch Shakespeare in Love on Bravo last night? It was on, and I had a marvelous time watching it, although it was kind of difficult watching my boyfriend kissing another woman.
Speaking of Shakespeare, Henry IV part 1 is calling my name, so I'd better to answer him.
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 10:12 am (#2085 of 2956)
Denise,
Thanks for the link to the Manifesto article. I also enjoyed the Mommy Madness article. Some of it made me realize that I don't really hate being a "Slacker" mom after all!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 13, 2005 11:50 am (#2086 of 2956)
Leave it to WalMart to show me something I've never seen before. Today I saw the ChickCan Rack--a wonder of engineering if ever there was one. It allows one to place the chicken vertically in the roasting rack but has a nifty cylindrical center that holds a can of beer (or tonic, should one be abstaining) inside the chicken's cavity. As the chicken cooks it's infused with the evaporating beer. Mmmmm, beer. I must say, I've never seen quite this setup but given the regional food items mentioned here, I'm betting some of our Southern brethren have. ***waves furiously at Catherine***
Denise, thanks for the Supermom/Slackermom info. I'm going to check it out now.
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 12:29 pm (#2087 of 2956)
I must say, I've never seen quite this setup but given the regional food items mentioned here, I'm betting some of our Southern brethren have. --Lupin is Lupin
**Waving to Kim!**
You know, I don't think I've ever seen a chicken upended and forced to chug beer filled with beer. I guess we do some pretty crazy things to chicken, like frying it or putting it with dumplings, but so far I don't know anyone who has hazed their dinner.
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B]Eponine[/B] - Feb 13, 2005 1:21 pm (#2088 of 2956)
I know of people who make use of such a device, but I have never personally witnessed it being done. I've lived in the South my whole life, and I have seen some strange things being done to food, but not that.
Congrats to Denise on your award. I liked the Slacker Mom/Supermom articles. I'm betting that when the time comes for me, I will be a proud Slacker Mom.
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 2:06 pm (#2089 of 2956)
I have never cooked a chicken that way but my local stores (in the South) stock that little gizmo year round. I will have to see how much it is, I never really looked.
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Madam Pince - Feb 13, 2005 3:27 pm (#2090 of 2956)
I have heard of that cooking method, also -- I think maybe I saw it in one of Mr. Pince's hunting-type magazines/catalogs. I've never used it, though. I have roasted venison with beer and other assorted things as the marinade. Betcha Mike Miller has a good similar recipe...
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 3:31 pm (#2091 of 2956)
I'm still trying to fathom why someone would want to marinade their chicken with beer.
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 3:33 pm (#2092 of 2956)
A lot of people make beer batter chicken, I suppose it is not too far a stretch marinade it with beer as well. My dad soaks chicken in white wine before he puts it on the grill. I don't like it that way but a lot of people do.
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 3:43 pm (#2093 of 2956)
Actually, we are having chili tonight that is made with 12 ounces of dark beer. I don't like to drink it, but it does add a rich, dark flavor to the chili.
Beer-battered onion rings are delicious, although I have never had any poultry or meat marinated in beer. Somehow, I don't feel like I've missed out.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 3:48 pm (#2094 of 2956)
Yes, I've had beer-battered onion rings too. I've cooked with wine before. But I don't often.
Well, I guess if there is a way to do things with beer, a beer lover will find a way! It's all a bit like potions-making, really.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 13, 2005 3:52 pm (#2095 of 2956)
Thanks for the hiccups advice. I read some stuff online, no of which really worked except for drinking excessive amounts of cold water. I was able to sleep, but had to get up bunches of times to go to the bathroom Oh well, that's better than the hiccups. They hurt.
I've seen the beer-chicken thing at Walmart as well...seemed weird to me, since the taste of beer well...I think it is gross. So. To each his own I guess.
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librarian314 - Feb 13, 2005 4:46 pm (#2096 of 2956)
Hey all!
Congrats Denise on the scouting award! My mom was big into scouting when we were kids (brownie leader, day camp counselor, cookie mom, and troop mediwitch ;-) (okay, first aider) ). Being active in scouting takes a lot of time but is so great for the kids.
Eleanor - here's some pepper-up potion! (It helped me maybe it'll help you ;-) )Feel better!
Dizzy Lizzie - something else to try with your sewing machine is to use the proper sized needle for whatever you're sewing. Thin fabrics need thin needles, thick fabrics thick needles. Also use the best sewing needles available. The cheap ones just break too often and are worthless. Also change your needles regularly. A general rule of thumb is to change your needle every time you start a new project. Sharp needles go right through the fabric causing few problems.
A note on slacker moms: One person's slacker mom is another person's super mom. When I was in Grad school, I met lots of people who thought I was crazy/amazing when I told them I had a little baby (I started school when I was two months pregnant and finished when my daughter was 2.) I was only going school. I knew mom's who had little babies (and other kids) and were going to school and working full time. I thought they were amazing because I couldn't do it. (I quit my job because that would have been too stressful to me. I wouldn't have been able to give my school work, my job, or parenthood the attention they deserved and they would've all suffered. I felt blessed that I had enough family in the area that I could give up my job and still go to school.)
Y'all take care! Happy Valentine's Day!
**michelle the librarian** slacker mom extraordinaire ;-)
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 5:26 pm (#2097 of 2956)
Ydnam96: Thanks for the hiccups advice
You're welcome!
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haymoni - Feb 13, 2005 5:56 pm (#2098 of 2956)
Denise - your comment about white wine made me smile.
Every Thanksgiving my folks would make 2 turkeys - 1 in the oven (Mom was in charge of that one.) and 1 on the rotisserie over the grill outside (This one was Dad's.) Both were great. Mom's was stuffed and Dad's was basted with butter and white wine.
Mom passed away in May of 1998. Dad still wanted to have Thanksgiving like we always did (20-25 people!), so I stayed the night before at his house to help get everything ready for our first Thanksgiving without Mom. He was determined to do everything like she did and he broke down a couple of times, but we had fun remembering her as we followed her recipes as best we could.
The phone rang at 8:00 am Thanksgiving morning. It was someone named "Tom", asking for my dad. Who would be calling that early on Thanksgiving that wasn't family?
My dad took the call and I heard him say, "Just put the bar right through it's hole and tie it on if you have to."
What??!!
I looked at him, trying to figure out what he could possibly be talking about. Then he said, "Once it's anchored tight enough, go ahead and baste it with the white wine and butter mixture."
He walked "Tom" through the whole process. He sounded much more confident than he had the night before trying to make Mom's stuffing.
The grilled turkey always made the neighbors crazy because its smell wafted all over the neighborhood!
I have a stand for cooking chicken - used it only once. There isn't room for a can of beer, though.
Happy Sunday all!
Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 6:52 pm (#2099 of 2956)
Gripe ahead, feel free to skip.
Why does everyone assume because we have a bunch of kids that we want the rest of the cake, the extra cookies home with us? The person always says "I don't want my kids to have the sugar" Well, what makes them think *I* want all mine to have it?? I realize they are trying to be nice but it makes me nuts when I refuse and they plead with me to take it. :::insert big eye roll here::::
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boop - Feb 13, 2005 6:59 pm (#2100 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!!!!
Now Taysha is getting better and now Dustin has it, goes back to the doctors tomorrow.
Catherine - Feb 12, 2005 10:34 am (#2051 of 2956)
MMmmmm....that ice cream sounds delicious.
We have a fundraising contest here in which local chefs make desserts from Girl Scout Cookies. As if Girl Scout cookies weren't already yummy enough on their own! The prize-winning recipes get printed in the paper, so I hope they do it again this year.
We haven't gotten our cookie delivery yet. I hope Mr. Catherine ordered some of the Peanut Butter Patties along with the required Carmel Delites and Thin Mints.
Good luck to the Cookie Moms, and I hope you get all your money without having to rattle the collecting tin under the parental noses!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 11:01 am (#2052 of 2956)
Hey Denise, if you have any left over cookies I would seriously buy some from your troop! Samoas and Thin mints are my fave. So email me if you have extras
By the way, how is it that you get so much done? I constantly read your posts about your family, your responsibilities, and I see that you are all over this forum all the time doing your mod job (which you do quite well). I'm wondering if you have some magical abilities which you are keeping from us. I've also seen the website in your profile and I am even more in awe of you and your family. You truly are amazing. You make me feel so lazy, just taking care of me and my cat (well and of course my 145 wards here in the Shire- the living area I am in charge of at the college I work at).
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Eponine - Feb 12, 2005 12:22 pm (#2053 of 2956)
There was all this talk of Girl Scout cookies, and guess what we saw today at the grocery store. Mmm...Thin Mints. I was disappointed to find they weren't selling the Double Dutch cookies this year. So, I got online to find out about them, and I learned some things about Girl Scout cookies. I didn't know that the bakeries make different cookies each year. They are only required to make Thin Mints, Do Si Do's/peanut butter sandwiches, and Trefoils/shortbread. The other five types they bake are up to the individual bakeries. One of the bakeries had made the Double Dutch, so I'm hoping I might be able to find them somewhere else. I liked those last year, but if not, I'll just have to be satisfied with frozen Thin Mints.
I hope everyone is doing well today!
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Dr Filibuster - Feb 12, 2005 1:53 pm (#2054 of 2956)
Hi all,
Just popped in to say that Azkaban has won the public vote for best 2004 film in tonight's BAFTAs (British Oscars).
I'll put more details in the "3rd Movie" thread.
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 3:24 pm (#2055 of 2956)
**blushing and scuffling feet** You make me sound like some super woman, which I am not! LOL I have had literally years to come up with a routine to get things done in the house but still allow me to have Denise time as well as the kids to get to their activities. I don't overschedule (often) and we didn't go from zero to numerous children overnight so we had time to adjust and work with each addition to the family and schedule. I wish I had a magical secret or formula for you. I really don't, I just don't put a high priority on having a Home and Garden house, my house looks like we have 6 kids that run wild through it.
Little Brownie Bakers, one of the two authorized cookie bakers in the US, is the one who makes Double Dutch. They did bake them this year, they are supposed to be "softer". I think they are marginally less rock hard than last year. ABC Bakers, the other baker in the US, does not do Double Dutch cookies. It depends on which baker services your area on what cookies you get.
We sold out of ALL of our cookies in less than 90 minutes. Horror upon horror, one of my children (sweet children!) inadvertantly added in an order that had been placed and we sold those too. Ack! I have to call now and get more cookies and trade around since I only need 2 boxes of this, 1 of this, 3 of that... We also have almost a dozen donated boxes to give to the Red Cross, our charity of choice.
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Marie E. - Feb 12, 2005 3:51 pm (#2056 of 2956)
Mmmm...we have the ABC Bakers here and we don't get Double Dutch. They look really good. Maybe Denise and I could work out a trade. Heehee. Are the Lemon Coolers any good? In addition to the "regular" flavors we have Animal Treasures, Pinatas, and Lemon Pastry Cremes.
My mom just called and said she found the Hogwarts Castle at her Walmart for $50 and asked if I wanted it. Hmmm...let me see. I will, of course, be paying her back.
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Caput Draconis - Feb 12, 2005 6:09 pm (#2057 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 12, 2005 5:10 pm
Cookie selling sounds fun! I'm adding it to spelling (I just spelt spelling 'speeling', how ironic) bees as a reason I wish I was a US kid. *hugs Denise* And you still find time for Survivor...you are my hero. I love Lost, by the way, the first two eps have hooked me.
I've been in Queensland, sun and surf and all that, but more importantly MovieWorld, a big Warner Bros. themed park. I walked in the gate, and ran into Severus Snape. Literally. I just made a spluttering noise, then...
Me: "Hello Professor."
SS: "Hello...(I hug him, he hugs me in a restrained Snape-like fashion)...you're shaking, my dear." (ha)
Me: "Well...you're Snape..."
SS: "Nothing to be afraid of..." (gah)
Me: "Ah, just a big teddy bear on the inside, right?"
(McGonagall wanders up, smiles and nods)
SS: "Exactly."
*grin* Then off he went. I yelled at him later as he and McGonagall were going to the teacher's lounge, he swooped around and waved at me, again in a Snapish fashion. Needless to say I was very chirpy for the rest of the day. The actor was really cool, more book Snape than movie Snape, but still...gah.
Geekiest story ever. I'll put the photo up later. Hope everyone's well!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 7:05 pm (#2058 of 2956)
AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!! NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED PHOTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good on you, Lauren.
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boop - Feb 12, 2005 8:11 pm (#2059 of 2956)
Denise, Hello, wow that made me tired just reading what goes on in your household. What a busy mom, who also gives herself the time which is well deserved!!!! That was so great you guys sold all those cookies.
Capat Draconis, Hello, Yes it will be fun when Survivor comes back on. There is a former student of Penn State on the show. Sounds like you had a great time at the Movie World. What makes it even better is meeting Snape, and getting a hug!!! Can't wait to see the picture
Hugs Always
boop
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Ladybug220 - Feb 12, 2005 8:18 pm (#2060 of 2956)
How did we know that Gina would demand the photo? Ok, well I second the demand for the photo!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 8:58 pm (#2061 of 2956)
Oh, my has anyone noticed the cherubs on the Lexicon?
WOW.very festive.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 8:58 pm (#2062 of 2956)
Speaking of photos... Mischa Fan must be dying when he sees this posted on TLC.
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 9:19 pm (#2063 of 2956)
I just got back from the Boy Scout District Banquet. Guess what?? This message is being typed by the 2004 Cogioba District Trailblazer Award winner for Outstanding Participating Parent! A committe of 8 chose from those nominated from 3 counties and the local military installation and it was meeeeeee! Can you tell I am a wee bit excited, I thought I had been put in for a certificate, never expected this!
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haymoni - Feb 12, 2005 9:42 pm (#2064 of 2956)
Denise - I'm not surprised in the least!
After all - you are OUR Outstanding Participating Parent!
Congrats!
From an Envious Slacker Mom
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Gina R Snape - Feb 12, 2005 9:44 pm (#2065 of 2956)
Congratulations Denise!
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Denise P. - Feb 12, 2005 9:45 pm (#2066 of 2956)
Gina, I have always loved that quote because I can so relate to the man at that moment :::giggle::
Haymoni, you are making me blush! Thanks!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 12, 2005 9:55 pm (#2067 of 2956)
Congrats Denise! Well earned.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 12, 2005 10:00 pm (#2068 of 2956)
Denise, you are a hero super mom! Congratulations!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 12, 2005 10:00 pm (#2069 of 2956)
Congrats Denise!!
As far as I know, our Cub scouts, Scouts and Girl Guides, don't run any big fundraisers like yours do. So I am a little envious of those that have the chance to try those cookies out. Especially the thin mints.
Kip, ROFL! that was an amazing response of yours! - I will try those suggestions of yours before I book the machine in for a service/repair.
Caput Draconis: I've taped both of the "lost" episodes so far. They are pretty good and much better that I expected. The same goes for "desperate housewives", I like it much better than I expected as well.
Of course it helps that I cheat and get the episode summary off the net and read up on it before the relevant episode goes to air. One benefit of having the shows aired in the US before Australia!
Have a wonderful day everyone.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 13, 2005 12:09 am (#2070 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Congratulations Denise!
There is nothing better than a Mom! Since yesterday, I have the flu (not fun: fever, aching all over...) and yesterday afternoon, I saw my Mom coming with some dinner because she thought I would not feel like cooking (which was true) and lovely flowers to cheer me up. She is such a sweetie!
As I couldn't sleep this very early morning, I thought I'd better turn on the computer and read the posts instead of looking at the alarm clock every five minutes and it was a very good idea: your posts are more efficient than vitamin C for fighting the flu! Thanks!
Have a great day everybody!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 13, 2005 2:26 am (#2071 of 2956)
I was just woken up with the worst case of hiccups, painful ones. Anyone know if hiccups can be a sign of side effects for new drugs or anything? My doctor just put me on a new medicine and I've only been taking it a few days. I've never really had hiccups before. It seems weird that they started while I was sleeping!
Alas...well happy Sunday.
Off to find someone still awake that may want to scare the hiccups out of me!
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The giant squid - Feb 13, 2005 2:44 am (#2072 of 2956)
Heh, what do I do all day....
Congrats, "SuperMom"! Lucky for you, you had an assistant the other day, allowing you the extra oomph needed to become the 2004 Cogioba District Trailblazer Award winner for Outstanding Participating Parent. (I love copy-and-paste. )
As for sewing, that falls under the same category as cooking, cleaning and laundry for me: I know how, I just choose to let my wife do it instead. Actually, I made dinner tonight, and neither of us died or got sick so I must have done something right.
Becca, that's horrible that no one got you any HP gifts! Maybe if you ask real nice and bat your eyelashes, Marie will give you her new Hogwarts Castle Lego. Okay, probably not.
Mandy: BOO!!
--Mike
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Detail Seeker - Feb 13, 2005 3:58 am (#2073 of 2956)
Congratulations to that hard earned title, Denise. May your children always remember that.
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septentrion - Feb 13, 2005 4:05 am (#2074 of 2956)
Lauren, I too support the demand for the photo.
Congrats Denise for you award.
Elanor, I hope you're getting better today. My husband got the flu last week-end, and now he has bronchitis and a new red skin color due to allergy to one medicine. So I'm to play the mothers again this week-end.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 13, 2005 6:35 am (#2075 of 2956)
Congratulations Denise! You've earned it!
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boop - Feb 13, 2005 6:43 am (#2076 of 2956)
Denise you got a well deserving award. With all your hard work at home and away from home. You earned ten of those awards. Congratulation Denise we are very proud of you.
~~~waves to Mike~~~
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 6:45 am (#2077 of 2956)
Denise, Congratulations!
I'm proud to "know" you and the Forum is lucky to have you, also.
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Chemyst - Feb 13, 2005 7:32 am (#2078 of 2956)
Oh Denise, I'm not surprised in the least either. Your enthusiasm for scouting spills over into the forum so much that you're teasing me with guilt complexes for not doing more myself. (Actually that is a good & positive challenge and I have to get to I remind myself that I already am involved with three organizations that keep me nicely balanced between helping-out and over-extended.) It is wonderful that the Cogioba District recognizes you as outstanding too.
Elanor, you've discovered the secret of Vitamin Cheer!
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Madam Pince - Feb 13, 2005 9:07 am (#2079 of 2956)
Congrats, Denise! And here you were thinking that you weren't going to get any awards.....
Caput, that sounds like such a cool theme park! I'm so jealous! Did they have anything else Potter-related besides the characters walking around? It's the closest we've gotten to a "Potter World" so far....
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Good Evans - Feb 13, 2005 9:09 am (#2080 of 2956)
wey hey Denise - well done you !!!
On a somewhat nerdy note, for anyone who ballroom dances, I discovered on Friday night that you can viennese waltz quite well to hedwigs theme.... DON'T ASK
Congrats to prisoner of Azkaban, it won the BAFTA orange award for most popular film last night. Emma and Dan ( I think ?) picked up the award, I saw the piccies of Emma but wasn't clear if it was Dan with her. What great taste the British public have!!!!!
roll on oscars..
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 9:12 am (#2081 of 2956)
I read on TLC that Dan wasn't there because he was revising for his OWLS GCSE exams.
Ydnam96, try drinking some water. That might cure your hiccups. I've never heard of a drug that causes hiccups, but anything is possible.
EDIT: Question. Did the GCSEs replace O levels or A levels? I can never remember. I'm assuming O levels based on Dan's age. But I just thought I'd ask.
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 9:16 am (#2082 of 2956)
How appropriate after discussing the Supermoms vs the Slacker Moms, that someone on another board of mine posted a link about the Supermom phenomenon. I saw a link that caught my eye and I read it. I love it! It was called Slacker Mom Manifesto I put the URL to the article behind my picture if you are interested in reading it. I think the Slacker Mom shows a lot more common sense than the moms profiled in the Supermom article but if one has it in them to be Supermom, go for it.
Down near the end of the Slacker article is the link to the Supermom one, called Mommy Madness
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Good Evans - Feb 13, 2005 9:25 am (#2083 of 2956)
Gina - GCSE's replace O levels - you are right - A levels are still there and follow GCSE's if you get good enough grades to carry on(as I am telling my 15 year old at the moment!!)
Denise - ha ha -love the idea of a slacker mom manifesto - I need to go and have a look ......
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Julia. - Feb 13, 2005 9:42 am (#2084 of 2956)
Woo!! Mazel tov Denise!! We always knew you were an outstanding parent!! *hands Denise butterbeer* Congrats again to our bestest supermom ever.
Lauren, I too would love to see pictures of you and Snape.
Gina, I'm sure Misha Fan (Jim) has seen the pictures or Misha and Emma on TLC. I'm sure Betty wouldn't let them slip under his radar.
Did anyone in the US watch Shakespeare in Love on Bravo last night? It was on, and I had a marvelous time watching it, although it was kind of difficult watching my boyfriend kissing another woman.
Speaking of Shakespeare, Henry IV part 1 is calling my name, so I'd better to answer him.
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 10:12 am (#2085 of 2956)
Denise,
Thanks for the link to the Manifesto article. I also enjoyed the Mommy Madness article. Some of it made me realize that I don't really hate being a "Slacker" mom after all!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 13, 2005 11:50 am (#2086 of 2956)
Leave it to WalMart to show me something I've never seen before. Today I saw the ChickCan Rack--a wonder of engineering if ever there was one. It allows one to place the chicken vertically in the roasting rack but has a nifty cylindrical center that holds a can of beer (or tonic, should one be abstaining) inside the chicken's cavity. As the chicken cooks it's infused with the evaporating beer. Mmmmm, beer. I must say, I've never seen quite this setup but given the regional food items mentioned here, I'm betting some of our Southern brethren have. ***waves furiously at Catherine***
Denise, thanks for the Supermom/Slackermom info. I'm going to check it out now.
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 12:29 pm (#2087 of 2956)
I must say, I've never seen quite this setup but given the regional food items mentioned here, I'm betting some of our Southern brethren have. --Lupin is Lupin
**Waving to Kim!**
You know, I don't think I've ever seen a chicken upended and forced to chug beer filled with beer. I guess we do some pretty crazy things to chicken, like frying it or putting it with dumplings, but so far I don't know anyone who has hazed their dinner.
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B]Eponine[/B] - Feb 13, 2005 1:21 pm (#2088 of 2956)
I know of people who make use of such a device, but I have never personally witnessed it being done. I've lived in the South my whole life, and I have seen some strange things being done to food, but not that.
Congrats to Denise on your award. I liked the Slacker Mom/Supermom articles. I'm betting that when the time comes for me, I will be a proud Slacker Mom.
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 2:06 pm (#2089 of 2956)
I have never cooked a chicken that way but my local stores (in the South) stock that little gizmo year round. I will have to see how much it is, I never really looked.
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Madam Pince - Feb 13, 2005 3:27 pm (#2090 of 2956)
I have heard of that cooking method, also -- I think maybe I saw it in one of Mr. Pince's hunting-type magazines/catalogs. I've never used it, though. I have roasted venison with beer and other assorted things as the marinade. Betcha Mike Miller has a good similar recipe...
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 3:31 pm (#2091 of 2956)
I'm still trying to fathom why someone would want to marinade their chicken with beer.
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 3:33 pm (#2092 of 2956)
A lot of people make beer batter chicken, I suppose it is not too far a stretch marinade it with beer as well. My dad soaks chicken in white wine before he puts it on the grill. I don't like it that way but a lot of people do.
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Catherine - Feb 13, 2005 3:43 pm (#2093 of 2956)
Actually, we are having chili tonight that is made with 12 ounces of dark beer. I don't like to drink it, but it does add a rich, dark flavor to the chili.
Beer-battered onion rings are delicious, although I have never had any poultry or meat marinated in beer. Somehow, I don't feel like I've missed out.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 3:48 pm (#2094 of 2956)
Yes, I've had beer-battered onion rings too. I've cooked with wine before. But I don't often.
Well, I guess if there is a way to do things with beer, a beer lover will find a way! It's all a bit like potions-making, really.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 13, 2005 3:52 pm (#2095 of 2956)
Thanks for the hiccups advice. I read some stuff online, no of which really worked except for drinking excessive amounts of cold water. I was able to sleep, but had to get up bunches of times to go to the bathroom
Oh well, that's better than the hiccups. They hurt.I've seen the beer-chicken thing at Walmart as well...seemed weird to me, since the taste of beer well...I think it is gross. So. To each his own I guess.
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librarian314 - Feb 13, 2005 4:46 pm (#2096 of 2956)
Hey all!
Congrats Denise on the scouting award! My mom was big into scouting when we were kids (brownie leader, day camp counselor, cookie mom, and troop mediwitch ;-) (okay, first aider) ). Being active in scouting takes a lot of time but is so great for the kids.
Eleanor - here's some pepper-up potion! (It helped me maybe it'll help you ;-) )Feel better!
Dizzy Lizzie - something else to try with your sewing machine is to use the proper sized needle for whatever you're sewing. Thin fabrics need thin needles, thick fabrics thick needles. Also use the best sewing needles available. The cheap ones just break too often and are worthless. Also change your needles regularly. A general rule of thumb is to change your needle every time you start a new project. Sharp needles go right through the fabric causing few problems.
A note on slacker moms: One person's slacker mom is another person's super mom. When I was in Grad school, I met lots of people who thought I was crazy/amazing when I told them I had a little baby (I started school when I was two months pregnant and finished when my daughter was 2.) I was only going school. I knew mom's who had little babies (and other kids) and were going to school and working full time. I thought they were amazing because I couldn't do it. (I quit my job because that would have been too stressful to me. I wouldn't have been able to give my school work, my job, or parenthood the attention they deserved and they would've all suffered. I felt blessed that I had enough family in the area that I could give up my job and still go to school.)
Y'all take care! Happy Valentine's Day!
**michelle the librarian** slacker mom extraordinaire ;-)
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 5:26 pm (#2097 of 2956)
Ydnam96: Thanks for the hiccups advice
You're welcome!
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haymoni - Feb 13, 2005 5:56 pm (#2098 of 2956)
Denise - your comment about white wine made me smile.
Every Thanksgiving my folks would make 2 turkeys - 1 in the oven (Mom was in charge of that one.) and 1 on the rotisserie over the grill outside (This one was Dad's.) Both were great. Mom's was stuffed and Dad's was basted with butter and white wine.
Mom passed away in May of 1998. Dad still wanted to have Thanksgiving like we always did (20-25 people!), so I stayed the night before at his house to help get everything ready for our first Thanksgiving without Mom. He was determined to do everything like she did and he broke down a couple of times, but we had fun remembering her as we followed her recipes as best we could.
The phone rang at 8:00 am Thanksgiving morning. It was someone named "Tom", asking for my dad. Who would be calling that early on Thanksgiving that wasn't family?
My dad took the call and I heard him say, "Just put the bar right through it's hole and tie it on if you have to."
What??!!
I looked at him, trying to figure out what he could possibly be talking about. Then he said, "Once it's anchored tight enough, go ahead and baste it with the white wine and butter mixture."
He walked "Tom" through the whole process. He sounded much more confident than he had the night before trying to make Mom's stuffing.
The grilled turkey always made the neighbors crazy because its smell wafted all over the neighborhood!
I have a stand for cooking chicken - used it only once. There isn't room for a can of beer, though.
Happy Sunday all!
Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 6:52 pm (#2099 of 2956)
Gripe ahead, feel free to skip.
Why does everyone assume because we have a bunch of kids that we want the rest of the cake, the extra cookies home with us? The person always says "I don't want my kids to have the sugar" Well, what makes them think *I* want all mine to have it?? I realize they are trying to be nice but it makes me nuts when I refuse and they plead with me to take it. :::insert big eye roll here::::
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boop - Feb 13, 2005 6:59 pm (#2100 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!!!!
Now Taysha is getting better and now Dustin has it, goes back to the doctors tomorrow.
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:54 pm
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haymoni - Feb 13, 2005 7:41 pm (#2101 of 2956)
Warning! Sarcastic response to Denise ahead!!!
Denise - Do you REALLY think these people are worried about their children???
The parents don't want the extra cake and cookies around their houses because they are afraid that THEY might eat them, not their kids!!!
To save themselves, they are "generously" giving them to you, a busy, involved, Non-Slacker Parent.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 7:44 pm (#2102 of 2956)
haymoni, that sounds about right to me. And very slytherin, I might add...
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haymoni - Feb 13, 2005 7:56 pm (#2103 of 2956)
Thank you for the compliment, Gina.
I have never taken one of those House tests to see into which House I would be sorted, so I don't really know where I would end up.
Denise - a less sarcastic response, and probably more on target, is that these other parents are in awe of you, as the rest of us are, and want to thank you for your efforts by giving you the extras.
Or...they are Slacker Moms like me and just feel guilty.
Sorry! That Slytherin bit just sneaked back again!
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 7:58 pm (#2104 of 2956)
I ask people to take extra cake and stuff but at least I am honest. "I don't want it around because I will end up eating some of it!"
And hey, I proudly count myself as a Slacker Mom, just one with a boatload of kids.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 8:11 pm (#2105 of 2956)
You're welcome haymoni.
If you are bored and curious, click behind my picture and you will find two different (but similar) sorting hat tests to try out. And of course, aside from that is the question of which house would you like to be in. But I digress.
Denise, as a last resort you can always send the kids off to school with the extras to give as gifts to their teachers...
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Marie E. - Feb 13, 2005 10:14 pm (#2106 of 2956)
Hey! Who says the teachers want all those calories? Who am I kidding? Of course I'd eat the cookies if a student brought them!
Congratulations on your award, Denise! I'm sure you deserved it and then some!
(Apparently I've gone exclamation crazy today. Hmm...)
As a proud Hufflepuff, I can say that I've never handed off unwanted cookies and cakes. This means that I'm the one getting all the unwanted cookies and cakes. Exhibit A: the fudge cookies left by my friend Amy last night. I took them to Brownies today as our snack.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 13, 2005 10:26 pm (#2107 of 2956)
Oh Denise you are so right. If I can't shake the gracious offer, I accept and then ditch the stuff at the first convenient trash can.
In our school the kids trade Valentines, the teachers actually send home list with student names broken by gender and all the teachers, and aids' names. They come home with a bag full of candy. I let them have a piece or two the first night, the next day it's tucked away then mysteriously disappears. That's my Slyerthrin slacker mom side.
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Elanor - Feb 14, 2005 12:44 am (#2108 of 2956)
Thanks for your wishes and pepper-up potions everybody! I still badly need some potion today since the fever is still here. It is not fun when you are on holidays. Come to think of it, it is never fun to be sick. Sept, I hope your husband will feel better soon, I send him healing charms!
Since yesterday, it is snowing again here. It started in a weird manner with lightnings and snow showers, as for a winter storm. Today, there are only snow showers. It is very pretty but really cold too.
I wish a romantic Valentine's day to everyone who is in love and a Valentine's day full of nice surprises for the single ones, let's hope an update on Jo's site! It would be a great Valentine's present for everyone.
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septentrion - Feb 14, 2005 1:53 am (#2109 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's day everyone !
Hi Elanor ! See the bright side of things : you don't have to go working being sick and to drive on snow. Take care of yourself ! My husband feels better except for the allergy : he spent the night scratching himself. Not fun I tell you. I begin to cough too much to my taste, I hope not to get something nasty.
This week-end I achieved something I've been working on it for hours : to rip the audio on a DVD and convert it in MP3 to listen to it in my car (much more interesting than cooking ). And it's nothing compared with making a DivX. But now I know how to do.
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The giant squid - Feb 14, 2005 2:30 am (#2110 of 2956)
A round of pepper-up potions to all those under the weather! It's just not right to be sick on Valentine's Day...
An extra special hug for Boop--Denise may be winning awards, but you're still our Forum mom!
Of course I'd eat the cookies if a student brought them!--Marie E.
Sure, sure...blame it on the students...
--Mike
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 5:14 am (#2111 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
If I can add to the "griping," let me say that Mr. Catherine bought one of my favorite treats this weekend in honor of Valentine's Day--chocolate covered pretzels. I don't know what happened, but I ate the lot in a day. And the candy-eating hasn't even really begun in earnest. Yikes!
We're going out to lunch for a Valentine's Day treat, which will be fun.
Oh, and dog-lovers, the Westminster Dog Show begins today and will be on TV tonight and tomorrow night.
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 14, 2005 5:22 am (#2112 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day all!
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 14, 2005 5:56 am (#2113 of 2956)
Hello... anyone here? *echo echo*
Well hello there... haven't been here in a long long time... & boy have I missed this place. Did anyone miss me? Or are you all wondering who this new mad poster is
I'm afraid I'm incredibly busy with work at the moment, I'm even working at weekends, (nasty). We had a few people leave, so theres two people trying to do the work of five I'm also having problems with a leaky roof on my house, so when I'm not working, every other spare moment is spent trying to follow up with the builders on that. Stupid builders... wish I could jinx them (joking... or am I ).
So all in all, I haven't had a spare minute to even have a quick peek in on the forums. Which has made me very sad as I miss calling in for a little chat now and again. So I'm having a quick peek here, so I'm typing here whilst looking over my shoulder to keep an eye out for the dementors. (think they are at lunch ) Opps was nearly caught there... *whistles innocently as a dementor floats past*
I have been in touch with Maré (Steffie) by mail, and like me, she's pretty busy at the moment herself. Thanks for the mail Steffie... it really cheered me up!
In saying that, I just couldn't not call in today, I just had to call in & say HAPPY VALENTINES EVERYONE
'Fraid I haven't even attempted to read the 700 odd posts on this thread alone... I did a quick skim of some, but seeing as my time is limited.... I had to skip to the end. Sorry .... so I'll just wish belated happy birthday & congrats to all.
One thing I did catch was a post from Doris. Doris... when you mentioned Queens University, where you talking about Queens Uni in Belfast? If so, *gets excited* thats my old University & I'd be more than happy to impart some of my wisdom (???) unto you about the 'ol place ....
And so, back to the dementors.... Hope to be back posting more regularly soon, until then, I'll keep casting my Patronus Charm, (carefully disguised as a mail from Amazon confirming pre-order of my Half Blood Prince).
TTFN
Big Hugs
Fawkes
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 6:00 am (#2114 of 2956)
Fawkes, it's great to see you, and you have been missed. Hope the dementy-whatsits didn't catch up to you today!
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Chemyst - Feb 14, 2005 6:27 am (#2115 of 2956)
Catherine, you'd mentioned earlier the history of the Aztecs and chocolate... I do have a bit of trivia for you there: Sharing a frothy cup of chocolate was part of the 12th century marriage ritual for Mezoamericans. Their mythology holds that the gods of Paradise sent cacao seeds (or a cacao tree in some versions) to man for wisdom and special blessing. (Of course, that misplaced human sacrifice requirement raises some serious doubt as to how such gods define "wisdom")
Glad to see you could get back, Fawkes. Maré had told us last week that you were having dementor problems. Hopefully they'll have a good lunch and then leave you alone for a while.
(What is this about unwanted cakes &cookies? Do such things exist?) **leaves for next thread in wonderment**
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 14, 2005 7:08 am (#2116 of 2956)
A round of pepper-up potions to all those under the weather! It's just not right to be sick on Valentine's Day...---The giant squid
Hey Mike, how'd you know? And you're right, it's just not fair to be sick on Valentine's.
Catherine, thanks for the Westminster update. I may have to geek out and find the "Best in Show" in me tonight.
Chemyst---nice chocolate trivia. Mmmmmm, chocolate.
Speaking of mmmmm's, this is for Loopy Loopin: I recently acquired Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany (a companion to Schott's Original Miscellany) and included in its endless trivia is a list of some of Homer Simpson's 'Mmmmms....'. They include: mmmm....donuts, mmmm....money, mmmm....the Land of Chocolate, mmmm....invisible Cola, mmmm....free goo, mmmm....bowling-fresh, mmmm....caramel, mmmm....organized crime (that's a puzzler), mmmm....unprocessed fishsticks, mmmm....elephant-fresh, mmmm....hog fat, and mmmm....footlong chili dog. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY LOOPY!
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librarian314 - Feb 14, 2005 7:14 am (#2117 of 2956)
Hey all!
Gina, I loved you sorting hat quiz! It's the only one I've ever taken that has ever put me in Gryffindor! I've taken about a dozen or so from the instasort kind to the really long (100+ question psych test kind) and all have plopped me into Hufflepuff. And I'm really very happy as a 'puff. Maybe I'm a really brave 'puff.
Well, it snowed here this morning, which was quite a surprise, as I didn't think I'd have to clear off the car this morning.
Y'all take care and may your day be filled with Valentine Happiness but devoid of Gilderoy Lockheart. (You may have all the Kenneth Brannagh you like though ;-) )
**michelle the librarian** and devoted Kenneth Brannagh fan ;-)
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mollis - Feb 14, 2005 7:48 am (#2118 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 14, 2005 6:50 am
Okay, I've been quietly lurking for the past week or so, mainly because you all have been so chatty lately that it takes most of my spare moments to catch up on the posts with no time to come up with my own clever(?) posts. But I just had to pipe up on the subject of beer-can-chicken. I haven't actually done it myself, but I have a friend who has and says its delicious. Basically, the beer just provides moisture and some minimal flavor so that when it's done the bird is crispy on the outside and really juicy on the inside. You could also use the can insertion thingy with a can of apple juice, which would probably also be good. If you couldn't tell, I'm very fond of cooking with beer or wine. Also very fond of drinking the leftovers. You know, sometimes a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of red wine. What's a girl to do with the leftovers??? Actually, I am making Mr. Mollis Guinness stew tonight for V-Day. Its a recipe I brought back with me from Ireland **waves to Fawkes** Yummy stuff! (And great leftovers! )
So, Happy Valentine's Day to everybody. I you are intelligent enough to be on this forum and reading this thread - You are loved by me! (and probably many others here!) So have some gifts from me - take your pick: (couldn't find a box of chocolates, so let's just pretend that there's a smilie with chocolates here. okay?)
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Gina R Snape - Feb 14, 2005 7:54 am (#2119 of 2956)
Hey, Michelle. Glad you liked the quizzes! I definitely lean towards Ravenclaw, but am still a slytherin (Slytherclaw). It's entirely possible that you are a Gryffinpuff!
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 14, 2005 8:05 am (#2120 of 2956)
included in its endless trivia is a list of some of Homer Simpson's 'Mmmmms....-- Lupin is Lupin
Hehe. My favorite is when Homer is golfing. Mr. Burns suggests that he use "an open face club, the sand wedge." To which Homer replies: "Mmmm. Open face club sandwich....."
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO EVERYONE ***waves to Lupin is Lupin and Catherine*** ***hands butterbeer to Lupin***
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Denise P. - Feb 14, 2005 8:08 am (#2121 of 2956)
No surprises here, both of the sorting quizzes put in Ravenclaw.
Happy Valentine's Day!!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 14, 2005 8:29 am (#2122 of 2956)
Well, for me today is just another day as a Singelton (taken from Bridget Jones' Diary). It's started out gray and icky and with little sleep.
Does anyone know what station will be carrying the Westminster Dog Show? I only get the basic stations through antenna (Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, UPN, and WB) so hopefully one of those stations will have it. Although my favorite show, Extreeme Makeover Home Edition has a special tonight I want to see. I love that show. It's so uplifting.
Well, happy V-Day to all that celebrate. If not, happy Monday to all who are just starting another week.
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Denise P. - Feb 14, 2005 8:34 am (#2123 of 2956)
USA network usually carries Westminster.
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Ladybug220 - Feb 14, 2005 9:03 am (#2124 of 2956)
I'm with you Ydnam96 - I will be spending the evening with my cats and it is gray and icky here in NC too.
Denise, congrats on your award - you definitely deserve it.
Happy Valentines Day to everyone.
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Madam Pince - Feb 14, 2005 9:28 am (#2125 of 2956)
Boop, hope your other little one feels better soon!
I ended up like Denise -- sorted into Ravenclaw. I think I took another quiz one time before and it put me into Ravenclaw also.
Today is Mr. Pince's and my anniversary! At the time, it seemed like a very romantic idea to get married on Valentine's Day. Now, it just means that roses and hotel reservations and dinner reservations are harder to get and more expensive. So we celebrated last night instead.
Fawkes and Mollis, welcome back! We've missed you! Mollis, I think you're right about the chicken/beer thing -- you can't really taste the beer flavor, it's more about keeping the chicken moist inside. Something about cooking with beer or wine does that, but to me, I can never really taste the flavor of the liquid. (Unless, like you, I am finishing off the extra 1/2 cup....)
I took the First- thru Fifth-Year Exams on that website, too, Gina. I did pretty well with the first two, but it seemed that I got steadily worse. I really flunked out with the ones "Educational Decree Number 24 stated ______." I didn't pay any attention to what number Decree it was! I also flunked out pretty badly on the ones about "which ingredient goes into a ____ potion / charm / hex." I'm afraid I skimmed over that info too. Sigh....it doesn't take many mistakes to bring one's grade crashing down, does it?
Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!
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mike miller - Feb 14, 2005 10:36 am (#2126 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day!
Congrats Denise on your award, if you keep pushing that bar higher, the rest of us will never have a chance.
I echo Squid Mike's statement.."Boop your still OUR Forum Mom"
Hey Lauren, we're still wating for the Snape Snaps from Movie World
Fawkes - Good to see your post. I can really relate to the work "load" (and I choose my words carefully).
Congrat to the Pince's!! and your right about my recipes. Actually, both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's (on-line and catalog sporting goods suppliers) have the one can and the "double" can chicken roasters.
EDIT: I'm in Gryffindor, and I'm supposed to have died 25 years ago!
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Phoenix song - Feb 14, 2005 10:41 am (#2127 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day everybody! I'm not a "singleton", but might as well be since hubby is somewhere about Oregon right now.
Gina, I took your sorting quiz. That was definitely the most interesting sorting quiz that I've ever taken. Thanks! No surprises, though, like all of the other tests I've taken have confirmed, I'm a GRYFFINDOR!
Ydnam, there are medications that can cause hiccups. My dad was on some meds that caused hiccups. They were so prolonged and severe that he had to take med for the hiccups that were caused by other meds. (The medical profession is paved with frustration!) Unfortunately, the meds for the hiccups that were caused by the meds for the seizures led to other side affects that led to other meds, that led to other meds, and so on, and so on, and so on.
My sincerest advice to you is to just check out your medication online and see what side affects are common with it. If the hiccups are bothersome, then you may want to discuss with your doctor (or with his nurse, more commonly) if there are alternative medications that provide the same benefits without the same side affects. You may be surprised at how many different medications can be used to treat the same problems, but react differently on the body. It's worth a call. Good luck!
Recalling the beer in cooking issue, it's widely believed that beer acts as a tenderizer when cooked with meat. That's why it's common to parboil a rack of ribs with a can of beer prior to grilling. It helps to break the meat down, thereby making it more tender, and gives it a good flavor. I don't like beer in the least, but the taste that beer gives to meat as it's cooked is not the same flavor as drinking the beer itself.
I have heard of sitting a turkey upright in a roasting pan and putting a can of opened beer inside of the cavity with a few sticks of butter and baking it. When the beer reaches a certain temperature it begins to bubble out of the can and coats the chicken. I haven't cooked one that way, but there are many that swear by it. I also have to assert that fried turkey is AWESOME. Everyone should try some at some point in their lives.
Have a great day everybody! Since it's pretty gloomy, gray and wet here, I hope that others are enjoying the sunshine!
Barbie
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megfox - Feb 14, 2005 12:12 pm (#2128 of 2956)
Mmmmmm, beer brined chicken... With a husband who was a chef/worked in kitchens for about 12 years, and then has been a butcher for the past year or so, and roasted chicken being my favorite dinner EVER, I have had the fortune of eating almost every known preparation of said roasted chicken, including the beer-brined variety. It does have something to do with the chemicals found in alcohol acting as a meat tenderizer. Basically, you can cook the snot out of brined chicken (or other types of meat) and you will still end up with really moist meat. The can-in-the-cavity method is just another way to get the beer into the meat. One of the ways my husband does it is to take our large stockpot, and put either a small roaster, or two Cornish game hens in, cover them with beer (Bud is the best for this - it doesn't have to be expensive), some kosher salt, some sugar, some fresh ground pepper, and a bay leaf or two, and lets this sit in the fridge overnight. The next day, he takes it out, puts it over carrots, onions, celery, and a stick of butter in a roasting dish, and roasts it. It is sooooo good. I am actually salivating right now...
Anyway, wanted to let you all in on the little secret. The meat is so tender, it practically falls off the bones. And as long as you don't use some really heavy tasting beer (hence, the Bud) you shouldn't taste the beeer in the chicken, and the alcohol should cook out, too.
I also hope to be a Slacker Mom, but I think that this is because the best thing my mother ever did for us kids was to make us be responsible for ourselves. If I wanted to have any type of lessons or activities, I had to be responsible for showing up. My mom would drive me if I asked, but she never signed me up for anyhing that I didn't ask for. And as soon as I stopped following through, I was done. And in the summer, as soon as breakfast was done, we went outside, and we only came in for lunch or to go to the bathroom, until my dad got home. My mother had better things to do than to entertain me. And frozen pizza hasn't killed me yet.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 14, 2005 12:28 pm (#2129 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Re the beer chicken: I've never had chicken, but I grew up with my mother using beer when roasting turkey. As someone who doesn't like the taste of beer, I can assure you that you don't taste the beer. As megfox and others have mentioned, it really does make the meat more moist. I even saw the beer can thing on a cooking show once! Now that I'm cooking Thanksgiving Dinner, I prefer cooking sherry, but mom still uses the beer at Christmas.
Since it's Valentine's, I have to share my latest chocolate discovery with my fellow New Yorkers and any potential NYC visitors. You probably already know about this place and will laugh at my naiveté. I've been living here for 3 1/2 years, and I just visited The City Bakery for the first time this week! I will never have hot chocolate anywhere else again!! They use real chocolate instead of cocoa powder, so it's like drinking liquid chocolate. During February, they have a Hot Chocolate Festival and serve a different flavor of hot chocolate every day! So far I've tried Bourbon Hot Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate. I'm going to try to get to the Vanilla Bean, Ginger, and Darkest Dark. Mmmmmmmm. They also have amazing cookies and tarts and an excellent (but expensive) salad bar. Tip: the chocolate is extremely rich. I ordered a small the first time and couldn't finish it, so I've ordered a "Shot" since. Be sure to get a (homemade) marshmallow with it!! The City Bakery is at 3 West 18th Street near 5th Avenue. So, if you need a special treat, and don't want to bother Snape (unless you're Gina, who can bother him all she wants), go there today and get some Love Potion Hot Chocolate!
Gina, I took your sorting test and again ended up in Ravenclaw; but the caption says I'll one day rule the world, so I guess that's OK!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 14, 2005 12:43 pm (#2130 of 2956)
LOL. Well who knows, maybe Ravenclaws will rule the world one day.
Glad you're all enjoying the quizzes.
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librarian314 - Feb 14, 2005 1:09 pm (#2131 of 2956)
Hey all!
My husband has taken a bunch of the sorting quizes and he comes out as a Ravenclaw. When I asked my daughter if she was a Huffleclaw or a Ravenpuff (dear hubby thinks that sounds like a breakfast cereal ;-) ) she said, "No Mommy, I'm a Ravenclaw." which, knowing her is probably where she would end up.
I like the idea of being a Gryffinpuff. Of the Gryffindor's I'm mostly like Hermione. I'm a really hard worker but feel that everyone deserves a fair chance.
Deep fried turkeys are the best. It is so great to watch my Dad, husband, and brother-in-law stand around outside in the back yard sipping scotch (that's what it was this year ;-) ) watching the turkey cook whilst my sister, step-mom, daughter, and I watch whatever we want on tv and only have to get busy about an hour before dinner, rather than working like house elves the whole day. Dad also gets to clean the turkey pot, so we only have to do the usual clean up rather than nasty turkey pans.
The only drawback is that you don't get enough of a decent carcass to turn into soup. I've tried a few times and it just isn't as satisfactory as I'd like.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Julia. - Feb 14, 2005 1:44 pm (#2132 of 2956)
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!!!!
Wow, I've not been on the forum all day what what happens? Fawkes, Mollis and Meg make apperances!! *waves*
I'm finally off my crutches, thank G-d. I've still got the air cast on, and stairs are a pain, but at least I no longer have to use my arms to walk.
*sigh* Well, I guess it's back to reading (my Valentines day plans include a romantic date with Will Shakespeare) and writing my Valentines day fan fic for the Rev challange.
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 2:40 pm (#2133 of 2956)
Meg, your description of drunken beer-brined poultry was very tempting.
I think I am off to the store to buy the ChickCan Rack straight away. I think I will buy two extra and send them to Loopy Lupin and Lupin is Lupin for Valentine's Day, as a token of my esteem. **throws pink and red heart-shaped confetti in the air**
Enjoy your Valentine's Day, and remember to root for your favorite breed tonight. The Westminster Show airs on USA this evening.
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The giant squid - Feb 14, 2005 4:12 pm (#2134 of 2956)
A hearty hello to Fawkes, Meg & Mollis! Glad to see you were able to tear yourselves away from the "real" world long enough to say hi!
mmmm....organized crime (that's a puzzler)
Strangely, while I've never seen the Simpson's episode that comes from, it doesn't shock me in the least. It was only a matter of time, really...
Julia, congrats on your freedom from crutchdom.
Movie quote of the day, in honor of the Westminster Kennel Show: "Totally off the subject...how much do you think I can bench press?"--Fred Willard, Best In Show
--Mike
Edit: Sorting-hat.com says I'm a Ravenclaw, and sortingquiz.com says I'm a Hufflepuff. Ravenpuffs of the world, unite!
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 4:19 pm (#2135 of 2956)
Mike, LOL about "Best in Show!"
I liked, "Hundreds?...I didn't know that."
That movie is just hilarious. For those who haven't seen this movie, it features shih-tzu owners, so naturally I find it quite enjoyable.
**still tossing heart-shaped confetti over everyone**
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mollis - Feb 14, 2005 4:29 pm (#2136 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 14, 2005 3:30 pm
Okay guys, don't faint. Two posts in one day. I think some of the slacker-talk is rubbing off...
Meg - That drunken chicken recipe sounds fabulous. I wrote it down and will try it soon. Have to go buy a chicken...
And I took the new sorting quiz, Gryffindor again. I guess I'm okay with that. Once I got Ravenclaw, but I think I'd rather have more fun. I'm sick of all this working and intellectual stuff...
Speaking of which, it's 5:30 and way past time to head home. Got to make my hubby Guinness stew for dinner. Mmmmm, yummy.
Have a great night all!
Edit: Thanks for the confetti Catherine. Better make sure it gets out of my hair before I get home or hubby will wonder what I've been up to!
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From Venus - Feb 14, 2005 7:54 pm (#2137 of 2956)
Edited by Denise P. Feb 14, 2005 7:07 pm
The only thing I ever cooked with beer is bratwurst. I'd simmer it in beer for a while and then put them on the grill. Everyone says they are delicious that way...I wouldn't know, since I'm a vegetarian.
Sortinghat.com put me in Hufflpuff, but the Hogwarts sorting site put me in Gryffindor. But it also told me I should be dead by now. (Actually, for about 32 years!) I guess I've beat the odds!
HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!!
Edit: I just corrected the HTML so you could see the smilies. Denise P.
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 14, 2005 8:19 pm (#2138 of 2956)
Shrimp cooked in beer and seasoned with Old Bay is delicious. That is, as far as I know, the only food I've eaten that's been cooked in beer. The chicken sounds good, though.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 14, 2005 9:21 pm (#2139 of 2956)
Beer...um...not my drink of choice, but for some odd reason I like it with spicy Szechuan (sp.?) food. Just a sip or two to calm the heat. Go figure.
But--as a condiment for cooking, I know of it's many uses. One recipe that I like is Flemish Beer Stew. A hearty beef stew with pearl onions, mushrooms and a thick gravy enhanced with beer and brown sugar. Gosh, it smells soooo good when you start up the recipe and first add the beer. People wander into the kitchen from all over the house (next door even) and ask, "What smells so good, and can I have some?"
I have also heard of a sweet and sour meatball recipe with grape jelly as an ingredient, and there's one where you baste a turkey with Pepsi (not Coke). This is making me hungry, all this talk of yummy food, despite the big supper I had. I will stop now.
Denise, slacker or super, congrats for your honor.
Happy Valentines Day to all you (HP Forum) lovers out there.
Ciao. Barb
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 14, 2005 9:29 pm (#2140 of 2956)
It's a bit late to say Happy Valentines but I was just at the Leaky Cauldron that referred us to the Bloomsbury site new calender. If you click on today's date a window pops up with a picture of who Harry hearts. I can't c-l-i-c-k it, who does harry heart??? Is it too late? 11:30pm EST 2/14 is 4:30 am GMT, right? If someone saw could you please either let us know or (for you who are truely clever) provide a link. Thanks.
Happy Valentine's day for those that still have time.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 15, 2005 12:01 am (#2141 of 2956)
I'm more than a bit late...its way past Valentine's day now, but I hope everyone had a lovely Monday.
I read about that as well Mrs. Sirius, but I too missed out because of the time zones.
Today has been a deadly boring day at work and I'm so tired from the lack of work. I think it will be a night for the leftovers and curl up on the couch watching the TV.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 15, 2005 12:21 am (#2142 of 2956)
Hello everybody! It is still snowing here this morning (everything is white with snow and it is very pretty) and I am still fighting the flu but today, finally, I think (hope) it could be better.
I tried both Sorting-hat tests and both told me Gryffindor this time. That's fortunate because I love the red colour and towers...
It was a very quiet Valentine's day for me, first because I was sick and, well, as I am a "singleton" too, it doesn't help on that day... But the French TV was giving Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet" movie, I love that version and its music is so beautiful, so it was nice.
As for cooking with beer, well it is used here too though cooking with wine is more common. A few drops in the waffles' mixture and they will become much more lighter. My Mom has also a jugged hare recipe using beer that is delicious.
I hope everyone will have a great Tuesday! Fawkes, Molly, it was great to hear from you! Septentrion, I send you a lot of healing and cheering charms.
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septentrion - Feb 15, 2005 2:10 am (#2143 of 2956)
Hi every one !
Well, wine may be mostly used for cooking, except in "beer regions" such as Northern France. Try and put some beer in your crêpes !
It was nice to see returning people round here.
Thanks for your cheering charms Elanor, but I think I my husband need something stronger like a potion.
Have a great Tuesday everyone !
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Marè - Feb 15, 2005 2:43 am (#2144 of 2956)
The only receipe I ever heard of that used beer was pancakes. I never used it before and still don't, but some people apparently always put some beer in the dow for lightness-ness ( :§ )
I love cooking with wine though, both the wine that's left over and the actual diner Hmmmm, Pasta with gorgonzola and white wine. Might have to make that again this weekend!
And sending some general health charms around France for Elanor and Septentrion (And Sep's husband).
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Essidji - Feb 15, 2005 4:12 am (#2145 of 2956)
I am very creative for cooking, so I am not surprised at all to hear about recipes with beer. I fact, I have already made successful experiences such as pigeons cooked with brown beer, lardons and pruneaux (dry prunes), or roast pork with mushrooms cooked in red beer.
Hey guys, I am soo hungry! It's quarter past midday here, and talking about this food just makes me starve!
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 15, 2005 4:39 am (#2146 of 2956)
Hello hello... *looks over shoulder to make sure no dementors are lurking*
Thanks for the welcomes back guys ... *sending out BIG HUGGLES* I missed you all... I feel all loved now... plus all those Vally's Day greetings Seeing as I'm another singleton... it was nice to get some messages Hey... I'm not worried though. I did get a joke e-mail card from some friends... for those in the UK it was a picture of a mock 'Tesco Value Range' card... very funny! (Tescos is a supermarket chain in the UK & Ireland... the 'Value' range is exactly that... non branded shops own stuff.... & very cheap indeedy )
Mollis, Guinness Stew is something I've never ate, but sounds lovely... Guinness Pie is delicious... which I suppose is basically stew in a pie, so maybe then you could say I've eaten Guinness Stew (hmmm, perhaps I am working too hard... I'm beginning to ramble on about utter nonsense... either that or I really am turning into Bridget Jones )
Julia... didn't know you where on crutches.... poor pet.... *big hug for you*. I'm in a bit of a 'pickle' myself. I was attempting some DIY at the weekend in my house and I managed to slip & fall backwards unto the skirting on the wall & wacked the base of my spine. (don't ask... I'm still trying to work out how exactly I did it) So I'm in a bit of pain at the mo.... hurting your 'tail bone' is not funny... and whoever designed these (bloody) seats in this office.... deserve a jinx on them... ergonomic design my eye!! My mum suggested that I get a cushion and sit on it... a doughnut shaped cushion at that! Hmmm, I'm sure my co workers would love that... you can imagine the conclusions they would draw... and I think they get enough entertainment at my expense right now... seeing as I'm so tired I've taken to just spouting out random statements (see above paragraph for further examples ) So I'm just sitting here suffering in silence..
Oh but mustn't grumble... it's just nice to get two minutes peace from the dementors to check up on this thread.... haven't got a chance to get near any of the others.... oh well... Have a nice tuesday everyone..
All this talk of food has made me hungry... it's another hour til lunch.... and my tummy is rumbling... My sandwhich is now looking at me, I swear it wants me to eat it.... hmmm, I knew I should have put it in the fridge... Ok, I'm off to do some work & try not to eat my lunch before time.... TTFN
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septentrion - Feb 15, 2005 5:36 am (#2147 of 2956)
Marè, when I wrote "crêpes", I meant pancakes. I don't know if beer make them slighter but it give them a nice taste. And thanks for your healing charms !
Fawkes, i just know how it's painful. I had some surgery round the basement of my spine when I was 18 and the 4 following days have been real torture (I couldn't even sit).
Waves to Karine !
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Marè - Feb 15, 2005 6:19 am (#2148 of 2956)
Marè, when I wrote "crêpes", I meant pancakes
No no no, trust me, there is a difference between pancakes and crepes, there is also a big difference between those strange fluffy thingies that Americans eat for breakfast (??!!) and real pancakes.
But for that matter, I think that the addition of beer can't top the addition of vanilla essence when it comes to taste!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 15, 2005 6:32 am (#2149 of 2956)
Happy Tuesday everyone.
As Catherine noted, the Westminster dog show is on. I didn't get a chance to watch much of it last night, but I did see the "new breed" intros. One was a Neapolitan Mastiff named "Belagio" (sp?). Most of us would see this doggy and say "Fang!"
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Essidji - Feb 15, 2005 6:32 am (#2150 of 2956)
*waves back to Sept*
Fawkes, it's so nice to hear from you. I understand so much the pain you feel. A few years ago, as an unexperienced and poor skier (which I still am), I slipped over a plate of ice and fell on my coccyx. I took at least three weeks before the pain would vanish completely. I really wish it wouldn't last so long for you!
haymoni - Feb 13, 2005 7:41 pm (#2101 of 2956)
Warning! Sarcastic response to Denise ahead!!!
Denise - Do you REALLY think these people are worried about their children???
The parents don't want the extra cake and cookies around their houses because they are afraid that THEY might eat them, not their kids!!!
To save themselves, they are "generously" giving them to you, a busy, involved, Non-Slacker Parent.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 7:44 pm (#2102 of 2956)
haymoni, that sounds about right to me. And very slytherin, I might add...
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haymoni - Feb 13, 2005 7:56 pm (#2103 of 2956)
Thank you for the compliment, Gina.
I have never taken one of those House tests to see into which House I would be sorted, so I don't really know where I would end up.
Denise - a less sarcastic response, and probably more on target, is that these other parents are in awe of you, as the rest of us are, and want to thank you for your efforts by giving you the extras.
Or...they are Slacker Moms like me and just feel guilty.
Sorry! That Slytherin bit just sneaked back again!
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Denise P. - Feb 13, 2005 7:58 pm (#2104 of 2956)
I ask people to take extra cake and stuff but at least I am honest. "I don't want it around because I will end up eating some of it!"
And hey, I proudly count myself as a Slacker Mom, just one with a boatload of kids.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 13, 2005 8:11 pm (#2105 of 2956)
You're welcome haymoni.
If you are bored and curious, click behind my picture and you will find two different (but similar) sorting hat tests to try out. And of course, aside from that is the question of which house would you like to be in. But I digress.
Denise, as a last resort you can always send the kids off to school with the extras to give as gifts to their teachers...
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Marie E. - Feb 13, 2005 10:14 pm (#2106 of 2956)
Hey! Who says the teachers want all those calories? Who am I kidding? Of course I'd eat the cookies if a student brought them!
Congratulations on your award, Denise! I'm sure you deserved it and then some!
(Apparently I've gone exclamation crazy today. Hmm...)
As a proud Hufflepuff, I can say that I've never handed off unwanted cookies and cakes. This means that I'm the one getting all the unwanted cookies and cakes. Exhibit A: the fudge cookies left by my friend Amy last night. I took them to Brownies today as our snack.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 13, 2005 10:26 pm (#2107 of 2956)
Oh Denise you are so right. If I can't shake the gracious offer, I accept and then ditch the stuff at the first convenient trash can.
In our school the kids trade Valentines, the teachers actually send home list with student names broken by gender and all the teachers, and aids' names. They come home with a bag full of candy. I let them have a piece or two the first night, the next day it's tucked away then mysteriously disappears. That's my Slyerthrin slacker mom side.
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Elanor - Feb 14, 2005 12:44 am (#2108 of 2956)
Thanks for your wishes and pepper-up potions everybody! I still badly need some potion today since the fever is still here. It is not fun when you are on holidays. Come to think of it, it is never fun to be sick. Sept, I hope your husband will feel better soon, I send him healing charms!
Since yesterday, it is snowing again here. It started in a weird manner with lightnings and snow showers, as for a winter storm. Today, there are only snow showers. It is very pretty but really cold too.
I wish a romantic Valentine's day to everyone who is in love and a Valentine's day full of nice surprises for the single ones, let's hope an update on Jo's site! It would be a great Valentine's present for everyone.
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septentrion - Feb 14, 2005 1:53 am (#2109 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's day everyone !
Hi Elanor ! See the bright side of things : you don't have to go working being sick and to drive on snow. Take care of yourself ! My husband feels better except for the allergy : he spent the night scratching himself. Not fun I tell you. I begin to cough too much to my taste, I hope not to get something nasty.
This week-end I achieved something I've been working on it for hours : to rip the audio on a DVD and convert it in MP3 to listen to it in my car (much more interesting than cooking ). And it's nothing compared with making a DivX. But now I know how to do.
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The giant squid - Feb 14, 2005 2:30 am (#2110 of 2956)
A round of pepper-up potions to all those under the weather! It's just not right to be sick on Valentine's Day...
An extra special hug for Boop--Denise may be winning awards, but you're still our Forum mom!
Of course I'd eat the cookies if a student brought them!--Marie E.
Sure, sure...blame it on the students...
--Mike
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 5:14 am (#2111 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
If I can add to the "griping," let me say that Mr. Catherine bought one of my favorite treats this weekend in honor of Valentine's Day--chocolate covered pretzels. I don't know what happened, but I ate the lot in a day. And the candy-eating hasn't even really begun in earnest. Yikes!
We're going out to lunch for a Valentine's Day treat, which will be fun.
Oh, and dog-lovers, the Westminster Dog Show begins today and will be on TV tonight and tomorrow night.
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 14, 2005 5:22 am (#2112 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day all!
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 14, 2005 5:56 am (#2113 of 2956)
Hello... anyone here? *echo echo*
Well hello there... haven't been here in a long long time... & boy have I missed this place. Did anyone miss me? Or are you all wondering who this new mad poster is
I'm afraid I'm incredibly busy with work at the moment, I'm even working at weekends, (nasty). We had a few people leave, so theres two people trying to do the work of five I'm also having problems with a leaky roof on my house, so when I'm not working, every other spare moment is spent trying to follow up with the builders on that. Stupid builders... wish I could jinx them (joking... or am I ).
So all in all, I haven't had a spare minute to even have a quick peek in on the forums. Which has made me very sad as I miss calling in for a little chat now and again. So I'm having a quick peek here, so I'm typing here whilst looking over my shoulder to keep an eye out for the dementors. (think they are at lunch ) Opps was nearly caught there... *whistles innocently as a dementor floats past*
I have been in touch with Maré (Steffie) by mail, and like me, she's pretty busy at the moment herself. Thanks for the mail Steffie... it really cheered me up!
In saying that, I just couldn't not call in today, I just had to call in & say HAPPY VALENTINES EVERYONE
'Fraid I haven't even attempted to read the 700 odd posts on this thread alone... I did a quick skim of some, but seeing as my time is limited.... I had to skip to the end. Sorry .... so I'll just wish belated happy birthday & congrats to all.
One thing I did catch was a post from Doris. Doris... when you mentioned Queens University, where you talking about Queens Uni in Belfast? If so, *gets excited* thats my old University & I'd be more than happy to impart some of my wisdom (???) unto you about the 'ol place ....
And so, back to the dementors.... Hope to be back posting more regularly soon, until then, I'll keep casting my Patronus Charm, (carefully disguised as a mail from Amazon confirming pre-order of my Half Blood Prince).
TTFN
Big Hugs
Fawkes
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 6:00 am (#2114 of 2956)
Fawkes, it's great to see you, and you have been missed. Hope the dementy-whatsits didn't catch up to you today!
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Chemyst - Feb 14, 2005 6:27 am (#2115 of 2956)
Catherine, you'd mentioned earlier the history of the Aztecs and chocolate... I do have a bit of trivia for you there: Sharing a frothy cup of chocolate was part of the 12th century marriage ritual for Mezoamericans. Their mythology holds that the gods of Paradise sent cacao seeds (or a cacao tree in some versions) to man for wisdom and special blessing. (Of course, that misplaced human sacrifice requirement raises some serious doubt as to how such gods define "wisdom")
Glad to see you could get back, Fawkes. Maré had told us last week that you were having dementor problems. Hopefully they'll have a good lunch and then leave you alone for a while.
(What is this about unwanted cakes &cookies? Do such things exist?) **leaves for next thread in wonderment**
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 14, 2005 7:08 am (#2116 of 2956)
A round of pepper-up potions to all those under the weather! It's just not right to be sick on Valentine's Day...---The giant squid
Hey Mike, how'd you know? And you're right, it's just not fair to be sick on Valentine's.
Catherine, thanks for the Westminster update. I may have to geek out and find the "Best in Show" in me tonight.
Chemyst---nice chocolate trivia. Mmmmmm, chocolate.
Speaking of mmmmm's, this is for Loopy Loopin: I recently acquired Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany (a companion to Schott's Original Miscellany) and included in its endless trivia is a list of some of Homer Simpson's 'Mmmmms....'. They include: mmmm....donuts, mmmm....money, mmmm....the Land of Chocolate, mmmm....invisible Cola, mmmm....free goo, mmmm....bowling-fresh, mmmm....caramel, mmmm....organized crime (that's a puzzler), mmmm....unprocessed fishsticks, mmmm....elephant-fresh, mmmm....hog fat, and mmmm....footlong chili dog. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY LOOPY!
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librarian314 - Feb 14, 2005 7:14 am (#2117 of 2956)
Hey all!
Gina, I loved you sorting hat quiz! It's the only one I've ever taken that has ever put me in Gryffindor! I've taken about a dozen or so from the instasort kind to the really long (100+ question psych test kind) and all have plopped me into Hufflepuff. And I'm really very happy as a 'puff. Maybe I'm a really brave 'puff.
Well, it snowed here this morning, which was quite a surprise, as I didn't think I'd have to clear off the car this morning.
Y'all take care and may your day be filled with Valentine Happiness but devoid of Gilderoy Lockheart. (You may have all the Kenneth Brannagh you like though ;-) )
**michelle the librarian** and devoted Kenneth Brannagh fan ;-)
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mollis - Feb 14, 2005 7:48 am (#2118 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 14, 2005 6:50 am
Okay, I've been quietly lurking for the past week or so, mainly because you all have been so chatty lately that it takes most of my spare moments to catch up on the posts with no time to come up with my own clever(?) posts. But I just had to pipe up on the subject of beer-can-chicken. I haven't actually done it myself, but I have a friend who has and says its delicious. Basically, the beer just provides moisture and some minimal flavor so that when it's done the bird is crispy on the outside and really juicy on the inside. You could also use the can insertion thingy with a can of apple juice, which would probably also be good. If you couldn't tell, I'm very fond of cooking with beer or wine. Also very fond of drinking the leftovers. You know, sometimes a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of red wine. What's a girl to do with the leftovers??? Actually, I am making Mr. Mollis Guinness stew tonight for V-Day. Its a recipe I brought back with me from Ireland **waves to Fawkes** Yummy stuff! (And great leftovers! )
So, Happy Valentine's Day to everybody. I you are intelligent enough to be on this forum and reading this thread - You are loved by me! (and probably many others here!) So have some gifts from me - take your pick: (couldn't find a box of chocolates, so let's just pretend that there's a smilie with chocolates here. okay?)
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Gina R Snape - Feb 14, 2005 7:54 am (#2119 of 2956)
Hey, Michelle. Glad you liked the quizzes! I definitely lean towards Ravenclaw, but am still a slytherin (Slytherclaw). It's entirely possible that you are a Gryffinpuff!
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 14, 2005 8:05 am (#2120 of 2956)
included in its endless trivia is a list of some of Homer Simpson's 'Mmmmms....-- Lupin is Lupin
Hehe. My favorite is when Homer is golfing. Mr. Burns suggests that he use "an open face club, the sand wedge." To which Homer replies: "Mmmm. Open face club sandwich....."
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO EVERYONE ***waves to Lupin is Lupin and Catherine*** ***hands butterbeer to Lupin***
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Denise P. - Feb 14, 2005 8:08 am (#2121 of 2956)
No surprises here, both of the sorting quizzes put in Ravenclaw.
Happy Valentine's Day!!
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Ydnam96 - Feb 14, 2005 8:29 am (#2122 of 2956)
Well, for me today is just another day as a Singelton (taken from Bridget Jones' Diary). It's started out gray and icky and with little sleep.
Does anyone know what station will be carrying the Westminster Dog Show? I only get the basic stations through antenna (Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, UPN, and WB) so hopefully one of those stations will have it. Although my favorite show, Extreeme Makeover Home Edition has a special tonight I want to see. I love that show. It's so uplifting.
Well, happy V-Day to all that celebrate. If not, happy Monday to all who are just starting another week.
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Denise P. - Feb 14, 2005 8:34 am (#2123 of 2956)
USA network usually carries Westminster.
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Ladybug220 - Feb 14, 2005 9:03 am (#2124 of 2956)
I'm with you Ydnam96 - I will be spending the evening with my cats and it is gray and icky here in NC too.
Denise, congrats on your award - you definitely deserve it.
Happy Valentines Day to everyone.
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Madam Pince - Feb 14, 2005 9:28 am (#2125 of 2956)
Boop, hope your other little one feels better soon!
I ended up like Denise -- sorted into Ravenclaw. I think I took another quiz one time before and it put me into Ravenclaw also.
Today is Mr. Pince's and my anniversary! At the time, it seemed like a very romantic idea to get married on Valentine's Day. Now, it just means that roses and hotel reservations and dinner reservations are harder to get and more expensive. So we celebrated last night instead.
Fawkes and Mollis, welcome back! We've missed you! Mollis, I think you're right about the chicken/beer thing -- you can't really taste the beer flavor, it's more about keeping the chicken moist inside. Something about cooking with beer or wine does that, but to me, I can never really taste the flavor of the liquid. (Unless, like you, I am finishing off the extra 1/2 cup....)
I took the First- thru Fifth-Year Exams on that website, too, Gina. I did pretty well with the first two, but it seemed that I got steadily worse. I really flunked out with the ones "Educational Decree Number 24 stated ______." I didn't pay any attention to what number Decree it was! I also flunked out pretty badly on the ones about "which ingredient goes into a ____ potion / charm / hex." I'm afraid I skimmed over that info too. Sigh....it doesn't take many mistakes to bring one's grade crashing down, does it?
Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!
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mike miller - Feb 14, 2005 10:36 am (#2126 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day!
Congrats Denise on your award, if you keep pushing that bar higher, the rest of us will never have a chance.
I echo Squid Mike's statement.."Boop your still OUR Forum Mom"
Hey Lauren, we're still wating for the Snape Snaps from Movie World
Fawkes - Good to see your post. I can really relate to the work "load" (and I choose my words carefully).
Congrat to the Pince's!! and your right about my recipes. Actually, both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's (on-line and catalog sporting goods suppliers) have the one can and the "double" can chicken roasters.
EDIT: I'm in Gryffindor, and I'm supposed to have died 25 years ago!
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Phoenix song - Feb 14, 2005 10:41 am (#2127 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day everybody! I'm not a "singleton", but might as well be since hubby is somewhere about Oregon right now.
Gina, I took your sorting quiz. That was definitely the most interesting sorting quiz that I've ever taken. Thanks! No surprises, though, like all of the other tests I've taken have confirmed, I'm a GRYFFINDOR!
Ydnam, there are medications that can cause hiccups. My dad was on some meds that caused hiccups. They were so prolonged and severe that he had to take med for the hiccups that were caused by other meds. (The medical profession is paved with frustration!) Unfortunately, the meds for the hiccups that were caused by the meds for the seizures led to other side affects that led to other meds, that led to other meds, and so on, and so on, and so on.
My sincerest advice to you is to just check out your medication online and see what side affects are common with it. If the hiccups are bothersome, then you may want to discuss with your doctor (or with his nurse, more commonly) if there are alternative medications that provide the same benefits without the same side affects. You may be surprised at how many different medications can be used to treat the same problems, but react differently on the body. It's worth a call. Good luck!
Recalling the beer in cooking issue, it's widely believed that beer acts as a tenderizer when cooked with meat. That's why it's common to parboil a rack of ribs with a can of beer prior to grilling. It helps to break the meat down, thereby making it more tender, and gives it a good flavor. I don't like beer in the least, but the taste that beer gives to meat as it's cooked is not the same flavor as drinking the beer itself.
I have heard of sitting a turkey upright in a roasting pan and putting a can of opened beer inside of the cavity with a few sticks of butter and baking it. When the beer reaches a certain temperature it begins to bubble out of the can and coats the chicken. I haven't cooked one that way, but there are many that swear by it. I also have to assert that fried turkey is AWESOME. Everyone should try some at some point in their lives.
Have a great day everybody! Since it's pretty gloomy, gray and wet here, I hope that others are enjoying the sunshine!
Barbie
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megfox - Feb 14, 2005 12:12 pm (#2128 of 2956)
Mmmmmm, beer brined chicken... With a husband who was a chef/worked in kitchens for about 12 years, and then has been a butcher for the past year or so, and roasted chicken being my favorite dinner EVER, I have had the fortune of eating almost every known preparation of said roasted chicken, including the beer-brined variety. It does have something to do with the chemicals found in alcohol acting as a meat tenderizer. Basically, you can cook the snot out of brined chicken (or other types of meat) and you will still end up with really moist meat. The can-in-the-cavity method is just another way to get the beer into the meat. One of the ways my husband does it is to take our large stockpot, and put either a small roaster, or two Cornish game hens in, cover them with beer (Bud is the best for this - it doesn't have to be expensive), some kosher salt, some sugar, some fresh ground pepper, and a bay leaf or two, and lets this sit in the fridge overnight. The next day, he takes it out, puts it over carrots, onions, celery, and a stick of butter in a roasting dish, and roasts it. It is sooooo good. I am actually salivating right now...
Anyway, wanted to let you all in on the little secret. The meat is so tender, it practically falls off the bones. And as long as you don't use some really heavy tasting beer (hence, the Bud) you shouldn't taste the beeer in the chicken, and the alcohol should cook out, too.
I also hope to be a Slacker Mom, but I think that this is because the best thing my mother ever did for us kids was to make us be responsible for ourselves. If I wanted to have any type of lessons or activities, I had to be responsible for showing up. My mom would drive me if I asked, but she never signed me up for anyhing that I didn't ask for. And as soon as I stopped following through, I was done. And in the summer, as soon as breakfast was done, we went outside, and we only came in for lunch or to go to the bathroom, until my dad got home. My mother had better things to do than to entertain me. And frozen pizza hasn't killed me yet.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 14, 2005 12:28 pm (#2129 of 2956)
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Re the beer chicken: I've never had chicken, but I grew up with my mother using beer when roasting turkey. As someone who doesn't like the taste of beer, I can assure you that you don't taste the beer. As megfox and others have mentioned, it really does make the meat more moist. I even saw the beer can thing on a cooking show once! Now that I'm cooking Thanksgiving Dinner, I prefer cooking sherry
, but mom still uses the beer at Christmas.Since it's Valentine's, I have to share my latest chocolate discovery with my fellow New Yorkers and any potential NYC visitors. You probably already know about this place and will laugh at my naiveté. I've been living here for 3 1/2 years, and I just visited The City Bakery for the first time this week! I will never have hot chocolate anywhere else again!! They use real chocolate instead of cocoa powder, so it's like drinking liquid chocolate. During February, they have a Hot Chocolate Festival and serve a different flavor of hot chocolate every day! So far I've tried Bourbon Hot Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate. I'm going to try to get to the Vanilla Bean, Ginger, and Darkest Dark. Mmmmmmmm. They also have amazing cookies and tarts and an excellent (but expensive) salad bar. Tip: the chocolate is extremely rich. I ordered a small the first time and couldn't finish it, so I've ordered a "Shot" since. Be sure to get a (homemade) marshmallow with it!! The City Bakery is at 3 West 18th Street near 5th Avenue. So, if you need a special treat, and don't want to bother Snape (unless you're Gina, who can bother him all she wants), go there today and get some Love Potion Hot Chocolate!
Gina, I took your sorting test and again ended up in Ravenclaw; but the caption says I'll one day rule the world, so I guess that's OK!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 14, 2005 12:43 pm (#2130 of 2956)
LOL. Well who knows, maybe Ravenclaws will rule the world one day.
Glad you're all enjoying the quizzes.
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librarian314 - Feb 14, 2005 1:09 pm (#2131 of 2956)
Hey all!
My husband has taken a bunch of the sorting quizes and he comes out as a Ravenclaw. When I asked my daughter if she was a Huffleclaw or a Ravenpuff (dear hubby thinks that sounds like a breakfast cereal ;-) ) she said, "No Mommy, I'm a Ravenclaw." which, knowing her is probably where she would end up.
I like the idea of being a Gryffinpuff. Of the Gryffindor's I'm mostly like Hermione. I'm a really hard worker but feel that everyone deserves a fair chance.
Deep fried turkeys are the best. It is so great to watch my Dad, husband, and brother-in-law stand around outside in the back yard sipping scotch (that's what it was this year ;-) ) watching the turkey cook whilst my sister, step-mom, daughter, and I watch whatever we want on tv and only have to get busy about an hour before dinner, rather than working like house elves the whole day. Dad also gets to clean the turkey pot, so we only have to do the usual clean up rather than nasty turkey pans.
The only drawback is that you don't get enough of a decent carcass to turn into soup. I've tried a few times and it just isn't as satisfactory as I'd like.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Julia. - Feb 14, 2005 1:44 pm (#2132 of 2956)
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!!!!
Wow, I've not been on the forum all day what what happens? Fawkes, Mollis and Meg make apperances!! *waves*
I'm finally off my crutches, thank G-d. I've still got the air cast on, and stairs are a pain, but at least I no longer have to use my arms to walk.
*sigh* Well, I guess it's back to reading (my Valentines day plans include a romantic date with Will Shakespeare) and writing my Valentines day fan fic for the Rev challange.
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 2:40 pm (#2133 of 2956)
Meg, your description of drunken beer-brined poultry was very tempting.
I think I am off to the store to buy the ChickCan Rack straight away. I think I will buy two extra and send them to Loopy Lupin and Lupin is Lupin for Valentine's Day, as a token of my esteem. **throws pink and red heart-shaped confetti in the air**
Enjoy your Valentine's Day, and remember to root for your favorite breed tonight. The Westminster Show airs on USA this evening.
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The giant squid - Feb 14, 2005 4:12 pm (#2134 of 2956)
A hearty hello to Fawkes, Meg & Mollis! Glad to see you were able to tear yourselves away from the "real" world long enough to say hi!
mmmm....organized crime (that's a puzzler)
Strangely, while I've never seen the Simpson's episode that comes from, it doesn't shock me in the least. It was only a matter of time, really...
Julia, congrats on your freedom from crutchdom.
Movie quote of the day, in honor of the Westminster Kennel Show: "Totally off the subject...how much do you think I can bench press?"--Fred Willard, Best In Show
--Mike
Edit: Sorting-hat.com says I'm a Ravenclaw, and sortingquiz.com says I'm a Hufflepuff. Ravenpuffs of the world, unite!
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Catherine - Feb 14, 2005 4:19 pm (#2135 of 2956)
Mike, LOL about "Best in Show!"
I liked, "Hundreds?...I didn't know that."
That movie is just hilarious. For those who haven't seen this movie, it features shih-tzu owners, so naturally I find it quite enjoyable.
**still tossing heart-shaped confetti over everyone**
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mollis - Feb 14, 2005 4:29 pm (#2136 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 14, 2005 3:30 pm
Okay guys, don't faint. Two posts in one day. I think some of the slacker-talk is rubbing off...
Meg - That drunken chicken recipe sounds fabulous. I wrote it down and will try it soon. Have to go buy a chicken...
And I took the new sorting quiz, Gryffindor again. I guess I'm okay with that. Once I got Ravenclaw, but I think I'd rather have more fun. I'm sick of all this working and intellectual stuff...
Speaking of which, it's 5:30 and way past time to head home. Got to make my hubby Guinness stew for dinner. Mmmmm, yummy.
Have a great night all!
Edit: Thanks for the confetti Catherine. Better make sure it gets out of my hair before I get home or hubby will wonder what I've been up to!
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From Venus - Feb 14, 2005 7:54 pm (#2137 of 2956)
Edited by Denise P. Feb 14, 2005 7:07 pm
The only thing I ever cooked with beer is bratwurst. I'd simmer it in beer for a while and then put them on the grill. Everyone says they are delicious that way...I wouldn't know, since I'm a vegetarian.
Sortinghat.com put me in Hufflpuff, but the Hogwarts sorting site put me in Gryffindor. But it also told me I should be dead by now. (Actually, for about 32 years!) I guess I've beat the odds!
HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!!
Edit: I just corrected the HTML so you could see the smilies. Denise P.
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 14, 2005 8:19 pm (#2138 of 2956)
Shrimp cooked in beer and seasoned with Old Bay is delicious. That is, as far as I know, the only food I've eaten that's been cooked in beer. The chicken sounds good, though.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 14, 2005 9:21 pm (#2139 of 2956)
Beer...um...not my drink of choice, but for some odd reason I like it with spicy Szechuan (sp.?) food. Just a sip or two to calm the heat. Go figure.
But--as a condiment for cooking, I know of it's many uses. One recipe that I like is Flemish Beer Stew. A hearty beef stew with pearl onions, mushrooms and a thick gravy enhanced with beer and brown sugar. Gosh, it smells soooo good when you start up the recipe and first add the beer. People wander into the kitchen from all over the house (next door even) and ask, "What smells so good, and can I have some?"
I have also heard of a sweet and sour meatball recipe with grape jelly as an ingredient, and there's one where you baste a turkey with Pepsi (not Coke). This is making me hungry, all this talk of yummy food, despite the big supper I had. I will stop now.
Denise, slacker or super, congrats for your honor.
Happy Valentines Day to all you (HP Forum) lovers out there.
Ciao. Barb
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 14, 2005 9:29 pm (#2140 of 2956)
It's a bit late to say Happy Valentines but I was just at the Leaky Cauldron that referred us to the Bloomsbury site new calender. If you click on today's date a window pops up with a picture of who Harry hearts. I can't c-l-i-c-k it, who does harry heart??? Is it too late? 11:30pm EST 2/14 is 4:30 am GMT, right? If someone saw could you please either let us know or (for you who are truely clever) provide a link. Thanks.
Happy Valentine's day for those that still have time.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 15, 2005 12:01 am (#2141 of 2956)
I'm more than a bit late...its way past Valentine's day now, but I hope everyone had a lovely Monday.
I read about that as well Mrs. Sirius, but I too missed out because of the time zones.
Today has been a deadly boring day at work and I'm so tired from the lack of work. I think it will be a night for the leftovers and curl up on the couch watching the TV.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 15, 2005 12:21 am (#2142 of 2956)
Hello everybody! It is still snowing here this morning (everything is white with snow and it is very pretty) and I am still fighting the flu but today, finally, I think (hope) it could be better.
I tried both Sorting-hat tests and both told me Gryffindor this time. That's fortunate because I love the red colour and towers...
It was a very quiet Valentine's day for me, first because I was sick and, well, as I am a "singleton" too, it doesn't help on that day... But the French TV was giving Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet" movie, I love that version and its music is so beautiful, so it was nice.
As for cooking with beer, well it is used here too though cooking with wine is more common. A few drops in the waffles' mixture and they will become much more lighter. My Mom has also a jugged hare recipe using beer that is delicious.
I hope everyone will have a great Tuesday! Fawkes, Molly, it was great to hear from you! Septentrion, I send you a lot of healing and cheering charms.
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septentrion - Feb 15, 2005 2:10 am (#2143 of 2956)
Hi every one !
Well, wine may be mostly used for cooking, except in "beer regions" such as Northern France. Try and put some beer in your crêpes !
It was nice to see returning people round here.
Thanks for your cheering charms Elanor, but I think I my husband need something stronger like a potion.
Have a great Tuesday everyone !
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Marè - Feb 15, 2005 2:43 am (#2144 of 2956)
The only receipe I ever heard of that used beer was pancakes. I never used it before and still don't, but some people apparently always put some beer in the dow for lightness-ness ( :§ )
I love cooking with wine though, both the wine that's left over and the actual diner Hmmmm, Pasta with gorgonzola and white wine. Might have to make that again this weekend!
And sending some general health charms around France for Elanor and Septentrion (And Sep's husband).
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Essidji - Feb 15, 2005 4:12 am (#2145 of 2956)
I am very creative for cooking, so I am not surprised at all to hear about recipes with beer. I fact, I have already made successful experiences such as pigeons cooked with brown beer, lardons and pruneaux (dry prunes), or roast pork with mushrooms cooked in red beer.
Hey guys, I am soo hungry! It's quarter past midday here, and talking about this food just makes me starve!
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 15, 2005 4:39 am (#2146 of 2956)
Hello hello... *looks over shoulder to make sure no dementors are lurking*
Thanks for the welcomes back guys ... *sending out BIG HUGGLES* I missed you all... I feel all loved now... plus all those Vally's Day greetings Seeing as I'm another singleton... it was nice to get some messages Hey... I'm not worried though. I did get a joke e-mail card from some friends... for those in the UK it was a picture of a mock 'Tesco Value Range' card... very funny! (Tescos is a supermarket chain in the UK & Ireland... the 'Value' range is exactly that... non branded shops own stuff.... & very cheap indeedy )
Mollis, Guinness Stew is something I've never ate, but sounds lovely... Guinness Pie is delicious... which I suppose is basically stew in a pie, so maybe then you could say I've eaten Guinness Stew (hmmm, perhaps I am working too hard... I'm beginning to ramble on about utter nonsense... either that or I really am turning into Bridget Jones )
Julia... didn't know you where on crutches.... poor pet.... *big hug for you*. I'm in a bit of a 'pickle' myself. I was attempting some DIY at the weekend in my house and I managed to slip & fall backwards unto the skirting on the wall & wacked the base of my spine. (don't ask... I'm still trying to work out how exactly I did it) So I'm in a bit of pain at the mo.... hurting your 'tail bone' is not funny... and whoever designed these (bloody) seats in this office.... deserve a jinx on them... ergonomic design my eye!! My mum suggested that I get a cushion and sit on it... a doughnut shaped cushion at that! Hmmm, I'm sure my co workers would love that... you can imagine the conclusions they would draw... and I think they get enough entertainment at my expense right now... seeing as I'm so tired I've taken to just spouting out random statements (see above paragraph for further examples ) So I'm just sitting here suffering in silence..
Oh but mustn't grumble... it's just nice to get two minutes peace from the dementors to check up on this thread.... haven't got a chance to get near any of the others.... oh well... Have a nice tuesday everyone..
All this talk of food has made me hungry... it's another hour til lunch.... and my tummy is rumbling... My sandwhich is now looking at me, I swear it wants me to eat it.... hmmm, I knew I should have put it in the fridge... Ok, I'm off to do some work & try not to eat my lunch before time.... TTFN
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septentrion - Feb 15, 2005 5:36 am (#2147 of 2956)
Marè, when I wrote "crêpes", I meant pancakes. I don't know if beer make them slighter but it give them a nice taste. And thanks for your healing charms !
Fawkes, i just know how it's painful. I had some surgery round the basement of my spine when I was 18 and the 4 following days have been real torture (I couldn't even sit).
Waves to Karine !
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Marè - Feb 15, 2005 6:19 am (#2148 of 2956)
Marè, when I wrote "crêpes", I meant pancakes
No no no, trust me, there is a difference between pancakes and crepes, there is also a big difference between those strange fluffy thingies that Americans eat for breakfast (??!!) and real pancakes.
But for that matter, I think that the addition of beer can't top the addition of vanilla essence when it comes to taste!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 15, 2005 6:32 am (#2149 of 2956)
Happy Tuesday everyone.
As Catherine noted, the Westminster dog show is on. I didn't get a chance to watch much of it last night, but I did see the "new breed" intros. One was a Neapolitan Mastiff named "Belagio" (sp?). Most of us would see this doggy and say "Fang!"
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Essidji - Feb 15, 2005 6:32 am (#2150 of 2956)
*waves back to Sept*
Fawkes, it's so nice to hear from you. I understand so much the pain you feel. A few years ago, as an unexperienced and poor skier (which I still am), I slipped over a plate of ice and fell on my coccyx. I took at least three weeks before the pain would vanish completely. I really wish it wouldn't last so long for you!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:55 pm
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Catherine - Feb 15, 2005 6:51 am (#2151 of 2956)
Hello, everyone.
I enjoyed watching the Westminster Dog Show last night, but admit that I went to bed after the judging of the Toy breeds. But, Loopy and others, you can still watch the Hound and Sporting Groups tonight, along with Best in Show. I hope the Bassett Hounds do well in honor of Flash, Roscoe, Lulu, Cooter, Daisy, and Jesse! **waves to Loopy Lupin's dog siblings**
We got some good Valentine's Day news last night. My parents are officially getting the little shih-tzu I mentioned last week. She has come through her eye surgery, and getting a little spunkier every day. My mom wants to change her name, and I submitted a list, most of which were Harry Potter-related. Sshh! They don't need to know!
Fawkes, I've had a bruised tailbone, and it is a right pain. I'm sending some Levitation Charms so that you can float just above your chair!
See you all around the Forum.
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Elanor - Feb 15, 2005 6:52 am (#2152 of 2956)
Fawkes, I really hope that you will feel better soon, to be hurt there is NOT fun. *waving**
About "crêpes", my grandmother used to put some orange-flower water in them and it was delicious too!
Good afternoon to my fellow europeans and good morning America!
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mollis - Feb 15, 2005 7:10 am (#2153 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 15, 2005 6:11 am
Good morning all. I've decided to try and keep my priorities straight and take the time to post. Maybe even try and get my money's worth out of this premium membership.
Fawkes, I too have injured myself in the past (similar to Essidji. It did indeed take up to 3 weeks to heal. People may give you funny looks for sitting on one of those donuts, but if you are working that hard and that stressed out, I'm willing to bet you could shoot any laughers a look that would scare even the dementors away.
And Mare, my husband makes the best "strange fluffy thingies that Americans eat for breakfast" I've ever tasted. With plenty of Vanilla, brown sugar, lemon juice, and a few other things. Yummy. The orange flower water sounds interesting, Elanor. I've only used that before in one other recipe - Ramos Fizz (also has gin ). Grandpa makes them Christmas morning.
I am starting to fear that I am giving the impression of being an alcoholic - please be assured this is not the case. I just love experimenting with all the different flavors it can give to recipes. Oh, the Guinness stew last night was very good. So were the leftovers...
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 7:11 am (#2154 of 2956)
About "crêpes", my grandmother used to put some orange-flower water in them and it was delicious too!---Elanor
Leave it to the French to put orange-flavored water in anything. ***goes off to drown her pancakes (those "fluffy" things) in maple syrup to disguise the bland taste and feels, if possible, worse about her lame cooking skills than she did before reading this***
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Ydnam96 - Feb 15, 2005 8:31 am (#2155 of 2956)
What is a non-fluffy pancake like? Being an American I didn't know there was another kind I have had crepes before, but to be honest I wasn't a fan (must be the Yankee in me) or maybe they just weren't very well made. (We had French Belgian exchange students who made them for us when I was a child...they did bring us goooooood chocolate and little statues of a man who is.... well you can figure it out, I guess it's famous in Belgium)
It's 7:30 am and I don't want to go to work. I'm just telling myself that I can take a nap when I get home, it's the only way I think I will make it through the day.
And, there is NO SHAME in a donut seat. I think that if you are in pain you should just get one. Who cares about your coworkers if you are in pain. We'll send them bat-boggie hexes if they make fun of you!
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Julia. - Feb 15, 2005 8:31 am (#2156 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
Fawkes, I'm so sorry you've hurt your tail bone. I hope you feel better soon! *sends huggles and healing charms your way* Yeah, the donut is going to make you look a bit silly, but it will make you feel better.
Ummmmmmmmmm, pancakes. I love those fluffy things we Americans eat for breakfast. The dining hall always makes them with chocolate chips, but I like them better without them better.
Well, I'm off to clear the threads, then giving blood then class. Have a good day everyone.
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septentrion - Feb 15, 2005 8:48 am (#2157 of 2956)
and little statues of a man who is.... well you can figure it out, I guess it's famous in Belgium)
LOL It's indeed very well known !
goooooood chocolate
Living near the belgian frontier, i can tell you it's sometimes difficult to keep good resolutions think of Leonidas chocolates ...hhhmm
Leave it to the French to put orange-flavored water in anything.
Not in everything. And the arabs use it still more.
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megfox - Feb 15, 2005 1:26 pm (#2158 of 2956)
Fawkes, I can soooo sympathize with the tailbone issue. Because of my two car accidents this summer/fall, and now being almost 8 months pregnant, my tailbone is scraping against the top of my pelvic bone (it has something to do with the ligaments being loose, in preparation of pushing). It hurts so bad. Every time I sit down or stand up, I can feel it move. And I can't take any pain medsbecause they aren't good for the baby. OUCH! I could use one of those levitation charms too! I hope that you heal fast - I will still be in pain for at least another 5 weeks!
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VeronikaG - Feb 15, 2005 1:30 pm (#2159 of 2956)
Hello lovely people. Hope you have a nice Tuesday.
Fawksey, here is a healing charm for you:
*~*~*~*~*~*Get Better*~*~*~*~*~*
To go back a LOT of posts, what I meant to say was that Loopy was revealing his age, and ended up accusing him of having a rather poor romantic life, he he. And I thought I could speak (write) good English...
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Catherine - Feb 15, 2005 1:55 pm (#2160 of 2956)
To go back a LOT of posts, what I meant to say was that Loopy was revealing his age, and ended up accusing him of having a rather poor romantic life, he he. And I thought I could speak (write) good English... –VeronikaG
Oh, you do write very well in English. We just couldn't resist taking the opportunity to tease Loopy Lupin! Forgive us if we caused any hard feelings!
Meg, your woes made me wince in sympathy. Wingardium Leviosa! I hope that charm lasts well after your child's arrival!
I'm feeling light-hearted at the moment. My "little brother" got some long-awaited and much-anticipated news today: He was accepted into graduate school to pursue his MBA! He only applied one place, so what a relief for him. He's really excited, because he gets to stay in Charlottesville. **waves to Madam Pince, Loopy Lupin, and Accio Sirius**
Well, I have dinner to prep and homework to check. See you all later.
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Julia. - Feb 15, 2005 2:17 pm (#2161 of 2956)
Wooo! Mazel tov to your brother Catherine!!
Awww, poor Meg! I'm so sorry you can't take any pain meds for your tailbone. *sends baby-safe healing charms your way*
Well, my Thursday afternoon had been much nicer than my Thursday morning. *waves to Veronika* I gave blood this morning, and as a result was pretty light headed for a while. I also managed to leave my cell phone at the blood place, so after walking half way across campus to eat, I had to walk back to get my phone. So after all this I was still feeling rather light headed and yucky, so I decided to skip my Latin American history class and take a nap instead. My Inner Hermione is not very pleased, but I am feeling a lot better and will get the notes from a friend.
Off to attack the mountain of reading. *waves to forum*
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VeronikaG - Feb 15, 2005 3:02 pm (#2162 of 2956)
Waves back to Julia* Good job giving blood.
Catherine, of course I have no hard feelings. I just wondered if I had been funny on Loopy's account without realizing what I had said. And I had...
Awww Meg. Here is my healing charm:
*~*~*~*~*Get Better*~*~*~*~*
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 5:23 pm (#2163 of 2956)
Not in everything. And the arabs use it still more.---septentrion
I can't tell if you're annoyed or not but to clarify, that was my rather awkward way of offering a compliment and acknowledging the superiority of French cooking.
At the risk of offending further I have to pass along what I'm watching on the Food Network. Alton Brown's Good Eats is a hilarious and educational (he explains the science of cooking) show and today's episode involves a character called The Mad Frenchman, who's sort of an evil genius with food. Alton Brown is determined to best him and so he and his partners follow The Frenchman around to steal his secrets. There was even a very bad pun (the show's full of them) about the "gall" of The Frenchman. The reply was, "Of course he's a Gaul. He's French." Well, I thought it was hilarious.
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Pinky - Feb 15, 2005 6:26 pm (#2164 of 2956)
Mare: there is also a big difference between those strange fluffy thingies that Americans eat for breakfast (??!!) and real pancakes.
Ok, so what is a real pancake?????? :curious:
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 7:08 pm (#2165 of 2956)
I LOVE Alton Brown. Good Eats is such a fun, fun show. You can watch a cooking show and learn things at the same time. Yes, the show is full of awfully bad puns, but it's such a good show I usually overlook the cheesiness.
I'm currently watching the Westminster Dog Show. I'm so fascinated by these dogs. They're just so cute. I love the long-haired ones because when they run, it looks like they're gliding. Question for anyone who knows...when they show the dogs' names down at the bottom of the screen and it's preceded by CH, what does that stand for?
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 7:12 pm (#2166 of 2956)
CH stands for Champion. Each breed competition (think dog show) has a certain number of points awarded to the winning dog (used here to indicate both male and female) of each breed (they get no points for winning the entire show). In order to become a champion, a dog has to win a total of 15 points, including 2 shows that are "majors" under two different judges with the remainder of the points coming from judges other than the major judges. A major means that 3 or more points were awarded (1-5 pts is the range). These are difficult to get in certain breeds because it requires a huge number of dogs to be entered (Labs, for example, need almost 200 animals entered). It is actually a little more complicated but I would have to use a bunch of dog show related terms that make no sense out of context.
For example, in my breed, Rottweilers, a 5 pt major requires 20 females to be present, 23 males to be present. A 3 pt major requires 14/18 split. In Catherine's breed, a 5 pt major can be obtained with 10/13 where a 3 pt major is only 7/8. Majors are hard to come by and nothing upsets people more than someone breaking a major....not showing up which messes up numbers. It can be very frustating to choose a show for the major and then the last moment, the number changes and it becomes a 2 pt show.
The number of dogs required for a major vary by location and breed.
More than you ever wanted to know...
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 7:25 pm (#2167 of 2956)
Thank you so much, Denise. It's not more than I wanted to know. I love learning about new things of which I previously had no knowledge. So, can you tell me why they usually have such fancy names for the dogs? Does it have anything to do with breeding like in horses? At least, I think horses are sometimes named according to the sire and (insert proper horse terminology for mommy here).
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 7:34 pm (#2168 of 2956)
Yes, there is usually a kennel name involved or a sire/dam name involved. In some cases, the breeder also has either a theme or a letter they require the new owner to use. For example, one of my dog's is Stone Fort's Eternal Hope, CGC, CD.
Stone Fort is the breeder's name, all of her dogs use the Stone Fort prefix. My girl came from the "E" litter, all of the dogs in her litter are Stone Fort E... I could have chosen to name her Stone Fort E Susie. I chose Eternal Hope but it had to be an E name. We call her Daria. CGC is Canine Good Citizen (a test she had to pass) and CD is Companion Dog, an obedience title. Not all breeders require you to use their name or theme, it varies. There is also a limit of ....25 letters, I think.
How do I get Daria out of Eternal Hope, no one asks I like the show Highlander, where immortality is a theme. With immortality, you can have eternal hope. Daria is named for a priest on the show, Darius.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 7:51 pm (#2169 of 2956)
Yes, the show is full of awfully bad puns, but it's such a good show I usually overlook the cheesiness.---Eponine
Overlook? OVERLOOK? Geez, those awful, abysmal, appalling puns are the best part.
Hey Denise, the Irish Terrier was robbed!
My hopes rest with the Bloodhound, my son's favorite. Go Knotty!
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 8:14 pm (#2170 of 2956)
Lupin is Lupin, the show would not be the same without the puns and the cheese, and I do love his horrible jokes. Don't you just love his nephew? His sister is quite a character as well.
Denise, thanks so much for the dog show information. That's what I love about this place. Just ask a question, and someone will know the answer or where you can find one.
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 8:15 pm (#2171 of 2956)
dog geek AND HP geek
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Catherine - Feb 15, 2005 8:25 pm (#2172 of 2956)
Count me in for Dog Geek and HP Geek!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 8:25 pm (#2173 of 2956)
Eponine, I've missed both the nephew and the sister. I can't believe it! Does he name them as such? I'm usually doing something else as I watch him so it would be easy for me to miss stuff. I'll have to watch more carefully.
Did anyone notice the Corgi named Harry Potter? HP is everywhere!
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 8:36 pm (#2174 of 2956)
Yes, he is usually teaching his nephew how to cook something, and his sister comes in and protests her sweet little boy using sharp knives or grating things or using a stove. The sister is portrayed as quite an annoying know-it-all who doesn't know a thing about cooking. They're on the show occasionally, but not terribly much. Good Eats comes on every weekday at 7:00 PM on the Food Channel, so I catch a lot of reruns.
And yes, the dog named Harry Potter was great. I love the cute little terrier named Coco. All the dogs are so precious, though, I don't know which one I want to win.
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 8:40 pm (#2175 of 2956)
I saw one of the working group last night was named Chamber of Secrets, although it could have been a dog profiled on one of the little outspots.
Well I was rooting for the little Norfolk, she was working the crowd but the winner was very lovely as well and moved so nicely.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 10:10 pm (#2176 of 2956)
Thank you Eponine. I will keep my eye out for them. He makes cooking fun--and that's saying something for me.
Well, I thought the Border and the Pyr were both eye-catching but the German Shorthaired Pointer never put a foot wrong. Her poses were amazing.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 12:13 am (#2177 of 2956)
Thank you Denise P. for your run down on dog shows. I had no idea it would be so complicated to get the points.
I have been trying to reduce the photos of my other two dogs in order to use them as avatars. No go so far. I only have the photo editor that came with the computer and haven't felt the need to get a better photo editor. Now might be the time to start looking.
I have suddenly discovered another time consuming "hobby", creating my own web page! I had started using a shareware program that did most of the work for you, except I found it difficult to work with.
So in my spare time at work (lots of it), I went hunting on the net for HTML code sites etc. There are a lot. I printed off heaps (on the laser printer) of tutorials, articles, lists etc and now I am having lots of fun doing it the hard (easier) way by hand.
It took two hours to get the dog photos up. It pays to proofread everything and look for errant spaces.
Pancakes have never been popular within my family, piklets won out every time. The only pancakes I make are the ones which you stuff and put a sauce on the top. The only variety I make is Zucchini and Carrot, with a tomato based sauce, for when I don't want to eat meat.
Have a wonderful day on Wednesday
Lizzy
EDIT: spell check decided piklets should be piglets
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The giant squid - Feb 16, 2005 12:40 am (#2178 of 2956)
Denise, with all you do you still find time to follow dog shows & rattle off that litany? I bow in further awe.
either that or I really am turning into Bridget Jones--Fawkes Forever
For heaven's sake, girl, stay away from goofy, stammering editors, then!
As for your coccyxal misfortune, I can empathise. Last July my wife slipped on the stairs and broke her tailbone--not bruised, not fractured, broke. For the next three months(!) she was hobbling around, wincing at the slightest movement and, yes, sitting on a doughnut-shaped pillow. Actually, since it happened during the summer she got a bunch of kid-sized pool floats; they're the same size as the "medical doughnut pillow" but cost 99 cents each versus 40 dollars. If one springs a leak, it's a lot cheaper to replace! They'd probably be tough to get this time of year, though, unless one of our Aussie friends wants to send some to you...
--Mike
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 12:59 am (#2179 of 2956)
Lupin is Lupin, don't worry, you didn't offend the French cook in me at all! Your show sounds fun BTW! If they want to show all our weird culinary habits, they've got a lot to do... Even the sayings have often culinary references here: for example "they've got a lot to do" would be said "ils ont du pain sur la planche" ("they have some bread on the board") here... See? And I don't tell you about "quand l'appétit va, tout va" (when appetite goes well, everything goes well)...
Eating and cooking (or cooking and eating, it depends) are really a national pastime here. It's not good for our weigh but it is very pleasant during grey winter weekends. Too bad I am still sick and can't eat anything but soup or tea those days... Just typing this was enough for my breakfast today! LOL!
Have a great Wednesday everybody! Here, the day promises to be snowy and cold again, enjoy the sun if you have some!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 1:24 am (#2180 of 2956)
Elanor: I'll send some cheering and get well charms your way. I noted the last Rugby match was very close and France won. I am looking forward to seeing a few matches on TV this year.
Also some get well and cheering charms to Fawkes and Meg for your sore backs. I hope they settle down soon.
Mike: thanks for the suggestion regarding the kid sized pool floats. I might go get a couple and stash them away for when I do my lower back in again.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 1:42 am (#2181 of 2956)
Thanks Lizzy! This flu is a real nuisance.
I watched the match last Sunday and it was very close indeed! To be honest, at half-time, I thought it was over (we have another culinary saying here for saying that: "les carottes sont cuites", "carrots are cooked") but we were luckier with the penalties than the English. Did you notice that the English team had a player named Moody? Well, as the other players, it was only at the end of the match that he started to look like the "real" one... Next time, we'll play Wales and it promises to be a tough match too since the Welsh won their first matches as well. Fortunately, we will play "at home", I hope it will help!
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septentrion - Feb 16, 2005 1:57 am (#2182 of 2956)
Lupin is Lupin, no offense for me either. In fact, I just meant ordinary, everyday cooks don't use that much orange flavored things. My mother, who cooks very well, never uses them. Yet it's tasty in crêpes and pastry.
Elanor, some healing charms from me too. My husband doesn't feel so well too. His allergy seems to get worse. If he isn't better this evening, I think I'll take him to the hospital. He's scratching himself so much that he had begun to take dots of skin off.
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 16, 2005 2:56 am (#2183 of 2956)
Hmmm, no dementors about... hee hee... think I'll have a quick post there then...
See, thats what I love about you guys.... Cheering & Levitation Charms a go go Meg.... you poor pet.... I'm sending all my charms your way, as I think your need is greater than mine. Hope all is going well with you and junior When are you due by the way?
As for the great pancake debate. My way of looking at it was, the fluffy things are pancakes, whereas the thin ones are crepes? Perhaps thats an over simplification on my behalf? Either way, I'll eat both However the pancakes I make tend to fall somewhere in between on the thickness scale... just to confuse the issue that little more
As for the Belgian Statue... is it the one on the Fountain in the Grand'Place in Brussels? The Mannekenan- (I'll not say the rest of the name) If so, I've seen him (my sis used to live near there).
Mike (aka Giant Squid)- For heaven's sake, girl, stay away from goofy, stammering editors, then!
Hee hee, that was a 'spew' moment! It's a good job I don't work in publishing then... but I don't think I'd have no problems steering clear of any Hugh Grant lookalikes ... now Colin Firth.... just kidding... I'd have to find one first
Good call on the kids floats as a cushion, I may pop into the local pound... opps I mean Euro store on the way home (discount store). They have all sorts of odd things for sale at various time of the year... so who knows!
Got some good news yesterday. A friend of mine living in England had a baby boy & she's called him Harry (I don't think after the books however), but her surname begins with a P, so he's Harry P He's even got dark hair!
OK, the dementors have arrived... (they must have slept in this morning) so I'd better get back to work & back to silently cursing the manufacturers of this chair... (Mutley Style) I'm in a bad enough mood that I'm missing my BasketBall practice tonight... just when I was getting into it too.... *insert grumpy.. I'm feeling sorry for myself face*
Oh yeah... I'm enjoying the 6 nations rugby at the moment too... especially that we're not doing so bad Going to try & get tickets for the Ireland Vs England match on the 27th... should be an interesting match
Oh... dementors floating close by.. got to go... TTFN
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septentrion - Feb 16, 2005 4:10 am (#2184 of 2956)
You've got it right for the statue Fawkes.
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boop - Feb 16, 2005 4:49 am (#2185 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Ozymandias!!!!! I hope you have a great day.
Everyone have a great day!!!
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Steve Newton - Feb 16, 2005 7:01 am (#2186 of 2956)
Hey, can you hear the horsehide hitting the leather? YES! Spring training is here! The season of rebirth is here, again.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 7:12 am (#2187 of 2956)
Mike, although I knew how many points and the breakdown of judges to get a major, I had to go look up the specific numbers for a major. You give me too much credit.
After two beautiful days, the cold wind is back here. Brr!
I am off to mail postcards to a certain child of a certain Forum member today. Got to go and deposit the rest of the cookie money so we can close that out even though husband asked me last night to get another case of somoas.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 16, 2005 7:40 am (#2188 of 2956)
I am off to mail postcards to a certain child of a certain Forum member today.---Denise P.
Thanks Denise. We really appreciate it!
Elanor and septentrion, I'm glad you weren't offended. Elanor, I LOVED those sayings. They got my mind going and I'm hoping other people's as well. Does anyone have a favorite saying? The more parochial the better. I would especially like to have any non-English speakers translate their sayings. When I grew up, if I got upset my mother would admonish me not to "take a bird" but when I went out to Colorado, they said "have a cow". Recently, I've been using the expression "tell 'em where the dog died" to express the exercise of telling someone off. Growing up, a friend's father could endlessly reinvent the phrase "whatever floats your boat". I can't remember them all but the two I do remember might not be fit for all forum readers so I'll keep those to myself. I'm also terribly fond of "come to Jesus meeting" which happens when someone is going to be re-educated as to how things are done.
I bet this group can come up with some truly unique, regional expressions. I'll admit to a prejudice that the Southerners in the crowd, with their rich, literary heritage, can do well here. And I'm hoping Fawkes will pass along some authentic Irish sayings and not the lame ones that are plastered everywhere I go in Boston.
No pressure though folks. I just thought it might be fun.
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Julia. - Feb 16, 2005 8:15 am (#2189 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
Oh, favorite sayings. There are so many. A few favorites in my house are "When in Florida, do as the old people do," (I appologize to any non-old Floridians I may have just offended) "Nu, you're turning this into a MushkaGupin," for when someone is making mountains out of molehills, and of course, "The cat's among the pixies now."
Happy birthday Ozy! *hands Ozy butterbeer* Hope you have a great day and an amazing year.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 8:20 am (#2190 of 2956)
“You're about as thick as molasses in winter” is a way of insulting someone around here. Another popular one is “That dog don't hunt” which pretty much is calling someone useless and lazy. Who can ever forget “You need to be drop kicked through the goal posts of life!” when the lack of common sense is displayed.
A non regional one but a favorite around here comes courtesy of a popular cartoon character. “You are such a maroon!” Wow, most of these are insults...just saw that.
In the south, you can get away with a lot if you just add a few little words to the end of the insult, “bless her heart.” “She is about as thick as molasses in winter, bless her heart.” Somehow, those three little words at the end seem to take the sting out and make it okay. It can come at the beginning too. “Bless his heart, he just doesn't fire on all his pistons.”
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Ydnam96 - Feb 16, 2005 8:51 am (#2191 of 2956)
Denise, I've always heard "you are as slow as molasses in winter!" from my grandfather. Interesting difference, as he was actually referring to someone's speed (for instance at getting ready to go somewhere).
So my goal of the day is to call one of my school loan lenders and argue with them about supposedly missing a payment, which I am 100% certain I posted online. They never took the money out of my account. Now I have a late fee and have lost some sort of interest deferment option. I tried talking to them last night, but I was so angry I started crying and hung up on them. (I hate it when I cry!) So I need to try again today. Bleh. Makes me wonder if college was really worth all the money and mess afterward.
Well I'm late for work again...should go.
Happy Wednesday, almost to the end of the week!
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mike miller - Feb 16, 2005 9:03 am (#2192 of 2956)
Denise - Have you discovered some way of modifying the space-time continuum? How do you fit everything you do into the day? I only sleep about 5 to 6 hours a night and still fall way short of getting everything done!
On the "expression" front, for someone who has a run of unexpected good luck - "Even a blind pig finds a acorn now and then." Come to think of it, it's all good luck unexpected?
EDIT: Has anyone replaced a "motherboard"? Still having home PC issues.
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 9:37 am (#2193 of 2956)
I love those sayings too! Okay, here are some more that come to my mind:
- "arriver comme un cheveu sur la soupe": "to arrive as hair on soup", meaning "to turn up at the most ackward moment"
- About hair, those ones are famous too: "se faire des cheveux blancs", "to have your hair going white", that is to say to be very worried and: "avoir mal aux cheveux", "to have a hair-ache", for "to have a hangover"...
- There are also several ones for saying "to die" that I find funny: "avaler son extrait de naissance" (to swallow one's birth certificate), "manger les pissenlits par la racine" (to eat dandelions by the roots) or "passer l'arme à gauche" (to put one's weapon in the left hand - I believe it wasn't a good omen...)
Fawkes, you'll be very lucky if you can go to the Ireland/England rugby match, it promises to be a great one too! I've seen part of the Ireland/Scotland match on Saturday and your team was very impressive!
Sept, I hope your husband will feel better soon!
Ydnam, I send you cheering charms and I hope everything will work out all right.
Ozymandias, happy birthday! And a good Wednesday to you all!
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Madam Pince - Feb 16, 2005 9:37 am (#2194 of 2956)
“Well, shut my mouth and call me Shorty!” (to express surprise)
“It's cold as a welldigger's arse in January!” (Man, is it ever cold today!)
“What do you want me to do, stand on my head and spit nickels?” (I'm not sure exactly what this means, but Mr. Pince says it a lot when I ask him about some sort of problem....)
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Chemyst - Feb 16, 2005 10:23 am (#2195 of 2956)
Elanor, your "manger les pissenlits par la racine" (to eat dandelions by the roots) reminds me of our "pushing up daisies." Another death one is "assumed room temperature."
On a more pleasant note; Happy Birthday Ozy.
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 10:42 am (#2196 of 2956)
Mmm. Expression, eh? Some of these are regional and some are just expressions that have taken hold in my little circle of friends.
“You shot who in the what now?-- What?” or I didn't understand a word you just said.
“Christmas gift!”-- A greeting one states as they walk through the door; not really said on Christmas day as that would be redundant.
“ 'I see,' said the blind man”-- I never really got this one myself and I've seen various web sites give different explanations. I understand it to be used when someone is expressing understanding but with some measure of reservation.
What are you doing? Response: "Bluing. Wanna buy a box?"-- I don't really hear this much ever. It refers to "Bluing" laundry detergent which used to be sold door to door. The point of the stinging retort, I suppose, is to tell the inquisitor to stop being so nosy. (You see, the South is not always marked by rapier wit or cleverness.)
ABC-- This means "Anybody but Carolina" and expresses the correct attitude towards any University of North Carolina sports team, but especially the basketball team.
I'll see if I can think of some others.
Anyway, hello to all. And, "Go Hoos!"
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 16, 2005 11:23 am (#2197 of 2956)
I always say, "I see,' said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw." I have no idea what it is supposed to mean.
Happy birthday, Ozy.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 16, 2005 11:38 am (#2198 of 2956)
My father used to say "'I see,' said the blind man to the deaf mute."
I think he thought he was being funny. But the quote is about a complete lack of communication and a degree of pointlessness. I wonder, Vlad, if your quote is another version of the same thing.
Happy birthday, Ozy.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 11:45 am (#2199 of 2956)
I have a good friend who grew up in Georgia. She had two sayings that she used frequently.
“He is busier than a one armed paper hanger with an itch.”
and the ever popular
“That is as ugly as the day is long . . .”
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Catherine - Feb 16, 2005 11:54 am (#2200 of 2956)
Some of my phrases have already been taken by others.
Some of these may be specific to my family:
“Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.”
“I'm going to wear you out.” (Irate parent threatening a spanking)
“Well, excuse me for living, but the graveyard is full. “(when someone is not appreciative of your efforts, or has snapped at you, or is in a cranky mood)
“I'd like to snatch her bald.” (When someone has irritated you so much that you want to pull all their hair out)
“Were you raised in a barn?” (Implies that you are acting in an unmannerly fashion; at my house it was said if you slammed the door too hard)
“They won't buy the cow if they get the milk for free” (What my elderly babysitter said about moral behavior)
“You are getting on my last nerve.” (said when a child or situation is so exasperating that it is actually painful)
“I got thrown under the bus.” (when someone betrayed you, or made you look really stupid, or otherwise ruined something for you).
Hope you enjoyed these. I had fun writing them down!
Catherine - Feb 15, 2005 6:51 am (#2151 of 2956)
Hello, everyone.
I enjoyed watching the Westminster Dog Show last night, but admit that I went to bed after the judging of the Toy breeds. But, Loopy and others, you can still watch the Hound and Sporting Groups tonight, along with Best in Show. I hope the Bassett Hounds do well in honor of Flash, Roscoe, Lulu, Cooter, Daisy, and Jesse! **waves to Loopy Lupin's dog siblings**
We got some good Valentine's Day news last night. My parents are officially getting the little shih-tzu I mentioned last week. She has come through her eye surgery, and getting a little spunkier every day. My mom wants to change her name, and I submitted a list, most of which were Harry Potter-related. Sshh! They don't need to know!
Fawkes, I've had a bruised tailbone, and it is a right pain. I'm sending some Levitation Charms so that you can float just above your chair!
See you all around the Forum.
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Elanor - Feb 15, 2005 6:52 am (#2152 of 2956)
Fawkes, I really hope that you will feel better soon, to be hurt there is NOT fun. *waving**
About "crêpes", my grandmother used to put some orange-flower water in them and it was delicious too!
Good afternoon to my fellow europeans and good morning America!
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mollis - Feb 15, 2005 7:10 am (#2153 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 15, 2005 6:11 am
Good morning all. I've decided to try and keep my priorities straight and take the time to post. Maybe even try and get my money's worth out of this premium membership.
Fawkes, I too have injured myself in the past (similar to Essidji. It did indeed take up to 3 weeks to heal. People may give you funny looks for sitting on one of those donuts, but if you are working that hard and that stressed out, I'm willing to bet you could shoot any laughers a look that would scare even the dementors away.
And Mare, my husband makes the best "strange fluffy thingies that Americans eat for breakfast" I've ever tasted. With plenty of Vanilla, brown sugar, lemon juice, and a few other things. Yummy. The orange flower water sounds interesting, Elanor. I've only used that before in one other recipe - Ramos Fizz (also has gin ). Grandpa makes them Christmas morning.
I am starting to fear that I am giving the impression of being an alcoholic - please be assured this is not the case. I just love experimenting with all the different flavors it can give to recipes. Oh, the Guinness stew last night was very good. So were the leftovers...
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 7:11 am (#2154 of 2956)
About "crêpes", my grandmother used to put some orange-flower water in them and it was delicious too!---Elanor
Leave it to the French to put orange-flavored water in anything. ***goes off to drown her pancakes (those "fluffy" things) in maple syrup to disguise the bland taste and feels, if possible, worse about her lame cooking skills than she did before reading this***
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Ydnam96 - Feb 15, 2005 8:31 am (#2155 of 2956)
What is a non-fluffy pancake like? Being an American I didn't know there was another kind
I have had crepes before, but to be honest I wasn't a fan (must be the Yankee in me) or maybe they just weren't very well made. (We had French Belgian exchange students who made them for us when I was a child...they did bring us goooooood chocolate and little statues of a man who is.... well you can figure it out, I guess it's famous in Belgium)It's 7:30 am and I don't want to go to work. I'm just telling myself that I can take a nap when I get home, it's the only way I think I will make it through the day.
And, there is NO SHAME in a donut seat. I think that if you are in pain you should just get one. Who cares about your coworkers if you are in pain. We'll send them bat-boggie hexes if they make fun of you!
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Julia. - Feb 15, 2005 8:31 am (#2156 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
Fawkes, I'm so sorry you've hurt your tail bone. I hope you feel better soon! *sends huggles and healing charms your way* Yeah, the donut is going to make you look a bit silly, but it will make you feel better.
Ummmmmmmmmm, pancakes. I love those fluffy things we Americans eat for breakfast. The dining hall always makes them with chocolate chips, but I like them better without them better.
Well, I'm off to clear the threads, then giving blood then class. Have a good day everyone.
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septentrion - Feb 15, 2005 8:48 am (#2157 of 2956)
and little statues of a man who is.... well you can figure it out, I guess it's famous in Belgium)
LOL It's indeed very well known !
goooooood chocolate
Living near the belgian frontier, i can tell you it's sometimes difficult to keep good resolutions think of Leonidas chocolates ...hhhmm
Leave it to the French to put orange-flavored water in anything.
Not in everything. And the arabs use it still more.
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megfox - Feb 15, 2005 1:26 pm (#2158 of 2956)
Fawkes, I can soooo sympathize with the tailbone issue. Because of my two car accidents this summer/fall, and now being almost 8 months pregnant, my tailbone is scraping against the top of my pelvic bone (it has something to do with the ligaments being loose, in preparation of pushing). It hurts so bad. Every time I sit down or stand up, I can feel it move. And I can't take any pain medsbecause they aren't good for the baby. OUCH! I could use one of those levitation charms too! I hope that you heal fast - I will still be in pain for at least another 5 weeks!
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VeronikaG - Feb 15, 2005 1:30 pm (#2159 of 2956)
Hello lovely people. Hope you have a nice Tuesday.
Fawksey, here is a healing charm for you:
*~*~*~*~*~*Get Better*~*~*~*~*~*
To go back a LOT of posts, what I meant to say was that Loopy was revealing his age, and ended up accusing him of having a rather poor romantic life, he he. And I thought I could speak (write) good English...
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Catherine - Feb 15, 2005 1:55 pm (#2160 of 2956)
To go back a LOT of posts, what I meant to say was that Loopy was revealing his age, and ended up accusing him of having a rather poor romantic life, he he. And I thought I could speak (write) good English... –VeronikaG
Oh, you do write very well in English. We just couldn't resist taking the opportunity to tease Loopy Lupin! Forgive us if we caused any hard feelings!
Meg, your woes made me wince in sympathy. Wingardium Leviosa! I hope that charm lasts well after your child's arrival!
I'm feeling light-hearted at the moment. My "little brother" got some long-awaited and much-anticipated news today: He was accepted into graduate school to pursue his MBA! He only applied one place, so what a relief for him. He's really excited, because he gets to stay in Charlottesville. **waves to Madam Pince, Loopy Lupin, and Accio Sirius**
Well, I have dinner to prep and homework to check. See you all later.
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Julia. - Feb 15, 2005 2:17 pm (#2161 of 2956)
Wooo! Mazel tov to your brother Catherine!!
Awww, poor Meg! I'm so sorry you can't take any pain meds for your tailbone. *sends baby-safe healing charms your way*
Well, my Thursday afternoon had been much nicer than my Thursday morning. *waves to Veronika* I gave blood this morning, and as a result was pretty light headed for a while. I also managed to leave my cell phone at the blood place, so after walking half way across campus to eat, I had to walk back to get my phone. So after all this I was still feeling rather light headed and yucky, so I decided to skip my Latin American history class and take a nap instead. My Inner Hermione is not very pleased, but I am feeling a lot better and will get the notes from a friend.
Off to attack the mountain of reading. *waves to forum*
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VeronikaG - Feb 15, 2005 3:02 pm (#2162 of 2956)
Waves back to Julia* Good job giving blood.
Catherine, of course I have no hard feelings. I just wondered if I had been funny on Loopy's account without realizing what I had said. And I had...
Awww Meg. Here is my healing charm:
*~*~*~*~*Get Better*~*~*~*~*
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 5:23 pm (#2163 of 2956)
Not in everything. And the arabs use it still more.---septentrion
I can't tell if you're annoyed or not but to clarify, that was my rather awkward way of offering a compliment and acknowledging the superiority of French cooking.
At the risk of offending further I have to pass along what I'm watching on the Food Network. Alton Brown's Good Eats is a hilarious and educational (he explains the science of cooking) show and today's episode involves a character called The Mad Frenchman, who's sort of an evil genius with food. Alton Brown is determined to best him and so he and his partners follow The Frenchman around to steal his secrets. There was even a very bad pun (the show's full of them) about the "gall" of The Frenchman. The reply was, "Of course he's a Gaul. He's French." Well, I thought it was hilarious.
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Pinky - Feb 15, 2005 6:26 pm (#2164 of 2956)
Mare: there is also a big difference between those strange fluffy thingies that Americans eat for breakfast (??!!) and real pancakes.
Ok, so what is a real pancake?????? :curious:
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 7:08 pm (#2165 of 2956)
I LOVE Alton Brown. Good Eats is such a fun, fun show. You can watch a cooking show and learn things at the same time. Yes, the show is full of awfully bad puns, but it's such a good show I usually overlook the cheesiness.
I'm currently watching the Westminster Dog Show. I'm so fascinated by these dogs. They're just so cute. I love the long-haired ones because when they run, it looks like they're gliding. Question for anyone who knows...when they show the dogs' names down at the bottom of the screen and it's preceded by CH, what does that stand for?
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 7:12 pm (#2166 of 2956)
CH stands for Champion. Each breed competition (think dog show) has a certain number of points awarded to the winning dog (used here to indicate both male and female) of each breed (they get no points for winning the entire show). In order to become a champion, a dog has to win a total of 15 points, including 2 shows that are "majors" under two different judges with the remainder of the points coming from judges other than the major judges. A major means that 3 or more points were awarded (1-5 pts is the range). These are difficult to get in certain breeds because it requires a huge number of dogs to be entered (Labs, for example, need almost 200 animals entered). It is actually a little more complicated but I would have to use a bunch of dog show related terms that make no sense out of context.
For example, in my breed, Rottweilers, a 5 pt major requires 20 females to be present, 23 males to be present. A 3 pt major requires 14/18 split. In Catherine's breed, a 5 pt major can be obtained with 10/13 where a 3 pt major is only 7/8. Majors are hard to come by and nothing upsets people more than someone breaking a major....not showing up which messes up numbers. It can be very frustating to choose a show for the major and then the last moment, the number changes and it becomes a 2 pt show.
The number of dogs required for a major vary by location and breed.
More than you ever wanted to know...
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 7:25 pm (#2167 of 2956)
Thank you so much, Denise. It's not more than I wanted to know. I love learning about new things of which I previously had no knowledge. So, can you tell me why they usually have such fancy names for the dogs? Does it have anything to do with breeding like in horses? At least, I think horses are sometimes named according to the sire and (insert proper horse terminology for mommy here).
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 7:34 pm (#2168 of 2956)
Yes, there is usually a kennel name involved or a sire/dam name involved. In some cases, the breeder also has either a theme or a letter they require the new owner to use. For example, one of my dog's is Stone Fort's Eternal Hope, CGC, CD.
Stone Fort is the breeder's name, all of her dogs use the Stone Fort prefix. My girl came from the "E" litter, all of the dogs in her litter are Stone Fort E... I could have chosen to name her Stone Fort E Susie. I chose Eternal Hope but it had to be an E name. We call her Daria. CGC is Canine Good Citizen (a test she had to pass) and CD is Companion Dog, an obedience title. Not all breeders require you to use their name or theme, it varies. There is also a limit of ....25 letters, I think.
How do I get Daria out of Eternal Hope, no one asks I like the show Highlander, where immortality is a theme. With immortality, you can have eternal hope. Daria is named for a priest on the show, Darius.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 7:51 pm (#2169 of 2956)
Yes, the show is full of awfully bad puns, but it's such a good show I usually overlook the cheesiness.---Eponine
Overlook? OVERLOOK? Geez, those awful, abysmal, appalling puns are the best part.
Hey Denise, the Irish Terrier was robbed!
My hopes rest with the Bloodhound, my son's favorite. Go Knotty!
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 8:14 pm (#2170 of 2956)
Lupin is Lupin, the show would not be the same without the puns and the cheese, and I do love his horrible jokes. Don't you just love his nephew? His sister is quite a character as well.
Denise, thanks so much for the dog show information. That's what I love about this place. Just ask a question, and someone will know the answer or where you can find one.
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 8:15 pm (#2171 of 2956)
dog geek AND HP geek
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Catherine - Feb 15, 2005 8:25 pm (#2172 of 2956)
Count me in for Dog Geek and HP Geek!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 8:25 pm (#2173 of 2956)
Eponine, I've missed both the nephew and the sister. I can't believe it! Does he name them as such? I'm usually doing something else as I watch him so it would be easy for me to miss stuff. I'll have to watch more carefully.
Did anyone notice the Corgi named Harry Potter? HP is everywhere!
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Eponine - Feb 15, 2005 8:36 pm (#2174 of 2956)
Yes, he is usually teaching his nephew how to cook something, and his sister comes in and protests her sweet little boy using sharp knives or grating things or using a stove. The sister is portrayed as quite an annoying know-it-all who doesn't know a thing about cooking. They're on the show occasionally, but not terribly much. Good Eats comes on every weekday at 7:00 PM on the Food Channel, so I catch a lot of reruns.
And yes, the dog named Harry Potter was great. I love the cute little terrier named Coco. All the dogs are so precious, though, I don't know which one I want to win.
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Denise P. - Feb 15, 2005 8:40 pm (#2175 of 2956)
I saw one of the working group last night was named Chamber of Secrets, although it could have been a dog profiled on one of the little outspots.
Well I was rooting for the little Norfolk, she was working the crowd but the winner was very lovely as well and moved so nicely.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 15, 2005 10:10 pm (#2176 of 2956)
Thank you Eponine. I will keep my eye out for them. He makes cooking fun--and that's saying something for me.
Well, I thought the Border and the Pyr were both eye-catching but the German Shorthaired Pointer never put a foot wrong. Her poses were amazing.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 12:13 am (#2177 of 2956)
Thank you Denise P. for your run down on dog shows. I had no idea it would be so complicated to get the points.
I have been trying to reduce the photos of my other two dogs in order to use them as avatars. No go so far. I only have the photo editor that came with the computer and haven't felt the need to get a better photo editor. Now might be the time to start looking.
I have suddenly discovered another time consuming "hobby", creating my own web page! I had started using a shareware program that did most of the work for you, except I found it difficult to work with.
So in my spare time at work (lots of it), I went hunting on the net for HTML code sites etc. There are a lot. I printed off heaps (on the laser printer) of tutorials, articles, lists etc and now I am having lots of fun doing it the hard (easier) way by hand.
It took two hours to get the dog photos up. It pays to proofread everything and look for errant spaces.
Pancakes have never been popular within my family, piklets won out every time. The only pancakes I make are the ones which you stuff and put a sauce on the top. The only variety I make is Zucchini and Carrot, with a tomato based sauce, for when I don't want to eat meat.
Have a wonderful day on Wednesday
Lizzy
EDIT: spell check decided piklets should be piglets
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The giant squid - Feb 16, 2005 12:40 am (#2178 of 2956)
Denise, with all you do you still find time to follow dog shows & rattle off that litany? I bow in further awe.
either that or I really am turning into Bridget Jones--Fawkes Forever
For heaven's sake, girl, stay away from goofy, stammering editors, then!
As for your coccyxal misfortune, I can empathise. Last July my wife slipped on the stairs and broke her tailbone--not bruised, not fractured, broke. For the next three months(!) she was hobbling around, wincing at the slightest movement and, yes, sitting on a doughnut-shaped pillow. Actually, since it happened during the summer she got a bunch of kid-sized pool floats; they're the same size as the "medical doughnut pillow" but cost 99 cents each versus 40 dollars. If one springs a leak, it's a lot cheaper to replace! They'd probably be tough to get this time of year, though, unless one of our Aussie friends wants to send some to you...
--Mike
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 12:59 am (#2179 of 2956)
Lupin is Lupin, don't worry, you didn't offend the French cook in me at all! Your show sounds fun BTW! If they want to show all our weird culinary habits, they've got a lot to do... Even the sayings have often culinary references here: for example "they've got a lot to do" would be said "ils ont du pain sur la planche" ("they have some bread on the board") here... See? And I don't tell you about "quand l'appétit va, tout va" (when appetite goes well, everything goes well)...
Eating and cooking (or cooking and eating, it depends) are really a national pastime here. It's not good for our weigh but it is very pleasant during grey winter weekends. Too bad I am still sick and can't eat anything but soup or tea those days... Just typing this was enough for my breakfast today! LOL!
Have a great Wednesday everybody! Here, the day promises to be snowy and cold again, enjoy the sun if you have some!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 1:24 am (#2180 of 2956)
Elanor: I'll send some cheering and get well charms your way. I noted the last Rugby match was very close and France won. I am looking forward to seeing a few matches on TV this year.
Also some get well and cheering charms to Fawkes and Meg for your sore backs. I hope they settle down soon.
Mike: thanks for the suggestion regarding the kid sized pool floats. I might go get a couple and stash them away for when I do my lower back in again.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 1:42 am (#2181 of 2956)
Thanks Lizzy! This flu is a real nuisance.
I watched the match last Sunday and it was very close indeed! To be honest, at half-time, I thought it was over (we have another culinary saying here for saying that: "les carottes sont cuites", "carrots are cooked") but we were luckier with the penalties than the English. Did you notice that the English team had a player named Moody? Well, as the other players, it was only at the end of the match that he started to look like the "real" one... Next time, we'll play Wales and it promises to be a tough match too since the Welsh won their first matches as well. Fortunately, we will play "at home", I hope it will help!
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septentrion - Feb 16, 2005 1:57 am (#2182 of 2956)
Lupin is Lupin, no offense for me either. In fact, I just meant ordinary, everyday cooks don't use that much orange flavored things. My mother, who cooks very well, never uses them. Yet it's tasty in crêpes and pastry.
Elanor, some healing charms from me too. My husband doesn't feel so well too. His allergy seems to get worse. If he isn't better this evening, I think I'll take him to the hospital. He's scratching himself so much that he had begun to take dots of skin off.
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 16, 2005 2:56 am (#2183 of 2956)
Hmmm, no dementors about... hee hee... think I'll have a quick post there then...
See, thats what I love about you guys.... Cheering & Levitation Charms a go go Meg.... you poor pet.... I'm sending all my charms your way, as I think your need is greater than mine. Hope all is going well with you and junior When are you due by the way?
As for the great pancake debate. My way of looking at it was, the fluffy things are pancakes, whereas the thin ones are crepes? Perhaps thats an over simplification on my behalf? Either way, I'll eat both However the pancakes I make tend to fall somewhere in between on the thickness scale... just to confuse the issue that little more
As for the Belgian Statue... is it the one on the Fountain in the Grand'Place in Brussels? The Mannekenan- (I'll not say the rest of the name) If so, I've seen him (my sis used to live near there).
Mike (aka Giant Squid)- For heaven's sake, girl, stay away from goofy, stammering editors, then!
Hee hee, that was a 'spew' moment! It's a good job I don't work in publishing then... but I don't think I'd have no problems steering clear of any Hugh Grant lookalikes ... now Colin Firth.... just kidding... I'd have to find one first
Good call on the kids floats as a cushion, I may pop into the local pound... opps I mean Euro store on the way home (discount store). They have all sorts of odd things for sale at various time of the year... so who knows!
Got some good news yesterday. A friend of mine living in England had a baby boy & she's called him Harry (I don't think after the books however), but her surname begins with a P, so he's Harry P He's even got dark hair!
OK, the dementors have arrived... (they must have slept in this morning) so I'd better get back to work & back to silently cursing the manufacturers of this chair... (Mutley Style) I'm in a bad enough mood that I'm missing my BasketBall practice tonight... just when I was getting into it too.... *insert grumpy.. I'm feeling sorry for myself face*
Oh yeah... I'm enjoying the 6 nations rugby at the moment too... especially that we're not doing so bad Going to try & get tickets for the Ireland Vs England match on the 27th... should be an interesting match
Oh... dementors floating close by.. got to go... TTFN
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septentrion - Feb 16, 2005 4:10 am (#2184 of 2956)
You've got it right for the statue Fawkes.
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boop - Feb 16, 2005 4:49 am (#2185 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Ozymandias!!!!! I hope you have a great day.
Everyone have a great day!!!
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Steve Newton - Feb 16, 2005 7:01 am (#2186 of 2956)
Hey, can you hear the horsehide hitting the leather? YES! Spring training is here! The season of rebirth is here, again.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 7:12 am (#2187 of 2956)
Mike, although I knew how many points and the breakdown of judges to get a major, I had to go look up the specific numbers for a major. You give me too much credit.
After two beautiful days, the cold wind is back here. Brr!
I am off to mail postcards to a certain child of a certain Forum member today. Got to go and deposit the rest of the cookie money so we can close that out even though husband asked me last night to get another case of somoas.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 16, 2005 7:40 am (#2188 of 2956)
I am off to mail postcards to a certain child of a certain Forum member today.---Denise P.
Thanks Denise. We really appreciate it!
Elanor and septentrion, I'm glad you weren't offended. Elanor, I LOVED those sayings. They got my mind going and I'm hoping other people's as well. Does anyone have a favorite saying? The more parochial the better. I would especially like to have any non-English speakers translate their sayings. When I grew up, if I got upset my mother would admonish me not to "take a bird" but when I went out to Colorado, they said "have a cow". Recently, I've been using the expression "tell 'em where the dog died" to express the exercise of telling someone off. Growing up, a friend's father could endlessly reinvent the phrase "whatever floats your boat". I can't remember them all but the two I do remember might not be fit for all forum readers so I'll keep those to myself. I'm also terribly fond of "come to Jesus meeting" which happens when someone is going to be re-educated as to how things are done.
I bet this group can come up with some truly unique, regional expressions. I'll admit to a prejudice that the Southerners in the crowd, with their rich, literary heritage, can do well here. And I'm hoping Fawkes will pass along some authentic Irish sayings and not the lame ones that are plastered everywhere I go in Boston.
No pressure though folks. I just thought it might be fun.
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Julia. - Feb 16, 2005 8:15 am (#2189 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
Oh, favorite sayings. There are so many. A few favorites in my house are "When in Florida, do as the old people do," (I appologize to any non-old Floridians I may have just offended) "Nu, you're turning this into a MushkaGupin," for when someone is making mountains out of molehills, and of course, "The cat's among the pixies now."
Happy birthday Ozy! *hands Ozy butterbeer* Hope you have a great day and an amazing year.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 8:20 am (#2190 of 2956)
“You're about as thick as molasses in winter” is a way of insulting someone around here. Another popular one is “That dog don't hunt” which pretty much is calling someone useless and lazy. Who can ever forget “You need to be drop kicked through the goal posts of life!” when the lack of common sense is displayed.
A non regional one but a favorite around here comes courtesy of a popular cartoon character. “You are such a maroon!” Wow, most of these are insults...just saw that.
In the south, you can get away with a lot if you just add a few little words to the end of the insult, “bless her heart.” “She is about as thick as molasses in winter, bless her heart.” Somehow, those three little words at the end seem to take the sting out and make it okay. It can come at the beginning too. “Bless his heart, he just doesn't fire on all his pistons.”
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Ydnam96 - Feb 16, 2005 8:51 am (#2191 of 2956)
Denise, I've always heard "you are as slow as molasses in winter!" from my grandfather. Interesting difference, as he was actually referring to someone's speed (for instance at getting ready to go somewhere).
So my goal of the day is to call one of my school loan lenders and argue with them about supposedly missing a payment, which I am 100% certain I posted online. They never took the money out of my account. Now I have a late fee and have lost some sort of interest deferment option. I tried talking to them last night, but I was so angry I started crying and hung up on them. (I hate it when I cry!) So I need to try again today. Bleh. Makes me wonder if college was really worth all the money and mess afterward.
Well I'm late for work again...should go.
Happy Wednesday, almost to the end of the week!
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mike miller - Feb 16, 2005 9:03 am (#2192 of 2956)
Denise - Have you discovered some way of modifying the space-time continuum? How do you fit everything you do into the day? I only sleep about 5 to 6 hours a night and still fall way short of getting everything done!
On the "expression" front, for someone who has a run of unexpected good luck - "Even a blind pig finds a acorn now and then." Come to think of it, it's all good luck unexpected?
EDIT: Has anyone replaced a "motherboard"? Still having home PC issues.
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 9:37 am (#2193 of 2956)
I love those sayings too! Okay, here are some more that come to my mind:
- "arriver comme un cheveu sur la soupe": "to arrive as hair on soup", meaning "to turn up at the most ackward moment"
- About hair, those ones are famous too: "se faire des cheveux blancs", "to have your hair going white", that is to say to be very worried and: "avoir mal aux cheveux", "to have a hair-ache", for "to have a hangover"...
- There are also several ones for saying "to die" that I find funny: "avaler son extrait de naissance" (to swallow one's birth certificate), "manger les pissenlits par la racine" (to eat dandelions by the roots) or "passer l'arme à gauche" (to put one's weapon in the left hand - I believe it wasn't a good omen...)
Fawkes, you'll be very lucky if you can go to the Ireland/England rugby match, it promises to be a great one too! I've seen part of the Ireland/Scotland match on Saturday and your team was very impressive!
Sept, I hope your husband will feel better soon!
Ydnam, I send you cheering charms and I hope everything will work out all right.
Ozymandias, happy birthday! And a good Wednesday to you all!
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Madam Pince - Feb 16, 2005 9:37 am (#2194 of 2956)
“Well, shut my mouth and call me Shorty!” (to express surprise)
“It's cold as a welldigger's arse in January!” (Man, is it ever cold today!)
“What do you want me to do, stand on my head and spit nickels?” (I'm not sure exactly what this means, but Mr. Pince says it a lot when I ask him about some sort of problem....)
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Chemyst - Feb 16, 2005 10:23 am (#2195 of 2956)
Elanor, your "manger les pissenlits par la racine" (to eat dandelions by the roots) reminds me of our "pushing up daisies." Another death one is "assumed room temperature."
On a more pleasant note; Happy Birthday Ozy.
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 10:42 am (#2196 of 2956)
Mmm. Expression, eh? Some of these are regional and some are just expressions that have taken hold in my little circle of friends.
“You shot who in the what now?-- What?” or I didn't understand a word you just said.
“Christmas gift!”-- A greeting one states as they walk through the door; not really said on Christmas day as that would be redundant.
“ 'I see,' said the blind man”-- I never really got this one myself and I've seen various web sites give different explanations. I understand it to be used when someone is expressing understanding but with some measure of reservation.
What are you doing? Response: "Bluing. Wanna buy a box?"-- I don't really hear this much ever. It refers to "Bluing" laundry detergent which used to be sold door to door. The point of the stinging retort, I suppose, is to tell the inquisitor to stop being so nosy. (You see, the South is not always marked by rapier wit or cleverness.)
ABC-- This means "Anybody but Carolina" and expresses the correct attitude towards any University of North Carolina sports team, but especially the basketball team.
I'll see if I can think of some others.
Anyway, hello to all. And, "Go Hoos!"
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 16, 2005 11:23 am (#2197 of 2956)
I always say, "I see,' said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw." I have no idea what it is supposed to mean.
Happy birthday, Ozy.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 16, 2005 11:38 am (#2198 of 2956)
My father used to say "'I see,' said the blind man to the deaf mute."
I think he thought he was being funny. But the quote is about a complete lack of communication and a degree of pointlessness. I wonder, Vlad, if your quote is another version of the same thing.
Happy birthday, Ozy.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 11:45 am (#2199 of 2956)
I have a good friend who grew up in Georgia. She had two sayings that she used frequently.
“He is busier than a one armed paper hanger with an itch.”
and the ever popular
“That is as ugly as the day is long . . .”
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Catherine - Feb 16, 2005 11:54 am (#2200 of 2956)
Some of my phrases have already been taken by others.
Some of these may be specific to my family:
“Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.”
“I'm going to wear you out.” (Irate parent threatening a spanking)
“Well, excuse me for living, but the graveyard is full. “(when someone is not appreciative of your efforts, or has snapped at you, or is in a cranky mood)
“I'd like to snatch her bald.” (When someone has irritated you so much that you want to pull all their hair out)
“Were you raised in a barn?” (Implies that you are acting in an unmannerly fashion; at my house it was said if you slammed the door too hard)
“They won't buy the cow if they get the milk for free” (What my elderly babysitter said about moral behavior)
“You are getting on my last nerve.” (said when a child or situation is so exasperating that it is actually painful)
“I got thrown under the bus.” (when someone betrayed you, or made you look really stupid, or otherwise ruined something for you).
Hope you enjoyed these. I had fun writing them down!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:57 pm
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 12:15 pm (#2201 of 2956)
“Thrown under the bus . . .” Oooh, that's also an office phrase around here. For example, when I come into the office expecting a leisurely day pushing paper and maybe checking out the Forum once in a while **ahem**, but find out that I have to cover a DUI case at 9:30 a.m. where the defendant had a .25 blood alcohol level and caused a 3 car accident, I have been "thrown under the bus."
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Ozymandias - Feb 16, 2005 12:54 pm (#2202 of 2956)
Hi everyone! Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I can't believe you remembered! I feel so special now.
It's been way too long. Im going to have to mark the whole forum as read.
Hopefully I'll be able to log in more often now.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 16, 2005 1:05 pm (#2203 of 2956)
I love those expressions! You've all given me a chuckle. Here are some of my favorites.
“He's (or she) about as interesting as watching cement dry.” About a very dull person.
“She jumped on her horse and dashed off in all directions.” About someone who panics easily.
“Vachs wie a tzibele mit dem kopf im drerd. “Yiddish insult--Make like an onion with your head in the ground--get lost, butt out, etc.
A variation on the "you think life is hard, listen to how it was when we were kids"—“Life was so tough when we were kids, there was no such thing as water. We had to take two hydrogen molecules and smash them into an oxygen molecule.”
As the phone rings, call out, "Better get that. It might be the phone!" Gives people, especially kids, a pause.
“Don't hock me a chinick.” More Yiddish/English (Yinglish)--to prattle on like a boiling kettle--that's "chi" as in china--your jabbering is making me crazy, or you're really trying my patience, or yeah, yeah, I'm not buying it; you're speaking complete nonsense...or telling lies.
Ciao. Barb
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Essidji - Feb 16, 2005 1:07 pm (#2204 of 2956)
A few more French expressions related to food:
“Faire chou blanc” (to make a white cabbage) : to fail
“Avoir la frite” (or la pêche or la banana) (to have the fry/chip, the peach, the banana) : to be on form, in a (very) good mood
“Noyer le poisson” (to drawn the fish) means to elude a question for me. My dictionnary says "to tire out one's opponent", however.
“Faire le cake” (to do the cake) : to show off
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John Bumbledore - Feb 16, 2005 1:20 pm (#2205 of 2956)
Girls Scout Cookies, I can get the Double Dutch. Well I think they still have more as deliveries just started on the 12th.
Fang, is one mastiff dog all-right. ** hears chirping crickets **
Don't know what else I was going to say..
(John) Bumbledore
P. S. Sayings:
“Does this train-of-thought have a caboose?” (Insulting comment to a long-winded talker.)
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 1:32 pm (#2206 of 2956)
“Does this train-of-thought have a caboose?” (Insulting comment to a long-winded talker.) – Bumbledore
Oooh. I like that.
I thought of some others:
“Slow as dirt.—“This is a reference to someone or thing, such as service in a restaurant, that is not very fast.
“Old as dirt—“ A variation on the above to refer to someone not very young.
“Old as Methusaleh—“ Same as the above, but with a Biblical slant. Methusaleh was a person in the Bible who was, reportedly, about 900 years old.
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John Bumbledore - Feb 16, 2005 2:17 pm (#2207 of 2956)
“Loopy, "'I see,' said the blind man"-- to his deaf son. “(I am not sure if that is a response to the first part or a correction to include the full quote. I think there is a third part, but alas, Mrs. Bumbledore is the one who knows the complete phrase.)
The following comments do not reflect the opinion of this poster.
“A few bricks short of a full load” or "a few cards short of a deck" (Implies insanity or a lack of intelligence or common sense..) Have you ever notice how uncommon, common sense seems to have become?
“he/she has lost his/her marbles” (gone crazy or acting insane)
“Beauty maybe skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone.”
“Suicide blond” one who dyes his/her own hair. (as in the chemicals have left them a few bricks short of a full load.)
“Kivorkian blond” one who's hair is dye with assistance.
“Darwin awards” this can be found on the Internet, usually given to someone who has pruned their own family tree, so to speak.
(John) Bumbledore
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Julia. - Feb 16, 2005 2:30 pm (#2208 of 2956)
I forgot about a few.
“Gay red tzum der vont,” Yiddish for "go talk to the wall" when someone is endlessly blabbering.
“Shlug kopf in vont und shrai 'Bravo!' “Also Yiddish, meaning "Bang your head against the wall and scream 'bravo!'" My dad says this is used when I want do so something stupid, and he tries to talk me out of it, and I won't budge, and he ends up telling me to bang my head against the wall and scream bravo.
Perhaps one of the French members can help me out with this one. I believe there is a phrase in French used when someone has taken leave of his/her sences. I think it translates into "*insert person's name here* is out of the dish."
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Chemyst - Feb 16, 2005 2:36 pm (#2209 of 2956)
You lie like a rug. ...said to someone who has just told a major falsehood.
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 2:54 pm (#2210 of 2956)
Julia, maybe the saying you're searching is ""a name" n'est pas dans son assiette" ? It means "not to feel quite yourself". It can also be said "être à côté de ses pompes" (to be next to one's shoes) or, meaning also "to be crazy", "il a une araignée dans le plafond" : he has a spider on the ceiling (of his head)- not a good sign... Ron would like this one .
Edit: I've just remembered a funny one you can say to someone who is too familiar with you and you don't like it: "dites donc, on n'a pas gardé les cochons ensemble!" (we didn't look after the pigs together, honestly!)
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 2:55 pm (#2211 of 2956)
Ooh this is interesting. I love the French ones to do with pushing up the daisies (death).
First of all, happy birthday Ozymandis
“That's the way the bikky crumbles.” Meaning that's what life has thrown you; now get on with it. There are a few variants of this.
“Were you born in a tent?” Usually said to a person to continually leaves the door open when they enter or exit a room. Meant to be sarcastic and in my town (where many of the older indigenous population (50-65+ years) were born in tents or tin huts) - it is also an insult.
“Take the time to smell the roses now, cause you can't when you're six foot under.” I can never get this one right, because there is so many variants. It basically means slow down, you are taking life too fast.
If I think of any more I'll post them later.
Have a great day everybody.
Lizzy
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mollis - Feb 16, 2005 2:55 pm (#2212 of 2956)
“This is about as exciting as watching grass grow.”
“(s)he's got a screw loose” (a little bit crazy)
“(s)he got hit with the ugly stick” (not very attractive)
“(s)he got hit with the whole ugly tree” (really not very attractive)
“(s)he fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down” (you don't want to know!)
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 3:22 pm (#2213 of 2956)
“He has a hair piece, but he should have bought the whole piece”-- A comment on a particular bad and obvious toupee. Think of Benny Hinn.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 16, 2005 3:55 pm (#2214 of 2956)
Oh, I'm so happy to see people taking the ball and running with this.
My husband (the lawyer) gave me a couple:
“I don't have a dog in this fight.” (meaning one has no stake in an argument)
“That doesn't pass the sniff test.” (to make a bogus argument)
My mother would often say, "You're quite a card. Fifty-one more and you'd be a full deck." A mild insult to someone who thinks they're funny but is not and may have a screw loose.
Another version of the death themed sayings, this one commonly said by a local radio show host, so-and-so "won't be coming down for breakfast."
How about "a few sandwiches short of a picnic" for someone not right in the head.
I'm beginning to believe all French sayings do involve food, as Elanor (I believe) said. They are very amusing.
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Catherine - Feb 16, 2005 4:04 pm (#2215 of 2956)
My dad likes to use the phrase, "Coyote ugly."
My brother and I have always joked about "Don't dip your toe into THAT gene pool."
Lastly, we like to say about unfamiliar/exotic food, "Tastes like chicken."
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Madame Librarian - Feb 16, 2005 5:42 pm (#2216 of 2956)
Here's one that I think I came up with by myself:
“This _____________(whatever) is about as exciting as a speed bump...and as annoying.”
More:
“He's reading on a different page of the book.” For someone who's out of touch with the real world.
“A real double-bagger.” Horrible frat boy comment about a someone who's so ugly wearing one bag over her head is not sufficient. (Sorry, this one is just too tasteless. Bad Barb, bad Barb....)
Ciao. Barb
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Marie E. - Feb 16, 2005 5:54 pm (#2217 of 2956)
I love these little sayings. How about these I heard in Georgia:
“She was dropped on her head when she was just a child.” (Somebody is not thinking quickly.)
“She's meaner than a striped snake!” (Apparently the striped ones are mean.)
My dad called me last night. For those of you who have been here awhile, you may remember me mentioning that Dad is a bit of a packrat. (I can hear squidboy sniggering.) Another beloved trait of Dad's is remembering what a person likes and buying them stuff until they are utterly sick of it. My sister collects Coca-Cola items. She now has an entire bedroom full of Coca-Cola. I mentioned 10 years ago that I liked unusual-looking salt and pepper shakers. I have so many now that I have some in boxes. The latest is, luckily for me, HP Legos. I mentioned earlier that my mother bought the Hogwarts Castle on sale. It was actually my father who found it. He also found Hagrid's Hut. So yesterday's phone call was "Do you have Professor Lupin's Classroom? I saw it today at KMART." Mike, if you want a piece of this action, call Dad. NOW!
Sorry for running on a bit. Happy Wednesday!
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scully jones - Feb 16, 2005 6:49 pm (#2218 of 2956)
“I see, said the blind man, and he picked up his hammer and saw.” That's what I remember from that one...
So how is everyone? We just got back from Tahoe and are both very stuffy and sick and coughing and sneezing. We feel wonderful!
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Julia. - Feb 16, 2005 7:08 pm (#2219 of 2956)
Hey there Sarah! I hope you and Brandon feel better soon! Glad to hear that you two had a good time in Tahoe.
I'm in a bit of a mood right now. I had a run in at dinner with someone who is, as Marie said meaner than a striped snake. If you really want the details you can check out my LiveJournal. The link is in my profile. Click on my name to get there.
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Eponine - Feb 16, 2005 8:24 pm (#2220 of 2956)
I have just returned from the UNC/Virginia game. It was a decent game, but not all that exciting.
I wanted to note that the trailer for Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is on Amazon.com now. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. Go check it out if you're interested.
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 16, 2005 8:43 pm (#2221 of 2956)
Thanks for the heads up on the trailer, Eponine. It looks pretty good, although I'm afraid that some of the humor won't translate well to film. I was happy to see that the whale is listed as a character.
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Amilia Smith - Feb 16, 2005 8:51 pm (#2222 of 2956)
Hi! Back from San Francisco (great fun all around) and finally caught up on this thread.
Julia: I'm sending cheering charms your way. What a time for a run-in: dinner. I have trouble eating for days after confrontations.
Question for all of you good cooks out there: Do you have any good recipes for Brie? I work in a deli, and we had a LOT of Brie go out of date on us, so we can't sell it, but I can't handle throwing it away either. It's still perfectly good. I just don't know how to do anything other than spread it on French bread.
I've really enjoyed reading all of the different quotes. Some of them I'd heard before, and some of them were completely new.
The version of the blind man quote that I've always heard goes as follows (slightly edited to make sure I am forum friendly): "I see," said the blind man as he spat into the wind. "It's all coming back to me now." You say this when someone has had to explain something very simple to you that you should have already known.
“Running around like a chicken with its head cut off.” Trying to do too many things at once and accomplishing none of them.
“Up the creek without a paddle.” Boy, you sure got yourself into a mess. Now let's see you get out of it.
“Life's tough. Then you die.” Get off your soapbox and quit complaining.
“Would you like some cheese with your whine?” Same as above.
“You better spray your bangs up a little higher tomorrow.” That just went completely over your head. Maybe you would have been able to catch it if your hair was bigger. I actually haven't heard this one much anymore since big bangs went out of style.
And finally, my favorite from my high school Russian class, spelled phonetically as I don't know how to post Cyrillic letters, "Potomu shto pochemu, a konchi'etsa na u." Because I said so! Literally: "Because it ends in u."
Mills.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 8:55 pm (#2223 of 2956)
Oooh, there is a really yummy veggie dish you can make with brie cheese. Use any green veggie, green beans, asparagus, broccoli. Melt in a pan 8 oz Brie, 8 oz cream cheese and 4 oz of butter. Stir well until melted nicely. While that cooks, crumble some bacon on the veggies. Pour the cheese on top and bake at that universal 350 F until the cheese starts to just brown. I steam my veggies prior to baking to speed the process up. If you are baking the veggies too, I would cover the mixture. I loooove this stuff!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 16, 2005 9:06 pm (#2224 of 2956)
You can simply bake the brie and then schmear it on whatever tasty breads or crackers you like. The baking will stop the further aging and prevent spoilage for a while.
As for exact baking time, well...I can't remember exactly, so what I'd do is visit epicurious.com and search for baked brie recipes. This site really has loads of good stuff on it. It's sponsored by "Bon Appetit" or "Gourmet" magazine (I get them mixed up, but they're both wonderful).
Denise, your recipe sounds heavenly, but ohmigosh, quite loaded with calories! However, it is a veggie dish, so I suppose that's a redeeming feature. I'll keep it in reserve for when company's comin'.
Ciao. Barb
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 16, 2005 9:07 pm (#2225 of 2956)
I am completely baffled,I got this e-mail today:
Greetings from Amazon.co.uk
You previously signed up to be notified when Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6) became available. Unfortunately, our suppliers have told us that this item will not be available in the foreseeable future.
But don't give up yet. Have you returned to Amazon.co.uk recently to see whether the item is available from another seller? One of our Merchants or Marketplace sellers might have it in stock, either new or used. If so, it will be listed on the product's information page, and you'll be able to . . .
What does this mean?
“I see said the blind man as he took his hammer and saw” is my sister's favorites, she says it ad-nauseum. My mother's was "why is there never time enough to do things right the first time but plenty of time to do it over again".
This one falls more to the movie quote: man: "Hard to believe I'm wearing a toupe?" audience: "wig!"
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 9:28 pm (#2226 of 2956)
I forgot to mention an important step in the cheese stuff. Before melting the Brie, you do have to remove the coating.
The recipe was given to me by a friend of mine who is a cook with SCA. She will only cook authentic dishes from her time period, which I believe is 15th century. The recipe is actually called Savory Toasted Cheese. If you do a google search, there are all kinds of variations.
When I make this, usually only on special occasions, there is a fight to see who will do dishes since the one doing dishes hides the leftovers and then acts innocent later. "I don't think there was any left" while sneaking it out to eat themselves later.
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Amilia Smith - Feb 16, 2005 10:04 pm (#2227 of 2956)
Thank you Denise! It sounds delicious. I have written the recipe down and will try it tomorrow.
Thank you as well, Barb. I hadn't thought to bake the cheese to make it keep longer.
Mills.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 11:05 pm (#2228 of 2956)
Mills; our family often used to add to this quote:
“Up the creek without a paddle and the boat.” It still has the same meaning and often the first person says "we're up the creek without a paddle" and the second person replies thus "and the boat".
Now that we are spread so far apart it doesn't get said much anymore.
Lizzy
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Essidji - Feb 17, 2005 1:47 am (#2229 of 2956)
Hello everyone! First post of the day!
One of my friends made me laugh a lot recently : she has expressions of her own that are full of imagery , see : il a un pèt' au casque (he has a crack on his helmet), an equivalent for "he has lost his marbles".
Two very simple recipes with Brie :
- Slice cooked potatoes in a dish, salt, pepper, and then put slices of Brie above(you can remove the coating or not). Put in the oven until the cheese has melted. Serve with bacon, delicatessen, and with dressed green salad.
- Toast slices of bread. When they are slightly coloured, gently rub a peeled clove of garlic on the surface (the clove should suffice for about 6 slices of bread). Then put one or two slices of cheese onto the bread and put back into the oven to melt the Brie. You can also try this recipe with goat cheese or gruyere. I also recommend a green salad to serve with.
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Marè - Feb 17, 2005 3:34 am (#2230 of 2956)
A receipe with brie?
Try putting some of it in dough. (this premade kind: Can't find the correct english word...)
Add a spoon of honey, if you have some you could add some rosemary or thyme if you like that. Wrap the dough around the whole thing, close it well (don't want the honey leaking out) and put it in the oven till it's good.
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Julie Aronson - Feb 17, 2005 4:46 am (#2231 of 2956)
Mare, that is very similar to my favorite Brie recipe:
Wheel of Brie
Eggwash
Frozen puff pastry
Sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 400F (or whatever temp. is recommended on the pkg of puff pastry) Depending on the size of the cheese...thaw pastry and roll it into a square apporximately 1/3 larger than its original size. If you are using a kilo-sized wheel, place one sheet of the pastry in a 9-inch pie plate, set the scraped (if you want) cheese on the crust, brush the edges of the crust with egg wash, place the other sheet on top, seal the two sheets, folding them decoratively toward the top, brush with more egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden and let stand for 20-30 minutes so you don't get scalded by hot cheese.
MMMMMMMM
Julie
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The giant squid - Feb 17, 2005 5:42 am (#2232 of 2956)
I can hear squidboy sniggering.--Marie E.
I did not snigger! Okay, maybe a snort. Possibly a scoff, but not a snigger! I'll have to give Dad a call tomorrow.
As for pithy sayingth, I have a couple:
“You did what to who, for how many cookies?”--similar to Loopy's "You shot who in the what now?", indicating I either didn't hear or didn't understand the speaker
When I lived in Georgia a common one was "I heard that!", meaning "I agree." I adapted it to "I heard that with both ears!" to mean I agree a lot.
Here's one that was in the movie Sweet Home Alabama; I still don't know what it means, but I've been assured that it's an actual phrase: "If I'd known company was coming, I'd have put on the dog." Now I get the image of Catherine walking around with a shih-tzu on her head tidying up...
As for "'I see' said the blind carpenter as he picked up his hammer and saw," it's a pun. Think of "saw" as a verb instead of a noun.
--Mike
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Catherine - Feb 17, 2005 6:09 am (#2233 of 2956)
Now I get the image of Catherine walking around with a shih-tzu on her head tidying up... –Mike
Ok, I did snigger at this! It would probably look like one of those huge Russian fur hats people used to wear in the 60s and 70s, except with eyes and a plumey tail.
I remembered one more saying from a friend in college: "I'll just stay home and lick the cat." This is useful when one feels left out of something, or one is stuck at home with nothing to do, or has boring or repetitive tasks to complete.
We have a teacher work day today and tomorrow, so the kids have no school for two days. Naturally, this coincides with a cold snap in which our lovely 60-70 degree weather has dropped to the 20s, 30s, and 40s. They're just gonna have to bundle up, and go outside and play, to avoid getting on "Mom's last nerve."
Enjoy your day, everyone. Now...where is the cat?
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 17, 2005 6:26 am (#2234 of 2956)
I thought up some more overnight.
“A Chicago bankroll.” --a roll of bills which looks like a lot of cash but is mostly ones.
“That boy has a face like the map of Ireland.”---to describe someone who's very Irish looking.
“He's all that and a bag of chips.” ---to describe an extremely attractive man.
EDIT: I almost forgot one of my favorites. “Get behind me, Satan, and don't push.” What one says when faced with a temptation which shouldn't be indulged.
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Elanor - Feb 17, 2005 6:50 am (#2235 of 2956)
I love those expressions! For a very attractive man, here you can say:
beau (or "belle" for a girl) à faire damner un saint : so handsome that even a saint would be damned (he would not resist)
or, more familiar, il (elle) est canon: he/she is canons (a pun with canon=cannon too in French)
and, to stay with the food ones j'en ferais bien mon quatre heures... He/she would make a perfect snack for me...
For someone not too bright, I like this one from a famous movie here: "Je ne voudrais pas dire du mal, mais, effectivement, elle (il) est gentille (gentil)": I would not speak ill of her (him) but, indeed, she (he) is nice...
About the Brie recipe, I like to put some in a quiche too instead of gruyere, it is very tasty like that!
Have a great Thursday everyone! I'm still fighting the flu's side effects (I'm really exhausted) so I have decided to try another therapy for boosting me: the chocolate-therapy, as we say here too il n'y a pas de mal à se faire du bien...: there is nothing wrong to do yourself good...
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Chemyst - Feb 17, 2005 7:03 am (#2236 of 2956)
“Put on the dog” means to get fancied up.
I knew that, but I checked it out for you anyway, (thanks to a great web site that Madame Librarian once referenced.)
See World Wide Words: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-put1.htm "It has been suggested that it developed out of the rise in popularity of ladies’ lap dogs in the period after the American Civil War. Such animals were presumably pampered and beribboned, and this might have suggested that to put on the dog was to show off."
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Ydnam96 - Feb 17, 2005 8:34 am (#2237 of 2956)
See I always thought the "If I knew company was coming I would have put on the dog" meant that they didn't want company and they would put out their mean growly dog to scare people away.
haha!
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septentrion - Feb 17, 2005 8:49 am (#2238 of 2956)
Hi everyone !
Happy belated birthday Ozy !
Some other expressions :
“il a un poil dans la main” (he has a hair in his hand) means being very lazy
“croire au père Noël” (to believe in Father Christmas) is to expect something which won't probably occur (such as a pay raise)
“regarder l'herbe pousser” (to watch the grass growing) means to do nothing
“brasser du vent” (to brew wind) means to act as if you were busy but doing nothing at the end
“avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre” (to get the butter and the money for the butter) is said about someone who wants more than they're due.
“avoir une langue de vipère” (to have a viper tongue) is told of someone who speak ill of everybody.
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librarian314 - Feb 17, 2005 11:40 am (#2239 of 2956)
Hey all!
I must second Denise's love of Savory Toasted Cheese!! When I read the description I knew immediately what it was and made the appropriate Homer Simpson noise, "mmmmmmmmmmmm...savory toast cheese...gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. (please excuse me as I jump to one of my other geekdoms ;-) ) It is almost considered Atlantia's (the SCA kingdom that encompasses MD, most of VA, NC, SC, and a tag of GA.) national dish, it shows up at so many feasts. It's so good I cook it at home for my family. For a whole meal, try adding some ham to your veggies and smothering the lot with Savory toasted cheese.
Hmmm....sayings I have heard/used: “The porch lights on but no one's home” (meaning that the person isn't too bright)
On a similar note: “person X is as bright as a 10 watt bulb.” (Similar to the above. My dad's an electrician, what can I say :-) )
One my dad has been known to use: “about as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs”
And my personal favorite (as in I use it all the time): screaming idiot as in, "Well isn't that person driving like a screaming idiot." It's similar to running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Meanie Mom - Feb 17, 2005 12:13 pm (#2240 of 2956)
Some more expressions: “You look like an unmade bed” (self-explanatory)
“Its not my(his/her) first time to the rodeo” (means they have been around the block before)
“Not room to swing a cat “(meaning a very small space) sorry to all cat-lovers.
“If Jimmy jumped off a bridge, would you too?” (to a teenager sure that every other kid is allowed to do something stupid)
I am sure I can think of more, in fact I have but didn't write them down.
Mary Kay
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Madam Pince - Feb 17, 2005 12:48 pm (#2241 of 2956)
“What - do you think I just fell off the turnip truck?” (said to someone who has just told you something that's probably not true, and you're not stupid enough to believe it.) Also known as: "Do you think I was born yesterday?"
“Were you born in a barn?” (similar to above variations -- meaning "It's cold in here, why are you standing there with the door wide open???" -- said often by Madam Pince to Mr. Pince.)
“You lie like a dog in the summer sun.” (Similar to Chemyst's 'lie like a rug.' Means "Oh, did you ever just tell a whopper!")
“She's five years older than God.” (She's really really old.)
Denise, I always heard "That dog won't hunt" as meaning something like "That just isn't gonna happen." (For example, if Sirius had been from rural Virginia instead of England, when Snape told Sirius to remain at 12GP instead of going to help Harry at the DOM, Sirius would've told Snape "That dog won't hunt!")
Loopy, my Mom says "Christmas Gift!" on Christmas morning, and I have also read of this tradition. Supposedly, when everyone gets up Christmas morning and comes into the room together, whomever chimes out the words "Christmas Gift!" first is the one who is supposed to receive a small token from everyone else.
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Phoenix song - Feb 17, 2005 1:26 pm (#2242 of 2956)
Oh! Regional expressions, what fun! I think that what I hear most often isn't regional so much as gender-oriented. "Humph! Well, who does she think she is?" Which is often directed by women to other women about another woman who has dared to "step out of line".
My dad always liked, "Well, they must have went to different schools together." It indicates two people (usually dishonest) who aren't related but who have similar ways of thinking.
Another favorite one is, "If you'll buy that I've got some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you..." For anybody that doesn't know US geography very well, there isn't any ocean front property in Arizona for sale or otherwise. It means that if you'll believe his/her story, then you're pretty gullible.
When my relatives drop in without notice, which happens often, I've been known to say, "Well, if I'd've known you were coming I'd have baked a cake." Which is a nicer way of saying, "Gee, it's good to see you, but I wish you would have called me first."
I agree about the how Southern woman can often "sweeten" up an insult by adding "Bless her/his heart" to the statement. Such as, "He's such a redneck that he probably goes to family reunions to pick up women...bless his heart" Then there's always the oh-so-tender, "She's as wide as she is tall, bless her heart."
Barbie
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John Bumbledore - Feb 17, 2005 1:43 pm (#2243 of 2956)
I have to post some more sayings that I remember. This time I am focused on being positive. I do hope it works...
“(S)he is as sharp as a tack.” Meaning: The person is smart or intelligent.
“quick as a whip! Meaning:” Intelligent or clever person.
“quick as a wink!” Meaning: completed quickly or immediately.
“(S)he was dressed to the nines.” Meaning: Well attired, in an elegant, formal, or fashionable manner.
“You’re a mess!” Meaning: Nearest I can determine from the usage (in the Carolina states) is that the person addressed is very humorous in action or statement.
“Go rid-up your room.” Meaning: to clean or rid the room of mess or clutter. I believe it is regional to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“Six to one, half-dozen to another.” Meaning: the two items are the same just expressed differently, or that they are nearly the same in distance, or time such as for comparing two routes of travel. I don't know it that is regional.
(John) Bumbledore
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 17, 2005 1:49 pm (#2244 of 2956)
My brother and I have always joked about "Don't dip your toe into THAT gene pool." – Catherine
In my line of work, you often **cough** find yourself surrounded by people whose genetic make up or place on the evolutionary scale is somewhat questionable. In such situations, we say, "I felt like I was in Darwin's waiting room."
”That boy has a face like the map of Ireland.”---to describe someone who's very Irish looking.-- Lupin is Lupin
That reminded me of another one which "The Simpsons" deserve credit for but which also became a part of my friends' lexicon, as it were:
“You think you could Irish-up this coffee”-- to inquire whether one has any whisky.
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Catherine - Feb 17, 2005 2:01 pm (#2245 of 2956)
LOL, everyone!
Thanks for the "Bless your heart," Barbie. That is definitely one I hear all the time.
I'll have to remember the "Darwin's waiting room."
Bless your hearts! I do declare that y'all are just as funny as you can be."
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Kip Carter - Feb 17, 2005 2:14 pm (#2246 of 2956)
I have always liked the put-someone-in-their-place off-handed comments like:
“I don't care what everyone else says, I like you!”
“If someone gave you a million dollars, I think you would amount to something.”
“You are so ugly that the stork that brought you into the world should be arrested.”
“You are so ugly that you have to sneak up on a glass of water to get a drink.”
“Don't let the door hit you in the rear on your way out!”
And definitely what some mothers have uttered when angry, "I brought you into this world and I can surely take you out of this world."
“My way or the highway!”
“You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind! “ (courtesy of Jim Croce)
“Pay attention now ... your other right foot!” No, this is not directed with someone with more than two feet.
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Phoenix song - Feb 17, 2005 2:33 pm (#2247 of 2956)
Thanks for the Bless your heart," Barbie." You're welcome. Always glad to give a giggle.
I've remembered a few more:
“If you don't __(insert instructions to your children here)__ I'll be all over you like white on rice”! Which is a threat meant to encourage their swift, effective and prompt responses.
And how about this one... "He so ugly that I bet as a baby his momma had to tie a porkchop around his neck to get the dog to play with him... Bless his heart."
My mom use to say this about an acquaintance of mine that thought she was "All That and a Bag of Chips"...
“If you could buy her for what she was worth and sell her for what she thought she was worth you'd be a millionaire!"
Barbie
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Elanor - Feb 17, 2005 2:50 pm (#2248 of 2956)
LOL everyone! Kip, your last one reminds me of one we're saying here for someone very clumsy: "tu as deux mains gauches ou quoi?, (have you two left hands or what?)
There is also: "avoir été bercé trop près du mur" (to have been rocked too close to the wall), hence intellectual after-effects... Or "Il/elle n'a pas inventé l'eau chaude" (he/she has not invented hot water), the same exists with "le fil à couper le beurre" (the cheesewire).
For a long and useless work, we say "faire ça ou peigner la girafe": "to do that or comb the giraffe"...
For something very unlikely, we say it will happen "quand les poules auront des dents (when hens will have some teeth).
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Catherine - Feb 17, 2005 3:18 pm (#2249 of 2956)
Elanor's and Kip's posts reminded me of a few more. I particularly liked your "superman's cape," Kip. My dad is particularly fond of that phrase!
“Fell out of the ugly tree” (implying that the person is the ugly fruit of the tree; not that the tree itself is ugly)
“Does a chicken have lips?” and "Does a snake have ears?" (said when the answer is no, or when you really want to frustrate the person asking the question)
“If it rained, she'd drown” (implying that the person is very snobbish and stuck up, with her nose in the air)
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Detail Seeker - Feb 17, 2005 3:40 pm (#2250 of 2956)
It was hilarious to read all your sayings. So let me bore you with some german ones For a slow person: “Man ihm /ihr beim Gehen die Schuhe besohlen” (you can fit soles to his/her shoes while walking)
For a notorious liar: “Lügt wie gedruckt” (lies, as if is was printed)
For a very ugly or nasty person: “Dein Vater mußte Dir ein Steak (Kotelett, Schnitzel) um den Hals binden, damit wenigstens der Hund mit Dir spielte” (Your father has to tie a steak (or some other part of meat) round your neck, so that the dog agreed to play with you
To show that somebody tells you really old news: Das wußten wir schon, als du noch nackt mit der Trommel um den Weihnachtsbaum ranntest (we knew that already, when you were still running naked with a drum round the christmas tree)
Uh, why did I remember only negative sayings ? (Runs off to find some positive ones - or find the words to translate them properly)
Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 12:15 pm (#2201 of 2956)
“Thrown under the bus . . .” Oooh, that's also an office phrase around here. For example, when I come into the office expecting a leisurely day pushing paper and maybe checking out the Forum once in a while **ahem**, but find out that I have to cover a DUI case at 9:30 a.m. where the defendant had a .25 blood alcohol level and caused a 3 car accident, I have been "thrown under the bus."
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Ozymandias - Feb 16, 2005 12:54 pm (#2202 of 2956)
Hi everyone! Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I can't believe you remembered! I feel so special now.
It's been way too long. Im going to have to mark the whole forum as read.
Hopefully I'll be able to log in more often now.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 16, 2005 1:05 pm (#2203 of 2956)
I love those expressions! You've all given me a chuckle. Here are some of my favorites.
“He's (or she) about as interesting as watching cement dry.” About a very dull person.
“She jumped on her horse and dashed off in all directions.” About someone who panics easily.
“Vachs wie a tzibele mit dem kopf im drerd. “Yiddish insult--Make like an onion with your head in the ground--get lost, butt out, etc.
A variation on the "you think life is hard, listen to how it was when we were kids"—“Life was so tough when we were kids, there was no such thing as water. We had to take two hydrogen molecules and smash them into an oxygen molecule.”
As the phone rings, call out, "Better get that. It might be the phone!" Gives people, especially kids, a pause.
“Don't hock me a chinick.” More Yiddish/English (Yinglish)--to prattle on like a boiling kettle--that's "chi" as in china--your jabbering is making me crazy, or you're really trying my patience, or yeah, yeah, I'm not buying it; you're speaking complete nonsense...or telling lies.
Ciao. Barb
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Essidji - Feb 16, 2005 1:07 pm (#2204 of 2956)
A few more French expressions related to food:
“Faire chou blanc” (to make a white cabbage) : to fail
“Avoir la frite” (or la pêche or la banana) (to have the fry/chip, the peach, the banana) : to be on form, in a (very) good mood
“Noyer le poisson” (to drawn the fish) means to elude a question for me. My dictionnary says "to tire out one's opponent", however.
“Faire le cake” (to do the cake) : to show off
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John Bumbledore - Feb 16, 2005 1:20 pm (#2205 of 2956)
Girls Scout Cookies, I can get the Double Dutch. Well I think they still have more as deliveries just started on the 12th.
Fang, is one mastiff dog all-right. ** hears chirping crickets **
Don't know what else I was going to say..
(John) Bumbledore
P. S. Sayings:
“Does this train-of-thought have a caboose?” (Insulting comment to a long-winded talker.)
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 1:32 pm (#2206 of 2956)
“Does this train-of-thought have a caboose?” (Insulting comment to a long-winded talker.) – Bumbledore
Oooh. I like that.
I thought of some others:
“Slow as dirt.—“This is a reference to someone or thing, such as service in a restaurant, that is not very fast.
“Old as dirt—“ A variation on the above to refer to someone not very young.
“Old as Methusaleh—“ Same as the above, but with a Biblical slant. Methusaleh was a person in the Bible who was, reportedly, about 900 years old.
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John Bumbledore - Feb 16, 2005 2:17 pm (#2207 of 2956)
“Loopy, "'I see,' said the blind man"-- to his deaf son. “(I am not sure if that is a response to the first part or a correction to include the full quote. I think there is a third part, but alas, Mrs. Bumbledore is the one who knows the complete phrase.)
The following comments do not reflect the opinion of this poster.
“A few bricks short of a full load” or "a few cards short of a deck" (Implies insanity or a lack of intelligence or common sense..) Have you ever notice how uncommon, common sense seems to have become?
“he/she has lost his/her marbles” (gone crazy or acting insane)
“Beauty maybe skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone.”
“Suicide blond” one who dyes his/her own hair. (as in the chemicals have left them a few bricks short of a full load.)
“Kivorkian blond” one who's hair is dye with assistance.
“Darwin awards” this can be found on the Internet, usually given to someone who has pruned their own family tree, so to speak.
(John) Bumbledore
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Julia. - Feb 16, 2005 2:30 pm (#2208 of 2956)
I forgot about a few.
“Gay red tzum der vont,” Yiddish for "go talk to the wall" when someone is endlessly blabbering.
“Shlug kopf in vont und shrai 'Bravo!' “Also Yiddish, meaning "Bang your head against the wall and scream 'bravo!'" My dad says this is used when I want do so something stupid, and he tries to talk me out of it, and I won't budge, and he ends up telling me to bang my head against the wall and scream bravo.
Perhaps one of the French members can help me out with this one. I believe there is a phrase in French used when someone has taken leave of his/her sences. I think it translates into "*insert person's name here* is out of the dish."
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Chemyst - Feb 16, 2005 2:36 pm (#2209 of 2956)
You lie like a rug. ...said to someone who has just told a major falsehood.
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Elanor - Feb 16, 2005 2:54 pm (#2210 of 2956)
Julia, maybe the saying you're searching is ""a name" n'est pas dans son assiette" ? It means "not to feel quite yourself". It can also be said "être à côté de ses pompes" (to be next to one's shoes) or, meaning also "to be crazy", "il a une araignée dans le plafond" : he has a spider on the ceiling (of his head)- not a good sign... Ron would like this one .
Edit: I've just remembered a funny one you can say to someone who is too familiar with you and you don't like it: "dites donc, on n'a pas gardé les cochons ensemble!" (we didn't look after the pigs together, honestly!)
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 2:55 pm (#2211 of 2956)
Ooh this is interesting. I love the French ones to do with pushing up the daisies (death).
First of all, happy birthday Ozymandis
“That's the way the bikky crumbles.” Meaning that's what life has thrown you; now get on with it. There are a few variants of this.
“Were you born in a tent?” Usually said to a person to continually leaves the door open when they enter or exit a room. Meant to be sarcastic and in my town (where many of the older indigenous population (50-65+ years) were born in tents or tin huts) - it is also an insult.
“Take the time to smell the roses now, cause you can't when you're six foot under.” I can never get this one right, because there is so many variants. It basically means slow down, you are taking life too fast.
If I think of any more I'll post them later.
Have a great day everybody.
Lizzy
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mollis - Feb 16, 2005 2:55 pm (#2212 of 2956)
“This is about as exciting as watching grass grow.”
“(s)he's got a screw loose” (a little bit crazy)
“(s)he got hit with the ugly stick” (not very attractive)
“(s)he got hit with the whole ugly tree” (really not very attractive)
“(s)he fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down” (you don't want to know!)
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 16, 2005 3:22 pm (#2213 of 2956)
“He has a hair piece, but he should have bought the whole piece”-- A comment on a particular bad and obvious toupee. Think of Benny Hinn.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 16, 2005 3:55 pm (#2214 of 2956)
Oh, I'm so happy to see people taking the ball and running with this.
My husband (the lawyer) gave me a couple:
“I don't have a dog in this fight.” (meaning one has no stake in an argument)
“That doesn't pass the sniff test.” (to make a bogus argument)
My mother would often say, "You're quite a card. Fifty-one more and you'd be a full deck." A mild insult to someone who thinks they're funny but is not and may have a screw loose.
Another version of the death themed sayings, this one commonly said by a local radio show host, so-and-so "won't be coming down for breakfast."
How about "a few sandwiches short of a picnic" for someone not right in the head.
I'm beginning to believe all French sayings do involve food, as Elanor (I believe) said. They are very amusing.
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Catherine - Feb 16, 2005 4:04 pm (#2215 of 2956)
My dad likes to use the phrase, "Coyote ugly."
My brother and I have always joked about "Don't dip your toe into THAT gene pool."
Lastly, we like to say about unfamiliar/exotic food, "Tastes like chicken."
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Madame Librarian - Feb 16, 2005 5:42 pm (#2216 of 2956)
Here's one that I think I came up with by myself:
“This _____________(whatever) is about as exciting as a speed bump...and as annoying.”
More:
“He's reading on a different page of the book.” For someone who's out of touch with the real world.
“A real double-bagger.” Horrible frat boy comment about a someone who's so ugly wearing one bag over her head is not sufficient. (Sorry, this one is just too tasteless. Bad Barb, bad Barb....)
Ciao. Barb
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Marie E. - Feb 16, 2005 5:54 pm (#2217 of 2956)
I love these little sayings. How about these I heard in Georgia:
“She was dropped on her head when she was just a child.” (Somebody is not thinking quickly.)
“She's meaner than a striped snake!” (Apparently the striped ones are mean.)
My dad called me last night. For those of you who have been here awhile, you may remember me mentioning that Dad is a bit of a packrat. (I can hear squidboy sniggering.) Another beloved trait of Dad's is remembering what a person likes and buying them stuff until they are utterly sick of it. My sister collects Coca-Cola items. She now has an entire bedroom full of Coca-Cola. I mentioned 10 years ago that I liked unusual-looking salt and pepper shakers. I have so many now that I have some in boxes. The latest is, luckily for me, HP Legos. I mentioned earlier that my mother bought the Hogwarts Castle on sale. It was actually my father who found it. He also found Hagrid's Hut. So yesterday's phone call was "Do you have Professor Lupin's Classroom? I saw it today at KMART." Mike, if you want a piece of this action, call Dad. NOW!
Sorry for running on a bit. Happy Wednesday!
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scully jones - Feb 16, 2005 6:49 pm (#2218 of 2956)
“I see, said the blind man, and he picked up his hammer and saw.” That's what I remember from that one...
So how is everyone? We just got back from Tahoe and are both very stuffy and sick and coughing and sneezing. We feel wonderful!
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Julia. - Feb 16, 2005 7:08 pm (#2219 of 2956)
Hey there Sarah! I hope you and Brandon feel better soon! Glad to hear that you two had a good time in Tahoe.
I'm in a bit of a mood right now. I had a run in at dinner with someone who is, as Marie said meaner than a striped snake. If you really want the details you can check out my LiveJournal. The link is in my profile. Click on my name to get there.
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Eponine - Feb 16, 2005 8:24 pm (#2220 of 2956)
I have just returned from the UNC/Virginia game. It was a decent game, but not all that exciting.
I wanted to note that the trailer for Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is on Amazon.com now. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. Go check it out if you're interested.
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 16, 2005 8:43 pm (#2221 of 2956)
Thanks for the heads up on the trailer, Eponine. It looks pretty good, although I'm afraid that some of the humor won't translate well to film. I was happy to see that the whale is listed as a character.
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Amilia Smith - Feb 16, 2005 8:51 pm (#2222 of 2956)
Hi! Back from San Francisco (great fun all around) and finally caught up on this thread.
Julia: I'm sending cheering charms your way. What a time for a run-in: dinner. I have trouble eating for days after confrontations.
Question for all of you good cooks out there: Do you have any good recipes for Brie? I work in a deli, and we had a LOT of Brie go out of date on us, so we can't sell it, but I can't handle throwing it away either. It's still perfectly good. I just don't know how to do anything other than spread it on French bread.
I've really enjoyed reading all of the different quotes. Some of them I'd heard before, and some of them were completely new.
The version of the blind man quote that I've always heard goes as follows (slightly edited to make sure I am forum friendly): "I see," said the blind man as he spat into the wind. "It's all coming back to me now." You say this when someone has had to explain something very simple to you that you should have already known.
“Running around like a chicken with its head cut off.” Trying to do too many things at once and accomplishing none of them.
“Up the creek without a paddle.” Boy, you sure got yourself into a mess. Now let's see you get out of it.
“Life's tough. Then you die.” Get off your soapbox and quit complaining.
“Would you like some cheese with your whine?” Same as above.
“You better spray your bangs up a little higher tomorrow.” That just went completely over your head. Maybe you would have been able to catch it if your hair was bigger. I actually haven't heard this one much anymore since big bangs went out of style.
And finally, my favorite from my high school Russian class, spelled phonetically as I don't know how to post Cyrillic letters, "Potomu shto pochemu, a konchi'etsa na u." Because I said so! Literally: "Because it ends in u."
Mills.
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 8:55 pm (#2223 of 2956)
Oooh, there is a really yummy veggie dish you can make with brie cheese. Use any green veggie, green beans, asparagus, broccoli. Melt in a pan 8 oz Brie, 8 oz cream cheese and 4 oz of butter. Stir well until melted nicely. While that cooks, crumble some bacon on the veggies. Pour the cheese on top and bake at that universal 350 F until the cheese starts to just brown. I steam my veggies prior to baking to speed the process up. If you are baking the veggies too, I would cover the mixture. I loooove this stuff!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 16, 2005 9:06 pm (#2224 of 2956)
You can simply bake the brie and then schmear it on whatever tasty breads or crackers you like. The baking will stop the further aging and prevent spoilage for a while.
As for exact baking time, well...I can't remember exactly, so what I'd do is visit epicurious.com and search for baked brie recipes. This site really has loads of good stuff on it. It's sponsored by "Bon Appetit" or "Gourmet" magazine (I get them mixed up, but they're both wonderful).
Denise, your recipe sounds heavenly, but ohmigosh, quite loaded with calories! However, it is a veggie dish, so I suppose that's a redeeming feature. I'll keep it in reserve for when company's comin'.
Ciao. Barb
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 16, 2005 9:07 pm (#2225 of 2956)
I am completely baffled,I got this e-mail today:
Greetings from Amazon.co.uk
You previously signed up to be notified when Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6) became available. Unfortunately, our suppliers have told us that this item will not be available in the foreseeable future.
But don't give up yet. Have you returned to Amazon.co.uk recently to see whether the item is available from another seller? One of our Merchants or Marketplace sellers might have it in stock, either new or used. If so, it will be listed on the product's information page, and you'll be able to . . .
What does this mean?
“I see said the blind man as he took his hammer and saw” is my sister's favorites, she says it ad-nauseum. My mother's was "why is there never time enough to do things right the first time but plenty of time to do it over again".
This one falls more to the movie quote: man: "Hard to believe I'm wearing a toupe?" audience: "wig!"
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Denise P. - Feb 16, 2005 9:28 pm (#2226 of 2956)
I forgot to mention an important step in the cheese stuff. Before melting the Brie, you do have to remove the coating.
The recipe was given to me by a friend of mine who is a cook with SCA. She will only cook authentic dishes from her time period, which I believe is 15th century. The recipe is actually called Savory Toasted Cheese. If you do a google search, there are all kinds of variations.
When I make this, usually only on special occasions, there is a fight to see who will do dishes since the one doing dishes hides the leftovers and then acts innocent later. "I don't think there was any left" while sneaking it out to eat themselves later.
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Amilia Smith - Feb 16, 2005 10:04 pm (#2227 of 2956)
Thank you Denise! It sounds delicious. I have written the recipe down and will try it tomorrow.
Thank you as well, Barb. I hadn't thought to bake the cheese to make it keep longer.
Mills.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 16, 2005 11:05 pm (#2228 of 2956)
Mills; our family often used to add to this quote:
“Up the creek without a paddle and the boat.” It still has the same meaning and often the first person says "we're up the creek without a paddle" and the second person replies thus "and the boat".
Now that we are spread so far apart it doesn't get said much anymore.
Lizzy
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Essidji - Feb 17, 2005 1:47 am (#2229 of 2956)
Hello everyone! First post of the day!
One of my friends made me laugh a lot recently : she has expressions of her own that are full of imagery , see : il a un pèt' au casque (he has a crack on his helmet), an equivalent for "he has lost his marbles".
Two very simple recipes with Brie :
- Slice cooked potatoes in a dish, salt, pepper, and then put slices of Brie above(you can remove the coating or not). Put in the oven until the cheese has melted. Serve with bacon, delicatessen, and with dressed green salad.
- Toast slices of bread. When they are slightly coloured, gently rub a peeled clove of garlic on the surface (the clove should suffice for about 6 slices of bread). Then put one or two slices of cheese onto the bread and put back into the oven to melt the Brie. You can also try this recipe with goat cheese or gruyere. I also recommend a green salad to serve with.
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Marè - Feb 17, 2005 3:34 am (#2230 of 2956)
A receipe with brie?
Try putting some of it in dough. (this premade kind: Can't find the correct english word...)
Add a spoon of honey, if you have some you could add some rosemary or thyme if you like that. Wrap the dough around the whole thing, close it well (don't want the honey leaking out) and put it in the oven till it's good.
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Julie Aronson - Feb 17, 2005 4:46 am (#2231 of 2956)
Mare, that is very similar to my favorite Brie recipe:
Wheel of Brie
Eggwash
Frozen puff pastry
Sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 400F (or whatever temp. is recommended on the pkg of puff pastry) Depending on the size of the cheese...thaw pastry and roll it into a square apporximately 1/3 larger than its original size. If you are using a kilo-sized wheel, place one sheet of the pastry in a 9-inch pie plate, set the scraped (if you want) cheese on the crust, brush the edges of the crust with egg wash, place the other sheet on top, seal the two sheets, folding them decoratively toward the top, brush with more egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden and let stand for 20-30 minutes so you don't get scalded by hot cheese.
MMMMMMMM
Julie
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The giant squid - Feb 17, 2005 5:42 am (#2232 of 2956)
I can hear squidboy sniggering.--Marie E.
I did not snigger! Okay, maybe a snort. Possibly a scoff, but not a snigger! I'll have to give Dad a call tomorrow.
As for pithy sayingth, I have a couple:
“You did what to who, for how many cookies?”--similar to Loopy's "You shot who in the what now?", indicating I either didn't hear or didn't understand the speaker
When I lived in Georgia a common one was "I heard that!", meaning "I agree." I adapted it to "I heard that with both ears!" to mean I agree a lot.
Here's one that was in the movie Sweet Home Alabama; I still don't know what it means, but I've been assured that it's an actual phrase: "If I'd known company was coming, I'd have put on the dog." Now I get the image of Catherine walking around with a shih-tzu on her head tidying up...
As for "'I see' said the blind carpenter as he picked up his hammer and saw," it's a pun. Think of "saw" as a verb instead of a noun.
--Mike
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Catherine - Feb 17, 2005 6:09 am (#2233 of 2956)
Now I get the image of Catherine walking around with a shih-tzu on her head tidying up... –Mike
Ok, I did snigger at this! It would probably look like one of those huge Russian fur hats people used to wear in the 60s and 70s, except with eyes and a plumey tail.
I remembered one more saying from a friend in college: "I'll just stay home and lick the cat." This is useful when one feels left out of something, or one is stuck at home with nothing to do, or has boring or repetitive tasks to complete.
We have a teacher work day today and tomorrow, so the kids have no school for two days. Naturally, this coincides with a cold snap in which our lovely 60-70 degree weather has dropped to the 20s, 30s, and 40s. They're just gonna have to bundle up, and go outside and play, to avoid getting on "Mom's last nerve."
Enjoy your day, everyone. Now...where is the cat?
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 17, 2005 6:26 am (#2234 of 2956)
I thought up some more overnight.
“A Chicago bankroll.” --a roll of bills which looks like a lot of cash but is mostly ones.
“That boy has a face like the map of Ireland.”---to describe someone who's very Irish looking.
“He's all that and a bag of chips.” ---to describe an extremely attractive man.
EDIT: I almost forgot one of my favorites. “Get behind me, Satan, and don't push.” What one says when faced with a temptation which shouldn't be indulged.
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Elanor - Feb 17, 2005 6:50 am (#2235 of 2956)
I love those expressions! For a very attractive man, here you can say:
beau (or "belle" for a girl) à faire damner un saint : so handsome that even a saint would be damned (he would not resist)
or, more familiar, il (elle) est canon: he/she is canons (a pun with canon=cannon too in French)
and, to stay with the food ones j'en ferais bien mon quatre heures... He/she would make a perfect snack for me...
For someone not too bright, I like this one from a famous movie here: "Je ne voudrais pas dire du mal, mais, effectivement, elle (il) est gentille (gentil)": I would not speak ill of her (him) but, indeed, she (he) is nice...
About the Brie recipe, I like to put some in a quiche too instead of gruyere, it is very tasty like that!
Have a great Thursday everyone! I'm still fighting the flu's side effects (I'm really exhausted) so I have decided to try another therapy for boosting me: the chocolate-therapy, as we say here too il n'y a pas de mal à se faire du bien...: there is nothing wrong to do yourself good...
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Chemyst - Feb 17, 2005 7:03 am (#2236 of 2956)
“Put on the dog” means to get fancied up.
I knew that, but I checked it out for you anyway, (thanks to a great web site that Madame Librarian once referenced.)
See World Wide Words: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-put1.htm "It has been suggested that it developed out of the rise in popularity of ladies’ lap dogs in the period after the American Civil War. Such animals were presumably pampered and beribboned, and this might have suggested that to put on the dog was to show off."
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Ydnam96 - Feb 17, 2005 8:34 am (#2237 of 2956)
See I always thought the "If I knew company was coming I would have put on the dog" meant that they didn't want company and they would put out their mean growly dog to scare people away.
haha!
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septentrion - Feb 17, 2005 8:49 am (#2238 of 2956)
Hi everyone !
Happy belated birthday Ozy !
Some other expressions :
“il a un poil dans la main” (he has a hair in his hand) means being very lazy
“croire au père Noël” (to believe in Father Christmas) is to expect something which won't probably occur (such as a pay raise)
“regarder l'herbe pousser” (to watch the grass growing) means to do nothing
“brasser du vent” (to brew wind) means to act as if you were busy but doing nothing at the end
“avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre” (to get the butter and the money for the butter) is said about someone who wants more than they're due.
“avoir une langue de vipère” (to have a viper tongue) is told of someone who speak ill of everybody.
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librarian314 - Feb 17, 2005 11:40 am (#2239 of 2956)
Hey all!
I must second Denise's love of Savory Toasted Cheese!! When I read the description I knew immediately what it was and made the appropriate Homer Simpson noise, "mmmmmmmmmmmm...savory toast cheese...gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. (please excuse me as I jump to one of my other geekdoms ;-) ) It is almost considered Atlantia's (the SCA kingdom that encompasses MD, most of VA, NC, SC, and a tag of GA.) national dish, it shows up at so many feasts. It's so good I cook it at home for my family. For a whole meal, try adding some ham to your veggies and smothering the lot with Savory toasted cheese.
Hmmm....sayings I have heard/used: “The porch lights on but no one's home” (meaning that the person isn't too bright)
On a similar note: “person X is as bright as a 10 watt bulb.” (Similar to the above. My dad's an electrician, what can I say :-) )
One my dad has been known to use: “about as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs”
And my personal favorite (as in I use it all the time): screaming idiot as in, "Well isn't that person driving like a screaming idiot." It's similar to running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Meanie Mom - Feb 17, 2005 12:13 pm (#2240 of 2956)
Some more expressions: “You look like an unmade bed” (self-explanatory)
“Its not my(his/her) first time to the rodeo” (means they have been around the block before)
“Not room to swing a cat “(meaning a very small space) sorry to all cat-lovers.
“If Jimmy jumped off a bridge, would you too?” (to a teenager sure that every other kid is allowed to do something stupid)
I am sure I can think of more, in fact I have but didn't write them down.
Mary Kay
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Madam Pince - Feb 17, 2005 12:48 pm (#2241 of 2956)
“What - do you think I just fell off the turnip truck?” (said to someone who has just told you something that's probably not true, and you're not stupid enough to believe it.) Also known as: "Do you think I was born yesterday?"
“Were you born in a barn?” (similar to above variations -- meaning "It's cold in here, why are you standing there with the door wide open???" -- said often by Madam Pince to Mr. Pince.
)“You lie like a dog in the summer sun.” (Similar to Chemyst's 'lie like a rug.' Means "Oh, did you ever just tell a whopper!")
“She's five years older than God.” (She's really really old.)
Denise, I always heard "That dog won't hunt" as meaning something like "That just isn't gonna happen." (For example, if Sirius had been from rural Virginia instead of England, when Snape told Sirius to remain at 12GP instead of going to help Harry at the DOM, Sirius would've told Snape "That dog won't hunt!")
Loopy, my Mom says "Christmas Gift!" on Christmas morning, and I have also read of this tradition. Supposedly, when everyone gets up Christmas morning and comes into the room together, whomever chimes out the words "Christmas Gift!" first is the one who is supposed to receive a small token from everyone else.
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Phoenix song - Feb 17, 2005 1:26 pm (#2242 of 2956)
Oh! Regional expressions, what fun! I think that what I hear most often isn't regional so much as gender-oriented. "Humph! Well, who does she think she is?" Which is often directed by women to other women about another woman who has dared to "step out of line".
My dad always liked, "Well, they must have went to different schools together." It indicates two people (usually dishonest) who aren't related but who have similar ways of thinking.
Another favorite one is, "If you'll buy that I've got some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you..." For anybody that doesn't know US geography very well, there isn't any ocean front property in Arizona for sale or otherwise. It means that if you'll believe his/her story, then you're pretty gullible.
When my relatives drop in without notice, which happens often, I've been known to say, "Well, if I'd've known you were coming I'd have baked a cake." Which is a nicer way of saying, "Gee, it's good to see you, but I wish you would have called me first."
I agree about the how Southern woman can often "sweeten" up an insult by adding "Bless her/his heart" to the statement. Such as, "He's such a redneck that he probably goes to family reunions to pick up women...bless his heart" Then there's always the oh-so-tender, "She's as wide as she is tall, bless her heart."
Barbie
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John Bumbledore - Feb 17, 2005 1:43 pm (#2243 of 2956)
I have to post some more sayings that I remember. This time I am focused on being positive. I do hope it works...
“(S)he is as sharp as a tack.” Meaning: The person is smart or intelligent.
“quick as a whip! Meaning:” Intelligent or clever person.
“quick as a wink!” Meaning: completed quickly or immediately.
“(S)he was dressed to the nines.” Meaning: Well attired, in an elegant, formal, or fashionable manner.
“You’re a mess!” Meaning: Nearest I can determine from the usage (in the Carolina states) is that the person addressed is very humorous in action or statement.
“Go rid-up your room.” Meaning: to clean or rid the room of mess or clutter. I believe it is regional to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“Six to one, half-dozen to another.” Meaning: the two items are the same just expressed differently, or that they are nearly the same in distance, or time such as for comparing two routes of travel. I don't know it that is regional.
(John) Bumbledore
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 17, 2005 1:49 pm (#2244 of 2956)
My brother and I have always joked about "Don't dip your toe into THAT gene pool." – Catherine
In my line of work, you often **cough** find yourself surrounded by people whose genetic make up or place on the evolutionary scale is somewhat questionable. In such situations, we say, "I felt like I was in Darwin's waiting room."
”That boy has a face like the map of Ireland.”---to describe someone who's very Irish looking.-- Lupin is Lupin
That reminded me of another one which "The Simpsons" deserve credit for but which also became a part of my friends' lexicon, as it were:
“You think you could Irish-up this coffee”-- to inquire whether one has any whisky.
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Catherine - Feb 17, 2005 2:01 pm (#2245 of 2956)
LOL, everyone!
Thanks for the "Bless your heart," Barbie. That is definitely one I hear all the time.
I'll have to remember the "Darwin's waiting room."
Bless your hearts! I do declare that y'all are just as funny as you can be."
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Kip Carter - Feb 17, 2005 2:14 pm (#2246 of 2956)
I have always liked the put-someone-in-their-place off-handed comments like:
“I don't care what everyone else says, I like you!”
“If someone gave you a million dollars, I think you would amount to something.”
“You are so ugly that the stork that brought you into the world should be arrested.”
“You are so ugly that you have to sneak up on a glass of water to get a drink.”
“Don't let the door hit you in the rear on your way out!”
And definitely what some mothers have uttered when angry, "I brought you into this world and I can surely take you out of this world."
“My way or the highway!”
“You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind! “ (courtesy of Jim Croce)
“Pay attention now ... your other right foot!” No, this is not directed with someone with more than two feet.
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Phoenix song - Feb 17, 2005 2:33 pm (#2247 of 2956)
Thanks for the Bless your heart," Barbie." You're welcome. Always glad to give a giggle.
I've remembered a few more:
“If you don't __(insert instructions to your children here)__ I'll be all over you like white on rice”! Which is a threat meant to encourage their swift, effective and prompt responses.
And how about this one... "He so ugly that I bet as a baby his momma had to tie a porkchop around his neck to get the dog to play with him... Bless his heart."
My mom use to say this about an acquaintance of mine that thought she was "All That and a Bag of Chips"...
“If you could buy her for what she was worth and sell her for what she thought she was worth you'd be a millionaire!"
Barbie
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Elanor - Feb 17, 2005 2:50 pm (#2248 of 2956)
LOL everyone! Kip, your last one reminds me of one we're saying here for someone very clumsy: "tu as deux mains gauches ou quoi?, (have you two left hands or what?)
There is also: "avoir été bercé trop près du mur" (to have been rocked too close to the wall), hence intellectual after-effects... Or "Il/elle n'a pas inventé l'eau chaude" (he/she has not invented hot water), the same exists with "le fil à couper le beurre" (the cheesewire).
For a long and useless work, we say "faire ça ou peigner la girafe": "to do that or comb the giraffe"...
For something very unlikely, we say it will happen "quand les poules auront des dents (when hens will have some teeth).
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Catherine - Feb 17, 2005 3:18 pm (#2249 of 2956)
Elanor's and Kip's posts reminded me of a few more. I particularly liked your "superman's cape," Kip. My dad is particularly fond of that phrase!
“Fell out of the ugly tree” (implying that the person is the ugly fruit of the tree; not that the tree itself is ugly)
“Does a chicken have lips?” and "Does a snake have ears?" (said when the answer is no, or when you really want to frustrate the person asking the question)
“If it rained, she'd drown” (implying that the person is very snobbish and stuck up, with her nose in the air)
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Detail Seeker - Feb 17, 2005 3:40 pm (#2250 of 2956)
It was hilarious to read all your sayings. So let me bore you with some german ones For a slow person: “Man ihm /ihr beim Gehen die Schuhe besohlen” (you can fit soles to his/her shoes while walking)
For a notorious liar: “Lügt wie gedruckt” (lies, as if is was printed)
For a very ugly or nasty person: “Dein Vater mußte Dir ein Steak (Kotelett, Schnitzel) um den Hals binden, damit wenigstens der Hund mit Dir spielte” (Your father has to tie a steak (or some other part of meat) round your neck, so that the dog agreed to play with you
To show that somebody tells you really old news: Das wußten wir schon, als du noch nackt mit der Trommel um den Weihnachtsbaum ranntest (we knew that already, when you were still running naked with a drum round the christmas tree)
Uh, why did I remember only negative sayings ? (Runs off to find some positive ones - or find the words to translate them properly)
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:59 pm
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Meanie Mom - Feb 17, 2005 4:02 pm (#2251 of 2956)
“I was born at night, but not last night” (I am not that stupid)
“I don't know, some cereal” - answer to Whats that? especially if you have no way of knowing what it is. (referencing the famous Life Cereal commercial with Mikey)
“If momma ain't happy, Ain't nobody happy” Bad grammer for a lesson in family dynamics.
“I'll show you where the bear went through the buckwheat” - offering to prove your point in the face of skepticism.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 17, 2005 4:29 pm (#2252 of 2956)
“Where does he live?
Oh, pretty far out...you know, where God lost his (her) shoes.”
[obviously, for someone or someplace that's really a long drive or in a remote 'burb.]
Ciao. Barb
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 17, 2005 9:58 pm (#2253 of 2956)
Kip, that left one is one of my favorites. “Take the next left. (turning right) Oh, I guess you didn't like that left"
also “I can't meet anyone new until some of the people I know die.” “Can't add any new names to my address book until some of the people in this one die.”
I said both of these all the time when my kids were young.
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Amilia Smith - Feb 17, 2005 10:10 pm (#2254 of 2956)
Thank you Essidji, Mare, Julie and Elanor for sharing your recipes with me. I have copied them all down and will be trying them in the next few days. :-)
Denise: The Savory Toasted Cheese was wonderful. We did it for our lunch special at work, and it was a huge hit. All my coworkers copied down the recipe to make for dinner as well. Thanks again.
Lizzy: I am going to add "and the boat" the next time someone says we are up the creek without a paddle. Love it.
In case anyone hasn't seen it yet, TLC posted a mention about the strange email Mrs. Sirius (and many others, apparently) received.
In closing, here are a couple more sayings I have thought of:
“Is the Pope Catholic?” Yes. Of course. Need you even ask?
“You put the accent on the wrong syl-lab'-ble.” One of my dad's favorites. We are all readers in my family, and we tend to use words that we have only read, not heard, and therefore mispronounce horribly.
Mills.
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Good Evans - Feb 18, 2005 1:13 am (#2255 of 2956)
one of my favourite saying is
“he / she /you’re a funny onion”
always makes me smile.
“now't as queer as folk” another good 'un
and not quite a saying but a cornish regionalism is the reference to the "Grockel box" - any non Cornish who know what it is?
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The giant squid - Feb 18, 2005 5:40 am (#2256 of 2956)
Chemyst, thanks for explaining "putting on the dog". I figured it meant something like that, it just sounds so...odd to me.
Kip, your list reminded me of "If I promise to miss you, will you go away?"
Finally (okay, stop cheering), I have this exchange to share... My uncle, the youngest child on my mother's side, was complaining about getting old. Specifically, he said he was "older than dirt." This made my aunt, the oldest, ask "What does that make me?" My uncle's response was "older than water." It was only a short leap of logic (or what passes for it in my family) to determine that my mom, the middle kid, was merely "older than mud." So I now use that term for something that's old, but not *that* old.
--Mike
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VeronikaG - Feb 18, 2005 5:59 am (#2257 of 2956)
Seems Ozy has had a B-day since last time I was posting. Happy birthday Erin!
Some sayings from Southern Norway:
“(S)He's tallest lying on his(her) back!” about a really fat person.
“So mean/stingy that you cry when you crap.” Self explainatory.
The One posted this lovely proverb on Revelation a few days ago:
“You need some style said the old woman, she got a Mahogany splinter in her butt.”
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Madame Librarian - Feb 18, 2005 7:47 am (#2258 of 2956)
On a fish theme--
“...like a fish out of water.” (Totally out of one's element. This is a very common idiom.)
“...he/she needs this like a fish needs a bicycle.” (Referring to something that will not help the situation; a useless idea.)
Maybe we could alter these and substitute squid for fish. Ah, but if the D.I.G.S. theory is proven, these might not be so apt.
Insects--
“To put a bug in one's ear. “(To make a subtle suggestion, whisper a secret, give a hint. Rita Skeeter, anyone?)
“To have ants in one's pants.” (Nowadays many people just say "antsy." To fidget, not be able to sit still, often used to refer to little kids. In Yiddish, we say, "He has shpilkes, pronounced shpil-keys.)
Humans--
Remember the old saying "opposites attract" when speaking of romance? My mom used to say, "Honey, boy and girl is opposite enough."
Ciao. Barb
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John Bumbledore - Feb 18, 2005 7:54 am (#2259 of 2956)
Family sayings
After a particularly aggravating day of dealing with disobedient children (we have four Edit: children, ages: 10, 9, 5 & 5), Mrs. Bumbledore will say, "I know why some animals eat their young!" After having used that phrase more than a few time, she built upon it with the following response for when asked how the children behaved. "I could eat them and burp contentedly."
Then when something or someone is particularly annoying or aggravating, one may say "(S)he/It is driving me nuts (or buggy)." Nuts or buggy in this phrase means crazy. Mrs. Bumbledore has formed a combination of these two with, "They are driving me bug-nuts!" Bless her hart! ** Waves to Song **
My contribution to our family phrases is, "oh, it is an egg misunderstanding." You see Mrs. Bumbledore likes them over-easy with the yoke still runny and not broken (a bubble-egg, as she calls it). She strives to turn the egg without breaking the yoke, and is most happy when this is accomplished. She is also very unselfish, so while we were still newly married she would always take the eggs with the broken yokes and give me the "perfect" bubble-eggs.
One day, after four years of dating, a year of engagement, and two or three years of marriage, we were visiting with Mrs. Bumbledore's parent. My mother-in-law was cooking eggs for breakfast and asked me how I wanted my egg. I replied with my preference for them to be cooked "over-hard" (meaning the yoke broken before turning and cooking until firm.)
Mrs. Bumbledore objected with both surprise and some outrage saying, "No you don't! You like them over easy!" After some convincing, she asked why I had never told her this. It was because she had never asked. To me it was always a special treat to have her cook breakfast for me and I do not dislike "bubble-eggs" so was quite happy to receive them.
Since that time, if I suspect or discover a similar lack of communication between us or amongst our friends, I refer to it as having an "egg-misunderstanding."
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
Edit: P.S. Oh my! I did not intend to imply that all my children were disobedient all the time but that first paragraph may lead one to that conclusion... No, they are well behaved at least in equal portion to when one or more are not. We often receive complements on how well they are behaved when not in our presence; so we are quite pleased with all four of them.
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 18, 2005 7:59 am (#2260 of 2956)
Edited by Pinky Feb 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Edited one quote to make it family friendly. I sent you an e-mail. ~Pinky
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, brie! (Homer Style)
Happy Belated Birthday OZY!
I'm laughing at all these sayings. Think we have pretty similar ones the world over, but I thought I'd add in some Irish ones (mainly Northern Irish). Most are colloquial to say the least... You've probably heard most before....
'Are your hands painted on'? – question to someone who is very lazy - likewise ‘the dead lice are falling off them’ or 'He/she has two speeds, dead slow & stop'
'So sharp she/he will cut themselves' – rather intelligent person
'There are no slows on you'? – someone who is rather crafty / intelligent
'Serpent Tongue' – one who makes caustic remarks at others expense
'And pigs may fly' – it’ll never happen
'She/he is so tight, they wouldn’t spend Christmas' – a miserly person
'Since Adam was a boy' – a long, long time ago
'Mutton dressed as lamb' – older person (normally female) dressing too young for their years
'Done up like a dogs dinner' – Overly done up male / female
'You make a great door but not a window' – said to someone blocking your view of something e.g. TV (mostly said by siblings). Also said as ‘You may be a pain, but you’re still no use as a window’
'Don’t meet the devil half roads… make him come the full way' – When tackling a problem, look at the whole picture
'Cross that bridge when we come to it' – don’t worry about something that might not happen
'Would you take my grave as quick?' – someones retort to another sitting in their recently vacated chair
'You’re as well raving there as in your bed' – to say to someone when they are acting silly or giddy
'A fool and his/her money are easy parted' – self explanitory
'A face only a mother could love' – an unattractive person
'You couldn’t like him/her even if you were after having (giving birth) to them' – a nasty person whom no one could like
'Looks like the back end of a bus' – unattractive person
'Broc' or 'Badger'(Broc is Irish for Badger) - horrible teenage boy name for an unattractive girl
'Up there for thinking' point to head), 'Down there for dancing' (point to feet) - said mostly in jest after you have a good idea
'The best thing since sliced bread' - Brilliant
'The Craic was 90' - it was great fun
'That took the biscuit' - to top something, good or bad, or in my house we’ve added 'That took the biscuit & came back for the cookie jar'
'He/She's so twisted they’d never be laid straight in their coffin' – describing someone nasty
'They would steal the eye out of your head & come back for the socket' – Someone with criminal intent
'He/She would have been bought & sold you without you knowing you’d changed hands' (changed owners) – describing a crafty / sneaky person, must date back to when people were sold into service
'He/she is in everything but the christmas crib' - someone who is involved in everything going
'Happy as a pig in muck' - very merry/happy
'Sober as a judge' - completely sober
'Jober as a Sudge' - not sober
'Not playing with the full deck' or 'The lights are on, but noone is home' - About someone who is not too bright
'Completely knackered' - Tired - or cream crackered in rhyming slang
'I’m in the middle of my dinner' - love that one… basically means I’m in the process of eating my dinner, however the visual image of sitting in your dinner is funny
Another strange one is,'Wet the tea' - To make a pot of tea
'Now you’re cooking with gas' - whatever you’re doing or working on is going well / successful
'Dead On' – Great. Perfect, Really nice. Often used to describe people and can be used in sarcasm as well when everything is not perfect
'Catch yourself on'! - Wise up
'Away in the head'. - Someone who has lost their senses / stupid
'Do you think I came up the river in a bubble'? - Do you think I was born yesterday? (This phrase varies depending on which river you were brought up by.)
'He/she/that/this, does my head in.' Drives you up the wall – alternatively – 'My Brain is Melted'
One of my all time favourites is this next one, to be honest I've no idea of it's origin... To be said in jest of another person, it's just a funny way of saying.... 'Who do they think they are?'
'Whos like me since leather face died & paper legs flew to America'
It always makes me laugh, especially the version where 'face' is replaced by another word for derriere
Gosh thats a lot.... hee hee. Enjoy!
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Marè - Feb 18, 2005 8:06 am (#2261 of 2956)
Okay HELP!
(going to disrupt the flow of conversation with a very befuddled post)
I'm writing a rather serious and important mail and I have to use one word. And I can't remember what it is.
If you want to apply to a project/job and you need to know if you "fit" all the requested thingies... how is that called?
Meeting the...
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librarian314 - Feb 18, 2005 8:08 am (#2262 of 2956)
Hey all!
I love all the sayings, especially the German ones that are so similar to ones I use all the time. (I'm half-German, both grandmothers were either the children or grandchildren of German immigrants.) I also love the French ones because you can tell that agriculture played a big part in daily life (all those references to hens and whatnot).
I thought that one comment about drowning in the rain was more commenting on a person's lack of intelligence rather than snobbishness. Domesticated turkeys are rumored to be stupid enough that if they are caught out in the rain they will look up into the sky with their mouths open and drown. (I went to college in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where poultry processing was one of the big industries.)
A few more that are less insulting...
To describe something as very expensive: “That'll cost you an arm and a leg, and an elbow.”
To describe someone as sneaky and intelligent: “As crafty (or sly) as a fox”
To describe someone as appearing very confused: “The deer in the headlights look.”
One my husband uses that Julia might like: “as sharp as a baseball” (to describe one's lack of intellect)
Another from my husband: “A mind like a steel sieve” (again not very complimentary to one's brain power)
I like reading JKR's books because it reminds me how close my Southern accent is to British English. There's a point in OotP, just after Harry has arrived in Grimmauld Place and he is talking with/yelling at Ron, et al. when he asks if Hermione thinks that Sirius is, "touched in the head". (Not quite right mentally.) I had to stop reading and laugh because thinking of Harry with a thick, Southeastern Virginia accent was just too bizarre.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 18, 2005 8:10 am (#2263 of 2956)
Mare - 'Meeting the Criteria' -
This would fit - I hope... good luck with the letter
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Marè - Feb 18, 2005 8:14 am (#2264 of 2956)
criteria!!
Thank you so much Fawkes! I knew some-one on here would help
Mail is away and I wish every one a very good weekend. I'm signing off!
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Julia. - Feb 18, 2005 8:16 am (#2265 of 2956)
'Meet the Criteria' sounds about right. *thumbs up to Fawkes*
Well, I'm off to New York for the weekend, Brooklyn to be exact. Some friends and I are going to Crown Heights, the very Jewish section. I'm all excited. Have a good weekend everyone!
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 18, 2005 8:20 am (#2266 of 2956)
Hey Guys *waves like an eejit* (hee hee, clever way to work in another saying ... eejit means Idiot in Northern Ireland)
Have fun in New York Julia.
Michelle, they say 'touched in the head' over here too... or it can be shortened to say 'A wee bit touched!"
Have a good weekend folks... I'm supposed to be doing work here... but posting sayings instead... the dementors will not be pleased... hee hee!
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John Bumbledore - Feb 18, 2005 9:04 am (#2267 of 2956)
Oy Vey! I need to make my coffee stronger. I just mistakenly poured it into my drinking glass in stead of my coffee mug.
** Toddles off to drink pee-warm, diluted coffee and grimaces with each swallow. **
** Too embarrassed to sign my "name"...
Why would Fawkes post remind me of the term "scotch" for being stingy, with something? Wrong Island entirely. ** Waves at everyone! So as not to be "scotch" with the greetings. **
P. S. Yes, I know I do need stronger coffee and a bucket of water to go with my "dry" humor.
P. P. S. Marè, I was thinking requirements but criteria sounds better to me, also.
P. P. P. S. ** cross-posted with Fawkes earlier and Gina later (during the edits) ** Gina, your phrase reminds me of an extension of a similar one in English.
S/He has "foot-in-mouth" disease. or "I/S/He puts my/her/his foot in his mouth so often I/s/he has athletes tongue."
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Gina R Snape - Feb 18, 2005 9:18 am (#2268 of 2956)
Heh.
Well, in response to Kip's 'don't let the door hit you..'
A variation of that I've heard is 'Don't let the doorknob hit you where the good lord split you.'
The only german expression that comes to mind right now is (and I KNOW the spelling is incorrect but perhaps someone can correct it for me) is 'Er/sie ist ins fettnaepschen getretten' meaning 'S/he stepped in it' or 'put his foot in his mouth' (said something stupid).
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Ydnam96 - Feb 18, 2005 10:06 am (#2269 of 2956)
nothing really insightful to add to the conversation. However when I was in High School we had several interesting phrases (I lived in Rural Virginia): “She thinks she's all that and a bucket of chicken.” To imply that a person thinks very highly of themselves. You could add "and a bag of chips and a grape soda" if the person reallllly was a snob. Or you could say "he's all that and a bucket of chicken” to refer to someone you thought was pretty amazing. a versatile saying.
I'm sure there are others but I'm too tired now to try and think of them.
Today we have the day off. My place of employment is observing Presidents Day today. So my goal is to lay on the couch, watch some movies, and crochet a bit.
Happy Friday.
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Eponine - Feb 18, 2005 10:18 am (#2270 of 2956)
I have the day off as well. It was quite nice to sleep in this morning for a little longer. Actually, the school system is doing teacher workshops today, but since I'm only doing this temporarily, I didn't have to go. So on my day off, I'm cleaning the house. We were going to have Monday off as well, but they have to make up a snow day.
So Happy Presidents Day to everyone!
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Denise P. - Feb 18, 2005 11:15 am (#2271 of 2956)
Following the variation of exasperation involving children. There is the classic Bill Cosby line, said to a child who is walking a thin line and about to push you over.
“I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it!”
Not Bill Cosby but still involving children.
“Don't make me beat you in public, then I would be arrested for child abuse.” (usually said when they are not behaving well)
Normally said from one spouse to another, first one taken from It's A Wonderful Life "Why did we have to have all these kids??!" and "You know, we can have more children" (implying if you can easily replace any child who you have taken out)
And just so no one thinks I go around vowing violence on my children, if one of these lines is uttered, I usually get a grin in return and they say "You know you love me, Mom!"
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Detail Seeker - Feb 18, 2005 11:26 am (#2272 of 2956)
Gina, you nearly got it right, just two letter too much: "Fettnaepfchen" (little pot of fat) and "getreten" (has stepped).
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John Bumbledore - Feb 18, 2005 11:51 am (#2273 of 2956)
Ydnam96, yours it the first mention of crocheting that I have seen in the forum, but then I wasn't especially looking either. So I just had to respond since, when I was home with two (on Monday and then all four on Tuesday) of my children sick with the flu, I picked up my long forgotten crochet bag and started on a new winter hat.
When I returned to work on Wednesday, I did a quick Internet search for patterns. Seems that I had lost all my pattern books. I did find a pattern for Harry's scarf, but I didn't save the link.
Any other knitters or crocheter in our forum family? Has anyone made a Harry Potter themed crafts? **Scans the forum to check for any source of sniggering laughter** Yes, I've been laughed at before for being a male that knows how to knit and crochet. My mom taught me when I was in grade school. I understand our UK members may have a more enlightened view. I was told that Sir Winston Churchill knitted or crocheted.
I find it relaxing and good for the dexterity of he fingers. I'm thinking that Mike - the Giant Squid - would make an excellent knitter or crocheter with all those tentacles... What do you think Marie E?
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I like your avatar, Ydnam96. Is that the door to Bag End?
P. P. S. Oh, and thank you Denise P. for your post about "varation of exasperation involving children." I didn't count, but it sounds like your "brood" is larger than mine, so congratulations and sympathies as well.
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Penny Lane. - Feb 18, 2005 12:17 pm (#2274 of 2956)
I wouldn't laugh at you for being a male who knits/crochets. In our knitting circle at university, we have lots of male knitters/crocheters. It's really cute right now, because everywhere you look, people have hand knit hats and scarves. A few of us are starting on sweaters and blankets too, but I am still working on scarves, hats and mittens to match everything I own. I find it to be very entertaining. Anyway, my point was simply that I doubt it would be too hard to make a Harry-centric scarves. Although.. if anyone has an offical pattern... I'd be interested as well.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 18, 2005 12:19 pm (#2275 of 2956)
Thank you, Detail Seeker. I knew I could rely on you.
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Elanor - Feb 18, 2005 1:06 pm (#2276 of 2956)
John, I think it is really great that you knit and crochet! I am not a very good knitter but I have managed to knit a Gryffindor scarf this winter (as I have a black coat, it fits very well with it!). I was inspired by Hermione's scarf in PoA but with the real Gryffindor colours. I love it, though I am still waiting for someone asking me "Is this a HP scarf?", so that I could answer "No, this is a Gryffindor scarf" in an indignant manner... **sigh** Muggles...
Which reminds me another expression: "Qu'est-ce que tu crois que je fais? Du tricot? : "What do you think I'm doing? Some Knitting?". You say that, in an indignant manner too, when you are doing something difficult, usually that gets on your nerves, and someone asks you naïvely if it is finally done...
As for kids who get on your nerves, there is the classical but efficient: " Continue comme cela et tu vas voir comment je m'appelle" : Continue like this and you will know what my name is...
or: " Continue comme ça et tu vas voir de quel bois je me chauffe" : this one is difficult to translate, maybe something like : "continue like this and you will see what wood I use for heating".
or, more familiar but even more efficient: "Tu veux mon pied quelque part? : you want my foot in some place? EDIT: or, same inspiration, "J'ai mon pied qui me démange...", "I have my foot that is itching" (to kick you in the behind implied).
or (from a friend of mine): "J'en connais un qui va se faire chanter la Marseillaise en Corse" : "I know someone that will hear the Marseillaise sang in Corsican". Not a very good sign (don't ask - I don't want some trouble with Corsicans that would read that..) BTW, works also with "qui va se faire appeler Léon" (I know someone who is going to be called Leon soon...).
I wish you all a great weekend! I am used Vlad, if you read this, more snow is likely to fall all weekend long in the Alps, are you coming soon? The ski runs are very good now I have heard!
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Good Evans - Feb 18, 2005 1:10 pm (#2277 of 2956)
re this morning’s post ... if anyone was interested a "grockel box" is a caravan or caravanette. grockel being the west country word for a holiday maker. A particularly fine insult ... but always conjured up thoughts of cockles for me.
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mike miller - Feb 18, 2005 1:41 pm (#2278 of 2956)
“I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it!” - Bill Cosby via Denise P.
Denise - You forgot the next line, "and I'll make another one that looks just like you!"
This week has completely drained by brain. I'm actually having difficulty typing this post. I'm now off to enjoy a long 3-day weekend.
Have a great weekend everyone!
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 18, 2005 3:03 pm (#2279 of 2956)
Thanks for the update, Elanor. I leave a week from today. I've really enjoyed reading all the French sayings, although I'll fail to remember most of them and not be able to properly pronounce the ones I do. Foreign languages are just not my forte. I have enough problems with English.
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boop - Feb 18, 2005 3:42 pm (#2280 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Madame Librarian and DJ Evans!!!!!!!! Have great day!!!!
Sorry it’s being posted late, but couldn't post before work.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 18, 2005 4:13 pm (#2281 of 2956)
You know, I know quite a few men who crochet and knit. I work at a college and there is a crocheting club, and it's not made up of just "geeks" and it is mostly guys. NO LIE.
It's en-vouge now I think.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 18, 2005 6:32 pm (#2282 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Madam Librarian and DJ Evans!!
I hope everyone has a great weekend.
I loved reading all of the sayings. My favorite being: "He lies like a rug."
Denise, loved the Brie recipe. It sounds really yummy. For a quick appetizer, you can throw a wheel of Brie on a cookie sheet, sprinkle liberally with brown sugar and chopped apples or figs and bake until slightly melted. It's great on sliced baguettes!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 18, 2005 6:42 pm (#2283 of 2956)
Hello everyone!! Happy Birthday Madam Librarian and DJ Evans. I hope you both have a wonderful day.
I have had a bizarre Saturday morning. I got up earlier than usual (for a Saturday) and let my dogs outside and fed them. Then I decided I'd go back to bed with a bowl of Cornflakes and a cuppa tea. All was well until at about 7.50am there were two very bright red flashes accompanied by loud bangs and a puff of smoke right outside my window about 30 seconds apart. Needless to say I jumped up in shock (and knocked the tea over) at the first bang to see a car drive past and thought 'oh its backfired.'
Then when I went to get a cloth (to mop the tea up), I noted my clocks weren't on. Strange I thought, so I put the dogs back inside in the laundry and opened up the garage to go and look at my meter box. Well what do you know, the power pole outside my place was alight. And burning quite brightly. It was burning from the top down.
So I dashed inside and called the fire brigade and then spent the next four hours waiting for electricity to be restored.
No-one quite knows how the power pole decided to catch alight, but it means on Monday I will have no electricity again as the electricity people remove the burnt one and put a new pole in its place.
On the topic of men and knitting and crocheting, our local doctor used to knit and he was quite good at it. Knitting and crocheting seem to be coming back in style now.
Enjoy your weekend
Lizzy
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Acceber - Feb 18, 2005 6:56 pm (#2284 of 2956)
“My way or the highway!”-Kip. My fourth grade teacher said that way too much.
I really like this topic of phrase-a-ma-jigs, but I can't think of many. Here's one...never mind, now I've forgotten it. That must be because it's VACATION! We're going skiing in beautiful northern Vermont! I hope we'll get to pass (and perhaps stop in) the town where my camp is. The only downside is that I don't know if there's a computer in the hotel, or if we're bringing the laptop. We'll have to designate times for the four of us to use it, though.
Happy Belated Birthday Ozy and Happy Not-So-Belated Birthdays Barb and Deb!
Knitting--I've tried to knit before, but all I got was a sad piece of fabric that looked more like crocheting than knitting and could serve as an ear warmer. My mom, her two sisters, and their mother all knit with a passion. I got an afghan for my birthday a few years ago, and all of my sweaters when I was a baby were handmade.
Spring training has officially started. I can't wait until Opening Day, Sox vs. Y****** (if you want to know what that means, ask Julia). For those who don't follow baseball or reside in the United States, I'll be brief. The Boston Red Sox and the New York Y****** have a bitter rivalry, particularly because the cities are so close geographically. In 2003, both teams made it into the playoffs and to the best-out-of-7 games. The series went to the seventh game, and the game into extra innings. We lost, after a hard-played battle. This past season, both teams again made it to the same series. The other team won the first three games, and all odds were with them to win the fourth. But the tides turned and Boston won four games in a row to win the series. They went on to win the World Series. At the first home game of the season, the Sox will be presented with their World Series rings, right in front of the team that they won four straight against. OK, maybe not brief, but not long.
I'm done, I think. That was a long post. I'm going to go read the threads. Happy Weekend! Talk to you either tomorrow, in Vermont, or in March!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 18, 2005 7:24 pm (#2285 of 2956)
Thanks, all, for the b-day wishes. Today's the actual day (18th), but I'm keeping mum on the number of years. (Boop, I'm charmed that you knew the date.)
My best friend took me to lunch to P. F. Chang's--a trendy Chinese bistro. The food was sooo good and plentiful. I had ordered won ton soup and the bowl was so big, I took the leftovers home and my husband and I each had a bowl for dinner. Yum. I am so full now that I feel like a beached whale just letting the waves roll over me. Bizarre image, no?
The sharing of these expressions is a kick. I think some of the funniest are when someone--usually a sweet, ditzie airhead--jumbles up the expression, taking half of one and half of another to finish the phrase, not even realizing what she's done. Of course, just at the moment I can't think of an example (and I just read an article about someone whose aunt did it all the time, darn). Something like, "My gosh, she just up and ran around like a chicken who crossed the road. "Not quite it, but you get the idea.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, enjoy your day(s) off.
Ciao. Barb
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Madam Pince - Feb 18, 2005 7:41 pm (#2286 of 2956)
Bumbledore, I think that ScullyJones knitted quite a lovely Gryffindor scarf last year -- she may have a pattern or something!
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 18, 2005 8:45 pm (#2287 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Madame Librarian and DJ Evans.
Have fun skiing, Acceber. Out of curiosity, where do you guys go. Jay Peak is my favorite place in Vermont.
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Chemyst - Feb 19, 2005 12:00 am (#2288 of 2956)
Since you said you like them, here is a spoonerism for your birthday, Barb:
I hit my bunny phone ~~~ I hit my funny bone
And for the few of you who may not know, there was a preacher named William Archibald Spooner who would get his tongue tied during sermons and say things like, "Our Lord is a shoving leopard," (for loving shepherd). The big word is metathesis, but "spoonerisms," where the sounds are switched around in a word or phrase, are named after him. ..indulging my inner Hermione tonight
And DJ Evans, if you are out there, happy birthday to you too!
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Elanor - Feb 19, 2005 1:00 am (#2289 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Madame Librarian and DJ Evans! With the time difference, it should be still the 18th for you I think. (Edit: oops, no, it is just the 19th beginning for you too, so happy belated birthday!)
Here, it is already Saturday and, for once, the forecast guy was right: it is snowing! Well, it snowed more or less all week long already, but today, this is some serious snow, with a very white sky. Brr... Vlad, the ski runs will be just perfect when you will arrive! A lot of people are expected in the ski resorts this weekend and next week (it is the turn of the Parisians to be on holidays), so a lot of feasts and other activities have to be planned there for the next weekend. I hope you will have a lot of fun there! Don't worry about your accent, it will just be perfect!
The holidays are nearly finished for me, weird holidays spent nursing the flu. I still don't feel well at all but school starts again on Monday so I guess I will have to open the schoolbag today nevertheless. Okay, I stop complaining! Some more expressions about that:
- "ça sent le sapin...", "it smells fir", you say that ironically when someone is complaining about his health (the fir smell refering to the coffin's wood).
We have a lot of expressions about the weather too:
- "Il pleut des cordes" : "it rains ropes" or (sorry, a little vulgar but kids love that one) "Il pleut comme vache qui pisse" : "It rains as a cow peeing" for pouring rains.
- "Un vent à décorner un boeuf: "a wind that could dehorn a ox", a very strong wind.
- "Il fait un froid de canard": "It is a "duck's cold" ", very cold.
- And more general and very used: "Il fait un temps de chien" : "It is a dog's weather", very bad weather!
Have a nice weekend everybody!
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Ozymandias - Feb 19, 2005 3:24 am (#2290 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barb (Madame Librarian) and DJ Evans!
I'm glad to see a few knitters here. My grandmother taught me to knit a few years ago, and I've gone crazy with it. You're right, Bumbledore, it's incredibly relaxing. And I think it's wonderful that you're a knitter. I've only known one guy who knits, and that's because I taught him.
If anyone wants to make a Hogwarts scarf, it's super easy, and a great first project if you're learning. Just cast on 30-odd stitches (or however wide you want it) and knit in garter stitch (all knitting, no purls). Then, when it's time to switch colors, cut off the yarn and tie the new color on with a regular overhand knot. I just bought some lovely blue and bronze yarn to make a Ravenclaw scarf.
Off to make a smoothie and browse the other threads. Have a good weekend, everybody!
~Erin
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Good Evans - Feb 19, 2005 4:01 am (#2291 of 2956)
morning all - oh goodness Lizzy what a start to the weekend!!!!
I hope it all sorts itself out for you.
happy belated birthdays to DJ evans and Barb. Hope that you had good ones.
I am at work this morning - its that time of year - annual billing so we work all this weekend. However we have cake and a bit of a laugh so its not all bad, and for once I can log on to lexicon during work hours woo hoo!! inbetween checking computer runs etc.
ok best do some work - but just wanted to drop in and say hi.
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boop - Feb 19, 2005 6:44 am (#2292 of 2956)
My mom tried to teach me how to knit. I found it to take to long to see results of what your making. I taught myself how to crochet. I am making a Layette for my new grandbaby that is coming in April. I have made many gift for other. I love crocheting because you can see results within a few rows. I would love to learn how to knit, because the patterns are so pretty.
I have loved reading all those saying some I heard before and some were new to me. I had to laugh at some of them they were funny. Here is one I thought of " When you can't beat then, join them."
I had my granddaughter and grandson over night. Dustin is walking most of the time. They both feel so much better. They are being so good for me.
have a great weekend very one!
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Julie Aronson - Feb 19, 2005 7:16 am (#2293 of 2956)
I like knitting, crocheting, and needlepoint. I might just have to try a striped scarf--I just never got around to it before...
Julie
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septentrion - Feb 19, 2005 7:31 am (#2294 of 2956)
Hello everyone !
Lizzy, it's indeed a very strange and annoying thing that happened to you. I hope everything will be fixed soon.
Happy belated birthday to Madam Librarian and DJ Evans !
Elanor, I hope you a quick recovery since you're to be at school Monday.
About knitting, crocheting and any stuff including a needle, I simply can't do it due to a lack of patience. I can't concentrate on things so small and so precise. Guess I'd do better at crushing beetles to powder
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Madame Librarian - Feb 19, 2005 7:45 am (#2295 of 2956)
Chemyst, yes, Spoonerisms. I've read that the original one was spoken at the end of a wedding ceremony: "And now it's kisstomary to cuss the bride." The image that invokes is just too funny. There's that guy with the Capitol Steps (political satire cabaret comedy group) who does the long shtick which is all Spoonerisms, producing such twisted phrases as Billary and Hill, Lonica Mooooo-insky, Imbos in the Boffice, Yubble-Doo, Lirty Dies, and so on.
The malapropisms (literally, bad apropos, or incorrect used of words or phrases for the situation, or a general misuse of words) I was referring to is not the flip-flop of initial consonants, but the blending of two totally different sayings that have the correct rhythm to hook up, but create a meaning that is nonsensical.
Both, however, are hilarious.
Ciao. Barb
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librarian314 - Feb 19, 2005 9:10 am (#2296 of 2956)
Hey all!
Happy b-day to Madame Librarian and DJ Evans!
I am an avid fiber artist. I prefer crocheting to knitting as I tend to feel rather awkward when I knit. The needles are too long and I feel like I'm flapping like a large winged bird. I'm currently crocheting a Ms. Weasley sweater inspired by the one she wears in the movie version of CoS. (in the breakfast scene after Harry is rescued by Ron and the twins.) I've got one sleeve finished and have started the next. If anybody else is interested I can write out the pattern after I've finished (I'm making it up as I go along.)
Some of my other upcoming projects may well be some HP socks. There are several really cool ones mentioned in the books and socks are about the only thing I knit, aside from mittens. I, too, find that knitting takes too long to see results and so I do small projects like socks.
I don't know any men that knit or crochet but know one who does counted cross stitch and another who is taking up bobbin lace.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 3:09 pm (#2297 of 2956)
As some of you will remember, I have been applying for jobs, so I can leave the one I'm in (the obnoxious boss is getting worse by the week!). I haven't had any luck so far but I will keep trying and hope to pick up something soon.
Anyway the lack of electricity yesterday meant I got time to sit and spend time with my dogs and myself and a chance to recharge my batteries.
Two more phrases:
“I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole!” meaning there's no way I would get anywhere near "it". "it" can be a person, thing, object etc.
“madder than a cut snake” completely mad/psycho person.
Lizzy
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megfox - Feb 19, 2005 3:19 pm (#2298 of 2956)
My best friend Jenny from college (the one that got me into Harry Potter) learned how to knit and crochet during our senior year, when we lived in an apartment together. She would do it for hours on end, and everything always came out slightly bumpy and not really shaped right (think the description of Hermione's house elf clothes). She made a hat that winter, and she couldn't figure out how to close the hole on the top, so she just made this HUGE pom-pom and sewed it to the top. It was really funny looking. I used to tease her a lot about it. Well, she was at my baby shower last weekend, and she made the most gorgeous baby hat, with these cute little bunny ears on it, and little baby booties. I was very impressed. And a little sheepish .
I would love to learn how to knit, but I always drop the "stitches". I have crocheted one thing in my life, a "popcorn" garland with red beads to look like cranberries. I drape it around an evergreen garland on my banister at Christmas. It took me almost 2 months to make, but is only about 10 feet long! I don't know if I have the patience to do it again!
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Elanor - Feb 19, 2005 3:20 pm (#2299 of 2956)
I'm so sorry about your job Lizzy! I really hope you will find another one soon (**keeping my fingers crossed**).
We have nearly the same phrase than yours, except that it says: "Je ne le toucherais pas avec des pincettes", I wouldn't touch it with tongs or, same meaning, "je ne le toucherais pas/je ne le ferais pas pour tout l'or du monde", I would not touch it/I would not do it even if I should receive all the gold of the world for that.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Edit: hello Meg! We posted nearly at the same time!
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Madam Pince - Feb 19, 2005 3:30 pm (#2300 of 2956)
Meg, I meant to tell you earlier -- best wishes as you go into this last month! It won't really be as long as it seems! We'll be thinking of you! Just think, soon you will have a new little one to cuddle and love!
Meanie Mom - Feb 17, 2005 4:02 pm (#2251 of 2956)
“I was born at night, but not last night” (I am not that stupid)
“I don't know, some cereal” - answer to Whats that? especially if you have no way of knowing what it is. (referencing the famous Life Cereal commercial with Mikey)
“If momma ain't happy, Ain't nobody happy” Bad grammer for a lesson in family dynamics.
“I'll show you where the bear went through the buckwheat” - offering to prove your point in the face of skepticism.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 17, 2005 4:29 pm (#2252 of 2956)
“Where does he live?
Oh, pretty far out...you know, where God lost his (her) shoes.”
[obviously, for someone or someplace that's really a long drive or in a remote 'burb.]
Ciao. Barb
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 17, 2005 9:58 pm (#2253 of 2956)
Kip, that left one is one of my favorites. “Take the next left. (turning right) Oh, I guess you didn't like that left"
also “I can't meet anyone new until some of the people I know die.” “Can't add any new names to my address book until some of the people in this one die.”
I said both of these all the time when my kids were young.
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Amilia Smith - Feb 17, 2005 10:10 pm (#2254 of 2956)
Thank you Essidji, Mare, Julie and Elanor for sharing your recipes with me. I have copied them all down and will be trying them in the next few days. :-)
Denise: The Savory Toasted Cheese was wonderful. We did it for our lunch special at work, and it was a huge hit. All my coworkers copied down the recipe to make for dinner as well. Thanks again.
Lizzy: I am going to add "and the boat" the next time someone says we are up the creek without a paddle. Love it.
In case anyone hasn't seen it yet, TLC posted a mention about the strange email Mrs. Sirius (and many others, apparently) received.
In closing, here are a couple more sayings I have thought of:
“Is the Pope Catholic?” Yes. Of course. Need you even ask?
“You put the accent on the wrong syl-lab'-ble.” One of my dad's favorites. We are all readers in my family, and we tend to use words that we have only read, not heard, and therefore mispronounce horribly.
Mills.
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Good Evans - Feb 18, 2005 1:13 am (#2255 of 2956)
one of my favourite saying is
“he / she /you’re a funny onion”
always makes me smile.
“now't as queer as folk” another good 'un
and not quite a saying but a cornish regionalism is the reference to the "Grockel box" - any non Cornish who know what it is?
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The giant squid - Feb 18, 2005 5:40 am (#2256 of 2956)
Chemyst, thanks for explaining "putting on the dog". I figured it meant something like that, it just sounds so...odd to me.
Kip, your list reminded me of "If I promise to miss you, will you go away?"
Finally (okay, stop cheering), I have this exchange to share... My uncle, the youngest child on my mother's side, was complaining about getting old. Specifically, he said he was "older than dirt." This made my aunt, the oldest, ask "What does that make me?" My uncle's response was "older than water." It was only a short leap of logic (or what passes for it in my family) to determine that my mom, the middle kid, was merely "older than mud." So I now use that term for something that's old, but not *that* old.
--Mike
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VeronikaG - Feb 18, 2005 5:59 am (#2257 of 2956)
Seems Ozy has had a B-day since last time I was posting. Happy birthday Erin!
Some sayings from Southern Norway:
“(S)He's tallest lying on his(her) back!” about a really fat person.
“So mean/stingy that you cry when you crap.” Self explainatory.
The One posted this lovely proverb on Revelation a few days ago:
“You need some style said the old woman, she got a Mahogany splinter in her butt.”
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Madame Librarian - Feb 18, 2005 7:47 am (#2258 of 2956)
On a fish theme--
“...like a fish out of water.” (Totally out of one's element. This is a very common idiom.)
“...he/she needs this like a fish needs a bicycle.” (Referring to something that will not help the situation; a useless idea.)
Maybe we could alter these and substitute squid for fish. Ah, but if the D.I.G.S. theory is proven, these might not be so apt.
Insects--
“To put a bug in one's ear. “(To make a subtle suggestion, whisper a secret, give a hint. Rita Skeeter, anyone?)
“To have ants in one's pants.” (Nowadays many people just say "antsy." To fidget, not be able to sit still, often used to refer to little kids. In Yiddish, we say, "He has shpilkes, pronounced shpil-keys.)
Humans--
Remember the old saying "opposites attract" when speaking of romance? My mom used to say, "Honey, boy and girl is opposite enough."
Ciao. Barb
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John Bumbledore - Feb 18, 2005 7:54 am (#2259 of 2956)
Family sayings
After a particularly aggravating day of dealing with disobedient children (we have four Edit: children, ages: 10, 9, 5 & 5), Mrs. Bumbledore will say, "I know why some animals eat their young!" After having used that phrase more than a few time, she built upon it with the following response for when asked how the children behaved. "I could eat them and burp contentedly."
Then when something or someone is particularly annoying or aggravating, one may say "(S)he/It is driving me nuts (or buggy)." Nuts or buggy in this phrase means crazy. Mrs. Bumbledore has formed a combination of these two with, "They are driving me bug-nuts!" Bless her hart! ** Waves to Song **
My contribution to our family phrases is, "oh, it is an egg misunderstanding." You see Mrs. Bumbledore likes them over-easy with the yoke still runny and not broken (a bubble-egg, as she calls it). She strives to turn the egg without breaking the yoke, and is most happy when this is accomplished. She is also very unselfish, so while we were still newly married she would always take the eggs with the broken yokes and give me the "perfect" bubble-eggs.
One day, after four years of dating, a year of engagement, and two or three years of marriage, we were visiting with Mrs. Bumbledore's parent. My mother-in-law was cooking eggs for breakfast and asked me how I wanted my egg. I replied with my preference for them to be cooked "over-hard" (meaning the yoke broken before turning and cooking until firm.)
Mrs. Bumbledore objected with both surprise and some outrage saying, "No you don't! You like them over easy!" After some convincing, she asked why I had never told her this. It was because she had never asked. To me it was always a special treat to have her cook breakfast for me and I do not dislike "bubble-eggs" so was quite happy to receive them.
Since that time, if I suspect or discover a similar lack of communication between us or amongst our friends, I refer to it as having an "egg-misunderstanding."
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
Edit: P.S. Oh my! I did not intend to imply that all my children were disobedient all the time but that first paragraph may lead one to that conclusion... No, they are well behaved at least in equal portion to when one or more are not. We often receive complements on how well they are behaved when not in our presence; so we are quite pleased with all four of them.
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 18, 2005 7:59 am (#2260 of 2956)
Edited by Pinky Feb 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Edited one quote to make it family friendly. I sent you an e-mail. ~Pinky
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, brie! (Homer Style)
Happy Belated Birthday OZY!
I'm laughing at all these sayings. Think we have pretty similar ones the world over, but I thought I'd add in some Irish ones (mainly Northern Irish). Most are colloquial to say the least... You've probably heard most before....
'Are your hands painted on'? – question to someone who is very lazy - likewise ‘the dead lice are falling off them’ or 'He/she has two speeds, dead slow & stop'
'So sharp she/he will cut themselves' – rather intelligent person
'There are no slows on you'? – someone who is rather crafty / intelligent
'Serpent Tongue' – one who makes caustic remarks at others expense
'And pigs may fly' – it’ll never happen
'She/he is so tight, they wouldn’t spend Christmas' – a miserly person
'Since Adam was a boy' – a long, long time ago
'Mutton dressed as lamb' – older person (normally female) dressing too young for their years
'Done up like a dogs dinner' – Overly done up male / female
'You make a great door but not a window' – said to someone blocking your view of something e.g. TV (mostly said by siblings). Also said as ‘You may be a pain, but you’re still no use as a window’
'Don’t meet the devil half roads… make him come the full way' – When tackling a problem, look at the whole picture
'Cross that bridge when we come to it' – don’t worry about something that might not happen
'Would you take my grave as quick?' – someones retort to another sitting in their recently vacated chair
'You’re as well raving there as in your bed' – to say to someone when they are acting silly or giddy
'A fool and his/her money are easy parted' – self explanitory
'A face only a mother could love' – an unattractive person
'You couldn’t like him/her even if you were after having (giving birth) to them' – a nasty person whom no one could like
'Looks like the back end of a bus' – unattractive person
'Broc' or 'Badger'(Broc is Irish for Badger) - horrible teenage boy name for an unattractive girl
'Up there for thinking' point to head), 'Down there for dancing' (point to feet) - said mostly in jest after you have a good idea
'The best thing since sliced bread' - Brilliant
'The Craic was 90' - it was great fun
'That took the biscuit' - to top something, good or bad, or in my house we’ve added 'That took the biscuit & came back for the cookie jar'
'He/She's so twisted they’d never be laid straight in their coffin' – describing someone nasty
'They would steal the eye out of your head & come back for the socket' – Someone with criminal intent
'He/She would have been bought & sold you without you knowing you’d changed hands' (changed owners) – describing a crafty / sneaky person, must date back to when people were sold into service
'He/she is in everything but the christmas crib' - someone who is involved in everything going
'Happy as a pig in muck' - very merry/happy
'Sober as a judge' - completely sober
'Jober as a Sudge' - not sober
'Not playing with the full deck' or 'The lights are on, but noone is home' - About someone who is not too bright
'Completely knackered' - Tired - or cream crackered in rhyming slang
'I’m in the middle of my dinner' - love that one… basically means I’m in the process of eating my dinner, however the visual image of sitting in your dinner is funny
Another strange one is,'Wet the tea' - To make a pot of tea
'Now you’re cooking with gas' - whatever you’re doing or working on is going well / successful
'Dead On' – Great. Perfect, Really nice. Often used to describe people and can be used in sarcasm as well when everything is not perfect
'Catch yourself on'! - Wise up
'Away in the head'. - Someone who has lost their senses / stupid
'Do you think I came up the river in a bubble'? - Do you think I was born yesterday? (This phrase varies depending on which river you were brought up by.)
'He/she/that/this, does my head in.' Drives you up the wall – alternatively – 'My Brain is Melted'
One of my all time favourites is this next one, to be honest I've no idea of it's origin... To be said in jest of another person, it's just a funny way of saying.... 'Who do they think they are?'
'Whos like me since leather face died & paper legs flew to America'
It always makes me laugh, especially the version where 'face' is replaced by another word for derriere
Gosh thats a lot.... hee hee. Enjoy!
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Marè - Feb 18, 2005 8:06 am (#2261 of 2956)
Okay HELP!
(going to disrupt the flow of conversation with a very befuddled post)
I'm writing a rather serious and important mail and I have to use one word. And I can't remember what it is.
If you want to apply to a project/job and you need to know if you "fit" all the requested thingies... how is that called?
Meeting the...
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librarian314 - Feb 18, 2005 8:08 am (#2262 of 2956)
Hey all!
I love all the sayings, especially the German ones that are so similar to ones I use all the time. (I'm half-German, both grandmothers were either the children or grandchildren of German immigrants.) I also love the French ones because you can tell that agriculture played a big part in daily life (all those references to hens and whatnot).
I thought that one comment about drowning in the rain was more commenting on a person's lack of intelligence rather than snobbishness. Domesticated turkeys are rumored to be stupid enough that if they are caught out in the rain they will look up into the sky with their mouths open and drown. (I went to college in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where poultry processing was one of the big industries.)
A few more that are less insulting...
To describe something as very expensive: “That'll cost you an arm and a leg, and an elbow.”
To describe someone as sneaky and intelligent: “As crafty (or sly) as a fox”
To describe someone as appearing very confused: “The deer in the headlights look.”
One my husband uses that Julia might like: “as sharp as a baseball” (to describe one's lack of intellect)
Another from my husband: “A mind like a steel sieve” (again not very complimentary to one's brain power)
I like reading JKR's books because it reminds me how close my Southern accent is to British English. There's a point in OotP, just after Harry has arrived in Grimmauld Place and he is talking with/yelling at Ron, et al. when he asks if Hermione thinks that Sirius is, "touched in the head". (Not quite right mentally.) I had to stop reading and laugh because thinking of Harry with a thick, Southeastern Virginia accent was just too bizarre.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 18, 2005 8:10 am (#2263 of 2956)
Mare - 'Meeting the Criteria' -
This would fit - I hope... good luck with the letter
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Marè - Feb 18, 2005 8:14 am (#2264 of 2956)
criteria!!
Thank you so much Fawkes! I knew some-one on here would help
Mail is away and I wish every one a very good weekend. I'm signing off!
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Julia. - Feb 18, 2005 8:16 am (#2265 of 2956)
'Meet the Criteria' sounds about right. *thumbs up to Fawkes*
Well, I'm off to New York for the weekend, Brooklyn to be exact. Some friends and I are going to Crown Heights, the very Jewish section. I'm all excited. Have a good weekend everyone!
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 18, 2005 8:20 am (#2266 of 2956)
Hey Guys *waves like an eejit* (hee hee, clever way to work in another saying ... eejit means Idiot in Northern Ireland)
Have fun in New York Julia.
Michelle, they say 'touched in the head' over here too... or it can be shortened to say 'A wee bit touched!"
Have a good weekend folks... I'm supposed to be doing work here... but posting sayings instead... the dementors will not be pleased... hee hee!
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John Bumbledore - Feb 18, 2005 9:04 am (#2267 of 2956)
Oy Vey! I need to make my coffee stronger. I just mistakenly poured it into my drinking glass in stead of my coffee mug.
** Toddles off to drink pee-warm, diluted coffee and grimaces with each swallow. **
** Too embarrassed to sign my "name"...
Why would Fawkes post remind me of the term "scotch" for being stingy, with something? Wrong Island entirely. ** Waves at everyone! So as not to be "scotch" with the greetings. **
P. S. Yes, I know I do need stronger coffee and a bucket of water to go with my "dry" humor.
P. P. S. Marè, I was thinking requirements but criteria sounds better to me, also.
P. P. P. S. ** cross-posted with Fawkes earlier and Gina later (during the edits) ** Gina, your phrase reminds me of an extension of a similar one in English.
S/He has "foot-in-mouth" disease. or "I/S/He puts my/her/his foot in his mouth so often I/s/he has athletes tongue."
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Gina R Snape - Feb 18, 2005 9:18 am (#2268 of 2956)
Heh.
Well, in response to Kip's 'don't let the door hit you..'
A variation of that I've heard is 'Don't let the doorknob hit you where the good lord split you.'
The only german expression that comes to mind right now is (and I KNOW the spelling is incorrect but perhaps someone can correct it for me) is 'Er/sie ist ins fettnaepschen getretten' meaning 'S/he stepped in it' or 'put his foot in his mouth' (said something stupid).
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Ydnam96 - Feb 18, 2005 10:06 am (#2269 of 2956)
nothing really insightful to add to the conversation. However when I was in High School we had several interesting phrases (I lived in Rural Virginia): “She thinks she's all that and a bucket of chicken.” To imply that a person thinks very highly of themselves. You could add "and a bag of chips and a grape soda" if the person reallllly was a snob. Or you could say "he's all that and a bucket of chicken” to refer to someone you thought was pretty amazing.
a versatile saying.I'm sure there are others but I'm too tired now to try and think of them.
Today we have the day off. My place of employment is observing Presidents Day today. So my goal is to lay on the couch, watch some movies, and crochet a bit.
Happy Friday.
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Eponine - Feb 18, 2005 10:18 am (#2270 of 2956)
I have the day off as well. It was quite nice to sleep in this morning for a little longer. Actually, the school system is doing teacher workshops today, but since I'm only doing this temporarily, I didn't have to go. So on my day off, I'm cleaning the house. We were going to have Monday off as well, but they have to make up a snow day.
So Happy Presidents Day to everyone!
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Denise P. - Feb 18, 2005 11:15 am (#2271 of 2956)
Following the variation of exasperation involving children. There is the classic Bill Cosby line, said to a child who is walking a thin line and about to push you over.
“I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it!”
Not Bill Cosby but still involving children.
“Don't make me beat you in public, then I would be arrested for child abuse.” (usually said when they are not behaving well)
Normally said from one spouse to another, first one taken from It's A Wonderful Life "Why did we have to have all these kids??!" and "You know, we can have more children" (implying if you can easily replace any child who you have taken out)
And just so no one thinks I go around vowing violence on my children, if one of these lines is uttered, I usually get a grin in return and they say "You know you love me, Mom!"
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Detail Seeker - Feb 18, 2005 11:26 am (#2272 of 2956)
Gina, you nearly got it right, just two letter too much: "Fettnaepfchen" (little pot of fat) and "getreten" (has stepped).
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John Bumbledore - Feb 18, 2005 11:51 am (#2273 of 2956)
Ydnam96, yours it the first mention of crocheting that I have seen in the forum, but then I wasn't especially looking either. So I just had to respond since, when I was home with two (on Monday and then all four on Tuesday) of my children sick with the flu, I picked up my long forgotten crochet bag and started on a new winter hat.
When I returned to work on Wednesday, I did a quick Internet search for patterns. Seems that I had lost all my pattern books. I did find a pattern for Harry's scarf, but I didn't save the link.
Any other knitters or crocheter in our forum family? Has anyone made a Harry Potter themed crafts? **Scans the forum to check for any source of sniggering laughter** Yes, I've been laughed at before for being a male that knows how to knit and crochet. My mom taught me when I was in grade school. I understand our UK members may have a more enlightened view. I was told that Sir Winston Churchill knitted or crocheted.
I find it relaxing and good for the dexterity of he fingers. I'm thinking that Mike - the Giant Squid - would make an excellent knitter or crocheter with all those tentacles... What do you think Marie E?
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I like your avatar, Ydnam96. Is that the door to Bag End?
P. P. S. Oh, and thank you Denise P. for your post about "varation of exasperation involving children." I didn't count, but it sounds like your "brood" is larger than mine, so congratulations and sympathies as well.
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Penny Lane. - Feb 18, 2005 12:17 pm (#2274 of 2956)
I wouldn't laugh at you for being a male who knits/crochets. In our knitting circle at university, we have lots of male knitters/crocheters. It's really cute right now, because everywhere you look, people have hand knit hats and scarves. A few of us are starting on sweaters and blankets too, but I am still working on scarves, hats and mittens to match everything I own. I find it to be very entertaining. Anyway, my point was simply that I doubt it would be too hard to make a Harry-centric scarves. Although.. if anyone has an offical pattern... I'd be interested as well.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 18, 2005 12:19 pm (#2275 of 2956)
Thank you, Detail Seeker. I knew I could rely on you.
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Elanor - Feb 18, 2005 1:06 pm (#2276 of 2956)
John, I think it is really great that you knit and crochet! I am not a very good knitter but I have managed to knit a Gryffindor scarf this winter (as I have a black coat, it fits very well with it!). I was inspired by Hermione's scarf in PoA but with the real Gryffindor colours. I love it, though I am still waiting for someone asking me "Is this a HP scarf?", so that I could answer "No, this is a Gryffindor scarf" in an indignant manner... **sigh** Muggles...
Which reminds me another expression: "Qu'est-ce que tu crois que je fais? Du tricot? : "What do you think I'm doing? Some Knitting?". You say that, in an indignant manner too, when you are doing something difficult, usually that gets on your nerves, and someone asks you naïvely if it is finally done...
As for kids who get on your nerves, there is the classical but efficient: " Continue comme cela et tu vas voir comment je m'appelle" : Continue like this and you will know what my name is...
or: " Continue comme ça et tu vas voir de quel bois je me chauffe" : this one is difficult to translate, maybe something like : "continue like this and you will see what wood I use for heating".
or, more familiar but even more efficient: "Tu veux mon pied quelque part? : you want my foot in some place? EDIT: or, same inspiration, "J'ai mon pied qui me démange...", "I have my foot that is itching" (to kick you in the behind implied).
or (from a friend of mine): "J'en connais un qui va se faire chanter la Marseillaise en Corse" : "I know someone that will hear the Marseillaise sang in Corsican". Not a very good sign (don't ask - I don't want some trouble with Corsicans that would read that..) BTW, works also with "qui va se faire appeler Léon" (I know someone who is going to be called Leon soon...).
I wish you all a great weekend! I am used Vlad, if you read this, more snow is likely to fall all weekend long in the Alps, are you coming soon? The ski runs are very good now I have heard!
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Good Evans - Feb 18, 2005 1:10 pm (#2277 of 2956)
re this morning’s post ... if anyone was interested a "grockel box" is a caravan or caravanette. grockel being the west country word for a holiday maker. A particularly fine insult ... but always conjured up thoughts of cockles for me.
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mike miller - Feb 18, 2005 1:41 pm (#2278 of 2956)
“I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it!” - Bill Cosby via Denise P.
Denise - You forgot the next line, "and I'll make another one that looks just like you!"
This week has completely drained by brain. I'm actually having difficulty typing this post. I'm now off to enjoy a long 3-day weekend.
Have a great weekend everyone!
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 18, 2005 3:03 pm (#2279 of 2956)
Thanks for the update, Elanor. I leave a week from today. I've really enjoyed reading all the French sayings, although I'll fail to remember most of them and not be able to properly pronounce the ones I do. Foreign languages are just not my forte. I have enough problems with English.
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boop - Feb 18, 2005 3:42 pm (#2280 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Madame Librarian and DJ Evans!!!!!!!! Have great day!!!!
Sorry it’s being posted late, but couldn't post before work.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 18, 2005 4:13 pm (#2281 of 2956)
You know, I know quite a few men who crochet and knit. I work at a college and there is a crocheting club, and it's not made up of just "geeks" and it is mostly guys. NO LIE.
It's en-vouge now I think.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 18, 2005 6:32 pm (#2282 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Madam Librarian and DJ Evans!!
I hope everyone has a great weekend.
I loved reading all of the sayings. My favorite being: "He lies like a rug."
Denise, loved the Brie recipe. It sounds really yummy. For a quick appetizer, you can throw a wheel of Brie on a cookie sheet, sprinkle liberally with brown sugar and chopped apples or figs and bake until slightly melted. It's great on sliced baguettes!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 18, 2005 6:42 pm (#2283 of 2956)
Hello everyone!! Happy Birthday Madam Librarian and DJ Evans. I hope you both have a wonderful day.
I have had a bizarre Saturday morning. I got up earlier than usual (for a Saturday) and let my dogs outside and fed them. Then I decided I'd go back to bed with a bowl of Cornflakes and a cuppa tea. All was well until at about 7.50am there were two very bright red flashes accompanied by loud bangs and a puff of smoke right outside my window about 30 seconds apart. Needless to say I jumped up in shock (and knocked the tea over) at the first bang to see a car drive past and thought 'oh its backfired.'
Then when I went to get a cloth (to mop the tea up), I noted my clocks weren't on. Strange I thought, so I put the dogs back inside in the laundry and opened up the garage to go and look at my meter box. Well what do you know, the power pole outside my place was alight. And burning quite brightly. It was burning from the top down.
So I dashed inside and called the fire brigade and then spent the next four hours waiting for electricity to be restored.
No-one quite knows how the power pole decided to catch alight, but it means on Monday I will have no electricity again as the electricity people remove the burnt one and put a new pole in its place.
On the topic of men and knitting and crocheting, our local doctor used to knit and he was quite good at it. Knitting and crocheting seem to be coming back in style now.
Enjoy your weekend
Lizzy
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Acceber - Feb 18, 2005 6:56 pm (#2284 of 2956)
“My way or the highway!”-Kip. My fourth grade teacher said that way too much.
I really like this topic of phrase-a-ma-jigs, but I can't think of many. Here's one...never mind, now I've forgotten it. That must be because it's VACATION! We're going skiing in beautiful northern Vermont! I hope we'll get to pass (and perhaps stop in) the town where my camp is. The only downside is that I don't know if there's a computer in the hotel, or if we're bringing the laptop. We'll have to designate times for the four of us to use it, though.
Happy Belated Birthday Ozy and Happy Not-So-Belated Birthdays Barb and Deb!
Knitting--I've tried to knit before, but all I got was a sad piece of fabric that looked more like crocheting than knitting and could serve as an ear warmer. My mom, her two sisters, and their mother all knit with a passion. I got an afghan for my birthday a few years ago, and all of my sweaters when I was a baby were handmade.
Spring training has officially started. I can't wait until Opening Day, Sox vs. Y****** (if you want to know what that means, ask Julia). For those who don't follow baseball or reside in the United States, I'll be brief. The Boston Red Sox and the New York Y****** have a bitter rivalry, particularly because the cities are so close geographically. In 2003, both teams made it into the playoffs and to the best-out-of-7 games. The series went to the seventh game, and the game into extra innings. We lost, after a hard-played battle. This past season, both teams again made it to the same series. The other team won the first three games, and all odds were with them to win the fourth. But the tides turned and Boston won four games in a row to win the series. They went on to win the World Series. At the first home game of the season, the Sox will be presented with their World Series rings, right in front of the team that they won four straight against. OK, maybe not brief, but not long.
I'm done, I think. That was a long post. I'm going to go read the threads. Happy Weekend! Talk to you either tomorrow, in Vermont, or in March!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 18, 2005 7:24 pm (#2285 of 2956)
Thanks, all, for the b-day wishes. Today's the actual day (18th), but I'm keeping mum on the number of years. (Boop, I'm charmed that you knew the date.)
My best friend took me to lunch to P. F. Chang's--a trendy Chinese bistro. The food was sooo good and plentiful. I had ordered won ton soup and the bowl was so big, I took the leftovers home and my husband and I each had a bowl for dinner. Yum. I am so full now that I feel like a beached whale just letting the waves roll over me. Bizarre image, no?
The sharing of these expressions is a kick. I think some of the funniest are when someone--usually a sweet, ditzie airhead--jumbles up the expression, taking half of one and half of another to finish the phrase, not even realizing what she's done. Of course, just at the moment I can't think of an example (and I just read an article about someone whose aunt did it all the time, darn). Something like, "My gosh, she just up and ran around like a chicken who crossed the road. "Not quite it, but you get the idea.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, enjoy your day(s) off.
Ciao. Barb
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Madam Pince - Feb 18, 2005 7:41 pm (#2286 of 2956)
Bumbledore, I think that ScullyJones knitted quite a lovely Gryffindor scarf last year -- she may have a pattern or something!
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 18, 2005 8:45 pm (#2287 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Madame Librarian and DJ Evans.
Have fun skiing, Acceber. Out of curiosity, where do you guys go. Jay Peak is my favorite place in Vermont.
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Chemyst - Feb 19, 2005 12:00 am (#2288 of 2956)
Since you said you like them, here is a spoonerism for your birthday, Barb:
I hit my bunny phone ~~~ I hit my funny bone
And for the few of you who may not know, there was a preacher named William Archibald Spooner who would get his tongue tied during sermons and say things like, "Our Lord is a shoving leopard," (for loving shepherd). The big word is metathesis, but "spoonerisms," where the sounds are switched around in a word or phrase, are named after him. ..indulging my inner Hermione tonight
And DJ Evans, if you are out there, happy birthday to you too!
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Elanor - Feb 19, 2005 1:00 am (#2289 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Madame Librarian and DJ Evans! With the time difference, it should be still the 18th for you I think. (Edit: oops, no, it is just the 19th beginning for you too, so happy belated birthday!)
Here, it is already Saturday and, for once, the forecast guy was right: it is snowing! Well, it snowed more or less all week long already, but today, this is some serious snow, with a very white sky. Brr... Vlad, the ski runs will be just perfect when you will arrive! A lot of people are expected in the ski resorts this weekend and next week (it is the turn of the Parisians to be on holidays), so a lot of feasts and other activities have to be planned there for the next weekend. I hope you will have a lot of fun there! Don't worry about your accent, it will just be perfect!
The holidays are nearly finished for me, weird holidays spent nursing the flu. I still don't feel well at all but school starts again on Monday so I guess I will have to open the schoolbag today nevertheless. Okay, I stop complaining! Some more expressions about that:
- "ça sent le sapin...", "it smells fir", you say that ironically when someone is complaining about his health (the fir smell refering to the coffin's wood).
We have a lot of expressions about the weather too:
- "Il pleut des cordes" : "it rains ropes" or (sorry, a little vulgar but kids love that one) "Il pleut comme vache qui pisse" : "It rains as a cow peeing" for pouring rains.
- "Un vent à décorner un boeuf: "a wind that could dehorn a ox", a very strong wind.
- "Il fait un froid de canard": "It is a "duck's cold" ", very cold.
- And more general and very used: "Il fait un temps de chien" : "It is a dog's weather", very bad weather!
Have a nice weekend everybody!
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Ozymandias - Feb 19, 2005 3:24 am (#2290 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barb (Madame Librarian) and DJ Evans!
I'm glad to see a few knitters here. My grandmother taught me to knit a few years ago, and I've gone crazy with it. You're right, Bumbledore, it's incredibly relaxing. And I think it's wonderful that you're a knitter. I've only known one guy who knits, and that's because I taught him.
If anyone wants to make a Hogwarts scarf, it's super easy, and a great first project if you're learning. Just cast on 30-odd stitches (or however wide you want it) and knit in garter stitch (all knitting, no purls). Then, when it's time to switch colors, cut off the yarn and tie the new color on with a regular overhand knot. I just bought some lovely blue and bronze yarn to make a Ravenclaw scarf.
Off to make a smoothie and browse the other threads. Have a good weekend, everybody!
~Erin
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Good Evans - Feb 19, 2005 4:01 am (#2291 of 2956)
morning all - oh goodness Lizzy what a start to the weekend!!!!
I hope it all sorts itself out for you.
happy belated birthdays to DJ evans and Barb. Hope that you had good ones.
I am at work this morning - its that time of year - annual billing so we work all this weekend. However we have cake and a bit of a laugh so its not all bad, and for once I can log on to lexicon during work hours woo hoo!! inbetween checking computer runs etc.
ok best do some work - but just wanted to drop in and say hi.
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boop - Feb 19, 2005 6:44 am (#2292 of 2956)
My mom tried to teach me how to knit. I found it to take to long to see results of what your making. I taught myself how to crochet. I am making a Layette for my new grandbaby that is coming in April. I have made many gift for other. I love crocheting because you can see results within a few rows. I would love to learn how to knit, because the patterns are so pretty.
I have loved reading all those saying some I heard before and some were new to me. I had to laugh at some of them they were funny. Here is one I thought of " When you can't beat then, join them."
I had my granddaughter and grandson over night. Dustin is walking most of the time. They both feel so much better. They are being so good for me.
have a great weekend very one!
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Julie Aronson - Feb 19, 2005 7:16 am (#2293 of 2956)
I like knitting, crocheting, and needlepoint. I might just have to try a striped scarf--I just never got around to it before...
Julie
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septentrion - Feb 19, 2005 7:31 am (#2294 of 2956)
Hello everyone !
Lizzy, it's indeed a very strange and annoying thing that happened to you. I hope everything will be fixed soon.
Happy belated birthday to Madam Librarian and DJ Evans !
Elanor, I hope you a quick recovery since you're to be at school Monday.
About knitting, crocheting and any stuff including a needle, I simply can't do it due to a lack of patience. I can't concentrate on things so small and so precise. Guess I'd do better at crushing beetles to powder
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Madame Librarian - Feb 19, 2005 7:45 am (#2295 of 2956)
Chemyst, yes, Spoonerisms. I've read that the original one was spoken at the end of a wedding ceremony: "And now it's kisstomary to cuss the bride." The image that invokes is just too funny. There's that guy with the Capitol Steps (political satire cabaret comedy group) who does the long shtick which is all Spoonerisms, producing such twisted phrases as Billary and Hill, Lonica Mooooo-insky, Imbos in the Boffice, Yubble-Doo, Lirty Dies, and so on.
The malapropisms (literally, bad apropos, or incorrect used of words or phrases for the situation, or a general misuse of words) I was referring to is not the flip-flop of initial consonants, but the blending of two totally different sayings that have the correct rhythm to hook up, but create a meaning that is nonsensical.
Both, however, are hilarious.
Ciao. Barb
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librarian314 - Feb 19, 2005 9:10 am (#2296 of 2956)
Hey all!
Happy b-day to Madame Librarian and DJ Evans!
I am an avid fiber artist. I prefer crocheting to knitting as I tend to feel rather awkward when I knit. The needles are too long and I feel like I'm flapping like a large winged bird. I'm currently crocheting a Ms. Weasley sweater inspired by the one she wears in the movie version of CoS. (in the breakfast scene after Harry is rescued by Ron and the twins.) I've got one sleeve finished and have started the next. If anybody else is interested I can write out the pattern after I've finished (I'm making it up as I go along.)
Some of my other upcoming projects may well be some HP socks. There are several really cool ones mentioned in the books and socks are about the only thing I knit, aside from mittens. I, too, find that knitting takes too long to see results and so I do small projects like socks.
I don't know any men that knit or crochet but know one who does counted cross stitch and another who is taking up bobbin lace.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 3:09 pm (#2297 of 2956)
As some of you will remember, I have been applying for jobs, so I can leave the one I'm in (the obnoxious boss is getting worse by the week!). I haven't had any luck so far but I will keep trying and hope to pick up something soon.
Anyway the lack of electricity yesterday meant I got time to sit and spend time with my dogs and myself and a chance to recharge my batteries.
Two more phrases:
“I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole!” meaning there's no way I would get anywhere near "it". "it" can be a person, thing, object etc.
“madder than a cut snake” completely mad/psycho person.
Lizzy
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megfox - Feb 19, 2005 3:19 pm (#2298 of 2956)
My best friend Jenny from college (the one that got me into Harry Potter) learned how to knit and crochet during our senior year, when we lived in an apartment together. She would do it for hours on end, and everything always came out slightly bumpy and not really shaped right (think the description of Hermione's house elf clothes). She made a hat that winter, and she couldn't figure out how to close the hole on the top, so she just made this HUGE pom-pom and sewed it to the top. It was really funny looking. I used to tease her a lot about it. Well, she was at my baby shower last weekend, and she made the most gorgeous baby hat, with these cute little bunny ears on it, and little baby booties. I was very impressed. And a little sheepish .
I would love to learn how to knit, but I always drop the "stitches". I have crocheted one thing in my life, a "popcorn" garland with red beads to look like cranberries. I drape it around an evergreen garland on my banister at Christmas. It took me almost 2 months to make, but is only about 10 feet long! I don't know if I have the patience to do it again!
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Elanor - Feb 19, 2005 3:20 pm (#2299 of 2956)
I'm so sorry about your job Lizzy! I really hope you will find another one soon (**keeping my fingers crossed**).
We have nearly the same phrase than yours, except that it says: "Je ne le toucherais pas avec des pincettes", I wouldn't touch it with tongs or, same meaning, "je ne le toucherais pas/je ne le ferais pas pour tout l'or du monde", I would not touch it/I would not do it even if I should receive all the gold of the world for that.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Edit: hello Meg! We posted nearly at the same time!
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Madam Pince - Feb 19, 2005 3:30 pm (#2300 of 2956)
Meg, I meant to tell you earlier -- best wishes as you go into this last month! It won't really be as long as it seems! We'll be thinking of you! Just think, soon you will have a new little one to cuddle and love!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:01 pm
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Catherine - Feb 19, 2005 4:15 pm (#2301 of 2956)
Speaking of having a new one to cuddle, my parents have successfully adopted "Belle," a rescued shih-tzu from a neighboring county.
Her story is sad, but the ending is very happy, I think. Apparently, her clueless owner delivered her to the groomer emaciated, with a severe eye infection, and matted to the skin. The groomer intervened by calling the Humane Society, who convinced the owner to give up the dog in exchange for providing the appropriate medical care (spaying, removal of the eye, shots, and food).
My folks saw her picture, and were smitten, and at this very moment Belle is snoozing on my father's lap like a princess. I will post a link to her photo for interested persons.
I wish them all the best, and I hope I haven't been too boring by sharing this.
EDIT: I have put the photo of Belle in my profile. My mom is holding her at the foster mom's house right before taking her home.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 5:49 pm (#2302 of 2956)
Belle looks pretty happy in your Mum's arms Catherine. I also reckon your two dogs are pretty sweet as well. I also like your tulips (the pinky/purple one's?).
I'm pretty mad about dogs, you could never bore me about dogs and Harry Potter. Put them both on the same page and I'll be glued to it!
Its good to see Belle has found some nice new parents to keep her safe and warm.
Lizzy
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Marie E. - Feb 19, 2005 5:49 pm (#2303 of 2956)
Oh, Catherine, Belle is so adorable. I'm glad her story has a happy ending.
My little kitty isn't doing very well. Samantha is 17 so I guess it's to be expected but...you know. She's had some blood in her stool and today she was "leaking" blood onto the carpet. I'm preparing the girls for the possibility that Samantha may be very sick. Lexie isn't taking it very well. Right now she's under our bed, where she usually sleeps during the day. I'll keep you all updated.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 5:53 pm (#2304 of 2956)
I'm rather hoping it is Samantha under the bed, not Lexie. Nonetheless I send you and the girls and Samantha some cheering charms, get well charms, and some fortifying charms for the day/evening ahead.
Lizzy
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Catherine - Feb 19, 2005 6:02 pm (#2305 of 2956)
Thanks, Lizzy. Your avatar always makes me smile because that dog looks almost exactly like our beloved family pet who died seven years ago at age 17 and 1/2. Her name was Sandy, and through her own particular neuroses and gifts (and she had plenty of each), she made our lives more wonderful every day.
As for the flowers, I must admit that I planted purple and yellow pansies for the local university's school colors, although I love pansies, and don't think that you can plant too many, especially as it's really hard to kill them.
The pink tulips were an afterthought, as Claire was at the nursery with me, and really wanted to plant some. She dug the holes, put the bulbs in, and charted their growth. We enjoyed them more than I ever thought I would. I would put those tulips down as the best short-term investment our family ever made.
Most of them are coming back this year, too, so that will be fun to see. After that, it will be another trip to the nursery. I wonder what color Claire will pick this fall?
EDIT: Marie, you posted while I was posting. I'm so sorry about Samantha. I hope she's not in pain, and I know what it is like for a dear family pet to be ailing. Best wishes to you.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 19, 2005 7:23 pm (#2306 of 2956)
Marie! Don't despair.
My Fabergé (who is 16) had the same symptoms and I took her to the vet straight away. Your cat might have an ulcer and/or inflammatory bowel disease--both of which are very treatable!
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Denise P. - Feb 19, 2005 8:25 pm (#2307 of 2956)
I guess blood/personality does tell. I have two boy guinea pigs, Sirrius and Regulus. They have been together since they were itty bitty piggies. In the past two weeks, Regulus has shown his little DE tendancies. He chases poor Sirrius screaming around the cage and has bitten him. I took all the expert advice to let them work it out since they are in their piggy teenaged years. Tonight, I decided poor Sirrius has had enough. I put them in separate cages, something not done lightly since they are social little beings but my vet won't neuter pigs since there is a high rate of death from being put under. Regulus is not happy with the new set up, he is looking for a way out. Sirrius, I swear, has perked up and looks very content and happy now, not huddled in a scared heap any more. Since my vet won't neuter, I don't have much options beyond having two solo pigs.
Marie, I hope Samantha gets better. Did your Brownies have Thinking Day already? We had ours today and our troop did Lebanon.
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John Bumbledore - Feb 19, 2005 10:20 pm (#2308 of 2956)
I too would like to wish a happy birthday to Madame Librarian and DJ Evans!
Catherine, by short term investment did you mean you didn't expect them to come back? My father-in-law grows the biggest and most beautiful tulips I've seen. He digs them up each year and will place them in a very cool, dry spot in his basement/garage. I believe he suggested a short period of storage in the refrigerator because of our mild winters. But then again, maybe I'm just headed for St. Mungo's?
Marie E, I hope the best for Samantha, and that it may be like Gina's experience and treatable like her 'fancy-egg-art' named cat.
Well all, I must say good night (good morning after-noon to Lizzy, I think.) I hope your eclectric has been restored and remains stable henceforth.
(John) Bumbledore
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Ydnam96 - Feb 19, 2005 10:39 pm (#2309 of 2956)
Denise could you get more guinea pigs? One that Regulus won't beat up and one that will get along with Sirius?
It's rained all day here. To the point where after running to the grocery store upon returning it was necessary for me to take off my shoes and socks, roll up my pant legs, and wade through calf high water to get from my car to my house. The water was freeeeeeezing cold. I think that I should be constructing an ark, for real.
I did crochet a small blanket for my cat. Well really it's to put on my couch so that less cat hair gets on it. I'm quite proud of myself. It's the largest thing I've ever crocheted. It looks like one of those ovalish Amish rage rugs (in shape). It was supposed to be a square. Go figure.
So any of you Alias fans out there, any idea how to get an Alias ring tone on my phone? Right now I've had HP (from Mugglenet) and it's been there for quite a while and I'm ready for something different but I can't find one where I would just program in the notes like I did the Harry Potter one.
Well, it's about time for me to hit the threads and go to bed. Night all!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 10:56 pm (#2310 of 2956)
Bumbledore you got the afternoon bit right. Right now it is 4:56pm in the afternoon. I've been meaning to get a guinea pig or two. I've been hesitant because my two boys - Macca and Sami (they're dogs) don't like cats and small fluffy things. They chase after them growling like anything. The neighborhood cats learn pretty quickly my yard is a no go zone.
I'm in the middle of crocheting another rug. Lots of smallish squares to "sew" together into one big rug. Not easy in the middle of summer with sweating hands, even when you are sitting under the air-con.
Lizzy
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The giant squid - Feb 20, 2005 12:50 am (#2311 of 2956)
Ree, I hope Sam's okay. Like you said, she's getting up there; give her a scritch from me.
“Why did we have to have all these kids??!”
Denise, this reminded me of another Bill Cosby-ism: "Why did we have four children?" "Because we didn't want five."
Happy YesterBirthday, Barb & Deb! Barb, would an example of a malapropism be "Make like a tree and get outta here!" (a corruption of "make like a tree and leave")? It's not the best example, but it's the only thing my brain would squeeze out...
--Mike
P.S. Despite my numerous tentacles , I don't crochet. I do however have enormous respect for anyone with the patience & self discipline to do so.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 20, 2005 7:44 am (#2312 of 2956)
Thanks, guys, for your good b-day wishes, and those hacked apart malaprops. Listening right now to Sunday Weekend Edition on NPR radio (it's 8:38 am Chicago time-CST-on 2/20). They're about to do a feature story on John Williams and his music score for PoA. Hope some you can catch a listen. I'll report anything interesting on the pop culture thread.
The promo for the piece came on with the lilting intro theme. My head popped up from the newspaper, and I got all wobbly in my tummy. That music really gets me all in the HP mood. Ooooh, I thought, they're going to do a meaty story on the new book (please, oh, please). Well, not quite. But it'll be interesting to hear about the music stuff. This guy, Trudeau, reviews all the music nominees for the Oscars.
Uh oh, here it is. "Shush!" as Harry would say.
Ciao. Barb
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Madam Pince - Feb 20, 2005 10:26 am (#2313 of 2956)
Marie, I hope Samantha is going to be OK!
I was watching "The Green Mile" last night on TV, and they used another little regional quote which I haven't seen here yet:
“I think that boy's cheese has slipped off his cracker.” (He's gone crazy!)
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 20, 2005 5:13 pm (#2314 of 2956)
As for the flowers, I must admit that I planted purple and yellow pansies for the local university's school colors, although I love pansies, and don't think that you can plant too many, especially as it's really hard to kill them. – Catherine
I can't believe Marcus let this slide by.
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mollis - Feb 20, 2005 5:40 pm (#2315 of 2956)
I am so glad to be back with you guys. This has been one heck of a weekend. We got a virus in our computer and had to completely delete everything and start over. Somehow it managed to mess up our IP address and we could no longer get on the net. So that took most of yesterday and today (when I was supposed to be doing our taxes - not sure if I'm upset about not getting to do them or not...) Then, in the midst of the computer repair - our TV up and dies. Just poof! dead! So dear hubby decides he can't survive a minute without a TV in the living room (we have one in the bedroom, but apparently it's not big enough and he must have one in each location for his life to be worthwhile and heads to the store. Decides that we must spend what I consider way too much money on a TV with no consideration for the bills we have to pay and all that other financial stuff. Just frustrating to have to reach an agreement with someone when the priorities are different. Thanks for letting me vent...
On a better subject, I love knitting. Have knitted many blankets and afghans and a couple of baby hats. I do want to try a layette or even a sweater, but I'm a little bit nervous to try it. I'm afraid of putting all the time into it and then it won't fit. I'll probably take the risk one of these days though.
Okay, I'm going to go try and relax now. Its just been a really cruddy weekend for much more significant reasons than the superficial ones I complained about here. Maybe I'll hit some threads and cheer myself up. I post a cute, cheerfull smilie here, but they are all gone to computer heck. I'll have to transfer them over from the secret file of them I have stashed on my work computer. Shhh, don't tell.
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Catherine - Feb 20, 2005 5:42 pm (#2316 of 2956)
I can't believe Marcus let this slide by--Loopy Lupin
Me, either. I'm a little disappointed that his work takes him away at just the wrong time. **waves to Marcus**
But at least you are here, Loopy, to carry on Marcus's work in the Uniting the Houses" thread, and in poking me about pansies.
For the record, I tried really hard to get Mom and Dad to name the new doggy "Pansy" or "Poppy," in terms of HP names. Other choices were "Willow" and "Dahlia," to be called "Dolly." Alas, earwax, her name is "Belle." I happen to like her name, as I suggested it also, but so far I've managed to give the puppy rescues HP names so far. My parents thwarted me, as they love to do.
Hope you all have a good night, and Loopy Lupin, I hope that your weekend was full of health salad, meatballs, and every other good thing!
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Denise P. - Feb 20, 2005 5:57 pm (#2317 of 2956)
The time was coming and it has finally arrived. My 7 year old has never had a hair cut, other than tiny trims and bangs. Her hair is long enough to sit on. She said she wants it cut off. Luckily, she has enough hair that we can compromise between the shorter cut she wants and my wanting some length on it. We are going to donate her length to Locks of Love. Just measuring here at home, I think it will be 13-15" that we are going to donate. I just need to call the salon here tomorrow and get her an appointment. Even getting all that cut off, her hair should still be touching her shoulders. After years of seeing her with long hair, it is going to take getting used to seeing her with significantly shorter hair.
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Catherine - Feb 20, 2005 6:52 pm (#2318 of 2956)
How wonderful for your daughter to donate her hair, and she still has hair to spare. **didn't mean to sound like Dr. Seuss just now.**
But still, it's a lovely thing to do, and very grown-up of her. What a wonderful person to be at age seven.
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Denise P. - Feb 20, 2005 7:20 pm (#2319 of 2956)
I grew up with the much hated Pixie cut and then the equally hated Dorothy Hamill cut. I always swore I would not cut my daughter's hair unless she wanted it done. My dad watches me brush her hair (and her contortionist faces) and always advises me "Cut it short, let her grow it when she can take care of it herself" Kaity and I just smile and ignore him but she has reached the point where she wants it shorter now. I am going to get a before and after picture from her back, so you can see how long it was. She is wanting me to just hack it tonight but I convinced her to wait for an appointment.
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Catherine - Feb 20, 2005 7:34 pm (#2320 of 2956)
Denise,
I so appreciate your feelings in the matter. I was a formerly long-haired girl who was forced into a Dorothy Hamill cut overnight. I was very skinny and tall at the time, and everyone thought I was a boy. I'm still not over it, and it's probably one reason why I reacted so viscerally to Daisy's scalping haircut this summer.
So I, too, have a child with longish hair who does the contortionist faces, and all I have to do is say, "You sound like you want a short haircut" and that does the trick, at least for now. Both my girls have shoulder-length hair, and that is plenty for a pony tail, a "bun" for ballet, and to feel "girly" about.
I look forward to seeing any before and after shots. It's quite a to-do for her hairdo!
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boop - Feb 20, 2005 7:39 pm (#2321 of 2956)
Mollis, Sorry to hear your weekend didn't go well. Hope you have a good week, and welcome back.
There are TWO Birthdays tomorrow. I am posting them tonight, because I might not get a chance before work tomorrow.
FEB. 20th Madam Pince, and Ladybug 220. Happy Birthday!!!! Have a great day.
Denise, that is great thing for your daughter to do. I am sure many people are waiting for wigs with real hair. I am very proud of your 7 year old to do this..
Its snowing here tonight. Then late tonight it is changing to freezing rain and sleet. We are supposed to get 3 to 5 inches of snow first. Will make it interesting getting to work in the morning.
Good night and take care, Hugs Always.
Betty(boop)
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Gina R Snape - Feb 20, 2005 7:57 pm (#2322 of 2956)
Denise, shoulder length is still *quite* long hair! I had the dreaded Dorothy Hamill cut too, when I was about 9 years old. But I confess, after getting that first cut, I loved experimenting and cutting my hair.
After years and years of going back and forth between an inch from my scalp and below the shoulders, I can firmly say whatever the hairdresser does...her hair will grow back!
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Daioma Dumbledore - Feb 20, 2005 8:33 pm (#2323 of 2956)
G'Day everyone!
Once again I have been missing in action for a little while, but for now I'm back. We've had a couple of dramas to contend with, the biggest one being a couple of weeks ago we had huge storms here and my house got very very very flooded!!!! My whole lounge room was destroyed, but thanks to Elvis the Wonder Cat, who banged on our bedroom door until it opened and then jumped on top of Ben and meowed in his face until he woke up, at 5am mind you, to let us know that there was a waterfall in our lounge room, so I was able to move my week old beautiful suede couches (sofa for you in the u.s!) out of harms way. We then put a 90 Litre (almost 20 gallons) tub under the main water entry point & went back to bed as that's about all we could do, but then when we woke 2&1/2 hours later the tub was FULL! Just about to overflow plus there was now another entry point and we had at least an inch of water almost covering the entire floor, which is floating floor boards so they are now all completely buckled and all have to be replaced & my ceiling is being held up by wooden supports put up by the emergency men that came out the next day! So I have to get a new ceiling too, as well as painting all through the living areas!!! The worst part of it all is we had almost EXACTLY THE SAME THING happen just 12 months before!!!!!! And if the insurance company had of fixed it properly rather than just patching the damage we wouldn't be in this situation!!! You could say I am rather peeved at the whole situation.
But other than that and work stress everything else is going well, we are having our engagement party on the 19th March and are organizing that at the moment & I went to my first ever bridal fair the other week-end and got VERY excited!!
I hope everyone is wonderful, I've missed talking to you all. Talk soon
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Madam Pince - Feb 20, 2005 9:22 pm (#2324 of 2956)
Oh, Daioma, that is such a bummer. So sorry to hear. But what a great cat you have! Thanks to him, the couches were saved, and you can't say that about a whole lot of cats -- usually it's the cat that destroys the couch. (I say "couch" instead of sofa, too. My Mom says "davenport.")
Denise, can't wait to see the new hair-do. Tell Kaity we all think she is a wonderful young lady for being so generous!
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Betty! ***blushes*** You are so sweet to always remember birthdays! A lot of my "real-world" friends apparently forgot ***Madam Pince has a "Harry-in-OoP moment" of feeling sorry for herself...*** No really, I had a very nice birthday -- my father-in-law called to wish me a "Happy 39th!" (Ha -- I wish -- he was just being nice.) I was brought back to earth, however, by Baby Pince coming into the room, scrutinizing me closely, and then saying "You don't look fifty, Mama!" I think he'd had some coaching from somebody who thought he was being very funny.
Extra points were scored, however, by a totally decadent dinner of crab & mushroom casserole, lobster, champagne, and Mud Pie for dessert. Yummmmmmmm, yum. Thank goodness we only have birthdays once a year, though!
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Daioma Dumbledore - Feb 20, 2005 9:33 pm (#2325 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Madam Pince!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday, much deserved I'm sure.
As for Elvis saving the couch instead of destroying it, your very right in saying he is an oddity in the cat world! Such a lovable little mite though!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 20, 2005 10:13 pm (#2326 of 2956)
Gaaa! The flood sounds awful, but the cat sounds like a level-headed pet. Handy to have around, aren't they?
Denise, give your long-haired beauty an "atta girl" for her donation. And, one for you, too, for being a supportive mom on the whole issue. I had a major haircut to a pixie when I was nine. My long hair was always up in a tight, tight ponytail or bun (for ballet class) and I was actually getting horrible headaches from the pull and stress. My mom almost didn't believe that kids could get headaches ("What do you kids have to have headaches about?"--she was very old world about things like that), and when she finally got me to the doctor, he suggested it was the weight of my long hair. We both stared at him like he was nuts, but since I wanted to have short hair anyway, we cut it all off, and voila! the headaches disappeared. Happy ending for all (except my slightly shocked ballet teacher).
Happy B-day to Madam Pince. Hey, the two madam(e)s have birthdays right next to each other.
G'night all.
Ciao. Barb
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Gina R Snape - Feb 20, 2005 10:44 pm (#2327 of 2956)
Daioma! Thank heavens for the love of a good kitty. Your flood sounds dreadful. I hope the insurance pays for a proper cleanup and repair this time.
btw, Happy Birthday Alan Rickman! He's 59 today (21 Feb).
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 20, 2005 11:55 pm (#2328 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Madam Pince and Ladybug!!!
Daioma, welcome back, I was waiting to hear if your were affected by the wild weather Melbourne had. It sounds as though you got enough water to keep you busy for a while. Has it done anything for the drought situation and water restrictions?
Mmmm Denise, I'm rather impressed by the young lady's decision to donate her hair. Well done. PS I'm really pleased you write in pink, helps me keep track of who said who. I get you confused with Catherine - no idea why.
Have a lovely day everyone.
Lizzy
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septentrion - Feb 21, 2005 2:05 am (#2329 of 2956)
Happy birthday Madam Pince and Ladybug !
Daioma, seems you had a busy week. Good luck with the insurance company, I hope they'll fix things properly this time.
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The giant squid - Feb 21, 2005 2:10 am (#2330 of 2956)
Happy semi-centennial, Madame P! Look at it this way: you're only a third as old as Albus. Birthday wishes to Ladybug as well.
Denise, your daughter sounds very level headed indeed. Can't imagine where she gets it. I've thought of donating my locks to Locks of Love when (if) I finally cut it off, but I don't know if it'd qualify. It's typical "guy" hair--more split ends than strong hair. Most women take good care of their hair; I take "just good enough" care of mine.
--Mike
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 5:19 am (#2331 of 2956)
Denise, I'm rather impressed by the young lady's decision to donate her hair. Well done. PS I'm really pleased you write in pink, helps me keep track of who said who. I get you confused with Catherine - no idea why. --Dizzy Lizzy
Poor Denise, to get confused with me! Lizzy, simply put, Denise is the mom who is not a Slacker!
I'm flattered to be mentioned in the same sentence as Denise. You made my day, Lizzy.
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haymoni - Feb 21, 2005 5:26 am (#2332 of 2956)
Morning all - It's President's Day, so being the lucky government employee that I am, I will be home lounging all day.
What does one do on President's Day? I don't think that there is an official way to celebrate it - no special meal or tree to put up - I don't even think there is a parade.
Stores always have President's Day sales, so if the weather behaves, maybe I'll drag the kids out and see what's what.
Probably not though!
Have a great day all!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 21, 2005 6:36 am (#2333 of 2956)
Catherine is the one who usually has an avatar of a very cute breed of dog, just ask Lupin is Lupin. Denise, on the other hand, alternates avatars. One week it's the catcher, one week it's the first baseman, another week it's the left fielder. Have you sent the team to Florida for spring training yet, Denise?
Have a good week everyone. I don't know what one does on President's day, haymoni, as I've never had the day as a holiday in my working career. I suppose you could sit around and giggle that people like me are working.
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Julia. - Feb 21, 2005 8:38 am (#2334 of 2956)
Oy gevalt!!! I go away for the weekend and I come back to 70 new posts!
Happy birthday to Barb, Deb, Madam Pince and Ladybug. *passes around butterbeer* Hope you had amazing days and will have an amazing year.
Denise, you are the best for not wanting to cut your daughter's hair until she did. I was forced into a short hair cut as a kid, and I hated it. It looked horrible, and I really wanted it long. As a protest I have my hair long today, even though it would look much better short.
John, as for your question about anyone making HP designs, I know Sarah (scully jones) knitted a Gryffindor Scarf, and wore it to the Gathering last year. She posted a picture of it somewhere, but I can't be bothered to look for it now.
Catherine, I love the pictures you put in your avatar. Belle looks quite happy with your mum, and Daisy and Pheobe look very pretty among the pansies. Just out of curiosity, was that picture taken pre or post scalping, er, grooming?
I had the most awesome time in New York this weekend. We were in Crown Heights, which is the Chassidic section. I bought lots of Judaica, met some amazing people, participated in a random dance, got slobered on by a seven month old, and got made fun of by a five year old for buying an Aleph Bet jig-saw puzzle. I should have bought a kvart also. Oh well, can't think of everything I guess.
Classes are canceled today because of the snow. Thank G-d, I really need the day to catch up on all the work I should have done this weekend but didn't.
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Marè - Feb 21, 2005 9:05 am (#2335 of 2956)
Denise, you are the best for not wanting to cut your daughter's hair until she did. I was forced into a short hair cut as a kid, and I hated it. It looked horrible, and I really wanted it long. As a protest I have my hair long today, even though it would look much better short. – Julia
I'm just copying the above and that pretty much says it all.
Everytime I look in the mirror and think "I should have it cut short again". I realise that I promised myself I would grow it really long when I was "old" everytime my mother forced that short haircut she really liked on me...
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 10:31 am (#2336 of 2956)
I realise that I promised myself I would grow it really long when I was "old" everytime my mother forced that short haircut she really liked on me... >--Mare
Count me in on that one, too. I have finally accepted that my mother will never really approve of my hair. As a child, I was forced to have it cut ala Dorothy Hamill, and later endured a home perm at the tender age of 9 once I grew that cut out.
Since young adulthood, she has urged me to highlight my very dark hair. I tried multiple techniques, and my hair just wants to turn brassy red, so I quit. Now I have gray hairs popping up every once in a while, and she wants me to color those. Now the big thing is that I am too old to have "long" hair, which isn't long at all. It touches my collar bone; it's not like it's half-way down my back.
I just smile and ignore her when she makes her suggestions. They almost don't bother me anymore.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 21, 2005 12:05 pm (#2337 of 2956)
My mother never wanted me to cut my hair. She could never get hers to grow very long, so she lives vicariously through my hair. I'm 28, and she still gets upset when I cut it to my shoulders! My mom has naturally curly hair, which she hates. I have naturally straight hair, which I hate. Are we ever satisfied?
My one perm experience was self-induced early in my teens. At the time I had hair well past my waist. It took the poor woman 5 hours to roll it because I wanted spiral curls (remember those?)!
Happy Belated birthday to Barb, Deb, Madam Pince, and Ladybug! **hands out chocolate frogs and every-flavored beans***
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Good Evans - Feb 21, 2005 12:12 pm (#2338 of 2956)
dorothy hamill cuts !! - at least you weren’t forced in to a Princess Di at the age of 10! My hair is very thick, very single minded and did not like the Princess Di cut at all!! I have for the first time since I was 10 finally got rid of a fringe, its kind of weird and kind of cold!!
snow today in the South East. First proper snow we have had, hoping for lots tonight in order to work from home tomorrow but we'll have to see!
Daioma, really sorry to hear your story, and a bummer as it is on a repeat!! I do hope you get it sorted, can you sue the insurance company for the distress???
happy birthday (passed) for those over the weekend mmmm lobster sounded nice madam pince!
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Eponine - Feb 21, 2005 1:51 pm (#2339 of 2956)
Hair. When I was younger I had short hair cut in what I believe you would call a pageboy style. I started growing it out when I was about 12-13 and had the occasional trim and sometimes cut. My senior year in high school I could sit on my hair. I kept it between my waist and halfway down my back for about 6 years from the time I was a freshman in h.s. until I was a sophomore in college. Since then it's varied between right above my shoulders and a few inches below my shoulders. It's currently just above my shoulders, and it's much easier to take care of than long hair.
Anyway, I had a message from a parent today, so I had to make my first official teacher call. Thankfully, it wasn't anything bad. They weren't calling to say their child hates me. =)
I hope everyone is having a great day today! Happy Presidents' Day!
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Penny Lane. - Feb 21, 2005 2:16 pm (#2340 of 2956)
Thanks to all the other knitters out there! I received bunches of patterns in my email box, and I'm very greatful. Now, if only ya'll wanted to send me the supplies.
As for hair, when I was 6, I was traumatized. My mom insisted that the "hairdresser" (it was back in the 80s) cut my hair into a short 'bob' like hers. It was not a bob, it was a modified dorthey hamel style that made me look like a little boy. I pretended to be sick for a week so I wouldn't have to be seen in public. Mom still thinks it's funny too. I still get angry when she tells the story and until recently I would leave in a huff.
By the time I was 10, it had grown out. So she made me get a spiral perm, and I spent a few years looking like a poodle. By the time that was over, I grew it out, and finally my hair was good. In 8th grade, I brought a picture of the 'Jennifer Aniston cut' from the early friends episodes, and somehow the styalist interpeted that into "I want a BIG UGLY MULLET". If I curled it, I looked just like Carol Brady in the Brady BUnch Movie.
Now that I'm older and wiser, I only go people I trust, which is either places where my friends have gone, or Panopolous Salons. I will pay the extra money to be sure that I won't come out looking stupid. It may grow back, but if i'm interviewing for a job, I can't not look my best. It will tear at my self confidence, and I don't want to look unprofessional because the colorest turned my highlights orange.
EDIT: Does WC still have smilies built in?
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Lina - Feb 21, 2005 2:32 pm (#2341 of 2956)
I was thirteen when I was allowed to choose my hairstyle for the first time. So I have decided to let my children choose their hairstyle as soon as they started to show their opinion which happened when they were around three.
Well it's not practical when a five years old says "I want my hair cut," and if you don't do it immediately, she takes scissors and does it by her own...
I have introduced a new punishment this year: 1 cm of hair gets cut for each not written homework. One of my daughters has long hair...
Edit: well, about a perm, I was two when I had it for the first time. And, yes, it is truth, after I was allowed to cut my hair when I was 13, I had to have a perm done for years after that. That's why my hair is straight now.
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Madam Pince - Feb 21, 2005 4:13 pm (#2342 of 2956)
Mike, important note -- it was NOT actually my semi-centennial (but thanks for the positive spin anyway!) Baby Pince was just repeating something Mr. Pince had told him to say to me, probably to make me feel like 41 (my real age) is not really so bad as I make it out to be. Thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes!
Went car-shopping today. I have no idea why, as we have no intention of buying a car for at least a year yet, and probably longer than that, even. Mr. Pince just had the day off, and so we spent it checking out the new Nimbus 2005s....er....well, new vehicles. We were quite disappointed that we had no snow -- we were expecting to be shoveling all day!
Caput Draconis, are you out there? Have they aired the first "Survivor" episode yet? I thought of you the other day and wished I'd invited you over for a big bowl of popcorn and a wallow in Survivor-world!
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Chemyst - Feb 21, 2005 4:43 pm (#2343 of 2956)
I am so there on all the long hair stories. Not only have I suffered kindred tales of woe myself, but I have also seen my daughter victimized by a stylist who must have received her diploma from the same Online College of Snipping as Catherine's ex-groomer. My daughter hasn't set foot inside a clip joint since then and now has hair long enough to sit on. About three years ago I decided to do the same. I now look like one of those old pony-tailed women the "make-over experts" would drool over because there is so much "potential" but, hey, I won't give them a chance to get close!.
Belated Happy Birthdays to Madam Pince and Ladybug.
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Julie Aronson - Feb 21, 2005 4:52 pm (#2344 of 2956)
RE: Bad Hair
I, too, have suffered the indignities of a hair-don't. Sadly, it was self-inflicted. I have brown hair that naturally falls into spiral curls, but, while in a personal rut about 15 years ago, I had it changed to short, red, and asymmetrical--complete with a step in the back! It took me YEARS (and many sets of barrettes and headbands) to grow that monster out. Now it is one length and nearly down to my waist. I highlighted it once (gently) and might consider doing it again once cost is no longer an option.
RE: Locks of Love
I think this is a wonderful program...I really do! In fact, I think the ponytail from my misadventure described above ended up there. However, in the past few years I have encountered several people who are almost evangelical in their zeal about it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's totally out of line to shout at someone in the grocery store or park or other public place about how selfish they are to "keep all that hair" for themselves.
Julie
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 5:09 pm (#2345 of 2956)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's totally out of line to shout at someone in the grocery store or park or other public place about how selfish they are to "keep all that hair" for themselves. --Julie Aronson
Ooh, boy, where is Loopy Lupin..I mean Miss Manners...when you need her?
Julie, I admire your self-control not to reply back to the shouter that you appreciate their generosity in donating their brain to science prior to death.
Chemyst, Iet's hear it for pure potential! Let the makeover shows salivate. I'll hand them a handkerchief and remind them to dab their lips occasionally.
If only we Forumers had the ability to grow our hair back at will after a bad haircut...it would change everything. JKR is obviously attuned to "bad hair" insecurity!
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Amilia Smith - Feb 21, 2005 5:19 pm (#2346 of 2956)
I cut bangs when I was in high school. Biggest mistake I ever made. I have a baby-face to begin with, but then with the bangs, I look younger in my sixteen year old pictures than I do in my twelve year old photos. Unfortunantly, my hair grows incredibly slowly (can't tell you how much I envy you, Gina, being able to go from short to long to short). I worked on growing those bangs out for over 10 years. It was only with this last cut (finally gave in and got layers) that I feel satisfied that those old bangs are finally worked in.
As a result of this story, I have yet to dare to cut my hair short. The aforementioned layers are about as brave as I get. What if I cut it short, hated it, and it took 20 years to grow it back?????
Mills.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 21, 2005 6:26 pm (#2347 of 2956)
I've done many a bad bang job on myself, but have finally learned the better of it. Once in junior high school, I did decide to "trim" my eyebrows, having read about it some silly magazine and managed to clip a big hole in one. I was filling it in with eye liner every day until one day I was home sick from school and hadn't had a chance to do a quick fix. My mother was none too pleased. At least I hadn't shaved them off like one of my cousins did. Of course, that still haunts me today as Mr. Accio Sirius always wants me to trim his hair with this ridiculous hair trimming (perhaps dog grooming???) set he bought and it just terrifies me!
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 6:40 pm (#2348 of 2956)
Mr. Accio Sirius always wants me to trim his hair with this ridiculous hair trimming (perhaps dog grooming???) set he bought and it just terrifies me! --Accio Sirius
That reminds me of the "Flow-bee" of late '80s and early '90s fame. I remember people in infomercials just absolutely loving cutting their hair at home. Recently, I ran across a new shih-tzu owner who proudly announced that she trimmed her dog with a "Flow-bee" and I am chagrined to say that this dog looked much better than Daisy did after her infamous butchering haircut. So who am I to judge?
Good luck, Accio Sirius. May a steady hand and a talent for Transfiguration be upon you when you trim Hubby's hair.
See? Hair cuts seem more scary than the graveyard scene in GoF. No wonder Voldemort is bald....plus, who would agree to trim his hair, even if he had any?
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boop - Feb 21, 2005 7:39 pm (#2349 of 2956)
I had short hair until I was 12. My mom always wanted it short. I left it grow down to the end of my back. I didn't know about locks for love or I would have done that. My hair is just passed my shoulders. I have thick hair, done care for it being so thick.
My daughter got a puppy on Friday. Its all white and is a Bichon. Very cute puppy, was scared of everything at first, they weren't held at all.
This past weekend Penn State held its annual Dance thon. The Inertfraternity Council/ Panhellenic. The 704 and dancers were on the dance floor 48 hours straight. They do this to raise money for kids with cancer. They made $4,122,483, this is $575,000 more then last year. The dorms were really quiet today, students must be catching up with the sleep they lost.
Hugs Always
Betty (boop)
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Denise P. - Feb 21, 2005 8:02 pm (#2350 of 2956)
It has been a crazy day today, this is the first chance I have had to get here and check things. Eeek! The number of unread threads. This morning, I had to take one of my boys down to Nashville so he could tape some radio promos for an upcoming radio-a-thon (to benefit the Children's Hospital). Daughter wanted her hair cut TODAY and would not wait until Wednesday (when we had an appointment) so we took a chance doing a walk in. It was not bad, only a 45 minute wait. The ponytail is gone, we ended up taking 13" off the length of her hair. It is a cute cut but looks much darker now that her sun bleached hair is not there any longer. She also has a little bit of a wave in her hair, which was never apparent due to the weight of her hair. She is very pleased with the cut, Mom and Dad are taking a bit longer to get used to it.
I am off to start catching up on all the threads for the day...or I may just go to bed
Glad to know that I was not the only one to suffer childhood trauma related to bad hair.
Catherine - Feb 19, 2005 4:15 pm (#2301 of 2956)
Speaking of having a new one to cuddle, my parents have successfully adopted "Belle," a rescued shih-tzu from a neighboring county.
Her story is sad, but the ending is very happy, I think. Apparently, her clueless owner delivered her to the groomer emaciated, with a severe eye infection, and matted to the skin. The groomer intervened by calling the Humane Society, who convinced the owner to give up the dog in exchange for providing the appropriate medical care (spaying, removal of the eye, shots, and food).
My folks saw her picture, and were smitten, and at this very moment Belle is snoozing on my father's lap like a princess. I will post a link to her photo for interested persons.
I wish them all the best, and I hope I haven't been too boring by sharing this.
EDIT: I have put the photo of Belle in my profile. My mom is holding her at the foster mom's house right before taking her home.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 5:49 pm (#2302 of 2956)
Belle looks pretty happy in your Mum's arms Catherine. I also reckon your two dogs are pretty sweet as well. I also like your tulips (the pinky/purple one's?).
I'm pretty mad about dogs, you could never bore me about dogs and Harry Potter. Put them both on the same page and I'll be glued to it!
Its good to see Belle has found some nice new parents to keep her safe and warm.
Lizzy
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Marie E. - Feb 19, 2005 5:49 pm (#2303 of 2956)
Oh, Catherine, Belle is so adorable. I'm glad her story has a happy ending.
My little kitty isn't doing very well. Samantha is 17 so I guess it's to be expected but...you know. She's had some blood in her stool and today she was "leaking" blood onto the carpet. I'm preparing the girls for the possibility that Samantha may be very sick. Lexie isn't taking it very well. Right now she's under our bed, where she usually sleeps during the day. I'll keep you all updated.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 5:53 pm (#2304 of 2956)
I'm rather hoping it is Samantha under the bed, not Lexie. Nonetheless I send you and the girls and Samantha some cheering charms, get well charms, and some fortifying charms for the day/evening ahead.
Lizzy
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Catherine - Feb 19, 2005 6:02 pm (#2305 of 2956)
Thanks, Lizzy. Your avatar always makes me smile because that dog looks almost exactly like our beloved family pet who died seven years ago at age 17 and 1/2. Her name was Sandy, and through her own particular neuroses and gifts (and she had plenty of each), she made our lives more wonderful every day.
As for the flowers, I must admit that I planted purple and yellow pansies for the local university's school colors, although I love pansies, and don't think that you can plant too many, especially as it's really hard to kill them.
The pink tulips were an afterthought, as Claire was at the nursery with me, and really wanted to plant some. She dug the holes, put the bulbs in, and charted their growth. We enjoyed them more than I ever thought I would. I would put those tulips down as the best short-term investment our family ever made.
Most of them are coming back this year, too, so that will be fun to see. After that, it will be another trip to the nursery. I wonder what color Claire will pick this fall?
EDIT: Marie, you posted while I was posting. I'm so sorry about Samantha. I hope she's not in pain, and I know what it is like for a dear family pet to be ailing. Best wishes to you.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 19, 2005 7:23 pm (#2306 of 2956)
Marie! Don't despair.
My Fabergé (who is 16) had the same symptoms and I took her to the vet straight away. Your cat might have an ulcer and/or inflammatory bowel disease--both of which are very treatable!
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Denise P. - Feb 19, 2005 8:25 pm (#2307 of 2956)
I guess blood/personality does tell. I have two boy guinea pigs, Sirrius and Regulus. They have been together since they were itty bitty piggies. In the past two weeks, Regulus has shown his little DE tendancies. He chases poor Sirrius screaming around the cage and has bitten him. I took all the expert advice to let them work it out since they are in their piggy teenaged years. Tonight, I decided poor Sirrius has had enough. I put them in separate cages, something not done lightly since they are social little beings but my vet won't neuter pigs since there is a high rate of death from being put under. Regulus is not happy with the new set up, he is looking for a way out. Sirrius, I swear, has perked up and looks very content and happy now, not huddled in a scared heap any more. Since my vet won't neuter, I don't have much options beyond having two solo pigs.
Marie, I hope Samantha gets better. Did your Brownies have Thinking Day already? We had ours today and our troop did Lebanon.
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John Bumbledore - Feb 19, 2005 10:20 pm (#2308 of 2956)
I too would like to wish a happy birthday to Madame Librarian and DJ Evans!
Catherine, by short term investment did you mean you didn't expect them to come back? My father-in-law grows the biggest and most beautiful tulips I've seen. He digs them up each year and will place them in a very cool, dry spot in his basement/garage. I believe he suggested a short period of storage in the refrigerator because of our mild winters. But then again, maybe I'm just headed for St. Mungo's?
Marie E, I hope the best for Samantha, and that it may be like Gina's experience and treatable like her 'fancy-egg-art' named cat.
Well all, I must say good night (good morning after-noon to Lizzy, I think.) I hope your eclectric has been restored and remains stable henceforth.
(John) Bumbledore
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Ydnam96 - Feb 19, 2005 10:39 pm (#2309 of 2956)
Denise could you get more guinea pigs? One that Regulus won't beat up and one that will get along with Sirius?
It's rained all day here. To the point where after running to the grocery store upon returning it was necessary for me to take off my shoes and socks, roll up my pant legs, and wade through calf high water to get from my car to my house. The water was freeeeeeezing cold. I think that I should be constructing an ark, for real.
I did crochet a small blanket for my cat. Well really it's to put on my couch so that less cat hair gets on it. I'm quite proud of myself. It's the largest thing I've ever crocheted. It looks like one of those ovalish Amish rage rugs (in shape). It was supposed to be a square. Go figure.
So any of you Alias fans out there, any idea how to get an Alias ring tone on my phone? Right now I've had HP (from Mugglenet) and it's been there for quite a while and I'm ready for something different but I can't find one where I would just program in the notes like I did the Harry Potter one.
Well, it's about time for me to hit the threads and go to bed. Night all!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 19, 2005 10:56 pm (#2310 of 2956)
Bumbledore you got the afternoon bit right. Right now it is 4:56pm in the afternoon. I've been meaning to get a guinea pig or two. I've been hesitant because my two boys - Macca and Sami (they're dogs) don't like cats and small fluffy things. They chase after them growling like anything. The neighborhood cats learn pretty quickly my yard is a no go zone.
I'm in the middle of crocheting another rug. Lots of smallish squares to "sew" together into one big rug. Not easy in the middle of summer with sweating hands, even when you are sitting under the air-con.
Lizzy
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The giant squid - Feb 20, 2005 12:50 am (#2311 of 2956)
Ree, I hope Sam's okay. Like you said, she's getting up there; give her a scritch from me.
“Why did we have to have all these kids??!”
Denise, this reminded me of another Bill Cosby-ism: "Why did we have four children?" "Because we didn't want five."
Happy YesterBirthday, Barb & Deb! Barb, would an example of a malapropism be "Make like a tree and get outta here!" (a corruption of "make like a tree and leave")? It's not the best example, but it's the only thing my brain would squeeze out...
--Mike
P.S. Despite my numerous tentacles , I don't crochet. I do however have enormous respect for anyone with the patience & self discipline to do so.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 20, 2005 7:44 am (#2312 of 2956)
Thanks, guys, for your good b-day wishes, and those hacked apart malaprops. Listening right now to Sunday Weekend Edition on NPR radio (it's 8:38 am Chicago time-CST-on 2/20). They're about to do a feature story on John Williams and his music score for PoA. Hope some you can catch a listen. I'll report anything interesting on the pop culture thread.
The promo for the piece came on with the lilting intro theme. My head popped up from the newspaper, and I got all wobbly in my tummy. That music really gets me all in the HP mood. Ooooh, I thought, they're going to do a meaty story on the new book (please, oh, please). Well, not quite. But it'll be interesting to hear about the music stuff. This guy, Trudeau, reviews all the music nominees for the Oscars.
Uh oh, here it is. "Shush!" as Harry would say.
Ciao. Barb
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Madam Pince - Feb 20, 2005 10:26 am (#2313 of 2956)
Marie, I hope Samantha is going to be OK!
I was watching "The Green Mile" last night on TV, and they used another little regional quote which I haven't seen here yet:
“I think that boy's cheese has slipped off his cracker.” (He's gone crazy!)
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 20, 2005 5:13 pm (#2314 of 2956)
As for the flowers, I must admit that I planted purple and yellow pansies for the local university's school colors, although I love pansies, and don't think that you can plant too many, especially as it's really hard to kill them. – Catherine
I can't believe Marcus let this slide by.
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mollis - Feb 20, 2005 5:40 pm (#2315 of 2956)
I am so glad to be back with you guys. This has been one heck of a weekend. We got a virus in our computer and had to completely delete everything and start over. Somehow it managed to mess up our IP address and we could no longer get on the net. So that took most of yesterday and today (when I was supposed to be doing our taxes - not sure if I'm upset about not getting to do them or not...) Then, in the midst of the computer repair - our TV up and dies. Just poof! dead! So dear hubby decides he can't survive a minute without a TV in the living room (we have one in the bedroom, but apparently it's not big enough and he must have one in each location for his life to be worthwhile and heads to the store. Decides that we must spend what I consider way too much money on a TV with no consideration for the bills we have to pay and all that other financial stuff. Just frustrating to have to reach an agreement with someone when the priorities are different. Thanks for letting me vent...
On a better subject, I love knitting. Have knitted many blankets and afghans and a couple of baby hats. I do want to try a layette or even a sweater, but I'm a little bit nervous to try it. I'm afraid of putting all the time into it and then it won't fit. I'll probably take the risk one of these days though.
Okay, I'm going to go try and relax now. Its just been a really cruddy weekend for much more significant reasons than the superficial ones I complained about here. Maybe I'll hit some threads and cheer myself up. I post a cute, cheerfull smilie here, but they are all gone to computer heck. I'll have to transfer them over from the secret file of them I have stashed on my work computer. Shhh, don't tell.
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Catherine - Feb 20, 2005 5:42 pm (#2316 of 2956)
I can't believe Marcus let this slide by--Loopy Lupin
Me, either. I'm a little disappointed that his work takes him away at just the wrong time. **waves to Marcus**
But at least you are here, Loopy, to carry on Marcus's work in the Uniting the Houses" thread, and in poking me about pansies.
For the record, I tried really hard to get Mom and Dad to name the new doggy "Pansy" or "Poppy," in terms of HP names. Other choices were "Willow" and "Dahlia," to be called "Dolly." Alas, earwax, her name is "Belle." I happen to like her name, as I suggested it also, but so far I've managed to give the puppy rescues HP names so far. My parents thwarted me, as they love to do.
Hope you all have a good night, and Loopy Lupin, I hope that your weekend was full of health salad, meatballs, and every other good thing!
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Denise P. - Feb 20, 2005 5:57 pm (#2317 of 2956)
The time was coming and it has finally arrived. My 7 year old has never had a hair cut, other than tiny trims and bangs. Her hair is long enough to sit on. She said she wants it cut off. Luckily, she has enough hair that we can compromise between the shorter cut she wants and my wanting some length on it. We are going to donate her length to Locks of Love. Just measuring here at home, I think it will be 13-15" that we are going to donate. I just need to call the salon here tomorrow and get her an appointment. Even getting all that cut off, her hair should still be touching her shoulders. After years of seeing her with long hair, it is going to take getting used to seeing her with significantly shorter hair.
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Catherine - Feb 20, 2005 6:52 pm (#2318 of 2956)
How wonderful for your daughter to donate her hair, and she still has hair to spare. **didn't mean to sound like Dr. Seuss just now.**
But still, it's a lovely thing to do, and very grown-up of her. What a wonderful person to be at age seven.
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Denise P. - Feb 20, 2005 7:20 pm (#2319 of 2956)
I grew up with the much hated Pixie cut and then the equally hated Dorothy Hamill cut. I always swore I would not cut my daughter's hair unless she wanted it done. My dad watches me brush her hair (and her contortionist faces) and always advises me "Cut it short, let her grow it when she can take care of it herself" Kaity and I just smile and ignore him but she has reached the point where she wants it shorter now. I am going to get a before and after picture from her back, so you can see how long it was. She is wanting me to just hack it tonight but I convinced her to wait for an appointment.
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Catherine - Feb 20, 2005 7:34 pm (#2320 of 2956)
Denise,
I so appreciate your feelings in the matter. I was a formerly long-haired girl who was forced into a Dorothy Hamill cut overnight. I was very skinny and tall at the time, and everyone thought I was a boy. I'm still not over it, and it's probably one reason why I reacted so viscerally to Daisy's scalping haircut this summer.
So I, too, have a child with longish hair who does the contortionist faces, and all I have to do is say, "You sound like you want a short haircut" and that does the trick, at least for now. Both my girls have shoulder-length hair, and that is plenty for a pony tail, a "bun" for ballet, and to feel "girly" about.
I look forward to seeing any before and after shots. It's quite a to-do for her hairdo!
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boop - Feb 20, 2005 7:39 pm (#2321 of 2956)
Mollis, Sorry to hear your weekend didn't go well. Hope you have a good week, and welcome back.
There are TWO Birthdays tomorrow. I am posting them tonight, because I might not get a chance before work tomorrow.
FEB. 20th Madam Pince, and Ladybug 220. Happy Birthday!!!! Have a great day.
Denise, that is great thing for your daughter to do. I am sure many people are waiting for wigs with real hair. I am very proud of your 7 year old to do this..
Its snowing here tonight. Then late tonight it is changing to freezing rain and sleet. We are supposed to get 3 to 5 inches of snow first. Will make it interesting getting to work in the morning.
Good night and take care, Hugs Always.
Betty(boop)
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Gina R Snape - Feb 20, 2005 7:57 pm (#2322 of 2956)
Denise, shoulder length is still *quite* long hair! I had the dreaded Dorothy Hamill cut too, when I was about 9 years old. But I confess, after getting that first cut, I loved experimenting and cutting my hair.
After years and years of going back and forth between an inch from my scalp and below the shoulders, I can firmly say whatever the hairdresser does...her hair will grow back!
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Daioma Dumbledore - Feb 20, 2005 8:33 pm (#2323 of 2956)
G'Day everyone!
Once again I have been missing in action for a little while, but for now I'm back. We've had a couple of dramas to contend with, the biggest one being a couple of weeks ago we had huge storms here and my house got very very very flooded!!!! My whole lounge room was destroyed, but thanks to Elvis the Wonder Cat, who banged on our bedroom door until it opened and then jumped on top of Ben and meowed in his face until he woke up, at 5am mind you, to let us know that there was a waterfall in our lounge room, so I was able to move my week old beautiful suede couches (sofa for you in the u.s!) out of harms way. We then put a 90 Litre (almost 20 gallons) tub under the main water entry point & went back to bed as that's about all we could do, but then when we woke 2&1/2 hours later the tub was FULL! Just about to overflow plus there was now another entry point and we had at least an inch of water almost covering the entire floor, which is floating floor boards so they are now all completely buckled and all have to be replaced & my ceiling is being held up by wooden supports put up by the emergency men that came out the next day! So I have to get a new ceiling too, as well as painting all through the living areas!!! The worst part of it all is we had almost EXACTLY THE SAME THING happen just 12 months before!!!!!! And if the insurance company had of fixed it properly rather than just patching the damage we wouldn't be in this situation!!! You could say I am rather peeved at the whole situation.
But other than that and work stress everything else is going well, we are having our engagement party on the 19th March and are organizing that at the moment & I went to my first ever bridal fair the other week-end and got VERY excited!!
I hope everyone is wonderful, I've missed talking to you all. Talk soon
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Madam Pince - Feb 20, 2005 9:22 pm (#2324 of 2956)
Oh, Daioma, that is such a bummer. So sorry to hear. But what a great cat you have! Thanks to him, the couches were saved, and you can't say that about a whole lot of cats -- usually it's the cat that destroys the couch. (I say "couch" instead of sofa, too. My Mom says "davenport.")
Denise, can't wait to see the new hair-do. Tell Kaity we all think she is a wonderful young lady for being so generous!
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Betty! ***blushes*** You are so sweet to always remember birthdays! A lot of my "real-world" friends apparently forgot ***Madam Pince has a "Harry-in-OoP moment" of feeling sorry for herself...*** No really, I had a very nice birthday -- my father-in-law called to wish me a "Happy 39th!" (Ha -- I wish -- he was just being nice.) I was brought back to earth, however, by Baby Pince coming into the room, scrutinizing me closely, and then saying "You don't look fifty, Mama!" I think he'd had some coaching from somebody who thought he was being very funny.
Extra points were scored, however, by a totally decadent dinner of crab & mushroom casserole, lobster, champagne, and Mud Pie for dessert. Yummmmmmmm, yum. Thank goodness we only have birthdays once a year, though!
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Daioma Dumbledore - Feb 20, 2005 9:33 pm (#2325 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Madam Pince!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday, much deserved I'm sure.
As for Elvis saving the couch instead of destroying it, your very right in saying he is an oddity in the cat world! Such a lovable little mite though!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 20, 2005 10:13 pm (#2326 of 2956)
Gaaa! The flood sounds awful, but the cat sounds like a level-headed pet. Handy to have around, aren't they?
Denise, give your long-haired beauty an "atta girl" for her donation. And, one for you, too, for being a supportive mom on the whole issue. I had a major haircut to a pixie when I was nine. My long hair was always up in a tight, tight ponytail or bun (for ballet class) and I was actually getting horrible headaches from the pull and stress. My mom almost didn't believe that kids could get headaches ("What do you kids have to have headaches about?"--she was very old world about things like that), and when she finally got me to the doctor, he suggested it was the weight of my long hair. We both stared at him like he was nuts, but since I wanted to have short hair anyway, we cut it all off, and voila! the headaches disappeared. Happy ending for all (except my slightly shocked ballet teacher).
Happy B-day to Madam Pince. Hey, the two madam(e)s have birthdays right next to each other.
G'night all.
Ciao. Barb
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Gina R Snape - Feb 20, 2005 10:44 pm (#2327 of 2956)
Daioma! Thank heavens for the love of a good kitty. Your flood sounds dreadful. I hope the insurance pays for a proper cleanup and repair this time.
btw, Happy Birthday Alan Rickman! He's 59 today (21 Feb).
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 20, 2005 11:55 pm (#2328 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Madam Pince and Ladybug!!!
Daioma, welcome back, I was waiting to hear if your were affected by the wild weather Melbourne had. It sounds as though you got enough water to keep you busy for a while. Has it done anything for the drought situation and water restrictions?
Mmmm Denise, I'm rather impressed by the young lady's decision to donate her hair. Well done. PS I'm really pleased you write in pink, helps me keep track of who said who. I get you confused with Catherine - no idea why.
Have a lovely day everyone.
Lizzy
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septentrion - Feb 21, 2005 2:05 am (#2329 of 2956)
Happy birthday Madam Pince and Ladybug !
Daioma, seems you had a busy week. Good luck with the insurance company, I hope they'll fix things properly this time.
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The giant squid - Feb 21, 2005 2:10 am (#2330 of 2956)
Happy semi-centennial, Madame P! Look at it this way: you're only a third as old as Albus. Birthday wishes to Ladybug as well.
Denise, your daughter sounds very level headed indeed. Can't imagine where she gets it. I've thought of donating my locks to Locks of Love when (if) I finally cut it off, but I don't know if it'd qualify. It's typical "guy" hair--more split ends than strong hair. Most women take good care of their hair; I take "just good enough" care of mine.
--Mike
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 5:19 am (#2331 of 2956)
Denise, I'm rather impressed by the young lady's decision to donate her hair. Well done. PS I'm really pleased you write in pink, helps me keep track of who said who. I get you confused with Catherine - no idea why. --Dizzy Lizzy
Poor Denise, to get confused with me! Lizzy, simply put, Denise is the mom who is not a Slacker!
I'm flattered to be mentioned in the same sentence as Denise. You made my day, Lizzy.
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haymoni - Feb 21, 2005 5:26 am (#2332 of 2956)
Morning all - It's President's Day, so being the lucky government employee that I am, I will be home lounging all day.
What does one do on President's Day? I don't think that there is an official way to celebrate it - no special meal or tree to put up - I don't even think there is a parade.
Stores always have President's Day sales, so if the weather behaves, maybe I'll drag the kids out and see what's what.
Probably not though!
Have a great day all!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 21, 2005 6:36 am (#2333 of 2956)
Catherine is the one who usually has an avatar of a very cute breed of dog, just ask Lupin is Lupin. Denise, on the other hand, alternates avatars. One week it's the catcher, one week it's the first baseman, another week it's the left fielder. Have you sent the team to Florida for spring training yet, Denise?
Have a good week everyone. I don't know what one does on President's day, haymoni, as I've never had the day as a holiday in my working career. I suppose you could sit around and giggle that people like me are working.
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Julia. - Feb 21, 2005 8:38 am (#2334 of 2956)
Oy gevalt!!! I go away for the weekend and I come back to 70 new posts!
Happy birthday to Barb, Deb, Madam Pince and Ladybug. *passes around butterbeer* Hope you had amazing days and will have an amazing year.
Denise, you are the best for not wanting to cut your daughter's hair until she did. I was forced into a short hair cut as a kid, and I hated it. It looked horrible, and I really wanted it long. As a protest I have my hair long today, even though it would look much better short.
John, as for your question about anyone making HP designs, I know Sarah (scully jones) knitted a Gryffindor Scarf, and wore it to the Gathering last year. She posted a picture of it somewhere, but I can't be bothered to look for it now.
Catherine, I love the pictures you put in your avatar. Belle looks quite happy with your mum, and Daisy and Pheobe look very pretty among the pansies. Just out of curiosity, was that picture taken pre or post scalping, er, grooming?
I had the most awesome time in New York this weekend. We were in Crown Heights, which is the Chassidic section. I bought lots of Judaica, met some amazing people, participated in a random dance, got slobered on by a seven month old, and got made fun of by a five year old for buying an Aleph Bet jig-saw puzzle. I should have bought a kvart also. Oh well, can't think of everything I guess.
Classes are canceled today because of the snow. Thank G-d, I really need the day to catch up on all the work I should have done this weekend but didn't.
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Marè - Feb 21, 2005 9:05 am (#2335 of 2956)
Denise, you are the best for not wanting to cut your daughter's hair until she did. I was forced into a short hair cut as a kid, and I hated it. It looked horrible, and I really wanted it long. As a protest I have my hair long today, even though it would look much better short. – Julia
I'm just copying the above and that pretty much says it all.
Everytime I look in the mirror and think "I should have it cut short again". I realise that I promised myself I would grow it really long when I was "old" everytime my mother forced that short haircut she really liked on me...
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 10:31 am (#2336 of 2956)
I realise that I promised myself I would grow it really long when I was "old" everytime my mother forced that short haircut she really liked on me... >--Mare
Count me in on that one, too. I have finally accepted that my mother will never really approve of my hair. As a child, I was forced to have it cut ala Dorothy Hamill, and later endured a home perm at the tender age of 9 once I grew that cut out.
Since young adulthood, she has urged me to highlight my very dark hair. I tried multiple techniques, and my hair just wants to turn brassy red, so I quit. Now I have gray hairs popping up every once in a while, and she wants me to color those. Now the big thing is that I am too old to have "long" hair, which isn't long at all. It touches my collar bone; it's not like it's half-way down my back.
I just smile and ignore her when she makes her suggestions. They almost don't bother me anymore.
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 21, 2005 12:05 pm (#2337 of 2956)
My mother never wanted me to cut my hair. She could never get hers to grow very long, so she lives vicariously through my hair. I'm 28, and she still gets upset when I cut it to my shoulders! My mom has naturally curly hair, which she hates. I have naturally straight hair, which I hate. Are we ever satisfied?
My one perm experience was self-induced early in my teens. At the time I had hair well past my waist. It took the poor woman 5 hours to roll it because I wanted spiral curls (remember those?)!
Happy Belated birthday to Barb, Deb, Madam Pince, and Ladybug! **hands out chocolate frogs and every-flavored beans***
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Good Evans - Feb 21, 2005 12:12 pm (#2338 of 2956)
dorothy hamill cuts !! - at least you weren’t forced in to a Princess Di at the age of 10! My hair is very thick, very single minded and did not like the Princess Di cut at all!! I have for the first time since I was 10 finally got rid of a fringe, its kind of weird and kind of cold!!
snow today in the South East. First proper snow we have had, hoping for lots tonight in order to work from home tomorrow but we'll have to see!
Daioma, really sorry to hear your story, and a bummer as it is on a repeat!! I do hope you get it sorted, can you sue the insurance company for the distress???
happy birthday (passed) for those over the weekend mmmm lobster sounded nice madam pince!
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Eponine - Feb 21, 2005 1:51 pm (#2339 of 2956)
Hair. When I was younger I had short hair cut in what I believe you would call a pageboy style. I started growing it out when I was about 12-13 and had the occasional trim and sometimes cut. My senior year in high school I could sit on my hair. I kept it between my waist and halfway down my back for about 6 years from the time I was a freshman in h.s. until I was a sophomore in college. Since then it's varied between right above my shoulders and a few inches below my shoulders. It's currently just above my shoulders, and it's much easier to take care of than long hair.
Anyway, I had a message from a parent today, so I had to make my first official teacher call. Thankfully, it wasn't anything bad. They weren't calling to say their child hates me. =)
I hope everyone is having a great day today! Happy Presidents' Day!
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Penny Lane. - Feb 21, 2005 2:16 pm (#2340 of 2956)
Thanks to all the other knitters out there! I received bunches of patterns in my email box, and I'm very greatful. Now, if only ya'll wanted to send me the supplies.
As for hair, when I was 6, I was traumatized. My mom insisted that the "hairdresser" (it was back in the 80s) cut my hair into a short 'bob' like hers. It was not a bob, it was a modified dorthey hamel style that made me look like a little boy. I pretended to be sick for a week so I wouldn't have to be seen in public. Mom still thinks it's funny too. I still get angry when she tells the story and until recently I would leave in a huff.
By the time I was 10, it had grown out. So she made me get a spiral perm, and I spent a few years looking like a poodle. By the time that was over, I grew it out, and finally my hair was good. In 8th grade, I brought a picture of the 'Jennifer Aniston cut' from the early friends episodes, and somehow the styalist interpeted that into "I want a BIG UGLY MULLET". If I curled it, I looked just like Carol Brady in the Brady BUnch Movie.
Now that I'm older and wiser, I only go people I trust, which is either places where my friends have gone, or Panopolous Salons. I will pay the extra money to be sure that I won't come out looking stupid. It may grow back, but if i'm interviewing for a job, I can't not look my best. It will tear at my self confidence, and I don't want to look unprofessional because the colorest turned my highlights orange.
EDIT: Does WC still have smilies built in?
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Lina - Feb 21, 2005 2:32 pm (#2341 of 2956)
I was thirteen when I was allowed to choose my hairstyle for the first time. So I have decided to let my children choose their hairstyle as soon as they started to show their opinion which happened when they were around three.
Well it's not practical when a five years old says "I want my hair cut," and if you don't do it immediately, she takes scissors and does it by her own...
I have introduced a new punishment this year: 1 cm of hair gets cut for each not written homework. One of my daughters has long hair...
Edit: well, about a perm, I was two when I had it for the first time. And, yes, it is truth, after I was allowed to cut my hair when I was 13, I had to have a perm done for years after that. That's why my hair is straight now.
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Madam Pince - Feb 21, 2005 4:13 pm (#2342 of 2956)
Mike, important note -- it was NOT actually my semi-centennial (but thanks for the positive spin anyway!) Baby Pince was just repeating something Mr. Pince had told him to say to me, probably to make me feel like 41 (my real age) is not really so bad as I make it out to be. Thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes!
Went car-shopping today. I have no idea why, as we have no intention of buying a car for at least a year yet, and probably longer than that, even. Mr. Pince just had the day off, and so we spent it checking out the new Nimbus 2005s....er....well, new vehicles. We were quite disappointed that we had no snow -- we were expecting to be shoveling all day!
Caput Draconis, are you out there? Have they aired the first "Survivor" episode yet? I thought of you the other day and wished I'd invited you over for a big bowl of popcorn and a wallow in Survivor-world!
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Chemyst - Feb 21, 2005 4:43 pm (#2343 of 2956)
I am so there on all the long hair stories. Not only have I suffered kindred tales of woe myself, but I have also seen my daughter victimized by a stylist who must have received her diploma from the same Online College of Snipping as Catherine's ex-groomer. My daughter hasn't set foot inside a clip joint since then and now has hair long enough to sit on. About three years ago I decided to do the same. I now look like one of those old pony-tailed women the "make-over experts" would drool over because there is so much "potential" but, hey, I won't give them a chance to get close!.
Belated Happy Birthdays to Madam Pince and Ladybug.
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Julie Aronson - Feb 21, 2005 4:52 pm (#2344 of 2956)
RE: Bad Hair
I, too, have suffered the indignities of a hair-don't. Sadly, it was self-inflicted. I have brown hair that naturally falls into spiral curls, but, while in a personal rut about 15 years ago, I had it changed to short, red, and asymmetrical--complete with a step in the back! It took me YEARS (and many sets of barrettes and headbands) to grow that monster out. Now it is one length and nearly down to my waist. I highlighted it once (gently) and might consider doing it again once cost is no longer an option.
RE: Locks of Love
I think this is a wonderful program...I really do! In fact, I think the ponytail from my misadventure described above ended up there. However, in the past few years I have encountered several people who are almost evangelical in their zeal about it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's totally out of line to shout at someone in the grocery store or park or other public place about how selfish they are to "keep all that hair" for themselves.
Julie
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 5:09 pm (#2345 of 2956)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's totally out of line to shout at someone in the grocery store or park or other public place about how selfish they are to "keep all that hair" for themselves. --Julie Aronson
Ooh, boy, where is Loopy Lupin..I mean Miss Manners...when you need her?
Julie, I admire your self-control not to reply back to the shouter that you appreciate their generosity in donating their brain to science prior to death.
Chemyst, Iet's hear it for pure potential! Let the makeover shows salivate. I'll hand them a handkerchief and remind them to dab their lips occasionally.
If only we Forumers had the ability to grow our hair back at will after a bad haircut...it would change everything. JKR is obviously attuned to "bad hair" insecurity!
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Amilia Smith - Feb 21, 2005 5:19 pm (#2346 of 2956)
I cut bangs when I was in high school. Biggest mistake I ever made. I have a baby-face to begin with, but then with the bangs, I look younger in my sixteen year old pictures than I do in my twelve year old photos. Unfortunantly, my hair grows incredibly slowly (can't tell you how much I envy you, Gina, being able to go from short to long to short). I worked on growing those bangs out for over 10 years. It was only with this last cut (finally gave in and got layers) that I feel satisfied that those old bangs are finally worked in.
As a result of this story, I have yet to dare to cut my hair short. The aforementioned layers are about as brave as I get. What if I cut it short, hated it, and it took 20 years to grow it back?????
Mills.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 21, 2005 6:26 pm (#2347 of 2956)
I've done many a bad bang job on myself, but have finally learned the better of it. Once in junior high school, I did decide to "trim" my eyebrows, having read about it some silly magazine and managed to clip a big hole in one. I was filling it in with eye liner every day until one day I was home sick from school and hadn't had a chance to do a quick fix. My mother was none too pleased. At least I hadn't shaved them off like one of my cousins did. Of course, that still haunts me today as Mr. Accio Sirius always wants me to trim his hair with this ridiculous hair trimming (perhaps dog grooming???) set he bought and it just terrifies me!
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Catherine - Feb 21, 2005 6:40 pm (#2348 of 2956)
Mr. Accio Sirius always wants me to trim his hair with this ridiculous hair trimming (perhaps dog grooming???) set he bought and it just terrifies me! --Accio Sirius
That reminds me of the "Flow-bee" of late '80s and early '90s fame. I remember people in infomercials just absolutely loving cutting their hair at home. Recently, I ran across a new shih-tzu owner who proudly announced that she trimmed her dog with a "Flow-bee" and I am chagrined to say that this dog looked much better than Daisy did after her infamous butchering haircut. So who am I to judge?
Good luck, Accio Sirius. May a steady hand and a talent for Transfiguration be upon you when you trim Hubby's hair.
See? Hair cuts seem more scary than the graveyard scene in GoF. No wonder Voldemort is bald....plus, who would agree to trim his hair, even if he had any?
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boop - Feb 21, 2005 7:39 pm (#2349 of 2956)
I had short hair until I was 12. My mom always wanted it short. I left it grow down to the end of my back. I didn't know about locks for love or I would have done that. My hair is just passed my shoulders. I have thick hair, done care for it being so thick.
My daughter got a puppy on Friday. Its all white and is a Bichon. Very cute puppy, was scared of everything at first, they weren't held at all.
This past weekend Penn State held its annual Dance thon. The Inertfraternity Council/ Panhellenic. The 704 and dancers were on the dance floor 48 hours straight. They do this to raise money for kids with cancer. They made $4,122,483, this is $575,000 more then last year. The dorms were really quiet today, students must be catching up with the sleep they lost.
Hugs Always
Betty (boop)
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Denise P. - Feb 21, 2005 8:02 pm (#2350 of 2956)
It has been a crazy day today, this is the first chance I have had to get here and check things. Eeek! The number of unread threads. This morning, I had to take one of my boys down to Nashville so he could tape some radio promos for an upcoming radio-a-thon (to benefit the Children's Hospital). Daughter wanted her hair cut TODAY and would not wait until Wednesday (when we had an appointment) so we took a chance doing a walk in. It was not bad, only a 45 minute wait. The ponytail is gone, we ended up taking 13" off the length of her hair. It is a cute cut but looks much darker now that her sun bleached hair is not there any longer. She also has a little bit of a wave in her hair, which was never apparent due to the weight of her hair. She is very pleased with the cut, Mom and Dad are taking a bit longer to get used to it.
I am off to start catching up on all the threads for the day...or I may just go to bed
Glad to know that I was not the only one to suffer childhood trauma related to bad hair.
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:06 pm
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Gina R Snape - Feb 21, 2005 8:07 pm (#2351 of 2956)
Oh, now, Denise. It's not the end of the world! In fact, it amazes me that people think of shoulder-length hair as short at all. My hair grows like weeds, but doesn't get any longer than mid-back. To me, anything two inches below the ear and on is long.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 21, 2005 11:58 pm (#2352 of 2956)
I've been see-sawing over the years between long hair and short hair. I have come to the conclusion that my hair just will not grow longer than shoulder length. My hair is just so fine and thin that it cracks and spilts and breaks once it hits my collar bone.
Nonetheless, I like it that length and every now and again I go and get a drastic haircut and grow it all out again.
Lizzie with the Yo-Yo hair
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The giant squid - Feb 22, 2005 2:14 am (#2353 of 2956)
Ooh, long hair... let me sound off on the "guy" side:
For the first 11 years of my life I was forced to wear the regulation military cut--what I refer to now as "Congress hair"--short on the back & sides, long on top, parted on the left & flopped over to the right--because my dad was in the Air Force. Look at any member of the US congress & you'll see what I mean. At age 12 I vowed to grow it out a bit; I ended up with a mullet for a while, but since I grew up in hockey country that wasn't so bad. Once I got to college I just stopped getting my hair cut--partially for the look, but mostly because I didn't have the money for the stylist. It's been long ever since, except for a brief time in teh early 90's when I had a choice between haircut or unemployment. I would've chosen unemployment but my sister was relying on my share of the rent. **waves at Marie E.** The last "official" haircut I got was in September 1994 (not counting the occasional trim). I held a mini party last year for my coif's 10th anniversary.
Yes, long hair can be a problem, especially at work. It's tough to get the respect of most management types when your hair goes past your shoulders, even (or especially) when you're better at your job than they are, but I've managed to get by. I've resigned myself to the fact that the better position will often go to the guy with the "corporate" look rather than me. As long as I can afford my HP Legos, I'm fine with it.
--Mike
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Good Evans - Feb 22, 2005 5:33 am (#2354 of 2956)
Oh Mike, love the priorities, You are absolutely right, HP legos rule!
lol
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Catherine - Feb 22, 2005 5:47 am (#2355 of 2956)
I ended up with a mullet for a while, but since I grew up in hockey country that wasn't so bad.—Mike
:::SNORT:::
You're not the only Forum member who had a mullet a while back! **waves to "you-know-who!"
Speaking of mullets and parental hair tyranny, I saw this family a few months ago in the hair salon, and they ALL had mullets: Mom, Dad, two boys, and a girl. The stylists called them "The Mullet Family" behind their backs. What was sad was that the oldest boy was begging the stylist to cut his hair in a non-mullet manner, and the dad wouldn't hear of it.
This poor kid is probably going to end up with "Congress hair" when he's older! **waves to Mike**
Denise, Kaity's hair looks so thick and healthy and pretty. I like her cut!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 22, 2005 6:16 am (#2356 of 2956)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's totally out of line to shout at someone in the grocery store or park or other public place about how selfish they are to "keep all that hair" for themselves. --Julie Aronson
Ooh, boy, where is Loopy Lupin..I mean Miss Manners...when you need her? –Catherine
Miss Manners is lying down with a cold compress after hearing that one. Bullying people into charity is quite uncharitable.
Congrats to your daughter Denise. That was very sweet.
Wow, Betty, that's a boatload of moolah for the dance thing. I couldn't imagine 48 hours of all that dancing and spinning around; I would surely lose the battle with inertia.
And let me just speak of in defense of the mullet......On second thought, let me not. ***runs off to hide pictures of 18 year-old self***
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librarian314 - Feb 22, 2005 7:04 am (#2357 of 2956)
Hey all!
No terrible hair horrors here. My mom let me do what I wanted with my hair when I was younger, so I got a really short bob when I was about 7 and it stayed short until I was about 14 when I decided I wanted long hair. Throughout the 80s I had the ever popular feathered hair-style, which didn't look too goofy.
I haven't had a "proper" hair cut in well over a decade, just the occasional trim. My hair now hangs well below my waist. I've had to put up with my mother-in-law trying to get me to cut my hair, luckily I'm pretty resistant to "peer pressure". I either pull it back in a ponytail, braid, a bun, or with a barrette. It take me less than five minutes to do my hair in the morning and I like how it looks. I've not had to muck with a curling iron since the 80s were over.
The only thing I would like to do to my hair more often is henna it. I like the red highlights it brings out but I've just got too much hair and no friends close enough to help. I'm looking forward to when my daughter is old enough to help me!
My daughter likes to wear her hair in a darling 20s bob (Think Pansy Parkinson from the movie PoA). She won't however let me put one of those huge bows on her head that are so cute. Her dad takes her to get her hair cut as I find haircuts unsettling. I always notice when someone I know has gotten a haircut. I've gotten better as I have aged. Severe haircuts used to cause me to go into vapors. Once in college I swooned when one of my friends shaved his head. ;-)
I'd really like to be a metamorphmagus because I'd love to be able to play with my hair like Tonks does. I'd love to wear violet spikes one day, auburn curls that hang to my back the next, and then blue braids the next.
Anyway, y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Madame Librarian - Feb 22, 2005 8:53 am (#2358 of 2956)
Um...OK, I give. What, pray tell, is a mullet? You cannot imagine what the name conjures up in my mind, but I'm sure what you will describe is worse. Also, where does the name come from? (Am I that out of it, she asks herself.)
I am a short-haired person, probably forever now unless some dire brain function thing kicks in and I simply eradicate things like hair/appearance from my consciousness. I am short, slight (well...I have some hips, but let's not focus on that), and my face is narrow, my features easily obscured by bangs and longish hair on the sides or below my ears. Even with a medium bob, my face gets kind of swallowed up. A pixie cut works, but I really like to gel it and spike it a little--kind of how I picture Tonks only not pink or purple. I'm lucky in that my husband actually likes me better in short hair, even very short. My last attempt to grow it even a little was a disaster. I was miserable during the growing because I detest fussing--I barely use a comb now, just fingers and a bit of gel, no dryers even, but to just look halfway presentable I was playing with blow dryers, diffusers, curling irons, special brushes and such. Gaaaa! When I caught a sideways glimpse of myself in a mirror somewhere, and wondered who that dreadful looking woman was, I was horrified it was me, and within 24 hours had my pixie cut back. Many, many people told me how much better they could see me, how my eyes stood out now. I was convinced to stay a shortie. The only issue is regular haircuts--I get one very 3 weeks and luckily the stylist is near my home and work, quick and very inexpensive ($25). It's a no-fuss deal and I can be in and out in 15 minutes. I barely tolerate his blow drying it, but I don't like to hurt his feelings.
Now as to color. Well, I started going grey (though I prefer the term silver) very early as did my mom. It was so gradual and kind of neat in my late 20s to have a streak of it that I just left it. I'm mostly silver now mixed with a few hints of the brunette I used to be, some areas like the very front is almost white, and I think it's an OK look, though it has completely changed the color lipstick and foundation I wear when I put makeup on. I do look a teensy bit washed up without at least some lipstick, but that's much preferable to have my hair colored regularly (hate the smell).
OK, enough. Mostly I want to know about the mullet.
Ciao. Barb
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Catherine - Feb 22, 2005 9:12 am (#2359 of 2956)
OK, enough. Mostly I want to know about the mullet—Barb
Much googling has still not yielded a definitive answer about how the mullet hairstyle was named, alas earwax, as a mullet is a stout, elongated fish. However, the same googling will lead you to a number of sites which can tell you more about mullets than anyone would ever want to know. Some sites portray photographs of this style, and some sites even allow one to rate the mullets within them.
In general, a mullet is a hairstyle that is very short on the top and sides, and long to quite long in the back. Think Michael Bolton way back, or early Billy Ray Cyrus.
Hope we didn't get your hopes up for something really fabulous!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 22, 2005 10:13 am (#2360 of 2956)
Thanks!
(*toddles off to google as advised)
Ciao. Barb
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Chemyst - Feb 22, 2005 10:29 am (#2361 of 2956)
Googling also turned up a picture of Homer Simpson with a mullet. I shall now sit back and watch to see if a certain forum member changes his avatar.
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Elanor - Feb 22, 2005 11:28 am (#2362 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Tuesday evening has finally come, phew! School started again yesterday and, as I was still so tired because of the flu, they were not easy days. Fortunately, I will work at home tomorrow so it should be better (I already foresee a great nap...). We still have a lot of snow (about 15 or 20 centimetres in the playground). It was not funny because there was some snow on the roads too but the kids loved it.
About hair, mine is actually half Lupin, half Harry style. I am a brunette and my hair has always been very untidy. It was a nightmare to comb when I was a kid and my Mom gave up the idea of letting them growing long quite soon, so I spent my childhood with some kinds of untidy bob haircuts. Now, I wear my hair short, and still untidy, but now I just put some hair gel on it and pretend I do it on purpose...
White hair is a family heritage and I had my first one when I was 14! Now I'm 32 and I have more than half of my hair white. I started to have it colored when I was about 25 because I was fed up with people telling me "oh, you have so many white hairs". Most of the time it was at work (when I worked in tourism) and those people who were asking for historic informations just stopped me in the middle of a sentence for saying that sort of things. I thought it was very rude and very irritating too. But now I don't really care what people think when they meet me, if my hair bother them, well I miss nothing not knowing them! (it must be the "thirty age" effect).
Have a great Tuesday everybody!
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Julia. - Feb 22, 2005 11:31 am (#2363 of 2956)
mmmmmm...mullet
Mullets are described as the 'business in the front, party in the back' hair cut. I think they're disgusting on both ends.
I was forced into a 20s bob when I was 8. It took until I was 11 to get rid of it. I still curse my mother for making me have such a ridiculous hair cut that looked horrible on me. She seemed to think it looked cute. But she was the only one. If I ever do that to my daughters, I need for someone to break out an old picture of me in 4th grade.
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Steve Newton - Feb 22, 2005 11:39 am (#2364 of 2956)
I also had my first white hair at 14. By mid thirties it was almost all white. Now it has some darkness in the back but mostly white. Of course, its been several years since I was prematurely gray. Sigh.
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Eponine - Feb 22, 2005 2:13 pm (#2365 of 2956)
Today, we had a bomb threat at school. We had to evacuate the school and stand on the football field for an hour while the school was searched. The kids thought it was great, of course since they were missing class. This is the third bomb threat this school has had this year. The one today was apparently called in to every middle school and high school in the county. So there were quite a lot of students missing some classes today in Alamance County. As far as I know, nothing actually happened anywhere, so that's good.
So, other than that, my day went pretty well. How are you?
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Lina - Feb 22, 2005 2:44 pm (#2366 of 2956)
Amilia Smith: Unfortunantly, my hair grows incredibly slowly (can't tell you how much I envy you, Gina, being able to go from short to long to short).
Well, I found out some simple facts about hair: when you want it long, it grows extremely slowly, but when you want to keep it short for a while, it grows incredibly fast. But the fact is that it grows and any mistake can be repaired in time. I have decided not to take too much care about my hair because if it gets ruined too much it can always be cut. I like to change colors and that is something I can do by myself. I manage to see a hairdresser at most twice a year and then I chose some style that doesn't look too bad when it grows longer. I took a look at the mullet style, and I must say I like it. I tried to explain it to my hairdresser when I was much younger, but she wouldn't understand. Too bad I didn't have those pictures at that time.
We had a bomb threat at the faculty I work at, few years ago. And it is just ridiculous how we were all cool about that. We had a dean at that time who was a sort of dictator and nobody dared to evacuate the faculty until he said we may. Even policemen came and said that we may not evacuate until he says so, because they had to do some exams with him. I had a business meeting at the same time and we moved to a bar when we were allowed to evacuate. Of course, it turned out to be a false alarm, we suspect some students who didn't want to have the exam that day.
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vanessa cave - Feb 22, 2005 2:50 pm (#2367 of 2956)
Edited by Kip Carter Feb 22, 2005 2:49 pm
Hi, everyone! I didn't quite know where to post this question so I'm trying here but feel free to move it. Before I start I'm addressing all UK residents really. I am wondering where to go to buy my copy of HBP? I intend to go to a midnight opening but the question is where? When OOTP was released I went to WHSmith and the book came in a lovely brown paper bag with the cover art from the book on it. Also I got a free Harry Potter pen and other bits. Well my question is did anyone go to an Ottakers midnight opening and did you get any "extras" with it, or does anybody work at either of these shops and know anything about what is planned? Sorry for rambling.
Vanessa
vanessa cave, Welcome to the Harry Potter Lexicon Forum. One of the section of the Philosophy of this Forum deals with following the rules of capitalization. The personal pronoun "I" is capitalized. I have edited your post to correct for these errors. I also made a number of other edits shown in italics. I will not do it again, but will delete your post if you choose not to abide by the Philosophy.
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Madam Pince - Feb 22, 2005 4:35 pm (#2368 of 2956)
I've never been one to bother about my hair too much -- I've taken the philosophy that "it'll always grow back." The only time I ever had a major problem was when a friend of mine used one of those home versions of highlights on me -- the kind you paint on. She worked her way around from left to right, and went way too slowly. So the left half of my head was highlighted almost white, and the right half still looked dark. We tried to repair it, but I ended up looking like a comedian of the day named Yahoo Serious (trust me, you do NOT want to look like him.) I sat by my phone calling my stylist's number every five minutes from 7:00 the next morning until he answered, when I begged him "You've got to take me today, please!" He laughed so hard when he saw me. So I've never attempted any home-coloring jobs since then.
My parents always let me do whatever I wanted with my hair when I was little, so it was just long and straight until I went to college and tried the perm route. After that phase, I went back to long and straight. Mine is sort of like Kaity's though, in that when the weight of the length is taken off, it gets kind of wavy. There are wispys around my face which just absolutely won't grow, so they always look untidy when the weather begins to turn damp and rainy.
I usually go to get a cut and tell the stylist "Do whatever you want without going too terribly short" and they look at me as if I'm nuts. I went to a pretty pricey salon a couple years ago when I thought I was ready for a change, and told them to do whatever they thought would look best -- after all, part of the reason for their high price is supposed to be that they analyze your face shape and all that and come up with something unique and stylish. Well, basically they charged me a huge fee, and did next to nothing other than a little trim. I thought it looked pretty much like it looked when I went in there -- long and straight. So anyways, it looks like I'm destined to have boring hair...
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 22, 2005 4:38 pm (#2369 of 2956)
Eponine, I went to high school in Randolph County (NC), and I remember quite a few bomb threats. They were always done by students who thought it was funny or wanted to get themselves or someone else out of a test. I remember being angry because they always seemed to happen during my lunch period or chorus. I was never really afraid since I didn't think anyone would bother to bomb my high school, which was literally across from a cow pasture. Of course, things have changed quite a bit in the decade since I graduated. I'm sure the threat was much more stressful and inconvenient for the teachers than for us, so I feel for you.
During the post-9/11 anthrax scares, my NYC graduate school was evacuated for what turned out to be sugar or sweetener spilled on a table!!
Regarding hair: like Gina, my hair grows quickly. I was amazed by the cost of a haircut in NYC. It took me three years to find a stylist, but I finally found someone I like and trust enough to do layers (I've had really bad experiences in the past).
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timrew - Feb 22, 2005 5:55 pm (#2370 of 2956)
What is a 'Colourist'? Is hair-care breaking down into separate hair-caring factions? I think we should be told.......
Will there eventually be a hair-stylist to care for each individual hair? With the 'Colourist' breaking in at every point to decide what colour each hair should be?
I think I can do without 50,000 people giving me a haircut........
(diminishing rapidly as I shed hair).........
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Gina R Snape - Feb 22, 2005 5:58 pm (#2371 of 2956)
Tim, there are stylists and colourists and even shampoo girls. Don't think on it too much, though. I doubt you have much to worry about. :evil grin:
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Ladybug220 - Feb 22, 2005 6:11 pm (#2372 of 2956)
Hi everyone! I want to thank you for the birthday wishes; I have been out of town, otherwise I would have done it sooner. I spent my 30th birthday with my immediate and most of my extended family and it was great. We were together for my grandfather's memorial service but it was definitely a celebration of his life which is what my grandmother wanted.
As for all of the hair talk, my sis-in-law just donated around 15 inches of hair a couple of weeks ago and my cousin is growing her hair out so that she can do the same. She has almost enough hair now but she is going to wait another 6 months or so to get the cut. I was also forced into short haircuts but my mom did let me start growing it out once I went to school. So after kindergarten, my school pictures looked much better. Onto the mullet talk: one of my other cousins has a mullet and has had it for at least 15 years. My brother, grandmother and I tried to cut it this weekend, however, we were thwarted by his wife (yes I said wife). The rest of the family was ready to hold him down so that the deed could be done but it was not to happen. Ok, we wouldn't have done it really but it is always fun to threaten him with a haircut just to see the look of panic on his face.
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Catherine - Feb 22, 2005 6:19 pm (#2373 of 2956)
Oh, Tim, I am assuming that you are joking with us, or not married to a "high-maintenance" kind of lady.
My mom is such a person. She recently told me she was going to scale back her salon visits. The result? She will now go every four weeks in winter (when your hair grows more slowly) instead of every three weeks.
Sigh.
No wonder she thinks I am a barbarian for getting haircuts only every six weeks!
She also despairs about my nails and lack of manicures/pedicures.
Sigh.
Poor Mum!
EDIT: Ladybug, good to see you. Good to see you back from the Memorial service. Perhaps you should submit the "mullet-head's" picture to the site Loopy posted!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 22, 2005 6:41 pm (#2374 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 22, 2005 5:42 pm
Thanks Catherine! Hmmm....I wonder if I should submit his picture..... :evil grin: hehehehe.....I might have to do that....
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mike miller - Feb 22, 2005 6:55 pm (#2375 of 2956)
Happy Belated birthday to Barb, Deb, Madame Pince, and Ladybug!
I apologize for my lateness; work and computer problems have been a plague of late. I successfully replaced the motherboard and all seems well for the time being *knocks every piece of wood within reach*.
Hope everyone has a great week!
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Julia. - Feb 22, 2005 8:18 pm (#2376 of 2956)
Oh, we used to have bomb threats all the time in high school. They could be fun, but only if you were on the A wing side when the alarm went off. If you were on the A wing side you could go across the street to the park, where you could play basketball, play on the swings, or work on your tan if the weather was nice. If you were on the B wing side, you had to go to the parking lot where you could do none of those things. Not so fun. The absolute worst was when we would have them in the middle of winter, which we often did. It was freezing outside, and we were never allowed to go to our lockers to get our coats. One day we were out there for a few hours with out our coats, in maybe 10 degree weather. Thank G-d I had the foresight to keep my coat with me that day.
UUGH. I just got back from a meeting with all the students who live on my floor, the RAs, and the hall director. Last night someone gave my RA a flyer with a swastika on it. Apparently they were tired of being told to keep the noise down. So I lost an hour of studying time for the meeting. The person fessed up and apologized, which was good. We had a talk about what exactly is meant by living in a 24 hour quiet dorm. It turns out that I'm in the minority of people in this building, which is those of us who actually wanted to live here. *sigh* Back to Shakespeare now...
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The giant squid - Feb 22, 2005 8:50 pm (#2377 of 2956)
Julia beat me to the "classic" definition of a mullet. I would like to note that mine was a minor variety mullet--the "party" only reached to my collar.
I must admit I'm rather dismayed at the blasé attitude toward bomb threats these days. Is this the 21st century version of pulling the fire alarm to get out of class? If these kids put half as much effort into their classes as they do getting out of them, they'd be valedictorians!
--Mike
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 22, 2005 9:09 pm (#2378 of 2956)
Tim, not only are there stylist, colorist, prep and shampoo girls, there is also the tricologist! And he was a Brit! Of all these specialists, the tricologist was the most unusual. He's like a hair doctor who examines and diagnoses your hair for "problems". When I was living in New York and hair mattered, I spent an arm and a leg fixing my hair.
The only thing I've ever really liked about my hair is the color, jet black. In summer after too much sun it gets very reddish and now I have generous amounts of gray. It's always been short except when I was about 9 years old and wore 2 pony tails. If I try to grow it out now, the right side grows slowly and the left side gets long and I have to keep cutting it, so I just don't bother now and keep it short.
Happy Birthday Oxy, Madame Pince and all the others that I have missed.
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Penny Lane. - Feb 22, 2005 9:37 pm (#2379 of 2956)
Julia - we also had bomb threats at my high school. In my case though, as with fire drills, we would just sneak around the school to our cars and leave like any self respecting senior would. A few times we were chased by security guards, but we never really got in trouble.
There was a woman on "what not to wear" the other day who had a mullet. My roommate and I spent the entire hour laughing at her, until the end. Finally they cut it off, and gave her some moisturizer and she looked SO much better. It's really amazing what a good hair cut and color will do to a person. It can make them look YEARS younger, and with that comes that nice boost of self-esteem and energy.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 22, 2005 9:41 pm (#2380 of 2956)
Hairdresser every THREE weeks? Four to six even? Wow. I have an excellent hairdresser. I see her about 3 times a year. She gives me a great cut which grows out looking great as it grows. I get my nails done for weddings and maybe twice a year on a whim. When I was younger I'd see a hairdresser more often because I was frequently dyeing my hair and changing my look. But I gave that up ages ago when I took a real job after finishing my Master's degree.
Isn't it funny how varied people's habits are?
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Marie E. - Feb 22, 2005 10:45 pm (#2381 of 2956)
I'm thinking we should start the Dorothy Hamill Haircut Support Group. There's a lot of trauma around here concerning that particular hairdo. It took me years to grow it out to something I could live with. Right now I have fairly long hair but I tend to yo-yo between long and short.
Samantha has an appointment at the vet's tomorrow. Since reading Gina's post I am a bit more optimistic. (Thanks, Gina!) I confess to being a bit more indulgent with her ie: sleeping on my pillow, eating a bit of forbidden yogurt, etc. Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes to "Sammie".
Denise, I bet Kaity looks adorable in her new haircut. I know someone here that donated their hair to Locks of Love. Shayla's had drastic cuts in the past, but they were due to her doing some "home haircutting" and not any thought out decisions.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 22, 2005 10:54 pm (#2382 of 2956)
I visit my hairdresser every 8-12 weeks, partly for the money issue A$25-30 every time (more for wash and style afterwards) and partly for the same reason as Gina. I get my hair cut in such a way it can grow out nice. I trim the fringe myself every two weeks and that's that. No colouring, no styling.
I have some good news, I have been successful in obtaining another job. It is only part-time and starts out a One week per month and you work your way up to Two+ weeks per month. The job is the statistical surveying done by our Bureau of Statistics. So I'm pleased. It will pay my mortgage, health insurance, car insurance and house insurance. I now have to find extra work to pay for the food (grow a veggie garden, girl!) and electricity.
I am very relieved, the interview took an hour and a quarter and it was fun. The best interview I have ever been to.
It seems sometimes, the more we see we are all different people, the easier it is to see the common thread of humanity in us all.
Lizzie
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Julia. - Feb 22, 2005 10:56 pm (#2383 of 2956)
Wooo! I'm all excited, I have to share this with you! My review of our weekend in Crown Heights is online for the whole world to see!! *dances* You can read it here. Actually, this is the version edited by my Rabbi. The better one, that actually has the full story is here. Gerg's (the boy I have an uber crush on) is here. Hope you have as much fun reading this as I did having the experience!
EDIT: Cross posted with Lizzie. Mazel tov on your new job!!!! *hands Lizzie butterbeer* I'm so happy for you!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 23, 2005 2:15 am (#2384 of 2956)
Julia,
Thank you for your kind wishes. I have a few questions (curiosity) about some of the words/concepts used in your report. I have emailed you. PS it was a good report! If you check my profile, you will see the email address you need to look for.
Lizzy
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Julie Aronson - Feb 23, 2005 3:58 am (#2385 of 2956)
Congrats on finding a job, Lizzy!
Hopefully your luck is contagious, since I'm looking too...
Julie
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septentrion - Feb 23, 2005 4:14 am (#2386 of 2956)
Congrats Lizzy for your new job !
Seems Julia had a great time !
I googled for the Dorothy Hamill haircut, I think in France we'd call it more a "Mireille Mathieu" haircut (she's a French singer) : link here.
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Catherine - Feb 23, 2005 5:12 am (#2387 of 2956)
Hi, my name is Catherine, and I survived the Dorothy Hamill haircut.
Happy Wednesday to everyone.
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Acceber - Feb 23, 2005 5:16 am (#2388 of 2956)
Hi all. I'm in Stowe, Vermont at the moment and up at 7:00 in the morning because the floor became very uncomfortable after about 9 hours of sleeping. I've never skiied before, and I'm really enjoying it. I just read about 100 posts on this thread, but I've saving the others for when I get home. As this thread piles up the most, I felt the urge to read it.
Happy Birthdays to anyone that came into the world during these past few days however many years ago!
Congrats Lizzy! I'm glad you had fun at your interview .
I don't feel like typing in my hair story again, because we were sharing them after Catherine's dog Daisy got a shaving rather than a haircut. Here's mine. Just a note: I've decided to cut my hair next October or November, so people at camp can see how long my hair grew and people I get to know at high school will see me with long hair.
I'm going to go find my fanfic for the writing contest and hopefully finish it. Nice talking to you!
EDIT: Thanks Sept for finding out what a Dorothy Hamill haircut was, because I didn't know and was too lazy to find out.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 23, 2005 7:56 am (#2389 of 2956)
I'm sure we can only glean bits of pieces of everyone's personalities from these posts. That said, I can't decide if I am shocked or not surprised in the least that Loopy Lupin once had a mullet.
My name is Laura and I survived the Valerie Bertinelli haircut.
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Julia. - Feb 23, 2005 8:23 am (#2390 of 2956)
Hi, I'm Julia, and I survuved a 20s bob haircut.
Hey there Becca! *waves* Hope you're enjoying Vermont. I suddenly feel a bit old. I can understand Sept now knowing what a Dorothy Hamill haircut is, but you? I thought every American knew about that! I guess this means I'm getting old.
Lizzie, I got your email and responded.
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Good Evans - Feb 23, 2005 8:46 am (#2391 of 2956)
Hi Vanessa (about 20 posts back)
Welcome to the forum, as you must have guessed there are not as many UK forum members as other nationalities (especially when put together ... not that thats a bad thing everyone!! but that is why no one answered your question).
I cant answer your question, as like you I went to WHSmith and I intend to do so again on July 16th. So I am afraid I cannot say whether other retailers will give the promo packs, my instinct is that each retailer will do as they please. There is no guarantee that you will get anything other than the book anywhere. Perhaps you should contact your local retailer and ask if they are planning to do anything (you might sow a seed!)
Addressing the Q to the other forum members, did your retailers have a Harry Fest when OOTP went on sale? as Vanessa says, WHSmith (in the UK) staff dressd in costume, and gave out bags with pens, pencils, bookmarks etc. It made the queueing very worthwhile, especially the mulled wine and butterbeer that was served too.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 23, 2005 9:01 am (#2392 of 2956)
Greetings from Southern California, what's left of it anyway. It's been pouring down rain for days. I started feeling like I should be building an ark. The sun is shining at the moment, but I am not going to believe in it...it could just be a decoy to get me to leave without my umbrella.
Things at work are really stressful right now. I'm not sure I'll have a chance to get online for a while. I'll miss my HP fix. So Happy Birthday, aniversary, haircut, weekend to all!
PS: when I was a child I had my hair cut into a "boy" cut, it was horrible. It was really really short and I would have much preferreed a bob. No lie. And the ONE hair style I despise (and I hope I don't offend anyone in this) is the Rat Tail. Mostly this is seen on young boys for some reason. They have a normal short hair cut except for one bit in the back which is kept in a long ponytail or even braided. It litteraly looks as if the boy is a rat (from the head perspective). I always want to sneak up with a pair of scissors and cut it off. I have to restrain myself.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 23, 2005 11:59 am (#2393 of 2956)
I'm loving all this hairstyle memoir/confession/recovery stuff, but just remember, the fella with the absolutely, no-holds-barred, worst hair in the cosmos is...a little fanfare, please...THE DONALD! Aiiieeee!!!
Wanna see? Click here
What's it called--the Executive Combover? Gaaaa.
Ciao. Barb
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Penny Lane. - Feb 23, 2005 12:29 pm (#2394 of 2956)
I don't know... Donald's hair isn't THAT bad. At least it's clean and all. Also, I think he keeps it around now as more of an image thing. He could fix it if he wanted, but then people would talk. I bet that when ratings for "The Apprentice" start to slip, he'll do something different with his hair. If I gambled, I would bet on it. He knows how to sell his name and use his well known image to his advantage.
I'm also very amused by this conversation - I think it's starting to show people's personalitys traits, little by little. Now, if only we all had those pictures of us with our "Dorothy Hair"... *cackles*
Today was another "interesting" day in EMUland. By interesting, i mean BORING. I was up late last night finishing my midterm for a class. When I got to class this morning (12 a.m. - it's my earliest class) on time, for the first time in weeks, I was greeted by a professor who came running in 25 minutes late. He claimed that he put on his "Central Time" watch, and thought it was 11 am, instead of 12. He makes me so frustrated, because he puts these pages and pages of notes on the overhead and expects us to copy them down, even though he refuses to make the font any bigger, or put white space o nthe page. Then he doesn't even test us from the notes. OOH... sorry about the mini-rant.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 23, 2005 12:33 pm (#2395 of 2956)
Penny,
I'm sure there are pictures. It's just that someone may want to run for public office some day--or at the very least, post on the forum with a shred of dignity left!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 23, 2005 12:39 pm (#2396 of 2956)
....but just remember, the fella with the absolutely, no-holds-barred, worst hair in the cosmos is...a little fanfare, please...THE DONALD!---Madame Librarian
Well Barb, at least it's his own hair....or is it?
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 23, 2005 1:31 pm (#2397 of 2956)
Hi I'm lizzy and I survived a bowl haircut done in 1982! ouch!!
Thank you for providing a link of a Dorothy Hamill haircut Sept (even if it was a french lady). Now I understand why none of you liked it. It's the haircut that my Mum wears now and I think it suits her. Her face has rounded and matured over the years and now she can wear the cut. But on a child...urrrgh!
Have a good evening everyone.
Lizzy
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The giant squid - Feb 23, 2005 2:44 pm (#2398 of 2956)
Hi, my name is Catherine, and I survived the Dorothy Hamill haircut. –Catherine
(in unison) HI, CATHERINE!
It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that no one likes what their hair looked like in the 80's. And for those of you too young to remember the 80's make sure you have plenty of photos of yourself from ages 8 to 18 so that twenty years later you can look back and do what we're doing. :sick:
In the interest of full disclosure, Mandy, I had a rat tail, too. It was an intermediate step between the mullet and a real haircut.
--Mike
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 23, 2005 3:03 pm (#2399 of 2956)
I must protest. I avoided all the hair-don't and fashion mistakes of the 80's. You will find no pictures of me with a mullet or wearing a red leather jacket with dozens of pointless zippers.
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Elanor - Feb 23, 2005 3:11 pm (#2400 of 2956)
The 80s... I remember I even tried to have my hair permed. I should burn those pictures... And clothes were not really better than the haircuts. Is there someone here that was lucky enough to go through the 80s without ever wearing clothes with shoulder pads? I hated those things and a lot of times I tried and take them off the clothes and it was tricky, they were often sewed inside the linings... Fortunately, at least the music was good then! For me, U2 was never better than then. And I don't mention my cult series of that time... I still have fond memories of McGyver (he was so cute!). There was also that series, I think it was called "Growing pains" in the original version. I loved it! **sigh**
Lizzy, congratulations for your job! I hope that you will enjoy working there.
Julie, good luck for your job research too! I hope you will have the same luck than Lizzy.
Gina R Snape - Feb 21, 2005 8:07 pm (#2351 of 2956)
Oh, now, Denise. It's not the end of the world! In fact, it amazes me that people think of shoulder-length hair as short at all. My hair grows like weeds, but doesn't get any longer than mid-back. To me, anything two inches below the ear and on is long.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 21, 2005 11:58 pm (#2352 of 2956)
I've been see-sawing over the years between long hair and short hair. I have come to the conclusion that my hair just will not grow longer than shoulder length. My hair is just so fine and thin that it cracks and spilts and breaks once it hits my collar bone.
Nonetheless, I like it that length and every now and again I go and get a drastic haircut and grow it all out again.
Lizzie with the Yo-Yo hair
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The giant squid - Feb 22, 2005 2:14 am (#2353 of 2956)
Ooh, long hair... let me sound off on the "guy" side:
For the first 11 years of my life I was forced to wear the regulation military cut--what I refer to now as "Congress hair"--short on the back & sides, long on top, parted on the left & flopped over to the right--because my dad was in the Air Force. Look at any member of the US congress & you'll see what I mean. At age 12 I vowed to grow it out a bit; I ended up with a mullet for a while, but since I grew up in hockey country that wasn't so bad. Once I got to college I just stopped getting my hair cut--partially for the look, but mostly because I didn't have the money for the stylist. It's been long ever since, except for a brief time in teh early 90's when I had a choice between haircut or unemployment. I would've chosen unemployment but my sister was relying on my share of the rent. **waves at Marie E.** The last "official" haircut I got was in September 1994 (not counting the occasional trim). I held a mini party last year for my coif's 10th anniversary.
Yes, long hair can be a problem, especially at work. It's tough to get the respect of most management types when your hair goes past your shoulders, even (or especially) when you're better at your job than they are, but I've managed to get by. I've resigned myself to the fact that the better position will often go to the guy with the "corporate" look rather than me. As long as I can afford my HP Legos, I'm fine with it.
--Mike
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Good Evans - Feb 22, 2005 5:33 am (#2354 of 2956)
Oh Mike, love the priorities, You are absolutely right, HP legos rule!
lol
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Catherine - Feb 22, 2005 5:47 am (#2355 of 2956)
I ended up with a mullet for a while, but since I grew up in hockey country that wasn't so bad.—Mike
:::SNORT:::
You're not the only Forum member who had a mullet a while back! **waves to "you-know-who!"
Speaking of mullets and parental hair tyranny, I saw this family a few months ago in the hair salon, and they ALL had mullets: Mom, Dad, two boys, and a girl. The stylists called them "The Mullet Family" behind their backs. What was sad was that the oldest boy was begging the stylist to cut his hair in a non-mullet manner, and the dad wouldn't hear of it.
This poor kid is probably going to end up with "Congress hair" when he's older! **waves to Mike**
Denise, Kaity's hair looks so thick and healthy and pretty. I like her cut!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 22, 2005 6:16 am (#2356 of 2956)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's totally out of line to shout at someone in the grocery store or park or other public place about how selfish they are to "keep all that hair" for themselves. --Julie Aronson
Ooh, boy, where is Loopy Lupin..I mean Miss Manners...when you need her? –Catherine
Miss Manners is lying down with a cold compress after hearing that one. Bullying people into charity is quite uncharitable.
Congrats to your daughter Denise. That was very sweet.
Wow, Betty, that's a boatload of moolah for the dance thing. I couldn't imagine 48 hours of all that dancing and spinning around; I would surely lose the battle with inertia.
And let me just speak of in defense of the mullet......On second thought, let me not. ***runs off to hide pictures of 18 year-old self***
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librarian314 - Feb 22, 2005 7:04 am (#2357 of 2956)
Hey all!
No terrible hair horrors here. My mom let me do what I wanted with my hair when I was younger, so I got a really short bob when I was about 7 and it stayed short until I was about 14 when I decided I wanted long hair. Throughout the 80s I had the ever popular feathered hair-style, which didn't look too goofy.
I haven't had a "proper" hair cut in well over a decade, just the occasional trim. My hair now hangs well below my waist. I've had to put up with my mother-in-law trying to get me to cut my hair, luckily I'm pretty resistant to "peer pressure". I either pull it back in a ponytail, braid, a bun, or with a barrette. It take me less than five minutes to do my hair in the morning and I like how it looks. I've not had to muck with a curling iron since the 80s were over.
The only thing I would like to do to my hair more often is henna it. I like the red highlights it brings out but I've just got too much hair and no friends close enough to help. I'm looking forward to when my daughter is old enough to help me!
My daughter likes to wear her hair in a darling 20s bob (Think Pansy Parkinson from the movie PoA). She won't however let me put one of those huge bows on her head that are so cute. Her dad takes her to get her hair cut as I find haircuts unsettling. I always notice when someone I know has gotten a haircut. I've gotten better as I have aged. Severe haircuts used to cause me to go into vapors. Once in college I swooned when one of my friends shaved his head. ;-)
I'd really like to be a metamorphmagus because I'd love to be able to play with my hair like Tonks does. I'd love to wear violet spikes one day, auburn curls that hang to my back the next, and then blue braids the next.
Anyway, y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Madame Librarian - Feb 22, 2005 8:53 am (#2358 of 2956)
Um...OK, I give. What, pray tell, is a mullet? You cannot imagine what the name conjures up in my mind, but I'm sure what you will describe is worse. Also, where does the name come from? (Am I that out of it, she asks herself.)
I am a short-haired person, probably forever now unless some dire brain function thing kicks in and I simply eradicate things like hair/appearance from my consciousness. I am short, slight (well...I have some hips, but let's not focus on that), and my face is narrow, my features easily obscured by bangs and longish hair on the sides or below my ears. Even with a medium bob, my face gets kind of swallowed up. A pixie cut works, but I really like to gel it and spike it a little--kind of how I picture Tonks only not pink or purple. I'm lucky in that my husband actually likes me better in short hair, even very short. My last attempt to grow it even a little was a disaster. I was miserable during the growing because I detest fussing--I barely use a comb now, just fingers and a bit of gel, no dryers even, but to just look halfway presentable I was playing with blow dryers, diffusers, curling irons, special brushes and such. Gaaaa! When I caught a sideways glimpse of myself in a mirror somewhere, and wondered who that dreadful looking woman was, I was horrified it was me, and within 24 hours had my pixie cut back. Many, many people told me how much better they could see me, how my eyes stood out now. I was convinced to stay a shortie. The only issue is regular haircuts--I get one very 3 weeks and luckily the stylist is near my home and work, quick and very inexpensive ($25). It's a no-fuss deal and I can be in and out in 15 minutes. I barely tolerate his blow drying it, but I don't like to hurt his feelings.
Now as to color. Well, I started going grey (though I prefer the term silver) very early as did my mom. It was so gradual and kind of neat in my late 20s to have a streak of it that I just left it. I'm mostly silver now mixed with a few hints of the brunette I used to be, some areas like the very front is almost white, and I think it's an OK look, though it has completely changed the color lipstick and foundation I wear when I put makeup on. I do look a teensy bit washed up without at least some lipstick, but that's much preferable to have my hair colored regularly (hate the smell).
OK, enough. Mostly I want to know about the mullet.
Ciao. Barb
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Catherine - Feb 22, 2005 9:12 am (#2359 of 2956)
OK, enough. Mostly I want to know about the mullet—Barb
Much googling has still not yielded a definitive answer about how the mullet hairstyle was named, alas earwax, as a mullet is a stout, elongated fish. However, the same googling will lead you to a number of sites which can tell you more about mullets than anyone would ever want to know. Some sites portray photographs of this style, and some sites even allow one to rate the mullets within them.
In general, a mullet is a hairstyle that is very short on the top and sides, and long to quite long in the back. Think Michael Bolton way back, or early Billy Ray Cyrus.
Hope we didn't get your hopes up for something really fabulous!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 22, 2005 10:13 am (#2360 of 2956)
Thanks!
(*toddles off to google as advised)
Ciao. Barb
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Chemyst - Feb 22, 2005 10:29 am (#2361 of 2956)
Googling also turned up a picture of Homer Simpson with a mullet. I shall now sit back and watch to see if a certain forum member changes his avatar.
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Elanor - Feb 22, 2005 11:28 am (#2362 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Tuesday evening has finally come, phew! School started again yesterday and, as I was still so tired because of the flu, they were not easy days. Fortunately, I will work at home tomorrow so it should be better (I already foresee a great nap...). We still have a lot of snow (about 15 or 20 centimetres in the playground). It was not funny because there was some snow on the roads too but the kids loved it.
About hair, mine is actually half Lupin, half Harry style. I am a brunette and my hair has always been very untidy. It was a nightmare to comb when I was a kid and my Mom gave up the idea of letting them growing long quite soon, so I spent my childhood with some kinds of untidy bob haircuts. Now, I wear my hair short, and still untidy, but now I just put some hair gel on it and pretend I do it on purpose...
White hair is a family heritage and I had my first one when I was 14! Now I'm 32 and I have more than half of my hair white. I started to have it colored when I was about 25 because I was fed up with people telling me "oh, you have so many white hairs". Most of the time it was at work (when I worked in tourism) and those people who were asking for historic informations just stopped me in the middle of a sentence for saying that sort of things. I thought it was very rude and very irritating too. But now I don't really care what people think when they meet me, if my hair bother them, well I miss nothing not knowing them! (it must be the "thirty age" effect).
Have a great Tuesday everybody!
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Julia. - Feb 22, 2005 11:31 am (#2363 of 2956)
mmmmmm...mullet
Mullets are described as the 'business in the front, party in the back' hair cut. I think they're disgusting on both ends.
I was forced into a 20s bob when I was 8. It took until I was 11 to get rid of it. I still curse my mother for making me have such a ridiculous hair cut that looked horrible on me. She seemed to think it looked cute. But she was the only one. If I ever do that to my daughters, I need for someone to break out an old picture of me in 4th grade.
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Steve Newton - Feb 22, 2005 11:39 am (#2364 of 2956)
I also had my first white hair at 14. By mid thirties it was almost all white. Now it has some darkness in the back but mostly white. Of course, its been several years since I was prematurely gray. Sigh.
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Eponine - Feb 22, 2005 2:13 pm (#2365 of 2956)
Today, we had a bomb threat at school. We had to evacuate the school and stand on the football field for an hour while the school was searched. The kids thought it was great, of course since they were missing class. This is the third bomb threat this school has had this year. The one today was apparently called in to every middle school and high school in the county. So there were quite a lot of students missing some classes today in Alamance County. As far as I know, nothing actually happened anywhere, so that's good.
So, other than that, my day went pretty well. How are you?
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Lina - Feb 22, 2005 2:44 pm (#2366 of 2956)
Amilia Smith: Unfortunantly, my hair grows incredibly slowly (can't tell you how much I envy you, Gina, being able to go from short to long to short).
Well, I found out some simple facts about hair: when you want it long, it grows extremely slowly, but when you want to keep it short for a while, it grows incredibly fast. But the fact is that it grows and any mistake can be repaired in time. I have decided not to take too much care about my hair because if it gets ruined too much it can always be cut. I like to change colors and that is something I can do by myself. I manage to see a hairdresser at most twice a year and then I chose some style that doesn't look too bad when it grows longer. I took a look at the mullet style, and I must say I like it. I tried to explain it to my hairdresser when I was much younger, but she wouldn't understand. Too bad I didn't have those pictures at that time.
We had a bomb threat at the faculty I work at, few years ago. And it is just ridiculous how we were all cool about that. We had a dean at that time who was a sort of dictator and nobody dared to evacuate the faculty until he said we may. Even policemen came and said that we may not evacuate until he says so, because they had to do some exams with him. I had a business meeting at the same time and we moved to a bar when we were allowed to evacuate. Of course, it turned out to be a false alarm, we suspect some students who didn't want to have the exam that day.
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vanessa cave - Feb 22, 2005 2:50 pm (#2367 of 2956)
Edited by Kip Carter Feb 22, 2005 2:49 pm
Hi, everyone! I didn't quite know where to post this question so I'm trying here but feel free to move it. Before I start I'm addressing all UK residents really. I am wondering where to go to buy my copy of HBP? I intend to go to a midnight opening but the question is where? When OOTP was released I went to WHSmith and the book came in a lovely brown paper bag with the cover art from the book on it. Also I got a free Harry Potter pen and other bits. Well my question is did anyone go to an Ottakers midnight opening and did you get any "extras" with it, or does anybody work at either of these shops and know anything about what is planned? Sorry for rambling.
Vanessa
vanessa cave, Welcome to the Harry Potter Lexicon Forum. One of the section of the Philosophy of this Forum deals with following the rules of capitalization. The personal pronoun "I" is capitalized. I have edited your post to correct for these errors. I also made a number of other edits shown in italics. I will not do it again, but will delete your post if you choose not to abide by the Philosophy.
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Madam Pince - Feb 22, 2005 4:35 pm (#2368 of 2956)
I've never been one to bother about my hair too much -- I've taken the philosophy that "it'll always grow back." The only time I ever had a major problem was when a friend of mine used one of those home versions of highlights on me -- the kind you paint on. She worked her way around from left to right, and went way too slowly. So the left half of my head was highlighted almost white, and the right half still looked dark. We tried to repair it, but I ended up looking like a comedian of the day named Yahoo Serious (trust me, you do NOT want to look like him.) I sat by my phone calling my stylist's number every five minutes from 7:00 the next morning until he answered, when I begged him "You've got to take me today, please!" He laughed so hard when he saw me. So I've never attempted any home-coloring jobs since then.
My parents always let me do whatever I wanted with my hair when I was little, so it was just long and straight until I went to college and tried the perm route. After that phase, I went back to long and straight. Mine is sort of like Kaity's though, in that when the weight of the length is taken off, it gets kind of wavy. There are wispys around my face which just absolutely won't grow, so they always look untidy when the weather begins to turn damp and rainy.
I usually go to get a cut and tell the stylist "Do whatever you want without going too terribly short" and they look at me as if I'm nuts. I went to a pretty pricey salon a couple years ago when I thought I was ready for a change, and told them to do whatever they thought would look best -- after all, part of the reason for their high price is supposed to be that they analyze your face shape and all that and come up with something unique and stylish. Well, basically they charged me a huge fee, and did next to nothing other than a little trim. I thought it looked pretty much like it looked when I went in there -- long and straight. So anyways, it looks like I'm destined to have boring hair...
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 22, 2005 4:38 pm (#2369 of 2956)
Eponine, I went to high school in Randolph County (NC), and I remember quite a few bomb threats. They were always done by students who thought it was funny or wanted to get themselves or someone else out of a test. I remember being angry because they always seemed to happen during my lunch period or chorus. I was never really afraid since I didn't think anyone would bother to bomb my high school, which was literally across from a cow pasture. Of course, things have changed quite a bit in the decade since I graduated. I'm sure the threat was much more stressful and inconvenient for the teachers than for us, so I feel for you.
During the post-9/11 anthrax scares, my NYC graduate school was evacuated for what turned out to be sugar or sweetener spilled on a table!!
Regarding hair: like Gina, my hair grows quickly. I was amazed by the cost of a haircut in NYC. It took me three years to find a stylist, but I finally found someone I like and trust enough to do layers (I've had really bad experiences in the past).
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timrew - Feb 22, 2005 5:55 pm (#2370 of 2956)
What is a 'Colourist'? Is hair-care breaking down into separate hair-caring factions? I think we should be told.......
Will there eventually be a hair-stylist to care for each individual hair? With the 'Colourist' breaking in at every point to decide what colour each hair should be?
I think I can do without 50,000 people giving me a haircut........
(diminishing rapidly as I shed hair).........
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Gina R Snape - Feb 22, 2005 5:58 pm (#2371 of 2956)
Tim, there are stylists and colourists and even shampoo girls. Don't think on it too much, though. I doubt you have much to worry about. :evil grin:
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Ladybug220 - Feb 22, 2005 6:11 pm (#2372 of 2956)
Hi everyone! I want to thank you for the birthday wishes; I have been out of town, otherwise I would have done it sooner. I spent my 30th birthday with my immediate and most of my extended family and it was great. We were together for my grandfather's memorial service but it was definitely a celebration of his life which is what my grandmother wanted.
As for all of the hair talk, my sis-in-law just donated around 15 inches of hair a couple of weeks ago and my cousin is growing her hair out so that she can do the same. She has almost enough hair now but she is going to wait another 6 months or so to get the cut. I was also forced into short haircuts but my mom did let me start growing it out once I went to school. So after kindergarten, my school pictures looked much better. Onto the mullet talk: one of my other cousins has a mullet and has had it for at least 15 years. My brother, grandmother and I tried to cut it this weekend, however, we were thwarted by his wife (yes I said wife). The rest of the family was ready to hold him down so that the deed could be done but it was not to happen. Ok, we wouldn't have done it really but it is always fun to threaten him with a haircut just to see the look of panic on his face.
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Catherine - Feb 22, 2005 6:19 pm (#2373 of 2956)
Oh, Tim, I am assuming that you are joking with us, or not married to a "high-maintenance" kind of lady.
My mom is such a person. She recently told me she was going to scale back her salon visits. The result? She will now go every four weeks in winter (when your hair grows more slowly) instead of every three weeks.
Sigh.
No wonder she thinks I am a barbarian for getting haircuts only every six weeks!
She also despairs about my nails and lack of manicures/pedicures.
Sigh.
Poor Mum!
EDIT: Ladybug, good to see you. Good to see you back from the Memorial service. Perhaps you should submit the "mullet-head's" picture to the site Loopy posted!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 22, 2005 6:41 pm (#2374 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 22, 2005 5:42 pm
Thanks Catherine! Hmmm....I wonder if I should submit his picture..... :evil grin: hehehehe.....I might have to do that....
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mike miller - Feb 22, 2005 6:55 pm (#2375 of 2956)
Happy Belated birthday to Barb, Deb, Madame Pince, and Ladybug!
I apologize for my lateness; work and computer problems have been a plague of late. I successfully replaced the motherboard and all seems well for the time being *knocks every piece of wood within reach*.
Hope everyone has a great week!
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Julia. - Feb 22, 2005 8:18 pm (#2376 of 2956)
Oh, we used to have bomb threats all the time in high school. They could be fun, but only if you were on the A wing side when the alarm went off. If you were on the A wing side you could go across the street to the park, where you could play basketball, play on the swings, or work on your tan if the weather was nice. If you were on the B wing side, you had to go to the parking lot where you could do none of those things. Not so fun. The absolute worst was when we would have them in the middle of winter, which we often did. It was freezing outside, and we were never allowed to go to our lockers to get our coats. One day we were out there for a few hours with out our coats, in maybe 10 degree weather. Thank G-d I had the foresight to keep my coat with me that day.
UUGH. I just got back from a meeting with all the students who live on my floor, the RAs, and the hall director. Last night someone gave my RA a flyer with a swastika on it. Apparently they were tired of being told to keep the noise down. So I lost an hour of studying time for the meeting. The person fessed up and apologized, which was good. We had a talk about what exactly is meant by living in a 24 hour quiet dorm. It turns out that I'm in the minority of people in this building, which is those of us who actually wanted to live here. *sigh* Back to Shakespeare now...
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The giant squid - Feb 22, 2005 8:50 pm (#2377 of 2956)
Julia beat me to the "classic" definition of a mullet. I would like to note that mine was a minor variety mullet--the "party" only reached to my collar.
I must admit I'm rather dismayed at the blasé attitude toward bomb threats these days. Is this the 21st century version of pulling the fire alarm to get out of class? If these kids put half as much effort into their classes as they do getting out of them, they'd be valedictorians!
--Mike
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 22, 2005 9:09 pm (#2378 of 2956)
Tim, not only are there stylist, colorist, prep and shampoo girls, there is also the tricologist! And he was a Brit! Of all these specialists, the tricologist was the most unusual. He's like a hair doctor who examines and diagnoses your hair for "problems". When I was living in New York and hair mattered, I spent an arm and a leg fixing my hair.
The only thing I've ever really liked about my hair is the color, jet black. In summer after too much sun it gets very reddish and now I have generous amounts of gray. It's always been short except when I was about 9 years old and wore 2 pony tails. If I try to grow it out now, the right side grows slowly and the left side gets long and I have to keep cutting it, so I just don't bother now and keep it short.
Happy Birthday Oxy, Madame Pince and all the others that I have missed.
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Penny Lane. - Feb 22, 2005 9:37 pm (#2379 of 2956)
Julia - we also had bomb threats at my high school. In my case though, as with fire drills, we would just sneak around the school to our cars and leave like any self respecting senior would. A few times we were chased by security guards, but we never really got in trouble.
There was a woman on "what not to wear" the other day who had a mullet. My roommate and I spent the entire hour laughing at her, until the end. Finally they cut it off, and gave her some moisturizer and she looked SO much better. It's really amazing what a good hair cut and color will do to a person. It can make them look YEARS younger, and with that comes that nice boost of self-esteem and energy.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 22, 2005 9:41 pm (#2380 of 2956)
Hairdresser every THREE weeks? Four to six even? Wow. I have an excellent hairdresser. I see her about 3 times a year. She gives me a great cut which grows out looking great as it grows. I get my nails done for weddings and maybe twice a year on a whim. When I was younger I'd see a hairdresser more often because I was frequently dyeing my hair and changing my look. But I gave that up ages ago when I took a real job after finishing my Master's degree.
Isn't it funny how varied people's habits are?
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Marie E. - Feb 22, 2005 10:45 pm (#2381 of 2956)
I'm thinking we should start the Dorothy Hamill Haircut Support Group. There's a lot of trauma around here concerning that particular hairdo. It took me years to grow it out to something I could live with. Right now I have fairly long hair but I tend to yo-yo between long and short.
Samantha has an appointment at the vet's tomorrow. Since reading Gina's post I am a bit more optimistic. (Thanks, Gina!) I confess to being a bit more indulgent with her ie: sleeping on my pillow, eating a bit of forbidden yogurt, etc. Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes to "Sammie".
Denise, I bet Kaity looks adorable in her new haircut. I know someone here that donated their hair to Locks of Love. Shayla's had drastic cuts in the past, but they were due to her doing some "home haircutting" and not any thought out decisions.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 22, 2005 10:54 pm (#2382 of 2956)
I visit my hairdresser every 8-12 weeks, partly for the money issue A$25-30 every time (more for wash and style afterwards) and partly for the same reason as Gina. I get my hair cut in such a way it can grow out nice. I trim the fringe myself every two weeks and that's that. No colouring, no styling.
I have some good news, I have been successful in obtaining another job. It is only part-time and starts out a One week per month and you work your way up to Two+ weeks per month. The job is the statistical surveying done by our Bureau of Statistics. So I'm pleased. It will pay my mortgage, health insurance, car insurance and house insurance. I now have to find extra work to pay for the food (grow a veggie garden, girl!) and electricity.
I am very relieved, the interview took an hour and a quarter and it was fun. The best interview I have ever been to.
It seems sometimes, the more we see we are all different people, the easier it is to see the common thread of humanity in us all.
Lizzie
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Julia. - Feb 22, 2005 10:56 pm (#2383 of 2956)
Wooo! I'm all excited, I have to share this with you! My review of our weekend in Crown Heights is online for the whole world to see!! *dances* You can read it here. Actually, this is the version edited by my Rabbi. The better one, that actually has the full story is here. Gerg's (the boy I have an uber crush on) is here. Hope you have as much fun reading this as I did having the experience!
EDIT: Cross posted with Lizzie. Mazel tov on your new job!!!! *hands Lizzie butterbeer* I'm so happy for you!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 23, 2005 2:15 am (#2384 of 2956)
Julia,
Thank you for your kind wishes. I have a few questions (curiosity) about some of the words/concepts used in your report. I have emailed you. PS it was a good report! If you check my profile, you will see the email address you need to look for.
Lizzy
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Julie Aronson - Feb 23, 2005 3:58 am (#2385 of 2956)
Congrats on finding a job, Lizzy!
Hopefully your luck is contagious, since I'm looking too...
Julie
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septentrion - Feb 23, 2005 4:14 am (#2386 of 2956)
Congrats Lizzy for your new job !
Seems Julia had a great time !
I googled for the Dorothy Hamill haircut, I think in France we'd call it more a "Mireille Mathieu" haircut (she's a French singer) : link here.
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Catherine - Feb 23, 2005 5:12 am (#2387 of 2956)
Hi, my name is Catherine, and I survived the Dorothy Hamill haircut.
Happy Wednesday to everyone.
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Acceber - Feb 23, 2005 5:16 am (#2388 of 2956)
Hi all. I'm in Stowe, Vermont at the moment and up at 7:00 in the morning because the floor became very uncomfortable after about 9 hours of sleeping. I've never skiied before, and I'm really enjoying it. I just read about 100 posts on this thread, but I've saving the others for when I get home. As this thread piles up the most, I felt the urge to read it.
Happy Birthdays to anyone that came into the world during these past few days however many years ago!
Congrats Lizzy! I'm glad you had fun at your interview .
I don't feel like typing in my hair story again, because we were sharing them after Catherine's dog Daisy got a shaving rather than a haircut. Here's mine. Just a note: I've decided to cut my hair next October or November, so people at camp can see how long my hair grew and people I get to know at high school will see me with long hair.
I'm going to go find my fanfic for the writing contest and hopefully finish it. Nice talking to you!
EDIT: Thanks Sept for finding out what a Dorothy Hamill haircut was, because I didn't know and was too lazy to find out.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 23, 2005 7:56 am (#2389 of 2956)
I'm sure we can only glean bits of pieces of everyone's personalities from these posts. That said, I can't decide if I am shocked or not surprised in the least that Loopy Lupin once had a mullet.
My name is Laura and I survived the Valerie Bertinelli haircut.
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Julia. - Feb 23, 2005 8:23 am (#2390 of 2956)
Hi, I'm Julia, and I survuved a 20s bob haircut.
Hey there Becca! *waves* Hope you're enjoying Vermont. I suddenly feel a bit old. I can understand Sept now knowing what a Dorothy Hamill haircut is, but you? I thought every American knew about that! I guess this means I'm getting old.
Lizzie, I got your email and responded.
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Good Evans - Feb 23, 2005 8:46 am (#2391 of 2956)
Hi Vanessa (about 20 posts back)
Welcome to the forum, as you must have guessed there are not as many UK forum members as other nationalities (especially when put together ... not that thats a bad thing everyone!! but that is why no one answered your question).
I cant answer your question, as like you I went to WHSmith and I intend to do so again on July 16th. So I am afraid I cannot say whether other retailers will give the promo packs, my instinct is that each retailer will do as they please. There is no guarantee that you will get anything other than the book anywhere. Perhaps you should contact your local retailer and ask if they are planning to do anything (you might sow a seed!)
Addressing the Q to the other forum members, did your retailers have a Harry Fest when OOTP went on sale? as Vanessa says, WHSmith (in the UK) staff dressd in costume, and gave out bags with pens, pencils, bookmarks etc. It made the queueing very worthwhile, especially the mulled wine and butterbeer that was served too.
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Ydnam96 - Feb 23, 2005 9:01 am (#2392 of 2956)
Greetings from Southern California, what's left of it anyway. It's been pouring down rain for days. I started feeling like I should be building an ark. The sun is shining at the moment, but I am not going to believe in it...it could just be a decoy to get me to leave without my umbrella.
Things at work are really stressful right now. I'm not sure I'll have a chance to get online for a while. I'll miss my HP fix. So Happy Birthday, aniversary, haircut, weekend to all!
PS: when I was a child I had my hair cut into a "boy" cut, it was horrible. It was really really short and I would have much preferreed a bob. No lie. And the ONE hair style I despise (and I hope I don't offend anyone in this) is the Rat Tail. Mostly this is seen on young boys for some reason. They have a normal short hair cut except for one bit in the back which is kept in a long ponytail or even braided. It litteraly looks as if the boy is a rat (from the head perspective). I always want to sneak up with a pair of scissors and cut it off. I have to restrain myself.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 23, 2005 11:59 am (#2393 of 2956)
I'm loving all this hairstyle memoir/confession/recovery stuff, but just remember, the fella with the absolutely, no-holds-barred, worst hair in the cosmos is...a little fanfare, please...THE DONALD! Aiiieeee!!!
Wanna see? Click here
What's it called--the Executive Combover? Gaaaa.
Ciao. Barb
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Penny Lane. - Feb 23, 2005 12:29 pm (#2394 of 2956)
I don't know... Donald's hair isn't THAT bad. At least it's clean and all. Also, I think he keeps it around now as more of an image thing. He could fix it if he wanted, but then people would talk. I bet that when ratings for "The Apprentice" start to slip, he'll do something different with his hair. If I gambled, I would bet on it. He knows how to sell his name and use his well known image to his advantage.
I'm also very amused by this conversation - I think it's starting to show people's personalitys traits, little by little. Now, if only we all had those pictures of us with our "Dorothy Hair"... *cackles*
Today was another "interesting" day in EMUland. By interesting, i mean BORING. I was up late last night finishing my midterm for a class. When I got to class this morning (12 a.m. - it's my earliest class) on time, for the first time in weeks, I was greeted by a professor who came running in 25 minutes late. He claimed that he put on his "Central Time" watch, and thought it was 11 am, instead of 12. He makes me so frustrated, because he puts these pages and pages of notes on the overhead and expects us to copy them down, even though he refuses to make the font any bigger, or put white space o nthe page. Then he doesn't even test us from the notes. OOH... sorry about the mini-rant.
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Accio Sirius - Feb 23, 2005 12:33 pm (#2395 of 2956)
Penny,
I'm sure there are pictures. It's just that someone may want to run for public office some day--or at the very least, post on the forum with a shred of dignity left!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 23, 2005 12:39 pm (#2396 of 2956)
....but just remember, the fella with the absolutely, no-holds-barred, worst hair in the cosmos is...a little fanfare, please...THE DONALD!---Madame Librarian
Well Barb, at least it's his own hair....or is it?
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 23, 2005 1:31 pm (#2397 of 2956)
Hi I'm lizzy and I survived a bowl haircut done in 1982! ouch!!
Thank you for providing a link of a Dorothy Hamill haircut Sept (even if it was a french lady). Now I understand why none of you liked it. It's the haircut that my Mum wears now and I think it suits her. Her face has rounded and matured over the years and now she can wear the cut. But on a child...urrrgh!
Have a good evening everyone.
Lizzy
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The giant squid - Feb 23, 2005 2:44 pm (#2398 of 2956)
Hi, my name is Catherine, and I survived the Dorothy Hamill haircut. –Catherine
(in unison) HI, CATHERINE!
It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that no one likes what their hair looked like in the 80's. And for those of you too young to remember the 80's make sure you have plenty of photos of yourself from ages 8 to 18 so that twenty years later you can look back and do what we're doing. :sick:
In the interest of full disclosure, Mandy, I had a rat tail, too. It was an intermediate step between the mullet and a real haircut.
--Mike
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I Am Used Vlad - Feb 23, 2005 3:03 pm (#2399 of 2956)
I must protest. I avoided all the hair-don't and fashion mistakes of the 80's. You will find no pictures of me with a mullet or wearing a red leather jacket with dozens of pointless zippers.
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Elanor - Feb 23, 2005 3:11 pm (#2400 of 2956)
The 80s... I remember I even tried to have my hair permed. I should burn those pictures... And clothes were not really better than the haircuts. Is there someone here that was lucky enough to go through the 80s without ever wearing clothes with shoulder pads? I hated those things and a lot of times I tried and take them off the clothes and it was tricky, they were often sewed inside the linings... Fortunately, at least the music was good then! For me, U2 was never better than then. And I don't mention my cult series of that time... I still have fond memories of McGyver (he was so cute!). There was also that series, I think it was called "Growing pains" in the original version. I loved it! **sigh**
Lizzy, congratulations for your job! I hope that you will enjoy working there.
Julie, good luck for your job research too! I hope you will have the same luck than Lizzy.
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:07 pm
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Denise P. - Feb 23, 2005 3:29 pm (#2401 of 2956)
I look through my high school year books and giggle at all the hair and the tuxedo shirts on girls. I look through my husband's and giggle at the polyester shirts and long hair (he is a child of the 70's, I am early 80's)
Wowzer, I finally got a new computer, all set up and what a difference! I am zooming with all this memory I have in it now.
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timrew - Feb 23, 2005 4:50 pm (#2402 of 2956)
I have to admit, I haven't been to a hairdresser's in years. When I need a haircut I go round to my Mother's.
She does a brilliant "Full Metal Jacket" haircut, and I don't need another one for about four months! I hate going to the hairdresser's............(hence the hat in the photo!)
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 23, 2005 5:25 pm (#2403 of 2956)
When I think of 80s hair I think one one word: BANGS!!! There seemed to be a competition among middle school girls to see who could get their bangs to stand up the tallest. Of course, if you were really cool, you had a major blow out and feather on the sides to make the bangs seem even bigger! The bathroom in middle school reeked of Rave hairspray (do you remember that sticky, syrupy spray?)!
I tended to pull my hair back on one side, and tease the bangs up and over on the other !
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boop - Feb 23, 2005 5:53 pm (#2404 of 2956)
This is a Birthday wish for Feb. 24th.
Happy Birthday Bumbledore(John)!!!! I wish you a great Birthday. Have a wonderful day.
I talked to Jim(mischafan), he is really busy with studying. Has not had time to stop in. Jim is doing great in school, just needs to take some tests. Just thought I would let the forum know what he has been up to.
Have a good evening everyone, and a great Thursday!!
Hugs Always
Betty
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 23, 2005 10:59 pm (#2405 of 2956)
Since it is now the 24th over here I will wish Bumbledore a happy birthday!!
And clothes were not really better than the haircuts - elanor
The only good thing about the eighties (apart from some good music!) is that baggy (loose fitting styles) clothes and shoulder pads helped a very self conscious teen (me) cope with her scoliosis/khyphosis (curvatures of the spine) by being able to cover up.
But no more shoulder pads now!!! But you know they are starting to make a comeback!! yucckky
Enjoy your Thursday everyone, I certainly did.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 23, 2005 11:12 pm (#2406 of 2956)
Lizzy: "But you know they are starting to make a comeback!! " Oh my, what a scary thought so early in the morning Lizzy!
As it is already the 24th here too, happy birthday Bumbledore! Joyeux anniversaire!
Good afternoon, morning, night wherever you are!
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The giant squid - Feb 24, 2005 2:01 am (#2407 of 2956)
You will find no pictures of me with a mullet or wearing a red leather jacket with dozens of pointless zippers
Hey, no one mentioned zippered jackets! You've outed yourself, Vlad; thou dost protest too much.
As much as some 80's stuff is coming back, I think we're still stuck in the 70's revival. I swear I saw some kids walking home from school today that could have been plopped down in 1975 and no one would have batted an eye. well, until they whipped out their cell phones, iPods and Sum41 t-shirts...
--Mike
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septentrion - Feb 24, 2005 2:29 am (#2408 of 2956)
Bettyn you're really our mom, to have a kind thought for everyone always.
Happy birthday Bumbledore !
Can't say I regret the 80's that much too. Bad haircut, bad clothing, although good music. BTW, Elanor, U2's latest album is great.
It's been snowing since yesterday and it'll do for most of the day. We say here the sky is full (of rain, snow...). By luck, the snow melt on the floor. I've always thought snow is beautiful on Sunday afternoon, when you're at home with a pile of nice books and videos.
Everyone have a great thursday !
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librarian314 - Feb 24, 2005 6:17 am (#2409 of 2956)
Hey all!
I didn't mind the mid to late 80s. I had a decent haircut (long with feathers) that grew out nicely, I filled out a wee bit, and actually took decent school photos. The worst things were my eye glasses. They were huge, plastic frames that made me look like I had owl eyes. I started shopping for my frames at antique stores to get the silver wire rims (think Radar O'Reily from M*A*S*H*). Once I got the eye glasses figured out, I was pretty happy with how I looked.
I too avoided shoulder pads like the plague. When you are as petite as I was in my teens, shoulder pads like were worn in the 80s just made me look riduculus, so they got ripped out of everything I wore. Luckily the shops in the Richmond, Va. area were fairly conservative, so I could usually find something I liked.
I look back through my yearbooks and I am so happy that I didn't succumb to various fads. Those that did and had over-permed, big hair, or "Flock of Seagulls" style swoopy hairdos just look goofy. My fairly quiet hair looks almost classic.
Y'all take care!
Happy Birthday Bumbledore!
**michelle the librarian**
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Catherine - Feb 24, 2005 7:17 am (#2410 of 2956)
Michelle, I grew up in the Richmond, VA area also, in Chesterfield County. My parents now live in Richmond's far West End in Henrico County. Small world on the Forum.
Along with big '80s hair, I also sported the shoulder pads. However, I am pleased to report that I did not wear jackets with multiple zippers, nor did I ever sport the "single glove" look, thank goodness.
In general, I was ridiculously preppy, which is almost as embarrassing to remember as the shoulder pads. Remember The Preppy Handbook, or whatever it was called?
I'm sure that these fashion excesses will all come back to haunt us anew.
Have a great Thursday.
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Steve Newton - Feb 24, 2005 7:20 am (#2411 of 2956)
librarian314,They were huge, plastic frames that made me look like I had owl eyes."
Your real name wouldn't be Sybill would it?
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Madam Pince - Feb 24, 2005 8:14 am (#2412 of 2956)
I can see Catherine now, tripping along Shockoe Slip in her pink oxford with her green sweater, wearing her duck shoes and carrying her L.L. Bean tote bag.....
Don't worry -- I had about the same look, except I couldn't afford the L.L. Bean tote bag. And I had the huge plastic-rimmed eyeglasses too. I actually liked the shoulder pads. I have very narrow shoulders and the pads sort of filled me out a little. When we wanted to "walk on the wild side," we played dress-up with punk-ish type clothes. I have a photo of some of us with very teased hair, wearing colored tights and those long tee-shirts / sweatshirts that served as a mini-dress when belted with a wide leather belt. My choice that evening was a navy blue and gold tiger stripe pattern. Lovely, eh? I still remember that some girl came up to me in the club that night and said "Wow! I just want you to know that I really admire you for having the guts to wear that! I wish I did!" At first I was pleased, then the more I thought about it, I was afraid it was something of a back-handed compliment.... Never was too daring about my clothes after that.
It's snowing here, too, Septentrion! It's been snowing for a couple hours, and I'd say we have almost 1 1/2 inches already. It's supposed to be a fairly substantial amount before all is said and done. It is beautiful, but I wish Mr. Pince didn't have to drive to work in all this. Other than that, we have nowhere to go today, so we'll stay in by the fire. ****Madam Pince toddles off, feeling the urge to bake something****
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 8:27 am (#2413 of 2956)
Wow. Thank G-d I was born in the middle of the 80s. I spent the part of the 80s that I was alive for in cute little baby cloths, and then cute little kid cloths. The only shoulder pads I ever wore was when I was playing dress up with my mum's cloths.
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mollis - Feb 24, 2005 8:50 am (#2414 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 24, 2005 7:50 am
shoulder pads...tights/leggins...aqua net hairspray...banana clips with side pony tails...legwarmers...plastic bracelets(at least 12 at a time)...peg-rolled jeans...cuffed t-shirts (sleeves rolled up at least twice)
So many painful memories, so little time...
Happy Birthday Bumbledore!
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 9:06 am (#2415 of 2956)
Oh my gosh! I nearly forgot...
Happy Birthday John!!! *hands John butterbeer* Hope you have a geat day and an amazing year!!
By the way, Yay, I got my Smiley Central working again!!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 24, 2005 9:44 am (#2416 of 2956)
Along with big '80s hair, I also sported the shoulder pads. However, I am pleased to report that I did not wear jackets with multiple zippers, nor did I ever sport the "single glove" look, thank goodness.—Catherine
Ah, the glove. I'm happy to say I avoided that as well. I didn't really want the zippered jacket, but even if I had, it was a few hundred bucks as I recall, so that wasn't happening. I was quite sporty with the parachute pants and upturned collar though.
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Chemyst - Feb 24, 2005 10:31 am (#2417 of 2956)
I look back through my yearbooks and I am so happy that I didn't succumb to various fads. [...] My fairly quiet hair looks almost classic. **michelle the librarian**
Good for you! With each passing year I have an increasing gratitude for having made a similar decision when I had my senior portrait made. Now I'm encouraging my own kids to do the same.
...and the big clothes & shoulder pads of the 80s had an advantage when shopping for maternity wear. You know something is grossly oversized when you can still shop in the regular women's department well into your 8th month! As they used to say, I "lucked out" on that one. (lucked out meant having good luck)
Ah yes, the single glove... I remember seeing a display in a department store once and marveling that they were able to sell one glove for more than the cost of two. This was the same store that also had a display of pricey Coca Cola apparel; of which I thought Coca Cola ought to pay me to advertise for them, not charge me more for that "privilege." I guess it is good that I never majored in marketing.
Happy Birthday <)B^D=
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 24, 2005 11:05 am (#2418 of 2956)
shoulder pads...tights/leggins...aqua net hairspray...banana clips with side pony tails...legwarmers...plastic bracelets(at least 12 at a time)...peg-rolled jeans...cuffed t-shirts (sleeves rolled up at least twice) --mollis
Banana clips! I had forgotten about those! My grandmother still wears them and occasionally gives them to me. I don't know where she gets them from. Peg-rolled jeans with cool scrunch socks (hopefully not too big). The big thing in my middle school was to wear two different-colored t-shirts so that when you rolled the sleeve, the cuff would be a different (often clashing) color. We haven't mentioned the most offensive late 80s early 90s style: bicycle pants!! I remember many guys at my school wearing these things (for those of you not in the know, picture shorts made out of shiny spandex that fit like speedos). Girls wore them too, with long t-shirts; but I still remember how bad the guys looked. Shortly after that was the windsuit. I remember my freshman year of high school as very colorful, and very noisy. That horrible fabric made so much noise as hundreds of students brushed past each other!
Happy Birthday <)B^D= !!
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Madam Pince - Feb 24, 2005 11:59 am (#2419 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Bumbledore! Many happy returns!
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 12:15 pm (#2420 of 2956)
Behhhhhhhh. I'd gedding siiiiiiiiick. I was dying in statistics today, so I've decided to skip Latin American history and get the notes from a friend.
What exactly does 'Many happy returns' actually mean?
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Good Evans - Feb 24, 2005 12:31 pm (#2421 of 2956)
Happy b'day bumbledore - have a great day
may I wish you many happy returns of the day - does that make more sense Julia?
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John Bumbledore - Feb 24, 2005 12:50 pm (#2422 of 2956)
Quick post, before reading over 112 posts... how long have I been away?
Thank you all for the B-day wishes (I saw a few when I used the recent link). I am happy to be remembered (like I kept it a secret ) Well, XX years isn't so old for a Hobbit, thank you!
Wanted to tell you all I just got PoA on DVD today! Woot! Can't wait to watch it .. I also got a game for the Game cube from my four children. LOTR, rated T for teen (blood & violence).. hmm how to take that Even though Hobbits refer to twenty something years as twent-teens, I am still past that.. LOL
Well, now, sorry if I missed anything. I'm headed back to scan or skim those 100 plus post I missed. Catch up with you in a few (I read slow, like a ____; Ask for understanding.)
(John) Bumbledore
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Penny Lane. - Feb 24, 2005 1:18 pm (#2423 of 2956)
The 80's had many redeeming qualities to override the "flock of seagulls" hair, the "aquanet" rave, and the lovely exercise videos of supermodels with teased hair, thighmasters, and those "step aerobics" craze....
Remember John Hughes films? Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, St Elmo's Fire? Oooooh Don't forget "The Goonies"!!!!
80's were SO much cooler than the early 90's.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 24, 2005 2:57 pm (#2424 of 2956)
Many happy returns --
In our family we joked that if you got a lot of questionable birthday gifts and went to exchange them or return them, you wish for...
(fanfare and drumroll, please) many happy returns!
Well, I never said my family was all that funny, but we amused each other.
Happy Birthday Day, Bumbledore!
Yikes, the 80s! Big tops over leggings--a pear-shaped woman's dream that was really a disaster. The shift in formality that allowed one to wear gym shoes (trainers) everywhere (as long as you had on big, droopy socks). Ah, shoulder pads--how to look like a football linebacker with one easy wardrobe change. My cousin was so hooked on them even her bathrobe had shoulder pads. My brain refuses to dredge up any more memories.
Ciao. Barb
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Lina - Feb 24, 2005 4:43 pm (#2425 of 2956)
Well, I must say, I have 80's in my best memories, the most pleasant time of my life. I was a student, away from home, not too much responsibility, but enough not to feel useless, never watched tv (I couldn't understand my folks when coming home for a visit why are they watching those series? It was Santa Barbara at that time on our tv), and I had around 30 kilograms (60 pounds?) less than today. And eventually, I got married at the end (1989). Really special time of my life. I never cared too much about trends so I don't have the fashion traumas from that time. And I had some great friends at that time, some of them are still my best friends. I like to remember the 80's.
But this global heating is starting to worry me. It has been a lot of snow this winter all around us. There are some places in my country that have snow once in 15 or 20 years, some hotels even give a day free of charge when it snows, and they had some major snowing even twice this year. But it hadn't snowed in my town. Not until few days ago. My children were hilarious. But it didn't last for long.
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Catherine - Feb 24, 2005 5:07 pm (#2426 of 2956)
I was quite sporty with the parachute pants and upturned collar though. --Loopy Lupiin
Aaacck!
Loopy just loved reminding us of the parachute pants, I bet.
Pure Crucio just thinking about it. **waves to Loopy Lupin** I'm sure that it looked positively spiffing with his mullet. Absolutely corking, in fact!
Waves to the '80s fashionably-challenged, including self.
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timrew - Feb 24, 2005 5:17 pm (#2427 of 2956)
I was quite sporty with the parachute pants and upturned collar though. --Loopy Lupin
I went the other way...........
The upturned pants and the parachute collar.
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Catherine - Feb 24, 2005 5:42 pm (#2428 of 2956)
The upturned pants and the parachute collar.—Tim
::SNORT:::
Oh, Tim...I have no words for that image.
Thanks, though....
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Gina R Snape - Feb 24, 2005 7:00 pm (#2429 of 2956)
Here, here, Penny! The 80s were amazing for some of us.
My fond memories of the 80s were the music and the immense creativity. Sure, there were kids with banana clips and coca-cola t-shirts. Then there were some of us who made our own clothing out of things and created crazy punk haircuts and fashioned jewelry not unlike dear Luna Lovegood. I had a ballet costume with a flowy skirt (NOT a tutu) I dyed black which became my standard club-wear for awhile. It looked amazing and nobody else had one.
Equally, I spent a good 8 years or so wearing black leggings and funky t-shirts as regular daywear and nothing was ever more comfortable! I worked at a student union full-time and got away with wearing that as the office secretary, with pink hair!
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 9:15 pm (#2430 of 2956)
Behhhhhhhhh. I'm officially sick. I was dying in class today, and this evening we had a speaker, and I felt horrible, in more ways than one. Not only did I physically not feel well, but I felt horrible because the crowed was so small, and I was snuffeling and blowing my nose throughout the whole thing.
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scully jones - Feb 24, 2005 10:08 pm (#2431 of 2956)
I've been snuffeling and coughing for two weeks now. We had a speaker in class today as well. Her name was Sarah Jones. I seem to meet so many people with my name it hardly fazes me anymore.
Speaking of Sarah Jones's... My other friend Sarah G. has been a happy mommy since December. I forgot to tell you all. And my brother Tim's going to have a baby boy sometime soon. Already got a name picked out and everything. Michael David Lee... Weird... So... Normal... I should name my kids weird names just to be different when I have kids. How about Xavier and Spinella? Hehehehe....
Sorry... Too many thin mints... Girl scouts finally brought us our truckload of cookies.
Buh bye now!
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Phoenix song - Feb 24, 2005 10:46 pm (#2432 of 2956)
Scully: "I should name my kids weird names just to be different when I have kids. How about Xavier and Spinella? Hehehehe...."
What?? You're not going to name your kids after Harry Potter characters? Aw, come on, that's one of my greatest regrets...that I didn't have a chance (or the nerve with the last one) to name my kids after HP characters. Wouldn't your child be a true individual if you named her Nymphadora Tonks Jones or named him Severus Snape Jones? Promise us you'll think about it, okay?
Just for the record, I loved the 80's. I thought that the clothes were comfortable and the music was awesome. I still love to get nostalgic watching movies like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club." Those were truly "the days" for me... Oh, if I could only get my hands on a time turner!!
Barbie
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Lina - Feb 25, 2005 12:03 am (#2433 of 2956)
Well, speaking about children's names, my husband and I agreed on them before we got married, but since the way of choosing the names was that I should suggest and he would accept or reject the name, I kept on suggesting even when I was pregnant. And I was suggesting names such as Felicita (female for Felix, but I swear I knew nothing about the HBP 13 years ago), Hijacinta, Perpetua and so on. My parents were desperate. My father gave us a dog saying "Com' on, exercise your weird names on him!", and my mother said "Poor your child, he/she won't know her/his name for years!" Then my husband said "Oh, it's already set up! If it is a boy, he will be Ivan (John) and if it is a girl, she will be Katarina (Catherine)." Well, my mother sounded so disappointed when she said "Oh, I like it". She had nothing more to quarrel about!
And even though I expected my daughter Katarina to meet many girls with the same name, it didn't happen. It seems that there were more parents willing to give their children some original names.
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 25, 2005 4:36 am (#2434 of 2956)
Hey Guys, hmmm, been a bit busy at work, so I see I missed quite a few birthdays... so Happy belated birthdays Betty how do you remember?
Lizzy... congrats on the job. Hope all goes well for you.
Denise, wow, you must be so very proud of your daughter. To donate her hair was such a sweet and selfless act.
To all those with colds, especially Julia, Elanor & Scully ... big hugs & hope you all feel better soon. Sending you all some PepperUp Potion via owl... however with the current weather & winds over here I hope it gets to you by this time next week
To go back a 'few' posts, re. the hair scare stories. Oh thanks for clarifying what a Dorothy Hamil was For a while as a kid I had a page boy haircut (bit like a Dorothy). Luckily by the time of my First Communion (aged 7), it had grown out a bit, so at least those photos weren't too cringey... although, I think I was missing a tooth or two My Mum also insisted on cutting a fringe (bangs) for me. Sometimes it was straight & well other times... nowhere near it. It also started from waaaay back on my head... a great big wedge of a fringe... lovely!
Both my parents don't like long hair... so when I was 11, I had it all chopped off... (cropped right up) which I hated, 'cus I looked like a boy. It was short until I was 13/14, when I made a stand that I wanted to grow my hair... which was such a painful process. The bottom grew much quicker that the top, so I had to keep getting regular trims to make sure it didn't turn into a mullet. I ended up with the 20's bob for about a year... which probably wasn't a good look considering the Hermione tendencies of my hair.
I mostly had a bob of varying lengths through high school. It did change colour to red & back a few times. I also had a hair dye disaster. Lets just say... a blonde home dye kit My mum cried when she seen it... which let me know how bad it was... think Gerry Halliwell post Spice Girls... I wore a beany hat for days before I could get an appointment with the hairdresser to 'fix it'. Now I've long hair... (since I discovered layers there was no going back) & have not experimented with hair dyes professional or otherwise for a long time. I'm thinking that I don't know how long I've left with my natural hair colour ... so I'll appreciate it for as long as possible
I was considering getting a fringe cut again... but after reading all these stories... have remembered there is a very good reason why I grew out my fringe in the first place.
I've always maintained, if I ever have a daughter, I'll let her have her hair whatever way she wants... however I will try & advise her to stay away from any dye 'paux fas'.
Talking about 80's clothes... does anyone remember the florescent socks? Pink & yellow/green. All the kids on my street wore them & you were 'really cool' if you wore one of each... a pink one & a green one at the same time.... hee hee! Thankfully I never wore any ra-ra or puffball skirts. However I did try to knit my own leg warmers once. Those knitters on the forum... I'm in awe... I can bearly cast on without some kind of a disaster. My Mum is great at knitting... however, that meant that she always made us our 'Weasley Jumpers', every year & mine was nearly always pink... I hated pink back then
As for 70's clothes... 'fraid I'm guilty of that one. Converse trainers, layered t-shirts & I love bootcut jeans. A friend of a friend (hee hee), runs her own clothes store & she was telling me that when buying next seasons stock, she couldn't buy any bootcut or flared jeans anywhere! Nooooo... I refuse to go back into those straight legged ones... Stupid fashion industry trying to make us conform.. well I refuse... I refuse I tells ya!
Anyways.. enough ranting... it's friday... it's nearly the weekend... the snow storms seem to have subsided slightly... (well it's not as bad here as in the UK). So things are looking up. Have a good day everyone
EDIT : Opps sorry for the long post
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Pinky - Feb 25, 2005 6:03 am (#2435 of 2956)
LOL Fawkes, when I see your name, I think, "Oh goodie - a long post!" Your posts are so fun, there's no need to apologize for the length!
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 6:28 am (#2436 of 2956)
Good Morning. If it is a good morning, which I doubt.
I walked sleepy-eyed into my kitchen this morning, and found ANTS. Grrrrr. Yesterday, no critters in my kitchen. This morning, a population explosion.
Spring may be a month away by calendar, but obviously it has arrived in eastern NC. Just about the time the tulips poke out of the ground, ants decide to wake up and make their presence known, too.
The battle has begun.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 25, 2005 7:23 am (#2437 of 2956)
Catherine, I HATE ANTS!
I cannot figure out why they intermitantly (sp?) take up residence in my kitchen. Radical temp changes outside seems to be the key factor. They are persistent little buggers. They seem resilient to squishing--they just sort of un-kink themselves and proceed on their mysterious quests for food. They hate Raid, but so do I, especially in a kitchen. The ant traps work eventually, but I think they get resistant to the poison and it takes twice as many traps as the label says so your kitchen looks very odd with their black octagons all over.
Gaaaa! I'd better stop, my blood pressure is going up. I HATE ANTS!!
Ciao. Barb
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Albus Silente - Feb 25, 2005 7:24 am (#2438 of 2956)
as in the 70's i still had to be born and in the 80's i was i child (i just can remember al those shocking-colour sweat-shirts and leggins) i don't have anything to say here. don't even know if fashion in germany was the same as in the us...
but i would have a question: How do you manage to put in all those smileys? didn't find a hint on how to do it anywhere. sorry.
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Phoenix song - Feb 25, 2005 7:38 am (#2439 of 2956)
Albus, there is a thread devoted to your very question! Go to the "How do you..." thread and it will teach you all kinds of neat tricks! Use the "search" function to find the information on smilies. It's easy, I promise. Enjoy!
Also, you might find that you need to capitalize your posts, especially the letter "i". It's easier to read that way and there are times that an uncapitalized "I" will cause your entire post to be placed in italics. I hope that I've been helpful!
Barbie
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Julia. - Feb 25, 2005 8:46 am (#2440 of 2956)
Good *cough* morning all *sneeze*
Sarah, since you're the only one I can get close enough to to hug, *huggy huggy* Lovely seeing you again. Please don't give your kids weird names. Thank of how much they'll get beaten up by all the other kids on the play ground. HP names are totally the way to go.
Beh. I feel yucky. I've skipped two classes today. I'd skip my third, but I can't do that to my dear Will.
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Albus Silente - Feb 25, 2005 9:33 am (#2441 of 2956)
Phoenix song, thank you very much! From now on I will use caps, it's just that I am not used to that:-) sorry!
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Phoenix song - Feb 25, 2005 10:31 am (#2442 of 2956)
Albus Silente, You're welcome! I wouldn't worry too much about not having used the capital letters. It doesn't bother me very much to see posts without them, as I know that many forums don't require their members to be so grammatically proper. I knew that someone would eventually have to tell you our requirements for capitalization, though. It makes the posts easier to read and understand. Many of our members are using English as their second language, (as you might if you live in Germany?) and it enhances their understanding if we're more alert to these things. I hope that I haven't upset you.
By the way, were you able to understand how to use the smilies?
Barbie
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librarian314 - Feb 25, 2005 10:37 am (#2443 of 2956)
Hey all!
I hate to admit it but I do tend to favor the dear divination professor when it comes to apparel choice. I have some pictures from my semester in London from 1989 where I look like I could be Sybil's cousin or something. ;-) The glasses though were more like what Dustin Hoffman wore as Dorothy in Tootsie. Luckily, the lenses weren't thick so they didn't distort my eyes.
I, too, sewed quite a lot of clothes in the 80s and they tended to be very conservative. Never had club clothes, as there were no clubs to go to. If I'd lived somewhere more fashion aware than southeastern Virginia, I'd've probably leaned more towards being punk.
I have though recently given in to one of my teenage fashion fantasies. I loved colorful tennis shoes as a teenager and never got to have any. They weren't sold in the shops near where I lived and even if they had been they were too expensive. About a month ago I bought myself a pair of purple Chuck Taylor All-Stars. (A pair of tennis shoes/trainers.) The only way they could have been better was if they'd been high tops. I figured that now that I was 36 I didn't care what others thought about my shoes, so I'd get what I wanted. I love them and wear them all the time.
I also will take the 80s any day over the early 90s grunge. (Music was fine, clothing wasn't.) Growing up rural, grunge was what people wore during hunting season, so it wasn't new and wasn't fashionable.
When my husband and I were dating we came up with a name for our potential kid just to freak out the parents. We were going to call our son Thingfrith Eorpvald after a couple of Anglo-Saxon kings before Alfred the Great. We ended up calling our daughter Micaela. (We thought about spelling it McKayla to go with our last name, McDaniel but that was a bit much, even for us.)
There are quite a lot of great names in Harry Potter. I like it that Prof. McGonagall is named after a favorite aunt. (Yes, one of my aunt Ruby's middle names was Minerva and I've thought it would be a great name to pass on to a girl.)
As a cataloguer that does a lot of work on personal names, I've started a collection of interesting one I've come across. These are real names of real people found primarily in the Library of Congress' catalogue but also from the data base I use at work. Recent favorites include Sophinistra (definitely a witch's name), Euphemia, and Arathusa, all female names.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Julie Aronson - Feb 25, 2005 11:04 am (#2444 of 2956)
Michelle,
Euphemia reminds me of a fabulous restaurant in Longboat Key, Florida. It's called Euphemia Haye. YUM!!!!
Julie
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Madam Pince - Feb 25, 2005 11:59 am (#2445 of 2956)
Oh, Julia, you sound like you feel terrible. So sorry. Wish I could send you some home-made chicken soup or something. Take it easy and drink lots of fluids! Sarah, too! And tell Brandon "Hi" and tell him he needs to come on and say hello sometime!
For those with ants, I have one word -- "Terro." (Assuming they're the little tiny sweet-eating ants.) It's an ant poison stuff. It's a clear sticky fluid; you put a drop of it on a piece of cardboard and put it near where you see the ants, and then you force yourself to look away and resist the urge to squish the ants when they come crowding around to eat it, because the point of the whole thing is that they take it back to their nest and it kills the whole bunch. At first you will see way more ants, then within a day or so they will all be gone and should stay gone for about six months or so. I have had the same problem as Catherine and Barb for the last several years, and I paid big bucks for an exterminator once, who told me confidentially about the 'Terro' and also basically said that there's no way on earth to get rid of them once and for all -- the best you can do is keep using the 'Terro' whenever they come back. At least it is fairly inexpensive and it sure doesn't take much of it to do the trick. Good luck!
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 1:27 pm (#2446 of 2956)
Thanks so much for the "Terro" advice. Someone here in town recommended it today also, so it sounds like it is worthwhile to try.
I'm gonna Terro those ants right outta my house! Bwahahaha.....**Catherine runs to the store gleefully anticipating ant demise**
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 25, 2005 2:01 pm (#2447 of 2956)
Good luck with your ants Catherine. I have them all over my kitchen all the time (summer and winter) and "Terro" or Ant-Rid as I know it; just doesn't work with these cheeky little critters.
They go for anything and water. So I've learnt to put the dirty dishes in the fridge if I'm too lazy to do it straight away.
Since I live in a single person household I have trouble motivating myself to wash one bowl/spoon from brekky (breakfast) (especially when there's another 8 clean bowls in the cupboard!!!).
The things I do to delay the household chores - lucky no one else shares the house.
Lizzy
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Accio Sirius - Feb 25, 2005 2:51 pm (#2448 of 2956)
Catherine, I have the same problem right now too--little tiny ants all around the kitchen! Funny too since we are blanketed with snow right now. Usually it is only in warm weather, but I think everyone is confused as the temperature keeps changing so fast. Thank you Madam Pince for the Terro advice. I had read up on ants since this is a recurring problem for us too. I find them fascinating and irritating. But after I read that they often come back to claim their wounded and dead, I thought maybe if I squash one and leave it there, I'll be sending a little message, ala The Godfather. Apparently, they haven't seen the movie!
Julia, Hope you feel better soon. I have friends who swear by Alka Seltzer cold medicine, although I am a big fan of Linus Pauling and always go the extra Vitamin C route. You read his theories about it here: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 25, 2005 3:49 pm (#2449 of 2956)
Spring may be a month away by calendar, but obviously it has arrived in eastern NC. Just about the time the tulips poke out of the ground, ants decide to wake up and make their presence known, too. –Catherine
Catherine, I'm sorry about the ants, but I do envy you. It snowed here last night, and I am missing Spring in NC. I know the daffodils must be popping up everywhere. They were always the first sign of spring for me when I was in NC. In NYC, I never really "feel" the season changes the same way because there aren't the same visual cues. I was surprised at how much that affected me. Every time the season changes, I have a desperate urge to escape the city for a day or two. Good luck with the ants.
Julia, I'm so sorry you're sick. At least it's Friday and you've recently had a "fun" trip, so you can stay snuggled up in your dorm room and get better. **sends Julia butterbeer and kosher soup**
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Albus Silente - Feb 25, 2005 4:33 pm (#2450 of 2956)
Hi Phoenix Song! Actually, English is my third language. Yes,I am German but I'm living in Italy since 6 years.
Today my account was moderated for some hours (or maybe it still is, I will discover that posting) because of my "i"s well, as already the good old Romans knew: errare humaum est!
It took me quite some time finding out how the smileys worked, but I think I'll be able to manage it from now on
Edited: I'm no longer moderated, thanks for making me notice that! Until now, I don't have any other questions, but I am sure there will be in future! Thanks again to all!
Denise P. - Feb 23, 2005 3:29 pm (#2401 of 2956)
I look through my high school year books and giggle at all the hair and the tuxedo shirts on girls. I look through my husband's and giggle at the polyester shirts and long hair (he is a child of the 70's, I am early 80's)
Wowzer, I finally got a new computer, all set up and what a difference! I am zooming with all this memory I have in it now.
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timrew - Feb 23, 2005 4:50 pm (#2402 of 2956)
I have to admit, I haven't been to a hairdresser's in years. When I need a haircut I go round to my Mother's.
She does a brilliant "Full Metal Jacket" haircut, and I don't need another one for about four months! I hate going to the hairdresser's............(hence the hat in the photo!)
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 23, 2005 5:25 pm (#2403 of 2956)
When I think of 80s hair I think one one word: BANGS!!! There seemed to be a competition among middle school girls to see who could get their bangs to stand up the tallest. Of course, if you were really cool, you had a major blow out and feather on the sides to make the bangs seem even bigger! The bathroom in middle school reeked of Rave hairspray (do you remember that sticky, syrupy spray?)!
I tended to pull my hair back on one side, and tease the bangs up and over on the other !
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boop - Feb 23, 2005 5:53 pm (#2404 of 2956)
This is a Birthday wish for Feb. 24th.
Happy Birthday Bumbledore(John)!!!! I wish you a great Birthday. Have a wonderful day.
I talked to Jim(mischafan), he is really busy with studying. Has not had time to stop in. Jim is doing great in school, just needs to take some tests. Just thought I would let the forum know what he has been up to.
Have a good evening everyone, and a great Thursday!!
Hugs Always
Betty
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 23, 2005 10:59 pm (#2405 of 2956)
Since it is now the 24th over here I will wish Bumbledore a happy birthday!!
And clothes were not really better than the haircuts - elanor
The only good thing about the eighties (apart from some good music!) is that baggy (loose fitting styles) clothes and shoulder pads helped a very self conscious teen (me) cope with her scoliosis/khyphosis (curvatures of the spine) by being able to cover up.
But no more shoulder pads now!!! But you know they are starting to make a comeback!! yucckky
Enjoy your Thursday everyone, I certainly did.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 23, 2005 11:12 pm (#2406 of 2956)
Lizzy: "But you know they are starting to make a comeback!! " Oh my, what a scary thought so early in the morning Lizzy!
As it is already the 24th here too, happy birthday Bumbledore! Joyeux anniversaire!
Good afternoon, morning, night wherever you are!
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The giant squid - Feb 24, 2005 2:01 am (#2407 of 2956)
You will find no pictures of me with a mullet or wearing a red leather jacket with dozens of pointless zippers
Hey, no one mentioned zippered jackets! You've outed yourself, Vlad; thou dost protest too much.
As much as some 80's stuff is coming back, I think we're still stuck in the 70's revival. I swear I saw some kids walking home from school today that could have been plopped down in 1975 and no one would have batted an eye. well, until they whipped out their cell phones, iPods and Sum41 t-shirts...
--Mike
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septentrion - Feb 24, 2005 2:29 am (#2408 of 2956)
Bettyn you're really our mom, to have a kind thought for everyone always.
Happy birthday Bumbledore !
Can't say I regret the 80's that much too. Bad haircut, bad clothing, although good music. BTW, Elanor, U2's latest album is great.
It's been snowing since yesterday and it'll do for most of the day. We say here the sky is full (of rain, snow...). By luck, the snow melt on the floor. I've always thought snow is beautiful on Sunday afternoon, when you're at home with a pile of nice books and videos.
Everyone have a great thursday !
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librarian314 - Feb 24, 2005 6:17 am (#2409 of 2956)
Hey all!
I didn't mind the mid to late 80s. I had a decent haircut (long with feathers) that grew out nicely, I filled out a wee bit, and actually took decent school photos. The worst things were my eye glasses. They were huge, plastic frames that made me look like I had owl eyes. I started shopping for my frames at antique stores to get the silver wire rims (think Radar O'Reily from M*A*S*H*). Once I got the eye glasses figured out, I was pretty happy with how I looked.
I too avoided shoulder pads like the plague. When you are as petite as I was in my teens, shoulder pads like were worn in the 80s just made me look riduculus, so they got ripped out of everything I wore. Luckily the shops in the Richmond, Va. area were fairly conservative, so I could usually find something I liked.
I look back through my yearbooks and I am so happy that I didn't succumb to various fads. Those that did and had over-permed, big hair, or "Flock of Seagulls" style swoopy hairdos just look goofy. My fairly quiet hair looks almost classic.
Y'all take care!
Happy Birthday Bumbledore!
**michelle the librarian**
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Catherine - Feb 24, 2005 7:17 am (#2410 of 2956)
Michelle, I grew up in the Richmond, VA area also, in Chesterfield County. My parents now live in Richmond's far West End in Henrico County. Small world on the Forum.
Along with big '80s hair, I also sported the shoulder pads. However, I am pleased to report that I did not wear jackets with multiple zippers, nor did I ever sport the "single glove" look, thank goodness.
In general, I was ridiculously preppy, which is almost as embarrassing to remember as the shoulder pads. Remember The Preppy Handbook, or whatever it was called?
I'm sure that these fashion excesses will all come back to haunt us anew.
Have a great Thursday.
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Steve Newton - Feb 24, 2005 7:20 am (#2411 of 2956)
librarian314,They were huge, plastic frames that made me look like I had owl eyes."
Your real name wouldn't be Sybill would it?
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Madam Pince - Feb 24, 2005 8:14 am (#2412 of 2956)
I can see Catherine now, tripping along Shockoe Slip in her pink oxford with her green sweater, wearing her duck shoes and carrying her L.L. Bean tote bag.....
Don't worry -- I had about the same look, except I couldn't afford the L.L. Bean tote bag. And I had the huge plastic-rimmed eyeglasses too. I actually liked the shoulder pads. I have very narrow shoulders and the pads sort of filled me out a little. When we wanted to "walk on the wild side," we played dress-up with punk-ish type clothes. I have a photo of some of us with very teased hair, wearing colored tights and those long tee-shirts / sweatshirts that served as a mini-dress when belted with a wide leather belt. My choice that evening was a navy blue and gold tiger stripe pattern. Lovely, eh? I still remember that some girl came up to me in the club that night and said "Wow! I just want you to know that I really admire you for having the guts to wear that! I wish I did!" At first I was pleased, then the more I thought about it, I was afraid it was something of a back-handed compliment.... Never was too daring about my clothes after that.
It's snowing here, too, Septentrion! It's been snowing for a couple hours, and I'd say we have almost 1 1/2 inches already. It's supposed to be a fairly substantial amount before all is said and done. It is beautiful, but I wish Mr. Pince didn't have to drive to work in all this. Other than that, we have nowhere to go today, so we'll stay in by the fire. ****Madam Pince toddles off, feeling the urge to bake something****
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 8:27 am (#2413 of 2956)
Wow. Thank G-d I was born in the middle of the 80s. I spent the part of the 80s that I was alive for in cute little baby cloths, and then cute little kid cloths. The only shoulder pads I ever wore was when I was playing dress up with my mum's cloths.
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mollis - Feb 24, 2005 8:50 am (#2414 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 24, 2005 7:50 am
shoulder pads...tights/leggins...aqua net hairspray...banana clips with side pony tails...legwarmers...plastic bracelets(at least 12 at a time)...peg-rolled jeans...cuffed t-shirts (sleeves rolled up at least twice)
So many painful memories, so little time...
Happy Birthday Bumbledore!
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 9:06 am (#2415 of 2956)
Oh my gosh! I nearly forgot...
Happy Birthday John!!! *hands John butterbeer* Hope you have a geat day and an amazing year!!
By the way, Yay, I got my Smiley Central working again!!
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Loopy Lupin - Feb 24, 2005 9:44 am (#2416 of 2956)
Along with big '80s hair, I also sported the shoulder pads. However, I am pleased to report that I did not wear jackets with multiple zippers, nor did I ever sport the "single glove" look, thank goodness.—Catherine
Ah, the glove. I'm happy to say I avoided that as well. I didn't really want the zippered jacket, but even if I had, it was a few hundred bucks as I recall, so that wasn't happening. I was quite sporty with the parachute pants and upturned collar though.
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Chemyst - Feb 24, 2005 10:31 am (#2417 of 2956)
I look back through my yearbooks and I am so happy that I didn't succumb to various fads. [...] My fairly quiet hair looks almost classic. **michelle the librarian**
Good for you! With each passing year I have an increasing gratitude for having made a similar decision when I had my senior portrait made. Now I'm encouraging my own kids to do the same.
...and the big clothes & shoulder pads of the 80s had an advantage when shopping for maternity wear. You know something is grossly oversized when you can still shop in the regular women's department well into your 8th month! As they used to say, I "lucked out" on that one. (lucked out meant having good luck)
Ah yes, the single glove... I remember seeing a display in a department store once and marveling that they were able to sell one glove for more than the cost of two. This was the same store that also had a display of pricey Coca Cola apparel; of which I thought Coca Cola ought to pay me to advertise for them, not charge me more for that "privilege." I guess it is good that I never majored in marketing.
Happy Birthday <)B^D=
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 24, 2005 11:05 am (#2418 of 2956)
shoulder pads...tights/leggins...aqua net hairspray...banana clips with side pony tails...legwarmers...plastic bracelets(at least 12 at a time)...peg-rolled jeans...cuffed t-shirts (sleeves rolled up at least twice) --mollis
Banana clips! I had forgotten about those! My grandmother still wears them and occasionally gives them to me. I don't know where she gets them from. Peg-rolled jeans with cool scrunch socks (hopefully not too big). The big thing in my middle school was to wear two different-colored t-shirts so that when you rolled the sleeve, the cuff would be a different (often clashing) color. We haven't mentioned the most offensive late 80s early 90s style: bicycle pants!! I remember many guys at my school wearing these things (for those of you not in the know, picture shorts made out of shiny spandex that fit like speedos). Girls wore them too, with long t-shirts; but I still remember how bad the guys looked. Shortly after that was the windsuit. I remember my freshman year of high school as very colorful, and very noisy. That horrible fabric made so much noise as hundreds of students brushed past each other!
Happy Birthday <)B^D= !!
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Madam Pince - Feb 24, 2005 11:59 am (#2419 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Bumbledore! Many happy returns!
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 12:15 pm (#2420 of 2956)
Behhhhhhhh. I'd gedding siiiiiiiiick. I was dying in statistics today, so I've decided to skip Latin American history and get the notes from a friend.
What exactly does 'Many happy returns' actually mean?
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Good Evans - Feb 24, 2005 12:31 pm (#2421 of 2956)
Happy b'day bumbledore - have a great day
may I wish you many happy returns of the day - does that make more sense Julia?
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John Bumbledore - Feb 24, 2005 12:50 pm (#2422 of 2956)
Quick post, before reading over 112 posts... how long have I been away?
Thank you all for the B-day wishes (I saw a few when I used the recent link). I am happy to be remembered (like I kept it a secret ) Well, XX years isn't so old for a Hobbit, thank you!
Wanted to tell you all I just got PoA on DVD today! Woot! Can't wait to watch it .. I also got a game for the Game cube from my four children. LOTR, rated T for teen (blood & violence).. hmm how to take that Even though Hobbits refer to twenty something years as twent-teens, I am still past that.. LOL
Well, now, sorry if I missed anything. I'm headed back to scan or skim those 100 plus post I missed. Catch up with you in a few (I read slow, like a ____; Ask for understanding.)
(John) Bumbledore
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Penny Lane. - Feb 24, 2005 1:18 pm (#2423 of 2956)
The 80's had many redeeming qualities to override the "flock of seagulls" hair, the "aquanet" rave, and the lovely exercise videos of supermodels with teased hair, thighmasters, and those "step aerobics" craze....
Remember John Hughes films? Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, St Elmo's Fire? Oooooh Don't forget "The Goonies"!!!!
80's were SO much cooler than the early 90's.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 24, 2005 2:57 pm (#2424 of 2956)
Many happy returns --
In our family we joked that if you got a lot of questionable birthday gifts and went to exchange them or return them, you wish for...
(fanfare and drumroll, please) many happy returns!
Well, I never said my family was all that funny, but we amused each other.
Happy Birthday Day, Bumbledore!
Yikes, the 80s! Big tops over leggings--a pear-shaped woman's dream that was really a disaster. The shift in formality that allowed one to wear gym shoes (trainers) everywhere (as long as you had on big, droopy socks). Ah, shoulder pads--how to look like a football linebacker with one easy wardrobe change. My cousin was so hooked on them even her bathrobe had shoulder pads. My brain refuses to dredge up any more memories.
Ciao. Barb
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Lina - Feb 24, 2005 4:43 pm (#2425 of 2956)
Well, I must say, I have 80's in my best memories, the most pleasant time of my life. I was a student, away from home, not too much responsibility, but enough not to feel useless, never watched tv (I couldn't understand my folks when coming home for a visit why are they watching those series? It was Santa Barbara at that time on our tv), and I had around 30 kilograms (60 pounds?) less than today. And eventually, I got married at the end (1989). Really special time of my life. I never cared too much about trends so I don't have the fashion traumas from that time. And I had some great friends at that time, some of them are still my best friends. I like to remember the 80's.
But this global heating is starting to worry me. It has been a lot of snow this winter all around us. There are some places in my country that have snow once in 15 or 20 years, some hotels even give a day free of charge when it snows, and they had some major snowing even twice this year. But it hadn't snowed in my town. Not until few days ago. My children were hilarious. But it didn't last for long.
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Catherine - Feb 24, 2005 5:07 pm (#2426 of 2956)
I was quite sporty with the parachute pants and upturned collar though. --Loopy Lupiin
Aaacck!
Loopy just loved reminding us of the parachute pants, I bet.
Pure Crucio just thinking about it. **waves to Loopy Lupin** I'm sure that it looked positively spiffing with his mullet. Absolutely corking, in fact!
Waves to the '80s fashionably-challenged, including self.
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timrew - Feb 24, 2005 5:17 pm (#2427 of 2956)
I was quite sporty with the parachute pants and upturned collar though. --Loopy Lupin
I went the other way...........
The upturned pants and the parachute collar.
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Catherine - Feb 24, 2005 5:42 pm (#2428 of 2956)
The upturned pants and the parachute collar.—Tim
::SNORT:::
Oh, Tim...I have no words for that image.
Thanks, though....
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Gina R Snape - Feb 24, 2005 7:00 pm (#2429 of 2956)
Here, here, Penny! The 80s were amazing for some of us.
My fond memories of the 80s were the music and the immense creativity. Sure, there were kids with banana clips and coca-cola t-shirts. Then there were some of us who made our own clothing out of things and created crazy punk haircuts and fashioned jewelry not unlike dear Luna Lovegood. I had a ballet costume with a flowy skirt (NOT a tutu) I dyed black which became my standard club-wear for awhile. It looked amazing and nobody else had one.
Equally, I spent a good 8 years or so wearing black leggings and funky t-shirts as regular daywear and nothing was ever more comfortable! I worked at a student union full-time and got away with wearing that as the office secretary, with pink hair!
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Julia. - Feb 24, 2005 9:15 pm (#2430 of 2956)
Behhhhhhhhh. I'm officially sick. I was dying in class today, and this evening we had a speaker, and I felt horrible, in more ways than one. Not only did I physically not feel well, but I felt horrible because the crowed was so small, and I was snuffeling and blowing my nose throughout the whole thing.
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scully jones - Feb 24, 2005 10:08 pm (#2431 of 2956)
I've been snuffeling and coughing for two weeks now. We had a speaker in class today as well. Her name was Sarah Jones. I seem to meet so many people with my name it hardly fazes me anymore.
Speaking of Sarah Jones's... My other friend Sarah G. has been a happy mommy since December. I forgot to tell you all. And my brother Tim's going to have a baby boy sometime soon. Already got a name picked out and everything. Michael David Lee... Weird... So... Normal... I should name my kids weird names just to be different when I have kids. How about Xavier and Spinella? Hehehehe....
Sorry... Too many thin mints... Girl scouts finally brought us our truckload of cookies.
Buh bye now!
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Phoenix song - Feb 24, 2005 10:46 pm (#2432 of 2956)
Scully: "I should name my kids weird names just to be different when I have kids. How about Xavier and Spinella? Hehehehe...."
What?? You're not going to name your kids after Harry Potter characters? Aw, come on, that's one of my greatest regrets...that I didn't have a chance (or the nerve with the last one) to name my kids after HP characters. Wouldn't your child be a true individual if you named her Nymphadora Tonks Jones or named him Severus Snape Jones? Promise us you'll think about it, okay?
Just for the record, I loved the 80's. I thought that the clothes were comfortable and the music was awesome. I still love to get nostalgic watching movies like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club." Those were truly "the days" for me... Oh, if I could only get my hands on a time turner!!
Barbie
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Lina - Feb 25, 2005 12:03 am (#2433 of 2956)
Well, speaking about children's names, my husband and I agreed on them before we got married, but since the way of choosing the names was that I should suggest and he would accept or reject the name, I kept on suggesting even when I was pregnant. And I was suggesting names such as Felicita (female for Felix, but I swear I knew nothing about the HBP 13 years ago), Hijacinta, Perpetua and so on. My parents were desperate. My father gave us a dog saying "Com' on, exercise your weird names on him!", and my mother said "Poor your child, he/she won't know her/his name for years!" Then my husband said "Oh, it's already set up! If it is a boy, he will be Ivan (John) and if it is a girl, she will be Katarina (Catherine)." Well, my mother sounded so disappointed when she said "Oh, I like it". She had nothing more to quarrel about!
And even though I expected my daughter Katarina to meet many girls with the same name, it didn't happen. It seems that there were more parents willing to give their children some original names.
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Fawkes Forever - Feb 25, 2005 4:36 am (#2434 of 2956)
Hey Guys, hmmm, been a bit busy at work, so I see I missed quite a few birthdays... so Happy belated birthdays Betty how do you remember?
Lizzy... congrats on the job. Hope all goes well for you.
Denise, wow, you must be so very proud of your daughter. To donate her hair was such a sweet and selfless act.
To all those with colds, especially Julia, Elanor & Scully ... big hugs & hope you all feel better soon. Sending you all some PepperUp Potion via owl... however with the current weather & winds over here I hope it gets to you by this time next week
To go back a 'few' posts, re. the hair scare stories. Oh thanks for clarifying what a Dorothy Hamil was For a while as a kid I had a page boy haircut (bit like a Dorothy). Luckily by the time of my First Communion (aged 7), it had grown out a bit, so at least those photos weren't too cringey... although, I think I was missing a tooth or two My Mum also insisted on cutting a fringe (bangs) for me. Sometimes it was straight & well other times... nowhere near it. It also started from waaaay back on my head... a great big wedge of a fringe... lovely!
Both my parents don't like long hair... so when I was 11, I had it all chopped off... (cropped right up) which I hated, 'cus I looked like a boy. It was short until I was 13/14, when I made a stand that I wanted to grow my hair... which was such a painful process. The bottom grew much quicker that the top, so I had to keep getting regular trims to make sure it didn't turn into a mullet. I ended up with the 20's bob for about a year... which probably wasn't a good look considering the Hermione tendencies of my hair.
I mostly had a bob of varying lengths through high school. It did change colour to red & back a few times. I also had a hair dye disaster. Lets just say... a blonde home dye kit My mum cried when she seen it... which let me know how bad it was... think Gerry Halliwell post Spice Girls... I wore a beany hat for days before I could get an appointment with the hairdresser to 'fix it'. Now I've long hair... (since I discovered layers there was no going back) & have not experimented with hair dyes professional or otherwise for a long time. I'm thinking that I don't know how long I've left with my natural hair colour ... so I'll appreciate it for as long as possible
I was considering getting a fringe cut again... but after reading all these stories... have remembered there is a very good reason why I grew out my fringe in the first place.
I've always maintained, if I ever have a daughter, I'll let her have her hair whatever way she wants... however I will try & advise her to stay away from any dye 'paux fas'.
Talking about 80's clothes... does anyone remember the florescent socks? Pink & yellow/green. All the kids on my street wore them & you were 'really cool' if you wore one of each... a pink one & a green one at the same time.... hee hee! Thankfully I never wore any ra-ra or puffball skirts. However I did try to knit my own leg warmers once. Those knitters on the forum... I'm in awe... I can bearly cast on without some kind of a disaster. My Mum is great at knitting... however, that meant that she always made us our 'Weasley Jumpers', every year & mine was nearly always pink... I hated pink back then
As for 70's clothes... 'fraid I'm guilty of that one. Converse trainers, layered t-shirts & I love bootcut jeans. A friend of a friend (hee hee), runs her own clothes store & she was telling me that when buying next seasons stock, she couldn't buy any bootcut or flared jeans anywhere! Nooooo... I refuse to go back into those straight legged ones... Stupid fashion industry trying to make us conform.. well I refuse... I refuse I tells ya!
Anyways.. enough ranting... it's friday... it's nearly the weekend... the snow storms seem to have subsided slightly... (well it's not as bad here as in the UK). So things are looking up. Have a good day everyone
EDIT : Opps sorry for the long post
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Pinky - Feb 25, 2005 6:03 am (#2435 of 2956)
LOL Fawkes, when I see your name, I think, "Oh goodie - a long post!" Your posts are so fun, there's no need to apologize for the length!
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 6:28 am (#2436 of 2956)
Good Morning. If it is a good morning, which I doubt.
I walked sleepy-eyed into my kitchen this morning, and found ANTS. Grrrrr. Yesterday, no critters in my kitchen. This morning, a population explosion.
Spring may be a month away by calendar, but obviously it has arrived in eastern NC. Just about the time the tulips poke out of the ground, ants decide to wake up and make their presence known, too.
The battle has begun.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 25, 2005 7:23 am (#2437 of 2956)
Catherine, I HATE ANTS!
I cannot figure out why they intermitantly (sp?) take up residence in my kitchen. Radical temp changes outside seems to be the key factor. They are persistent little buggers. They seem resilient to squishing--they just sort of un-kink themselves and proceed on their mysterious quests for food. They hate Raid, but so do I, especially in a kitchen. The ant traps work eventually, but I think they get resistant to the poison and it takes twice as many traps as the label says so your kitchen looks very odd with their black octagons all over.
Gaaaa! I'd better stop, my blood pressure is going up. I HATE ANTS!!
Ciao. Barb
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Albus Silente - Feb 25, 2005 7:24 am (#2438 of 2956)
as in the 70's i still had to be born and in the 80's i was i child (i just can remember al those shocking-colour sweat-shirts and leggins) i don't have anything to say here. don't even know if fashion in germany was the same as in the us...
but i would have a question: How do you manage to put in all those smileys? didn't find a hint on how to do it anywhere. sorry.
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Phoenix song - Feb 25, 2005 7:38 am (#2439 of 2956)
Albus, there is a thread devoted to your very question! Go to the "How do you..." thread and it will teach you all kinds of neat tricks! Use the "search" function to find the information on smilies. It's easy, I promise. Enjoy!
Also, you might find that you need to capitalize your posts, especially the letter "i". It's easier to read that way and there are times that an uncapitalized "I" will cause your entire post to be placed in italics. I hope that I've been helpful!
Barbie
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Julia. - Feb 25, 2005 8:46 am (#2440 of 2956)
Good *cough* morning all *sneeze*
Sarah, since you're the only one I can get close enough to to hug, *huggy huggy* Lovely seeing you again. Please don't give your kids weird names. Thank of how much they'll get beaten up by all the other kids on the play ground. HP names are totally the way to go.
Beh. I feel yucky. I've skipped two classes today. I'd skip my third, but I can't do that to my dear Will.
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Albus Silente - Feb 25, 2005 9:33 am (#2441 of 2956)
Phoenix song, thank you very much! From now on I will use caps, it's just that I am not used to that:-) sorry!
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Phoenix song - Feb 25, 2005 10:31 am (#2442 of 2956)
Albus Silente, You're welcome! I wouldn't worry too much about not having used the capital letters. It doesn't bother me very much to see posts without them, as I know that many forums don't require their members to be so grammatically proper. I knew that someone would eventually have to tell you our requirements for capitalization, though. It makes the posts easier to read and understand. Many of our members are using English as their second language, (as you might if you live in Germany?) and it enhances their understanding if we're more alert to these things. I hope that I haven't upset you.
By the way, were you able to understand how to use the smilies?
Barbie
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librarian314 - Feb 25, 2005 10:37 am (#2443 of 2956)
Hey all!
I hate to admit it but I do tend to favor the dear divination professor when it comes to apparel choice. I have some pictures from my semester in London from 1989 where I look like I could be Sybil's cousin or something. ;-) The glasses though were more like what Dustin Hoffman wore as Dorothy in Tootsie. Luckily, the lenses weren't thick so they didn't distort my eyes.
I, too, sewed quite a lot of clothes in the 80s and they tended to be very conservative. Never had club clothes, as there were no clubs to go to. If I'd lived somewhere more fashion aware than southeastern Virginia, I'd've probably leaned more towards being punk.
I have though recently given in to one of my teenage fashion fantasies. I loved colorful tennis shoes as a teenager and never got to have any. They weren't sold in the shops near where I lived and even if they had been they were too expensive. About a month ago I bought myself a pair of purple Chuck Taylor All-Stars. (A pair of tennis shoes/trainers.) The only way they could have been better was if they'd been high tops. I figured that now that I was 36 I didn't care what others thought about my shoes, so I'd get what I wanted. I love them and wear them all the time.
I also will take the 80s any day over the early 90s grunge. (Music was fine, clothing wasn't.) Growing up rural, grunge was what people wore during hunting season, so it wasn't new and wasn't fashionable.
When my husband and I were dating we came up with a name for our potential kid just to freak out the parents. We were going to call our son Thingfrith Eorpvald after a couple of Anglo-Saxon kings before Alfred the Great. We ended up calling our daughter Micaela. (We thought about spelling it McKayla to go with our last name, McDaniel but that was a bit much, even for us.)
There are quite a lot of great names in Harry Potter. I like it that Prof. McGonagall is named after a favorite aunt. (Yes, one of my aunt Ruby's middle names was Minerva and I've thought it would be a great name to pass on to a girl.)
As a cataloguer that does a lot of work on personal names, I've started a collection of interesting one I've come across. These are real names of real people found primarily in the Library of Congress' catalogue but also from the data base I use at work. Recent favorites include Sophinistra (definitely a witch's name), Euphemia, and Arathusa, all female names.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Julie Aronson - Feb 25, 2005 11:04 am (#2444 of 2956)
Michelle,
Euphemia reminds me of a fabulous restaurant in Longboat Key, Florida. It's called Euphemia Haye. YUM!!!!
Julie
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Madam Pince - Feb 25, 2005 11:59 am (#2445 of 2956)
Oh, Julia, you sound like you feel terrible. So sorry. Wish I could send you some home-made chicken soup or something. Take it easy and drink lots of fluids! Sarah, too! And tell Brandon "Hi" and tell him he needs to come on and say hello sometime!
For those with ants, I have one word -- "Terro." (Assuming they're the little tiny sweet-eating ants.) It's an ant poison stuff. It's a clear sticky fluid; you put a drop of it on a piece of cardboard and put it near where you see the ants, and then you force yourself to look away and resist the urge to squish the ants when they come crowding around to eat it, because the point of the whole thing is that they take it back to their nest and it kills the whole bunch. At first you will see way more ants, then within a day or so they will all be gone and should stay gone for about six months or so. I have had the same problem as Catherine and Barb for the last several years, and I paid big bucks for an exterminator once, who told me confidentially about the 'Terro' and also basically said that there's no way on earth to get rid of them once and for all -- the best you can do is keep using the 'Terro' whenever they come back. At least it is fairly inexpensive and it sure doesn't take much of it to do the trick. Good luck!
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 1:27 pm (#2446 of 2956)
Thanks so much for the "Terro" advice. Someone here in town recommended it today also, so it sounds like it is worthwhile to try.
I'm gonna Terro those ants right outta my house! Bwahahaha.....**Catherine runs to the store gleefully anticipating ant demise**
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 25, 2005 2:01 pm (#2447 of 2956)
Good luck with your ants Catherine. I have them all over my kitchen all the time (summer and winter) and "Terro" or Ant-Rid as I know it; just doesn't work with these cheeky little critters.
They go for anything and water. So I've learnt to put the dirty dishes in the fridge if I'm too lazy to do it straight away.
Since I live in a single person household I have trouble motivating myself to wash one bowl/spoon from brekky (breakfast) (especially when there's another 8 clean bowls in the cupboard!!!).
The things I do to delay the household chores - lucky no one else shares the house.
Lizzy
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Accio Sirius - Feb 25, 2005 2:51 pm (#2448 of 2956)
Catherine, I have the same problem right now too--little tiny ants all around the kitchen! Funny too since we are blanketed with snow right now. Usually it is only in warm weather, but I think everyone is confused as the temperature keeps changing so fast. Thank you Madam Pince for the Terro advice. I had read up on ants since this is a recurring problem for us too. I find them fascinating and irritating. But after I read that they often come back to claim their wounded and dead, I thought maybe if I squash one and leave it there, I'll be sending a little message, ala The Godfather. Apparently, they haven't seen the movie!
Julia, Hope you feel better soon. I have friends who swear by Alka Seltzer cold medicine, although I am a big fan of Linus Pauling and always go the extra Vitamin C route. You read his theories about it here: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 25, 2005 3:49 pm (#2449 of 2956)
Spring may be a month away by calendar, but obviously it has arrived in eastern NC. Just about the time the tulips poke out of the ground, ants decide to wake up and make their presence known, too. –Catherine
Catherine, I'm sorry about the ants, but I do envy you. It snowed here last night, and I am missing Spring in NC. I know the daffodils must be popping up everywhere. They were always the first sign of spring for me when I was in NC. In NYC, I never really "feel" the season changes the same way because there aren't the same visual cues. I was surprised at how much that affected me. Every time the season changes, I have a desperate urge to escape the city for a day or two. Good luck with the ants.
Julia, I'm so sorry you're sick. At least it's Friday and you've recently had a "fun" trip, so you can stay snuggled up in your dorm room and get better. **sends Julia butterbeer and kosher soup**
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Albus Silente - Feb 25, 2005 4:33 pm (#2450 of 2956)
Hi Phoenix Song! Actually, English is my third language. Yes,I am German but I'm living in Italy since 6 years.
Today my account was moderated for some hours (or maybe it still is, I will discover that posting) because of my "i"s well, as already the good old Romans knew: errare humaum est!
It took me quite some time finding out how the smileys worked, but I think I'll be able to manage it from now on
Edited: I'm no longer moderated, thanks for making me notice that! Until now, I don't have any other questions, but I am sure there will be in future! Thanks again to all!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:09 pm
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 4:48 pm (#2451 of 2956)
Albus silente,
I see no evidence at this posting that your account was moderated. Right now, as I post this, you have full participant status, and I am unaware that you were moderated for lowercase "i"s.
Perhaps one of the "higher-ups" has more information for you, but it looks like you are just fine!
Feel free to email any further questions that you have.
Happy posting!
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Chemyst - Feb 25, 2005 6:13 pm (#2452 of 2956)
While you all were dealing with ants, I saw my first snake of the season. I usually relax my lookout during the winter months, but today I was walking along the creek bank with the dog when, slither & plop, five feet ahead of us one took a three foot plunge into the water. (Betcha didn't know our snakes have three feet, huh?
Anyway, I suspect there is a beaver dam upcreek because our neighbor's pasture is still flooded while our downstream water level is nearly normal. So someday soon, while all your ants are nibbling contentedly on their sweet Terro, I shall be out in my rubber boots whacking away at a tangle of sticks.
Julia, get away from your computer and go take a nap! I know your inner-Hermione is probably stressed with all those missed classes, but you need to rest first, study second, and (at the risk of sounding sacrilege,) the forum really does come third.
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 6:44 pm (#2453 of 2956)
While you all were dealing with ants, I saw my first snake of the season. –Chemyst
First snake? Oh, dear. We think ourselves lucky (if the creek don't rise) to only see one or two on my side of the neighborhood by July. After that, all bets are off, alas earwax, and ICK.
I don't really like reptiles, to tell the truth. I'm kind of a mammal/canine kind of person, actually.
Ants are not a favored sector, either, by my calculations, but at least I can trap and smush 'em. Go Terro!
I do envy Chemyst her tramping about in boots in almost-spring, surveying her grounds and deciding what needs to be done. It feels invigorating to just read about it, never mind actually doing it!
My own spring boot-walkings reveal an enormous number of winter-hardy weeds, a tender jasmine vine that did NOT survive 18 degree (fahrenheit) weather, and some tulips that, despite benign neglect, have decided to visit us again and perhaps spread their wide pink smile one more time.
So I have some cullings, and proper burials to do, but I am very excited about the camellias blooming (white and pink and red, oh my!) and the tulips, and the pansies and, finally, the weeping cherry that I planted on my retaining wall. My girls are excited also, and they, more than anyone, make me aware of the least progress afforded by these plants. Young eyes, you know...
I'm looking forward to Spring, obviously.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 25, 2005 7:05 pm (#2454 of 2956)
Madam Pince, thanks for the tip on Terro. I suspect it's the active ingredient in those ant traps. They pitch the product as "food the ants love, and take back to the nest to kill the lot" (well, obviously, I'm paraphrasing). Is Terro sold at hardware stores? I love the name. It sounds...um...retro-scientific. You can just hear an old fashioned announcer voice on late-night TV--
“Ladies, Terro is so powerful that no crawling insect can withstand its power. Clean, safe around toddlers and pets, unlike other insect traps it does not announce its presence to your friends and neighbors. Yes, ant-free living is yours with Terro!”
Something like that.
Ciao. Barb
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The giant squid - Feb 25, 2005 9:25 pm (#2455 of 2956)
Barb, I could hear that announcer perfectly. Of course, me being a comic-book geek (along with my HP fanatacism) I saw the name and thought, "Hmm, a guy with earth-based super powers."
Talking about 80's clothes... does anyone remember the florescent socks?
I know at least one poster who does...unless my sister has blocked those memories. What I was always amused by is how the term changed over the years--from Day-Glo to Neon to Flourescent. All terms for the same shade of bright, eye-straining green!
Tim, I hope you still have one of those parachute collars in your closet, because I'm going to need a picture. I don't think I want to see the upturned pants, though...
Get Well wishes for all of you under the weather!
--Mike
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Amilia Smith - Feb 25, 2005 10:49 pm (#2456 of 2956)
About different names: my mother decided that with a last name like Smith, we all had to have interesting first names. I remember when she was expecting my little brother and we were choosing names. I really liked the name James, but my mom said, "Sure. Join the Jim Smith Club of America."
As for my name, Amilia doesn't seem too bad, and I like it now, but I hated it in elementary school. I spent years being called Amelia Bedelia or Manille. I really hated Manille. It doesn't look so bad in print, but that is because you can't hear the intonation grade school boys would use. "Hey, Manille!" I remember bawling one morning and refusing to go to school over this. My dad tried to convince me that boys only teased girls they liked, but I didn't buy it then, and I'm not sure I buy it now.
Whenever I read books and come across names that I like, I run them through that test. If I could send my kid to grade school with that name, it goes onto my list of names for future children.
About cuts of jeans: I'm with you Fawkes. I will be sad to see the boot cut and wide leg pants go. (Remember the jeans with the zippers at the bottom so that you could still get your foot out the bottom even though they were fitted to your calf?) However, I won't be at all upset to see waistlines move a few inches closer to the waist.
To all those of you suffering with colds: tell yourself firmly and severely that you don't have time for a cold and that you don't believe in being sick. Granted, this doesn't always work. But the mind does have amazing control over alot of things that you wouldn't ordinarily think of. In the meantime, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep. (That was my mother's cure for all ills. "Oh, you bumped your head. Let's go get a drink of water." "You have a headache? Go get a drink of water." "What if, instead of eating a cough drop every time you want to cough, you got a drink of water every time you want to cough.")
Mills.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 25, 2005 10:52 pm (#2457 of 2956)
Oh, Julia! You do sound just miserable. Take lots of chicken soup, water, o.j. and one more thing that many will consider wacky. I just used this one for my son and myself and I think it really did help.
When you feel a cold is about to start, take two pairs of socks, dampen the toes of the first pair, squeeze it out well so it's just damp. Put on the second, dry pair over the dampened pair just as you head off to bed. The theory is that the blood flowing to warm your toes, keeps the antibodies moving as you sleep. My son and I felt terrible Sunday night and I did it for him and myself, didn't feel great Monday but we didn't get a cold either. I felt lousy again on Tuesday night did it again and again wasn't great the next day but I didn't 't get the cold either.
On the '80's, that was my second favorite decade of my life. The music wasn't great, but it was either upbeat or political. And the clothes, oh, the clothes! '80-'81 it was the punk-new wave looks, black clothes with very bright accents, lots of safety pins, some chains. Then mid to late '80's, I was out in the working world in the fashion industry. I wore either all black wool or silk fabrics or knits. All body contoured. Then there were those great suits in wool and silk. Great shoulder pads in the jackets, small waists. I had this one gorgeous cobalt blue silk suit with brass buttons. The skirts on the suits didn't have to be very short to look great. Oh, I had a Stephen Sprouse jacket that was a shade of orange that was hard to find not plugged in. This off course I wore over a black knit turtleneck sleeveless dress! All this was worn with the perfect, leather or suede pump. (By way of excuse I did live in New York City.)
Now that I have kids, I haven't seen a pair of pumps since my son's pregnancy, I don't own a dress, and I wear jeans or khakis with a turtleneck!
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Elanor - Feb 26, 2005 12:43 am (#2458 of 2956)
I can't wait for spring to come as well! Usually, at this time of the year, crocuses and daffodils are in bloom everywhere but those last weeks have been so cold (it snowed each and every day for two weeks now) that they stopped their growing. The only flowers I've seen so far are timid snowdrops and Christmas roses. Today, the sun is back at last, but it is a cold one, - 9°C (15°F) outside this morning, brrr... The only good part of it is that I don't have to watch for snakes or ants, they're frozen!
But I'm sure that Marè, in Brittany, has already seen flowers there, the weather is much milder near the ocean. And what about you Septentrion? BTW, you're right, the Oxford Dictionary is really huge! I love it.
I am so happy to be in weekend! After the flu, it has been a very difficult week at work because I was so tired and I can't wait to do... nothing during this weekend, I really need some rest. It will be great! Thanks for your wishes Fawkes! Are you going to the match tomorrow finally? The 6 Nations Championship (rugby) continues this weekend: today France plays against Wales and tomorrow, there is the eagerly expected Ireland vs England match. It should be very interesting!
About the 80s, I remember that my favourite jacket was a denim one, with a lot of "badges" pinned to it, I don't know their real name in English, but it is the kind of badges you can see on a page of JKR's biography on her site, see what I mean? And of course, there was also the inevitable bandana tied on it. A lot of teens wore some because of a French singer, Renaud, who wore some all the time, a kind of "rebel", I loved him!
Julia, I send you healing charms! I do sympathize! I'm just starting to feel better so I know how you must feel. Some rest and to be patient is the best I have found for fighting it!
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septentrion - Feb 26, 2005 5:22 am (#2459 of 2956)
Hi all !
The weather is still cold. The temperature is around 3/4° C at the best of the day. We had sun yesterday but today seems to be dull and grey.
Elanor, I'm sure you'll be in front of your TV this week-end ! I'm glad you're recovering and I encourage you to do nothing. That's something I do pretty well and you should find yourself better on Monday.
Healing charms from me too, Julia ! I dislike colds because you're not ill enough to skip work but ill enough to work as if you weren't there. Stay at bed and rest well.
Everyone have a good week-end !
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Phoenix song - Feb 26, 2005 8:28 am (#2460 of 2956)
Elanor, I'm so sorry that it's so cold there! We're wet and muddy, as usual. The temps vary from day to day here. Sometimes we're in the high 70's with a humidity that will kill you. Other days we're in the 30's with a humidity that will kill you. It seems like every day we're encountering rain and mud and muck. YUCK! We really do need spring...but maybe we should be wishing for summer, when HBP comes out!
Also, I don't know if there is a more "appropriate" name for the badges that were on jean jackets back in the 80's, but we called them either "badges" or "pins". I had a huge collection of them as well. Now, I can't even remember what most of them said. The ones that I do remember probably aren't appropriate to share. I loved the 80's, though. My favorite decade hands down.
Julia, I hope that you're feeling much better. If only we could buy some "Pepper-Up Potion" at our local pharmacist!
Have a good weekend everybody!
Barbie
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Acceber - Feb 26, 2005 8:30 am (#2461 of 2956)
I guess this means I'm getting old.-Julia, a few days back. Happens to everyone, no need to feel discouraged.
I had a great time in Vermont (Stowe, for those who are wondering). I'd been on skis a grand total of one time before last Monday, and I had no idea if I'd like it or hate it. If I hadn't enjoyed it, I purposely brought five books (including OoP) to keep me entertained. But I loved cross-country skiing. We went for about two hours every day, and each day I got better. By our last day, Thursday, I didn't get nearly as much snow on me as I did the first day, and I kind of mastered going down hills. Woooo hooooo!
Happy Belated Birthdays to Anyone Celebrating!
No ants here, just a lot of snow that doesn't want to go away. It looks pretty from the window over my computer, but it's quite annoying when you're in it.
Off to catch up on the threads. *goes away whistling and hoping no one notices she didn't contribute to the 80s conversation because she has nothing to contribute*
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Gina R Snape - Feb 26, 2005 9:51 am (#2462 of 2956)
Mrs. Sirius: haven't seen a pair of pumps since my son's pregnancy,
*snort*I think you mean when you were pregnant with your son, not that HE was pregnant, right?
Julia, don't worry about getting older. Just think of the alternative! Hope everyone is either feeling better or facing better weather as the case may be. NYC is still cold and we are expecting yet more snow in the coming days. Waaaaaaaah.
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Lina - Feb 26, 2005 11:32 am (#2463 of 2956)
Catherine: I don't really like reptiles, to tell the truth. I'm kind of a mammal/canine kind of person, actually.
Since we live on the fifth (and last) floor, ants usually find some food before they come to us. But therefore, bats (mammals) like to settle above our windows. Once, one of them entered my mum's and sister's flat (who live next to us). My sister freeked out (I still don't understand why). We didn't manage to make it fly out through the window, but I managed to catch it. So I had to call my children to see it (before I let it out) because it is really rare opportunity in the life to see a bat this close. And I really find them so cute. My children too. They wished to keep it at home with us. I had to explain them that we should have a good tall tower to be able to keep bats with us and still make them feel happy. So we decided that we will build a house with a tall tower once that we become rich.
And about the flu, there is a guaranteed recipe: you take an apple, cut it precisely in seven equal parts, eat one part every day, and when you eat the last part, you will be healthy.
And, Albus Silente, my second language is Italian too, even though I haven't lived in Italy but I live close to it. You might find it practical to use the "Check spelling" button before posting. Not only to make your posts more proper, but to learn something new too.
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mike miller - Feb 26, 2005 12:39 pm (#2464 of 2956)
Julia - Sorry to hear you're under the weather. My wife fought her bug all of last week. Home made chicken soup, you could probably get by with something out of a can if it has lots of veggies, really does help. If all else fails, rub Vicks all over your chest, put on an old t-shirt and stick your face under the collar. Those vapors always help me.
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Phoenix song - Feb 26, 2005 12:53 pm (#2465 of 2956)
Julia, are you feeling any better now? I hope so. Like others have said, don't feel discouraged about feeling older. It sort of sneaks up on a person, but there's nothing to be done about it. I'm just really realizing that tomorrow I'll turn 35. Yikes! I'm afraid that I've become a grown-up without even noticing it! Now, how did that happen?
Barbie
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Madam Pince - Feb 26, 2005 1:00 pm (#2466 of 2956)
Happy Birthday a day early, Barbie! "How did that happen???" is one of my most-used lines lately as well!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 26, 2005 1:03 pm (#2467 of 2956)
From Barb to Barbie--
Happy Birthday! 35 can be the absolutely most perfect age to be, I think. Enjoy.
Ciao. Barb
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Catherine - Feb 26, 2005 1:52 pm (#2468 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Barbie. We're the same *cough* age. How is it being 29 for the sixth time?
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boop - Feb 26, 2005 1:53 pm (#2469 of 2956)
AN Early Happy Birthday Barbie. Have a wonderful day tomorrow!!
The sun is out, but not for long. Sunday evening into Monday we are to get more snow. We just had a storm that gave us 6 inches. They say this one could give us more. I have been told that March will be a very busy winter month. I sure hope they are wrong. They say we are to get Five major snow storms, with little snow falls in between.
Everyone have a great weekend!!!!
hugs always
Betty (boop)
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septentrion - Feb 26, 2005 1:58 pm (#2470 of 2956)
Happy birthday Barbie ! You were born the same year than me !
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Sirius Lee - Feb 26, 2005 2:46 pm (#2471 of 2956)
I stumbled across this while cleaning out my email box today and thought it was went along well with our current line of 80's chatter. Please forgive the great length, but it's quite a chuckle!
You know you grew up in the 1980's if...
1. You ever ended your sentence with "psych"
2. You solved Rubics cube.....by peeling off the stickers (OR the PYRAMID)
3. You watched the Pound Puppies
4. You can sing the rap to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
5. You wore biker shorts under your skirts and felt stylish
6. You yearned to be a member of the Babysitters Club and tried to start a club of your own.
7. You owned those little Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls
8. You know that 'Whoa' comes from Joey on "Blossom"
9. Three words: M.C. Hammer.
10. You thought it would be great to have a friend named "Boner"
11. You can sing the entire theme song to "Duck Tales"
12. If you played the chipmunks Christmas album all year long!
13. Remember reading Kool-Aid man comics
14. You ever watched "Fraggle Rock"
15. You had plastic streamers on the handle bars of your bike
16. You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
17. You wore a ponytail to the side of your head
18. You saw the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the big screen
19. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day on the new Apple computers with the black screen & neon green type in computer class at school
20. You made your mom buy you one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side
21. You had a Kirk Cameron poster on your bedroom wall
22. You played the game "MASH" (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House) with friends at school.
23. You wore a Jordache jean jacket and you were proud of it
24. L.A. GEAR
25. Kids Incorporated....."K-I-D-S!!"
26. Your mother wouldn't let you have Garbage Pail Kids
27. You wanted to change your name to Jem in Kindergarten
28. You remember reading "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and all the Ramona books
29. You know the profound meaning of "Wax on,Wax off"
30. You wanted to be a Goonie
31. You ever wore fluorescent, neon if you will, clothing
32. You wanted to be on StarSearch
33. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off
34. You took lunch pails to school
35. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf
36. You remember the craze, and then banning of, slap bracelets
37. You still get the urge to use "NOT" at the end of every statement you make
38. You remember hypercolor T-shirts
39. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band
40. You remember Punky Brewster & her cool bedroom
41. You loved Howard the Duck
42. You thought She Ra and He-Man should hook up
43. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged friendship bracelets
44. You ever owned a pair of Jelly Shoes
45. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you couldn't stop saying "I know you are but what am I...infinity"
46. You remember "I've fallen...and I can't get up!"
47. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates
48. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide
49. You know not to mix poprocks and soda (but did it anyway!)
50. You have played with a 'skip-it'
51. You had or went to a birthday party at McDonald's
52. You learned oldies songs by watching Alvin and the Chipmunks
53. You had a Glow Worm or watched the cartoons
54. You remember dancing along with the Bangles in "Walk Like An Egyptian"
55. If you remember Heathcliff, the orange cat
56. You saw the California Raisins Christmas claymation special
57. DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!
58. You wore socks over tights with high-top Reeboks
59. You wore like 8 pairs of socks at once, scrunched down
60. MISS MARY MACK, MACK, MACK ALL DRESSED IN BLACK, BLACK, BLACK.....
61. You remember boom boxes instead of CD players
62. You remember watching both "Gremlins" movies
63. You remember the Transformers
64. You know what it meant to say "care bear stare!!" and you had a favorite
65. You remember Rainbow Bright and My Little Pony Tales
66. You remember watching TV thinking Doogie Howser was hot!
67. You remember Alf, the little furry brown alien from Melmac who tried to eat cats
68. You remember the large amounts of hairspray used
69. You remember those very stylish headbands
70. You remember Vicky the Robot (a.k.a. Small Wonder)
71. You remember the beginning of New Kids on the Block
72. You remember watching The Cosby Show
73. You remember Mr.Belvedere
74. You remember Michael J. Fox in "Family Ties" and "Back to the Future"
75. You know all the names of the gang from "Saved by the Bell"
76. You know all the words to Bon Jovi's "Shot Through the Heart" song...bonus points if you've ever sang it at a karaoke bar...
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Gina R Snape - Feb 26, 2005 3:28 pm (#2472 of 2956)
Ok, I know they aren't metal anymore...but don't kids still take their lunches to school in lunchpails with matching thermoses?
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Denise P. - Feb 26, 2005 3:48 pm (#2473 of 2956)
Gina, yes. My kids all have lunchboxes but we generally don't use the thermos. Much easier to slap a Capri Sun in there than to wash the thermos every night.
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Elanor - Feb 26, 2005 4:10 pm (#2474 of 2956)
Happy birthday Barbie! Joyeux anniversaire! I wish you joy and happiness all year long!
Lina: I too find bats cute. A lot of them live in the abbey that is across my street and I often see some flying during summer nights. They are small ones actually and I love the way they fly, with such precision!
During the summer, there are medieval shows in the abbey at night and for two years now I played in them as an extra. It is very funny! The first year, I was a poor medieval peasant and last summer a bourgeois (with a beautiful 15th century silk dress, I loved it), that is some social advance, next year, I bet I will be the Lord's wife... But I wander. The point is that during those shows, bats were flying everywhere, music and sounds had to scare them, but you should have seen the people watching the show! A lot of them were scared by them too, though they are very small and would never touch them. Actually, I pitied more the bats than the people, poor little things!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 26, 2005 4:23 pm (#2475 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barbie. Have a wonderful day
There's nothing much happening this week. I have come down with a crash from the high induced by the new job news, but that's OK because I expected it. Now to organise the finances and the house and car loan repayments around the new pay dates of the new job.
The weather has consistently between 32-35 deg. C the last week and the temperatures at night are slowly starting to drop off to between 15-20 deg. C. Hopefully by Easter I can switch the Air-conditioner off for the year and get it serviced ready for next summer.
The worst bit about the weather at the moment is that its being trying to storm for the last week and as a result we are sweltering in 40-70% humidity, instead of our usual 15-30%.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Lizzy
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Gina R Snape - Feb 26, 2005 5:05 pm (#2476 of 2956)
Aaaah, yes. The juicebox/juicepouch truly was a great invention.
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Phoenix song - Feb 26, 2005 5:17 pm (#2477 of 2956)
Aw, shucks, guys! It looks like my birthday tomorrow is already shaping up to be a better one than it usually is! Thank you all!
Sirius Lee, I LOVED your 80's list. It brought back so many fond memories. Would you mind terribly if I copied your list and sent it to my old high school buddies? I think that they'd get a real kick out of it. It's amazing how a person can forget wearing their pony tail to the side and those little plastic circles with the slash across the middle that was used to artfully tie your T-shirts to your side. Or how about those large scarves with the long fringe that was tied around your waist with the pointy end on one side? (To one side must have been important and fashionable in the 80's, though I can't remember why.)
Again, thank you all for your pre-birthday wishes. I'm trying to look at 35 as a blessing, but it is easy to go a little bit into shock when you hit the big milestones.
Catherine, I think I'll join you instead in celebrating my 29th birthday (again) tomorrow. It sounds like a good idea to me!
Barbie
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The giant squid - Feb 26, 2005 7:53 pm (#2478 of 2956)
Sirius Lee, I only counted 45 of those 76 things for myself, although if you take out all the girl-specific stuff I'm probably sitting at about 80%...
Happy Birthday, Barbie. With your username, I now have a mental image of Fawkes singing "Happy Birthday". To quote George Carlin, "It's thoughts like these that kept me out of the really good schools."
--Mike
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 26, 2005 8:30 pm (#2479 of 2956)
GenXers of the world unite! Thanks, Sirius Lee, that was fun (though a bit embarrassing)!
1. yes 2. yes 3. yes 4. yes 5. yes 6. yes 7. yes 8. I was too old 9. yes 10. no (but I know the reference 11. yes 12. yes 13. yes 14. yes 15. yes 16. yes 17. yes 18. yes 19. YES! 20. yes 21. yes 22. yes 23. yes 24. yes 25. yes 26. yes 27. I was too old 28. yes 29. yes 30. yes 31. yes 32. yes 33. yes 34. yes 35. yes 36. yes (ouch!) 37. occasionally 38. yes 39. I was too old 40. yes 41. NO (I hated Howard) 42. yes, even though they’re cousins! 43. yes 44. yes (a pair?) 45. I was too old 46. yes 47. yes 48. yes 49. yes 50. I was too old 51. yes 52. yes 53. I was too old 54. YES 55. yes 56. yes (soulful Rudolph plays in my head) 57. yes 58. yes 59. well, maybe not 8… 60. I was too old 61. yes (but I also remember 8 tracks…) 62. yes 63. yes 64. yes 65. yes 66. YES (brains are still hot!) 67. yes 68. yes (my lungs still haven’t recovered) 69. yes 70. no 71. yes 72. yes 73. yes 74. yes 75. yes 76. yes (no bonus points) 66/76=87% Shameful!
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Pinky - Feb 26, 2005 8:32 pm (#2480 of 2956)
Vicky the Robot!!!!!! For ages I have been trying to remember who she was, and have described the show to people who just give me funny looks and think I'm making it up. She really did exist! Hooray! You can't possibly understand how fulfilled that makes me feel. *contented sigh*
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 26, 2005 8:45 pm (#2481 of 2956)
Sirius lee;
That is one good list. Sadly, even though I was a teenager during the 80's only a handful of these statements actually made sense. How about 19/76=25%??? I wonder if it is because I lived in a remote area of New South Wales or because the list itself is US centric? Nonetheless it is interesting to see how much difference's there are between the countries.
Lizzy
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 26, 2005 8:58 pm (#2482 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barb. 35! that is the age I look forward to as the perfect age. You are completely grown up and can make your decisions without having to be apologetic to anyone and still have time before reaching the point where you pick up speed going downhill!
Mrs. Sirius: haven't seen a pair of pumps since my son's pregnancy,
:snort: I think you mean when you were pregnant with your son, not that HE was pregnant, right?
*evil grin* heh heh, ain't English great.
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John Bumbledore - Feb 26, 2005 10:15 pm (#2483 of 2956)
Hey All, I finally caught up on reading... okay, just this chat thread but hey. You all are the best! Well get ready for a long post and a lot of references to old post. And speaking of old, that list sure made me feel that way, and I'm just 40 years and two days. (oops three days, after midnight here.) Good afternoon Lizzy! Good morning to Elenor, Sept, and Mare!
Ydnam = Mandy, oh, that is so clever! Wish I'd thought of it... on second thought *nhoj* no I don't!
Vanessa, oh to get a Kipendo on your first post. Never the less, welcome to the forum and have a butterbeer. **passes a butterbeer to Vanessa** **Waves at Catherine and Eponine ** Are you too out there?
Lizzy, kudos on the new job. Now are you going to be doing both at the same time or just switching over? Either way, good luck and success.
Denise P., I am jealous. My PC is one of those still running with only 16 MB of memory. Big hard drive but slow. Give an at'ta girl to your daughter for the hair donation. My daughter is nine and growing hers for the same cause.
I guess I have what Mike TGS would call a congress cut. Back in high school I did wear it longer, a David Cassidy hair cut. Always wore t-shirts, even in winter (snow belt of northwestern Pennsylvania, may I remind you.) ** Waves at Boop Mollis and Julia ** Thank you for the birthday wishes, and Mollis gave me a nice cake too! Thank you Julia! A surprise party and a butterbeer! And Chemyst and Accio HBP, how cute you both were to use my <)B^D= wizard smillie! Thank you Madam Pince, for the "many happy returns" **though that does sound like an after Christmas slogan**
Penny, I do remember Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, St Elmo's Fire? Oooooh Don't forget 'The Goonies'!!!!" A short while after St Elmo's Fire, John Parr did a concert at the University I attended and I was part of the student security detail. Alas, the University was in a "dry" county, meaning there was no bar or pubs, only a state store for liquor and a distributor for beer (nothing smaller than a case). So, one of the bands first request was for "refreshments" and I had to explain this to them. I very nearly got a couple friends to help with a beer run with plans to smuggle it onto campus for them, but realized the concert woudl be over before we would get back. Ah, the stupid luck of youth.
Happy Birthday to Barbie. Oh, I know I have missed someone else.. Madam... Librarian was it your day a few days before mine on the 24? Hmm or Madam Pince? Oh Betty, help! You must tell me how you do it. But then I have always felt lucky to just remember my 5 siblings, and parents birthdays. Alas, earwax!
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore.
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Julia. - Feb 26, 2005 10:37 pm (#2484 of 2956)
Good morning all! Well, it's after midnight here so I can say that.
Happy Birthday Barbie!!!
Thank you all for the healing charms and care packages. The chicken soup was delicious!!! I'm feeling slightly better, but not much. I was blowing my nose all day today, and the Sudafed I took isn't working too well. Sorry for not responding until just now, but I posted my last message right before Shabbos, and I was offline until after sundown today. Once I was finally allowed to come on, I went to hear a speaker with some friends.
Sirius Lee, I loved your 80s list. So many things I'm guilty of on that list, even though I didn't count. Plastic bike streamers, the pealing the stickers off the rubix cube. I just want to go on record and say that slap bracelets were the best, and that Bon Jovi is still my favorite band, next to The Beatles.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 27, 2005 12:30 am (#2485 of 2956)
Lizzy, kudos on the new job. Now are you going to be doing both at the same time or just switching over? Either way, good luck and success. – bumbledore
I have thrown the old job away. I gave 2 weeks’ notice as soon as I found the new one.
Julia, it's great to see you back again. Hope you are feeling a bit better now!
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 27, 2005 1:59 am (#2486 of 2956)
Good morning / evening wherever you are! You won't believe it but it is snowing again this morning with a nice - 7°C / 20°F outside... And the forecast says the weather will be colder for the week to come with, from tomorrow, some "refreshing" air coming straight from Siberia!
It is a nice test Sirius Lee! I had 31/76, 40%. All the series / cartoons questions reminded me of great hours spent in front of the TV but a lot of the other ones were connected to sayings that didn't cross the ocean till here. BTW, does anybody here remember a series called "Dick Turpin"? It was a British series I think, I loved it!
BTW, I didn't tell you about some great news I heard yesterday. I finally met my "publisher"! I don't know if you remember but some times ago, a guy from the town council here told me that a publisher wanted to publish my master's thesis (about the old general hospital of my town during the 17th century). Since then, the publisher had the thesis for reading it and I finally met him yesterday. He said he wants to publish 200 books first, that is not much but I am so happy just the same!
I will have to work on it first because it has about 200 pages and he wants me to cut about 30 pages off it. As I will be very busy till the summer holidays preparing Accio, I told him I needed some time for doing it and he said that if I could give it back to him by the end of August, it should be perfect. So, a lot of work awaits me but I don't mind, it is rather exciting in fact!
Have a great Sunday everybody and happy birthday again Barbie since it is already Sunday morning here! Enjoy your day!
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Good Evans - Feb 27, 2005 5:00 am (#2487 of 2956)
Sirius lee - like Lizzy I think some of your "fads" passed me by, but I think you should have included Dungeons and Dragons !! I was 11 in 1980 so was definitely there!! - I loved the movie references (Gremlins I remember having to sludge through the snow and Ice in my calf high boots with leg warmers poking out of the top (yiiiiicccckkkkkk)and then meeting my little brother to take him to see the movie, i guess he must have been just old enough I cant remember the rating!. And yes I did want to be a Goonie! But more so I wanted to be in "The Breakfast Club".
Anyhow great memories...
Julia I am sending you some pepper up potion !!
Have a great birthday Barbie
Julie
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mike miller - Feb 27, 2005 6:57 am (#2488 of 2956)
Sirius Lee - As a child of the 70's I know about most of your list, although not that many directly apply. I did enjoy some of the music of the 80's. After all, SRV recorded all of his music during the 80's.
Good Evans II - D&D got it's start in the 70's. I remember all day sessions while I was in college. There were 2 of us that had worlds and could be the DM and another 2 that just played. The books available at the time could only take us so far, we ended up creating many of our own charts and table to make AD&D play possible.
Happy Birthday Barbie
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Ozymandias - Feb 27, 2005 8:07 am (#2489 of 2956)
Hello again, everybody!
Well, so much for my promise to log on more frequently. I tried to take too many classes this semester and was having problems with stress and not sleeping. I finally dropped one, but I'm behind now in a few of my classes. It's going to be more difficult to make up the work, too, since I just found out I might have to go to court to testify against a creepy guy who was bothering me last year. It has the potential to take as much as two days out of my week, and I don't get advance notice. Sigh.
I have been arting it up again, though, which makes me really happy. Knitting (I have the easiest sweater pattern in the universe if anyone is interested) and writing. I'm hoping to find the time after this whole court thing blows over to do a reread of either HP or Sherlock Holmes.
I can (with some relief) say that I've never played D&D. However, I recently went to a meet-up for an online game I play often. We got dressed up in costumes and ran around a hotel just being nerds. It was great fun.
Well, off to read some other threads, and then hopefully get caught up in school. Breakfast would probably be a good idea too.
Oh, and Happy Birthday to Barbie and anyone I missed during my absence!
~Erin
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Phoenix song - Feb 27, 2005 9:45 am (#2490 of 2956)
Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes! They're much appreciated and have cheered me up.
I think that I should take the excellent advice that I've been provided and consider 35 to be the perfect age. It's young enough to still get around and have fun. Yet 35 is old enough that I've learned to let go of all of the petty trappings of youth, such as caring what other people would think if I decided to go for a jaunt to the store without perfectly done hair and make-up. I used to obsess about every trip out of the house. Now my hair and make-up is never perfect anymore, but I'm too much of a mom/wife/adult to much care what some strangers think about me. Yeah for 35!!
Ozymandias, you have my utmost respect on the knitting thing. I've wanted to knit since I was little, but don't know anybody that actually knits to teach me. I've tried to learn from a book...but was rather frustrated (Hermione style) that I wasn't able to "get" how to knit from a book. I'm impressed with anyone that is able to do so.
Barbie
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Good Evans - Feb 27, 2005 9:51 am (#2491 of 2956)
whoops - sorry Mick - I thought that it was V early 80's - but then you are older than me so I will bow to your wisdom.... slinks off tongue in cheek before Mick can hex to another thread!!!!!!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 27, 2005 9:56 am (#2492 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Barbie.
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Lina - Feb 27, 2005 10:44 am (#2493 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Barbie!
Enjoy being 35! I'm 40 and only 2 years ago I started not to feel like a little girl any more.. (maybe I am retarded ?) Now I can say I feel old in a pleasant way and I see my children grow up and I'm happy.
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mike miller - Feb 27, 2005 11:20 am (#2494 of 2956)
Good Evans - Never a hex! I played D&D quite a bit in '78 and '79, before most of the AD&D books and etc. came onto the market. Really, it was only a couple of years earlier.
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 27, 2005 3:46 pm (#2495 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barbie! I just returned from my oldest daughter's birthday party, she's 25. Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday.
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timrew - Feb 27, 2005 5:36 pm (#2496 of 2956)
Congratulations with your book, Elanor!
Happy Birthday, Barbie.........
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Albus Silente - Feb 27, 2005 5:36 pm (#2497 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Phoenix song- presumably Barbie!
*humming Happy Birthday to youuuuuuu- Happy Birthday to youuuuuu....*
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scully jones - Feb 27, 2005 6:34 pm (#2498 of 2956)
Let's see if I can do this...
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Of Course! Pound puppies rock1
4. Ever word of it!
5. I only wore the shorts under the skirt because my mom wouldn't let me out of the house with a short skirt on.
6. Icky on the babysitter's club... Never liked those books.
7. I always wanted a strawberry shortcake doll...
8. Yes
9. Funniest performer... Not intentionally...
10. Hehe...
11. YES DUCK TALES!
12. My brothers would of killed me.
13. Yes, at a friend's house.
14. One of my favorites!
15. If I had a bike, yes I would have.
16. Yes, Saturday cartoons were the best.
17. I would of, but it was very unfashionable in MY part of the country.
18. First movie I ever saw in Theater.
19. YES! But I skipped on the Trail and chose Pharoah's Tomb.
20. I knotted my shirt on my own.
21. I wasn't interested in guys yet.
22. I expanded on Mash, made it 50 questions long.
23. I had a generic jean jacket.
24. I had a couple different ones.
25. ?!?
26. Actually my mom thought garbage pail kids were cool.
27. Not really.
28. YES!
29. Yes again!
30. My lifelong ambition.
31. Yes for a while, but it looked horrible with my complexion.
32. Not really.
33. I actually can.
34. My brother did.
35. It's a conspiriacy!
36. They never got banned at my school!
37. I do, I do.
38. Not sure.
39. They suck!
40. I remember, but I wish to forget.
41. Not particularly.
42. I did, yes. My brother had a Skunkor action figure and he even smelled! We left him on the heater once and he smelled up the whole apartment.
43. I knew they wouldn't leave for other reasons.
44. Why yes I did.
45. Endlessly!
46. My brothers did that all the time.
47. Yes, on a school trip.
48. My brother did... hehe..
49. Yep.
50. I held the neighborhood record for most skips!
51. Yeah, a friend of mine.
52. ALLLLLLLLVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIN!
53. My friend had a glow worm and I loved it.
54. Yep.
55. I do remember heathcliffe.
56. I did.
57. Yep.
58. I would of if I had any.
59. Yes, but for warmth, not fashion.
60. I know a few more of these too.
61. Yep, I remember when my friend got a cd player for the first time. I was entranced.
62. I love Gizmo!
63. My brothers had these.
64. Night time bear!
65. AWESOME!
66. I thought he was cute, but I was a little young.
67. I disliked Alf to the nth degree.
68. I remember trying to breath through the hairspray clouds at school.
69. I had a favorite pink one with silver plastic jewels.
70. Not really.
71. My friends had all of their merchandise.
72. Yep.
73. Nope.
74. Watched Back to the Future in class ALL THE TIME!
75. I do. Screech was cool.
76. My friend Bonnie made me memorize it with her.
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Round Pink Spider - Feb 27, 2005 8:03 pm (#2499 of 2956)
Happy Birthday a second time, Barb... I'm here wasting time instead of writing...
Aw, gee, Sirius Lee, your list made me feel old. *sigh* I remember about half of those things, but I was born in '62, and I was in college in the '80s. My husband and I watched "Wax on, wax off" on one of our first dates! And, heck, I remember Michael Jackson as a kid in the Jackson 5 before his voice changed. (They even made a cartoon out of them -- anybody else remember that?)
Anybody else born in the 60s? I got such giggles seeing the fashions in the stores a few years ago -- belts with peace-symbol buckles, cut-off jeans with the thready bottoms (neatly sewn off!), and a jacket with appliqué... I told my kids that the kids of the sixties would have been scandalized, because you were supposed to do the appliqué yourself. It showed your inviduality. My sister had a jacket like that. Oh well...
Congratulations, Elanor!
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From Venus - Feb 27, 2005 8:11 pm (#2500 of 2956)
Well, I've just read hundreds of posts; I haven't been on the forum since before Valentine's day, I think. Anyways, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the birthday people I have missed since then and cheering charms and healing drafts to all who need them. I've missed you all; I've been very busy and have not had much time for fun stuff.
All I remember of the 80's was trying to get my boys to survive them. I was a 50's child and so I was a teen in the 60's. I think I've worn the same thing my whole life; jeans and t-shirts. Although for a few years I wore them patched and repatched and ragged; and my shirts were usually tie-dyed. Also my hair has just about always been long and straight and stringy. With bangs; until I was about 16 when I grew out my bangs. I have recently got my hair cut, because in my (ahem) maturity my hair has thinned out quite a bit and doesn't look good that way any more. I still wear jeans and t-shirts, though. I have a few nice outfits, though, mostly for church and fancy do's.
This topic was abandoned a long time ago; but while I was reading all your "expressions" and "sayings", I thought of ones that I use that I got from my mom and dad and grandparents, and I hadn't noticed any of them so I thought I'd share them...
If your child complains to you that he/she's bored and has nothing to do you tell him/her to "go sit on the floor and let your feet hang."
If your child complains that he/she has nowhere to sit you tell him/her "Just sit where your mother sat when she was a bride" i.e. on your rear end.
If your children are being very wild and noisy and you need to get their attention you shout “Quiet down or I'll rip off your arm and beat you with the bloody end of it" My sweet little old grandmother used to holler that at us when we were misbehaving; believe me, it got our attention!
Well, I'd better go and put my mother-in-law to bed, she's fallen asleep in her chair. Hope you all have a great week!
Oh, by the way, I LOVE bats. They are soooo cute and I love watching them fly. In the summertime, they fly around my backyard near an outside light I have, catching the bugs that have been attracted to it. Their aerial acrobatics are amazing![/color]
Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 4:48 pm (#2451 of 2956)
Albus silente,
I see no evidence at this posting that your account was moderated. Right now, as I post this, you have full participant status, and I am unaware that you were moderated for lowercase "i"s.
Perhaps one of the "higher-ups" has more information for you, but it looks like you are just fine!
Feel free to email any further questions that you have.
Happy posting!
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Chemyst - Feb 25, 2005 6:13 pm (#2452 of 2956)
While you all were dealing with ants, I saw my first snake of the season. I usually relax my lookout during the winter months, but today I was walking along the creek bank with the dog when, slither & plop, five feet ahead of us one took a three foot plunge into the water. (Betcha didn't know our snakes have three feet, huh?
Anyway, I suspect there is a beaver dam upcreek because our neighbor's pasture is still flooded while our downstream water level is nearly normal. So someday soon, while all your ants are nibbling contentedly on their sweet Terro, I shall be out in my rubber boots whacking away at a tangle of sticks.
Julia, get away from your computer and go take a nap! I know your inner-Hermione is probably stressed with all those missed classes, but you need to rest first, study second, and (at the risk of sounding sacrilege,) the forum really does come third.
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Catherine - Feb 25, 2005 6:44 pm (#2453 of 2956)
While you all were dealing with ants, I saw my first snake of the season. –Chemyst
First snake? Oh, dear. We think ourselves lucky (if the creek don't rise) to only see one or two on my side of the neighborhood by July. After that, all bets are off, alas earwax, and ICK.
I don't really like reptiles, to tell the truth. I'm kind of a mammal/canine kind of person, actually.
Ants are not a favored sector, either, by my calculations, but at least I can trap and smush 'em. Go Terro!
I do envy Chemyst her tramping about in boots in almost-spring, surveying her grounds and deciding what needs to be done. It feels invigorating to just read about it, never mind actually doing it!
My own spring boot-walkings reveal an enormous number of winter-hardy weeds, a tender jasmine vine that did NOT survive 18 degree (fahrenheit) weather, and some tulips that, despite benign neglect, have decided to visit us again and perhaps spread their wide pink smile one more time.
So I have some cullings, and proper burials to do, but I am very excited about the camellias blooming (white and pink and red, oh my!) and the tulips, and the pansies and, finally, the weeping cherry that I planted on my retaining wall. My girls are excited also, and they, more than anyone, make me aware of the least progress afforded by these plants. Young eyes, you know...
I'm looking forward to Spring, obviously.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 25, 2005 7:05 pm (#2454 of 2956)
Madam Pince, thanks for the tip on Terro. I suspect it's the active ingredient in those ant traps. They pitch the product as "food the ants love, and take back to the nest to kill the lot" (well, obviously, I'm paraphrasing). Is Terro sold at hardware stores? I love the name. It sounds...um...retro-scientific. You can just hear an old fashioned announcer voice on late-night TV--
“Ladies, Terro is so powerful that no crawling insect can withstand its power. Clean, safe around toddlers and pets, unlike other insect traps it does not announce its presence to your friends and neighbors. Yes, ant-free living is yours with Terro!”
Something like that.
Ciao. Barb
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The giant squid - Feb 25, 2005 9:25 pm (#2455 of 2956)
Barb, I could hear that announcer perfectly. Of course, me being a comic-book geek (along with my HP fanatacism) I saw the name and thought, "Hmm, a guy with earth-based super powers."
Talking about 80's clothes... does anyone remember the florescent socks?
I know at least one poster who does...unless my sister has blocked those memories. What I was always amused by is how the term changed over the years--from Day-Glo to Neon to Flourescent. All terms for the same shade of bright, eye-straining green!
Tim, I hope you still have one of those parachute collars in your closet, because I'm going to need a picture. I don't think I want to see the upturned pants, though...
Get Well wishes for all of you under the weather!
--Mike
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Amilia Smith - Feb 25, 2005 10:49 pm (#2456 of 2956)
About different names: my mother decided that with a last name like Smith, we all had to have interesting first names. I remember when she was expecting my little brother and we were choosing names. I really liked the name James, but my mom said, "Sure. Join the Jim Smith Club of America."
As for my name, Amilia doesn't seem too bad, and I like it now, but I hated it in elementary school. I spent years being called Amelia Bedelia or Manille. I really hated Manille. It doesn't look so bad in print, but that is because you can't hear the intonation grade school boys would use. "Hey, Manille!" I remember bawling one morning and refusing to go to school over this. My dad tried to convince me that boys only teased girls they liked, but I didn't buy it then, and I'm not sure I buy it now.
Whenever I read books and come across names that I like, I run them through that test. If I could send my kid to grade school with that name, it goes onto my list of names for future children.
About cuts of jeans: I'm with you Fawkes. I will be sad to see the boot cut and wide leg pants go. (Remember the jeans with the zippers at the bottom so that you could still get your foot out the bottom even though they were fitted to your calf?) However, I won't be at all upset to see waistlines move a few inches closer to the waist.
To all those of you suffering with colds: tell yourself firmly and severely that you don't have time for a cold and that you don't believe in being sick. Granted, this doesn't always work. But the mind does have amazing control over alot of things that you wouldn't ordinarily think of. In the meantime, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep. (That was my mother's cure for all ills. "Oh, you bumped your head. Let's go get a drink of water." "You have a headache? Go get a drink of water." "What if, instead of eating a cough drop every time you want to cough, you got a drink of water every time you want to cough.")
Mills.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 25, 2005 10:52 pm (#2457 of 2956)
Oh, Julia! You do sound just miserable. Take lots of chicken soup, water, o.j. and one more thing that many will consider wacky. I just used this one for my son and myself and I think it really did help.
When you feel a cold is about to start, take two pairs of socks, dampen the toes of the first pair, squeeze it out well so it's just damp. Put on the second, dry pair over the dampened pair just as you head off to bed. The theory is that the blood flowing to warm your toes, keeps the antibodies moving as you sleep. My son and I felt terrible Sunday night and I did it for him and myself, didn't feel great Monday but we didn't get a cold either. I felt lousy again on Tuesday night did it again and again wasn't great the next day but I didn't 't get the cold either.
On the '80's, that was my second favorite decade of my life. The music wasn't great, but it was either upbeat or political. And the clothes, oh, the clothes! '80-'81 it was the punk-new wave looks, black clothes with very bright accents, lots of safety pins, some chains. Then mid to late '80's, I was out in the working world in the fashion industry. I wore either all black wool or silk fabrics or knits. All body contoured. Then there were those great suits in wool and silk. Great shoulder pads in the jackets, small waists. I had this one gorgeous cobalt blue silk suit with brass buttons. The skirts on the suits didn't have to be very short to look great. Oh, I had a Stephen Sprouse jacket that was a shade of orange that was hard to find not plugged in. This off course I wore over a black knit turtleneck sleeveless dress! All this was worn with the perfect, leather or suede pump. (By way of excuse I did live in New York City.)
Now that I have kids, I haven't seen a pair of pumps since my son's pregnancy, I don't own a dress, and I wear jeans or khakis with a turtleneck!
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Elanor - Feb 26, 2005 12:43 am (#2458 of 2956)
I can't wait for spring to come as well! Usually, at this time of the year, crocuses and daffodils are in bloom everywhere but those last weeks have been so cold (it snowed each and every day for two weeks now) that they stopped their growing. The only flowers I've seen so far are timid snowdrops and Christmas roses. Today, the sun is back at last, but it is a cold one, - 9°C (15°F) outside this morning, brrr... The only good part of it is that I don't have to watch for snakes or ants, they're frozen!
But I'm sure that Marè, in Brittany, has already seen flowers there, the weather is much milder near the ocean. And what about you Septentrion? BTW, you're right, the Oxford Dictionary is really huge! I love it.
I am so happy to be in weekend! After the flu, it has been a very difficult week at work because I was so tired and I can't wait to do... nothing during this weekend, I really need some rest. It will be great! Thanks for your wishes Fawkes! Are you going to the match tomorrow finally? The 6 Nations Championship (rugby) continues this weekend: today France plays against Wales and tomorrow, there is the eagerly expected Ireland vs England match. It should be very interesting!
About the 80s, I remember that my favourite jacket was a denim one, with a lot of "badges" pinned to it, I don't know their real name in English, but it is the kind of badges you can see on a page of JKR's biography on her site, see what I mean? And of course, there was also the inevitable bandana tied on it. A lot of teens wore some because of a French singer, Renaud, who wore some all the time, a kind of "rebel", I loved him!
Julia, I send you healing charms! I do sympathize! I'm just starting to feel better so I know how you must feel. Some rest and to be patient is the best I have found for fighting it!
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septentrion - Feb 26, 2005 5:22 am (#2459 of 2956)
Hi all !
The weather is still cold. The temperature is around 3/4° C at the best of the day. We had sun yesterday but today seems to be dull and grey.
Elanor, I'm sure you'll be in front of your TV this week-end ! I'm glad you're recovering and I encourage you to do nothing. That's something I do pretty well and you should find yourself better on Monday.
Healing charms from me too, Julia ! I dislike colds because you're not ill enough to skip work but ill enough to work as if you weren't there. Stay at bed and rest well.
Everyone have a good week-end !
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Phoenix song - Feb 26, 2005 8:28 am (#2460 of 2956)
Elanor, I'm so sorry that it's so cold there! We're wet and muddy, as usual. The temps vary from day to day here. Sometimes we're in the high 70's with a humidity that will kill you. Other days we're in the 30's with a humidity that will kill you. It seems like every day we're encountering rain and mud and muck. YUCK! We really do need spring...but maybe we should be wishing for summer, when HBP comes out!
Also, I don't know if there is a more "appropriate" name for the badges that were on jean jackets back in the 80's, but we called them either "badges" or "pins". I had a huge collection of them as well. Now, I can't even remember what most of them said. The ones that I do remember probably aren't appropriate to share. I loved the 80's, though. My favorite decade hands down.
Julia, I hope that you're feeling much better. If only we could buy some "Pepper-Up Potion" at our local pharmacist!
Have a good weekend everybody!
Barbie
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Acceber - Feb 26, 2005 8:30 am (#2461 of 2956)
I guess this means I'm getting old.-Julia, a few days back. Happens to everyone, no need to feel discouraged.
I had a great time in Vermont (Stowe, for those who are wondering). I'd been on skis a grand total of one time before last Monday, and I had no idea if I'd like it or hate it. If I hadn't enjoyed it, I purposely brought five books (including OoP) to keep me entertained. But I loved cross-country skiing. We went for about two hours every day, and each day I got better. By our last day, Thursday, I didn't get nearly as much snow on me as I did the first day, and I kind of mastered going down hills. Woooo hooooo!
Happy Belated Birthdays to Anyone Celebrating!
No ants here, just a lot of snow that doesn't want to go away. It looks pretty from the window over my computer, but it's quite annoying when you're in it.
Off to catch up on the threads. *goes away whistling and hoping no one notices she didn't contribute to the 80s conversation because she has nothing to contribute*
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Gina R Snape - Feb 26, 2005 9:51 am (#2462 of 2956)
Mrs. Sirius: haven't seen a pair of pumps since my son's pregnancy,
*snort*I think you mean when you were pregnant with your son, not that HE was pregnant, right?
Julia, don't worry about getting older. Just think of the alternative! Hope everyone is either feeling better or facing better weather as the case may be. NYC is still cold and we are expecting yet more snow in the coming days. Waaaaaaaah.
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Lina - Feb 26, 2005 11:32 am (#2463 of 2956)
Catherine: I don't really like reptiles, to tell the truth. I'm kind of a mammal/canine kind of person, actually.
Since we live on the fifth (and last) floor, ants usually find some food before they come to us. But therefore, bats (mammals) like to settle above our windows. Once, one of them entered my mum's and sister's flat (who live next to us). My sister freeked out (I still don't understand why). We didn't manage to make it fly out through the window, but I managed to catch it. So I had to call my children to see it (before I let it out) because it is really rare opportunity in the life to see a bat this close. And I really find them so cute. My children too. They wished to keep it at home with us. I had to explain them that we should have a good tall tower to be able to keep bats with us and still make them feel happy. So we decided that we will build a house with a tall tower once that we become rich.
And about the flu, there is a guaranteed recipe: you take an apple, cut it precisely in seven equal parts, eat one part every day, and when you eat the last part, you will be healthy.
And, Albus Silente, my second language is Italian too, even though I haven't lived in Italy but I live close to it. You might find it practical to use the "Check spelling" button before posting. Not only to make your posts more proper, but to learn something new too.
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mike miller - Feb 26, 2005 12:39 pm (#2464 of 2956)
Julia - Sorry to hear you're under the weather. My wife fought her bug all of last week. Home made chicken soup, you could probably get by with something out of a can if it has lots of veggies, really does help. If all else fails, rub Vicks all over your chest, put on an old t-shirt and stick your face under the collar. Those vapors always help me.
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Phoenix song - Feb 26, 2005 12:53 pm (#2465 of 2956)
Julia, are you feeling any better now? I hope so. Like others have said, don't feel discouraged about feeling older. It sort of sneaks up on a person, but there's nothing to be done about it. I'm just really realizing that tomorrow I'll turn 35. Yikes! I'm afraid that I've become a grown-up without even noticing it! Now, how did that happen?
Barbie
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Madam Pince - Feb 26, 2005 1:00 pm (#2466 of 2956)
Happy Birthday a day early, Barbie! "How did that happen???" is one of my most-used lines lately as well!
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Madame Librarian - Feb 26, 2005 1:03 pm (#2467 of 2956)
From Barb to Barbie--
Happy Birthday! 35 can be the absolutely most perfect age to be, I think. Enjoy.
Ciao. Barb
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Catherine - Feb 26, 2005 1:52 pm (#2468 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Barbie. We're the same *cough* age. How is it being 29 for the sixth time?
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boop - Feb 26, 2005 1:53 pm (#2469 of 2956)
AN Early Happy Birthday Barbie. Have a wonderful day tomorrow!!
The sun is out, but not for long. Sunday evening into Monday we are to get more snow. We just had a storm that gave us 6 inches. They say this one could give us more. I have been told that March will be a very busy winter month. I sure hope they are wrong. They say we are to get Five major snow storms, with little snow falls in between.
Everyone have a great weekend!!!!
hugs always
Betty (boop)
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septentrion - Feb 26, 2005 1:58 pm (#2470 of 2956)
Happy birthday Barbie ! You were born the same year than me !
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Sirius Lee - Feb 26, 2005 2:46 pm (#2471 of 2956)
I stumbled across this while cleaning out my email box today and thought it was went along well with our current line of 80's chatter. Please forgive the great length, but it's quite a chuckle!
You know you grew up in the 1980's if...
1. You ever ended your sentence with "psych"
2. You solved Rubics cube.....by peeling off the stickers (OR the PYRAMID)
3. You watched the Pound Puppies
4. You can sing the rap to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
5. You wore biker shorts under your skirts and felt stylish
6. You yearned to be a member of the Babysitters Club and tried to start a club of your own.
7. You owned those little Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls
8. You know that 'Whoa' comes from Joey on "Blossom"
9. Three words: M.C. Hammer.
10. You thought it would be great to have a friend named "Boner"
11. You can sing the entire theme song to "Duck Tales"
12. If you played the chipmunks Christmas album all year long!
13. Remember reading Kool-Aid man comics
14. You ever watched "Fraggle Rock"
15. You had plastic streamers on the handle bars of your bike
16. You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
17. You wore a ponytail to the side of your head
18. You saw the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the big screen
19. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day on the new Apple computers with the black screen & neon green type in computer class at school
20. You made your mom buy you one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side
21. You had a Kirk Cameron poster on your bedroom wall
22. You played the game "MASH" (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House) with friends at school.
23. You wore a Jordache jean jacket and you were proud of it
24. L.A. GEAR
25. Kids Incorporated....."K-I-D-S!!"
26. Your mother wouldn't let you have Garbage Pail Kids
27. You wanted to change your name to Jem in Kindergarten
28. You remember reading "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and all the Ramona books
29. You know the profound meaning of "Wax on,Wax off"
30. You wanted to be a Goonie
31. You ever wore fluorescent, neon if you will, clothing
32. You wanted to be on StarSearch
33. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off
34. You took lunch pails to school
35. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf
36. You remember the craze, and then banning of, slap bracelets
37. You still get the urge to use "NOT" at the end of every statement you make
38. You remember hypercolor T-shirts
39. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band
40. You remember Punky Brewster & her cool bedroom
41. You loved Howard the Duck
42. You thought She Ra and He-Man should hook up
43. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged friendship bracelets
44. You ever owned a pair of Jelly Shoes
45. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you couldn't stop saying "I know you are but what am I...infinity"
46. You remember "I've fallen...and I can't get up!"
47. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates
48. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide
49. You know not to mix poprocks and soda (but did it anyway!)
50. You have played with a 'skip-it'
51. You had or went to a birthday party at McDonald's
52. You learned oldies songs by watching Alvin and the Chipmunks
53. You had a Glow Worm or watched the cartoons
54. You remember dancing along with the Bangles in "Walk Like An Egyptian"
55. If you remember Heathcliff, the orange cat
56. You saw the California Raisins Christmas claymation special
57. DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!
58. You wore socks over tights with high-top Reeboks
59. You wore like 8 pairs of socks at once, scrunched down
60. MISS MARY MACK, MACK, MACK ALL DRESSED IN BLACK, BLACK, BLACK.....
61. You remember boom boxes instead of CD players
62. You remember watching both "Gremlins" movies
63. You remember the Transformers
64. You know what it meant to say "care bear stare!!" and you had a favorite
65. You remember Rainbow Bright and My Little Pony Tales
66. You remember watching TV thinking Doogie Howser was hot!
67. You remember Alf, the little furry brown alien from Melmac who tried to eat cats
68. You remember the large amounts of hairspray used
69. You remember those very stylish headbands
70. You remember Vicky the Robot (a.k.a. Small Wonder)
71. You remember the beginning of New Kids on the Block
72. You remember watching The Cosby Show
73. You remember Mr.Belvedere
74. You remember Michael J. Fox in "Family Ties" and "Back to the Future"
75. You know all the names of the gang from "Saved by the Bell"
76. You know all the words to Bon Jovi's "Shot Through the Heart" song...bonus points if you've ever sang it at a karaoke bar...
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Gina R Snape - Feb 26, 2005 3:28 pm (#2472 of 2956)
Ok, I know they aren't metal anymore...but don't kids still take their lunches to school in lunchpails with matching thermoses?
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Denise P. - Feb 26, 2005 3:48 pm (#2473 of 2956)
Gina, yes. My kids all have lunchboxes but we generally don't use the thermos. Much easier to slap a Capri Sun in there than to wash the thermos every night.
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Elanor - Feb 26, 2005 4:10 pm (#2474 of 2956)
Happy birthday Barbie! Joyeux anniversaire! I wish you joy and happiness all year long!
Lina: I too find bats cute. A lot of them live in the abbey that is across my street and I often see some flying during summer nights. They are small ones actually and I love the way they fly, with such precision!
During the summer, there are medieval shows in the abbey at night and for two years now I played in them as an extra. It is very funny! The first year, I was a poor medieval peasant and last summer a bourgeois (with a beautiful 15th century silk dress, I loved it), that is some social advance, next year, I bet I will be the Lord's wife... But I wander. The point is that during those shows, bats were flying everywhere, music and sounds had to scare them, but you should have seen the people watching the show! A lot of them were scared by them too, though they are very small and would never touch them. Actually, I pitied more the bats than the people, poor little things!
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 26, 2005 4:23 pm (#2475 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barbie. Have a wonderful day
There's nothing much happening this week. I have come down with a crash from the high induced by the new job news, but that's OK because I expected it. Now to organise the finances and the house and car loan repayments around the new pay dates of the new job.
The weather has consistently between 32-35 deg. C the last week and the temperatures at night are slowly starting to drop off to between 15-20 deg. C. Hopefully by Easter I can switch the Air-conditioner off for the year and get it serviced ready for next summer.
The worst bit about the weather at the moment is that its being trying to storm for the last week and as a result we are sweltering in 40-70% humidity, instead of our usual 15-30%.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Lizzy
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Gina R Snape - Feb 26, 2005 5:05 pm (#2476 of 2956)
Aaaah, yes. The juicebox/juicepouch truly was a great invention.
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Phoenix song - Feb 26, 2005 5:17 pm (#2477 of 2956)
Aw, shucks, guys! It looks like my birthday tomorrow is already shaping up to be a better one than it usually is! Thank you all!
Sirius Lee, I LOVED your 80's list. It brought back so many fond memories. Would you mind terribly if I copied your list and sent it to my old high school buddies? I think that they'd get a real kick out of it. It's amazing how a person can forget wearing their pony tail to the side and those little plastic circles with the slash across the middle that was used to artfully tie your T-shirts to your side. Or how about those large scarves with the long fringe that was tied around your waist with the pointy end on one side? (To one side must have been important and fashionable in the 80's, though I can't remember why.)
Again, thank you all for your pre-birthday wishes. I'm trying to look at 35 as a blessing, but it is easy to go a little bit into shock when you hit the big milestones.
Catherine, I think I'll join you instead in celebrating my 29th birthday (again) tomorrow. It sounds like a good idea to me!
Barbie
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The giant squid - Feb 26, 2005 7:53 pm (#2478 of 2956)
Sirius Lee, I only counted 45 of those 76 things for myself, although if you take out all the girl-specific stuff I'm probably sitting at about 80%...
Happy Birthday, Barbie. With your username, I now have a mental image of Fawkes singing "Happy Birthday". To quote George Carlin, "It's thoughts like these that kept me out of the really good schools."
--Mike
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 26, 2005 8:30 pm (#2479 of 2956)
GenXers of the world unite! Thanks, Sirius Lee, that was fun (though a bit embarrassing)!
1. yes 2. yes 3. yes 4. yes 5. yes 6. yes 7. yes 8. I was too old 9. yes 10. no (but I know the reference
11. yes 12. yes 13. yes 14. yes 15. yes 16. yes 17. yes 18. yes 19. YES! 20. yes 21. yes 22. yes 23. yes 24. yes 25. yes 26. yes 27. I was too old 28. yes 29. yes 30. yes 31. yes 32. yes 33. yes 34. yes 35. yes 36. yes (ouch!) 37. occasionally 38. yes 39. I was too old 40. yes 41. NO (I hated Howard) 42. yes, even though they’re cousins! 43. yes 44. yes (a pair?) 45. I was too old 46. yes 47. yes 48. yes 49. yes 50. I was too old 51. yes 52. yes 53. I was too old 54. YES 55. yes 56. yes (soulful Rudolph plays in my head) 57. yes 58. yes 59. well, maybe not 8… 60. I was too old 61. yes (but I also remember 8 tracks…) 62. yes 63. yes 64. yes 65. yes 66. YES (brains are still hot!) 67. yes 68. yes (my lungs still haven’t recovered) 69. yes 70. no 71. yes 72. yes 73. yes 74. yes 75. yes 76. yes (no bonus points) 66/76=87% Shameful!_____________________________________
Pinky - Feb 26, 2005 8:32 pm (#2480 of 2956)
Vicky the Robot!!!!!! For ages I have been trying to remember who she was, and have described the show to people who just give me funny looks and think I'm making it up. She really did exist! Hooray! You can't possibly understand how fulfilled that makes me feel. *contented sigh*
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 26, 2005 8:45 pm (#2481 of 2956)
Sirius lee;
That is one good list. Sadly, even though I was a teenager during the 80's only a handful of these statements actually made sense. How about 19/76=25%??? I wonder if it is because I lived in a remote area of New South Wales or because the list itself is US centric? Nonetheless it is interesting to see how much difference's there are between the countries.
Lizzy
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 26, 2005 8:58 pm (#2482 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barb. 35! that is the age I look forward to as the perfect age. You are completely grown up and can make your decisions without having to be apologetic to anyone and still have time before reaching the point where you pick up speed going downhill!
Mrs. Sirius: haven't seen a pair of pumps since my son's pregnancy,
:snort: I think you mean when you were pregnant with your son, not that HE was pregnant, right?
*evil grin* heh heh, ain't English great.
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John Bumbledore - Feb 26, 2005 10:15 pm (#2483 of 2956)
Hey All, I finally caught up on reading... okay, just this chat thread but hey. You all are the best! Well get ready for a long post and a lot of references to old post. And speaking of old, that list sure made me feel that way, and I'm just 40 years and two days. (oops three days, after midnight here.) Good afternoon Lizzy! Good morning to Elenor, Sept, and Mare!
Ydnam = Mandy, oh, that is so clever! Wish I'd thought of it... on second thought *nhoj* no I don't!
Vanessa, oh to get a Kipendo on your first post. Never the less, welcome to the forum and have a butterbeer. **passes a butterbeer to Vanessa** **Waves at Catherine and Eponine ** Are you too out there?
Lizzy, kudos on the new job. Now are you going to be doing both at the same time or just switching over? Either way, good luck and success.
Denise P., I am jealous. My PC is one of those still running with only 16 MB of memory. Big hard drive but slow. Give an at'ta girl to your daughter for the hair donation. My daughter is nine and growing hers for the same cause.
I guess I have what Mike TGS would call a congress cut. Back in high school I did wear it longer, a David Cassidy hair cut. Always wore t-shirts, even in winter (snow belt of northwestern Pennsylvania, may I remind you.) ** Waves at Boop Mollis and Julia ** Thank you for the birthday wishes, and Mollis gave me a nice cake too! Thank you Julia! A surprise party and a butterbeer! And Chemyst and Accio HBP, how cute you both were to use my <)B^D= wizard smillie! Thank you Madam Pince, for the "many happy returns" **though that does sound like an after Christmas slogan**
Penny, I do remember Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, St Elmo's Fire? Oooooh Don't forget 'The Goonies'!!!!" A short while after St Elmo's Fire, John Parr did a concert at the University I attended and I was part of the student security detail. Alas, the University was in a "dry" county, meaning there was no bar or pubs, only a state store for liquor and a distributor for beer (nothing smaller than a case). So, one of the bands first request was for "refreshments" and I had to explain this to them. I very nearly got a couple friends to help with a beer run with plans to smuggle it onto campus for them, but realized the concert woudl be over before we would get back. Ah, the stupid luck of youth.
Happy Birthday to Barbie. Oh, I know I have missed someone else.. Madam... Librarian was it your day a few days before mine on the 24? Hmm or Madam Pince? Oh Betty, help! You must tell me how you do it. But then I have always felt lucky to just remember my 5 siblings, and parents birthdays. Alas, earwax!
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore.
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Julia. - Feb 26, 2005 10:37 pm (#2484 of 2956)
Good morning all! Well, it's after midnight here so I can say that.
Happy Birthday Barbie!!!
Thank you all for the healing charms and care packages. The chicken soup was delicious!!! I'm feeling slightly better, but not much. I was blowing my nose all day today, and the Sudafed I took isn't working too well. Sorry for not responding until just now, but I posted my last message right before Shabbos, and I was offline until after sundown today. Once I was finally allowed to come on, I went to hear a speaker with some friends.
Sirius Lee, I loved your 80s list. So many things I'm guilty of on that list, even though I didn't count. Plastic bike streamers, the pealing the stickers off the rubix cube. I just want to go on record and say that slap bracelets were the best, and that Bon Jovi is still my favorite band, next to The Beatles.
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dizzy lizzy - Feb 27, 2005 12:30 am (#2485 of 2956)
Lizzy, kudos on the new job. Now are you going to be doing both at the same time or just switching over? Either way, good luck and success. – bumbledore
I have thrown the old job away. I gave 2 weeks’ notice as soon as I found the new one.
Julia, it's great to see you back again. Hope you are feeling a bit better now!
Lizzy
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Elanor - Feb 27, 2005 1:59 am (#2486 of 2956)
Good morning / evening wherever you are! You won't believe it but it is snowing again this morning with a nice - 7°C / 20°F outside... And the forecast says the weather will be colder for the week to come with, from tomorrow, some "refreshing" air coming straight from Siberia!
It is a nice test Sirius Lee! I had 31/76, 40%. All the series / cartoons questions reminded me of great hours spent in front of the TV but a lot of the other ones were connected to sayings that didn't cross the ocean till here. BTW, does anybody here remember a series called "Dick Turpin"? It was a British series I think, I loved it!
BTW, I didn't tell you about some great news I heard yesterday. I finally met my "publisher"! I don't know if you remember but some times ago, a guy from the town council here told me that a publisher wanted to publish my master's thesis (about the old general hospital of my town during the 17th century). Since then, the publisher had the thesis for reading it and I finally met him yesterday. He said he wants to publish 200 books first, that is not much but I am so happy just the same!
I will have to work on it first because it has about 200 pages and he wants me to cut about 30 pages off it. As I will be very busy till the summer holidays preparing Accio, I told him I needed some time for doing it and he said that if I could give it back to him by the end of August, it should be perfect. So, a lot of work awaits me but I don't mind, it is rather exciting in fact!
Have a great Sunday everybody and happy birthday again Barbie since it is already Sunday morning here! Enjoy your day!
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Good Evans - Feb 27, 2005 5:00 am (#2487 of 2956)
Sirius lee - like Lizzy I think some of your "fads" passed me by, but I think you should have included Dungeons and Dragons !! I was 11 in 1980 so was definitely there!! - I loved the movie references (Gremlins I remember having to sludge through the snow and Ice in my calf high boots with leg warmers poking out of the top (yiiiiicccckkkkkk)and then meeting my little brother to take him to see the movie, i guess he must have been just old enough I cant remember the rating!. And yes I did want to be a Goonie! But more so I wanted to be in "The Breakfast Club".
Anyhow great memories...
Julia I am sending you some pepper up potion !!
Have a great birthday Barbie
Julie
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mike miller - Feb 27, 2005 6:57 am (#2488 of 2956)
Sirius Lee - As a child of the 70's I know about most of your list, although not that many directly apply. I did enjoy some of the music of the 80's. After all, SRV recorded all of his music during the 80's.
Good Evans II - D&D got it's start in the 70's. I remember all day sessions while I was in college. There were 2 of us that had worlds and could be the DM and another 2 that just played. The books available at the time could only take us so far, we ended up creating many of our own charts and table to make AD&D play possible.
Happy Birthday Barbie
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Ozymandias - Feb 27, 2005 8:07 am (#2489 of 2956)
Hello again, everybody!
Well, so much for my promise to log on more frequently. I tried to take too many classes this semester and was having problems with stress and not sleeping. I finally dropped one, but I'm behind now in a few of my classes. It's going to be more difficult to make up the work, too, since I just found out I might have to go to court to testify against a creepy guy who was bothering me last year. It has the potential to take as much as two days out of my week, and I don't get advance notice. Sigh.
I have been arting it up again, though, which makes me really happy. Knitting (I have the easiest sweater pattern in the universe if anyone is interested) and writing. I'm hoping to find the time after this whole court thing blows over to do a reread of either HP or Sherlock Holmes.
I can (with some relief) say that I've never played D&D. However, I recently went to a meet-up for an online game I play often. We got dressed up in costumes and ran around a hotel just being nerds. It was great fun.
Well, off to read some other threads, and then hopefully get caught up in school. Breakfast would probably be a good idea too.
Oh, and Happy Birthday to Barbie and anyone I missed during my absence!
~Erin
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Phoenix song - Feb 27, 2005 9:45 am (#2490 of 2956)
Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes! They're much appreciated and have cheered me up.
I think that I should take the excellent advice that I've been provided and consider 35 to be the perfect age. It's young enough to still get around and have fun. Yet 35 is old enough that I've learned to let go of all of the petty trappings of youth, such as caring what other people would think if I decided to go for a jaunt to the store without perfectly done hair and make-up. I used to obsess about every trip out of the house. Now my hair and make-up is never perfect anymore, but I'm too much of a mom/wife/adult to much care what some strangers think about me. Yeah for 35!!
Ozymandias, you have my utmost respect on the knitting thing. I've wanted to knit since I was little, but don't know anybody that actually knits to teach me. I've tried to learn from a book...but was rather frustrated (Hermione style) that I wasn't able to "get" how to knit from a book. I'm impressed with anyone that is able to do so.
Barbie
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Good Evans - Feb 27, 2005 9:51 am (#2491 of 2956)
whoops - sorry Mick - I thought that it was V early 80's - but then you are older than me so I will bow to your wisdom.... slinks off tongue in cheek before Mick can hex to another thread!!!!!!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 27, 2005 9:56 am (#2492 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Barbie.
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Lina - Feb 27, 2005 10:44 am (#2493 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Barbie!
Enjoy being 35! I'm 40 and only 2 years ago I started not to feel like a little girl any more.. (maybe I am retarded ?) Now I can say I feel old in a pleasant way and I see my children grow up and I'm happy.
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mike miller - Feb 27, 2005 11:20 am (#2494 of 2956)
Good Evans - Never a hex! I played D&D quite a bit in '78 and '79, before most of the AD&D books and etc. came onto the market. Really, it was only a couple of years earlier.
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TwinklingBlueEyes - Feb 27, 2005 3:46 pm (#2495 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Barbie! I just returned from my oldest daughter's birthday party, she's 25. Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday.
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timrew - Feb 27, 2005 5:36 pm (#2496 of 2956)
Congratulations with your book, Elanor!
Happy Birthday, Barbie.........
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Albus Silente - Feb 27, 2005 5:36 pm (#2497 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Phoenix song- presumably Barbie!
*humming Happy Birthday to youuuuuuu- Happy Birthday to youuuuuu....*
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scully jones - Feb 27, 2005 6:34 pm (#2498 of 2956)
Let's see if I can do this...
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Of Course! Pound puppies rock1
4. Ever word of it!
5. I only wore the shorts under the skirt because my mom wouldn't let me out of the house with a short skirt on.
6. Icky on the babysitter's club... Never liked those books.
7. I always wanted a strawberry shortcake doll...
8. Yes
9. Funniest performer... Not intentionally...
10. Hehe...
11. YES DUCK TALES!
12. My brothers would of killed me.
13. Yes, at a friend's house.
14. One of my favorites!
15. If I had a bike, yes I would have.
16. Yes, Saturday cartoons were the best.
17. I would of, but it was very unfashionable in MY part of the country.
18. First movie I ever saw in Theater.
19. YES! But I skipped on the Trail and chose Pharoah's Tomb.
20. I knotted my shirt on my own.
21. I wasn't interested in guys yet.
22. I expanded on Mash, made it 50 questions long.
23. I had a generic jean jacket.
24. I had a couple different ones.
25. ?!?
26. Actually my mom thought garbage pail kids were cool.
27. Not really.
28. YES!
29. Yes again!
30. My lifelong ambition.
31. Yes for a while, but it looked horrible with my complexion.
32. Not really.
33. I actually can.
34. My brother did.
35. It's a conspiriacy!
36. They never got banned at my school!
37. I do, I do.
38. Not sure.
39. They suck!
40. I remember, but I wish to forget.
41. Not particularly.
42. I did, yes. My brother had a Skunkor action figure and he even smelled! We left him on the heater once and he smelled up the whole apartment.
43. I knew they wouldn't leave for other reasons.
44. Why yes I did.
45. Endlessly!
46. My brothers did that all the time.
47. Yes, on a school trip.
48. My brother did... hehe..
49. Yep.
50. I held the neighborhood record for most skips!
51. Yeah, a friend of mine.
52. ALLLLLLLLVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIN!
53. My friend had a glow worm and I loved it.
54. Yep.
55. I do remember heathcliffe.
56. I did.
57. Yep.
58. I would of if I had any.
59. Yes, but for warmth, not fashion.
60. I know a few more of these too.
61. Yep, I remember when my friend got a cd player for the first time. I was entranced.
62. I love Gizmo!
63. My brothers had these.
64. Night time bear!
65. AWESOME!
66. I thought he was cute, but I was a little young.
67. I disliked Alf to the nth degree.
68. I remember trying to breath through the hairspray clouds at school.
69. I had a favorite pink one with silver plastic jewels.
70. Not really.
71. My friends had all of their merchandise.
72. Yep.
73. Nope.
74. Watched Back to the Future in class ALL THE TIME!
75. I do. Screech was cool.
76. My friend Bonnie made me memorize it with her.
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Round Pink Spider - Feb 27, 2005 8:03 pm (#2499 of 2956)
Happy Birthday a second time, Barb... I'm here wasting time instead of writing...
Aw, gee, Sirius Lee, your list made me feel old. *sigh* I remember about half of those things, but I was born in '62, and I was in college in the '80s. My husband and I watched "Wax on, wax off" on one of our first dates! And, heck, I remember Michael Jackson as a kid in the Jackson 5 before his voice changed. (They even made a cartoon out of them -- anybody else remember that?)
Anybody else born in the 60s? I got such giggles seeing the fashions in the stores a few years ago -- belts with peace-symbol buckles, cut-off jeans with the thready bottoms (neatly sewn off!), and a jacket with appliqué... I told my kids that the kids of the sixties would have been scandalized, because you were supposed to do the appliqué yourself. It showed your inviduality. My sister had a jacket like that. Oh well...
Congratulations, Elanor!
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From Venus - Feb 27, 2005 8:11 pm (#2500 of 2956)
Well, I've just read hundreds of posts; I haven't been on the forum since before Valentine's day, I think. Anyways, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the birthday people I have missed since then and cheering charms and healing drafts to all who need them. I've missed you all; I've been very busy and have not had much time for fun stuff.
All I remember of the 80's was trying to get my boys to survive them. I was a 50's child and so I was a teen in the 60's. I think I've worn the same thing my whole life; jeans and t-shirts. Although for a few years I wore them patched and repatched and ragged; and my shirts were usually tie-dyed. Also my hair has just about always been long and straight and stringy. With bangs; until I was about 16 when I grew out my bangs. I have recently got my hair cut, because in my (ahem) maturity my hair has thinned out quite a bit and doesn't look good that way any more. I still wear jeans and t-shirts, though. I have a few nice outfits, though, mostly for church and fancy do's.
This topic was abandoned a long time ago; but while I was reading all your "expressions" and "sayings", I thought of ones that I use that I got from my mom and dad and grandparents, and I hadn't noticed any of them so I thought I'd share them...
If your child complains to you that he/she's bored and has nothing to do you tell him/her to "go sit on the floor and let your feet hang."
If your child complains that he/she has nowhere to sit you tell him/her "Just sit where your mother sat when she was a bride" i.e. on your rear end.
If your children are being very wild and noisy and you need to get their attention you shout “Quiet down or I'll rip off your arm and beat you with the bloody end of it" My sweet little old grandmother used to holler that at us when we were misbehaving; believe me, it got our attention!
Well, I'd better go and put my mother-in-law to bed, she's fallen asleep in her chair. Hope you all have a great week!
Oh, by the way, I LOVE bats. They are soooo cute and I love watching them fly. In the summertime, they fly around my backyard near an outside light I have, catching the bugs that have been attracted to it. Their aerial acrobatics are amazing![/color]
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:11 pm
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Phoenix song - Feb 27, 2005 8:17 pm (#2501 of 2956)
Thanks everybody for their great birthday wishes! I really do appreciate it very much. All in all it was a great day, even though my husband was several states away and it was just me and the 3 kids. I cleaned house and listened to HP on audio CD all day. (The Steven Frye versions are so great!)
Round Pink Spider, I DO indeed remember the Jackson 5 cartoons. When cable TV was first available in our area the shows re-ran on the Chicago station. We would watch the cartoons after school everyday. Before school we would watch the Bozo the Clown show. I don't think that they show that anymore. Does anybody remember that one?
Elanor, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations on your success with the book!
Well, I need to get going. There's "miles to go before I sleep..." Good night, all!
Barbie
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Gina R Snape - Feb 27, 2005 8:44 pm (#2502 of 2956)
Waaaah. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban didn't win for either of the two Oscars for which it was nominated.
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Doris Crockford - Feb 27, 2005 9:00 pm (#2503 of 2956)
Ha! I've finally caught up on reading this thread. One thing I can't forget to do (because someone asked me about two weeks ago so I don't want to seem rude for not answering): Fawkes Forever (I think it was you that asked) I didn't mean Queen's University in Ireland, I meant Queen's University in Canada. It would be very interesting to go to school abroad, but a bit too expensive.
Happy belated birthday, everyone! Especially Barbie! Sounds like you had a good, relaxing day.
As for that list, I remember 36 out of 76. Almost 50% isn't bad, seeing as I was born in the late 80s.
I'm off to bed now, since I know PoA didn't win any Oscars. Talk to you later!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 27, 2005 9:44 pm (#2504 of 2956)
It's 11:39, so I still have time to wish Barbie a happy birthday, even though she's probably gone to bed.
Too bad PoA didn't win any academy awards. I'm just glad The Aviator didn't win best picture. I think Hotel Rwanda should have won, but it wasn't even nominated.
By the way, in defense of my high percentage on the 80s quiz, during many of the fad-type questions on the quiz I was in middle school, so it was hard to miss them! (that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!)
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Marie E. - Feb 27, 2005 11:03 pm (#2505 of 2956)
I thought for sure PoA/John Williams had a chance on winning for score. Ah well, there's two more movies to go.
Happy Birthday, Barbie! Guess we have a lot of 1970 babies here on the forum. I don't mind being 35 until I remember how close to 40 it is.
Excellent quiz, Sirius Lee! Even though I didn't directly do some of those things, my siblings did so I can still remember them. For example, Strawberry Shortcake scented dolls. I was already too old for them but my little sister had all of them. She would line them on her headboard. Since we had bunkbeds her headboard was under mine. I would spend the night smelling those dolls and getting sick to my stomach.
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Pinky - Feb 27, 2005 11:22 pm (#2506 of 2956)
Some of you may remember Dumbedore II (Sigrid). She has not been able to visit the forums for some time, but she has some great news that you all should hear. Sigrid had her first child on Jan 4. His name is Ciaran. Ciaran is a Celtic name, and it means "the little dark one." He was 9lb 12 oz. Sigrid says they are fine (despite the sleepless nights) and that they "love him to bits."
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Essidji - Feb 28, 2005 1:33 am (#2507 of 2956)
What a beautiful baby! Congratulations to Sigrid.
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The giant squid - Feb 28, 2005 2:13 am (#2508 of 2956)
If your children are being very wild and noisy and you need to get their attention you shout “Quiet down or I'll rip off your arm and beat you with the bloody end of it" My sweet little old grandmother used to holler that at us when we were misbehaving; believe me, it got our attention!--From Venus
My mom, aunt & grandmother used that one, too, but they embellished on it. The Faust family version is: "I'll rip your arm out by the roots and beat you over the head with the bloody stump--and then I'll get vicious."
It's amazing what parents could get away with saying then that they can't now. If someone were to say that in public they'd get run in to Social Services in a heartbeat! We just understood it to mean, "Knock it off or you'll get in trouble."
--Mike
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Chemyst - Feb 28, 2005 3:51 am (#2509 of 2956)
Belated Birthday Wishes, Barbie.
If someone were to say that in public they'd get run in to Social Services in a heartbeat! - Mike, TGS
'Ever notice how many social service types are embittered feminists that are clueless about real children? They act as if they believe a bloody stump could actually make a good weapon! Humph! It would be way too slippery!
Pinky, I have a 93 year-old aunt who looks an awfully lot like Ciran – give him silver hair and change the bunny print to posies, and the resemblance would be downright spooky. Very cute, but still spooky.
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Marè - Feb 28, 2005 4:28 am (#2510 of 2956)
Sigrid says they are fine (despite the sleepless nights) and that they "love him to bits."
But she insists on calling him "little Monster" half of the time...
Snigger.
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boop - Feb 28, 2005 4:44 am (#2511 of 2956)
Congratulation Sigrid on your beautiful baby!
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Julie Aronson - Feb 28, 2005 5:58 am (#2512 of 2956)
Congratulations and good luck with the publishing, Audrey!
Happy b-day (belated) Barbie--I was born in 1968, so I share your ambiguity about the aging thing!
Erin (Ozy) I'd LOVE that sweater pattern! Could you e-mail it to me please?
Also, congrats on the cool baby, Sigrid!
Julie
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 6:24 am (#2513 of 2956)
Lovely baby, Sigrid. Congratulations on the big boy.
Chemyst and Mike and Venus, LOL about the bloody arm stump. An ineffectual weapon, indeed.
My dad's favorite "bodily harm" threat was "I'm going to break your knees" if he was in a bad mood; if he was feeling cheerful, he would just advise us to "Go play in the traffic." I'm almost sure that he didn't mean those things!
We spent the weekend on Claire's science project. Her group is doing "wind," and Claire's specific line of inquiry was "tornadoes." I can now say that in the year 2004 in North Carolina, there were 70 tornadoes reported.
Kaity looks great in her picture, Denise. Very grown-up, and Happy Birthday to her.
Have a great Monday.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 28, 2005 7:46 am (#2514 of 2956)
We spent the weekend on Claire's science project. Her group is doing "wind," and Claire's specific line of inquiry was "tornadoes."---Catherine
You know, when you said "wind" the last thing I thought of was tornadoes.
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Denise P. - Feb 28, 2005 8:03 am (#2515 of 2956)
Aw, what a sweet baby Sigrid! I love the name Ciaran...so much we feminized it to Kierynn.
Meg should be having her baby next....we have our own little Lexicon Baby Boom going on here....
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Round Pink Spider - Feb 28, 2005 8:06 am (#2516 of 2956)
*Yea! Someone else remembers the Jackson 5!* Yes, I remember Bozo the clown, too. We had one of those Bozo the clown punch balloons that you could hit and it would spring back up because it had a weighted bottom. I have a picture of Christmas at my grandma's house the year she gave it to me as a present. I must have been all of 3 or 4. Golly, how I loved that thing!
What an adorable baby! But I'm glad I didn't have to deliver it him -- 9lb. 12oz! He was a whale! My biggest was only 8lb. 2oz.
Don't worry about being 40, Marie E. As Barb observed the other day, it's actually kind of freeing. I've enjoyed my years as a 40-year old so far. ('Course, they would have been easier if I didn't have a 2-year-old... )
I have a good bat story! One day I came into my boys' room and noticed something black on the moulding above the closet. I got close and stared up at it...and it stared right back! Boy, that was startling! It took me a second to realize that what was staring at me was a bat, hanging on the moulding.
It didn't seem to be particularly shy. I must have had my face only 2ft. from the bat's. I had all my kids come and look at the bat. Then we tried to get it down with my husband's fishing net. The bat had had enough at that point; it started whipping around the room, then headed down the hall and started to whip around my daughters' room. I remember thinking at the time that, for a creature with a body not much bigger than a mouse's, it was amazing what a big wingspan it had (at least, it seemed big in an 8x8 room!).
We had no luck netting it (big surprise!), so we finally decided we had to chase it downstairs and back outside. Fortunately, we were able to do that.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 28, 2005 8:14 am (#2517 of 2956)
we have our own little Lexicon Baby Boom going on here....---Denise P.
Boy, do we.
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 8:24 am (#2518 of 2956)
Boy, do we. --Lupin is Lupin
Gee, Kim, do you have some news for us? **hears crickets chirping**
I wondered about changing my phrasing of the topic "Wind," but I figured that no one would think I wasn't talking about weather. At least I didn't announce that Claire was studying the "Noble Gases."
Good thing her project wasn't about the planets....you all could have quoted Ron Weasely about that one!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 28, 2005 8:28 am (#2519 of 2956)
Gee, Kim, do you have some news for us?---Catherine
I know I don't, Catherine. Do you?
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 8:32 am (#2520 of 2956)
I know I don't, Catherine. Do you? --Lupin is Lupin
Nope!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 28, 2005 8:39 am (#2521 of 2956)
As a social worker who once worked in child welfare, I can assure you that such a threat as beating a child with his own arm would not lead to a child being remanded to foster care. However, I have seen cases where a parent tugged a child so hard that I thought for sure the kid's arm *would* come out of its socket. And much, much worse.
And on that note...give my congratulations to Dumbledore II on the birth of her child. He is a beautiful baby.
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Madam Pince - Feb 28, 2005 8:49 am (#2522 of 2956)
Apparently it is not too difficult to dislocate a little child's arm because their tiny joints are not completely "set" yet, so even playing by swinging them by their arms is not a great idea. And once the arm is dislocated one time, it can keep happening over and over again because of the stretching of the ligaments -- I had a cousin who had that problem when he was little.
Congratulations, Dumbledore II, your baby is just beautiful!
Happy Birthday, Kaitlyn! Hope you don't have any birthday returns! (need to return gifts, that is!)
RPS, I remember the Bozo the Clown punch-bag thing too! Well, I don't actually remember it, but my Mom has told me about it so often that it seems like I remember it. Apparently they gave me one when I was about 3 or 4, and I happily punched it, and then cried and cried when it bounced back up at me. I must've felt that when I hit something, by golly it ought to stay down for the count! They ended up having to get rid of it. That same Mom (Grandma now) decided to try again by giving one to Baby Pince for Christmas this year, but I'm not going to give it to him. I'm having enough trouble trying to teach him not to hit -- I don't need more encouragement. Maybe when he's older and ready to take up boxing as a hobby...
Another memory -- the appliqued jackets (or embroidered?) I had a pair of jeans that I embroidered lots of little designs all over -- I am so sorry that I don't still have those. It would be a neat piece of memorabilia.
I loved your "bat-chasing" story, by the way; I can just see you running around your house with that net....
Snowing here again today! Lovely big fat white flakes. It seems we have the potential to get up to 8-10 inches of snow! I'll believe that when I see it -- it doesn't seem to be sticking to the ground much yet. Elanor, it is funny how often lately it has seemed to be snowing in France and in eastern US at the same time! Congratulations on your pending publications, too!
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pottermom34 - Feb 28, 2005 9:52 am (#2523 of 2956)
cute baby, congrats!! Hey I'm younger than RPS and I remember Bozo, in fact when I was about 5 I was on the local Bozo show I think with a group from church or something. I use to love watching it on tv. Our local guy that dresses up as Bozo is kind of an arrogant jerk though.
Madame Pince where are you from, I'm from Michigan and it's snowing here also, in fact we're under a winter storm warning all day. Michigan weather is funny. A couple weeks ago we had a snow storm and during the storm it was also thundering. There is a saying here "if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change."
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Elanor - Feb 28, 2005 9:54 am (#2524 of 2956)
Thanks for the congratulations, I was so happy!
Madam Pince, yes it is funny that we share the same bad weather. I heard the weather forecast and they said it hasn't been that cold and for so long a time since 1971 here (at this period of the year)! It was -10°C (14°F) here this morning, with ice on the roads, and an icy wind coming from the Norht that made us feel it was far less than that. And the temperatures should be even colder by tomorrow morning. Brrr...
Congratulations to Dumbledore II, this is a beautiful baby!
As we talked about appliqued jacquets, it reminded me of that picture taken about Easter, in 1975 (I am 2 and a half on that picture) so I put it as my avatar for some times. It was not easy to be a kid in the 70s... (BTW, I did nothing wrong to that kid...)
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Sirius Lee - Feb 28, 2005 10:04 am (#2525 of 2956)
Glad everyone got a kick out of the list (I was worried you'd all be annoyed since it was very long). Just for the record though, it's not MY list. Someone forwarded it to me ages ago and I found it funny enough to save. I found it tucked away in an email folder and thought I'd post it. So to whomever it was that wanted to pass it on to friends - please do! It's bound to bring back a lot of memories!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 28, 2005 10:23 am (#2526 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 28, 2005 9:26 am
Sirius Lee, I read through the post right after you put it there but I finally calculated my score: 55/75=73% I am definitely a child of the 80's as I went from age 5 to 15 (I just turned 30 a week ago). I gave myself half point for some stuff like the pound puppies; I didn't watch the show but I had one to play with. I didn't want to change my name to Jem but rather Kira (I am assuming this is a refernce to The Dark Crystal if not then my score gets lowered ever so slightly.
I hope that everyone is having a good day so far. I really want this cold rain to go away so that it will warm up here, and I can put my plants onto the balcony as my cats think they are yummy to eat.
edit: My score is 55/76 = 72% I must have skipped a question somewhere....not that it really makes a difference.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 28, 2005 11:25 am (#2527 of 2956)
Sigrid, that is one c-u-u-u-t-e baby. They're so wonderful when they're asleep. Here's a few gentle sleeping charms to use on him when you're so sleep deprived you think you might put the diaper on his head instead of right way 'round. (I was once so exhausted for a middle-of-the-night feed and change session when Jordan was a newbie that I forgot the diaper altogether, just snapped up the little one-sie and traipsed off to bed. Luckily I remembered about 20 seconds after I lay down. I leapt up to remedy the situation so fast my husband couldn't imagine what was wrong. I surely gave him a scare. Baby Jordan was none too pleased either.)
Said baby was a toddler in the mid-'80s. I was an expert on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters and accompanying paraphenalia, HeMan, Sesame Street and those awful, saccharin "Wee Sing" book/tapes, Pokemon, Star Wars--which I liked, too--to name a few things. I am no longer holding any of those in my memory bank, thank goodness (I need the room for other important things like HP stuff and where my car keys are).
Ciao. Barb
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Accio Sirius - Feb 28, 2005 11:37 am (#2528 of 2956)
Sigrid,
9 lbs 12oz!!!! What an adorable boy. I had what I thought were two big babies (9 lbs, 2 oz and 8 lbs., 12oz). My pediatrician seemed to believe that bigger babies sleep thought the night sooner. I hope you find that to be true. Congratulations. Kim, are you including JKR in the Lexicon baby boom? I figure we haven't seen any updates on her site because, according to a friend of mine, three kids is a big change from just two. Basically you are switching from a man to man defense to a zone defense. As for Denise, I can't even imagine your game plan! Whatever it is, it's admirable.
Both kids are home today as an unimpressive snow storm has cancelled school. Happy Monday to all.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 28, 2005 1:21 pm (#2529 of 2956)
Woohoo. It's snowing out in NYC and my class tonight is cancelled! Ok, I know...I'm the teacher and I shouldn't be getting all excited. But I am.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 28, 2005 1:24 pm (#2530 of 2956)
Dumbledore II what a beautiful baby! Trust me, I know beautiful babies:-)) As for his weight (ouchhh) yes, the bigger they are born the better. They eat more and can sleep through the night sooner. My son was 9lb. 10oz and he was great. Slept through the night starting at one month, and before that he'd wake only once in the night. Congratulations.
Edit: Talk about perspective Gina, all day I have been looking out the window and watching the news because the snow is coming. I feared school would let out early as I ran around doing errands and wondered what after school activities would happen.
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Julia. - Feb 28, 2005 2:02 pm (#2531 of 2956)
Mazel tov Dumbledore II!! He's adoreable, and I hope he brings you much naches
I don't remember if this was in the 80s or the early 90s (the exact dates in my early childhood aren't great) but did anyone else wake up really early to watch the Mickey Mouse club?
Gina, you're so lucky to have snow already. Poor Mar and I are still looking out our windows waiting for it to start. *waves to Mar* (I got your IM last night, sorry I didn't respond, but I was treatimg myself to PoA) When it does, I really hope it's enough to cancel my classes tomorrow. I have the yucky classes on Tuesday and Thrusday. Earlier in the semester there was a lot of snow and the university didn't cancell classes, and a girl got into a car accident and died on her way to class, so now they're being extra cautious.
I just have to share this with you all. Some teachers/professors are just amazing. They're the ones whose classes you really enjoy, and when you leave their presence you're always in a good mood. Liz my Shakespeare professor is one of those teachers. I learn so much from her, and she's one of the coolest people I've ever met. I threw a pencil at her today and she just didn't care. She's awesome.
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Phoenix song - Feb 28, 2005 3:31 pm (#2532 of 2956)
Sigrid, what a beautiful baby! Congratulations! I'm sure that your family will have many blissfully happy days together.
Babies are getting larger lately. My oldest child was 9 lbs 15 oz. (Thankfully the next two were smaller.) When I had #3 (and the last) there was a woman in the room next to mine that had a baby that weighed over 14 pounds! The whole hospital was gasping over that one. Unfortunately, I wasn't very mobile at the time from my C-section and wasn't able to meet the miracle baby and her exhausted mother.
Barbie
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 4:40 pm (#2533 of 2956)
I threw a pencil at her today and she just didn't care. She's awesome. –Julia
I must, on behalf of mums and teachers everywhere, discourage pencil-throwing. "It's only funny 'til someone loses an eye!"
I can't top the big baby stories so far. My second (and absolute last, despite rumors!) only weighed 7.5 pounds at birth. But she was anywhere from almost four to almost 6 weeks early. The doctor said it was a blessing she was early, otherwise she would have been enormous. As it was, within 10 days of her birth, she topped the charts in terms of height and weight, and the poor child's nickname for the next two years was "the Chunk." We have women on both sides of our family who reached/topped six feet, so Hayley just might be one of those!
Bless her heart! **waves to Barbie**
I'm off to bed early tonight. I spent a large portion of today at the neurologist office --ICK, poor Claire--and tomorrow Hayley gets her kindergarten check-up and shots. Hayley has let me know that she requires a really nice treat after her shot, and I have agreed. Shots are no fun. I remember that I ran half-dressed out of the doctor's office when I was due to get this shot at age 5, and nearly ran out into the highway before I was recaptured by my irate mother.
So, I hope we get a good update at Jo's site tomorrow, and I wish you all a great evening.
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Ladybug220 - Feb 28, 2005 5:28 pm (#2534 of 2956)
I remember that I ran half-dressed out of the doctor's office when I was due to get this shot at age 5, and nearly ran out into the highway before I was recaptured by my irate mother.
Catherine, as always, your posts never fail to amuse me!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 28, 2005 6:36 pm (#2535 of 2956)
Ok, I know...I'm the teacher and I shouldn't be getting all excited. But I am.—Gina
Are you kidding! Not to disillusion the college students on the forum, but I probably get more excited than them if a class is cancelled, especially if I have grading to do! I love teaching, but we all love an unexpected break now and then! My poor husband has a 6:20-8:50 class tonight at NYU that wasn't cancelled, so he's still out in the storm.
Sigrid, what a beautiful baby! I like the name! I'm jealous. I want a baby badly, but since I'll be in grad school another couple of years (until I'm on the other side of 30), it'll have to wait a bit longer, especially at the rate my dissertation is progressing this month!
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Julia. - Feb 28, 2005 7:01 pm (#2536 of 2956)
LOL Accio. I know quite a few teachers who were doing more snow dances than their students. Everyone loves a day off.
Catherine, I'm not trying to encourage pencil throwing. I got a bit carried away, and my professor is so amazing that she thought it was hillarious.
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Viola Intonada - Feb 28, 2005 7:37 pm (#2537 of 2956)
Howdy! I know I haven't been around for quite awhile, I have decided to pop back on to the face of the earth again. Life has been too hectic this school year. Adding 9 hours of work (which in reality is closer to 12) a week has really taken a huge chunk out of my free time. I don't know how moms work full time and survive!!! I'm enjoying being a preschool teacher's aid, though.
Yes, I, too, have been guilty of praying for a snow day. Believe it or not, our school system has not had a single snow day this year (Cleveland Suburb). Our Superintendant is too afraid of all the phone calls he gets from working parents when he cancels school. I haven't given up hope yet.
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Eponine - Feb 28, 2005 7:39 pm (#2538 of 2956)
Hello all. I hope everyone is having a good day.
Tomorrow I have a doctor's appt and I have to miss one class. When I told them that I wouldn't be there, they found it quite hilarious that they have to get a substitute for the substitute.
I talked to my best friend the other day, and there's a very good possibility she's going to come stay with me for the summer. She says she doesn't want to stay in Alaska this summer, and she'd like to do something else. So I think she's going to spend the whole summer here. She's going to find a job for a couple of months, but I'm so excited because I never get to spend time with her anymore. It's also hard to coordinate our schedules so we can even talk on the phone because of the time difference. She's a HP fanatic too, so she'll be with me on July 16 for the midnight release.
Anyway, I'm off to type up a test for tomorrow. Have a great day!
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Round Pink Spider - Feb 28, 2005 8:23 pm (#2539 of 2956)
Boy, I guess this storm must have missed us in Southern Minnesota. All we've gotten was a little dusting of light snow. Speaking selfishly as a mother...well, um, it's the moms that dread the snow days...Especially if the weather is bad, and all the little darlings have to stay inside (which, here in Minnesota with the wind chills we get, is always a possibility)!
Yes, in my experience, it is the bigger babies that sleep through the night the soonest. I was fortunate enough that my second (the biggest) started sleeping through the night a week after he came home from the hospital. But my first didn't start sleeping through the night until she was 5 years old (*yawn*).
Catherine, I give treats after shots also for older kids. Shots mean a mandatory trip to the ice cream parlor.
Yea, tomorrow is March! (Crosses off another month before the next book comes out. )
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Amilia Smith - Feb 28, 2005 8:30 pm (#2540 of 2956)
I got to go see ET as a treat after getting a shot once. That's the only thing I remember about seeing that movie the first time, that I had had a shot that day. The subject came up yesterday. My brother and dad were talking about Speilberg taking the guns out of the movie for the DVD because they might scare kids. My brother asked me if the guns had scared me when I saw it as a 5? year old. "I don't know. I had a shot that day." (BTW, I have seen the movie since. There is no need to be shocked at my not remembering anything from ET.)
Mills.
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boop - Feb 28, 2005 8:40 pm (#2541 of 2956)
It is snowing here too! We have about 6 inches so far. Jim(mischafan) says he gave up snow dances for Lent. I don't know if I believe him. Wish I could stay home tomorrow, but we have to report to work no matter what. The only time we don't have to is, when the students are not at the University.
I grew up in the 60's. I could relate to the test.
Michelle!!runs over and gives Michelle a bear hug. Good to see you on line.
Have a good night everyone. Anyone who must go out on the roads with the snow, be careful. We want everyone to be safe.
Hugs Always
Betty(boop)
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Julia. - Feb 28, 2005 9:24 pm (#2542 of 2956)
Woo. Snow's finally started and it's comming down pretty hard. I'm almost positive classes will be off tomorrow, which is good because I can use the time to write my 4-6 page midterm for 18th Century and Restoration Literature.
On a different note, just incase you didn't believe that I am Hermione, here's the proof! Notice how close my head is to the paper, and don't you love my scarf?
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Madam Pince - Feb 28, 2005 10:18 pm (#2543 of 2956)
Julia, if you throw pencils at your favorite teachers whose classes you enjoy, whatever do you throw at the teachers who stink???
Viola!!! Welcome back!!! Glad to hear you're enjoying work. I must say that from what I observe at my son's daycare / preschool, you must indeed be a saint -- it looks like a harrowing job to me!
This snowstorm was certainly a disappointment -- hardly any accumulation at all, even though it snowed literally all day. It was just warm enough that it all melted as soon as it hit. Now that it's gotten dark and the temperature has dropped, it is accumulating a bit, but it still won't be much. I forget who asked earlier, but I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland....
Talking about baby sizes -- in our baby classes, there was a couple who were expecting at about the same time we were. The wife was a normal-sized lady, and the husband was what I would describe as a "corn-fed mid-west football player" type -- absolutely huge but not at all fat. They were asking questions about c-sections because they said the husband had been 14 pounds at his birth, and his wife said "...and I'm NOT going through THAT, I can tell you!" It was pretty funny. I don't know how it turned out. I could hardly believe that there could be a 14-lb. newborn, but apparently their doctor was expecting theirs to be close...
Happy Birthday, Ron Weasley!
Phoenix song - Feb 27, 2005 8:17 pm (#2501 of 2956)
Thanks everybody for their great birthday wishes! I really do appreciate it very much. All in all it was a great day, even though my husband was several states away and it was just me and the 3 kids. I cleaned house and listened to HP on audio CD all day. (The Steven Frye versions are so great!)
Round Pink Spider, I DO indeed remember the Jackson 5 cartoons. When cable TV was first available in our area the shows re-ran on the Chicago station. We would watch the cartoons after school everyday. Before school we would watch the Bozo the Clown show. I don't think that they show that anymore. Does anybody remember that one?
Elanor, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations on your success with the book!
Well, I need to get going. There's "miles to go before I sleep..." Good night, all!
Barbie
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Gina R Snape - Feb 27, 2005 8:44 pm (#2502 of 2956)
Waaaah. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban didn't win for either of the two Oscars for which it was nominated.
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Doris Crockford - Feb 27, 2005 9:00 pm (#2503 of 2956)
Ha! I've finally caught up on reading this thread. One thing I can't forget to do (because someone asked me about two weeks ago so I don't want to seem rude for not answering): Fawkes Forever (I think it was you that asked) I didn't mean Queen's University in Ireland, I meant Queen's University in Canada. It would be very interesting to go to school abroad, but a bit too expensive.
Happy belated birthday, everyone! Especially Barbie! Sounds like you had a good, relaxing day.
As for that list, I remember 36 out of 76. Almost 50% isn't bad, seeing as I was born in the late 80s.
I'm off to bed now, since I know PoA didn't win any Oscars. Talk to you later!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 27, 2005 9:44 pm (#2504 of 2956)
It's 11:39, so I still have time to wish Barbie a happy birthday, even though she's probably gone to bed.
Too bad PoA didn't win any academy awards. I'm just glad The Aviator didn't win best picture. I think Hotel Rwanda should have won, but it wasn't even nominated
.By the way, in defense of my high percentage on the 80s quiz, during many of the fad-type questions on the quiz I was in middle school, so it was hard to miss them! (that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!)
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Marie E. - Feb 27, 2005 11:03 pm (#2505 of 2956)
I thought for sure PoA/John Williams had a chance on winning for score. Ah well, there's two more movies to go.
Happy Birthday, Barbie! Guess we have a lot of 1970 babies here on the forum. I don't mind being 35 until I remember how close to 40 it is.
Excellent quiz, Sirius Lee! Even though I didn't directly do some of those things, my siblings did so I can still remember them. For example, Strawberry Shortcake scented dolls. I was already too old for them but my little sister had all of them. She would line them on her headboard. Since we had bunkbeds her headboard was under mine. I would spend the night smelling those dolls and getting sick to my stomach.
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Pinky - Feb 27, 2005 11:22 pm (#2506 of 2956)
Some of you may remember Dumbedore II (Sigrid). She has not been able to visit the forums for some time, but she has some great news that you all should hear. Sigrid had her first child on Jan 4. His name is Ciaran. Ciaran is a Celtic name, and it means "the little dark one." He was 9lb 12 oz. Sigrid says they are fine (despite the sleepless nights) and that they "love him to bits."
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Essidji - Feb 28, 2005 1:33 am (#2507 of 2956)
What a beautiful baby! Congratulations to Sigrid.
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The giant squid - Feb 28, 2005 2:13 am (#2508 of 2956)
If your children are being very wild and noisy and you need to get their attention you shout “Quiet down or I'll rip off your arm and beat you with the bloody end of it" My sweet little old grandmother used to holler that at us when we were misbehaving; believe me, it got our attention!--From Venus
My mom, aunt & grandmother used that one, too, but they embellished on it. The Faust family version is: "I'll rip your arm out by the roots and beat you over the head with the bloody stump--and then I'll get vicious."
It's amazing what parents could get away with saying then that they can't now. If someone were to say that in public they'd get run in to Social Services in a heartbeat! We just understood it to mean, "Knock it off or you'll get in trouble."
--Mike
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Chemyst - Feb 28, 2005 3:51 am (#2509 of 2956)
Belated Birthday Wishes, Barbie.
If someone were to say that in public they'd get run in to Social Services in a heartbeat! - Mike, TGS
'Ever notice how many social service types are embittered feminists that are clueless about real children? They act as if they believe a bloody stump could actually make a good weapon! Humph! It would be way too slippery!
Pinky, I have a 93 year-old aunt who looks an awfully lot like Ciran – give him silver hair and change the bunny print to posies, and the resemblance would be downright spooky. Very cute, but still spooky.
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Marè - Feb 28, 2005 4:28 am (#2510 of 2956)
Sigrid says they are fine (despite the sleepless nights) and that they "love him to bits."
But she insists on calling him "little Monster" half of the time...
Snigger.
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boop - Feb 28, 2005 4:44 am (#2511 of 2956)
Congratulation Sigrid on your beautiful baby!
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Julie Aronson - Feb 28, 2005 5:58 am (#2512 of 2956)
Congratulations and good luck with the publishing, Audrey!
Happy b-day (belated) Barbie--I was born in 1968, so I share your ambiguity about the aging thing!
Erin (Ozy) I'd LOVE that sweater pattern! Could you e-mail it to me please?
Also, congrats on the cool baby, Sigrid!
Julie
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 6:24 am (#2513 of 2956)
Lovely baby, Sigrid. Congratulations on the big boy.
Chemyst and Mike and Venus, LOL about the bloody arm stump. An ineffectual weapon, indeed.
My dad's favorite "bodily harm" threat was "I'm going to break your knees" if he was in a bad mood; if he was feeling cheerful, he would just advise us to "Go play in the traffic." I'm almost sure that he didn't mean those things!
We spent the weekend on Claire's science project. Her group is doing "wind," and Claire's specific line of inquiry was "tornadoes." I can now say that in the year 2004 in North Carolina, there were 70 tornadoes reported.
Kaity looks great in her picture, Denise. Very grown-up, and Happy Birthday to her.
Have a great Monday.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 28, 2005 7:46 am (#2514 of 2956)
We spent the weekend on Claire's science project. Her group is doing "wind," and Claire's specific line of inquiry was "tornadoes."---Catherine
You know, when you said "wind" the last thing I thought of was tornadoes.
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Denise P. - Feb 28, 2005 8:03 am (#2515 of 2956)
Aw, what a sweet baby Sigrid! I love the name Ciaran...so much we feminized it to Kierynn.
Meg should be having her baby next....we have our own little Lexicon Baby Boom going on here....
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Round Pink Spider - Feb 28, 2005 8:06 am (#2516 of 2956)
*Yea! Someone else remembers the Jackson 5!* Yes, I remember Bozo the clown, too. We had one of those Bozo the clown punch balloons that you could hit and it would spring back up because it had a weighted bottom. I have a picture of Christmas at my grandma's house the year she gave it to me as a present. I must have been all of 3 or 4. Golly, how I loved that thing!
What an adorable baby! But I'm glad I didn't have to deliver it him -- 9lb. 12oz! He was a whale! My biggest was only 8lb. 2oz.
Don't worry about being 40, Marie E. As Barb observed the other day, it's actually kind of freeing. I've enjoyed my years as a 40-year old so far. ('Course, they would have been easier if I didn't have a 2-year-old... )
I have a good bat story! One day I came into my boys' room and noticed something black on the moulding above the closet. I got close and stared up at it...and it stared right back! Boy, that was startling! It took me a second to realize that what was staring at me was a bat, hanging on the moulding.
It didn't seem to be particularly shy. I must have had my face only 2ft. from the bat's. I had all my kids come and look at the bat. Then we tried to get it down with my husband's fishing net. The bat had had enough at that point; it started whipping around the room, then headed down the hall and started to whip around my daughters' room. I remember thinking at the time that, for a creature with a body not much bigger than a mouse's, it was amazing what a big wingspan it had (at least, it seemed big in an 8x8 room!).
We had no luck netting it (big surprise!), so we finally decided we had to chase it downstairs and back outside. Fortunately, we were able to do that.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 28, 2005 8:14 am (#2517 of 2956)
we have our own little Lexicon Baby Boom going on here....---Denise P.
Boy, do we.
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 8:24 am (#2518 of 2956)
Boy, do we. --Lupin is Lupin
Gee, Kim, do you have some news for us? **hears crickets chirping**
I wondered about changing my phrasing of the topic "Wind," but I figured that no one would think I wasn't talking about weather. At least I didn't announce that Claire was studying the "Noble Gases."
Good thing her project wasn't about the planets....you all could have quoted Ron Weasely about that one!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Feb 28, 2005 8:28 am (#2519 of 2956)
Gee, Kim, do you have some news for us?---Catherine
I know I don't, Catherine. Do you?
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 8:32 am (#2520 of 2956)
I know I don't, Catherine. Do you? --Lupin is Lupin
Nope!
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Gina R Snape - Feb 28, 2005 8:39 am (#2521 of 2956)
As a social worker who once worked in child welfare, I can assure you that such a threat as beating a child with his own arm would not lead to a child being remanded to foster care. However, I have seen cases where a parent tugged a child so hard that I thought for sure the kid's arm *would* come out of its socket. And much, much worse.
And on that note...give my congratulations to Dumbledore II on the birth of her child. He is a beautiful baby.
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Madam Pince - Feb 28, 2005 8:49 am (#2522 of 2956)
Apparently it is not too difficult to dislocate a little child's arm because their tiny joints are not completely "set" yet, so even playing by swinging them by their arms is not a great idea. And once the arm is dislocated one time, it can keep happening over and over again because of the stretching of the ligaments -- I had a cousin who had that problem when he was little.
Congratulations, Dumbledore II, your baby is just beautiful!
Happy Birthday, Kaitlyn! Hope you don't have any birthday returns! (need to return gifts, that is!)
RPS, I remember the Bozo the Clown punch-bag thing too! Well, I don't actually remember it, but my Mom has told me about it so often that it seems like I remember it. Apparently they gave me one when I was about 3 or 4, and I happily punched it, and then cried and cried when it bounced back up at me. I must've felt that when I hit something, by golly it ought to stay down for the count! They ended up having to get rid of it. That same Mom (Grandma now) decided to try again by giving one to Baby Pince for Christmas this year, but I'm not going to give it to him. I'm having enough trouble trying to teach him not to hit -- I don't need more encouragement. Maybe when he's older and ready to take up boxing as a hobby...
Another memory -- the appliqued jackets (or embroidered?) I had a pair of jeans that I embroidered lots of little designs all over -- I am so sorry that I don't still have those. It would be a neat piece of memorabilia.
I loved your "bat-chasing" story, by the way; I can just see you running around your house with that net....
Snowing here again today! Lovely big fat white flakes. It seems we have the potential to get up to 8-10 inches of snow! I'll believe that when I see it -- it doesn't seem to be sticking to the ground much yet. Elanor, it is funny how often lately it has seemed to be snowing in France and in eastern US at the same time! Congratulations on your pending publications, too!
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pottermom34 - Feb 28, 2005 9:52 am (#2523 of 2956)
cute baby, congrats!! Hey I'm younger than RPS and I remember Bozo, in fact when I was about 5 I was on the local Bozo show I think with a group from church or something. I use to love watching it on tv. Our local guy that dresses up as Bozo is kind of an arrogant jerk though.
Madame Pince where are you from, I'm from Michigan and it's snowing here also, in fact we're under a winter storm warning all day. Michigan weather is funny. A couple weeks ago we had a snow storm and during the storm it was also thundering. There is a saying here "if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change."
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Elanor - Feb 28, 2005 9:54 am (#2524 of 2956)
Thanks for the congratulations, I was so happy!
Madam Pince, yes it is funny that we share the same bad weather. I heard the weather forecast and they said it hasn't been that cold and for so long a time since 1971 here (at this period of the year)! It was -10°C (14°F) here this morning, with ice on the roads, and an icy wind coming from the Norht that made us feel it was far less than that. And the temperatures should be even colder by tomorrow morning. Brrr...
Congratulations to Dumbledore II, this is a beautiful baby!
As we talked about appliqued jacquets, it reminded me of that picture taken about Easter, in 1975 (I am 2 and a half on that picture) so I put it as my avatar for some times. It was not easy to be a kid in the 70s... (BTW, I did nothing wrong to that kid...)
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Sirius Lee - Feb 28, 2005 10:04 am (#2525 of 2956)
Glad everyone got a kick out of the list (I was worried you'd all be annoyed since it was very long). Just for the record though, it's not MY list. Someone forwarded it to me ages ago and I found it funny enough to save. I found it tucked away in an email folder and thought I'd post it. So to whomever it was that wanted to pass it on to friends - please do! It's bound to bring back a lot of memories!
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Ladybug220 - Feb 28, 2005 10:23 am (#2526 of 2956)
Edited by Feb 28, 2005 9:26 am
Sirius Lee, I read through the post right after you put it there but I finally calculated my score: 55/75=73% I am definitely a child of the 80's as I went from age 5 to 15 (I just turned 30 a week ago). I gave myself half point for some stuff like the pound puppies; I didn't watch the show but I had one to play with. I didn't want to change my name to Jem but rather Kira (I am assuming this is a refernce to The Dark Crystal if not then my score gets lowered ever so slightly
.I hope that everyone is having a good day so far. I really want this cold rain to go away so that it will warm up here, and I can put my plants onto the balcony as my cats think they are yummy to eat.
edit: My score is 55/76 = 72% I must have skipped a question somewhere....not that it really makes a difference.
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Madame Librarian - Feb 28, 2005 11:25 am (#2527 of 2956)
Sigrid, that is one c-u-u-u-t-e baby. They're so wonderful when they're asleep. Here's a few gentle sleeping charms to use on him when you're so sleep deprived you think you might put the diaper on his head instead of right way 'round. (I was once so exhausted for a middle-of-the-night feed and change session when Jordan was a newbie that I forgot the diaper altogether, just snapped up the little one-sie and traipsed off to bed. Luckily I remembered about 20 seconds after I lay down. I leapt up to remedy the situation so fast my husband couldn't imagine what was wrong. I surely gave him a scare. Baby Jordan was none too pleased either.)
Said baby was a toddler in the mid-'80s. I was an expert on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters and accompanying paraphenalia, HeMan, Sesame Street and those awful, saccharin "Wee Sing" book/tapes, Pokemon, Star Wars--which I liked, too--to name a few things. I am no longer holding any of those in my memory bank, thank goodness (I need the room for other important things like HP stuff and where my car keys are).
Ciao. Barb
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Accio Sirius - Feb 28, 2005 11:37 am (#2528 of 2956)
Sigrid,
9 lbs 12oz!!!! What an adorable boy. I had what I thought were two big babies (9 lbs, 2 oz and 8 lbs., 12oz). My pediatrician seemed to believe that bigger babies sleep thought the night sooner. I hope you find that to be true. Congratulations. Kim, are you including JKR in the Lexicon baby boom? I figure we haven't seen any updates on her site because, according to a friend of mine, three kids is a big change from just two. Basically you are switching from a man to man defense to a zone defense. As for Denise, I can't even imagine your game plan! Whatever it is, it's admirable.
Both kids are home today as an unimpressive snow storm has cancelled school. Happy Monday to all.
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Gina R Snape - Feb 28, 2005 1:21 pm (#2529 of 2956)
Woohoo. It's snowing out in NYC and my class tonight is cancelled! Ok, I know...I'm the teacher and I shouldn't be getting all excited. But I am.
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Mrs. Sirius - Feb 28, 2005 1:24 pm (#2530 of 2956)
Dumbledore II what a beautiful baby! Trust me, I know beautiful babies:-)) As for his weight (ouchhh) yes, the bigger they are born the better. They eat more and can sleep through the night sooner. My son was 9lb. 10oz and he was great. Slept through the night starting at one month, and before that he'd wake only once in the night. Congratulations.
Edit: Talk about perspective Gina, all day I have been looking out the window and watching the news because the snow is coming. I feared school would let out early as I ran around doing errands and wondered what after school activities would happen.
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Julia. - Feb 28, 2005 2:02 pm (#2531 of 2956)
Mazel tov Dumbledore II!! He's adoreable, and I hope he brings you much naches
I don't remember if this was in the 80s or the early 90s (the exact dates in my early childhood aren't great) but did anyone else wake up really early to watch the Mickey Mouse club?
Gina, you're so lucky to have snow already. Poor Mar and I are still looking out our windows waiting for it to start. *waves to Mar* (I got your IM last night, sorry I didn't respond, but I was treatimg myself to PoA) When it does, I really hope it's enough to cancel my classes tomorrow. I have the yucky classes on Tuesday and Thrusday. Earlier in the semester there was a lot of snow and the university didn't cancell classes, and a girl got into a car accident and died on her way to class, so now they're being extra cautious.
I just have to share this with you all. Some teachers/professors are just amazing. They're the ones whose classes you really enjoy, and when you leave their presence you're always in a good mood. Liz my Shakespeare professor is one of those teachers. I learn so much from her, and she's one of the coolest people I've ever met. I threw a pencil at her today and she just didn't care. She's awesome.
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Phoenix song - Feb 28, 2005 3:31 pm (#2532 of 2956)
Sigrid, what a beautiful baby! Congratulations! I'm sure that your family will have many blissfully happy days together.
Babies are getting larger lately. My oldest child was 9 lbs 15 oz. (Thankfully the next two were smaller.) When I had #3 (and the last) there was a woman in the room next to mine that had a baby that weighed over 14 pounds! The whole hospital was gasping over that one. Unfortunately, I wasn't very mobile at the time from my C-section and wasn't able to meet the miracle baby and her exhausted mother.
Barbie
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Catherine - Feb 28, 2005 4:40 pm (#2533 of 2956)
I threw a pencil at her today and she just didn't care. She's awesome. –Julia
I must, on behalf of mums and teachers everywhere, discourage pencil-throwing. "It's only funny 'til someone loses an eye!"
I can't top the big baby stories so far. My second (and absolute last, despite rumors!) only weighed 7.5 pounds at birth. But she was anywhere from almost four to almost 6 weeks early. The doctor said it was a blessing she was early, otherwise she would have been enormous. As it was, within 10 days of her birth, she topped the charts in terms of height and weight, and the poor child's nickname for the next two years was "the Chunk." We have women on both sides of our family who reached/topped six feet, so Hayley just might be one of those!
Bless her heart! **waves to Barbie**
I'm off to bed early tonight. I spent a large portion of today at the neurologist office --ICK, poor Claire--and tomorrow Hayley gets her kindergarten check-up and shots. Hayley has let me know that she requires a really nice treat after her shot, and I have agreed. Shots are no fun. I remember that I ran half-dressed out of the doctor's office when I was due to get this shot at age 5, and nearly ran out into the highway before I was recaptured by my irate mother.
So, I hope we get a good update at Jo's site tomorrow, and I wish you all a great evening.
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Ladybug220 - Feb 28, 2005 5:28 pm (#2534 of 2956)
I remember that I ran half-dressed out of the doctor's office when I was due to get this shot at age 5, and nearly ran out into the highway before I was recaptured by my irate mother.
Catherine, as always, your posts never fail to amuse me!
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Helen Potterfan - Feb 28, 2005 6:36 pm (#2535 of 2956)
Ok, I know...I'm the teacher and I shouldn't be getting all excited. But I am.—Gina
Are you kidding! Not to disillusion the college students on the forum, but I probably get more excited than them if a class is cancelled, especially if I have grading to do! I love teaching, but we all love an unexpected break now and then! My poor husband has a 6:20-8:50 class tonight at NYU that wasn't cancelled, so he's still out in the storm.
Sigrid, what a beautiful baby! I like the name! I'm jealous. I want a baby badly, but since I'll be in grad school another couple of years (until I'm on the other side of 30), it'll have to wait a bit longer, especially at the rate my dissertation is progressing this month!
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Julia. - Feb 28, 2005 7:01 pm (#2536 of 2956)
LOL Accio. I know quite a few teachers who were doing more snow dances than their students. Everyone loves a day off.
Catherine, I'm not trying to encourage pencil throwing. I got a bit carried away, and my professor is so amazing that she thought it was hillarious.
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Viola Intonada - Feb 28, 2005 7:37 pm (#2537 of 2956)
Howdy! I know I haven't been around for quite awhile, I have decided to pop back on to the face of the earth again. Life has been too hectic this school year. Adding 9 hours of work (which in reality is closer to 12) a week has really taken a huge chunk out of my free time. I don't know how moms work full time and survive!!! I'm enjoying being a preschool teacher's aid, though.
Yes, I, too, have been guilty of praying for a snow day. Believe it or not, our school system has not had a single snow day this year (Cleveland Suburb). Our Superintendant is too afraid of all the phone calls he gets from working parents when he cancels school. I haven't given up hope yet.
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Eponine - Feb 28, 2005 7:39 pm (#2538 of 2956)
Hello all. I hope everyone is having a good day.
Tomorrow I have a doctor's appt and I have to miss one class. When I told them that I wouldn't be there, they found it quite hilarious that they have to get a substitute for the substitute.
I talked to my best friend the other day, and there's a very good possibility she's going to come stay with me for the summer. She says she doesn't want to stay in Alaska this summer, and she'd like to do something else. So I think she's going to spend the whole summer here. She's going to find a job for a couple of months, but I'm so excited because I never get to spend time with her anymore. It's also hard to coordinate our schedules so we can even talk on the phone because of the time difference. She's a HP fanatic too, so she'll be with me on July 16 for the midnight release.
Anyway, I'm off to type up a test for tomorrow. Have a great day!
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Round Pink Spider - Feb 28, 2005 8:23 pm (#2539 of 2956)
Boy, I guess this storm must have missed us in Southern Minnesota. All we've gotten was a little dusting of light snow. Speaking selfishly as a mother...well, um, it's the moms that dread the snow days...Especially if the weather is bad, and all the little darlings have to stay inside (which, here in Minnesota with the wind chills we get, is always a possibility)!
Yes, in my experience, it is the bigger babies that sleep through the night the soonest. I was fortunate enough that my second (the biggest) started sleeping through the night a week after he came home from the hospital. But my first didn't start sleeping through the night until she was 5 years old (*yawn*).
Catherine, I give treats after shots also for older kids. Shots mean a mandatory trip to the ice cream parlor.
Yea, tomorrow is March! (Crosses off another month before the next book comes out. )
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Amilia Smith - Feb 28, 2005 8:30 pm (#2540 of 2956)
I got to go see ET as a treat after getting a shot once. That's the only thing I remember about seeing that movie the first time, that I had had a shot that day. The subject came up yesterday. My brother and dad were talking about Speilberg taking the guns out of the movie for the DVD because they might scare kids. My brother asked me if the guns had scared me when I saw it as a 5? year old. "I don't know. I had a shot that day." (BTW, I have seen the movie since. There is no need to be shocked at my not remembering anything from ET.)
Mills.
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boop - Feb 28, 2005 8:40 pm (#2541 of 2956)
It is snowing here too! We have about 6 inches so far. Jim(mischafan) says he gave up snow dances for Lent. I don't know if I believe him. Wish I could stay home tomorrow, but we have to report to work no matter what. The only time we don't have to is, when the students are not at the University.
I grew up in the 60's. I could relate to the test.
Michelle!!runs over and gives Michelle a bear hug. Good to see you on line.
Have a good night everyone. Anyone who must go out on the roads with the snow, be careful. We want everyone to be safe.
Hugs Always
Betty(boop)
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Julia. - Feb 28, 2005 9:24 pm (#2542 of 2956)
Woo. Snow's finally started and it's comming down pretty hard. I'm almost positive classes will be off tomorrow, which is good because I can use the time to write my 4-6 page midterm for 18th Century and Restoration Literature.
On a different note, just incase you didn't believe that I am Hermione, here's the proof! Notice how close my head is to the paper, and don't you love my scarf?
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Madam Pince - Feb 28, 2005 10:18 pm (#2543 of 2956)
Julia, if you throw pencils at your favorite teachers whose classes you enjoy, whatever do you throw at the teachers who stink???
Viola!!! Welcome back!!! Glad to hear you're enjoying work. I must say that from what I observe at my son's daycare / preschool, you must indeed be a saint -- it looks like a harrowing job to me!
This snowstorm was certainly a disappointment -- hardly any accumulation at all, even though it snowed literally all day. It was just warm enough that it all melted as soon as it hit. Now that it's gotten dark and the temperature has dropped, it is accumulating a bit, but it still won't be much. I forget who asked earlier, but I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland....
Talking about baby sizes -- in our baby classes, there was a couple who were expecting at about the same time we were. The wife was a normal-sized lady, and the husband was what I would describe as a "corn-fed mid-west football player" type -- absolutely huge but not at all fat. They were asking questions about c-sections because they said the husband had been 14 pounds at his birth, and his wife said "...and I'm NOT going through THAT, I can tell you!" It was pretty funny. I don't know how it turned out. I could hardly believe that there could be a 14-lb. newborn, but apparently their doctor was expecting theirs to be close...
Happy Birthday, Ron Weasley!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
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The giant squid - Mar 1, 2005 1:17 am (#2544 of 2956)
They act as if they believe a bloody stump could actually make a good weapon! Humph! It would be way too slippery!—Chemyst
LOL! Thanks for the chuckle.
Well, I have no "big baby" tales, and, barring an act of God, never will. I can tell you that my maternal grandfather was 13 pounds at birth (back in 1920-something) and was delivered at home (on the farm), without medication, and great-grandma was back at work feeding the chickens & slopping the hogs the next day. And folks these days think they're tough...
It's not snowing here--but then, being in the middle of the desert I'd be surprised if it were. It has been raining on-and-off for the last two weeks, though. We've been getting the dregs of the torrential rains they've been dealing with in Southern California. Personally, I love the coudy, gloomy feel and the smell of an impending rainstorm, so I'm happy...at least until I have to get on the road. You'd think these people have never seen water before.
--Mike
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Essidji - Mar 1, 2005 2:07 am (#2545 of 2956)
BRRR! As Elanor mentioned, we got some "fresh" air descending straight from siberia. We still had -19°c at 8 o'clock this morning (the conversion chart I have foud says it's -2.2°F). The forecasts say today will be this winter's coldest day.
Here in the northeast of France, it's not unusual to get -10°c/14°F in winter, but that cold is exceptionnal. Though I remember that, one night five years ago, the temperature got that low.
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septentrion - Mar 1, 2005 3:03 am (#2546 of 2956)
Hi everyone !
I haven't been on that thread for a few days and had to skim through the posts. Just say : happy birthday barbie ! Congrats to Sigrid for that beautiful little one ! And yes Julia, you'd be a perfect Hermione ! How is it that hardly anyone noticed your wearing a Gryffindor scarf ?
It's cold here too though not as cold as by Essidji's or Elanor's : around -9°C this morning, hardly more than 0°C expected at the best of the day. I feel a huge tendecy for cocooning these days.
Something weird happened last night : my husband has been dreaming of plane crashes, and I've been dreaming of maledictions. I hope this isn't a bad omen (I've dreamt I was a werewolf last week).
I just finished Pride and Prejudice, I really loved that book. It was as if I was reading a 19th century Jo Rowling : they share the same irony.
Everyone have a great day/evening !
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 1, 2005 7:13 am (#2547 of 2956)
Hello everybody, from sunny Minnesota! It's a bee-utiful day here, but a bit too cold -- it's only 8°F/-13°C here. That's what we get for having clear skies during the night. (I can't believe it's colder in parts of France than in Minnesota...) But from inside the nice, warm house it's a very cheerful sight. We got just a dusting of snow last night, just enough to make the old snow brilliantly white. Between the cloudless sky and the very white snow it's a fine morning.
Have a great day, and those of you who got spared classes today because of the snow -- live it up!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 1, 2005 7:15 am (#2548 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 1, 2005 6:16 am
You are chipper, RPS - does that mean your kids went to school today?
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 7:26 am (#2549 of 2956)
As it was, within 10 days of her birth, she topped the charts in terms of height and weight, and the poor child's nickname for the next two years was the Chunk." We have women on both sides of our family who reached/topped six feet, so Hayley just might be one of those!" Catherine.
**waves back at Catherine** Funny that you should have called your daughter "the Chunk". For quite a while our youngest was very "chunky" and loved to climb on things (or climb as much as her stubby little legs would allow) and we called her "Chunky Monkey". Fortunately she's slimmed out, now we just need to work on her mother... **cough, me, cough**
RPS, it does sound as if you're in an unusually good mood this chilly morning. Surely that means that all of the school age children are actually at school? **waves at "spider lady" and invites her to a card game...**
I'm jealous of everybody's snow. All we've been getting is rain, and lots of it! The yard is saturated, even by Louisiana standards, and the river...well, "she's a rising". It's a bad sign to have our little local river this swollen so soon in the season, it foretells much flooding when everyone else's snow begins to melt and find it way down south.
Have a good day everybody, enjoy the snowdays when you have them!
Barbie
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 1, 2005 7:44 am (#2550 of 2956)
Yes, indeed, I've only got one left to get out the door. Then it's just me and my little Peter.
Barb (Phoenix Song) knows we've been a little worried about Peter, because he's been so slow to talk. He has a great fascination with music, and he's been singing for a long time, but he has very few words (he's 26 mos. old). We were concerned that he might be hard of hearing (one of my children is deaf), but his hearing is normal. He's just been starting to ask for things with his very few words the last few weeks. Yesterday he reached for the kitchen counter and said, "Ma wanna nanana," which I realized meant "I want a banana." I thought he'd been calling them nananas, but this finally proved it. I am so psyched!!!
All my other kids started talking before they were 17 mos. old, so this has been kind of nervewracking.
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Julia. - Mar 1, 2005 8:02 am (#2551 of 2956)
Awwww, don't worry RPS, Peter will come around. It takes different kids different amounts of time to develop their language skills. I'm glad you're enjoying your morning.
Madam Pince, I don't throw things at the professors whose classes I can't stand. They'd kill me. I only throw things at the ones where I know I can get away with it.
Wow Essidji, that's cold. I hope it warms up for you soon and that you don't lose any ears in the meantime.
I'm all sad. After all my optimism last night, classes were not cancelled today. *sigh* I mean really, what's the point of snow if it doesn't get me out of class?!
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 8:03 am (#2552 of 2956)
My oldest son said very few words until after his second birthday as well. I was terrified, of course, since he was my first. I discovered through some research that sometimes boys who are reluctant talkers are seriously intelligent and spend so much time "in their heads" that they don't feel the need to communicate as often as other children. These are the boys who go on to become scientists, architects and engineers!
When Joey began to talk, it was in a virtual torrent of words and sentences. He is 8 now, and the theory about science and mechanics has proven to be accurate. He could spend hours taking apart things to learn the intricacies of how they work, and can simply amaze me with his understanding of how things operate.
I'm sharing this for anyone, like RPS, who might have a child that doesn't speak often or well. If the pediatrician has ruled out any medical or neurological problems, then take their general advice and patiently wait for them to be ready. Continue to try to engage your child but try not to be frustrated if they're not verbally ready. They're still getting some positive benefits from the time that you're spending with them. You're not doing anything wrong. I hope that this is an encouragement.
Barbie
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 1, 2005 8:45 am (#2553 of 2956)
Thanks, Barb. Yes, I've heard that boys that are slow talkers often end up being very analytical. Excellence in math runs in my husband's family, so I've been telling myself that, over and over... My other one who started with sentences is very smart, too.
My little guy is up there right now in his crib, singing some of the music from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". It's his favorite, because my daughter was the Narrator in her school's production while I was pregnant with him, and we were always singing the music. I noticed that he came out recognizing the tunes (really!). Anyway, I've got to go get him up. Time to start the day's work!
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Dumbledore - Mar 1, 2005 9:24 am (#2554 of 2956)
Hello all! Once again, I'm coming back from a long period of forum hiatus (I think like 4 months). So just popping in to say hello!! Hope everyone's doing well and I hope to catch up on everyone's news as I start to sort through these threads!! And of course, a hearty happy birthday to Ronald Weasley!!!
-Lauren
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MoonRider - Mar 1, 2005 9:38 am (#2555 of 2956)
Ummmm----excuse me-----Hi!
I don't mean to interrupt your conversation.....
I was just wondering if anybody caught what they said on the Oscars, the other night, about Hillary Swank? They said something about her being the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have "done something". My television went bonkers (bad reception) just as they said it, and I missed it.
Thanks,
MoonRider
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 10:27 am (#2556 of 2956)
Moon Rider, I'm sorry but I didn't watch the Oscars. Maybe you could check out some Entertainment News to find out. Perhaps they'll have some information on the "Entertainment Tonight" website. That's the only thing that I can think of right now. I hope that helps!
Barbie
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 1, 2005 11:16 am (#2557 of 2956)
I was just wondering if anybody caught what they said on the Oscars, the other night, about Hillary Swank? They said something about her being the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have "done something"—Moonrider
It was that she was the first female to be nominated for playing the role of a boxer. I suppose this was somehow distinct from Jamie Foxx being the first male actor nominated for playing the role of Ray Charles.
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Sirius Lee - Mar 1, 2005 12:09 pm (#2558 of 2956)
I cracked up laughing when I heard "first women to ever win for playing a boxer"! Really now, have there been THAT many?!?
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John Bumbledore - Mar 1, 2005 12:57 pm (#2559 of 2956)
Children and Speaking
Barbie, RPS, I am one (a late talker); at least it sounded like you were describing the better part of my childhood and school experience. I did a double take when I read Barbie's recounting of "boys who are reluctant talkers are seriously intelligent and spend so much time 'in their heads' that they don't feel the need to communicate as often as other children." It was a spooky feeling reading a description that has so many commonalities with my experience. I love math and science but spell atrociously. I earned honors at my high school graduation for Mathematics and Computer Science (still have the award pins.) I received a certificate from the PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) for scoring in the 5th percentile in the state on the SAT that year (between 1981 and '83, I took it twice, a year apart.) And I did go on to become a computer scientist; also did a stint as a systems analyst, then programmer, network administrator, and network engineer. Each got progressively more time constraining and demanding (and stressful).
I remember quite clearly, as a pre-kindergarten child, having virtually everyone in my family talk for me. If someone asked me a question, I would just look at my mom or one of my siblings and they just seemed to understand and respond for me with exactly what I would have said.
Now this line of thought has brought to mind a book called "A Wrinkle in Time." There is a young boy in that book that seldom talks, but is very smart. He, Charles Wallace, is considered dumb because he is quiet, but he and his family are really quite gifted. Seems they can travel through tesseracts, wrinkles in time. He also had the ability to communicate with his family without speaking, telepathy.
I don't claim that ability, but I have more than once answered a telephone before it rang. It was always when my mom was calling. That really freaked out Mrs. Bumbledore! But it is something I am not sure about simply because I thought I did hear the phone ring... As I remember these events, I hear the phone ring and walk over to it and answer it, others in the room ask me what I am doing. I then respond with the obvious, "I am answering the phone, didn't you hear it ring?" Everyone answers "No!" The caller (usually my mom) then tells me she had just finished dialing and hadn't hear a ring on her end. **Looks around at all the wide eyes staring back from the forum** Really, It has been quite a few years now but, I can think of three different times it has happened to me. I just think everyone else is missing the one and only ring that sounds before I pick up the phone. I know I have many of the indicators for ADD, so maybe that may make it easier for me to pay attention to so many different things happening all at the same time, but always they all claim the phone had never rang. So keep an eye on your boys for some surprises.
Well, I was going to post a list of 70s TV shows, but I have exceeded my quota (so to speak) for one who was a "late to speak" child.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I do hope I haven't rattled on to much. And please forgive me if this sounds boastful, because I don't want to be that. Edited a bit for phrasing and grammar.
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Accio Sirius - Mar 1, 2005 12:58 pm (#2560 of 2956)
MoonRider, I believe it's that Hilary Swank was one of three other women to win an Oscar both times they were nominated in succession. I'll try to check. I was disappointed that POA didn't win, especially for music. It would be nice to see the movies get recognized beyond just us!
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Acceber - Mar 1, 2005 2:26 pm (#2561 of 2956)
RPS-I didn't talk until I was three. I could spell before I could talk. I tried hard to say 'red', but it always came out as R-E-D. We got a wonderful speech therapist to help me become literal. I still do have a slight speech impediment; I stutter and talk at fast rates when I get nervous, but I'm not complaining.
I typed up a loooooong post this morning celebrating the fact we have a snow day, and when I tried to download Smiley Central for the umpteenth time (I wanted a picture of snow), I lost it. Mainly I said that I was born little (6'15"), I recognized some of the 80s list even though I wasn't born yet, Happy Birthdays to Barbie and Ron, and Congratulations to Sigrid.
My cat's sitting on the computer desk looking outside at the snow and listening to a plane fly by. He's very sweet and very fat. (No, I didn't have to tell you that, but I love him soooo much.)
Off to read the threads and enjoy my snow day. Tata!
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Catherine - Mar 1, 2005 2:26 pm (#2562 of 2956)
I think that Hillary Swank and Katharine Hepburn and Sally Fields are the only ones to win two times out of two nominations. Of course, I believe Ms. Hepburn went on to be nominated (and win again) several more times. But I'm not the movie buff that some people on the Chat thread are **waves to Mike, TGS, and others**
WARNING: LONG STORY AND RANT ABOUT LATE TALKERS AND DOCTORS. SKIP IF THIS WILL BORE/OFFEND.
I, too, have experience with the "late talkers." The first one I encountered was my brother, who suffered from the comparison with me, who talked early and constantly. Nonetheless, even for a boy, he was a late talker. He had a real problem expressing himself, he grunted, and eventually tantrumed when we couldn't understand him. The pediatrician determined that his receptive language was age-appropriate, and told my parents to make me shut up, because even during the exam, I did all of his talking for him. My brother always excelled at mathematical and analytical pursuits, and in fact, he recently received a nearly perfect score on the standardized exam for business graduate school. He's as normal as anyone else in our family. EDIT: I did need to shut up; the doctor was right about that!
My daughter was another late talker, but the pattern was different. She didn't babble and experiment with sounds, but she seemed to understand what we were saying. She cruised holding onto walls at six and a half months, and walked by nine months. The pediatrician said she was "focusing on her motor skills," and not to worry.
One of her first words was "octagon" when we were walking in a city street; I nearly fell over from shock at hearing her talk, and that she was pointing at the stop sign, and identifying it as an octagon. But then.. nothing. The pediatrician told me I was being a fretful mom, and to relax. When she finally began putting words together, she spoke in whole sentences that were perfect. Almost too perfect. She didn't make the usual mistakes with endings and plurals, for example. I still felt like something wasn't "right" but the doctor kept telling me that I was a nervous first-time mom, and that she was fine.
I remember when she was 15 months old, and we were at the doctor to check her ears before flying east (she'd had a bad cold, and I wanted to make sure they were clear). The nurse told us to go into room four. Claire looked at all the doors, then chose door number four. The nurse was amazed to learn that not only could Claire could count to 20, she could recognize the numeral visually. I said, "Don't you think this shows that she's wired a little differently? She doesn't really talk, but can recognize her numbers?" Again, I was told that I should be proud to have such a smart child, and that she would talk when she was ready. I was also cautioned against being a flashcard mom, and drilling her. This was very insulting, as Claire learned to count from watching Sesame Street while I did paperwork!
See the pattern here? Deny the problem, reassure the mom, blame the mom.
It wasn't until Claire was 3, able to read the newspaper, able to recite any TV show or movie she watched verbatim, and choosing to watch TV with the closed caption on so she could read it, but STILL unable to really converse normally that we were finally able to convince anyone in the medical community that our daughter's language development was quirky. Turns out she is diagnosed with very mild autism.
I don't share this to make other parents feel scared that their child has a diagnosis, or some kind of pathology, but to encourage you that you know your child, and to pursue it if you think there is a problem. I have a good friend here who has a son who, due to a rare genetic mutation, became nearly deaf. She was worried because he didn't babble, or seem engaged with her, and she kept telling her husband (who is a physician!) that their son couldn't hear, only to have him deny the problem. Finally, she took her son to a specialist, who confirmed that her son couldn't hear. Her second son was also born with the same mutation, but due to earlier intervention, has much better hearing.
Moral of the story: Gather all the information you can, and listen to your instincts.
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Elanor - Mar 1, 2005 2:49 pm (#2563 of 2956)
Hello everyboby! I don't have any children but there is one thing I am sure about: there is nothing like a Mom's instinct and love to help her child growing up. You Moms are the best!
As Essidji and Septentrion said, it is really freezing here! This morning, it was a -16°C (3.2°F) in my town, without the effect of the wind, that is what I call cold. It wasn't fun to go outside at 7.30 a.m. and try and defreeze the car... When I had finally managed to open the frozen door and started the car (fortunately I had put something on the windscreen), I had the bad idea to take off my gloves because they're not handy for driving. Stupid idea indeed: the steering wheel was so cold it burnt my fingers and I had to put them on again, I just couldn't touch the wheel! We're used to cold temperatures sometimes in winter, though usually in January, but it was the first time that a thing like that happened to me!
Round Pink Spider, I really admire you to live in Minnesota in winter, two weeks of such a cold weather and we're fed up with it here. You must be so happy when spring comes!
Have a great tuesday everybody!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 1, 2005 2:55 pm (#2564 of 2956)
Late talker story:
When Jordan was 10 months old, he started speaking one word exclamations. By 15 months, full sentences. My next door neighbor whose daughter, Kirstin, was just a month younger than Jordan couldn't get over it. Kirstin was silent as a clam. No babbling, hardly any whining even. She was the sweetest thing who just went along with the flow and somehow did exactly as she wanted and managed to make her needs known. Jordan was adept at knowing what Kirstin wanted when they played together while the moms kaffeeklatched. "Kristin needs some juice!" or "Kristin told me to get her stuffies from the den." or "Kristin's tummy hurts and ice cream will make it better." You know, he was usually right. And, if Kristin got juice or ice cream, Jordan did, too. This made us a bit suspicious, but you can't put a 2 year old under the 3rd degree. We really wondered what was going on...telepathy? Jerry (Kristin's mom) was getting downright jealous of Jordan because Kristin would "talk" to him, but not to her. So...
...at age 3, Jerry was really worried although anyone could tell that Kristin was a bright, happy little girl. She'd understand anything we said, she'd hum along to music (so hearing wasn't suspected), and Jordan still claimed to discuss many deep and important topics with her. The docs were still telling her to wait a bit.
At a big family dinner one night, Jerry was serving the kids first. When she placed a plate in front of Kristin, this booming voice proclaimed, "What is this? Spaghetti, again!? Why do you always give the kids spaghetti?" Kristin had spoken. She then proceeded to give a little sigh and calmly ate her dinner. The whole table was dumbfounded. Not only had she finally uttered something, she did so in full, clear sentences as if she'd been talking for ages. The conclusion was that she finally had something to say that her mom needed to hear.
Jerry called me immediately and was laughing/crying hysterically. From then on Jordan didn't need to talk for her so much, though he often claimed that now that she could speak to anyone, Kristin told him "secrets." We never could figure that one out. What kind of secrets would a 3 year old have? Never mind, I don't want to know.
Ciao. Barb
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Madam Pince - Mar 1, 2005 2:58 pm (#2565 of 2956)
Barb, that is hysterical. I can just hear that little girl berating her Mom! What a riot.
Oh, and I loved "A Wrinkle in Time" when I was younger -- our fifth-grade teacher (who was uber-cool) read it to us by reading a few pages every day during the five minutes we had between the last morning class and going to lunch. However, I recently re-read it, and it felt to me like it had lost a lot with the passage of years -- it just went too fast, or something. I think JKR has spoiled me....
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Eponine - Mar 1, 2005 3:00 pm (#2566 of 2956)
I'm here to throw in my two cents on late talkers. My nephew (my sister-in-law's little boy) just had his second birthday on Saturday and has just recently uttered his first word. He understands everything you say perfectly, but he hasn't started talking yet. He doesn't really experiment with sounds, but he has learned some basic sign language. He just grunts a lot right now, but they've got him working with a speech therapist which has brought about the first word "bubble".
Bumbledore, A Wrinkle in Time was one of my favorite books when I was growing up. I recently procured a signed copy off eBay that I'm thrilled about. ABC's Wonderful World of Disney version was fairly good, and I think it's worth checking out if you get the chance.
Well, I hope everyone is having a great day!
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Denise P. - Mar 1, 2005 3:05 pm (#2567 of 2956)
I have two late talkers. One of them has been in speech since she was 2 because we could see the difference in her speech long before that. She was clearly able to understand us but nothing that came out of her mouth (other than the word Daria, our dog) was English. Numerous testing proved she had nothing specifically wrong and they were at a loss to say exactly what the problem was. She is 8 now and even today, when she gets upset or frustrated, we have to tell her to slow down and speak in English so we can understand her. My second late talker had a totally different issue and he went into a special pre-school for speech. He is almost 100% caught up with his peers now. In both cases, it was wrongly assumed that because they came from a large family that everyone spoke for them. If you think your child is delayed, by all means get them looked at. Heh, my first had speech problems that I insisted were real even though an observation in the class showed otherwise. I demanded he be tested and viola! They found a significant problem that escaped notice in the 30 min classroom observation. Sometimes mom does know best and one should never feel like a nag for doing what is best for your child.
This is a picture of my almost 11 year old Ryan. He was awarded his Arrow of Light last night and crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.
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John Bumbledore - Mar 1, 2005 3:20 pm (#2568 of 2956)
Kudos for Ryan, (son of Denise P. ) on earning the Arrow of Light and crossing over to Boy Scouts!
My youngest two (twins, now five and a half years old girl and boy) had speech trouble and both have been in speech therapy for a couple years or so. They both started babbling but then James stopped and Rachael was talking for him. Mamma persisted with the Doctors and we found James had a loss of hearing caused by fluid behind the eardrum. He is on his third set of tubes and is talking but has an auditory processing delay. He takes a few seconds after hearing before he has completely processed and understood what was said.
So I agree that Mamma knows best. I thought he was just being like me, but I supported Mrs. Bumbledore in her quest for answers and ultimately appropriate treatment and speech services.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I forgot to mention that as a child I also had speech therapy.
P. P. S. On autism, I am uneducated but Mrs. Bumbledore is a special education Teacher and has described it as akin to suffering from sensory overload. It seems that all the child's senses are at top volume (I think of it like a migraine combined with ADD). I also think that the attention-deficit label is an inverse description. What I mean is that the person doesn't filter out the back ground "sounds" so is paying attention to multiple things. I say this because I was able to follow three conversations taking place in the same room, it just took me a few seconds to process and responds and that often means the conversation has move on past the point of the comment flowing smoothly with the other speakers.
Well, I am no expert. I did say that. This has probably been nothing more than bumbling babble, but that is my analysis. To this day, I cannot pass by an operating television without stopping to look and listen to it. Often loosing myself in time until someone cause a bigger attention getting motion or sound. Not that I've missed what they were saying but that my focus was magnetically drawn to the TV. So after a moment, the little tape recorder in my head has played back what the person has said and I can then reply (often needing to apologize, as well). Oh, my. time to end this introspection. Sorry.
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Julia. - Mar 1, 2005 3:39 pm (#2569 of 2956)
AHHHHHH!! Did someone hit the 'boat load of work' button, and no one told me?!?! All of a sudden, I have a 4-6 page midterm, 13 statistics problems and 20 pages of reading due tomorrow, and an out line for a paper that I don't even have a topic for due on Thursday!! Why didn't anyone tell me about this?!?!?!?!
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 1, 2005 4:10 pm (#2570 of 2956)
The Incredibles DVD is coming out in two weeks, March 15.
Just thought you guys might want to know. :-)
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 4:14 pm (#2571 of 2956)
Madame Librarian, your story about the neighbor's daughter who never spoke at all, and then first spoke to complain about the spaghetti she was served, had me laughing and crying at the same time. As I previously shared, I lost my dad a few weeks ago. When I was worried about my son's lack of speech, my dad used to reassure me by saying, "Don't worry about him! He just hasn't needed to talk yet 'cause you've never burnt his toast." It was his way of letting me know that Joey would talk whenever he was ready to talk. Your story helped me to remember my dad's funny reassurances.
Catherine, thank you for sharing your daughter's story. It was very moving for me and I'm sure that it will help other parents. I also feel strongly that parents should remember that they know their children best, and they have the most invested in taking care of them. Parents should arm themselves with all of the information that they can find and demand to be heard. It's horrible to have a physician, teacher, or healthcare provider refuse to listen to you with regards to your child. As your children's advocate you always have the right and the responsibility to speak up and be heard!
Bumbledore, I'm relieved to hear your story since it seems that my son had a similar start in his life. It gives me hope that he will go on to accomplish great things.
Isn't it great how everyone has been sharing, sympathetic, and so encouraging? This is a great group of people.
Barbie
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Accio Sirius - Mar 1, 2005 5:05 pm (#2572 of 2956)
Catherine, Thank you for sharing that story. I know you all have been through a lot. Claire sounds utterly charming! When I look back on events in my life, my biggest blunders seem to be the ones in which I ignored my instincts. One bonus that comes with age is that I don't do that as much anymore. As far as doctors and teachers, though, it has been the reverse for us. I won't even go into all of the horrible things they have told us about our son over the last four years--almost all of which were really just assumptions or bad guesses. And for each time they told me this devastating stuff, I know I've lost years off of my life. And yet our little guy continues to defy everyone. But it's like I tell my daughter:, it may not be a fairy tale, but it sure is an adventure.
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Chemyst - Mar 1, 2005 5:44 pm (#2573 of 2956)
I cannot underscore boldly enough, um... make that I cannot underscore boldly enough the importance of going with one's instincts, especially one's parenting instincts. Twice have I walked out of an office after being told "not to be so concerned; I should leave that up to the professionals." Those two decisions both rank among the top ten best decisions I've ever made.
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MoonRider - Mar 1, 2005 5:46 pm (#2574 of 2956)
Thanks, SO MUCH, to everybody for responding------I REALLY appreciate it!
Accio Sirius: Did you ever find-out if that was it? .....or the thing about being the only woman nominated for playing a boxer.
I don't know if that's it, because the sentence was: "....the first person in the history of the Academy Awards....."
I want to find that sentence.....
I had just started looking, when I remembered I had to get something else done------my brain is SO not working this week-----SHEESH!
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haymoni - Mar 1, 2005 6:15 pm (#2575 of 2956)
Hey guys - Ungrateful Son didn't say ANYTHING (he didn't even really babble.) until one week before his 18 month checkup and then it was full sentences. I think Daughter was talking upon fertilization.
My mom passed away in 1998. My brother had a boy in 1999 and we all knew from the get-go that there was an issue. But with Mom gone, nobody wanted to say anything. Mistake #1 - we should have risked it.
Their son was kicked out of 2 daycares before they finally accepted that there was a problem. Their pediatricians never caught it because they went to a group practice and rarely saw the same doctor twice.
At 4, he was finally diagnosed with autism. He's in a special school and seems to be improving. I've dropped hints about a gluten-free, dairy-free diet, but they read somewhere that it doesn't work all the time so they haven't even tried it.
Does an overbearing, older sister persist or does she let it drop?
I'm sure my mother would have found some tactful way to tell them sooner, but I'm like a bull in a china shop.
The giant squid - Mar 1, 2005 1:17 am (#2544 of 2956)
They act as if they believe a bloody stump could actually make a good weapon! Humph! It would be way too slippery!—Chemyst
LOL! Thanks for the chuckle.
Well, I have no "big baby" tales, and, barring an act of God, never will. I can tell you that my maternal grandfather was 13 pounds at birth (back in 1920-something) and was delivered at home (on the farm), without medication, and great-grandma was back at work feeding the chickens & slopping the hogs the next day. And folks these days think they're tough...
It's not snowing here--but then, being in the middle of the desert I'd be surprised if it were. It has been raining on-and-off for the last two weeks, though. We've been getting the dregs of the torrential rains they've been dealing with in Southern California. Personally, I love the coudy, gloomy feel and the smell of an impending rainstorm, so I'm happy...at least until I have to get on the road. You'd think these people have never seen water before.
--Mike
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Essidji - Mar 1, 2005 2:07 am (#2545 of 2956)
BRRR! As Elanor mentioned, we got some "fresh" air descending straight from siberia. We still had -19°c at 8 o'clock this morning (the conversion chart I have foud says it's -2.2°F). The forecasts say today will be this winter's coldest day.
Here in the northeast of France, it's not unusual to get -10°c/14°F in winter, but that cold is exceptionnal. Though I remember that, one night five years ago, the temperature got that low.
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septentrion - Mar 1, 2005 3:03 am (#2546 of 2956)
Hi everyone !
I haven't been on that thread for a few days and had to skim through the posts. Just say : happy birthday barbie ! Congrats to Sigrid for that beautiful little one ! And yes Julia, you'd be a perfect Hermione ! How is it that hardly anyone noticed your wearing a Gryffindor scarf ?
It's cold here too though not as cold as by Essidji's or Elanor's : around -9°C this morning, hardly more than 0°C expected at the best of the day. I feel a huge tendecy for cocooning these days.
Something weird happened last night : my husband has been dreaming of plane crashes, and I've been dreaming of maledictions. I hope this isn't a bad omen (I've dreamt I was a werewolf last week).
I just finished Pride and Prejudice, I really loved that book. It was as if I was reading a 19th century Jo Rowling : they share the same irony.
Everyone have a great day/evening !
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 1, 2005 7:13 am (#2547 of 2956)
Hello everybody, from sunny Minnesota! It's a bee-utiful day here, but a bit too cold -- it's only 8°F/-13°C here. That's what we get for having clear skies during the night. (I can't believe it's colder in parts of France than in Minnesota...) But from inside the nice, warm house it's a very cheerful sight. We got just a dusting of snow last night, just enough to make the old snow brilliantly white. Between the cloudless sky and the very white snow it's a fine morning.
Have a great day, and those of you who got spared classes today because of the snow -- live it up!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 1, 2005 7:15 am (#2548 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 1, 2005 6:16 am
You are chipper, RPS - does that mean your kids went to school today?
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 7:26 am (#2549 of 2956)
As it was, within 10 days of her birth, she topped the charts in terms of height and weight, and the poor child's nickname for the next two years was the Chunk." We have women on both sides of our family who reached/topped six feet, so Hayley just might be one of those!" Catherine.
**waves back at Catherine** Funny that you should have called your daughter "the Chunk". For quite a while our youngest was very "chunky" and loved to climb on things (or climb as much as her stubby little legs would allow) and we called her "Chunky Monkey". Fortunately she's slimmed out, now we just need to work on her mother... **cough, me, cough**
RPS, it does sound as if you're in an unusually good mood this chilly morning. Surely that means that all of the school age children are actually at school? **waves at "spider lady" and invites her to a card game...**
I'm jealous of everybody's snow. All we've been getting is rain, and lots of it! The yard is saturated, even by Louisiana standards, and the river...well, "she's a rising". It's a bad sign to have our little local river this swollen so soon in the season, it foretells much flooding when everyone else's snow begins to melt and find it way down south.
Have a good day everybody, enjoy the snowdays when you have them!
Barbie
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 1, 2005 7:44 am (#2550 of 2956)
Yes, indeed, I've only got one left to get out the door. Then it's just me and my little Peter.
Barb (Phoenix Song) knows we've been a little worried about Peter, because he's been so slow to talk. He has a great fascination with music, and he's been singing for a long time, but he has very few words (he's 26 mos. old). We were concerned that he might be hard of hearing (one of my children is deaf), but his hearing is normal. He's just been starting to ask for things with his very few words the last few weeks. Yesterday he reached for the kitchen counter and said, "Ma wanna nanana," which I realized meant "I want a banana." I thought he'd been calling them nananas, but this finally proved it. I am so psyched!!!
All my other kids started talking before they were 17 mos. old, so this has been kind of nervewracking.
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Julia. - Mar 1, 2005 8:02 am (#2551 of 2956)
Awwww, don't worry RPS, Peter will come around. It takes different kids different amounts of time to develop their language skills. I'm glad you're enjoying your morning.
Madam Pince, I don't throw things at the professors whose classes I can't stand. They'd kill me. I only throw things at the ones where I know I can get away with it.
Wow Essidji, that's cold. I hope it warms up for you soon and that you don't lose any ears in the meantime.
I'm all sad. After all my optimism last night, classes were not cancelled today. *sigh* I mean really, what's the point of snow if it doesn't get me out of class?!
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 8:03 am (#2552 of 2956)
My oldest son said very few words until after his second birthday as well. I was terrified, of course, since he was my first. I discovered through some research that sometimes boys who are reluctant talkers are seriously intelligent and spend so much time "in their heads" that they don't feel the need to communicate as often as other children. These are the boys who go on to become scientists, architects and engineers!
When Joey began to talk, it was in a virtual torrent of words and sentences. He is 8 now, and the theory about science and mechanics has proven to be accurate. He could spend hours taking apart things to learn the intricacies of how they work, and can simply amaze me with his understanding of how things operate.
I'm sharing this for anyone, like RPS, who might have a child that doesn't speak often or well. If the pediatrician has ruled out any medical or neurological problems, then take their general advice and patiently wait for them to be ready. Continue to try to engage your child but try not to be frustrated if they're not verbally ready. They're still getting some positive benefits from the time that you're spending with them. You're not doing anything wrong. I hope that this is an encouragement.
Barbie
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 1, 2005 8:45 am (#2553 of 2956)
Thanks, Barb. Yes, I've heard that boys that are slow talkers often end up being very analytical. Excellence in math runs in my husband's family, so I've been telling myself that, over and over... My other one who started with sentences is very smart, too.
My little guy is up there right now in his crib, singing some of the music from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". It's his favorite, because my daughter was the Narrator in her school's production while I was pregnant with him, and we were always singing the music. I noticed that he came out recognizing the tunes (really!). Anyway, I've got to go get him up. Time to start the day's work!
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Dumbledore - Mar 1, 2005 9:24 am (#2554 of 2956)
Hello all! Once again, I'm coming back from a long period of forum hiatus (I think like 4 months). So just popping in to say hello!! Hope everyone's doing well and I hope to catch up on everyone's news as I start to sort through these threads!! And of course, a hearty happy birthday to Ronald Weasley!!!
-Lauren
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MoonRider - Mar 1, 2005 9:38 am (#2555 of 2956)
Ummmm----excuse me-----Hi!
I don't mean to interrupt your conversation.....
I was just wondering if anybody caught what they said on the Oscars, the other night, about Hillary Swank? They said something about her being the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have "done something". My television went bonkers (bad reception) just as they said it, and I missed it.
Thanks,
MoonRider
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 10:27 am (#2556 of 2956)
Moon Rider, I'm sorry but I didn't watch the Oscars. Maybe you could check out some Entertainment News to find out. Perhaps they'll have some information on the "Entertainment Tonight" website. That's the only thing that I can think of right now. I hope that helps!
Barbie
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 1, 2005 11:16 am (#2557 of 2956)
I was just wondering if anybody caught what they said on the Oscars, the other night, about Hillary Swank? They said something about her being the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have "done something"—Moonrider
It was that she was the first female to be nominated for playing the role of a boxer. I suppose this was somehow distinct from Jamie Foxx being the first male actor nominated for playing the role of Ray Charles.
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Sirius Lee - Mar 1, 2005 12:09 pm (#2558 of 2956)
I cracked up laughing when I heard "first women to ever win for playing a boxer"! Really now, have there been THAT many?!?
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John Bumbledore - Mar 1, 2005 12:57 pm (#2559 of 2956)
Children and Speaking
Barbie, RPS, I am one (a late talker); at least it sounded like you were describing the better part of my childhood and school experience. I did a double take when I read Barbie's recounting of "boys who are reluctant talkers are seriously intelligent and spend so much time 'in their heads' that they don't feel the need to communicate as often as other children." It was a spooky feeling reading a description that has so many commonalities with my experience. I love math and science but spell atrociously. I earned honors at my high school graduation for Mathematics and Computer Science (still have the award pins.) I received a certificate from the PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) for scoring in the 5th percentile in the state on the SAT that year (between 1981 and '83, I took it twice, a year apart.) And I did go on to become a computer scientist; also did a stint as a systems analyst, then programmer, network administrator, and network engineer. Each got progressively more time constraining and demanding (and stressful).
I remember quite clearly, as a pre-kindergarten child, having virtually everyone in my family talk for me. If someone asked me a question, I would just look at my mom or one of my siblings and they just seemed to understand and respond for me with exactly what I would have said.
Now this line of thought has brought to mind a book called "A Wrinkle in Time." There is a young boy in that book that seldom talks, but is very smart. He, Charles Wallace, is considered dumb because he is quiet, but he and his family are really quite gifted. Seems they can travel through tesseracts, wrinkles in time. He also had the ability to communicate with his family without speaking, telepathy.
I don't claim that ability, but I have more than once answered a telephone before it rang. It was always when my mom was calling. That really freaked out Mrs. Bumbledore! But it is something I am not sure about simply because I thought I did hear the phone ring... As I remember these events, I hear the phone ring and walk over to it and answer it, others in the room ask me what I am doing. I then respond with the obvious, "I am answering the phone, didn't you hear it ring?" Everyone answers "No!" The caller (usually my mom) then tells me she had just finished dialing and hadn't hear a ring on her end. **Looks around at all the wide eyes staring back from the forum** Really, It has been quite a few years now but, I can think of three different times it has happened to me. I just think everyone else is missing the one and only ring that sounds before I pick up the phone. I know I have many of the indicators for ADD, so maybe that may make it easier for me to pay attention to so many different things happening all at the same time, but always they all claim the phone had never rang. So keep an eye on your boys for some surprises.
Well, I was going to post a list of 70s TV shows, but I have exceeded my quota (so to speak) for one who was a "late to speak" child.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I do hope I haven't rattled on to much. And please forgive me if this sounds boastful, because I don't want to be that. Edited a bit for phrasing and grammar.
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Accio Sirius - Mar 1, 2005 12:58 pm (#2560 of 2956)
MoonRider, I believe it's that Hilary Swank was one of three other women to win an Oscar both times they were nominated in succession. I'll try to check. I was disappointed that POA didn't win, especially for music. It would be nice to see the movies get recognized beyond just us!
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Acceber - Mar 1, 2005 2:26 pm (#2561 of 2956)
RPS-I didn't talk until I was three. I could spell before I could talk. I tried hard to say 'red', but it always came out as R-E-D. We got a wonderful speech therapist to help me become literal. I still do have a slight speech impediment; I stutter and talk at fast rates when I get nervous, but I'm not complaining.
I typed up a loooooong post this morning celebrating the fact we have a snow day, and when I tried to download Smiley Central for the umpteenth time (I wanted a picture of snow), I lost it. Mainly I said that I was born little (6'15"), I recognized some of the 80s list even though I wasn't born yet, Happy Birthdays to Barbie and Ron, and Congratulations to Sigrid.
My cat's sitting on the computer desk looking outside at the snow and listening to a plane fly by. He's very sweet and very fat. (No, I didn't have to tell you that, but I love him soooo much.)
Off to read the threads and enjoy my snow day. Tata!
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Catherine - Mar 1, 2005 2:26 pm (#2562 of 2956)
I think that Hillary Swank and Katharine Hepburn and Sally Fields are the only ones to win two times out of two nominations. Of course, I believe Ms. Hepburn went on to be nominated (and win again) several more times. But I'm not the movie buff that some people on the Chat thread are **waves to Mike, TGS, and others**
WARNING: LONG STORY AND RANT ABOUT LATE TALKERS AND DOCTORS. SKIP IF THIS WILL BORE/OFFEND.
I, too, have experience with the "late talkers." The first one I encountered was my brother, who suffered from the comparison with me, who talked early and constantly. Nonetheless, even for a boy, he was a late talker. He had a real problem expressing himself, he grunted, and eventually tantrumed when we couldn't understand him. The pediatrician determined that his receptive language was age-appropriate, and told my parents to make me shut up, because even during the exam, I did all of his talking for him. My brother always excelled at mathematical and analytical pursuits, and in fact, he recently received a nearly perfect score on the standardized exam for business graduate school. He's as normal as anyone else in our family. EDIT: I did need to shut up; the doctor was right about that!
My daughter was another late talker, but the pattern was different. She didn't babble and experiment with sounds, but she seemed to understand what we were saying. She cruised holding onto walls at six and a half months, and walked by nine months. The pediatrician said she was "focusing on her motor skills," and not to worry.
One of her first words was "octagon" when we were walking in a city street; I nearly fell over from shock at hearing her talk, and that she was pointing at the stop sign, and identifying it as an octagon. But then.. nothing. The pediatrician told me I was being a fretful mom, and to relax. When she finally began putting words together, she spoke in whole sentences that were perfect. Almost too perfect. She didn't make the usual mistakes with endings and plurals, for example. I still felt like something wasn't "right" but the doctor kept telling me that I was a nervous first-time mom, and that she was fine.
I remember when she was 15 months old, and we were at the doctor to check her ears before flying east (she'd had a bad cold, and I wanted to make sure they were clear). The nurse told us to go into room four. Claire looked at all the doors, then chose door number four. The nurse was amazed to learn that not only could Claire could count to 20, she could recognize the numeral visually. I said, "Don't you think this shows that she's wired a little differently? She doesn't really talk, but can recognize her numbers?" Again, I was told that I should be proud to have such a smart child, and that she would talk when she was ready. I was also cautioned against being a flashcard mom, and drilling her. This was very insulting, as Claire learned to count from watching Sesame Street while I did paperwork!
See the pattern here? Deny the problem, reassure the mom, blame the mom.
It wasn't until Claire was 3, able to read the newspaper, able to recite any TV show or movie she watched verbatim, and choosing to watch TV with the closed caption on so she could read it, but STILL unable to really converse normally that we were finally able to convince anyone in the medical community that our daughter's language development was quirky. Turns out she is diagnosed with very mild autism.
I don't share this to make other parents feel scared that their child has a diagnosis, or some kind of pathology, but to encourage you that you know your child, and to pursue it if you think there is a problem. I have a good friend here who has a son who, due to a rare genetic mutation, became nearly deaf. She was worried because he didn't babble, or seem engaged with her, and she kept telling her husband (who is a physician!) that their son couldn't hear, only to have him deny the problem. Finally, she took her son to a specialist, who confirmed that her son couldn't hear. Her second son was also born with the same mutation, but due to earlier intervention, has much better hearing.
Moral of the story: Gather all the information you can, and listen to your instincts.
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Elanor - Mar 1, 2005 2:49 pm (#2563 of 2956)
Hello everyboby! I don't have any children but there is one thing I am sure about: there is nothing like a Mom's instinct and love to help her child growing up. You Moms are the best!
As Essidji and Septentrion said, it is really freezing here! This morning, it was a -16°C (3.2°F) in my town, without the effect of the wind, that is what I call cold. It wasn't fun to go outside at 7.30 a.m. and try and defreeze the car... When I had finally managed to open the frozen door and started the car (fortunately I had put something on the windscreen), I had the bad idea to take off my gloves because they're not handy for driving. Stupid idea indeed: the steering wheel was so cold it burnt my fingers and I had to put them on again, I just couldn't touch the wheel! We're used to cold temperatures sometimes in winter, though usually in January, but it was the first time that a thing like that happened to me!
Round Pink Spider, I really admire you to live in Minnesota in winter, two weeks of such a cold weather and we're fed up with it here. You must be so happy when spring comes!
Have a great tuesday everybody!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 1, 2005 2:55 pm (#2564 of 2956)
Late talker story:
When Jordan was 10 months old, he started speaking one word exclamations. By 15 months, full sentences. My next door neighbor whose daughter, Kirstin, was just a month younger than Jordan couldn't get over it. Kirstin was silent as a clam. No babbling, hardly any whining even. She was the sweetest thing who just went along with the flow and somehow did exactly as she wanted and managed to make her needs known. Jordan was adept at knowing what Kirstin wanted when they played together while the moms kaffeeklatched. "Kristin needs some juice!" or "Kristin told me to get her stuffies from the den." or "Kristin's tummy hurts and ice cream will make it better." You know, he was usually right. And, if Kristin got juice or ice cream, Jordan did, too. This made us a bit suspicious, but you can't put a 2 year old under the 3rd degree. We really wondered what was going on...telepathy? Jerry (Kristin's mom) was getting downright jealous of Jordan because Kristin would "talk" to him, but not to her. So...
...at age 3, Jerry was really worried although anyone could tell that Kristin was a bright, happy little girl. She'd understand anything we said, she'd hum along to music (so hearing wasn't suspected), and Jordan still claimed to discuss many deep and important topics with her. The docs were still telling her to wait a bit.
At a big family dinner one night, Jerry was serving the kids first. When she placed a plate in front of Kristin, this booming voice proclaimed, "What is this? Spaghetti, again!? Why do you always give the kids spaghetti?" Kristin had spoken. She then proceeded to give a little sigh and calmly ate her dinner. The whole table was dumbfounded. Not only had she finally uttered something, she did so in full, clear sentences as if she'd been talking for ages. The conclusion was that she finally had something to say that her mom needed to hear.
Jerry called me immediately and was laughing/crying hysterically. From then on Jordan didn't need to talk for her so much, though he often claimed that now that she could speak to anyone, Kristin told him "secrets." We never could figure that one out. What kind of secrets would a 3 year old have? Never mind, I don't want to know.
Ciao. Barb
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Madam Pince - Mar 1, 2005 2:58 pm (#2565 of 2956)
Barb, that is hysterical. I can just hear that little girl berating her Mom! What a riot.
Oh, and I loved "A Wrinkle in Time" when I was younger -- our fifth-grade teacher (who was uber-cool) read it to us by reading a few pages every day during the five minutes we had between the last morning class and going to lunch. However, I recently re-read it, and it felt to me like it had lost a lot with the passage of years -- it just went too fast, or something. I think JKR has spoiled me....
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Eponine - Mar 1, 2005 3:00 pm (#2566 of 2956)
I'm here to throw in my two cents on late talkers. My nephew (my sister-in-law's little boy) just had his second birthday on Saturday and has just recently uttered his first word. He understands everything you say perfectly, but he hasn't started talking yet. He doesn't really experiment with sounds, but he has learned some basic sign language. He just grunts a lot right now, but they've got him working with a speech therapist which has brought about the first word "bubble".
Bumbledore, A Wrinkle in Time was one of my favorite books when I was growing up. I recently procured a signed copy off eBay that I'm thrilled about. ABC's Wonderful World of Disney version was fairly good, and I think it's worth checking out if you get the chance.
Well, I hope everyone is having a great day!
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Denise P. - Mar 1, 2005 3:05 pm (#2567 of 2956)
I have two late talkers. One of them has been in speech since she was 2 because we could see the difference in her speech long before that. She was clearly able to understand us but nothing that came out of her mouth (other than the word Daria, our dog) was English. Numerous testing proved she had nothing specifically wrong and they were at a loss to say exactly what the problem was. She is 8 now and even today, when she gets upset or frustrated, we have to tell her to slow down and speak in English so we can understand her. My second late talker had a totally different issue and he went into a special pre-school for speech. He is almost 100% caught up with his peers now. In both cases, it was wrongly assumed that because they came from a large family that everyone spoke for them. If you think your child is delayed, by all means get them looked at. Heh, my first had speech problems that I insisted were real even though an observation in the class showed otherwise. I demanded he be tested and viola! They found a significant problem that escaped notice in the 30 min classroom observation. Sometimes mom does know best and one should never feel like a nag for doing what is best for your child.
This is a picture of my almost 11 year old Ryan. He was awarded his Arrow of Light last night and crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.
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John Bumbledore - Mar 1, 2005 3:20 pm (#2568 of 2956)
Kudos for Ryan, (son of Denise P. ) on earning the Arrow of Light and crossing over to Boy Scouts!
My youngest two (twins, now five and a half years old girl and boy) had speech trouble and both have been in speech therapy for a couple years or so. They both started babbling but then James stopped and Rachael was talking for him. Mamma persisted with the Doctors and we found James had a loss of hearing caused by fluid behind the eardrum. He is on his third set of tubes and is talking but has an auditory processing delay. He takes a few seconds after hearing before he has completely processed and understood what was said.
So I agree that Mamma knows best. I thought he was just being like me, but I supported Mrs. Bumbledore in her quest for answers and ultimately appropriate treatment and speech services.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I forgot to mention that as a child I also had speech therapy.
P. P. S. On autism, I am uneducated but Mrs. Bumbledore is a special education Teacher and has described it as akin to suffering from sensory overload. It seems that all the child's senses are at top volume (I think of it like a migraine combined with ADD). I also think that the attention-deficit label is an inverse description. What I mean is that the person doesn't filter out the back ground "sounds" so is paying attention to multiple things. I say this because I was able to follow three conversations taking place in the same room, it just took me a few seconds to process and responds and that often means the conversation has move on past the point of the comment flowing smoothly with the other speakers.
Well, I am no expert. I did say that. This has probably been nothing more than bumbling babble, but that is my analysis. To this day, I cannot pass by an operating television without stopping to look and listen to it. Often loosing myself in time until someone cause a bigger attention getting motion or sound. Not that I've missed what they were saying but that my focus was magnetically drawn to the TV. So after a moment, the little tape recorder in my head has played back what the person has said and I can then reply (often needing to apologize, as well). Oh, my. time to end this introspection. Sorry.
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Julia. - Mar 1, 2005 3:39 pm (#2569 of 2956)
AHHHHHH!! Did someone hit the 'boat load of work' button, and no one told me?!?! All of a sudden, I have a 4-6 page midterm, 13 statistics problems and 20 pages of reading due tomorrow, and an out line for a paper that I don't even have a topic for due on Thursday!! Why didn't anyone tell me about this?!?!?!?!
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 1, 2005 4:10 pm (#2570 of 2956)
The Incredibles DVD is coming out in two weeks, March 15.
Just thought you guys might want to know. :-)
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Phoenix song - Mar 1, 2005 4:14 pm (#2571 of 2956)
Madame Librarian, your story about the neighbor's daughter who never spoke at all, and then first spoke to complain about the spaghetti she was served, had me laughing and crying at the same time. As I previously shared, I lost my dad a few weeks ago. When I was worried about my son's lack of speech, my dad used to reassure me by saying, "Don't worry about him! He just hasn't needed to talk yet 'cause you've never burnt his toast." It was his way of letting me know that Joey would talk whenever he was ready to talk. Your story helped me to remember my dad's funny reassurances.
Catherine, thank you for sharing your daughter's story. It was very moving for me and I'm sure that it will help other parents. I also feel strongly that parents should remember that they know their children best, and they have the most invested in taking care of them. Parents should arm themselves with all of the information that they can find and demand to be heard. It's horrible to have a physician, teacher, or healthcare provider refuse to listen to you with regards to your child. As your children's advocate you always have the right and the responsibility to speak up and be heard!
Bumbledore, I'm relieved to hear your story since it seems that my son had a similar start in his life. It gives me hope that he will go on to accomplish great things.
Isn't it great how everyone has been sharing, sympathetic, and so encouraging? This is a great group of people.
Barbie
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Accio Sirius - Mar 1, 2005 5:05 pm (#2572 of 2956)
Catherine, Thank you for sharing that story. I know you all have been through a lot. Claire sounds utterly charming! When I look back on events in my life, my biggest blunders seem to be the ones in which I ignored my instincts. One bonus that comes with age is that I don't do that as much anymore. As far as doctors and teachers, though, it has been the reverse for us. I won't even go into all of the horrible things they have told us about our son over the last four years--almost all of which were really just assumptions or bad guesses. And for each time they told me this devastating stuff, I know I've lost years off of my life. And yet our little guy continues to defy everyone. But it's like I tell my daughter:, it may not be a fairy tale, but it sure is an adventure.
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Chemyst - Mar 1, 2005 5:44 pm (#2573 of 2956)
I cannot underscore boldly enough, um... make that I cannot underscore boldly enough the importance of going with one's instincts, especially one's parenting instincts. Twice have I walked out of an office after being told "not to be so concerned; I should leave that up to the professionals." Those two decisions both rank among the top ten best decisions I've ever made.
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MoonRider - Mar 1, 2005 5:46 pm (#2574 of 2956)
Thanks, SO MUCH, to everybody for responding------I REALLY appreciate it!
Accio Sirius: Did you ever find-out if that was it? .....or the thing about being the only woman nominated for playing a boxer.
I don't know if that's it, because the sentence was: "....the first person in the history of the Academy Awards....."
I want to find that sentence.....
I had just started looking, when I remembered I had to get something else done------my brain is SO not working this week-----SHEESH!
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haymoni - Mar 1, 2005 6:15 pm (#2575 of 2956)
Hey guys - Ungrateful Son didn't say ANYTHING (he didn't even really babble.) until one week before his 18 month checkup and then it was full sentences. I think Daughter was talking upon fertilization.
My mom passed away in 1998. My brother had a boy in 1999 and we all knew from the get-go that there was an issue. But with Mom gone, nobody wanted to say anything. Mistake #1 - we should have risked it.
Their son was kicked out of 2 daycares before they finally accepted that there was a problem. Their pediatricians never caught it because they went to a group practice and rarely saw the same doctor twice.
At 4, he was finally diagnosed with autism. He's in a special school and seems to be improving. I've dropped hints about a gluten-free, dairy-free diet, but they read somewhere that it doesn't work all the time so they haven't even tried it.
Does an overbearing, older sister persist or does she let it drop?
I'm sure my mother would have found some tactful way to tell them sooner, but I'm like a bull in a china shop.
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:24 pm
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 1, 2005 6:45 pm (#2576 of 2956)
I was a late talker and a sloppy talker, but it was more due to the fact I was slowly losing my hearing from birth. The hearing loss leveled off at around my 7th birthday and I have only now started to lose some more hearing.
I thank my mother every day that I had a sister who was 18 months younger, that we lived in an isolated area and that she was a teacher. This meant that for the four years it took Mum to convince everyone (doctors) I couldn't hear, she was going over and over the same drills every single day. Intensive speech therapy by default. Mum tried her hardest to make sure I had the same language skills as my sister - she succeeded.
I only had 3 months of formal speech therapy, to teach me how to say my "s's" when I was ten. Mind you everyone in my family corrected my speech all the time. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I do now.
After my second niece was born, my nephew (who had just turned two) started stammering etc. I managed to convince my sister to get speech therapy and correct it now. Only when he is mega excited or stressed, does the stammer come back. Everyone thought it was a reaction to being kicked out of mum’s lap when the sister was born, but you don't condemn a child to poor speech habits just because he objected to his sister being born.
Have a wonderful day and I hope our European members are coping OK with your cold snap. It made our local news this morning.
Lizzy
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Accio Sirius - Mar 1, 2005 7:23 pm (#2577 of 2956)
MoonRider,
This is what I got from JS Online: A Date With History:
A second acting Oscar for “Million Dollar Baby” star Hilary Swank (the 1999 winner for "Boys Don't Cry") would put her in the company of Vivien Leigh, Helen Hayes, Sally Field and Luise Rainer as the only actresses with a perfect track record: two nominations and two wins."
I'm guessing the "first-ever" thing would be a female boxer.
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Helen Potterfan - Mar 1, 2005 10:18 pm (#2578 of 2956)
Julia, just breathe; it will be OK. This is just the beginning of the mid-term crush; it will be over soon. Just tackle one task at a time. I know exactly how you feel. I have a conference presentation on Friday and I haven't finished the paper for my talk; I have to submit a draft of my first dissertation chapter to my workshop on Monday and I only have 15 disorganized pages; I have a fellowship application due on March 7 that I've barely started to complete; and I have meetings tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, all day Saturday, and Sunday. I'm trying to take my own advice, but I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed as well. (Did I mention that I have out-of-town guests coming on Monday and my house is a disaster because I've been so busy?!!) **sends Julia care package of butterbeer, chocolate frogs, and kosher (almost) every-flavored beans**
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Julia. - Mar 1, 2005 10:32 pm (#2579 of 2956)
Oh my mother!! Wow Accio, you totally beat me in terms of stuff to do. At least I get a break next week! Good luck getting all your stuff done. I've deffinatly learned that the only way to handle this much work is to handle it one thing at a time. Concentrate on the task at hand, and don't worry about all you have left to do. When you finish one thing, just move on to the next.
Thanks so much for the care package, I'm sending you brownies as a thank you! By the way, I'm pretty sure Bertie Botts are kosher. Actually, I'm positive.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 1, 2005 11:25 pm (#2580 of 2956)
It's been so long since I've been able to get to the forum there are hundreds and hundreds of posts. I actually tried to post last night but for some reason my computer wouldn't let me or something...I have so many posts to catch up with I may never get caught up.
As far as having your kids tested for learning or speech difficulties, I'm all for doing it early if you feel it is needed. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia in kindergarten or 1st grade because my mother insisted I be tested. If they hadn't caught it early I would have really, really struggled in school. She also fought to have my brother tested early and it helped him a lot as he was diagnosed with Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, as well as ADD (but not hyperactive). My mom actually ended up homeschooling him because the schools were just not willing to work with him. But he just graduated from University in May! Follow your instincts! Moms are always right!
Off to try and jump into the mountains of new posts. Happy March
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The giant squid - Mar 2, 2005 12:21 am (#2581 of 2956)
Sorry I couldn't help with the Oscar question; ironically, I was working at the theater last Sunday night.
I don't have much to offer to the "early talker" discussion either, other than to point out that it's obviously not that rare of a case if nearly every mom on the boards has a story about it. I'll echo everyone who's said to trust your instincts, too--who would know your child better, you or some guy who sees him (at most) every six months?
Denise, Congrats to Ryan for earning his Arrow of Light. I can vaguely remember my Arrow of Light ceremony. Sadly, I didn't make it past Tenderfoot. Our scoutleader had (in hindsight) the attitude of someone forced into the position, and I decided I'd rather be a BSA dropout than deal with his bad vibes.
--Mike
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 6:04 am (#2582 of 2956)
Does an overbearing, older sister persist or does she let it drop? I'm sure my mother would have found some tactful way to tell them sooner, but I'm like a bull in a china shop. –Haymoni
That's the really tough question. I don't have a good answer. For many families, it would cause a lot of anger and resentment for a family member to tell another member that his/her child seems atypical. For me, I would let my conscience be my guide. If I suspected that a child had an impairment that needed early intervention for optimal outcome, such as hearing loss, I'd speak up and risk making the parent angry. If the child already has a diagnosis, I'd probably stay out of it except to be supportive and keep up with what's going on.
Keep in mind that I "knew" something was a little different about my daughter, but even so, I was very defensive about her quirks. I'll never forget a mom who sat beside me at a gymnastics lesson when our daughters were three years old. She turned to me and said, "What are you going to do about her hyperactivity?" I couldn't believe her nerve! How dare she "diagnose" my daughter after watching her for 3 minutes! My child was definitely the most active girl on the floor, but she wasn't doing anything that the boys weren't doing. I remember being so miffed and refusing to talk to her after that. Turns out in a classroom setting, Claire does have trouble filtering out stimuli and focusing on her work, so that mom might have had a point. But that didn't make me any less angry at the time.
So I guess what I am saying is that parents are not always "ready" to hear things, and if one chooses to express a concern, prepare for an angry reaction. Maybe Miss Manners or Dear Abby would say MYOB (mind your own business) no matter what, but I think that one should speak up if you see a real problem....along the lines of doing what is right, not what is easy.
Hope everyone has a great Wednesday.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 2, 2005 6:32 am (#2583 of 2956)
Maybe Miss Manners or Dear Abby would say MYOB (mind your own business) no matter what, but I think that one should speak up if you see a real problem....along the lines of doing what is right, not what is easy. – Catherine
Tsk, tsk. As in all matters of etiquette, context and timing are everything. "Speaking up," even in the face of a real problem, presumes that the parent is oblivious to the fact that little Johnny's swinging from the chandelier is not normal behavior. This is especially presumptuous when talking to a complete stranger. However, if a friend or even a mere acquaintance says something along the lines of "Little Susie's driving me crazy; I just don't know what to do," then by all means take the opportunity to share your experience and advice. It will be appreciated and make gymnastic practices everywhere much more enjoyable affairs. ***waves to Catherine***
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 6:54 am (#2584 of 2956)
Well said, Miss Manners Loopy Lupin. **waves back**
Timing, degree of aquaintance, and situation do influence one's decision. Strangers should not make critical comments about another person's child.
I have met a remarkable number of parents who are, in fact, oblivious to Little Suzy swinging from the chandelier, and in that case, I mentally diagnose the parent with "Permissive-itis" versus diagnosing the child.
There is such a wide spectrum for what is "normal" development, and I have seen so many parents who worry themselves sick over the fact that Little Suzy isn't "walking yet" when she's still inside the "typical" range for that milestone. Well-meaning grandparents may tell Mom that "Little Johnny was completely potty-trained at 21 months; why is your little one still in diapers?"
So that's the kind of comments that make parents crazy, and not the kind of thing I'm talking about at all. Parents need to learn selective deafness to those kind of "well-meaning" comments.
My "speaking up" was more for the close relative watching something from the sidelines, and wondering whether to "say anything." I still think that if you suspect a major developmental issue, it may be acceptable to share your observation (not a conclusion or "diagnosis) if you think there is a chance that it may change a long-term outcome.
For the record, I keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself about other people's children!
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 2, 2005 7:53 am (#2585 of 2956)
Thanks so much to all of you for your stories and information about late talkers. My children definitely do not talk for Peter, but we also haven't pushed at all to make him ask for things. I believe that Peter has been mostly focused on other things than talking (music, motor skills). This morning, after my middle son said good-bye to Peter, he started yelling loudly and repeatedly to his oldest brother, "Day [Dave]? You bye-bye?" I think we're in the clear now. Obviously he is talking; his babble is just so badly pronounced that we're only starting to understand it.
I also agree that moms should trust their instincts. I have my own story to tell on that account. My fourth child, Emily, a beautiful little child with thick black hair, seemed to be an unusually deep sleeper. One time, my husband took the baby to a 4th of July parade, and even the fire trucks going past with sirens blaring didn't wake her up. And she was very quiet when she woke up in her crib, so that sometimes I didn't even know she was awake.
When she was 6 mos. old and never responded when I called her name, I started getting worried. Finally, one morning, when I opened her door and saw she was playing in her crib with her back turned, I stayed back out of her peripheral vision and started calling her, louder and louder, until I was screaming at the top of my lungs.
She never looked up. She didn't even notice I was there, sobbing, until I walked into the corner of her vision. Then she gave me this great big smile.
At her well-baby check that day, I nervously told the doctor that I wasn't sure she could hear. The doctor gave her the (notoriously unreliable!) cowbell test. She responded once of the three times (because the doctor shook it in her peripheral vision). The doctor told me she didn't think there was a problem, but they could have her hearing tested if I wanted. Fortunately, I insisted.
It turned out that Emily had a greater than 90 decibel hearing loss. They told us she would feel the vibrations from a jackhammer before she heard it.
Emily is now a vivacious 8-year-old with obvious talent as an artist. She has a cochlear implant, and she talks and understands without sign language (although lip reading helps a bit). Although finding out she was deaf was devastating at the time, now it's just another way she's special to us.
Even my husband told me after the appointment that established she was deaf that, if I'd told him my concerns, he would have just blown it off. Moms, trust your instincts!!!
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Accio Sirius - Mar 2, 2005 7:53 am (#2586 of 2956)
I think not saying something is probably the best policy. I'm sure most people don't intend to be unkind or thoughtless, but they can say the dumbest things. Once at my daughter's soccer game, a woman came up to me while I was standing there with my son, who is wheelchair bound. She asked me how old he was and then remarked how lucky I was because I didn't have to chase after him. I'm usually pretty good with comebacks, but I just didn't have words for that one.
It's all about perspective. You should just relish what your kids can do and who they are and not worry if Johnny next door is reading Proust at five.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 2, 2005 8:10 am (#2587 of 2956)
Well-meaning grandparents may tell Mom that "Little Johnny was completely potty-trained at 21 months; why is your little one still in diapers?" – Catherine
You know, Miss Manners herself actually addressed these types of comments. Unfortunately, the proper response to such a comment from, say, a maternal grandfather is not "Little Johnny's paternal grandfather has only just started losing his hair; why are you so bald?" Of course, if one were to slip, the etiquette council might let you off with probation.
My two cents on late talking is that each child's development is so peculiar to that child, one shouldn't get too hung up on not meeting the "norm." Whether the "norm" is an average or a median, it still means a wide range of possibilities above or below the norm. My oldest nephew, who does have Asperger's syndrome, didn't talk until way past two. (Of course, they said he would never talk, so go figure.) My oldest niece was talking and working the VCR at that age. (Endless, endless rewindings of "Little Mermaid.") My two year old nephew says "car" "dada" and "mama." He also, for some reason, calls me "dee-dee" in spite of the fact that I never thought of myself as a "Deidre." Physically, however, he's over the top to the point that he physically removes the baby gate by brute force. By contrast, a friend's two year-old is a little tiny guy, but says things like "I'm finished with my sandwich now."
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 8:15 am (#2588 of 2956)
She asked me how old he was and then remarked how lucky I was because I didn't have to chase after him.--Accio Sirius
People can be very insensitive. That comment makes me want to turn that person into a cabbage. An old, smelly, rotten cabbage. You definitely took the high ground if you didn't Crucio her on the spot.
Random remarks are not helpful. I've had a person suggest that my child's epilepsy is her way of "getting attention"--this was from her school librarian who said that Claire could "control her seizures if she really wanted to." I've had a family member tell me that her neurological differences are my fault because "you push her too hard." I've had another family member say, "She should have eaten more fish. Brain food, you know. Does she take Omega-3 supplements?" **deep sigh**
Accio Sirius is right that children need to be appreciated as individuals. It's important to measure them against themselves, and take joy in small things.
RPS, I'm happy to know that your daughter has had such a good outcome. I'm so glad for your family that you followed your instincts in that situation.
EDIT: "Little Johnny's paternal grandfather has only just started losing his hair; why are you so bald?" Of course, if one were to slip, the etiquette council might let you off with probation. --Loopy Lupin
SPEW! Thanks for the giggle.
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MoonRider - Mar 2, 2005 8:40 am (#2589 of 2956)
Accio Sirius: Thanks, bushels, for your help!
The giant squid: Thanks for responding!
All: Have a GREAT day!
Take care,
MoonRider
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Phoenix song - Mar 2, 2005 9:32 am (#2590 of 2956)
I'm amazed at all of the wonderful stories that we're sharing. I think that it's marvelous the amount of wondrous parental wisdom that I'm seeing.
Since we seem to have such a wide avenue of experience, I'm wondering if you guys might offer me a little bit of advice about my friend's 9 year old son? He's very bright, and was tested at near genius levels. But the last few years he has been having difficulty in class due to his "inability" to tune out the more disruptive students. He complains about bright lights, loud noises, etc. even when there is only a normal amount of these items.
My friend has talked to me about it, and thinks that he may have some sort of sensory problem. Her pediatrician thinks that she's "Over-reacting" and seems to think that she's trying to find excuses for his "lack" of classroom progress. I agree with her that his being so "sensitive" to noise, lights, activity, and even temperature (he is often too hot or too cold) may indicate a problem with his ability to tolerate outside stimulus. He also seems to have a low threshold for "normal" bodily signals. For example, he is quite intolerant to being hungry in the least, when most children know that their meal is on it's way and can hold off the whining for a few minutes at least. Has anyone here ever heard of something similar to this? Unfortunately, her insurance will require that she makes her pediatrician "see the problem" before she can progress to the next doctor. Because she's unaware of what the problem might be, she's unable to make him aware of her concerns in a manner that he will listen to. Any ideas?
Thanks a bunch!
Barbie
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Denise P. - Mar 2, 2005 9:59 am (#2591 of 2956)
People often do make really insensitive remarks. When Devin was released from the hospital following his first round of chemo, we were eating in a restaurant. Now, he did have a NG tube up his nose, he was bald and did look sick but...an insurance salesman came up to our table. In front of everyone in the restaurant, informed my husband that his company specialized in insuring "children like that" (and indicated Devin) in "case something happens." I was so furious I was speechless. I called the company and wrote a blistering letter too. Devin already felt like people were staring at him and this insensitive jerk just reinforced it. Grrr...it was 4 years ago and it still makes me angry.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 2, 2005 11:03 am (#2592 of 2956)
I think Shakespeare said to kill all the lawyers only because he didn't have insurance salesmen in his day. Not that that would have or should have spared lawyers, mind you, but at least attorneys would have had company.
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Ponine - Mar 2, 2005 11:42 am (#2593 of 2956)
Oh, accio sirius and denise - your stories make me cringe. I cannot believe in this day and age that people do this sort of thing. I can only say sorry and blush on behalf of mankind... Now, Barb - as far as your friend's little boy.. You said he was tested at near genius level, but that he had had problems in the class room for a few years. That leads me to believe that the testing was for quite young children. I am most definitely no expert, but whenever I hear about someone responding so strongly to sensory stimuli, I immediately think autism spectrum, although he seems to be quite-well functioning and verbal. If I was your friend, I know I would surely make every effort to find out, if his problems with his environment is so great that it affects his everyday life in a negative way.
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Madam Pince - Mar 2, 2005 12:38 pm (#2594 of 2956)
It really is good to hear all these stories! I was an only child, and Baby Pince is also an only child, so sometimes when his behavior reaches, um.... shall we say.... intolerable? levels, I am not sure whether it's normal 2 - 3 year-old behavior, or if I'm raising a little monster, or if it could be something else. He's wonderful 90% of the time, but the other 10% can be pretty bad sometimes! I've read all the books, watch "Supernanny" () etc., and I think I'm doing all the things they recommend, but I'm never sure. Denise, I went out and bought "Newsweek" last week to get that article you referenced about "slacker & non-slacker Moms" and it was really insightful, I thought. I've also logged onto some parenting forums which have posts describing behaviors similar to Baby Pince's, so I am somewhat reassured that he's just being a typical Terrible Two Toddler Boy. But it is still helpful to hear all these stories from other Moms! (and I can't believe some of those "helpful" comments you guys have experienced! You have remarkable restraint to have refrained from physical violence!)
Anyway, one other point which is sort-of related, given that we were recently discussing some Forum members who are caregivers of their elderly relatives..... don't hesitate to use your same instincts when you are dealing with elder-care doctors, as well! I have found that most elders will respond "I'm fine" when their doctor asks them how they're doing, and it's sad to see how many physicians seem to think that simply asking the question "So how are you doing?" constitutes a check-up. Case in point: a few years ago, my Mom mentioned that she felt a little tightness in her chest, and she said it felt similar to how it felt a few years prior, when she had ended up having to have angioplasty to clear a blocked artery. When she went to her doctor, he dismissed it and wanted to prescribe Prilosec for indigestion (which she's never suffered from in her whole life.) I gently and politely inquired if he didn't think it might be worthwhile to do an angiogram just in case, because she was scheduled for major hip replacement surgery in a few weeks and it would be a real downer for her to go into cardiac arrest in the middle of hip replacement. He repeated that he didn't think it was necessary, but I persisted that my Mom felt fairly certain about how her body felt and that it felt like it had before. He finally grudgingly agreed to do an angiogram the next day. He came out to see me in the waiting room and said "Well....." and I said "Let me guess -- you found a blockage?" and he said "No, not exactly.... actually we found two." It was all I could do not to jump up and down and say "HA! Told you so, told you so, told you so!" (Everything turned out OK, by the way, she had two stents put in.) But it scares me to think that my Mom might have suffered a major heart attack while taking Prilosec for some non-existant indigestion.
At any rate, trust your instincts when caring for elders as well as kids, too.
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John Bumbledore - Mar 2, 2005 2:18 pm (#2595 of 2956)
About sensitivity to stimuli.
(bright lights, loud noise, or feeling that they are bright or loud when others think they are normal).
I recently read an article in Science News about a study of patients with "an abnormal opening between the heart's upper chambers.... called a patent foramen ovale (PFO)" who claimed complete or great reduction in migraines after "having surgery to close [the] PFO." I will try to find the link to the story ("Science News", Week of Feb. 19, 2005; Vol. 167, No. 8 , p. 119).
The significant points of the article (to my thinking and recent posts) were that "about a quarter of the U.S. population" have PFOs and that "Italian researchers had recently reported an unusually high prevalence of PFOs in people who suffer" migraine. My youngest daughter has a PFO, and we are alert to issues that may be related to it or caused by it. I pointed out the article to Mrs. Bumbledore so we will have it in mind if Rachael complains of bad headaches.
I bring it up hear because of the similarity of migraine symptoms to those mentioned by Phoenix song, "my friend's 9 year old son.... complains about bright lights, loud noises, etc. even when there is only a normal amount of these items." Since I lack an MD degree and patient history, I only suggest "looking for horses when you hear hoof beats." I would suggest asking about AD/HD (the ADD type, inattentiveness), Autism "Assault on Autism." Science News. Week of Nov. 13, 2004; Vol. 166, No. 20 , p. 311, and Migraine / PFOs.
Well, maybe some of those are zebras and not horses, but it is what I thought of when I read your post. I must head home now, bye everyone! **Waves to ya'll**
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I bet you have notice one of my favorite periodicals is Science News.
P. S. A year or two ago, my eldest child contracted lymes disease, (at the time, we just knew he had a rash, joint pain and swelling) It was mostly because of my instinct and Mrs. Bumbledore's persistence that we got his Pediatrician to start treatment for lymes disease before the test were back (based only on symptoms). The doctor was reluctant because treatment called for high doses of antibiotics for (I think) 28 days. I had been researching it on the web (web md and such) because I previously read a Science News article about Lymes. The Doctor called the CDC and was told to begin the antibiotic treatment for Lymes even though it was previously an extremely rare occurance in North Carolina (and off season for tick bites). The later test did confirm Lymes, but were only completed after the crucial first three weeks. Complete recovery nearly always requires initial treatment for Lymes to begin within the first three weeks after the bite causing infection. I am glad to say he appears complete recovered and there have been no relapses since his treatment.
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Eponine - Mar 2, 2005 2:52 pm (#2596 of 2956)
I have absolutely nothing to add on the sensitivity to bright lights/loud noises subject, but I just wanted to share about the coolest thing that happened at school.
I'm doing To Kill a Mockingbird with the freshmen, and they'd been complaining quite a bit about it. Yesterday, I was reading out loud to them, and we were at the trial scene. I got to the point where we were supposed to finish for the day and was about to stop, but they all begged me to keep reading because they were so into the story. It just made me so happy. I love it when someone can really connect with a book.
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Dumbledore - Mar 2, 2005 2:53 pm (#2597 of 2956)
Madam Pince, in regards to your 2 year old son -- trust me I know what you mean. Not that I've ever had kids or anything, but because I know the terror I was to my parents. Screaming, kickin, spinning in circles if I didn't get what I want. I was even so bad that on the show A Current Affair, my "model" behavior was on a segment called Terrible Twos. Now, however, I am a perfectly normal teenager, so hopefully things will turn out the same way for your son because I am sure that you are a great mother!!!!
Have a nice day, everybody!!
-Lauren
I'm so glad I'm finally back on the forum..just reading these last 30 posts or so reminds me how nice it is to have such a support group and such great advice givers.
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 2, 2005 3:35 pm (#2598 of 2956)
Madame Pince, I've had a whole bunch of 2-year-olds (including the one I have now), ranging from moderately easy to the stubborn screamer type. If he's great 90% of the time, then you're doing just fine! But don't worry about being a perfect mom...just be yourself. I'm sure you're a perfect mom as far as he's concerned! Just give him lots of hugs and kisses, and don't worry if he has tantrums. They all do, even the easy ones. Generally, three-year-olds are delightful, so you'll probably get time off for good behavior in a few months!
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Julia. - Mar 2, 2005 3:41 pm (#2599 of 2956)
Good afternoon all. I've turned in all the stuff that was due today, now I have an outline due tomorrow for a paper, and I don't really have a developed topic yet.
I know that I'm not a mom, or science major or anything like that, but I want to comment on Barbie's friend's son. You say he tested at near genious levals and he's not doing too well in school? Easily distracted by lights and sounds and temperature? Did it occur to you that it may not be medical? It could be that he's just bored with his classes. I know that when I was bored I would often be distracted by the smallest little things that would keep my from doing my work. Once I got into the right major and into classes that I loved being in and were much more of a challange, I stopped being so easily distracted. Any chance that could be it?
*waves to Lauren* Lovely to see you again dearie!
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 4:30 pm (#2600 of 2956)
Woo hoo to Eponine! Great news from the teaching front. You hooked them today. I love that!
Well, today concluded the doctor-heavy week. Turns out that Claire has inherited Mr. Catherine's notoriously poor eyesight, and needs glasses. I couldn't believe how quickly her vision has degenerated in a single year. She tested at 20/150. YIKES!
The good news is that she won't look like Sibyll Trelawney. We found some very cute glasses that looked great, although Claire is still complaining about having to wear them.
I had no idea that Claire's vision was anything less than OK until a new teacher mistakenly put her at the back of the class. (It's in Claire's file that she is always to sit at the front of the class). She couldn't see a thing back there. No one told me anything about this, or moved Claire to the front, until I was walking the halls during conferences 10 days ago, and a teacher pulled me aside and said, "I heard your daughter can't see the board." Thank goodness she did, or I would never have known that Claire was sitting in the wrong seat AND unable to see the board.
I kind of want to iron my hands that I didn't know that Claire couldn't see as well as before, but I'm choosing to be thankful that I found out in short order and got it taken care of quickly.
Anyway....Constant Vigilance! Is Mom's work ever done?
dizzy lizzy - Mar 1, 2005 6:45 pm (#2576 of 2956)
I was a late talker and a sloppy talker, but it was more due to the fact I was slowly losing my hearing from birth. The hearing loss leveled off at around my 7th birthday and I have only now started to lose some more hearing.
I thank my mother every day that I had a sister who was 18 months younger, that we lived in an isolated area and that she was a teacher. This meant that for the four years it took Mum to convince everyone (doctors) I couldn't hear, she was going over and over the same drills every single day. Intensive speech therapy by default. Mum tried her hardest to make sure I had the same language skills as my sister - she succeeded.
I only had 3 months of formal speech therapy, to teach me how to say my "s's" when I was ten. Mind you everyone in my family corrected my speech all the time. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I do now.
After my second niece was born, my nephew (who had just turned two) started stammering etc. I managed to convince my sister to get speech therapy and correct it now. Only when he is mega excited or stressed, does the stammer come back. Everyone thought it was a reaction to being kicked out of mum’s lap when the sister was born, but you don't condemn a child to poor speech habits just because he objected to his sister being born.
Have a wonderful day and I hope our European members are coping OK with your cold snap. It made our local news this morning.
Lizzy
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Accio Sirius - Mar 1, 2005 7:23 pm (#2577 of 2956)
MoonRider,
This is what I got from JS Online: A Date With History:
A second acting Oscar for “Million Dollar Baby” star Hilary Swank (the 1999 winner for "Boys Don't Cry") would put her in the company of Vivien Leigh, Helen Hayes, Sally Field and Luise Rainer as the only actresses with a perfect track record: two nominations and two wins."
I'm guessing the "first-ever" thing would be a female boxer.
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Helen Potterfan - Mar 1, 2005 10:18 pm (#2578 of 2956)
Julia, just breathe; it will be OK. This is just the beginning of the mid-term crush; it will be over soon. Just tackle one task at a time. I know exactly how you feel. I have a conference presentation on Friday and I haven't finished the paper for my talk; I have to submit a draft of my first dissertation chapter to my workshop on Monday and I only have 15 disorganized pages; I have a fellowship application due on March 7 that I've barely started to complete; and I have meetings tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, all day Saturday, and Sunday. I'm trying to take my own advice, but I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed as well. (Did I mention that I have out-of-town guests coming on Monday and my house is a disaster because I've been so busy?!!) **sends Julia care package of butterbeer, chocolate frogs, and kosher (almost) every-flavored beans**
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Julia. - Mar 1, 2005 10:32 pm (#2579 of 2956)
Oh my mother!! Wow Accio, you totally beat me in terms of stuff to do. At least I get a break next week! Good luck getting all your stuff done. I've deffinatly learned that the only way to handle this much work is to handle it one thing at a time. Concentrate on the task at hand, and don't worry about all you have left to do. When you finish one thing, just move on to the next.
Thanks so much for the care package, I'm sending you brownies as a thank you! By the way, I'm pretty sure Bertie Botts are kosher. Actually, I'm positive.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 1, 2005 11:25 pm (#2580 of 2956)
It's been so long since I've been able to get to the forum there are hundreds and hundreds of posts. I actually tried to post last night but for some reason my computer wouldn't let me or something...I have so many posts to catch up with I may never get caught up.
As far as having your kids tested for learning or speech difficulties, I'm all for doing it early if you feel it is needed. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia in kindergarten or 1st grade because my mother insisted I be tested. If they hadn't caught it early I would have really, really struggled in school. She also fought to have my brother tested early and it helped him a lot as he was diagnosed with Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, as well as ADD (but not hyperactive). My mom actually ended up homeschooling him because the schools were just not willing to work with him. But he just graduated from University in May! Follow your instincts! Moms are always right!
Off to try and jump into the mountains of new posts. Happy March
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The giant squid - Mar 2, 2005 12:21 am (#2581 of 2956)
Sorry I couldn't help with the Oscar question; ironically, I was working at the theater last Sunday night.
I don't have much to offer to the "early talker" discussion either, other than to point out that it's obviously not that rare of a case if nearly every mom on the boards has a story about it. I'll echo everyone who's said to trust your instincts, too--who would know your child better, you or some guy who sees him (at most) every six months?
Denise, Congrats to Ryan for earning his Arrow of Light. I can vaguely remember my Arrow of Light ceremony. Sadly, I didn't make it past Tenderfoot. Our scoutleader had (in hindsight) the attitude of someone forced into the position, and I decided I'd rather be a BSA dropout than deal with his bad vibes.
--Mike
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 6:04 am (#2582 of 2956)
Does an overbearing, older sister persist or does she let it drop? I'm sure my mother would have found some tactful way to tell them sooner, but I'm like a bull in a china shop. –Haymoni
That's the really tough question. I don't have a good answer. For many families, it would cause a lot of anger and resentment for a family member to tell another member that his/her child seems atypical. For me, I would let my conscience be my guide. If I suspected that a child had an impairment that needed early intervention for optimal outcome, such as hearing loss, I'd speak up and risk making the parent angry. If the child already has a diagnosis, I'd probably stay out of it except to be supportive and keep up with what's going on.
Keep in mind that I "knew" something was a little different about my daughter, but even so, I was very defensive about her quirks. I'll never forget a mom who sat beside me at a gymnastics lesson when our daughters were three years old. She turned to me and said, "What are you going to do about her hyperactivity?" I couldn't believe her nerve! How dare she "diagnose" my daughter after watching her for 3 minutes! My child was definitely the most active girl on the floor, but she wasn't doing anything that the boys weren't doing. I remember being so miffed and refusing to talk to her after that. Turns out in a classroom setting, Claire does have trouble filtering out stimuli and focusing on her work, so that mom might have had a point. But that didn't make me any less angry at the time.
So I guess what I am saying is that parents are not always "ready" to hear things, and if one chooses to express a concern, prepare for an angry reaction. Maybe Miss Manners or Dear Abby would say MYOB (mind your own business) no matter what, but I think that one should speak up if you see a real problem....along the lines of doing what is right, not what is easy.
Hope everyone has a great Wednesday.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 2, 2005 6:32 am (#2583 of 2956)
Maybe Miss Manners or Dear Abby would say MYOB (mind your own business) no matter what, but I think that one should speak up if you see a real problem....along the lines of doing what is right, not what is easy. – Catherine
Tsk, tsk. As in all matters of etiquette, context and timing are everything. "Speaking up," even in the face of a real problem, presumes that the parent is oblivious to the fact that little Johnny's swinging from the chandelier is not normal behavior. This is especially presumptuous when talking to a complete stranger. However, if a friend or even a mere acquaintance says something along the lines of "Little Susie's driving me crazy; I just don't know what to do," then by all means take the opportunity to share your experience and advice. It will be appreciated and make gymnastic practices everywhere much more enjoyable affairs. ***waves to Catherine***
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 6:54 am (#2584 of 2956)
Well said, Miss Manners Loopy Lupin. **waves back**
Timing, degree of aquaintance, and situation do influence one's decision. Strangers should not make critical comments about another person's child.
I have met a remarkable number of parents who are, in fact, oblivious to Little Suzy swinging from the chandelier, and in that case, I mentally diagnose the parent with "Permissive-itis" versus diagnosing the child.
There is such a wide spectrum for what is "normal" development, and I have seen so many parents who worry themselves sick over the fact that Little Suzy isn't "walking yet" when she's still inside the "typical" range for that milestone. Well-meaning grandparents may tell Mom that "Little Johnny was completely potty-trained at 21 months; why is your little one still in diapers?"
So that's the kind of comments that make parents crazy, and not the kind of thing I'm talking about at all. Parents need to learn selective deafness to those kind of "well-meaning" comments.
My "speaking up" was more for the close relative watching something from the sidelines, and wondering whether to "say anything." I still think that if you suspect a major developmental issue, it may be acceptable to share your observation (not a conclusion or "diagnosis) if you think there is a chance that it may change a long-term outcome.
For the record, I keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself about other people's children!
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 2, 2005 7:53 am (#2585 of 2956)
Thanks so much to all of you for your stories and information about late talkers. My children definitely do not talk for Peter, but we also haven't pushed at all to make him ask for things. I believe that Peter has been mostly focused on other things than talking (music, motor skills). This morning, after my middle son said good-bye to Peter, he started yelling loudly and repeatedly to his oldest brother, "Day [Dave]? You bye-bye?" I think we're in the clear now. Obviously he is talking; his babble is just so badly pronounced that we're only starting to understand it.
I also agree that moms should trust their instincts. I have my own story to tell on that account. My fourth child, Emily, a beautiful little child with thick black hair, seemed to be an unusually deep sleeper. One time, my husband took the baby to a 4th of July parade, and even the fire trucks going past with sirens blaring didn't wake her up. And she was very quiet when she woke up in her crib, so that sometimes I didn't even know she was awake.
When she was 6 mos. old and never responded when I called her name, I started getting worried. Finally, one morning, when I opened her door and saw she was playing in her crib with her back turned, I stayed back out of her peripheral vision and started calling her, louder and louder, until I was screaming at the top of my lungs.
She never looked up. She didn't even notice I was there, sobbing, until I walked into the corner of her vision. Then she gave me this great big smile.
At her well-baby check that day, I nervously told the doctor that I wasn't sure she could hear. The doctor gave her the (notoriously unreliable!) cowbell test. She responded once of the three times (because the doctor shook it in her peripheral vision). The doctor told me she didn't think there was a problem, but they could have her hearing tested if I wanted. Fortunately, I insisted.
It turned out that Emily had a greater than 90 decibel hearing loss. They told us she would feel the vibrations from a jackhammer before she heard it.
Emily is now a vivacious 8-year-old with obvious talent as an artist. She has a cochlear implant, and she talks and understands without sign language (although lip reading helps a bit). Although finding out she was deaf was devastating at the time, now it's just another way she's special to us.
Even my husband told me after the appointment that established she was deaf that, if I'd told him my concerns, he would have just blown it off. Moms, trust your instincts!!!
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Accio Sirius - Mar 2, 2005 7:53 am (#2586 of 2956)
I think not saying something is probably the best policy. I'm sure most people don't intend to be unkind or thoughtless, but they can say the dumbest things. Once at my daughter's soccer game, a woman came up to me while I was standing there with my son, who is wheelchair bound. She asked me how old he was and then remarked how lucky I was because I didn't have to chase after him. I'm usually pretty good with comebacks, but I just didn't have words for that one.
It's all about perspective. You should just relish what your kids can do and who they are and not worry if Johnny next door is reading Proust at five.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 2, 2005 8:10 am (#2587 of 2956)
Well-meaning grandparents may tell Mom that "Little Johnny was completely potty-trained at 21 months; why is your little one still in diapers?" – Catherine
You know, Miss Manners herself actually addressed these types of comments. Unfortunately, the proper response to such a comment from, say, a maternal grandfather is not "Little Johnny's paternal grandfather has only just started losing his hair; why are you so bald?" Of course, if one were to slip, the etiquette council might let you off with probation.
My two cents on late talking is that each child's development is so peculiar to that child, one shouldn't get too hung up on not meeting the "norm." Whether the "norm" is an average or a median, it still means a wide range of possibilities above or below the norm. My oldest nephew, who does have Asperger's syndrome, didn't talk until way past two. (Of course, they said he would never talk, so go figure.) My oldest niece was talking and working the VCR at that age. (Endless, endless rewindings of "Little Mermaid.") My two year old nephew says "car" "dada" and "mama." He also, for some reason, calls me "dee-dee" in spite of the fact that I never thought of myself as a "Deidre." Physically, however, he's over the top to the point that he physically removes the baby gate by brute force. By contrast, a friend's two year-old is a little tiny guy, but says things like "I'm finished with my sandwich now."
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 8:15 am (#2588 of 2956)
She asked me how old he was and then remarked how lucky I was because I didn't have to chase after him.--Accio Sirius
People can be very insensitive. That comment makes me want to turn that person into a cabbage. An old, smelly, rotten cabbage. You definitely took the high ground if you didn't Crucio her on the spot.
Random remarks are not helpful. I've had a person suggest that my child's epilepsy is her way of "getting attention"--this was from her school librarian who said that Claire could "control her seizures if she really wanted to." I've had a family member tell me that her neurological differences are my fault because "you push her too hard." I've had another family member say, "She should have eaten more fish. Brain food, you know. Does she take Omega-3 supplements?" **deep sigh**
Accio Sirius is right that children need to be appreciated as individuals. It's important to measure them against themselves, and take joy in small things.
RPS, I'm happy to know that your daughter has had such a good outcome. I'm so glad for your family that you followed your instincts in that situation.
EDIT: "Little Johnny's paternal grandfather has only just started losing his hair; why are you so bald?" Of course, if one were to slip, the etiquette council might let you off with probation.
--Loopy LupinSPEW! Thanks for the giggle.
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MoonRider - Mar 2, 2005 8:40 am (#2589 of 2956)
Accio Sirius: Thanks, bushels, for your help!
The giant squid: Thanks for responding!
All: Have a GREAT day!
Take care,
MoonRider
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Phoenix song - Mar 2, 2005 9:32 am (#2590 of 2956)
I'm amazed at all of the wonderful stories that we're sharing. I think that it's marvelous the amount of wondrous parental wisdom that I'm seeing.
Since we seem to have such a wide avenue of experience, I'm wondering if you guys might offer me a little bit of advice about my friend's 9 year old son? He's very bright, and was tested at near genius levels. But the last few years he has been having difficulty in class due to his "inability" to tune out the more disruptive students. He complains about bright lights, loud noises, etc. even when there is only a normal amount of these items.
My friend has talked to me about it, and thinks that he may have some sort of sensory problem. Her pediatrician thinks that she's "Over-reacting" and seems to think that she's trying to find excuses for his "lack" of classroom progress. I agree with her that his being so "sensitive" to noise, lights, activity, and even temperature (he is often too hot or too cold) may indicate a problem with his ability to tolerate outside stimulus. He also seems to have a low threshold for "normal" bodily signals. For example, he is quite intolerant to being hungry in the least, when most children know that their meal is on it's way and can hold off the whining for a few minutes at least. Has anyone here ever heard of something similar to this? Unfortunately, her insurance will require that she makes her pediatrician "see the problem" before she can progress to the next doctor. Because she's unaware of what the problem might be, she's unable to make him aware of her concerns in a manner that he will listen to. Any ideas?
Thanks a bunch!
Barbie
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Denise P. - Mar 2, 2005 9:59 am (#2591 of 2956)
People often do make really insensitive remarks. When Devin was released from the hospital following his first round of chemo, we were eating in a restaurant. Now, he did have a NG tube up his nose, he was bald and did look sick but...an insurance salesman came up to our table. In front of everyone in the restaurant, informed my husband that his company specialized in insuring "children like that" (and indicated Devin) in "case something happens." I was so furious I was speechless. I called the company and wrote a blistering letter too. Devin already felt like people were staring at him and this insensitive jerk just reinforced it. Grrr...it was 4 years ago and it still makes me angry.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 2, 2005 11:03 am (#2592 of 2956)
I think Shakespeare said to kill all the lawyers only because he didn't have insurance salesmen in his day. Not that that would have or should have spared lawyers, mind you, but at least attorneys would have had company.
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Ponine - Mar 2, 2005 11:42 am (#2593 of 2956)
Oh, accio sirius and denise - your stories make me cringe. I cannot believe in this day and age that people do this sort of thing. I can only say sorry and blush on behalf of mankind... Now, Barb - as far as your friend's little boy.. You said he was tested at near genius level, but that he had had problems in the class room for a few years. That leads me to believe that the testing was for quite young children. I am most definitely no expert, but whenever I hear about someone responding so strongly to sensory stimuli, I immediately think autism spectrum, although he seems to be quite-well functioning and verbal. If I was your friend, I know I would surely make every effort to find out, if his problems with his environment is so great that it affects his everyday life in a negative way.
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Madam Pince - Mar 2, 2005 12:38 pm (#2594 of 2956)
It really is good to hear all these stories! I was an only child, and Baby Pince is also an only child, so sometimes when his behavior reaches, um.... shall we say.... intolerable? levels, I am not sure whether it's normal 2 - 3 year-old behavior, or if I'm raising a little monster, or if it could be something else. He's wonderful 90% of the time, but the other 10% can be pretty bad sometimes! I've read all the books, watch "Supernanny" () etc., and I think I'm doing all the things they recommend, but I'm never sure. Denise, I went out and bought "Newsweek" last week to get that article you referenced about "slacker & non-slacker Moms" and it was really insightful, I thought. I've also logged onto some parenting forums which have posts describing behaviors similar to Baby Pince's, so I am somewhat reassured that he's just being a typical Terrible Two Toddler Boy. But it is still helpful to hear all these stories from other Moms! (and I can't believe some of those "helpful" comments you guys have experienced! You have remarkable restraint to have refrained from physical violence!)
Anyway, one other point which is sort-of related, given that we were recently discussing some Forum members who are caregivers of their elderly relatives..... don't hesitate to use your same instincts when you are dealing with elder-care doctors, as well! I have found that most elders will respond "I'm fine" when their doctor asks them how they're doing, and it's sad to see how many physicians seem to think that simply asking the question "So how are you doing?" constitutes a check-up. Case in point: a few years ago, my Mom mentioned that she felt a little tightness in her chest, and she said it felt similar to how it felt a few years prior, when she had ended up having to have angioplasty to clear a blocked artery. When she went to her doctor, he dismissed it and wanted to prescribe Prilosec for indigestion (which she's never suffered from in her whole life.) I gently and politely inquired if he didn't think it might be worthwhile to do an angiogram just in case, because she was scheduled for major hip replacement surgery in a few weeks and it would be a real downer for her to go into cardiac arrest in the middle of hip replacement. He repeated that he didn't think it was necessary, but I persisted that my Mom felt fairly certain about how her body felt and that it felt like it had before. He finally grudgingly agreed to do an angiogram the next day. He came out to see me in the waiting room and said "Well....." and I said "Let me guess -- you found a blockage?" and he said "No, not exactly.... actually we found two." It was all I could do not to jump up and down and say "HA! Told you so, told you so, told you so!" (Everything turned out OK, by the way, she had two stents put in.) But it scares me to think that my Mom might have suffered a major heart attack while taking Prilosec for some non-existant indigestion.
At any rate, trust your instincts when caring for elders as well as kids, too.
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John Bumbledore - Mar 2, 2005 2:18 pm (#2595 of 2956)
About sensitivity to stimuli.
(bright lights, loud noise, or feeling that they are bright or loud when others think they are normal).
I recently read an article in Science News about a study of patients with "an abnormal opening between the heart's upper chambers.... called a patent foramen ovale (PFO)" who claimed complete or great reduction in migraines after "having surgery to close [the] PFO." I will try to find the link to the story ("Science News", Week of Feb. 19, 2005; Vol. 167, No. 8 , p. 119).
The significant points of the article (to my thinking and recent posts) were that "about a quarter of the U.S. population" have PFOs and that "Italian researchers had recently reported an unusually high prevalence of PFOs in people who suffer" migraine. My youngest daughter has a PFO, and we are alert to issues that may be related to it or caused by it. I pointed out the article to Mrs. Bumbledore so we will have it in mind if Rachael complains of bad headaches.
I bring it up hear because of the similarity of migraine symptoms to those mentioned by Phoenix song, "my friend's 9 year old son.... complains about bright lights, loud noises, etc. even when there is only a normal amount of these items." Since I lack an MD degree and patient history, I only suggest "looking for horses when you hear hoof beats." I would suggest asking about AD/HD (the ADD type, inattentiveness), Autism "Assault on Autism." Science News. Week of Nov. 13, 2004; Vol. 166, No. 20 , p. 311, and Migraine / PFOs.
Well, maybe some of those are zebras and not horses, but it is what I thought of when I read your post. I must head home now, bye everyone! **Waves to ya'll**
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. I bet you have notice one of my favorite periodicals is Science News.
P. S. A year or two ago, my eldest child contracted lymes disease, (at the time, we just knew he had a rash, joint pain and swelling) It was mostly because of my instinct and Mrs. Bumbledore's persistence that we got his Pediatrician to start treatment for lymes disease before the test were back (based only on symptoms). The doctor was reluctant because treatment called for high doses of antibiotics for (I think) 28 days. I had been researching it on the web (web md and such) because I previously read a Science News article about Lymes. The Doctor called the CDC and was told to begin the antibiotic treatment for Lymes even though it was previously an extremely rare occurance in North Carolina (and off season for tick bites). The later test did confirm Lymes, but were only completed after the crucial first three weeks. Complete recovery nearly always requires initial treatment for Lymes to begin within the first three weeks after the bite causing infection. I am glad to say he appears complete recovered and there have been no relapses since his treatment.
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Eponine - Mar 2, 2005 2:52 pm (#2596 of 2956)
I have absolutely nothing to add on the sensitivity to bright lights/loud noises subject, but I just wanted to share about the coolest thing that happened at school.
I'm doing To Kill a Mockingbird with the freshmen, and they'd been complaining quite a bit about it. Yesterday, I was reading out loud to them, and we were at the trial scene. I got to the point where we were supposed to finish for the day and was about to stop, but they all begged me to keep reading because they were so into the story. It just made me so happy. I love it when someone can really connect with a book.
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Dumbledore - Mar 2, 2005 2:53 pm (#2597 of 2956)
Madam Pince, in regards to your 2 year old son -- trust me I know what you mean. Not that I've ever had kids or anything, but because I know the terror I was to my parents. Screaming, kickin, spinning in circles if I didn't get what I want. I was even so bad that on the show A Current Affair, my "model" behavior was on a segment called Terrible Twos. Now, however, I am a perfectly normal teenager, so hopefully things will turn out the same way for your son because I am sure that you are a great mother!!!!
Have a nice day, everybody!!
-Lauren
I'm so glad I'm finally back on the forum..just reading these last 30 posts or so reminds me how nice it is to have such a support group and such great advice givers.
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 2, 2005 3:35 pm (#2598 of 2956)
Madame Pince, I've had a whole bunch of 2-year-olds (including the one I have now), ranging from moderately easy to the stubborn screamer type. If he's great 90% of the time, then you're doing just fine! But don't worry about being a perfect mom...just be yourself. I'm sure you're a perfect mom as far as he's concerned! Just give him lots of hugs and kisses, and don't worry if he has tantrums. They all do, even the easy ones. Generally, three-year-olds are delightful, so you'll probably get time off for good behavior in a few months!
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Julia. - Mar 2, 2005 3:41 pm (#2599 of 2956)
Good afternoon all. I've turned in all the stuff that was due today, now I have an outline due tomorrow for a paper, and I don't really have a developed topic yet.
I know that I'm not a mom, or science major or anything like that, but I want to comment on Barbie's friend's son. You say he tested at near genious levals and he's not doing too well in school? Easily distracted by lights and sounds and temperature? Did it occur to you that it may not be medical? It could be that he's just bored with his classes. I know that when I was bored I would often be distracted by the smallest little things that would keep my from doing my work. Once I got into the right major and into classes that I loved being in and were much more of a challange, I stopped being so easily distracted. Any chance that could be it?
*waves to Lauren* Lovely to see you again dearie!
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Catherine - Mar 2, 2005 4:30 pm (#2600 of 2956)
Woo hoo to Eponine! Great news from the teaching front. You hooked them today. I love that!
Well, today concluded the doctor-heavy week. Turns out that Claire has inherited Mr. Catherine's notoriously poor eyesight, and needs glasses. I couldn't believe how quickly her vision has degenerated in a single year. She tested at 20/150. YIKES!
The good news is that she won't look like Sibyll Trelawney. We found some very cute glasses that looked great, although Claire is still complaining about having to wear them.
I had no idea that Claire's vision was anything less than OK until a new teacher mistakenly put her at the back of the class. (It's in Claire's file that she is always to sit at the front of the class). She couldn't see a thing back there. No one told me anything about this, or moved Claire to the front, until I was walking the halls during conferences 10 days ago, and a teacher pulled me aside and said, "I heard your daughter can't see the board." Thank goodness she did, or I would never have known that Claire was sitting in the wrong seat AND unable to see the board.
I kind of want to iron my hands that I didn't know that Claire couldn't see as well as before, but I'm choosing to be thankful that I found out in short order and got it taken care of quickly.
Anyway....Constant Vigilance! Is Mom's work ever done?
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:28 pm
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Acceber - Mar 2, 2005 8:02 pm (#2601 of 2956)
I'm not really supposed to be posting tonight, and I wanted to go to bed early (for once), but after I checked my email, I wanted to go on my Hebrew High School's website. So, the only other open window that was mine (not counting Yahoo!, my mom freaks if there's not a Yahoo! window open) was the Forum's window. I looked at the site, and since I didn't need it anymore, pressed the back button to get back to the Forum. Of course it automatically refreshed itself, and of course I couldn't control myself, so here I am typing a post when I should be in bed reading myself to sleep with OoP. Oh well.
Just to share another story to go with Catherine's about kids and glasses. This one's about me as well as my last one, I hope you guys think I'm not too egotistical, because I'm really not. When I was in second grade, the overhead my teacher wrote everything on was blurry to me. I told my mom I thought I needed glasses. She wasn't surprised, everyone in our family wears glasses, and she scheduled me for a eye doctor appointment about six months after I told her. So, we went to the ophthalmologist after school was over, I got checked, and lo and behold, I needed glasses. Badly needed glasses. So badly that I still haven't forgiven my mom for not scheduling an apppointment sooner. One of her few mistakes as a mother.
Currently, my play director wants me to take my eyes off during the actual productions. I don't see how this is humanely possible, as I refuse to wear contacts and I only see in blurs without my glasses. Ahh!
Now I'm getting tired and I still have to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow. Good night.
EDIT: No one had posted for about 3.5 hours prior to my post. That's unusual.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 2, 2005 8:18 pm (#2602 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 2, 2005 7:19 pm
My glasses story... I got glasses when I was twelve only after I spent the whole of sixth grade squinting and moving closer to the blackboard. It was great to actually see stuff, but this was the eighties and I had a really ugly pair of glasses that I didn't want to wear once I got into junior high. I even made sure that there were no pictures taken of me with those glasses. My mom made a deal with me in 8th grade: if all of my year end grades were B's or above, then I could get contacts. One week after school got out we were at the optometrist's office getting fitted for contacts. Too bad after wearing them for 10 years, I cannot tolerate them anymore.
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Phoenix song - Mar 2, 2005 9:00 pm (#2603 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Thank you all for your responses regarding my friend's son. Catherine contacted me via e-mail with some information that I've passed along to my friend. Now she'll have a place to look for reliable information to help her son receive a proper diagnosis and receive help. Thanks Catherine! Knowing what might be wrong is half of the battle!
Julia, you had a good idea about him just being bored and unchallenged. We don't suspect that's his problem, but that was actually my problem in school. If the work was too simplistic, or was simply "busy work" then I'd feel insulted by it and "glaze over". My parents and my teachers would be so confounded by me when I told them that I just didn't want to write spelling words that I already knew 20 times a night, and would rather just take a big goose egg ("0") on the homework assignment than to suffer through the indignity of feeling like an ewok! "But you're failing to live up to your potential!"..."Why complain about it if it's so easy for you to complete?"..."Just do the work because I said so!" Here's a clue for anyone that is involved in education (either as an educator or a parent), "busy work" does not work for every child and can be detrimental to the learning process! That's just my opinion, of course!
My friend's son is different than that, though. He simply cannot tolerate noise, light, or movement of people or things around him. He doesn't seem to be able to "tune out" those background things that most of us don't even notice. Hopefully my friend will be able to find some help now that she knows where to look, though.
Thanks again everybody!
Barbie
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Pinky - Mar 2, 2005 9:03 pm (#2604 of 2956)
Acceber, I feel for you about not being able to wear glasses during your plays. Make sure that you try not wearing them during a rehearsal first - you don't want your first time with blurry vision to be during an actual production! I had to wear glasses when I was younger. (Since then, I've had the LASIK surgery, and no longer need corrective lenses. WooHoo!) I was in 2 plays where I couldn't wear my glasses. I played Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker which was kind of funny, since Annie was supposed to be partially blind anyway. Then, I was in Fiddler on the Roof where I played a variety of extras (townsperson, ghostie, etc). This was actually while I was making the transition to contacts, but during the first rehearsals, I was rather blind without my glasses, so I was quickly dubbed "Rachel". She's the one in the opening song who is promised in marriage to a man who is not particularly good looking. "The way she sees, and the way he looks, it's a perfect match!"
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Penny Lane. - Mar 2, 2005 9:52 pm (#2605 of 2956)
A little bit ago we were talking about rude things people say, and I just HAVE to share. During my school breaks, I work at an arena in my hometown. It's really simple work, and it doesn't pay the greatest, but it's one of the few jobs in Michigan that is willing to let me only work when I want. Anyway, so there was a Josh Groban concert, and people kept saying things to me like "oh, I bet this really isn't your type of music" and "Do you like this? I bet this isn't something you normally listen to. Heh Heh." It makes me angry that people would think that just because I happen to work a job that doesn't pay well, that it automatically means that I live for MTV and "American Idol". It's just the contrary. I may not have the $80 for tickets, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it.
Personally, I found the performer a bit cocky, and full of himself, but that's true of most musicians.
As for eyesight - I really need to get some glasses... I've been having trouble wearing contacts 24-7. I'd get the surgery, but I hear they can botch it, then I wouldn't be able to see anything.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 2, 2005 11:35 pm (#2606 of 2956)
I burned my thumb on a pizza pan. It makes it really hard to type well! Anyone know if there is something other than soaking it in cold water that will help?
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 3, 2005 12:12 am (#2607 of 2956)
Ydnam: Ice wrapped in a tea towel or a packet of frozen veges (vegetables) wrapped in a tea towel, apply until pain is manageable. Only if the skin is intact though. If it's not, always get burns checked out due to the increased risk of infection.
Catherine: Your rhetorical question "Is Mom's work ever done?" got me thinking to an incident that happened about 2.5 years ago. My niece and her pre-school class was attending their annual concert at a Sunday morning Church service (the pre-school was sponsored by a church) and the minister said somewhere is his chat: "I have been a parent". Now my stepmother picked this statement up and later said:
How do parents stop being parents? Once you are a parent, you will always be a parent, no matter how old the children.
She thought the minister should have said, he is a parent. It may have been a quirk of grammar or he may not have meant to say it. Regardless of his intent, it was a remarkably insightful comment and now I listen to her a little more carefully and it was the turning point in our friendship with each other and in my relationship with my dad.
I have enjoyed your comments today its a wonderful thread and you are a wonderful group of people.
Lizzy
EDITED: 5 times for grammar and punctuation. It's not my day today...Alas!
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The giant squid - Mar 3, 2005 12:54 am (#2608 of 2956)
Mandy, try aloe vera juice. Nearly every burn ointment on the market has aloe as a component, and there's a reason for that. My mom had two or three aloe plants in the house at any given time, and I never had a burn that hurt for more than an hour or so.
Denise, I've decided that I'm going to follow through on my junior-high goal of perfecting time travel...for the sole purpose of going back and smacking that insurance salesman between the eyes with a 2X4. To some people "tact" is a 4-letter word...
Finally, I found something in a magazine for Loopy Lupin. The Hamilton Collection has a new statuette called "Rebel Without A Donut" featuring Homer on a motorbike with Duff & donuts falling off the back. I saw it and immediately thought of you.
--Mike
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 3, 2005 4:53 am (#2609 of 2956)
Cooool. It's nice to be thought of.
Well, I'm in the office especially early because a couple of trials got dumped on me last night. Grrrrrr. Wish me luck and have a good Thursday.
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Catherine - Mar 3, 2005 5:20 am (#2610 of 2956)
Good Morning Loopy! (and to the Forum, also!)
Good luck today with your trials and tribulations today. I guess this means you will be busy, and we will have to muddle along without you for a bit.
I have to do my "homework" this afternoon before the next Board meeting of the Humane Society, which will involve an extended visit to our public city animal shelter, which is inhabited by Dementors, I am told. It's all part of our full-scale "assault" on our City Commissioners. So...wands at the ready.
Hope everyone (even Loopy Lupin) has a good Thursday. Loopy, send up red sparks if you need us, if the paperwork starts to smother you...
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VeronikaG - Mar 3, 2005 7:27 am (#2611 of 2956)
Glasses... What a nightmare. I haven't used mine on a regular basis for nearly 5 years, and quite honestly I need a new pair as wearing contacts all the time can get you in trouble. Only problem is I really hate wearing glasses. Reason: I'm -7 on both eyes. Glasses strong enough to correct that shrinks my world into a 1/4 of natural size. And to get good peripheral vision I need to wear HUGE glasses (think Trelawney). Small, modern, trendy glasses that I wish to wear will give me "tunnel sight", and I'll see things that are on the edges of my field of vision twice. So I way prefer contacts. Once the staff at the "glasses shop" let me try to put them in myself I had no problems with them.
About parents and children... My cousin had quite a hard time with her youngest daughter. She wanted to be the little one, and in jealousy of younger children she returned to the baby stage and stopped walking, talking and eating. My cousin asked for advice and was told not to give in to her and treat her like a normal 4 years old. And after a while the girl found baby life so boring she startede acting her age again. The worst part was getting her potty trained. She stubbornly refused to used the toilet. But now that she has started school she's so busy being "big" that these things are not a problem any more.
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Marè - Mar 3, 2005 7:57 am (#2612 of 2956)
I had to put my glasses on lately because my eyes were getting too irritated from my contacts (falling asleep regularly with them still in didn't do my eyes much good).
I keep getting a headache from wearing my glasses for a long time ever since one of the glasses fell out. Maybe I didn't put it back proparly?
I am very impressed with all the kiddie stories, if I ever choose to adopt some I'll be sure to come here for advice.
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librarian314 - Mar 3, 2005 8:03 am (#2613 of 2956)
Hey all!
Vision problems are hard to detect in kids. My husband, whose vision is awful, (With his glasses off, things get blurry at about 1 foot in front of him. Things across the room may as well not be there.) wasn't diagnosed until he was 7 or 8. His mom was asking if he could see some big sign out the window of some restaurant where they were eating and he couldn't.
My vision problems were caught pretty quickly. My mom was near sighted and dad was farsighted. They asked me regularly about my eyesight. The summer I was 12, I started getting headaches whilst I read, so it was off to the eye doctor's office. Turned out I was astigmatic, and slightly farsighted. I only needed the glasses for reading. I was able to get by without them for the most part until I was in my mid-20s when constant computer use made me near-sighted. Now my vision is decent enough that I can wander around the house without my glasses but if I don't remember where I put my glasses I don't see well enough without them to find them. :-P Needless to say, I don't take them off often.
With both her parents having vision problems, we're pretty watchful with our daughter. In fact, it was one of three predictions we made concerning her, soon after she was born. We figured she'd be a computer geek (that's happened), literate (she loves to read), and need to wear glasses (luckily, she doesn't yet.) I really hope we're wrong on that one.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Julia. - Mar 3, 2005 8:15 am (#2614 of 2956)
Good morning everyone. I had a very dorky moment last night, and I feel like I should share, because I know you lot will appreciate it. So here I am, watching West Wing. Toby and Josh went to see the Chief Justice of the Suprieme court. (I've been reading Henry IV Part II, and I'm really fighting the urge to call him The Lord Chief Justice) So Toby and Josh walk in and the Chief isn't thrilled to see them, so he says "Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings." Now, this may not seem like an importan't line, but it is, it is!! It's from Shakespeare, Richard II. One of his lesser known, but very good plays. We read it this semester in the Shakespeare class I fought so hard to get into. Thank G-d that worked out!!
As for glasses, my vision is pretty much fine, except for whem I'm on the computer. When I was 15 I took a class in school about keyboarding, and I had to stare at the computer for long periods of time. After about a month of this, my eyes started hurting and I had head aches after every class. So I told my parents and we went to the eye-doctor. Since my vision exam was normal, he was reluctant to do anything, but I whined and moaned and eventually he caved and gave me glasses, with the instructions only to wear them while I'm on the computer.
Good luck with all your trials today Loopy. I've still got to figure out exactly what I want to write my history paper on, and I'd better do it quickly, since the outline is due this afternoon.
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Madam Pince - Mar 3, 2005 8:22 am (#2615 of 2956)
Mandy, I agree with Giant Squid Mike -- aloe rocks! If it's at all possible to get a real aloe plant leaf and use the pure juice, rather than just a lotion or gel that contains aloe, I think you'll find it works better. Lacking that, usually the sunburn gel that contains aloe is pretty highly concentrated aloe.
Veronika, I had to laugh at your description of "...once the staff let me put the contacts in myself I had no problems..." I'm exactly the same way! Back in the day when I was too intimidated by doctors to ever think of questioning them, I used to cringe back into the exam chair to the point where I almost melted into the leather every time that doctor's finger started looming towards my eye. Finally I asked myself "Why in the world am I incapable of removing and inserting my own contacts when I'm at an appointment?" and so now nobody touches my eyes but me. I have seriously considered LASIK surgery, but I just don't know if I could deal with someone getting that close to my eyes...
Thanks to everyone for the "baby behavior" encouragement! Baby Pince had a great day at pre-school yesterday! Whoo-hoo! Apparently he never used the word "NO" even once! And no hitting, and slept at naptime, and even ate seconds at lunch! And as a bonus, when I went to pick him up, one of the other little boys was sitting in tears in "Cozy Corner" being talked to very seriously by the teacher, and while I felt sorry for him and his Mom, it did make me feel a little bit better, because sometimes the staff makes me feel like Baby Pince is the only one who ever has to go to "Cozy Corner"....
Happy Thursday everybody, and good luck to Julia and Loopy with getting everything done...
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mollis - Mar 3, 2005 8:31 am (#2616 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 3, 2005 7:32 am
On the burn front - this may sound awful, but smear a big glob of butter or margarine on it. I accidentally touched the heating element of my mother-in-law's stove at Thanksgiving this past year and was without my trusted aloe plant. She had me put butter on it and not only did it take the sting out, but I didn't even get a blister! And if any of you have ever touched an oven's heating element - you know how remarkable it was.
Okay, back to work before the dementors get me!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 3, 2005 8:41 am (#2617 of 2956)
Mandy, in addition to the ice water (actually just cold water is better, you don't need to overdo it with ice water and run the risk of more discomfort from the ice) or aloe, I find that when it really throbs and throbs, take a Tylonol or Advil to relieve the pain from inflammation and swelling. Of course, when the pain recedes because of the meds, you still have to treat your poor finger (or whatever) gingerly since it's vulnerable to more injury. No madcap typing or piano practicing, please.
Hope your boo-boo (as my son used to call things like that) heals fast.
Ciao. Barb
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Ydnam96 - Mar 3, 2005 8:56 am (#2618 of 2956)
Thanks everyone. I everyone took some motrin and keep it cool for a long time and it seems to be okay. Now a bandaid is keeping the blister protected. Although it is hard to type without a thumb, a least it isn't another finger.
It's raining again here in Los Angeles. I think that this city is going to fall into the ocean or wash away if the rain doesn't stop soon. I'm getting rather sick of it.
At least it's Thursday. One day to go till the weekend.
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kabloink! - Mar 3, 2005 10:03 am (#2619 of 2956)
HI everyone, It has been sooo long since I posted, there is so much to catch up on. Julia, we got a ton of snow here in Michigan, too. My classes weren't cancelled either - - --when it comes to large universities, don't hold your breath for them to cancel classes. I guess too many people try to sue them for cancelling classes that they are paying for??? Also for a lot of bigger schools, at least 80% of the undergrad population lives on campus, so commuters are never taken into consideration.....grrrr..... I also understand your midterm pain, but I am almost through it. I just have to write a 5-10 page paper by 3pm today....I should probably start writing.
As far as eyesight goes, I was wearing plaino (glasses without prescription) for fun from before I started school, so when I finally needed them in 6th grade, they didn't bother me too much. I promise I wasn't too crazy for doing this, though. My parents have owned an optical store pretty much all my life, so I was constantly surrounded by glasses and contacts. Also, give contacts a shot, they are always coming out with newer and more comfortable lenses. I didn't take proper care of my first contacts and thus developed GPC's on my eyelids, making it extremely painful to wear contacts. Later in high school, however, my parents got a new type of contact that had a more tapered edge, so it doesn't agitate my GPC as much. I still don't wear them much, but that is simply because I am too lazy. It’s much easier to just put on my glasses in the morning (my eyes aren't too bad, anyway). My husband, on the other hand, has horrible eyesight, and by the time he was 2, he had had two eye surgeries, and had worn patches on each eye. I think when he was a baby, both of his eyes 'wandered' quite badly. They were able to correct his left eye, but without glasses, his right eye used to look off to one direction quite badly. Since we started dating, however (and my parents constantly scolded him to wear his glasses...) it doesn't wander nearly as badly. The vision in that eye is still very bad, but for the most part it will follow his left eye.
As for babies not speaking...I have 2 almost-two-year-old nephews. One of them is an only child, and while his favorite word is "mama", he actually has a pretty vast vocabulary. My other nephew, who is a middle child with two VERY ummm “spunky” sisters (one 4 and one almost 1), and he only grunts. He will sort of say his younger sister's name (uhmber=Amber), for the most part he uses different inflection of 'unh' to get what he wants. I really do think that for the most part the girls get him what he wants, because he seems to be bright, just not yet articulate.
Okay, I really have to get typing at this point. Sorry that I haven't been around in so long!
PS-I LOVED the 80's list! Between my husband (born in 78) and myself (born in 82), we knew/remembered all of them. Given that my name actually is Kimberly (Jem's actual name), I so wanted to be Jem!
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Elanor - Mar 3, 2005 10:17 am (#2620 of 2956)
Guess what? It's snowing again here and more snow is likely to fall at least till the weekend. So Ydnam, I do understand how you feel about the rain, we're feeling the same about the snowy and cold weather!
About glasses, I started to need some when I was about 7 but at 9, I didn't need them anymore till I was 12 and then, my eyesight tumbled down. It was very slow at the beginning and I only realized how much eyesight I had lost when I had some glasses again. I knew I needed them but not so badly. Since then, my eyesight continued to fail and now I am nearly as nearsighted as you are Veronika: -6.75 and -6, in brief: "as blind as a bat" (here we say "as blind as a mole").
I wore contact lenses for some years and I loved them because the glasses I used to wear were huge but unfortunately I can't wear them anymore, except on very rare occasions, as when I played an extra in this medieval show last summer, and I am so relieved to take them off after an hour or two. I have finally found some cute and very light glasses with lenses a lot thinner so they are much more comfortable than the ones I had before. Well, they cost me a fortune (we have another saying for that, we say "to cost the skin of the buttocks"...) but they worth it!
Have a great Thursday everybody and good luck to Loopy and to everyone who needs it!
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Madam Pince - Mar 3, 2005 10:22 am (#2621 of 2956)
kabloink, what are GPCs?
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kabloink! - Mar 3, 2005 10:50 am (#2622 of 2956)
OH! Sorry for not elaborating on that. They are little bumps on the inside of your eyelid. I don't think they are always present, or maybe they're just not always irriatated and swollen enough to bother you...Either or, they are typically irritated by either allergies or contacts. That's all I really know about them, aside from the fact that when they are irritated by something they itch and mildly hurt all at the same time.
I got mine from wearing my contact for too long without cleaning them, which is why I CANNOT sleep in my contacts anymore, but so long as I take them out everynight ( my old lenses were actually designed to be worn for a week, then taken out cleaned and deproteined...so wearing them for a week was okay, but I had the tendency to wear them for more like a month..ew), I don't have any problems with them.
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Ozymandias - Mar 3, 2005 11:43 am (#2623 of 2956)
Hello everyone!
I can't believe you all are getting snow! Actually, I can, but it seems strange, because the weather is freakishly warm here. It was something like 70 degrees yesterday. I was wearing a t-shirt. And this is in San Francisco. I looked up in the sky and saw a big orange bright thing, and was very confused. The sky is supposed to be grey!
All of your parenting stories have made me appreciate even more what parents do for their kids. Your posts made me want to call up my mum and dad and thank them for everything!
Good luck to everyone who is in midterm crunch right now. *sends butterbeers and Smartening-Up charms*
I'm off to do piles of homework. Have a good Thursday, everyone!
Erin
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Delightful Task! - Mar 3, 2005 11:48 am (#2624 of 2956)
Hi everyone! I feel a bit shy now! I've never posted on that thread and you seem to know one another so well!
But as Elanor said, it's snowing in France, Paris is wonderful in white, (mmm... that's because I'm on holidays and I don't drive!) but I'm stuck at home with two little boys who are creating havoc in the house! (we live in a flat, of course, so no snow man in the garden!) and I was desperately looking at the 60 tests I have to mark before Monday morning (I'm a teacher!) , so thought it would be nice to do something different, and chat with "grown-ups" a bit!
Thanks to you all for your advice on contacts... I wear contacts myself and perhaps a bit too long everyday! I had never heard about GPCs, but now I'll be careful, I don't want to wear glasses again!!!
And Elanor, I loved your "cost the skin of the buttocks!" LOL! you're right, "the glasses, it's not given" as my students would put it!
Well, I'll let you know when I've finished with those awful test!
Have a great Thursday!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 3, 2005 12:08 pm (#2625 of 2956)
Don't be shy! Everyone is welcome here.
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Madam Pince - Mar 3, 2005 12:21 pm (#2626 of 2956)
Welcome, Delightful Task! This is a great place for some "grown-up" conversation -- whether with our older Forum members or with our younger ones. Everyone always has fun things to contribute to our shared obsession!
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 3, 2005 12:52 pm (#2627 of 2956)
Hmmm....have you ever noticed how many of our French members have such wonderful English??? I think maybe our schools in the USA ought to look into the way French schools teach language. Welcome, Delightful Task! Elanor, what a giggle you gave me! "The skin of the buttocks"! Just keep your wand out of your back pocket, eh?
I wore contacts for a few years, but my eyes also became unable to tolerate them. (I didn't realize that was so common!) I haven't worn them since I got married (um...almost 19 years). Recently I've started losing my close-up vision -- not badly enough to need bifocals, according to the doctor, but badly enough that I can't move things closer than 8" to my face anymore. So if it's too small to see at that distance, I can't see it anymore without magnifying glasses. (Removing splinters from little fingers and toes is now a problem.)
EDIT: On the burn front, I agree you can't beat aloe vera for healing power. But some years ago, I had an excruciating 2nd degree burn, the type you have to keep ice on for at least an hour just to help the pain. My mother-in-law put some calendula ointment on it -- and the pain went away! I'm not generally an "herbal" person, so it really opened my eyes. It didn't have any pain killers in it; for some reason, calendula seems to ease the pain of bad burns. I used up what I had a while ago; I really ought to try to find more! I don't know if it's easier to find in other places, but it isn't easy to find around here. If you see it, though, try it!
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Dumbledore - Mar 3, 2005 2:38 pm (#2628 of 2956)
Happy Thursday everybody!!
I have had glasses only for distance since I was eight years old, but I have to take them off whenever I don't need to see the board in school or anything else that doesn't involve distance-seeing. So, I'd thought that getting contacts (being the semi-typical self conscious thirteen year old that I am) would be the best route to go, but hearing all of your stories about how irritating contacts can be has got me to reconsidering, especially when I really don't need to be wearing them full time. Can anyone give me advice as to whether it is OK to have my contacts in all day even if I only need glasses for distance?
Round Pink Spider, I agree with you about how well our French members speak English. I was fortunate enough to go to France over the summer and was amazed by how well kids my age spoke English as opposed to the amount of French I've learned!
Well, that's all for now. Welcome Delightful Task, and good luck to anyone who's in a midterm/schoolwork crunch (Julia), and to Loopy Lupin with all his paperwork and to anyone else who may need any sort of luck at all!
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Penny Lane. - Mar 3, 2005 2:42 pm (#2629 of 2956)
I have a quick question for the French members about the french Lexicon forum - is it the same one as here, but just translated? or is it completely separated? Basically, I want to know if I should "re-register".
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Ladybug220 - Mar 3, 2005 2:44 pm (#2630 of 2956)
Dumbledore, I loved my contacts and wore them for 10 years, but a side-effect of a medication that I was taking, was not being able to tolerate contacts - it made my eyes too dry. I have been off of that med for a few years but I just haven't tried to get new contacts yet. Usually, most people can wear them but you do have to care for them properly. The contacts get better and better all the time.
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Eponine - Mar 3, 2005 2:45 pm (#2631 of 2956)
I started wearing glasses when I was 10 years old. We realized I was squinting at the board all the time in school, so I got glasses. I got contacts when I was in high school, and I haven't gone back to regularly wearing glasses since. I have a pair that I'll wear occasionally or at night after I've taken my contacts out. Without my contacts I cannot see a thing. I have to get within about 3 inches of the computer screen in order to make it out. My husband, my sister-in-law and my father-in-law have all had LASIK, but they're crazy if they think I'm letting anyone hold me down and shoot a laser in my eyes. I'll deal with the contacts, thank you very much.
I hope you are all having a great day!
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Phoenix song - Mar 3, 2005 2:49 pm (#2632 of 2956)
RPS, is Calendula an over the counter ointment? I don't think that I've ever heard of it before, so I'm wondering where to find it. We keep a bottle of aloe vera gel in the fridge, since being chilled in the fridge helps the aloe to be even more effective. But your stuff sounds better for more serious burns. I can be a klutz at times in the kitchen, and can wind up with "Dobby-like" injuries, so it doesn't hurt to be prepared for them! {As an aside, most of my injuries happen because I'm doing my "house-elf work" while my mind is focused on more important tasks, like running themes in Harry Potter!}
Delightful Task!, welcome to the forum! Please don't feel shy, we're the best type of grown-ups to become friends with! Our common love of the Harry Potter books shows that we are not "old" within our hearts, but we are all mature enough to discuss topics that are deep and meaningful.
Please don't feel intimidated that we seem to know one another so well. We've only developed this degree of knowledge about one another from posting on this very thread! Please join us and let us have the pleasure of getting to know you!
There are also many educators and French members on the forum. You'll have plenty in common besides Harry Potter. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns!
Forgive me for this long post, but I noticed something last night while watching my DVD copy of the TV show "Friends". The actor that played Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), guest-starred on the episode where Monica and Chandler get married! I didn't know about it ahead of time, I kept watching this guy thinking, "Where do I know him from?" It drives me bananas when I can't place an actor to his previous work! All of the sudden it occurred to me that it was "Sirius" but it was hard to tell without all of the make-up. I must say that he looked very different on "Friends". Has anyone else noticed that before?
Have a great day everybody!
Barbie
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Eponine - Mar 3, 2005 3:00 pm (#2633 of 2956)
Barbie, if you ever want to find out where you know an actor from, the best website for that is the IMDB. They have listings for (almost) every movie or tv show ever made and almost every actor (and everything they've ever been in, including TV guest spots). You can find it here. And Gary Oldman as the spitting/drunk actor was great!
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Julia. - Mar 3, 2005 3:05 pm (#2634 of 2956)
Welcome to the chat thread Delightful Task!! I'm sure you already know that this forum is the absolute best place to discuss Harry Potter. But we also talk about everything else, and I really do mean everything else. *recalls fond memories of conversation about how to address letters to different members of the royal family*
Barbie, I don't remember Gary Oldman being in that episode!
Ok, I've finally finished all my work. Now I can sit back, watch Gilmore Girls, hear a speaker, sit through three classes tomorrow, and then spring break begins!
Oh, I've got a quandrum and maybe you guys can help me. Myself, my friend Mackenzie, and my Shakespeare professor Liz, want to make a movie of Henry IV Part 1. We're having a bit of trouble with the casting. So far we have Alan Rickman as Henry IV. I suggested Timothy Spall for Falstaff. We still need a Hal, Kate, Hotsupr, Northumberland, Hostess, and a few others I can't think of. Any suggestions?
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 3, 2005 3:18 pm (#2635 of 2956)
Barb, the calendula was an over-the-counter homeopathic ointment. If you do a search on "calendula ointment" (as I just did), you'll get lots of hits. The stuff my mother-in-law used was Boiron calendula ointment (I recognize the packaging). Good stuff -- it's truly amazing the way it eliminated the pain from my burn almost immediately. I highly recommend it. (And now that I've found it online, I'm going to order some more!)
By the way, Julia, that is a stunning portrait. I assume that's you? The photo of you in the Gryffindor scarf didn't show the face.
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Delightful Task! - Mar 3, 2005 3:21 pm (#2636 of 2956)
Thanks everyone for your kind welcome! I was alone at home with my kids who are 5 and 2 years old, and my husband has been working all week until 9 pm... I was feeling a bit lonely actually! ( I was referring to "grown-ups" as opposed to my sons who are wonderful of course, but wonderful babies!!!)
Thanks Dumbledore in particular! I'm an English teacher and I sometimes feel like McGonagal in front of Neville! So you do think our French kids can speak English?! Nah! you must have met the good ones!!! But I won't give up, after all, "Delightful task! to rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot, To pour the fresh instruction o’er the mind," (Thomson!)
Penny Lane, I'm afraid I can't tell you know because I never tried the French forum, and the site is not working at the moment (I've just checked!) I suppose it's different though, it would be a bit weird to translate a forum, I think (sorry if it's the case!) Now, I can understand why you would like to try the French forum, one of the reasons I love reading you all is because it allows me to keep in touch with English!! I've learnt a lot of new words thanks to you already!
Therefore! Thank you very much again!!
PS:Barbie, I'm sorry, I haven't watched Friends for a very long time!!!
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The giant squid - Mar 3, 2005 3:56 pm (#2637 of 2956)
Ah, vision problems... I got my first pair of glasses when I was 13 or 14 (it's hard to remember that far back ). I've been wearing contacts for the last 12 years, with no problems, althuogh I did get chastised by my optician when I moved to Vegas. I'd had the same pair of glasses for 15 years and only wore them to cover the distance from the bathroom sink to bed at night & back in the morning. Turns out your eyes need time to breathe & I wasn't letting mine do that. Since I got new glasses & wear them more often my eyes are much healthier.
I definitely need one or the other, though--without corrective lenses I can't see my computer screen clearly. Everything's a big blur until I get about 6 inches (15cm for you metric types) away. I've thought about Lasik, but can't quite free up the money at the moment--higher priorities on the medical budget.
Barbie, I thought Gary Oldman was hilarious on that Friends episode too. If you want another very un-Sirius-like role, check out The Fifth element.
--Mike
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Julie Aronson - Mar 3, 2005 4:01 pm (#2638 of 2956)
If you want to see Gary Oldman in a role that has some odd similarities with Sirius (self-destructive, rebelliousness, searching for love and friendship, etc) try "Sid and Nancy."
Julie
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Phoenix song - Mar 3, 2005 4:08 pm (#2639 of 2956)
Thanks RPS, I'm going to order some of that ointment for emergencies!
Julia, Gary Oldman played the drunk actor that played opposite Joey in the war movie being filmed on the Bings' wedding day. He was the one who kept spitting in Joey's face and said that when an actor enunciated properly he would "spit" in his co-stars faces. Therefore, the "better" that an actor is the more that he spits on others. It sounds disgusting, but it was actually quite funny. He looks very un-Sirius like, and I'm not even sure how I was able to put the two parts together. Maybe it was something in the accent?
Mike, I'm going to rent that movie to check out Gary Oldman in another role. I love to watch movies that show the HP actors doing other things. I love "Snape" and "Trelawney" in "Love Actually". I also love seeing Madame Pomfrey and Moaning Myrtle in "Bridget Jones' Diary." I found it quite funny that the actress that plays Myrtle also has a scene in which she is crying in a bathroom to Bridge Jones.
Eponine, thank you so much for the website information. I have some OCD tendencies, and it drives me crazy to see an actor (or to hear a voice) that I know from somewhere else but am unable to place. I'm usually able to place them, but I have spent days afterwards in a "glazed over" state running over everything that I've ever viewed in my mind's eye! I'll be sure to use the site.
Julie, I haven't heard of "Sid and Nancy" before. Is it a film that Blockbuster would possibly have to rent?
Barbie
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Chemyst - Mar 3, 2005 5:47 pm (#2640 of 2956)
Barbie, you may never have heard of it because Sid and Nancy is the "tragic love" story of The Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious and groupie Nancy Spungen. Maybe I'm jumping to a false conclusion here, but it doesn't sound like the kind of movie I'd think you'd normally choose. I wouldn't.
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Phoenix song - Mar 3, 2005 6:07 pm (#2641 of 2956)
You're right Chemyst. That's probably why I hadn't heard of it before!
Barbie
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Ponine - Mar 3, 2005 6:45 pm (#2642 of 2956)
Oh, Phoenix - Your OCD is my OCD!! I must admit that I am completely enthused by this thread in particular, and feel very comfortable here, although I am fairly new to it (I think... I have been writing so much these last few days, the forum cut me off, and made me keep quiet for the rest of the day! I was so miffed, you would not believe.) Back to what I was trying to get across - I have an absolute fetish about actors, where, what and whom. I personally would recommend Leon for a good Oldman movie, although I don't think it would be appropriate for the wee ones, as it is pretty rugged. Another favorite of mine is in that as well - Jean Reno (Vive La France!) - Could we squeeze him in the movies at all, you think?
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 3, 2005 8:15 pm (#2643 of 2956)
It's amazing how attached one becomes to the Internet and to the forums one visits!
I had a spell this morning, where I couldn't log on to either this forum or the lexicon itself. The server must have decided it needed some cool down time...this thread has moved at an amazingly fast clip over the past week. And of course I panicked and got all flustered, when I should have gone outside to hang the washing on the line and calm down.
Next Sunday (13th March) I fly down to Sydney for 9 days training in relation to my new job. I get to stay in Sydney for the weekend in the middle and I will go and visit the Royal Easter Show for the first time in 16 years (uhmm has it really been that long???). I can't wait for the time off from the hot stinky weather we've being having and the pleasure of sleeping in every morning. I get up at 5am every morning to let the dogs out of the laundry (where they spend the night)so sleeping in until 6.30 or 7am is bliss.
Since it is Friday here, I will wish everyone a good Friday and hope the mid term crush and dumped paperwork (Loopy Lupin) eases for you all.
Lizzy
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Amilia Smith - Mar 3, 2005 8:52 pm (#2644 of 2956)
Sounds like great fun, Lizzy. Would you mind telling an ignorant American (me) about the Royal Easter Show? I have never heard of it before. But I do know what you mean about sleeping in. After working the 5-1 shift for years, being switched to the 6-2 is incredible. That extra hour of sleep does wonders.
About glasses: Had them for years and hated them. Tried contacts. But as I have astigmatism, I had to wear hard contacts. (They did have soft ones available, but they were much more expensive than regular soft contacts, and I kept tearing them.) My eyes could handle the hard ones as long as I didn't leave them in too long, remembered not to rub my eyes, the wind wasn't blowing, and I wasn't tired (yeah, right). So I finally gave up. I decided I would do whatever it took to get rid of the stupid glasses and painful contacts.
So I got a second job so I could pay for Lasik. As I needed something that wouldn't interfere with any the other things I had going at the time, I worked as the graveyard waitress at Denny's for six months. That was fun. (Incidentally, if any of you work, or have worked, graveyards, you have my heartfelt admiration.) I had to schedule my sleep time in slots a few hours here and a few hours there. And it never was quality sleep. Quite often I would jerk awake every half hour in a panic that I had overslept and was late for work. Then dance classes were real fun after being on my feet for 17 hours straight. Most miserable time of my life.
But it was all worth it. I am a Lasik convert. I love being able to wake up, look at my alarm clock, and know what time it is. To walk inside from the cold without my glasses fogging up. To get my picture taken with out the double chin. To never have to try to find my glasses without my glasses. To be able to doze off without the fear of waking up with my contacts being dried to my eyeballs or my glasses broken.
And I will stop now as I am starting to sound like a commercial.
On to burns: At the deli where I work, we use lavender oil every time someone is splashed by the fryer. It is very soothing, plus it smells wonderful.
Mills.
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 3, 2005 10:40 pm (#2645 of 2956)
The Royal Easter Show is located in Sydney (actually quite near or on the same mega site where the Sydney 2000 Olympics were held).
A "show" would be a fairly close approximation of a fair (which is what I think they are called in the US) and is held in many towns and cities across NSW and run by the local show societies. There is generally animal judging (dogs, cats, birds, chickens, cows, sheep and so on), home ware competition/displays (cake cooking, sewing, painting, photography, quilting, jam-making etc), show jumping, sideshow alley, and rides, showbags, Miss showgirl etc.
The Royal Easter Show is the biggie though, it is run by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (and held from just before Easter to just after each year)and is generally considered the pinnacle of the shows. There are oodles of competitions similar or the same as the local shows, but I understand it is of higher standard. I don't know if this is the same for the other states of Australia. I assume so, they might use different names.
When I was younger it was a delight to travel all the way in from Cobar and have a special day out at the show. We generally tied this in with my visits to my paedetricians and audiologists. My parents called this bribery of the highest degree.
Now I am older, I want to go back and just have a day out wandering around and just being nosy and checking things out and see how they have changed. I can't wait.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Mar 3, 2005 11:23 pm (#2646 of 2956)
Good morning everyone (or night...)! **waves to Delightful Task, it is great to sea another French member here!** It is amazing what we learn on that thread, thanks for explaining "the Royal Easter Show" Lizzie.
And thanks for the compliments about the way we write English! To be honest, most of the time, when I reread myself, I can't help but think "Are you sure this is English?". Actually, here people say that we're hopeless at foreign languages and that we should learn from our european neighbours who are far better than we are at that. German kids for example are really great.
That's why we started recently to teach foreign languages from elementary school which is not easy every day! I, for instance, have already a class with first and second years in it and have to teach English twice a week to the fourth years as well when their teacher take care of my kids... It is difficult because, as a teacher, I never had training lessons about teaching English. I have to manage to do it with an English method we bought and what I can think about it. Not good!
About Gary Oldman, yes he was good in "The Fifth Element"! The film would have been better if it had had a scenario actually, but it is nice. I love Jean Reno too! What a voice...
Have a great day everybody!
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Delightful Task! - Mar 4, 2005 2:19 am (#2647 of 2956)
Hi everyone! *Hi Elanor! It's fun to speak English with French people!!!*
Reading your experiences with glasses and contacts, I remember how wonderful it was when my optician found me contacts I could wear day and night... My first child was just born and I had to wake up two or three times every night, and try to prepare a bottle when you can't see the graduations on it!!! (I often lose my glasses actually!) When I had those contacts, I could wake up, check the time on the alarm clock, go and take care of my baby, see his face and his smiles... (or tears!) and then go back to sleep! That was wonderful! I had to stop wearing them though because I changed optician and the next one told me wearing contacts all the time definitely wasn't a good idea...
About the Royal Easter show, Thanks, Lizzy! I've just realized we had one here in France too!! Only, it's called 'salon de l'agriculture', which, you will admit, sounds much more serious!!! It's the one moment in Paris when you can see cows! and we Parisians love it! It started this week and I'm going this afternoon with my kids... So I think it's high time I stopped chatting with you!!! I need to prepare the kids to face the blizzard outside! (Wow! Life in Paris hadn't been so exciting for a long time!!!)
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Dumbledore II - Mar 4, 2005 2:49 am (#2648 of 2956)
Thanks everybody for the good wishes. As many of you can imagine my time is limited at the minute, but I will try and come back soon.
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The giant squid - Mar 4, 2005 4:55 am (#2649 of 2956)
it drives me crazy to see an actor (or to hear a voice) that I know from somewhere else but am unable to place--Phoenix Song
You are not alone, Barbie! Now imagine that multiplied by every movie trailer ever and you've got me. They have to cram everything they can into that 2 1/2 minutes, so I often get a flash of someone I kinda-recognize and spend the rest of the day trying to figure out who the heck it was! Thank heaven for IMDb (and thank our IT department for allowing it past our firewall)!
Mills, there are affordable soft contacts for astigmatism--I should know, I just took mine out a half hour ago. Roughly $30 for a 6-month supply of disposables. I suppose I should mention, though, that I first started wearing contacts while working as a cook at an open-pit barbecue restaurant. If I could get used to contacts with all kinds of soot & grease in the air (and eyes), I can handle anything. It takes a pretty big piece of dirt to cause me any problems.
--Mike
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Julie Aronson - Mar 4, 2005 5:34 am (#2650 of 2956)
Barbie,
FWIW, you should be able to rent Sid and Nancy at most video stores. It's a fairly odd movie, but once you get past the superficial "yech factor" it's actually pretty good.
Chemyst,
Sometimes it's good to vary from tradition...
Julie
Acceber - Mar 2, 2005 8:02 pm (#2601 of 2956)
I'm not really supposed to be posting tonight, and I wanted to go to bed early (for once), but after I checked my email, I wanted to go on my Hebrew High School's website. So, the only other open window that was mine (not counting Yahoo!, my mom freaks if there's not a Yahoo! window open) was the Forum's window. I looked at the site, and since I didn't need it anymore, pressed the back button to get back to the Forum. Of course it automatically refreshed itself, and of course I couldn't control myself, so here I am typing a post when I should be in bed reading myself to sleep with OoP. Oh well.
Just to share another story to go with Catherine's about kids and glasses. This one's about me as well as my last one, I hope you guys think I'm not too egotistical, because I'm really not. When I was in second grade, the overhead my teacher wrote everything on was blurry to me. I told my mom I thought I needed glasses. She wasn't surprised, everyone in our family wears glasses, and she scheduled me for a eye doctor appointment about six months after I told her. So, we went to the ophthalmologist after school was over, I got checked, and lo and behold, I needed glasses. Badly needed glasses. So badly that I still haven't forgiven my mom for not scheduling an apppointment sooner. One of her few mistakes as a mother.
Currently, my play director wants me to take my eyes off during the actual productions. I don't see how this is humanely possible, as I refuse to wear contacts and I only see in blurs without my glasses. Ahh!
Now I'm getting tired and I still have to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow. Good night.
EDIT: No one had posted for about 3.5 hours prior to my post. That's unusual.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 2, 2005 8:18 pm (#2602 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 2, 2005 7:19 pm
My glasses story... I got glasses when I was twelve only after I spent the whole of sixth grade squinting and moving closer to the blackboard. It was great to actually see stuff, but this was the eighties and I had a really ugly pair of glasses that I didn't want to wear once I got into junior high. I even made sure that there were no pictures taken of me with those glasses. My mom made a deal with me in 8th grade: if all of my year end grades were B's or above, then I could get contacts. One week after school got out we were at the optometrist's office getting fitted for contacts. Too bad after wearing them for 10 years, I cannot tolerate them anymore.
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Phoenix song - Mar 2, 2005 9:00 pm (#2603 of 2956)
Hello everybody! Thank you all for your responses regarding my friend's son. Catherine contacted me via e-mail with some information that I've passed along to my friend. Now she'll have a place to look for reliable information to help her son receive a proper diagnosis and receive help. Thanks Catherine! Knowing what might be wrong is half of the battle!
Julia, you had a good idea about him just being bored and unchallenged. We don't suspect that's his problem, but that was actually my problem in school. If the work was too simplistic, or was simply "busy work" then I'd feel insulted by it and "glaze over". My parents and my teachers would be so confounded by me when I told them that I just didn't want to write spelling words that I already knew 20 times a night, and would rather just take a big goose egg ("0") on the homework assignment than to suffer through the indignity of feeling like an ewok! "But you're failing to live up to your potential!"..."Why complain about it if it's so easy for you to complete?"..."Just do the work because I said so!" Here's a clue for anyone that is involved in education (either as an educator or a parent), "busy work" does not work for every child and can be detrimental to the learning process! That's just my opinion, of course!
My friend's son is different than that, though. He simply cannot tolerate noise, light, or movement of people or things around him. He doesn't seem to be able to "tune out" those background things that most of us don't even notice. Hopefully my friend will be able to find some help now that she knows where to look, though.
Thanks again everybody!
Barbie
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Pinky - Mar 2, 2005 9:03 pm (#2604 of 2956)
Acceber, I feel for you about not being able to wear glasses during your plays. Make sure that you try not wearing them during a rehearsal first - you don't want your first time with blurry vision to be during an actual production! I had to wear glasses when I was younger. (Since then, I've had the LASIK surgery, and no longer need corrective lenses. WooHoo!) I was in 2 plays where I couldn't wear my glasses. I played Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker which was kind of funny, since Annie was supposed to be partially blind anyway. Then, I was in Fiddler on the Roof where I played a variety of extras (townsperson, ghostie, etc). This was actually while I was making the transition to contacts, but during the first rehearsals, I was rather blind without my glasses, so I was quickly dubbed "Rachel". She's the one in the opening song who is promised in marriage to a man who is not particularly good looking. "The way she sees, and the way he looks, it's a perfect match!"
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Penny Lane. - Mar 2, 2005 9:52 pm (#2605 of 2956)
A little bit ago we were talking about rude things people say, and I just HAVE to share. During my school breaks, I work at an arena in my hometown. It's really simple work, and it doesn't pay the greatest, but it's one of the few jobs in Michigan that is willing to let me only work when I want. Anyway, so there was a Josh Groban concert, and people kept saying things to me like "oh, I bet this really isn't your type of music" and "Do you like this? I bet this isn't something you normally listen to. Heh Heh." It makes me angry that people would think that just because I happen to work a job that doesn't pay well, that it automatically means that I live for MTV and "American Idol". It's just the contrary. I may not have the $80 for tickets, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it.
Personally, I found the performer a bit cocky, and full of himself, but that's true of most musicians.
As for eyesight - I really need to get some glasses... I've been having trouble wearing contacts 24-7. I'd get the surgery, but I hear they can botch it, then I wouldn't be able to see anything.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 2, 2005 11:35 pm (#2606 of 2956)
I burned my thumb on a pizza pan. It makes it really hard to type well! Anyone know if there is something other than soaking it in cold water that will help?
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 3, 2005 12:12 am (#2607 of 2956)
Ydnam: Ice wrapped in a tea towel or a packet of frozen veges (vegetables) wrapped in a tea towel, apply until pain is manageable. Only if the skin is intact though. If it's not, always get burns checked out due to the increased risk of infection.
Catherine: Your rhetorical question "Is Mom's work ever done?" got me thinking to an incident that happened about 2.5 years ago. My niece and her pre-school class was attending their annual concert at a Sunday morning Church service (the pre-school was sponsored by a church) and the minister said somewhere is his chat: "I have been a parent". Now my stepmother picked this statement up and later said:
How do parents stop being parents? Once you are a parent, you will always be a parent, no matter how old the children.
She thought the minister should have said, he is a parent. It may have been a quirk of grammar or he may not have meant to say it. Regardless of his intent, it was a remarkably insightful comment and now I listen to her a little more carefully and it was the turning point in our friendship with each other and in my relationship with my dad.
I have enjoyed your comments today its a wonderful thread and you are a wonderful group of people.
Lizzy
EDITED: 5 times for grammar and punctuation. It's not my day today...Alas!
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The giant squid - Mar 3, 2005 12:54 am (#2608 of 2956)
Mandy, try aloe vera juice. Nearly every burn ointment on the market has aloe as a component, and there's a reason for that. My mom had two or three aloe plants in the house at any given time, and I never had a burn that hurt for more than an hour or so.
Denise, I've decided that I'm going to follow through on my junior-high goal of perfecting time travel...for the sole purpose of going back and smacking that insurance salesman between the eyes with a 2X4. To some people "tact" is a 4-letter word...
Finally, I found something in a magazine for Loopy Lupin. The Hamilton Collection has a new statuette called "Rebel Without A Donut" featuring Homer on a motorbike with Duff & donuts falling off the back. I saw it and immediately thought of you.
--Mike
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 3, 2005 4:53 am (#2609 of 2956)
Cooool. It's nice to be thought of.
Well, I'm in the office especially early because a couple of trials got dumped on me last night. Grrrrrr. Wish me luck and have a good Thursday.
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Catherine - Mar 3, 2005 5:20 am (#2610 of 2956)
Good Morning Loopy! (and to the Forum, also!)
Good luck today with your trials and tribulations today. I guess this means you will be busy, and we will have to muddle along without you for a bit.
I have to do my "homework" this afternoon before the next Board meeting of the Humane Society, which will involve an extended visit to our public city animal shelter, which is inhabited by Dementors, I am told. It's all part of our full-scale "assault" on our City Commissioners. So...wands at the ready.
Hope everyone (even Loopy Lupin) has a good Thursday. Loopy, send up red sparks if you need us, if the paperwork starts to smother you...
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VeronikaG - Mar 3, 2005 7:27 am (#2611 of 2956)
Glasses... What a nightmare. I haven't used mine on a regular basis for nearly 5 years, and quite honestly I need a new pair as wearing contacts all the time can get you in trouble. Only problem is I really hate wearing glasses. Reason: I'm -7 on both eyes. Glasses strong enough to correct that shrinks my world into a 1/4 of natural size. And to get good peripheral vision I need to wear HUGE glasses (think Trelawney). Small, modern, trendy glasses that I wish to wear will give me "tunnel sight", and I'll see things that are on the edges of my field of vision twice. So I way prefer contacts. Once the staff at the "glasses shop" let me try to put them in myself I had no problems with them.
About parents and children... My cousin had quite a hard time with her youngest daughter. She wanted to be the little one, and in jealousy of younger children she returned to the baby stage and stopped walking, talking and eating. My cousin asked for advice and was told not to give in to her and treat her like a normal 4 years old. And after a while the girl found baby life so boring she startede acting her age again. The worst part was getting her potty trained. She stubbornly refused to used the toilet. But now that she has started school she's so busy being "big" that these things are not a problem any more.
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Marè - Mar 3, 2005 7:57 am (#2612 of 2956)
I had to put my glasses on lately because my eyes were getting too irritated from my contacts (falling asleep regularly with them still in didn't do my eyes much good).
I keep getting a headache from wearing my glasses for a long time ever since one of the glasses fell out. Maybe I didn't put it back proparly?
I am very impressed with all the kiddie stories, if I ever choose to adopt some I'll be sure to come here for advice.
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librarian314 - Mar 3, 2005 8:03 am (#2613 of 2956)
Hey all!
Vision problems are hard to detect in kids. My husband, whose vision is awful, (With his glasses off, things get blurry at about 1 foot in front of him. Things across the room may as well not be there.) wasn't diagnosed until he was 7 or 8. His mom was asking if he could see some big sign out the window of some restaurant where they were eating and he couldn't.
My vision problems were caught pretty quickly. My mom was near sighted and dad was farsighted. They asked me regularly about my eyesight. The summer I was 12, I started getting headaches whilst I read, so it was off to the eye doctor's office. Turned out I was astigmatic, and slightly farsighted. I only needed the glasses for reading. I was able to get by without them for the most part until I was in my mid-20s when constant computer use made me near-sighted. Now my vision is decent enough that I can wander around the house without my glasses but if I don't remember where I put my glasses I don't see well enough without them to find them. :-P Needless to say, I don't take them off often.
With both her parents having vision problems, we're pretty watchful with our daughter. In fact, it was one of three predictions we made concerning her, soon after she was born. We figured she'd be a computer geek (that's happened), literate (she loves to read), and need to wear glasses (luckily, she doesn't yet.) I really hope we're wrong on that one.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Julia. - Mar 3, 2005 8:15 am (#2614 of 2956)
Good morning everyone. I had a very dorky moment last night, and I feel like I should share, because I know you lot will appreciate it. So here I am, watching West Wing. Toby and Josh went to see the Chief Justice of the Suprieme court. (I've been reading Henry IV Part II, and I'm really fighting the urge to call him The Lord Chief Justice) So Toby and Josh walk in and the Chief isn't thrilled to see them, so he says "Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings." Now, this may not seem like an importan't line, but it is, it is!! It's from Shakespeare, Richard II. One of his lesser known, but very good plays. We read it this semester in the Shakespeare class I fought so hard to get into. Thank G-d that worked out!!
As for glasses, my vision is pretty much fine, except for whem I'm on the computer. When I was 15 I took a class in school about keyboarding, and I had to stare at the computer for long periods of time. After about a month of this, my eyes started hurting and I had head aches after every class. So I told my parents and we went to the eye-doctor. Since my vision exam was normal, he was reluctant to do anything, but I whined and moaned and eventually he caved and gave me glasses, with the instructions only to wear them while I'm on the computer.
Good luck with all your trials today Loopy. I've still got to figure out exactly what I want to write my history paper on, and I'd better do it quickly, since the outline is due this afternoon.
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Madam Pince - Mar 3, 2005 8:22 am (#2615 of 2956)
Mandy, I agree with Giant Squid Mike -- aloe rocks! If it's at all possible to get a real aloe plant leaf and use the pure juice, rather than just a lotion or gel that contains aloe, I think you'll find it works better. Lacking that, usually the sunburn gel that contains aloe is pretty highly concentrated aloe.
Veronika, I had to laugh at your description of "...once the staff let me put the contacts in myself I had no problems..." I'm exactly the same way! Back in the day when I was too intimidated by doctors to ever think of questioning them, I used to cringe back into the exam chair to the point where I almost melted into the leather every time that doctor's finger started looming towards my eye. Finally I asked myself "Why in the world am I incapable of removing and inserting my own contacts when I'm at an appointment?" and so now nobody touches my eyes but me. I have seriously considered LASIK surgery, but I just don't know if I could deal with someone getting that close to my eyes...
Thanks to everyone for the "baby behavior" encouragement! Baby Pince had a great day at pre-school yesterday! Whoo-hoo! Apparently he never used the word "NO" even once! And no hitting, and slept at naptime, and even ate seconds at lunch! And as a bonus, when I went to pick him up, one of the other little boys was sitting in tears in "Cozy Corner" being talked to very seriously by the teacher, and while I felt sorry for him and his Mom, it did make me feel a little bit better, because sometimes the staff makes me feel like Baby Pince is the only one who ever has to go to "Cozy Corner"....
Happy Thursday everybody, and good luck to Julia and Loopy with getting everything done...
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mollis - Mar 3, 2005 8:31 am (#2616 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 3, 2005 7:32 am
On the burn front - this may sound awful, but smear a big glob of butter or margarine on it. I accidentally touched the heating element of my mother-in-law's stove at Thanksgiving this past year and was without my trusted aloe plant. She had me put butter on it and not only did it take the sting out, but I didn't even get a blister! And if any of you have ever touched an oven's heating element - you know how remarkable it was.
Okay, back to work before the dementors get me!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 3, 2005 8:41 am (#2617 of 2956)
Mandy, in addition to the ice water (actually just cold water is better, you don't need to overdo it with ice water and run the risk of more discomfort from the ice) or aloe, I find that when it really throbs and throbs, take a Tylonol or Advil to relieve the pain from inflammation and swelling. Of course, when the pain recedes because of the meds, you still have to treat your poor finger (or whatever) gingerly since it's vulnerable to more injury. No madcap typing or piano practicing, please.
Hope your boo-boo (as my son used to call things like that) heals fast.
Ciao. Barb
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Ydnam96 - Mar 3, 2005 8:56 am (#2618 of 2956)
Thanks everyone. I everyone took some motrin and keep it cool for a long time and it seems to be okay. Now a bandaid is keeping the blister protected. Although it is hard to type without a thumb, a least it isn't another finger.
It's raining again here in Los Angeles. I think that this city is going to fall into the ocean or wash away if the rain doesn't stop soon. I'm getting rather sick of it.
At least it's Thursday. One day to go till the weekend.
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kabloink! - Mar 3, 2005 10:03 am (#2619 of 2956)
HI everyone, It has been sooo long since I posted, there is so much to catch up on. Julia, we got a ton of snow here in Michigan, too. My classes weren't cancelled either - - --when it comes to large universities, don't hold your breath for them to cancel classes. I guess too many people try to sue them for cancelling classes that they are paying for??? Also for a lot of bigger schools, at least 80% of the undergrad population lives on campus, so commuters are never taken into consideration.....grrrr..... I also understand your midterm pain, but I am almost through it. I just have to write a 5-10 page paper by 3pm today....I should probably start writing.
As far as eyesight goes, I was wearing plaino (glasses without prescription) for fun from before I started school, so when I finally needed them in 6th grade, they didn't bother me too much. I promise I wasn't too crazy for doing this, though. My parents have owned an optical store pretty much all my life, so I was constantly surrounded by glasses and contacts. Also, give contacts a shot, they are always coming out with newer and more comfortable lenses. I didn't take proper care of my first contacts and thus developed GPC's on my eyelids, making it extremely painful to wear contacts. Later in high school, however, my parents got a new type of contact that had a more tapered edge, so it doesn't agitate my GPC as much. I still don't wear them much, but that is simply because I am too lazy. It’s much easier to just put on my glasses in the morning (my eyes aren't too bad, anyway). My husband, on the other hand, has horrible eyesight, and by the time he was 2, he had had two eye surgeries, and had worn patches on each eye. I think when he was a baby, both of his eyes 'wandered' quite badly. They were able to correct his left eye, but without glasses, his right eye used to look off to one direction quite badly. Since we started dating, however (and my parents constantly scolded him to wear his glasses...) it doesn't wander nearly as badly. The vision in that eye is still very bad, but for the most part it will follow his left eye.
As for babies not speaking...I have 2 almost-two-year-old nephews. One of them is an only child, and while his favorite word is "mama", he actually has a pretty vast vocabulary. My other nephew, who is a middle child with two VERY ummm “spunky” sisters (one 4 and one almost 1), and he only grunts. He will sort of say his younger sister's name (uhmber=Amber), for the most part he uses different inflection of 'unh' to get what he wants. I really do think that for the most part the girls get him what he wants, because he seems to be bright, just not yet articulate.
Okay, I really have to get typing at this point. Sorry that I haven't been around in so long!
PS-I LOVED the 80's list! Between my husband (born in 78) and myself (born in 82), we knew/remembered all of them. Given that my name actually is Kimberly (Jem's actual name), I so wanted to be Jem!
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Elanor - Mar 3, 2005 10:17 am (#2620 of 2956)
Guess what? It's snowing again here and more snow is likely to fall at least till the weekend. So Ydnam, I do understand how you feel about the rain, we're feeling the same about the snowy and cold weather!
About glasses, I started to need some when I was about 7 but at 9, I didn't need them anymore till I was 12 and then, my eyesight tumbled down. It was very slow at the beginning and I only realized how much eyesight I had lost when I had some glasses again. I knew I needed them but not so badly. Since then, my eyesight continued to fail and now I am nearly as nearsighted as you are Veronika: -6.75 and -6, in brief: "as blind as a bat" (here we say "as blind as a mole").
I wore contact lenses for some years and I loved them because the glasses I used to wear were huge but unfortunately I can't wear them anymore, except on very rare occasions, as when I played an extra in this medieval show last summer, and I am so relieved to take them off after an hour or two. I have finally found some cute and very light glasses with lenses a lot thinner so they are much more comfortable than the ones I had before. Well, they cost me a fortune (we have another saying for that, we say "to cost the skin of the buttocks"...) but they worth it!
Have a great Thursday everybody and good luck to Loopy and to everyone who needs it!
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Madam Pince - Mar 3, 2005 10:22 am (#2621 of 2956)
kabloink, what are GPCs?
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kabloink! - Mar 3, 2005 10:50 am (#2622 of 2956)
OH! Sorry for not elaborating on that. They are little bumps on the inside of your eyelid. I don't think they are always present, or maybe they're just not always irriatated and swollen enough to bother you...Either or, they are typically irritated by either allergies or contacts. That's all I really know about them, aside from the fact that when they are irritated by something they itch and mildly hurt all at the same time.
I got mine from wearing my contact for too long without cleaning them, which is why I CANNOT sleep in my contacts anymore, but so long as I take them out everynight ( my old lenses were actually designed to be worn for a week, then taken out cleaned and deproteined...so wearing them for a week was okay, but I had the tendency to wear them for more like a month..ew), I don't have any problems with them.
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Ozymandias - Mar 3, 2005 11:43 am (#2623 of 2956)
Hello everyone!
I can't believe you all are getting snow! Actually, I can, but it seems strange, because the weather is freakishly warm here. It was something like 70 degrees yesterday. I was wearing a t-shirt. And this is in San Francisco. I looked up in the sky and saw a big orange bright thing, and was very confused. The sky is supposed to be grey!
All of your parenting stories have made me appreciate even more what parents do for their kids. Your posts made me want to call up my mum and dad and thank them for everything!
Good luck to everyone who is in midterm crunch right now. *sends butterbeers and Smartening-Up charms*
I'm off to do piles of homework. Have a good Thursday, everyone!
Erin
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Delightful Task! - Mar 3, 2005 11:48 am (#2624 of 2956)
Hi everyone! I feel a bit shy now! I've never posted on that thread and you seem to know one another so well!
But as Elanor said, it's snowing in France, Paris is wonderful in white, (mmm... that's because I'm on holidays and I don't drive!) but I'm stuck at home with two little boys who are creating havoc in the house! (we live in a flat, of course, so no snow man in the garden!) and I was desperately looking at the 60 tests I have to mark before Monday morning (I'm a teacher!) , so thought it would be nice to do something different, and chat with "grown-ups" a bit!
Thanks to you all for your advice on contacts... I wear contacts myself and perhaps a bit too long everyday! I had never heard about GPCs, but now I'll be careful, I don't want to wear glasses again!!!
And Elanor, I loved your "cost the skin of the buttocks!" LOL! you're right, "the glasses, it's not given" as my students would put it!
Well, I'll let you know when I've finished with those awful test!
Have a great Thursday!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 3, 2005 12:08 pm (#2625 of 2956)
Don't be shy! Everyone is welcome here.
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Madam Pince - Mar 3, 2005 12:21 pm (#2626 of 2956)
Welcome, Delightful Task! This is a great place for some "grown-up" conversation -- whether with our older Forum members or with our younger ones. Everyone always has fun things to contribute to our shared obsession!
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 3, 2005 12:52 pm (#2627 of 2956)
Hmmm....have you ever noticed how many of our French members have such wonderful English??? I think maybe our schools in the USA ought to look into the way French schools teach language. Welcome, Delightful Task! Elanor, what a giggle you gave me! "The skin of the buttocks"! Just keep your wand out of your back pocket, eh?
I wore contacts for a few years, but my eyes also became unable to tolerate them. (I didn't realize that was so common!) I haven't worn them since I got married (um...almost 19 years). Recently I've started losing my close-up vision -- not badly enough to need bifocals, according to the doctor, but badly enough that I can't move things closer than 8" to my face anymore. So if it's too small to see at that distance, I can't see it anymore without magnifying glasses. (Removing splinters from little fingers and toes is now a problem.)
EDIT: On the burn front, I agree you can't beat aloe vera for healing power. But some years ago, I had an excruciating 2nd degree burn, the type you have to keep ice on for at least an hour just to help the pain. My mother-in-law put some calendula ointment on it -- and the pain went away! I'm not generally an "herbal" person, so it really opened my eyes. It didn't have any pain killers in it; for some reason, calendula seems to ease the pain of bad burns. I used up what I had a while ago; I really ought to try to find more! I don't know if it's easier to find in other places, but it isn't easy to find around here. If you see it, though, try it!
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Dumbledore - Mar 3, 2005 2:38 pm (#2628 of 2956)
Happy Thursday everybody!!
I have had glasses only for distance since I was eight years old, but I have to take them off whenever I don't need to see the board in school or anything else that doesn't involve distance-seeing. So, I'd thought that getting contacts (being the semi-typical self conscious thirteen year old that I am) would be the best route to go, but hearing all of your stories about how irritating contacts can be has got me to reconsidering, especially when I really don't need to be wearing them full time. Can anyone give me advice as to whether it is OK to have my contacts in all day even if I only need glasses for distance?
Round Pink Spider, I agree with you about how well our French members speak English. I was fortunate enough to go to France over the summer and was amazed by how well kids my age spoke English as opposed to the amount of French I've learned!
Well, that's all for now. Welcome Delightful Task, and good luck to anyone who's in a midterm/schoolwork crunch (Julia), and to Loopy Lupin with all his paperwork and to anyone else who may need any sort of luck at all!
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Penny Lane. - Mar 3, 2005 2:42 pm (#2629 of 2956)
I have a quick question for the French members about the french Lexicon forum - is it the same one as here, but just translated? or is it completely separated? Basically, I want to know if I should "re-register".
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Ladybug220 - Mar 3, 2005 2:44 pm (#2630 of 2956)
Dumbledore, I loved my contacts and wore them for 10 years, but a side-effect of a medication that I was taking, was not being able to tolerate contacts - it made my eyes too dry. I have been off of that med for a few years but I just haven't tried to get new contacts yet. Usually, most people can wear them but you do have to care for them properly. The contacts get better and better all the time.
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Eponine - Mar 3, 2005 2:45 pm (#2631 of 2956)
I started wearing glasses when I was 10 years old. We realized I was squinting at the board all the time in school, so I got glasses. I got contacts when I was in high school, and I haven't gone back to regularly wearing glasses since. I have a pair that I'll wear occasionally or at night after I've taken my contacts out. Without my contacts I cannot see a thing. I have to get within about 3 inches of the computer screen in order to make it out. My husband, my sister-in-law and my father-in-law have all had LASIK, but they're crazy if they think I'm letting anyone hold me down and shoot a laser in my eyes. I'll deal with the contacts, thank you very much.
I hope you are all having a great day!
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Phoenix song - Mar 3, 2005 2:49 pm (#2632 of 2956)
RPS, is Calendula an over the counter ointment? I don't think that I've ever heard of it before, so I'm wondering where to find it. We keep a bottle of aloe vera gel in the fridge, since being chilled in the fridge helps the aloe to be even more effective. But your stuff sounds better for more serious burns. I can be a klutz at times in the kitchen, and can wind up with "Dobby-like" injuries, so it doesn't hurt to be prepared for them! {As an aside, most of my injuries happen because I'm doing my "house-elf work" while my mind is focused on more important tasks, like running themes in Harry Potter!}
Delightful Task!, welcome to the forum! Please don't feel shy, we're the best type of grown-ups to become friends with! Our common love of the Harry Potter books shows that we are not "old" within our hearts, but we are all mature enough to discuss topics that are deep and meaningful.
Please don't feel intimidated that we seem to know one another so well. We've only developed this degree of knowledge about one another from posting on this very thread! Please join us and let us have the pleasure of getting to know you!
There are also many educators and French members on the forum. You'll have plenty in common besides Harry Potter. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns!
Forgive me for this long post, but I noticed something last night while watching my DVD copy of the TV show "Friends". The actor that played Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), guest-starred on the episode where Monica and Chandler get married! I didn't know about it ahead of time, I kept watching this guy thinking, "Where do I know him from?" It drives me bananas when I can't place an actor to his previous work! All of the sudden it occurred to me that it was "Sirius" but it was hard to tell without all of the make-up. I must say that he looked very different on "Friends". Has anyone else noticed that before?
Have a great day everybody!
Barbie
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Eponine - Mar 3, 2005 3:00 pm (#2633 of 2956)
Barbie, if you ever want to find out where you know an actor from, the best website for that is the IMDB. They have listings for (almost) every movie or tv show ever made and almost every actor (and everything they've ever been in, including TV guest spots). You can find it here. And Gary Oldman as the spitting/drunk actor was great!
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Julia. - Mar 3, 2005 3:05 pm (#2634 of 2956)
Welcome to the chat thread Delightful Task!! I'm sure you already know that this forum is the absolute best place to discuss Harry Potter. But we also talk about everything else, and I really do mean everything else. *recalls fond memories of conversation about how to address letters to different members of the royal family*
Barbie, I don't remember Gary Oldman being in that episode!
Ok, I've finally finished all my work. Now I can sit back, watch Gilmore Girls, hear a speaker, sit through three classes tomorrow, and then spring break begins!
Oh, I've got a quandrum and maybe you guys can help me. Myself, my friend Mackenzie, and my Shakespeare professor Liz, want to make a movie of Henry IV Part 1. We're having a bit of trouble with the casting. So far we have Alan Rickman as Henry IV. I suggested Timothy Spall for Falstaff. We still need a Hal, Kate, Hotsupr, Northumberland, Hostess, and a few others I can't think of. Any suggestions?
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 3, 2005 3:18 pm (#2635 of 2956)
Barb, the calendula was an over-the-counter homeopathic ointment. If you do a search on "calendula ointment" (as I just did), you'll get lots of hits. The stuff my mother-in-law used was Boiron calendula ointment (I recognize the packaging). Good stuff -- it's truly amazing the way it eliminated the pain from my burn almost immediately. I highly recommend it. (And now that I've found it online, I'm going to order some more!)
By the way, Julia, that is a stunning portrait. I assume that's you? The photo of you in the Gryffindor scarf didn't show the face.
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Delightful Task! - Mar 3, 2005 3:21 pm (#2636 of 2956)
Thanks everyone for your kind welcome! I was alone at home with my kids who are 5 and 2 years old, and my husband has been working all week until 9 pm... I was feeling a bit lonely actually! ( I was referring to "grown-ups" as opposed to my sons who are wonderful of course, but wonderful babies!!!)
Thanks Dumbledore in particular! I'm an English teacher and I sometimes feel like McGonagal in front of Neville! So you do think our French kids can speak English?! Nah! you must have met the good ones!!! But I won't give up, after all, "Delightful task! to rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot, To pour the fresh instruction o’er the mind," (Thomson!)
Penny Lane, I'm afraid I can't tell you know because I never tried the French forum, and the site is not working at the moment (I've just checked!) I suppose it's different though, it would be a bit weird to translate a forum, I think (sorry if it's the case!) Now, I can understand why you would like to try the French forum, one of the reasons I love reading you all is because it allows me to keep in touch with English!! I've learnt a lot of new words thanks to you already!
Therefore! Thank you very much again!!
PS:Barbie, I'm sorry, I haven't watched Friends for a very long time!!!
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The giant squid - Mar 3, 2005 3:56 pm (#2637 of 2956)
Ah, vision problems... I got my first pair of glasses when I was 13 or 14 (it's hard to remember that far back ). I've been wearing contacts for the last 12 years, with no problems, althuogh I did get chastised by my optician when I moved to Vegas. I'd had the same pair of glasses for 15 years and only wore them to cover the distance from the bathroom sink to bed at night & back in the morning. Turns out your eyes need time to breathe & I wasn't letting mine do that. Since I got new glasses & wear them more often my eyes are much healthier.
I definitely need one or the other, though--without corrective lenses I can't see my computer screen clearly. Everything's a big blur until I get about 6 inches (15cm for you metric types) away. I've thought about Lasik, but can't quite free up the money at the moment--higher priorities on the medical budget.
Barbie, I thought Gary Oldman was hilarious on that Friends episode too. If you want another very un-Sirius-like role, check out The Fifth element.
--Mike
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Julie Aronson - Mar 3, 2005 4:01 pm (#2638 of 2956)
If you want to see Gary Oldman in a role that has some odd similarities with Sirius (self-destructive, rebelliousness, searching for love and friendship, etc) try "Sid and Nancy."
Julie
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Phoenix song - Mar 3, 2005 4:08 pm (#2639 of 2956)
Thanks RPS, I'm going to order some of that ointment for emergencies!
Julia, Gary Oldman played the drunk actor that played opposite Joey in the war movie being filmed on the Bings' wedding day. He was the one who kept spitting in Joey's face and said that when an actor enunciated properly he would "spit" in his co-stars faces. Therefore, the "better" that an actor is the more that he spits on others. It sounds disgusting, but it was actually quite funny. He looks very un-Sirius like, and I'm not even sure how I was able to put the two parts together. Maybe it was something in the accent?
Mike, I'm going to rent that movie to check out Gary Oldman in another role. I love to watch movies that show the HP actors doing other things. I love "Snape" and "Trelawney" in "Love Actually". I also love seeing Madame Pomfrey and Moaning Myrtle in "Bridget Jones' Diary." I found it quite funny that the actress that plays Myrtle also has a scene in which she is crying in a bathroom to Bridge Jones.
Eponine, thank you so much for the website information. I have some OCD tendencies, and it drives me crazy to see an actor (or to hear a voice) that I know from somewhere else but am unable to place. I'm usually able to place them, but I have spent days afterwards in a "glazed over" state running over everything that I've ever viewed in my mind's eye! I'll be sure to use the site.
Julie, I haven't heard of "Sid and Nancy" before. Is it a film that Blockbuster would possibly have to rent?
Barbie
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Chemyst - Mar 3, 2005 5:47 pm (#2640 of 2956)
Barbie, you may never have heard of it because Sid and Nancy is the "tragic love" story of The Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious and groupie Nancy Spungen. Maybe I'm jumping to a false conclusion here, but it doesn't sound like the kind of movie I'd think you'd normally choose. I wouldn't.
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Phoenix song - Mar 3, 2005 6:07 pm (#2641 of 2956)
You're right Chemyst. That's probably why I hadn't heard of it before!
Barbie
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Ponine - Mar 3, 2005 6:45 pm (#2642 of 2956)
Oh, Phoenix - Your OCD is my OCD!! I must admit that I am completely enthused by this thread in particular, and feel very comfortable here, although I am fairly new to it (I think...
I have been writing so much these last few days, the forum cut me off, and made me keep quiet for the rest of the day! I was so miffed, you would not believe.) Back to what I was trying to get across - I have an absolute fetish about actors, where, what and whom. I personally would recommend Leon for a good Oldman movie, although I don't think it would be appropriate for the wee ones, as it is pretty rugged. Another favorite of mine is in that as well - Jean Reno (Vive La France!) - Could we squeeze him in the movies at all, you think?_____________________________________
dizzy lizzy - Mar 3, 2005 8:15 pm (#2643 of 2956)
It's amazing how attached one becomes to the Internet and to the forums one visits!
I had a spell this morning, where I couldn't log on to either this forum or the lexicon itself. The server must have decided it needed some cool down time...this thread has moved at an amazingly fast clip over the past week. And of course I panicked and got all flustered, when I should have gone outside to hang the washing on the line and calm down.
Next Sunday (13th March) I fly down to Sydney for 9 days training in relation to my new job. I get to stay in Sydney for the weekend in the middle and I will go and visit the Royal Easter Show for the first time in 16 years (uhmm has it really been that long???). I can't wait for the time off from the hot stinky weather we've being having and the pleasure of sleeping in every morning. I get up at 5am every morning to let the dogs out of the laundry (where they spend the night)so sleeping in until 6.30 or 7am is bliss.
Since it is Friday here, I will wish everyone a good Friday and hope the mid term crush and dumped paperwork (Loopy Lupin) eases for you all.
Lizzy
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Amilia Smith - Mar 3, 2005 8:52 pm (#2644 of 2956)
Sounds like great fun, Lizzy. Would you mind telling an ignorant American (me) about the Royal Easter Show? I have never heard of it before. But I do know what you mean about sleeping in. After working the 5-1 shift for years, being switched to the 6-2 is incredible. That extra hour of sleep does wonders.
About glasses: Had them for years and hated them. Tried contacts. But as I have astigmatism, I had to wear hard contacts. (They did have soft ones available, but they were much more expensive than regular soft contacts, and I kept tearing them.) My eyes could handle the hard ones as long as I didn't leave them in too long, remembered not to rub my eyes, the wind wasn't blowing, and I wasn't tired (yeah, right). So I finally gave up. I decided I would do whatever it took to get rid of the stupid glasses and painful contacts.
So I got a second job so I could pay for Lasik. As I needed something that wouldn't interfere with any the other things I had going at the time, I worked as the graveyard waitress at Denny's for six months. That was fun. (Incidentally, if any of you work, or have worked, graveyards, you have my heartfelt admiration.) I had to schedule my sleep time in slots a few hours here and a few hours there. And it never was quality sleep. Quite often I would jerk awake every half hour in a panic that I had overslept and was late for work. Then dance classes were real fun after being on my feet for 17 hours straight. Most miserable time of my life.
But it was all worth it. I am a Lasik convert. I love being able to wake up, look at my alarm clock, and know what time it is. To walk inside from the cold without my glasses fogging up. To get my picture taken with out the double chin. To never have to try to find my glasses without my glasses. To be able to doze off without the fear of waking up with my contacts being dried to my eyeballs or my glasses broken.
And I will stop now as I am starting to sound like a commercial.
On to burns: At the deli where I work, we use lavender oil every time someone is splashed by the fryer. It is very soothing, plus it smells wonderful.
Mills.
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 3, 2005 10:40 pm (#2645 of 2956)
The Royal Easter Show is located in Sydney (actually quite near or on the same mega site where the Sydney 2000 Olympics were held).
A "show" would be a fairly close approximation of a fair (which is what I think they are called in the US) and is held in many towns and cities across NSW and run by the local show societies. There is generally animal judging (dogs, cats, birds, chickens, cows, sheep and so on), home ware competition/displays (cake cooking, sewing, painting, photography, quilting, jam-making etc), show jumping, sideshow alley, and rides, showbags, Miss showgirl etc.
The Royal Easter Show is the biggie though, it is run by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (and held from just before Easter to just after each year)and is generally considered the pinnacle of the shows. There are oodles of competitions similar or the same as the local shows, but I understand it is of higher standard. I don't know if this is the same for the other states of Australia. I assume so, they might use different names.
When I was younger it was a delight to travel all the way in from Cobar and have a special day out at the show. We generally tied this in with my visits to my paedetricians and audiologists. My parents called this bribery of the highest degree.
Now I am older, I want to go back and just have a day out wandering around and just being nosy and checking things out and see how they have changed. I can't wait.
Lizzy
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Elanor - Mar 3, 2005 11:23 pm (#2646 of 2956)
Good morning everyone (or night...)! **waves to Delightful Task, it is great to sea another French member here!** It is amazing what we learn on that thread, thanks for explaining "the Royal Easter Show" Lizzie.
And thanks for the compliments about the way we write English! To be honest, most of the time, when I reread myself, I can't help but think "Are you sure this is English?". Actually, here people say that we're hopeless at foreign languages and that we should learn from our european neighbours who are far better than we are at that. German kids for example are really great.
That's why we started recently to teach foreign languages from elementary school which is not easy every day! I, for instance, have already a class with first and second years in it and have to teach English twice a week to the fourth years as well when their teacher take care of my kids... It is difficult because, as a teacher, I never had training lessons about teaching English. I have to manage to do it with an English method we bought and what I can think about it. Not good!
About Gary Oldman, yes he was good in "The Fifth Element"! The film would have been better if it had had a scenario actually, but it is nice. I love Jean Reno too! What a voice...
Have a great day everybody!
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Delightful Task! - Mar 4, 2005 2:19 am (#2647 of 2956)
Hi everyone! *Hi Elanor! It's fun to speak English with French people!!!*
Reading your experiences with glasses and contacts, I remember how wonderful it was when my optician found me contacts I could wear day and night... My first child was just born and I had to wake up two or three times every night, and try to prepare a bottle when you can't see the graduations on it!!! (I often lose my glasses actually!) When I had those contacts, I could wake up, check the time on the alarm clock, go and take care of my baby, see his face and his smiles... (or tears!) and then go back to sleep! That was wonderful! I had to stop wearing them though because I changed optician and the next one told me wearing contacts all the time definitely wasn't a good idea...
About the Royal Easter show, Thanks, Lizzy! I've just realized we had one here in France too!! Only, it's called 'salon de l'agriculture', which, you will admit, sounds much more serious!!! It's the one moment in Paris when you can see cows! and we Parisians love it! It started this week and I'm going this afternoon with my kids... So I think it's high time I stopped chatting with you!!! I need to prepare the kids to face the blizzard outside! (Wow! Life in Paris hadn't been so exciting for a long time!!!)
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Dumbledore II - Mar 4, 2005 2:49 am (#2648 of 2956)
Thanks everybody for the good wishes. As many of you can imagine my time is limited at the minute, but I will try and come back soon.
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The giant squid - Mar 4, 2005 4:55 am (#2649 of 2956)
it drives me crazy to see an actor (or to hear a voice) that I know from somewhere else but am unable to place--Phoenix Song
You are not alone, Barbie! Now imagine that multiplied by every movie trailer ever and you've got me. They have to cram everything they can into that 2 1/2 minutes, so I often get a flash of someone I kinda-recognize and spend the rest of the day trying to figure out who the heck it was! Thank heaven for IMDb (and thank our IT department for allowing it past our firewall)!
Mills, there are affordable soft contacts for astigmatism--I should know, I just took mine out a half hour ago. Roughly $30 for a 6-month supply of disposables. I suppose I should mention, though, that I first started wearing contacts while working as a cook at an open-pit barbecue restaurant. If I could get used to contacts with all kinds of soot & grease in the air (and eyes), I can handle anything. It takes a pretty big piece of dirt to cause me any problems.
--Mike
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Julie Aronson - Mar 4, 2005 5:34 am (#2650 of 2956)
Barbie,
FWIW, you should be able to rent Sid and Nancy at most video stores. It's a fairly odd movie, but once you get past the superficial "yech factor" it's actually pretty good.
Chemyst,
Sometimes it's good to vary from tradition...
Julie
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:30 pm
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 5:48 am (#2651 of 2956)
I first started wearing contacts while working as a cook at an open-pit barbecue restaurant.--Mike, TGS
Mmmm...barbecue. Mike, you have a fascinating career history!
Whew. Today is the first day that I have no doctor appointments for the kids, and no one is home sick. YAY! I was actually glad last night to attend a very long humane society fundraiser meeting, just to think about something different.
We held it in a deli I'd never been to before, so that we could eat during the meeting. The cashier kept staring at me. I kept wondering if I was chewing with my mouth open, or if my nose had dirt on it, or if my eyebrows were suddenly growing together. So here I am, in this very serious meeting, and suddnenly the cashier comes up to our table and says, "I know you. YOU are that lady who is a big Harry Potter fan!"
All these eyes darted to me, and I said, "Yes, I am." The cashier had previously worked at the seasonal Halloween store, where I tried once again to find adult sized Quidditch robes for Mr. Catherine (actually, this would be a joke gift for Mr. Catherine, but I digress).
My fellow diners raised their eyebrows while the cashier kept on saying, "She even helped a mom find a Lord of the Rings costume when I didn't know what that lady was saying."
**sound of crickets chirping**
So I was "outed" from the Harry Potter closet publicly last night!
Have a good Friday!
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 4, 2005 6:35 am (#2652 of 2956)
Oh dear, Catherine, and a public outing at that. I have embraced my Harry Potter "gooberness," ***waves to Catherine*** at least among my friends. Last time I visited my nieces and nephews, I said "I bet I can prove that I'm the biggest geek of all time." After they are finished looking puzzled (as if to say "You think you need proof?"), I whip out my Barnes and Noble Half-Blood Prince reservation, dated January 9th which, I know, was late to be getting around to making a reservation, but the muggles don't know the difference. For some reason, they think it strange to have reserved a book months in advance.
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Marie E. - Mar 4, 2005 6:52 am (#2653 of 2956)
Catherine, you have no idea how interesting Mike's career history is. Ask him about his time on the road with a rock band.
Mike/giantsquid: You got your glasses when you were a freshman so I think you were 14. I got mine in 3rd grade, just after I turned nine. Veronika, you mentioned your prescription being -7. Mine is -8.5. I figure at my next appointment they will hand me a white cane and a dog and bid me a fond farewell. My oldest, who turned 8 yesterday, developed lazy eye in both eyes at age 15 months. She was my darling cross eyed baby, bless her heart. We tried eye patches and glasses to strengthen her eye muscles, but just after her second birthday she had surgery. She absolutely fine now, eye-wise anyway.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 4, 2005 7:06 am (#2654 of 2956)
She was my darling cross eyed baby, bless her heart.—Marie
Awwwww. To go back a topic or two (and sorry if you did discuss this in a post), but I can only imagine the stupid comments that you received from complete strangers.
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Denise P. - Mar 4, 2005 7:20 am (#2655 of 2956)
The Royal Easter Show sounds like our County/State fairs. We have similar events here in the US, normally held in the summer time and often they have a portion with amusement park rides. As a kid, we loved when it was fair time. Back then, my parents could give my brother and I each $5 and let us loose for the day to do what we wanted. Of course, now, $5 would get the kids a small lemonaide and there is no way I would allow them to run loose without supervision at a fair.
:::doing a happy dance::::: I am getting a brand, spanking new dishwasher installed this morning! Our current dishwasher is almost 10 years old and just not doing its job. We picked out a new one, a super duper heavy duty one to deal with the demands we place on our dishwashers. The cool thing I like is that it has a delayed start option. No more having to remember to go turn the thing on after all showers have been taken and then cursing in the morning when you open it for something to discover you didn't run it.
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 4, 2005 7:25 am (#2656 of 2956)
Out here in Southern Minnesota, almost every little town has its own "fair" celebrating itself as a town, with parades and sidewalk sales and craft shows. In Rochester, we also have our county fair (like your "show", Delightful Task, but smaller I'm sure!), with rides and sideshows and unhealthy food (a great preoccupation of Americans on holiday! Fried cheese curds, ice cream, miniature doughnuts, and about anything you can imagine eating off a stick! ). It's been a nice way to introduce our little ones to farm animals, because we can walk about the buildings and see all the animals being judged: pigs, sheep, ducks, llamas (raised for wool), cows, fancy roosters, horses (almost all enormous farm horses, Percherons and Belgians mostly, but once we saw miniature horses!), and so on. The children usually get the chance to pet the sheep, cows, and horses.
I've had my glasses since I was 11. I'd been claiming for a while that I needed glasses, but no one believed me. I was so excited when I put them on for the first time, and realized that one could see separate leaves on the trees across the street! (My mother was humiliated!)
EDIT: Beat me to the post, Denise! And congrats on the dishwasher! My husband (who had to wash dishes all the time he was growing up) says that a house is something you build around a dishwasher.
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 7:30 am (#2657 of 2956)
Happy Birthday to the adorable Spaghetti Face, and your dishwasher sounds awesome, Denise. I'll bet the baseball team family does stress a dishwasher just a bit. You deserve to happy dance!
I've been trying to get my mom to replace the dishwasher in their house ever since they bought it. Seven years ago, they moved to place Dad closer to his new office, and the house they bought was three years old. I sincerely hope that your old dishwasher was not as loud as theirs is. It sounds like a jet is taking off when it runs. Not only that, but the shortest cycle runs no less than an hour. Their excuse is, "We don't know if we're staying here." That was seven years ago! Mr. Catherine and I offered to replace it for them for several Christmases, and they refused because, "It's not worth it because we may not stay here."
As it is now, Dad complains constantly if Mom runs it, and it doesn't have a delay cycle to run it when they aren't there. So the way I see it, a good dishwasher promotes family harmony!
EDIT: Mr. RPS is on to something about the house being "built" around the dishwasher!
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Marè - Mar 4, 2005 7:51 am (#2658 of 2956)
I've had my glasses since I was 11. I'd been claiming for a while that I needed glasses, but no one believed me. I was so excited when I put them on for the first time, and realized that one could see separate leaves on the trees across the street!
Seeing leaves on trees was exactly the first thing I noticed when they put glasses on my nose. I was highly surprised that seeing a greenish blurb wasn't what the average tree was supposed to look like.
I didn't like getting glasses though, I was really very sad about it. My mother made it better by finally allowing me to get my ears pierced.
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septentrion - Mar 4, 2005 8:42 am (#2659 of 2956)
Still again I didn't go here for a few days and had to catch up with tons of posts.
Welcome Delightful Task ! I didn't know there was another Frenchie round here ! We have something in common besides HP : my husband is from Maghreb too (Mauritania actually), but isn't fond at all of Harry Potter. Yet he bears my obsession.
RPS, I'd say like Elanor about french children speaking English, you must have met the exceptions. We have a joke here which says that a man who speaks only one language is called a French man.
Penny Lane, the french lexicon is the translation of the lexicon. But the forum is quite an original one. If you want to post there, you'll have to register. It isn't as lively as here but one more member will help it to grow.
About glasses, I wear mine since the age of 10. I never tried contacts and now I'm so accustomed to them I can't imagine myself without them. Luckily I'm not near of blindness, having "only" around -4 at each eyes.
Everyone have a great week-end !
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Penny Lane. - Mar 4, 2005 9:07 am (#2660 of 2956)
Thank you Septentrion. I'll look into it - I'm just learning french, but I think actually reading, and forcing myself to look at it more often might help.
I also have astigmatism (sp?) and wear soft contacts. They used to be really expensive - $150 for 6 months, but now they are cheaper.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 4, 2005 9:24 am (#2661 of 2956)
Hey all!
On the subject of glasses: I got mine when I was in 6th grade (11 I think). It was the day before I was to leave for camp. When I got to camp I got sooooo sick. I was not used to the glasses and they gave me such a headache I thought I was gonna die. They also made me very nautious (spelling?). But I got used to them in a few days. I went to contacts in college, but I have since stopped wearing them. I went on some medication that make it very hard to wear them for longer than a few hours, I guess since they got dried out. Plus it gives me an extra five minutes every morning.
On the subject of dishwashers: we lived in military housing all through my childhood. We never had a dishwasher till after I graduated High School and my dad retired from the Navy. They bought a house with a dish washer but decided it took too much electricity and water. My dad said he had three dishwashers, why did he need another (me, my sister, and my brother)! They still don't use it. I'm not sure if I had one that I would use it either, unless I had a family the size of Denise's
I LOVE the fair! Out here in California we have the LA fair and I went this year. It's so funny because you can tell all these city kids have never seen a cow or a pig. I used to go to the fair in Virginia because my dad showed his ducks, pheasants, and chickens in the poultry area. The fair there was slightly different than in California because most of the people there are used to farm life. but you can't beat fair food. Deep fried everything. I swear this year they had deep fried twinkies and oreos. NO LIE. I like the funnel cakes.
It's still raining here. At least it's not snow.
Happy Friday.
Mandy:)
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Ponine - Mar 4, 2005 9:24 am (#2662 of 2956)
Marè - That is so funny - that was the very first thing I noticed too!! I thought it was just amazing that you could actually see the individual leaves of the birch, and it was awesome... Of course, as I too was a child of the eighties, my glasses were big and hideous and completely matched my braces... sigh.. it was all good, right...
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Essidji - Mar 4, 2005 9:26 am (#2663 of 2956)
Hey all! Would you fancy a good laugh? Try this. I found it so hilarious that I really wanted to share.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Babajani1/MurphysLaw/
Oh, and welcome Delightful Task. Wow, two of we four are teachers, I'm gonna have a big complex with my level in English...
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Ponine - Mar 4, 2005 9:31 am (#2664 of 2956)
Hi Essidji - That is hilarious!! I know I have been really impressed by the language here as well, and I am always quite self-counscious when typing, torn between being spontaneous and semi-proper.
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Phoenix song - Mar 4, 2005 9:32 am (#2665 of 2956)
Good morning everyone! I am so relieved to find out that my OCD of needing to "place" every actor/actress that I see/hear with where I originally "knew" them from is not a disorder that I alone share. I've always thought that if you were the only one with a peculiar "peeve" that you were abnormal, but if you meet at least one other person with your particular obsession then you're "exceptional".
Mike, I can feel your pain regarding the snippets that you see on those fast paced trailers! Those things get to me, too! Often you'll see an actor's side profile for the briefest of seconds and then it progresses to the next car crash. Meanwhile, I'm stuck speaking my usual line to my husband sitting next to me, "Where do I know him from?" His ultra understanding and sympathetic remark is something to the effect of, "I don't know, it's not important, get over it and watch the movie!"
At least I now know that there are others to whom this is important as well.
Denise, be sure to give your little cutie, "Spaghetti face", lots of Happy Birthday Hugs from us! Happy Birthday Little One! And congratulations on the new dishwasher. I feel your excitement. When we first bought our home, the dishwasher in it was terrible. Our only chance at having the dishes come out clean was to totally and completely wash them prior to placing them in the washer. I rinse off things before I put them in the dishwasher, but if you have to completely clean them before hand what is the point of wasting the water to run the dishwasher? It certainly didn't get hot enough to "sanitize" them and didn't even dry the dishes for us. I was so thrilled when I got a new dishwasher. As a side benefit, I've found that we've experienced fewer colds since getting the new dishwasher. My kids were always sick, but my new washer has a sanitization cycle that seems to have worked to help prevent at least the spreading of germs to the other family members.
Have a good day everybody! If we can get some sun around here I'd be plenty pleased!
Barbie
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Sirius Lee - Mar 4, 2005 9:41 am (#2666 of 2956)
Deep fried everything. I swear this year they had deep fried twinkies and oreos. NO LIE
Here in New York, we have a fantastic British restaurant that is known for both the yummy food AND the deep-fried desserts! They claim to have invented the deep friend twinkie, but also cook up Hostess Cherry Pies, Bananas, and tons of candy bars (Twix, Mars, Snickers, etc). The fried Reese's Peanut Buttter Cups are possibly the best thing to ever happen to chocolate! ::drools just thinking about it::
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Julia. - Mar 4, 2005 11:09 am (#2667 of 2956)
Denise, wish Kierynn a happy birthday for me, and pass along some child-size butterbeer.
Just a quick hello to you all before my last class (Shakespeare, yay!) and then I'm home for spring break! *dances*
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 4, 2005 11:37 am (#2668 of 2956)
Essidji, YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!! That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen! ROFL!
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kabloink! - Mar 4, 2005 11:59 am (#2669 of 2956)
I saw the first part of that in my husband's Maxim this month. It said to be continued...So the second crane fell in as well? That's just hilarious.
My mom has pretty bad eyes, too. Whenever my dad is trying to convince someone to get high index lenses (nice and thin) he show's them my mom's lenses, her prescription is +8.25, +7 (not including her bifocals), and her whole family (she is one of eight, and her dad) all have eyes like that. I'm so glad that I take after my dad and only have a -3 in one eye and a -2.75 with a bit of astigmatism in the other. As far as wearing contacts when you only need them for distance, that is exactly what I do. Up until recently my distance vision wasn't even bad enough to worry about reading glasses, but now if I'm wearing my contacts I have these awesome reading glasses that I just toss on over them. Works like a charm, and since its only for reading, its easy to get over wearing the glasses.
By the way, I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. Giant Squid Mike, my husband and I would have totally met you somewhere if it had been an option. Unfortunately we were with my parents (who paid for everything, so we can't complain), and they had certain things that they wanted us to see, on top of my dad and his slot obsession...we didn't even get to do anything except for dinner alone on our anniversary.
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John Bumbledore - Mar 4, 2005 12:44 pm (#2670 of 2956)
Oh, so that is what those are for!
Denise P, "The cool thing I like is that it has a delayed start option. No more having to remember to go turn the thing on after all showers have been taken and then cursing in the morning when you open it for something to discover you didn't run it."
We got a new (well, new to us) dishwasher about a year ago when the old one that came with the house started auditioning for a role as a prop in "The Exorcist!" Mrs. Bumbledore had just turned the old dishwasher on when it started shaking, then rumbling like a volcanic eruption. First we cut the power at the circuit breaker, then since it didn't stop, we shut off the main breaker for the entire house! It just kept on rumbling and shaking! We were ready to call 911 because we thought we could smell burning plastic or rubber, but then it just stopped. I shut off the water and verified the power was off with a voltage meter.
Mandy and Catherine, The new ones are quiet and more energy efficient than hand washing. If you wash dishes after each meal, hand washing takes about 30 gallons a day of heated water. New dishwashers use about 10 to 15 gallons of hot water and can usually wash an entire days’ worth of dishes (for an average family) in one load. Denise P, no need to tell you that you have an above average family. Mrs. Bumbledore and I also have an above average family, but just a little bit as we only have four children. **Did I just say only four?**
Welcome to all our new members, and welcome back to those who are returning from a long. . . separation from our forum family.
Hi Essidji - That was hilarious, But, alas, that last shot with the green crane is a forgery. Here is the link again, http://community-2.webtv.net/Babajani1/MurphysLaw/ notice the fifth picture in the series (red car on pier, white skiff beside red ship, position of spectators, etc.) then the last picture is copy of picture 5 with the green crane edited in on it's side.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
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Madam Pince - Mar 4, 2005 12:55 pm (#2671 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Kierynn!
Congrats on the dishwasher, too! We got a new dishwasher last year. I had hesitated for so long because there wasn't anything "technically" wrong with our old one, just that it was so loud and it sometimes didn't clean tough stuff all that well. But I was won over by the thing about the new efficient machines using less water than hand-washing, and it's definitely true. Plus it's practically silent! If I can only convince my Mom (who stays with us part of the year) to ever give up on the pre-rinsing. She is convinced it is necessary -- I keep telling her it's a waste of water and that the new machine will get it done. Sigh....
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Eponine - Mar 4, 2005 1:29 pm (#2672 of 2956)
All this talk about fairs is making me remember the deep fried Snickers bar I had at the North Carolina State Fair this year. (**waves to Catherine **) It was so good. My sister and I promptly dubbed it, 'deep friend heaven on a stick covered with powdered sugar'. Mmmmmmm.....
Barbie, you are definitely NOT alone in the actor recognition OCD. My husband and I will be watching TV or a movie, and if we're trying to place someone...IMDB during the commercials or the minute we get home. It drives us nuts trying to figure out where we know that actor from.
I'm so glad it's Friday. No more kids until Monday, then only 3 weeks of this left. I'm glad I did this, but it's made me realize that I do not like being in charge of a classroom full of kids. I prefer to work with smaller groups or one on one.
Have a happy Friday!
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 1:46 pm (#2673 of 2956)
Oh, Bumbledore, I don't need any convincing that modern dishwashers are wonderful!
When we renovated our home, we removed the hideous autumn red old appliance and, after much consultation, selected our current model. It is so quiet that you can't tell it's on unless you watch the display pad, or open it and see the water streaming through it. Why the parents stick with the current model for seven years is beyond me, especially as it causes discord
I've done my share of hand-washing during college and grad school years. Nothing can provoke an argument like someone who lets old food fossilize in pots or lets dishes stack up past the level of the sink! Grrr!
EDIT: **waves back at Eponine** I still can't believe that you two ate that! I'll have to try one at the County Fair this year! Remember the alligator kabobs?
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 4, 2005 2:09 pm (#2674 of 2956)
Alligator. Now I've never seen that on a stick in Minnesota. I did have ostrich, once...
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 2:21 pm (#2675 of 2956)
Eponine, her sister (Dobby's Tea Cozy), and I found out that you can, with enough cash and a willing appetite, eat just about anything on a stick at the State Fair!
In fact, I even took a picture of one menu that caught our notice. Here is the original post from the shelved Chat thread Food on a Stick
I would like to add, for the record, that no one in our party ate anything off of that menu.
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Eponine - Mar 4, 2005 2:24 pm (#2676 of 2956)
Yep, you can buy "fried dough" too. I guess it's no longer politically correct to call it a funnel cake.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 4, 2005 3:06 pm (#2677 of 2956)
Phew, I had 99 posts to catch up on!
Sirius Lee, where is this place you refer to with all the fried things? A Salt and Battery on 2nd Avenue has deep friend Mars Bars (the british Mars bars). But I've not seen other things deep fried. (Not that I need it on my diet, but that's ok...).
There is a cajun restaurant on 6th St. here in Manhattan that serves alligator. I've not yet built up the daring to try it though...
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Ladybug220 - Mar 4, 2005 3:10 pm (#2678 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 4, 2005 2:10 pm
Gina, it tastes like a combo of pork and chicken. It's pretty good (although it has been years since I have eaten it).
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Acceber - Mar 4, 2005 3:30 pm (#2679 of 2956)
Thanks for the advice about glasses and plays Pinky. I will most definitely try that. The play is in two weeks and we're getting our costumes in a week . I remember when the productions felt like they'd never come, and now they're almost here.
Happy Spring Break to the College Students.
And Happy Birthday Kierynn! When I first saw Denise's new avatar, I said, "Ohhhhh, baby." But then I realized she's not a baby anymore. I remember her first birthday, and Denise's avatar with her as a little baby and then again at the present time. If I recall, she was in the same adorable outfit. I'm feeling nostalgic thinking about this time a year ago. And I feel old, which isn't too normal around here.
It's Friday, I'm listening to the Beatles, I'm reading the Forum, so I'm in a good mood. Yay!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 4, 2005 3:41 pm (#2680 of 2956)
Has anybody heard if the American audio version of HBP will be released at the same time as the hardcover? It was for OOP so I am hoping it will be for HBP as well.
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Detail Seeker - Mar 4, 2005 3:47 pm (#2681 of 2956)
As to murphy´s Law: What can go wrong, will go wrong
Did you know the two theories about the origins of this ?
The first says, that this was not found out by Murphy, but by a person of the same name.
The second one says, it is an acronym: Most UnReliable Prediction Hinted Yesterday
Whatever: nice pictures, though I wonder about a few details like no persons standing in the gliding path going down, too in the first "bath"...
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 3:57 pm (#2682 of 2956)
Has anybody heard if the American audio version of HBP will be released at the same time as the hardcover? It was for OOP so I am hoping it will be for HBP as well. –Ladybug
I remembered that, which is why I tried to reserve my audio copy at the same time I reserved my books, and it wasn't available yet, at least at Barnes and Noble. I tried again last week to reserve the audio, and they still didn't have it available.
Now you all know what a goober fan I really am!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 4, 2005 5:31 pm (#2683 of 2956)
I think Murphy's Laws are the universal religion. Thanks for the chuckle. I forwarded it to my son (in Italy), but I didn't point out the bit about the final shot. Let's see if he catches on. I used to have a series of posters with Murphy's Laws and all the corollaries broken down by topic--work, marriage, love, shopping, kids, etc. I can only find the one on work now (my son confiscated it and hung it in his room).
Glasses--I got mine when I was 19, in college and realizing that my profs all didn't have bad handwriting. I'd sit in the back of these huge lecture halls and have to copy notes off of the person next to me since the board was a blur. One day I sat up front for a change (a boy I was "interested" in was in the third row so I joined him), and--lo and behold!--the notes on the board were crystal clear. My correction was just for distance and I only needed to wear the specs for driving and movies--oh, yeah, for class, too. I'm also a bit astigmatic, but both corrections are mild. However, when that certain age is reached, one encounters the difficulties in reading things close-up. Crossword puzzle clues are the worst.
So your eye doc prescribes bifocals, but suggests that you try no-lines or progressives so the glasses don't make you look like a little old lady (the line across the lens being the giveaway). Gaaaa! It took me an incredible amount of time to accommodate the new prescription. I tripped down stairs, got nauseous just moving my head from side to side, could not read street signs unless I slid the glasses way down my nose. They re-made the lenses 3 times till it finally worked. Apparently I am not an adaptable person. Every time the prescription has changed even slightly, I go through a version of this. I just got new glasses a month ago and I'm still not happy with them. Honestly, next time the doc says there's a minor change in the correction, I'm going to pass. Thanks, but no thanks.
Thanks for letting me vent. Seeing as how I am going through an adjustment period now, I needed to. But I want to apologize for being a kvetch about something so relatively minor. I am truly thankful that my eye problems are trivial and I feel sorry for the many who have more serious issues. My sister, for example. She wore glasses--real "coke bottles" she called them--since she was two! Ironically, when she had cataract surgery two years ago, the lenses they implanted eliminated the need for glasses altogether! She had perfect vision now. I'm still not used to seeing her without glasses.
Well, time to throw some dinner on the stove. Later, guys...
Ciao. Barb
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Chemyst - Mar 4, 2005 6:07 pm (#2684 of 2956)
Chemyst, Sometimes it's good to vary from tradition... Julie
That is true. And I thank you for being my fuddy-duddy-prevention police. It is still too early for me to cash in on my birthright of becoming a crotchety little old lady. Nevertheless, in cases of movies about characters such as Sid Vicious, I've had my fill of dwelling on angry lifestyles, thank-you very much.
Did Kierynn march forth to her birthday cake? ... sorry... I don't know what came over me just now...
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Gina R Snape - Mar 4, 2005 6:24 pm (#2685 of 2956)
Oh, yes. Happy birthday Kierynn! Geez, I remember Denise being pregnant and disappearing when she went into labour!
Anyway, I've got progressive lenses. As a matter of fact, I wore my first pair of progressives when I was a kid and they first came out with them. I had a back-up pair that were straight bifocals and they made me dizzy! I couldn't walk down stairs, and I repeatedly tripped over my own two feet in regular bifocals. That was the end of the back-up pair.
Even still, I think everyone takes a bit of time to adjust to new glasses. It's like going from a comfy but very worn pair of shoes to a new shiny pair that need a wee bit of breaking in.
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 4, 2005 7:46 pm (#2686 of 2956)
Hello everyone.
Not so long ago we had a discussion on knitting. In my book catalogue (from a company called doubleday) was a book called First Knits: Step-by step projects for knitting novices. So I ordered it to finally get a book that might help me learn. There are some two different beanies and a simple cardigan/jacket pattern amongst others.
It is published in the UK and is currently available in Australia and Amazon.com says it will be available from 1st April.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Lizzy
I laughed at the crane photos till I cried. Once I worked out what was wrong with them (courtesy of bumbledore), I still find it funny.
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 7:52 pm (#2687 of 2956)
Darn those Engineers and Scientists. They are always being so darn logical and poking holes great theories and conspiracies.
**waves to all the engineers, scientists, and other nit-pickers**
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Phoenix song - Mar 4, 2005 9:05 pm (#2688 of 2956)
I tried again last week to reserve the audio, and they still didn't have it available. Now you all know what a goober fan I really am!
Catherine, don't worry, I'm more of a goober than you! I've been impatiently waiting to see if I could reserve the audio of HBP from the UK Amazon.com. {I prefer the UK versions of the audio with Stephen Frye narrating.} It's frustrating since I'm not sure if I'll be able to get them at the same time of the book's release, and I know that there'll be the additional time for the CDs to travel "over the pond". Of course, I'll be reading the hardback version first, and twice, and maybe even three times before getting to the audio...but I still hate to wait. Also, my husband listens to the audio book CDs while he's driving. If they don't get here in time I'm afraid that he'll ask me for my book version...and that dog won't hunt...bless his heart!
Barbie
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John Bumbledore - Mar 4, 2005 9:08 pm (#2689 of 2956)
True confessions:
I have to admit, I was laughing when I saw the second crane take the "swim," so I sent the link to all 6 co-workers in my work group. We were all laughing and talking about it. One sent it on to one of their friends who did graphic work with photo editing software. He was the one who immediately told us it was a fake. So I was fooled until it was pointed out to me. ** Waves back at Catherine, for all the other "engineers, scientists, and other nit-pickers" **
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. Hello, my name is John and I am an insufferable-know-it-all and nit-picker.
P. P. S. x-post with Phoenix Song. ** Waves at Barbie, passes her a butterbeer. ** Hmm, audio-book on CD (my car only has cassette tape player.) Well, I going to check on some other threads. Ta ta.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 4, 2005 9:41 pm (#2690 of 2956)
John, they do have the audiotapes (my car only has a cassette player as well).
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timrew - Mar 4, 2005 11:10 pm (#2691 of 2956)
I wondered what you were all on about, so scrolled back and had a look at the 'cranes' pics. Very funny!
But from the way the people were all jumping about from pic to pic, obviously a fake.
Just as well. I thought cranes were an endangered species........
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Elanor - Mar 5, 2005 1:03 am (#2692 of 2956)
I loved those pictures too! Too bad it is a fake...
It is Saturday morning here and I'm glad not to go to work this morning because - sad but true - it snowed AGAIN during the night, more than 10 centimeters (4 inches?) that stick to the road and it is still snowing... **sigh** The cold snap started on February 12th and from that day, it snowed every day (except for 2 days of sun but Siberian temperatures).
Actually, it has funny side effects too. I've heard that the price of the "pot-au-feu" (a famous French recipe eaten during winter, it is boiled beef with vegetables) has doubled those last days... Something to do with vegetables freezing or stuck in trucks, trucks that are stuck somewhere on snowy highways. Too bad! To think people want to comfort themselves with food and can't do that because of frozen leeks... I think I'll make "crêpes"/pancakes today instead!
Talking about fairs and strange works we used to do, I don't think I ever told you about the year I was holding a stand at the famous "Salon de l'Agriculture" Delightful Task was talking about. That was an experience, indeed! It is a huge fair, with more than 600 000 people visiting each year, this is the link to the English site of the fair:salon de l'agriculture.
I was working for the Tourist Office of my town then and the region had a stand about regional products at the fair and I was one of the victims volunteers chosen for going there and give some tourist information on that stand. It was amazing! As an exhibitor, I could come before visitors in the morning and see those beautiful animals when their owners were preparing them for the day. It was also very funny because a lot of exhibitors had brought some local products to make parties in the evening (I have fond memories of the punch from Martinique...). It was also exhausting, thousands of people moving, asking questions, kids screaming, musicians playing... and that 10 hours a day. We were about 10 people on that stand and we didn't have a minute to lose! Fortunately, we had wine and honey producers with us who cheered us up with their products too (never tried red wine with slice of bread and honey? Weird but good when you're exhausted...) Anyway, I don't regret it, this was a unique experience!
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Catherine - Mar 5, 2005 7:00 am (#2693 of 2956)
Hello, my name is John and I am an insufferable-know-it-all and nit-picker. –Bumbledore
Excellent! You've come to the right place, then!
I always appreciate those members who can pick the more technical, mathematical, and scientific nits, because those nits always escape my grasp.
In fact, Chemyst was able to use astronomy recently in the Snape thread to support a position that I held, but was unable to find absolute canon evidence to support. I also seem to remember that Marcus did a good job of explaining wand use and spoken magic. The explanation made sense and seemed logical to me, anyway.
Busy Saturday planned today. I need to tackle some big house-keeping chores, both inside and outside today. Time to cull the kids' clothes in preparation for spring, and set aside the Hayley's decent outgrown stuff for the Humane Society Yard Sale (part of our Anti-"Litter" campaign--I can hear the groans already) and do the same thing for the toy closet. Then I need to pull up some weeds and yank out the plants that were the victims of winter.
Off to do House-elf duty...have a good Saturday.
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kabloink! - Mar 5, 2005 8:40 am (#2694 of 2956)
All this talk about fairs and stuff makes me think of the Michigan Renaissance Festival and wish the time for it were nearer. I love dressing up in my garb and going and looking around at all the stuffs. They have smoked Turkey Legs and Soup on a Bread Bowl. A lot of the stuff isn't actually period, but it is still a blast. One of my husband's cousins (I guess she's my cousin now, too!) works there every year. She almost got me a job last year, but it was so late in the season and I was too busy with school. Who know, though. If I can find a Monday-Friday job this year, I might get to work there.
I'm a rennie who doesn't have the time or money to be a rennie.
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The giant squid - Mar 5, 2005 9:05 am (#2695 of 2956)
My oldest, who turned 8 yesterday[...]--Marie E.
Make sure you give her a belated birthday hug from her Uncle Mike. Did she like her present?
Happy Birthday wishes to Denise's little one as well.
Marie, I hadn't realized your eyes were that much worse than mine (-6.75 in one eye, -5.5 in the other). I think they'll skip the cane and just give you a piano! My wife claims that her bad eyes are my fault--they were fine for most of her life, then shortly after we got married she started having trouble seeing. Her vision is still much better than mine, though. She only needs the glasses for distances. I tried to get her to wear contacts, but she refuses to stick her finger in her eye...
Mike, you have a fascinating career history!—Catherine
You have no idea...though not much of it can really be classed as "career"; more like "something to pay the bills".
kabloink, it's too bad I missed you, but I can relate to the tight schedule. I hope your anniversary dinner was good at least! There's always next time--c'mon, like you need an excuse to come to Vegas!
--Mike
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Lina - Mar 5, 2005 9:36 am (#2696 of 2956)
It is a real frustration! Two days off the forum, and I need five days to catch you up. I keep admiring you folks that are able to be here every day and even check every post (because you really do a great job)! I had a light operation two days ago, on my middle daughter's birthday, I had to remove a birth mark, and it isn't the operation that is complicated (easier than to visit a dentist) but the results of the analysis that I expect in two weeks. Then I had to spare my leg to avoid complications, but today I feel just excellent, unlike my celebrating daughter (Veronika) who got the flu with high temperature. So I had to cancel the birthday party and had the time to catch this thread which has been too interesting these days to skip any post.
Just guess what we gave Veronika for her 11th birthday? The PS/SS audio CDs! Since she is a bit dyslexic, we figured out she would appreciate it. And we were right. It is the first book published on audio CDs in Croatia. We have libraries for the blind that make their own copies of audio books, but this is the first one published.
Since I have all the books published so far in English and Croatian, I plan to acquire them in Italian too, now I'm considering acquiring them in audio versions too. It might benefit the pronunciation...
Good day to everybody!
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Catherine - Mar 5, 2005 9:43 am (#2697 of 2956)
Happy Birthday to Lina's daughter Veronika, and I hope you feel better. Good to see that your operation didn't slow you down, Lina.
I'm eating a quick lunch in front of the computer to reward myself for scrubbing the kitchen floor and doing all the vacuuming. Since we discussed appliances yesterday, let me just say that my vacuum is only seven years old, but it's acting like it is seventy. I'm about ready to pitch it on the trash heap! Good tools make a job much easier, I believe.
Back to the regularly scheduled duties....
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Ydnam96 - Mar 5, 2005 9:49 am (#2698 of 2956)
Lina, I hope that the results from the surgery turn out well. If you don't mind me asking, what prompted the doctors to remove it? I have a birth mark that my doctors like to look at but they don't tell me what they are looking for.
And, don't worry about not getting on the forum every day. I come when I can, but still can't catch up on all the new posts. There are just too many of us
Off to catch up on some posts then maybe go to REI to buy a backpacking pack.
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Lina - Mar 5, 2005 11:00 am (#2699 of 2956)
Thank you for your nice wishes!
The reason for removing it was that it started to change - in shape and color. The worst thing is that my mum is a doctor so I've heard a lot of stories on that meter much before I dreamed it could happen to me. The other bad thing is that the dermatologists have done their best and maybe succeeded to scare me.
The good thing might be that I decided to do it at the moment that I accepted the possible outcomes. I have a really hard time to believe it could be so seriously bad. I'm sure I went in time. If the analysis shows that it is necessary, I might get some therapy but I believe it would finish there. It seems it could turn out that it is good that I'm so fat.
The worst thing that this could mean is called melanoma, so if I knew that this operation is so simple, I might have done it much earlier. But you know how it is, you always have some better things to do and never enough time for yourself. But it seems that nowdays doctors know much better how to handle this stuff, so melanoma is not as lethal as it used to be.
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kabloink! - Mar 5, 2005 11:26 am (#2700 of 2956)
I remember my grandmother had a spot on her leg for as long as I could remember. I always asked her what it was, and she didn't know. It wasn't dark like most birth marks, it almost looked like a scar, but it wasn't. Apparently for a long time, her doctors didn't know what it was, either. Turns out when they finally looked at it seriously, it was melanoma. Mind you, my grandmother was born in 1913, and worked on a farm most of her life, before people really knew what skin cancer was. Anyway, they removed it and did a simple skin graft. After that it was simply scar tissue. She had a couple more spots on her face, but they were small and easily dealt with. Thank goodness none of it was bad. I suppose I sometimes have a hard time understanding how bad skin cancer could be, simply because it was so easily dealt with in my grandmother.
Oh well, sorry about being kind of depressing with that. My grandmother has since passed away, simply from old age. She had been through several health problems, including tuberculosis, breast cancer, skin cancer, two wars, a depression, heart problems...and was 89 years old when she passed on. She was a very large part of my life growing up, and I learned a great deal from the things that happened to her.
Mike, who knows, maybe we'll use visiting you as an excuse for coming out to Vegas again. My inlaws have been talking about heading out there again sometime soon. They're much more laid back than my parents, so perhaps we'll tag along and visit then!
Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 5:48 am (#2651 of 2956)
I first started wearing contacts while working as a cook at an open-pit barbecue restaurant.--Mike, TGS
Mmmm...barbecue. Mike, you have a fascinating career history!
Whew. Today is the first day that I have no doctor appointments for the kids, and no one is home sick. YAY! I was actually glad last night to attend a very long humane society fundraiser meeting, just to think about something different.
We held it in a deli I'd never been to before, so that we could eat during the meeting. The cashier kept staring at me. I kept wondering if I was chewing with my mouth open, or if my nose had dirt on it, or if my eyebrows were suddenly growing together. So here I am, in this very serious meeting, and suddnenly the cashier comes up to our table and says, "I know you. YOU are that lady who is a big Harry Potter fan!"
All these eyes darted to me, and I said, "Yes, I am." The cashier had previously worked at the seasonal Halloween store, where I tried once again to find adult sized Quidditch robes for Mr. Catherine (actually, this would be a joke gift for Mr. Catherine, but I digress).
My fellow diners raised their eyebrows while the cashier kept on saying, "She even helped a mom find a Lord of the Rings costume when I didn't know what that lady was saying."
**sound of crickets chirping**
So I was "outed" from the Harry Potter closet publicly last night!
Have a good Friday!
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 4, 2005 6:35 am (#2652 of 2956)
Oh dear, Catherine, and a public outing at that. I have embraced my Harry Potter "gooberness," ***waves to Catherine*** at least among my friends. Last time I visited my nieces and nephews, I said "I bet I can prove that I'm the biggest geek of all time." After they are finished looking puzzled (as if to say "You think you need proof?"), I whip out my Barnes and Noble Half-Blood Prince reservation, dated January 9th which, I know, was late to be getting around to making a reservation, but the muggles don't know the difference. For some reason, they think it strange to have reserved a book months in advance.
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Marie E. - Mar 4, 2005 6:52 am (#2653 of 2956)
Catherine, you have no idea how interesting Mike's career history is. Ask him about his time on the road with a rock band.
Mike/giantsquid: You got your glasses when you were a freshman so I think you were 14. I got mine in 3rd grade, just after I turned nine. Veronika, you mentioned your prescription being -7. Mine is -8.5. I figure at my next appointment they will hand me a white cane and a dog and bid me a fond farewell. My oldest, who turned 8 yesterday, developed lazy eye in both eyes at age 15 months. She was my darling cross eyed baby, bless her heart. We tried eye patches and glasses to strengthen her eye muscles, but just after her second birthday she had surgery. She absolutely fine now, eye-wise anyway.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 4, 2005 7:06 am (#2654 of 2956)
She was my darling cross eyed baby, bless her heart.—Marie
Awwwww. To go back a topic or two (and sorry if you did discuss this in a post), but I can only imagine the stupid comments that you received from complete strangers.
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Denise P. - Mar 4, 2005 7:20 am (#2655 of 2956)
The Royal Easter Show sounds like our County/State fairs. We have similar events here in the US, normally held in the summer time and often they have a portion with amusement park rides. As a kid, we loved when it was fair time. Back then, my parents could give my brother and I each $5 and let us loose for the day to do what we wanted. Of course, now, $5 would get the kids a small lemonaide and there is no way I would allow them to run loose without supervision at a fair.
:::doing a happy dance::::: I am getting a brand, spanking new dishwasher installed this morning! Our current dishwasher is almost 10 years old and just not doing its job. We picked out a new one, a super duper heavy duty one to deal with the demands we place on our dishwashers. The cool thing I like is that it has a delayed start option. No more having to remember to go turn the thing on after all showers have been taken and then cursing in the morning when you open it for something to discover you didn't run it.
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 4, 2005 7:25 am (#2656 of 2956)
Out here in Southern Minnesota, almost every little town has its own "fair" celebrating itself as a town, with parades and sidewalk sales and craft shows. In Rochester, we also have our county fair (like your "show", Delightful Task, but smaller I'm sure!), with rides and sideshows and unhealthy food (a great preoccupation of Americans on holiday! Fried cheese curds, ice cream, miniature doughnuts, and about anything you can imagine eating off a stick! ). It's been a nice way to introduce our little ones to farm animals, because we can walk about the buildings and see all the animals being judged: pigs, sheep, ducks, llamas (raised for wool), cows, fancy roosters, horses (almost all enormous farm horses, Percherons and Belgians mostly, but once we saw miniature horses!), and so on. The children usually get the chance to pet the sheep, cows, and horses.
I've had my glasses since I was 11. I'd been claiming for a while that I needed glasses, but no one believed me. I was so excited when I put them on for the first time, and realized that one could see separate leaves on the trees across the street! (My mother was humiliated!)
EDIT: Beat me to the post, Denise! And congrats on the dishwasher! My husband (who had to wash dishes all the time he was growing up) says that a house is something you build around a dishwasher.
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 7:30 am (#2657 of 2956)
Happy Birthday to the adorable Spaghetti Face, and your dishwasher sounds awesome, Denise. I'll bet the baseball team family does stress a dishwasher just a bit. You deserve to happy dance!
I've been trying to get my mom to replace the dishwasher in their house ever since they bought it. Seven years ago, they moved to place Dad closer to his new office, and the house they bought was three years old. I sincerely hope that your old dishwasher was not as loud as theirs is. It sounds like a jet is taking off when it runs. Not only that, but the shortest cycle runs no less than an hour. Their excuse is, "We don't know if we're staying here." That was seven years ago! Mr. Catherine and I offered to replace it for them for several Christmases, and they refused because, "It's not worth it because we may not stay here."
As it is now, Dad complains constantly if Mom runs it, and it doesn't have a delay cycle to run it when they aren't there. So the way I see it, a good dishwasher promotes family harmony!
EDIT: Mr. RPS is on to something about the house being "built" around the dishwasher!
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Marè - Mar 4, 2005 7:51 am (#2658 of 2956)
I've had my glasses since I was 11. I'd been claiming for a while that I needed glasses, but no one believed me. I was so excited when I put them on for the first time, and realized that one could see separate leaves on the trees across the street!
Seeing leaves on trees was exactly the first thing I noticed when they put glasses on my nose. I was highly surprised that seeing a greenish blurb wasn't what the average tree was supposed to look like.
I didn't like getting glasses though, I was really very sad about it. My mother made it better by finally allowing me to get my ears pierced.
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septentrion - Mar 4, 2005 8:42 am (#2659 of 2956)
Still again I didn't go here for a few days and had to catch up with tons of posts.
Welcome Delightful Task ! I didn't know there was another Frenchie round here ! We have something in common besides HP : my husband is from Maghreb too (Mauritania actually), but isn't fond at all of Harry Potter. Yet he bears my obsession.
RPS, I'd say like Elanor about french children speaking English, you must have met the exceptions. We have a joke here which says that a man who speaks only one language is called a French man.
Penny Lane, the french lexicon is the translation of the lexicon. But the forum is quite an original one. If you want to post there, you'll have to register. It isn't as lively as here but one more member will help it to grow.
About glasses, I wear mine since the age of 10. I never tried contacts and now I'm so accustomed to them I can't imagine myself without them. Luckily I'm not near of blindness, having "only" around -4 at each eyes.
Everyone have a great week-end !
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Penny Lane. - Mar 4, 2005 9:07 am (#2660 of 2956)
Thank you Septentrion. I'll look into it - I'm just learning french, but I think actually reading, and forcing myself to look at it more often might help.
I also have astigmatism (sp?) and wear soft contacts. They used to be really expensive - $150 for 6 months, but now they are cheaper.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 4, 2005 9:24 am (#2661 of 2956)
Hey all!
On the subject of glasses: I got mine when I was in 6th grade (11 I think). It was the day before I was to leave for camp. When I got to camp I got sooooo sick. I was not used to the glasses and they gave me such a headache I thought I was gonna die. They also made me very nautious (spelling?). But I got used to them in a few days. I went to contacts in college, but I have since stopped wearing them. I went on some medication that make it very hard to wear them for longer than a few hours, I guess since they got dried out. Plus it gives me an extra five minutes every morning.
On the subject of dishwashers: we lived in military housing all through my childhood. We never had a dishwasher till after I graduated High School and my dad retired from the Navy. They bought a house with a dish washer but decided it took too much electricity and water. My dad said he had three dishwashers, why did he need another (me, my sister, and my brother)! They still don't use it. I'm not sure if I had one that I would use it either, unless I had a family the size of Denise's
I LOVE the fair! Out here in California we have the LA fair and I went this year. It's so funny because you can tell all these city kids have never seen a cow or a pig. I used to go to the fair in Virginia because my dad showed his ducks, pheasants, and chickens in the poultry area. The fair there was slightly different than in California because most of the people there are used to farm life.
but you can't beat fair food. Deep fried everything. I swear this year they had deep fried twinkies and oreos. NO LIE. I like the funnel cakes.It's still raining here. At least it's not snow.
Happy Friday.
Mandy:)
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Ponine - Mar 4, 2005 9:24 am (#2662 of 2956)
Marè - That is so funny - that was the very first thing I noticed too!! I thought it was just amazing that you could actually see the individual leaves of the birch, and it was awesome...
Of course, as I too was a child of the eighties, my glasses were big and hideous and completely matched my braces... sigh.. it was all good, right..._____________________________________
Essidji - Mar 4, 2005 9:26 am (#2663 of 2956)
Hey all! Would you fancy a good laugh? Try this. I found it so hilarious that I really wanted to share.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Babajani1/MurphysLaw/
Oh, and welcome Delightful Task. Wow, two of we four are teachers, I'm gonna have a big complex with my level in English...
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Ponine - Mar 4, 2005 9:31 am (#2664 of 2956)
Hi Essidji - That is hilarious!! I know I have been really impressed by the language here as well, and I am always quite self-counscious when typing, torn between being spontaneous and semi-proper.
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Phoenix song - Mar 4, 2005 9:32 am (#2665 of 2956)
Good morning everyone! I am so relieved to find out that my OCD of needing to "place" every actor/actress that I see/hear with where I originally "knew" them from is not a disorder that I alone share. I've always thought that if you were the only one with a peculiar "peeve" that you were abnormal, but if you meet at least one other person with your particular obsession then you're "exceptional".
Mike, I can feel your pain regarding the snippets that you see on those fast paced trailers! Those things get to me, too! Often you'll see an actor's side profile for the briefest of seconds and then it progresses to the next car crash. Meanwhile, I'm stuck speaking my usual line to my husband sitting next to me, "Where do I know him from?" His ultra understanding and sympathetic remark is something to the effect of, "I don't know, it's not important, get over it and watch the movie!"
At least I now know that there are others to whom this is important as well.
Denise, be sure to give your little cutie, "Spaghetti face", lots of Happy Birthday Hugs from us! Happy Birthday Little One! And congratulations on the new dishwasher. I feel your excitement. When we first bought our home, the dishwasher in it was terrible. Our only chance at having the dishes come out clean was to totally and completely wash them prior to placing them in the washer. I rinse off things before I put them in the dishwasher, but if you have to completely clean them before hand what is the point of wasting the water to run the dishwasher? It certainly didn't get hot enough to "sanitize" them and didn't even dry the dishes for us. I was so thrilled when I got a new dishwasher. As a side benefit, I've found that we've experienced fewer colds since getting the new dishwasher. My kids were always sick, but my new washer has a sanitization cycle that seems to have worked to help prevent at least the spreading of germs to the other family members.
Have a good day everybody! If we can get some sun around here I'd be plenty pleased!
Barbie
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Sirius Lee - Mar 4, 2005 9:41 am (#2666 of 2956)
Deep fried everything. I swear this year they had deep fried twinkies and oreos. NO LIE
Here in New York, we have a fantastic British restaurant that is known for both the yummy food AND the deep-fried desserts! They claim to have invented the deep friend twinkie, but also cook up Hostess Cherry Pies, Bananas, and tons of candy bars (Twix, Mars, Snickers, etc). The fried Reese's Peanut Buttter Cups are possibly the best thing to ever happen to chocolate! ::drools just thinking about it::
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Julia. - Mar 4, 2005 11:09 am (#2667 of 2956)
Denise, wish Kierynn a happy birthday for me, and pass along some child-size butterbeer.
Just a quick hello to you all before my last class (Shakespeare, yay!) and then I'm home for spring break! *dances*
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 4, 2005 11:37 am (#2668 of 2956)
Essidji, YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!! That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen! ROFL!
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kabloink! - Mar 4, 2005 11:59 am (#2669 of 2956)
I saw the first part of that in my husband's Maxim this month. It said to be continued...So the second crane fell in as well? That's just hilarious.
My mom has pretty bad eyes, too. Whenever my dad is trying to convince someone to get high index lenses (nice and thin) he show's them my mom's lenses, her prescription is +8.25, +7 (not including her bifocals), and her whole family (she is one of eight, and her dad) all have eyes like that. I'm so glad that I take after my dad and only have a -3 in one eye and a -2.75 with a bit of astigmatism in the other. As far as wearing contacts when you only need them for distance, that is exactly what I do. Up until recently my distance vision wasn't even bad enough to worry about reading glasses, but now if I'm wearing my contacts I have these awesome reading glasses that I just toss on over them. Works like a charm, and since its only for reading, its easy to get over wearing the glasses.
By the way, I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. Giant Squid Mike, my husband and I would have totally met you somewhere if it had been an option. Unfortunately we were with my parents (who paid for everything, so we can't complain), and they had certain things that they wanted us to see, on top of my dad and his slot obsession...we didn't even get to do anything except for dinner alone on our anniversary.
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John Bumbledore - Mar 4, 2005 12:44 pm (#2670 of 2956)
Oh, so that is what those are for!
Denise P, "The cool thing I like is that it has a delayed start option. No more having to remember to go turn the thing on after all showers have been taken and then cursing in the morning when you open it for something to discover you didn't run it."
We got a new (well, new to us) dishwasher about a year ago when the old one that came with the house started auditioning for a role as a prop in "The Exorcist!" Mrs. Bumbledore had just turned the old dishwasher on when it started shaking, then rumbling like a volcanic eruption. First we cut the power at the circuit breaker, then since it didn't stop, we shut off the main breaker for the entire house! It just kept on rumbling and shaking! We were ready to call 911 because we thought we could smell burning plastic or rubber, but then it just stopped. I shut off the water and verified the power was off with a voltage meter.
Mandy and Catherine, The new ones are quiet and more energy efficient than hand washing. If you wash dishes after each meal, hand washing takes about 30 gallons a day of heated water. New dishwashers use about 10 to 15 gallons of hot water and can usually wash an entire days’ worth of dishes (for an average family) in one load. Denise P, no need to tell you that you have an above average family. Mrs. Bumbledore and I also have an above average family, but just a little bit as we only have four children. **Did I just say only four?**
Welcome to all our new members, and welcome back to those who are returning from a long. . . separation from our forum family.
Hi Essidji - That was hilarious, But, alas, that last shot with the green crane is a forgery. Here is the link again, http://community-2.webtv.net/Babajani1/MurphysLaw/ notice the fifth picture in the series (red car on pier, white skiff beside red ship, position of spectators, etc.) then the last picture is copy of picture 5 with the green crane edited in on it's side.
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
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Madam Pince - Mar 4, 2005 12:55 pm (#2671 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Kierynn!
Congrats on the dishwasher, too! We got a new dishwasher last year. I had hesitated for so long because there wasn't anything "technically" wrong with our old one, just that it was so loud and it sometimes didn't clean tough stuff all that well. But I was won over by the thing about the new efficient machines using less water than hand-washing, and it's definitely true. Plus it's practically silent! If I can only convince my Mom (who stays with us part of the year) to ever give up on the pre-rinsing. She is convinced it is necessary -- I keep telling her it's a waste of water and that the new machine will get it done. Sigh....
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Eponine - Mar 4, 2005 1:29 pm (#2672 of 2956)
All this talk about fairs is making me remember the deep fried Snickers bar I had at the North Carolina State Fair this year. (**waves to Catherine **) It was so good. My sister and I promptly dubbed it, 'deep friend heaven on a stick covered with powdered sugar'. Mmmmmmm.....
Barbie, you are definitely NOT alone in the actor recognition OCD. My husband and I will be watching TV or a movie, and if we're trying to place someone...IMDB during the commercials or the minute we get home. It drives us nuts trying to figure out where we know that actor from.
I'm so glad it's Friday. No more kids until Monday, then only 3 weeks of this left. I'm glad I did this, but it's made me realize that I do not like being in charge of a classroom full of kids. I prefer to work with smaller groups or one on one.
Have a happy Friday!
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 1:46 pm (#2673 of 2956)
Oh, Bumbledore, I don't need any convincing that modern dishwashers are wonderful!
When we renovated our home, we removed the hideous autumn red old appliance and, after much consultation, selected our current model. It is so quiet that you can't tell it's on unless you watch the display pad, or open it and see the water streaming through it. Why the parents stick with the current model for seven years is beyond me, especially as it causes discord
I've done my share of hand-washing during college and grad school years. Nothing can provoke an argument like someone who lets old food fossilize in pots or lets dishes stack up past the level of the sink! Grrr!
EDIT: **waves back at Eponine** I still can't believe that you two ate that! I'll have to try one at the County Fair this year! Remember the alligator kabobs?
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Round Pink Spider - Mar 4, 2005 2:09 pm (#2674 of 2956)
Alligator. Now I've never seen that on a stick in Minnesota. I did have ostrich, once...
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 2:21 pm (#2675 of 2956)
Eponine, her sister (Dobby's Tea Cozy), and I found out that you can, with enough cash and a willing appetite, eat just about anything on a stick at the State Fair!
In fact, I even took a picture of one menu that caught our notice. Here is the original post from the shelved Chat thread Food on a Stick
I would like to add, for the record, that no one in our party ate anything off of that menu.
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Eponine - Mar 4, 2005 2:24 pm (#2676 of 2956)
Yep, you can buy "fried dough" too. I guess it's no longer politically correct to call it a funnel cake.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 4, 2005 3:06 pm (#2677 of 2956)
Phew, I had 99 posts to catch up on!
Sirius Lee, where is this place you refer to with all the fried things? A Salt and Battery on 2nd Avenue has deep friend Mars Bars (the british Mars bars). But I've not seen other things deep fried. (Not that I need it on my diet, but that's ok...).
There is a cajun restaurant on 6th St. here in Manhattan that serves alligator. I've not yet built up the daring to try it though...
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Ladybug220 - Mar 4, 2005 3:10 pm (#2678 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 4, 2005 2:10 pm
Gina, it tastes like a combo of pork and chicken. It's pretty good (although it has been years since I have eaten it).
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Acceber - Mar 4, 2005 3:30 pm (#2679 of 2956)
Thanks for the advice about glasses and plays Pinky. I will most definitely try that. The play is in two weeks and we're getting our costumes in a week . I remember when the productions felt like they'd never come, and now they're almost here.
Happy Spring Break to the College Students.
And Happy Birthday Kierynn! When I first saw Denise's new avatar, I said, "Ohhhhh, baby." But then I realized she's not a baby anymore. I remember her first birthday, and Denise's avatar with her as a little baby and then again at the present time. If I recall, she was in the same adorable outfit. I'm feeling nostalgic thinking about this time a year ago. And I feel old, which isn't too normal around here.
It's Friday, I'm listening to the Beatles, I'm reading the Forum, so I'm in a good mood. Yay!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 4, 2005 3:41 pm (#2680 of 2956)
Has anybody heard if the American audio version of HBP will be released at the same time as the hardcover? It was for OOP so I am hoping it will be for HBP as well.
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Detail Seeker - Mar 4, 2005 3:47 pm (#2681 of 2956)
As to murphy´s Law: What can go wrong, will go wrong
Did you know the two theories about the origins of this ?
The first says, that this was not found out by Murphy, but by a person of the same name.
The second one says, it is an acronym: Most UnReliable Prediction Hinted Yesterday
Whatever: nice pictures, though I wonder about a few details like no persons standing in the gliding path going down, too in the first "bath"...
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 3:57 pm (#2682 of 2956)
Has anybody heard if the American audio version of HBP will be released at the same time as the hardcover? It was for OOP so I am hoping it will be for HBP as well. –Ladybug
I remembered that, which is why I tried to reserve my audio copy at the same time I reserved my books, and it wasn't available yet, at least at Barnes and Noble. I tried again last week to reserve the audio, and they still didn't have it available.
Now you all know what a goober fan I really am!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 4, 2005 5:31 pm (#2683 of 2956)
I think Murphy's Laws are the universal religion. Thanks for the chuckle. I forwarded it to my son (in Italy), but I didn't point out the bit about the final shot. Let's see if he catches on. I used to have a series of posters with Murphy's Laws and all the corollaries broken down by topic--work, marriage, love, shopping, kids, etc. I can only find the one on work now (my son confiscated it and hung it in his room).
Glasses--I got mine when I was 19, in college and realizing that my profs all didn't have bad handwriting. I'd sit in the back of these huge lecture halls and have to copy notes off of the person next to me since the board was a blur. One day I sat up front for a change (a boy I was "interested" in was in the third row so I joined him), and--lo and behold!--the notes on the board were crystal clear. My correction was just for distance and I only needed to wear the specs for driving and movies--oh, yeah, for class, too. I'm also a bit astigmatic, but both corrections are mild. However, when that certain age is reached, one encounters the difficulties in reading things close-up. Crossword puzzle clues are the worst.
So your eye doc prescribes bifocals, but suggests that you try no-lines or progressives so the glasses don't make you look like a little old lady (the line across the lens being the giveaway). Gaaaa! It took me an incredible amount of time to accommodate the new prescription. I tripped down stairs, got nauseous just moving my head from side to side, could not read street signs unless I slid the glasses way down my nose. They re-made the lenses 3 times till it finally worked. Apparently I am not an adaptable person. Every time the prescription has changed even slightly, I go through a version of this. I just got new glasses a month ago and I'm still not happy with them. Honestly, next time the doc says there's a minor change in the correction, I'm going to pass. Thanks, but no thanks.
Thanks for letting me vent. Seeing as how I am going through an adjustment period now, I needed to. But I want to apologize for being a kvetch about something so relatively minor. I am truly thankful that my eye problems are trivial and I feel sorry for the many who have more serious issues. My sister, for example. She wore glasses--real "coke bottles" she called them--since she was two! Ironically, when she had cataract surgery two years ago, the lenses they implanted eliminated the need for glasses altogether! She had perfect vision now. I'm still not used to seeing her without glasses.
Well, time to throw some dinner on the stove. Later, guys...
Ciao. Barb
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Chemyst - Mar 4, 2005 6:07 pm (#2684 of 2956)
Chemyst, Sometimes it's good to vary from tradition... Julie
That is true. And I thank you for being my fuddy-duddy-prevention police. It is still too early for me to cash in on my birthright of becoming a crotchety little old lady. Nevertheless, in cases of movies about characters such as Sid Vicious, I've had my fill of dwelling on angry lifestyles, thank-you very much.
Did Kierynn march forth to her birthday cake? ... sorry... I don't know what came over me just now...
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Gina R Snape - Mar 4, 2005 6:24 pm (#2685 of 2956)
Oh, yes. Happy birthday Kierynn! Geez, I remember Denise being pregnant and disappearing when she went into labour!
Anyway, I've got progressive lenses. As a matter of fact, I wore my first pair of progressives when I was a kid and they first came out with them. I had a back-up pair that were straight bifocals and they made me dizzy! I couldn't walk down stairs, and I repeatedly tripped over my own two feet in regular bifocals. That was the end of the back-up pair.
Even still, I think everyone takes a bit of time to adjust to new glasses. It's like going from a comfy but very worn pair of shoes to a new shiny pair that need a wee bit of breaking in.
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 4, 2005 7:46 pm (#2686 of 2956)
Hello everyone.
Not so long ago we had a discussion on knitting. In my book catalogue (from a company called doubleday) was a book called First Knits: Step-by step projects for knitting novices. So I ordered it to finally get a book that might help me learn. There are some two different beanies and a simple cardigan/jacket pattern amongst others.
It is published in the UK and is currently available in Australia and Amazon.com says it will be available from 1st April.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Lizzy
I laughed at the crane photos till I cried. Once I worked out what was wrong with them (courtesy of bumbledore), I still find it funny.
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Catherine - Mar 4, 2005 7:52 pm (#2687 of 2956)
Darn those Engineers and Scientists. They are always being so darn logical and poking holes great theories and conspiracies.
**waves to all the engineers, scientists, and other nit-pickers**
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Phoenix song - Mar 4, 2005 9:05 pm (#2688 of 2956)
I tried again last week to reserve the audio, and they still didn't have it available. Now you all know what a goober fan I really am!
Catherine, don't worry, I'm more of a goober than you! I've been impatiently waiting to see if I could reserve the audio of HBP from the UK Amazon.com. {I prefer the UK versions of the audio with Stephen Frye narrating.} It's frustrating since I'm not sure if I'll be able to get them at the same time of the book's release, and I know that there'll be the additional time for the CDs to travel "over the pond". Of course, I'll be reading the hardback version first, and twice, and maybe even three times before getting to the audio...but I still hate to wait. Also, my husband listens to the audio book CDs while he's driving. If they don't get here in time I'm afraid that he'll ask me for my book version...and that dog won't hunt...bless his heart!
Barbie
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John Bumbledore - Mar 4, 2005 9:08 pm (#2689 of 2956)
True confessions:
I have to admit, I was laughing when I saw the second crane take the "swim," so I sent the link to all 6 co-workers in my work group. We were all laughing and talking about it. One sent it on to one of their friends who did graphic work with photo editing software. He was the one who immediately told us it was a fake. So I was fooled until it was pointed out to me. ** Waves back at Catherine, for all the other "engineers, scientists, and other nit-pickers" **
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore
P. S. Hello, my name is John and I am an insufferable-know-it-all and nit-picker.
P. P. S. x-post with Phoenix Song. ** Waves at Barbie, passes her a butterbeer. ** Hmm, audio-book on CD (my car only has cassette tape player.) Well, I going to check on some other threads. Ta ta.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 4, 2005 9:41 pm (#2690 of 2956)
John, they do have the audiotapes (my car only has a cassette player as well).
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timrew - Mar 4, 2005 11:10 pm (#2691 of 2956)
I wondered what you were all on about, so scrolled back and had a look at the 'cranes' pics. Very funny!
But from the way the people were all jumping about from pic to pic, obviously a fake.
Just as well. I thought cranes were an endangered species........
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Elanor - Mar 5, 2005 1:03 am (#2692 of 2956)
I loved those pictures too! Too bad it is a fake...
It is Saturday morning here and I'm glad not to go to work this morning because - sad but true - it snowed AGAIN during the night, more than 10 centimeters (4 inches?) that stick to the road and it is still snowing... **sigh** The cold snap started on February 12th and from that day, it snowed every day (except for 2 days of sun but Siberian temperatures).
Actually, it has funny side effects too. I've heard that the price of the "pot-au-feu" (a famous French recipe eaten during winter, it is boiled beef with vegetables) has doubled those last days... Something to do with vegetables freezing or stuck in trucks, trucks that are stuck somewhere on snowy highways. Too bad! To think people want to comfort themselves with food and can't do that because of frozen leeks... I think I'll make "crêpes"/pancakes today instead!
Talking about fairs and strange works we used to do, I don't think I ever told you about the year I was holding a stand at the famous "Salon de l'Agriculture" Delightful Task was talking about. That was an experience, indeed! It is a huge fair, with more than 600 000 people visiting each year, this is the link to the English site of the fair:salon de l'agriculture.
I was working for the Tourist Office of my town then and the region had a stand about regional products at the fair and I was one of the victims volunteers chosen for going there and give some tourist information on that stand. It was amazing! As an exhibitor, I could come before visitors in the morning and see those beautiful animals when their owners were preparing them for the day. It was also very funny because a lot of exhibitors had brought some local products to make parties in the evening (I have fond memories of the punch from Martinique...). It was also exhausting, thousands of people moving, asking questions, kids screaming, musicians playing... and that 10 hours a day. We were about 10 people on that stand and we didn't have a minute to lose! Fortunately, we had wine and honey producers with us who cheered us up with their products too (never tried red wine with slice of bread and honey? Weird but good when you're exhausted...) Anyway, I don't regret it, this was a unique experience!
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Catherine - Mar 5, 2005 7:00 am (#2693 of 2956)
Hello, my name is John and I am an insufferable-know-it-all and nit-picker. –Bumbledore
Excellent! You've come to the right place, then!
I always appreciate those members who can pick the more technical, mathematical, and scientific nits, because those nits always escape my grasp.
In fact, Chemyst was able to use astronomy recently in the Snape thread to support a position that I held, but was unable to find absolute canon evidence to support. I also seem to remember that Marcus did a good job of explaining wand use and spoken magic. The explanation made sense and seemed logical to me, anyway.
Busy Saturday planned today. I need to tackle some big house-keeping chores, both inside and outside today. Time to cull the kids' clothes in preparation for spring, and set aside the Hayley's decent outgrown stuff for the Humane Society Yard Sale (part of our Anti-"Litter" campaign--I can hear the groans already) and do the same thing for the toy closet. Then I need to pull up some weeds and yank out the plants that were the victims of winter.
Off to do House-elf duty...have a good Saturday.
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kabloink! - Mar 5, 2005 8:40 am (#2694 of 2956)
All this talk about fairs and stuff makes me think of the Michigan Renaissance Festival and wish the time for it were nearer. I love dressing up in my garb and going and looking around at all the stuffs. They have smoked Turkey Legs and Soup on a Bread Bowl. A lot of the stuff isn't actually period, but it is still a blast. One of my husband's cousins (I guess she's my cousin now, too!) works there every year. She almost got me a job last year, but it was so late in the season and I was too busy with school. Who know, though. If I can find a Monday-Friday job this year, I might get to work there.
I'm a rennie who doesn't have the time or money to be a rennie.
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The giant squid - Mar 5, 2005 9:05 am (#2695 of 2956)
My oldest, who turned 8 yesterday[...]--Marie E.
Make sure you give her a belated birthday hug from her Uncle Mike. Did she like her present?
Happy Birthday wishes to Denise's little one as well.
Marie, I hadn't realized your eyes were that much worse than mine (-6.75 in one eye, -5.5 in the other). I think they'll skip the cane and just give you a piano! My wife claims that her bad eyes are my fault--they were fine for most of her life, then shortly after we got married she started having trouble seeing. Her vision is still much better than mine, though. She only needs the glasses for distances. I tried to get her to wear contacts, but she refuses to stick her finger in her eye...
Mike, you have a fascinating career history!—Catherine
You have no idea...though not much of it can really be classed as "career"; more like "something to pay the bills".
kabloink, it's too bad I missed you, but I can relate to the tight schedule. I hope your anniversary dinner was good at least! There's always next time--c'mon, like you need an excuse to come to Vegas!
--Mike
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Lina - Mar 5, 2005 9:36 am (#2696 of 2956)
It is a real frustration! Two days off the forum, and I need five days to catch you up. I keep admiring you folks that are able to be here every day and even check every post (because you really do a great job)! I had a light operation two days ago, on my middle daughter's birthday, I had to remove a birth mark, and it isn't the operation that is complicated (easier than to visit a dentist) but the results of the analysis that I expect in two weeks. Then I had to spare my leg to avoid complications, but today I feel just excellent, unlike my celebrating daughter (Veronika) who got the flu with high temperature. So I had to cancel the birthday party and had the time to catch this thread which has been too interesting these days to skip any post.
Just guess what we gave Veronika for her 11th birthday? The PS/SS audio CDs! Since she is a bit dyslexic, we figured out she would appreciate it. And we were right. It is the first book published on audio CDs in Croatia. We have libraries for the blind that make their own copies of audio books, but this is the first one published.
Since I have all the books published so far in English and Croatian, I plan to acquire them in Italian too, now I'm considering acquiring them in audio versions too. It might benefit the pronunciation...
Good day to everybody!
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Catherine - Mar 5, 2005 9:43 am (#2697 of 2956)
Happy Birthday to Lina's daughter Veronika, and I hope you feel better. Good to see that your operation didn't slow you down, Lina.
I'm eating a quick lunch in front of the computer to reward myself for scrubbing the kitchen floor and doing all the vacuuming. Since we discussed appliances yesterday, let me just say that my vacuum is only seven years old, but it's acting like it is seventy. I'm about ready to pitch it on the trash heap! Good tools make a job much easier, I believe.
Back to the regularly scheduled duties....
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Ydnam96 - Mar 5, 2005 9:49 am (#2698 of 2956)
Lina, I hope that the results from the surgery turn out well. If you don't mind me asking, what prompted the doctors to remove it? I have a birth mark that my doctors like to look at but they don't tell me what they are looking for.
And, don't worry about not getting on the forum every day. I come when I can, but still can't catch up on all the new posts. There are just too many of us
Off to catch up on some posts then maybe go to REI to buy a backpacking pack.
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Lina - Mar 5, 2005 11:00 am (#2699 of 2956)
Thank you for your nice wishes!
The reason for removing it was that it started to change - in shape and color. The worst thing is that my mum is a doctor so I've heard a lot of stories on that meter much before I dreamed it could happen to me. The other bad thing is that the dermatologists have done their best and maybe succeeded to scare me.
The good thing might be that I decided to do it at the moment that I accepted the possible outcomes. I have a really hard time to believe it could be so seriously bad. I'm sure I went in time. If the analysis shows that it is necessary, I might get some therapy but I believe it would finish there. It seems it could turn out that it is good that I'm so fat.
The worst thing that this could mean is called melanoma, so if I knew that this operation is so simple, I might have done it much earlier. But you know how it is, you always have some better things to do and never enough time for yourself. But it seems that nowdays doctors know much better how to handle this stuff, so melanoma is not as lethal as it used to be.
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kabloink! - Mar 5, 2005 11:26 am (#2700 of 2956)
I remember my grandmother had a spot on her leg for as long as I could remember. I always asked her what it was, and she didn't know. It wasn't dark like most birth marks, it almost looked like a scar, but it wasn't. Apparently for a long time, her doctors didn't know what it was, either. Turns out when they finally looked at it seriously, it was melanoma. Mind you, my grandmother was born in 1913, and worked on a farm most of her life, before people really knew what skin cancer was. Anyway, they removed it and did a simple skin graft. After that it was simply scar tissue. She had a couple more spots on her face, but they were small and easily dealt with. Thank goodness none of it was bad. I suppose I sometimes have a hard time understanding how bad skin cancer could be, simply because it was so easily dealt with in my grandmother.
Oh well, sorry about being kind of depressing with that. My grandmother has since passed away, simply from old age. She had been through several health problems, including tuberculosis, breast cancer, skin cancer, two wars, a depression, heart problems...and was 89 years old when she passed on. She was a very large part of my life growing up, and I learned a great deal from the things that happened to her.
Mike, who knows, maybe we'll use visiting you as an excuse for coming out to Vegas again. My inlaws have been talking about heading out there again sometime soon. They're much more laid back than my parents, so perhaps we'll tag along and visit then!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:33 pm
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VeronikaG - Mar 5, 2005 11:57 am (#2701 of 2956)
Happy belated birthday to Shayla, Kierynn and Veronika (How cool that she spells it with a K).
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septentrion - Mar 5, 2005 12:04 pm (#2702 of 2956)
I join with Veronika for the birthday wishes, and wish Lina a prompt healing.
It snowed like mad yesterday evening and this morning (buses were cancelled after 7pm yesterday) and this afternoon, you'd have told it had just rained much. The weather's going mad and is driving me mad in the same time. We're nearly at spring !
Everyone have a good week-end !
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Sirius Lee - Mar 5, 2005 1:03 pm (#2703 of 2956)
Gina, "The ChipShop" in Park Slope, Brooklyn is the joint with all the fried yumminess! It also happens to be one of my favorite places to eat. Sunday brunch there has become a staple with me and my friends. Check it out! (corner of 6th Street and 5th Aveune off the F/R)
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kabloink! - Mar 5, 2005 2:07 pm (#2704 of 2956)
Septentrion, does it actually feel like spring on the first day of spring there? It never does here in Michigan. We typically have at LEAST three more weeks of winter after March 21st. I remember when I was little, before we learned about planets and equinoxes and stuff I never understood why people had decided to make the first day of spring so early...
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 5, 2005 3:15 pm (#2705 of 2956)
Happy belated birthday to Shayla, Kierynn and Veronika! My problem was I wanted to wish these children Happy Birthday, but did you think I could find and spell their names?? Septentrion finally provided me with the info.
Lina: I had a rather large birthmark on my waist on my right side. It was removed when I was 10 for exactly the same reason you had yours removed. The risk of melanoma. Actually my doctor and parents told me cancer, but it was enough to scare me in to co-operating. In a quirk of fate the operation was done on April Fool's Day and that particular day was big in a child's life back then.
I'm off to check the threads and then to do a good clean up of the house.
Have a good Sunday.
Lizzy
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Gina R Snape - Mar 5, 2005 7:02 pm (#2706 of 2956)
Oh, Sirius Lee. I've passed that place once before but never went in as I'm not often in Brooklyn. You should let me know when you go and I could meet up with you some time. Maybe we could have a Hogwarts Local meet there too!
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Julia. - Mar 5, 2005 8:47 pm (#2707 of 2956)
Good evening all. I'm home in New Haven for spring break. Ahhhh, the joys of dial up internet. Shabbos this week was very restful. I got a 4 and a half hour nap this afternoon. Yay.
Happy birthday to Shayla and Veronika! Hope you're feeling better soon Lina!
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 5, 2005 9:29 pm (#2708 of 2956)
Hi all, I've just learn't something new. I managed to talk to Marie in the Chat area and have learn't of the existence of mountain time. And worked out how the chat thread works.
Oh I knew it was there, I just couldn't find a city or town I knew of to locate it.
Off to spend the rest of Sunday afternoon snoozing....
Lizzy
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 5, 2005 9:44 pm (#2709 of 2956)
Oh my goodness so many posts!
P.S.- Calendula can be purchased at any health for store. I used it on the girls for diaper irritation. If it is just a minor irritation it works great.
Aloe vera is terrific on burns, it helps cool the burning feel and helps to reduce scaring. However, when you get a burn, put cold/cool water first. Then apply the aloe, I used to always keep one in my kitchen handy for all the cooking mishaps. Butter and oil based products should not be put on burns. The oil holds the heat in. So until all the hot sensations leave the burn it is best to avoid oil based products.
Kids do have their own time schedule and shouldn't be rushed and certainly not compared. My son and his 2-year-younger triplet sisters were very close on the milestones. The oldest girl we jokingly call "his identical twin". Anastasia, before she was two years old, when the other girls were basically saying "mommy" “cookie" and "give me", said to me:
“No mommy, I told you don't do that!”
when I tried to get her into her high chair. I was so surprises to hear that sentence, at the point (they were basically saying "cookie" “mommy" “give me" "doggie") Her sisters who are identical had a two month lapse from Anastasia and from each other on hitting the milestone.
Happy birthday Shayla and Kierynn and all the others.
PS On the glasses, I had wonderful vision, 20/10 all my life. I have now gone past the magic age mark, my vision is now 20/40 and it is so hard to deal with the idea that I can't see like I used to, my arms keep streching further out. My eye doctor who always made faces at me at the end of my eye examines (he wears glasses) has no sympathy.
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Amilia Smith - Mar 5, 2005 11:44 pm (#2710 of 2956)
Holy smoke, Mrs. Sirius! You had a two year old and triplets at the same time? You have my complete and utter admiration!
Going back a couple days. . . thank-you Lizzie for telling about the Royal Easter Show when I asked. It sounds like great fun.
And Mike: very cool that they now have affordable contacts for astigmatism. Either they didn't have them back when I needed them, or my optometrist didn't tell me about them. (This was probably about eight, nine years ago.) I just remember that it was ninety bucks every time I tore one of my contacts. And you also have my admiration for learning to put up with irritants and contacts. As you see, I don't have that patience. Fortunantly, I don't have to worry about contacts any more. Bwahahahaha.
I went tubing tonight up at Soldier Hollow (where the cross-country skiing was held for the 2002 Olympics) with the singles group from my church. Lots of fun. They even have a cable line that hauls you up the hill so that you don't have to climb. :-) I kept running into the fence at the bottom. You are supposed to drag your heels at the end so that you don't do that, but it didn't work very well for me. Not to worry, though, I didn't get hurt.
Mills.
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 6, 2005 1:18 am (#2711 of 2956)
While I'm waiting for tea to cook, I thought I'd update my Avatar.
Hi my name is Macca, I'm 9 years old and I'm the top dog in this family. I suffer from separation anxiety and have just been weaned off anti-depressants (I miss the daily cheese snack though). I'm a cross between a Australian Cattle dog (red) and a Kelpie. My "mum" thinks there's a good dose of Dingo in me though. I love barking at other dogs and 4 wheel drives (SUV's) and driving mum up the wall. Bye for now."
Cheers
Lizzy
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Lina - Mar 6, 2005 2:15 am (#2712 of 2956)
Well, thank you everybody for your "get well" wishes, except I'm not sure I'm sick yet. But I am sure it is going to be fine.
At the moment, everybody is sick around me (one of my daughters, my sister and my mum who live next door) with the flu or something like that. I couldn't be sure, because my mum took the vaccination and she got the temperature all the same. (???) And talking about sneezing, I have the real recipe this time, I use it always with my children: the english translation on my tea box says "Marshmallow root". One teaspoon of it (chopped in small pieces) cover with half glass of the boiled water and let it stay for an hour. Then filtrate it and use as drops for the nose. It doesn't heal but it makes feel much better.
Mrs. Sirius: Kids do have their own time schedule and shouldn't be rushed and certainly not compared.
I thought the same. My eldest daughter started to talk clearly and fine when she was 3, she constantly made questions, she started to multiply when she was 4 and half, she read Harry Potter passionally and by herself when she was 8. So I figured she was progressive and I didn't have to expect the same from Veronika. Well, I'm sorry now that I didn't suspect something was wrong with her earlier, because there were signs of it, and going to the school was a total disaster for her. Now we are repairing the damage all the time and I'm wondering if it will ever be repaired.
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septentrion - Mar 6, 2005 2:31 am (#2713 of 2956)
Hello all !
Kabloink, it never feels like spring here on 21st March, but you usually have milder weather on this period of year. We should have around 5/10°C, an alternance of rain and sun, and the best we have is actually -1/+2°C and snow. (0°C=32°F)Me think I'll still have a very cocooning Sunday.
Have a great Sunday everyone !
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Elanor - Mar 6, 2005 8:27 am (#2714 of 2956)
It is the same here Septentrion, it is snowing since this morning, sometimes it stops and you think the sun may appear eventually when suddenly another snow shower starts... But it is a nice afternoon for reading and being on the net!
Actually, I've just done a HP quizz someone pointed out to me that is very funny, about what HP character has the same personality type as you (it is there: http://piratemonkeysinc.com/quiz.htm ) and it told me I was Snape-like! From tomorrow, I dress in black, work on my piercing eyes and start torturing kids in class, so cool...
But I keep my hair like it is because I just made it cut yesterday. I was bold for once and tried a very short hairstyle, very Madam Hooch-like, the more because I have pepper-and-salt hair! I like it, but now I need a broom... Can I be a Snape-Hooch crossing?
Lizzy, Macca is so cute! It is nice to know the family.
Have a great Sunday everybody!
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Madam Pince - Mar 6, 2005 8:31 am (#2715 of 2956)
Oh dear, now there's one for the 'Ship thread....Snape and Madam Hooch....
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Good Evans - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 am (#2716 of 2956)
hey Elanor thanks for that - I came out as Dumbledore, I would never have guessed, but the analysis made sense.
Its Mothering sunday today and my baby girl (little doggie)saved all her doggie money and bought her mum a gryffindor scarf. What a sweetie. I hope all other "mothers" are having a lovely day
Julie x
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septentrion - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 am (#2717 of 2956)
Well, no snow since yesterday but it really freezes. Well, I worked hard on my translation of the lexicon, so I'm quite satisfied with myself.
Snape/Hooch ? LOL, why not ?
Actually, I went to the hairdresser too on Friday and I was told I have white hair too. I never noticed since I use a little color. It was the perfect excuse to try something new
I've tried some other quizzes and they told me I was Hermione-like. I try this one and tell you the result...I'm more like Dumbledore. As he deals well with Snape, it doesn't bother me.
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librarian314 - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 am (#2718 of 2956)
Hey all!
It's been a crazy busy week here at the librarian household. Darling daughter has been less than darling this week. She's going through one of those stages when she pushes her limits and tries to get away with things and being sassy and marginally disrespectful. It's made me and my husband be stern disciplinarians all week and we're exhausted. She turns six in two weeks, so hopefully this is just a phase and she'll get over this soon.
One of the events we endured was the "self given haircut". Luckily, it was only a little on the sides and I was able to fix it. Her little voice tentatively asking, "You've done this before, right?" was highly amusing. I almost said "Nope, never before in my life. Hopefully, I won't botch it worse than you did." (We use sarcasm and hyperbole a lot in our house.) But I couldn't quite do that to her, so I reassured her that I had indeed trimmed hair before. (Several friends in college, including her dad and her best friends' mom.) She was reassured and no one can tell that there had been an "issue" last week.
It seems as though I was one of the few women in the family that did not have a childhood "self haircut issue". My mother-in-law, sister, and cousin all had stories about trying to cut their own hair and it turning out disastrously. My mother-in-law cut off her bangs when she was 4, the morning before having a portrait made. If you look closely at the photo you can seen that she has no bangs. :-)
Well, y'all take care! Happy birthday to various kiddos! Hope everyone who's feeling poorly gets better quickly!
**michelle the librarian**
P.S. I know I've lived in the metro Washington, D.C. area too long, as I drove through downtown DC (by the Mall, between the museums and the Washington Monument, in front of the White House, and by the Kennedy Center) last night, on the way home from my in-laws and didn't even think twice about it. When I first moved here, didn't even drive the interstates and would have swooned had I even set one tire in the District. What 10 years of living here will do! :-)
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Ydnam96 - Mar 6, 2005 9:13 am (#2719 of 2956)
So are there any backpackers out there on the forum? I bought a pack yesterday, it's a Kelty and I love the pack. I think it will be great, I go with work on a ten day backpacking trip up in the High Sierras. We don't take much, so a 5-7 day pack is okay for me (as a guide I don't carry and food or stuff). But my sleeping bag is way big for it. I bought a compression bag, hopefully it will take care of that problem. Just wondering if anyone had ran into problems an internal frame and your sleeping bag.
On another note. The sun is finally out in Southern Cali. not sure how long it's supposed to be dry. Guess we'll find out. Off to the posts. Happy Sunday
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Julia. - Mar 6, 2005 9:23 am (#2720 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
Elanor, it's still snowing there?! Merlin's beard, how much snow have you got now? I never thought I'd say this, but if you want a vacation from the snow you can always come visit me in Connecticut!
I did the latest quis and it turns out I'm Hermione. Who knew?!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 10:17 am (#2721 of 2956)
Hey, Elanor. Want to hang out some time?
Well, it's cool and cloudy here in NYC today. I am grateful we didn't get snow again. Can't wait for this winter.
Oh, and mine quiz came out Snape too. btw, PirateMonkey has some fantastic fanart, for those who take an interest in poking around her site.
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kabloink! - Mar 6, 2005 11:16 am (#2722 of 2956)
I came out to be Fred and George....I think it was mistaken...
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Lina - Mar 6, 2005 2:55 pm (#2723 of 2956)
Elanor, your quiz was really cute! I hoped to become Dumbeldore, but I turned out to be Harry. I'm not surprised since I'm Leo in horoscope too.
Well, talking about hair cutting, I never did it to myself. My first haircut were my neighbor's dolls. Since I had the same pair of dolls, we had to exchange them. The next hair I cut, was my neighbor's real hair. Obviously the first lesson was not hard enough, and I find it hard to believe, but I don't remember to be punished for that. My practice continued on my sister's hair, but that was much later and for real. And my daughters haven't seen the hairdresser yet. Although, the younger two didn't seem to be quite satisfied with their mum and decided at some point to take their hairs faith in their own hands. For a while, I used to find pieces of Veronika's hair here and there, but it wasn't so visible on her. The youngest one, Mihaela, came to me one day saying that her forelock need to be cut. I told her I would do it after the bath. Since she didn't like the bath at that time, she decided to do it by herself. Well this did not look too good but it was a good excuse for me to cut her hair because I thought it didn't look good being long.
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Penny Lane. - Mar 6, 2005 3:27 pm (#2724 of 2956)
Ydnam96 - I bought an internal frame backpack a few years ago, and I love it - it's so much more comfortable. I had trouble adapting to the smaller size, but now after a few times, I managed to adapt. I live in Michigan, so I can only backpack 2-3 times a year tops, and since I graduated high school I've only been twice, but I love it. Feel free to email me, btw.
My spring break is over, and I'm now back at school. I'm SO tired, all I want to do is fall asleep, but I have a weeks worth of homework to do. I do this every year, I swear. I take home a bunch of books and vow to catch up, then I don't touch them until I have to go back. Grrrr. I hate being a procrastinator.
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Doris Crockford - Mar 6, 2005 3:39 pm (#2725 of 2956)
I was Snape, too. I didn't really agree until I read the little box, and I totally see how I'm like that.
Exciting news! My parents finally got our new car! We ordered it in November, and it finally came! It's our first new car in 10 years, since my dad takes really good care of his cars. It's a Ford Focus, and it's the nicest shade of green. I drove it today. I was terrified because it was so new, and I'm not a very good driver yet. But it's an awesome car.
I've never cut my own hair, either. I generally just have straight hair, varying the length between my chin and just past my shoulder. But I have one school picture of me where I have really short hair, and this one piece of hair sticking sideways out of my head.
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Amilia Smith - Mar 6, 2005 3:44 pm (#2726 of 2956)
I was Hagrid. Who is apparently an introvert. Go figure.
I don't remember ever cutting my own hair (selective memory?), but my little sister was infamous for it. She cut her own hair several times. Also the cat's hair. Also her best friend's hair.
Congrats on the new car, Doris.
Mills.
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Elanor - Mar 6, 2005 3:45 pm (#2727 of 2956)
Julia: "Elanor, it's still snowing there? Merlin's beard, how much snow have you got now? I never thought I'd say this, but if you want a vacation from the snow you can always come visit me in Connecticut!"
LOL! It would be nice! Actually, we had snow almost each day since february 12th in my region. As I live in the plains, it melts a little during the day and then some fresh snow falls again and there are always about 10 centimetres of snow... But in the Auvergne region, hilly, not far from here, there are some villages that have impressive amounts of snow!
Gina, I thought you would like this site! The fanart is really great. I was surprised first but then very happy that my quizz came out as Snape! I like your dear husband very much, one of the greatest non-understood-but-brilliant characters ever! Now I understand why I sometimes feel close to him...
Good luck with your homework Penny!
Edit: about self haircut, I don't remember doing it to myself but it happens sometimes in class. Suddenly, you see some hair on the floor or a desk and it is too late. I hate to give the kid back to his/her mother and say "well, there was a little "accident" about your kid's hair"... Though it is worse when the kid cut another kid's hair... I have a nice collection of confiscated scissors on my desk. Fortunately, most of them were seized before some "accidents" like that happen but it is often close!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 4:32 pm (#2728 of 2956)
Heh, heh. Yes, there is more to the 'ol potions master than just snarkiness.
As a matter of fact, though, I sort of know GRLMonkey. She did a banner ad for my Snape yahoo group about a year ago before we changed our name. If you look at the banners/art you will see one that says "Veresnas Veneries" "It's weird. We know. Get Used to It." with a cartoon Snape embracing a female by the lake (it's supposed to be funny). That was for us (the group) upon our request.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 6, 2005 5:12 pm (#2729 of 2956)
Oh my gosh. I tested out as Severus Snape and dear hubby tested out as Hermione Granger. Ain't that a kick in the head?!
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I Am Used Vlad - Mar 6, 2005 5:20 pm (#2730 of 2956)
My test result was Snape. I don't know what I think about that yet.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 5:26 pm (#2731 of 2956)
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha. Oh, Kim. How absolutely perfect!
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Madam Pince - Mar 6, 2005 5:44 pm (#2732 of 2956)
Well, I tested out here as Hermione, but in all the other Myers-Briggs tests I've done (and I did several back in the day when I was a corporate cut-throat -- ha-ha) I tested out as an ESTJ.... which unfortunately is Percy Weasley.
Hermione is an ISTJ, and Percy is an ESTJ, apparently. And all my testings showed that I was just barely over the line from introvert into extravert. In the reading of Myers-Briggs that I've done, I'd say that's about right -- I have a lot of ISTJ tendencies, but I'm just a teensy bit more ESTJ.
****waves to all other ESTJs!****
Incidentally, I just read on the COS Movie thread about Chris Rankin's recent interview, and it's interesting that he says something to the effect that, when asked about predictions for "Half-Blood Prince," he says "All I know at the moment is that at some stage Percy will probably redeem himself, that's what I've been told will possibly happen."
So, whew! ***wondering if it was JKR who told him that***
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Eponine - Mar 6, 2005 6:18 pm (#2733 of 2956)
I took the test and came out as Olympe Maxime. That's a little odd. It said I was an ENFJ, but when I took the Meyers-Briggs test before I was an ENFP. Another "Which HP-character are you?" test scored me as Harry, and another one as Ginny. It's intesting to see how varied the results are from different tests.
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Steve Newton - Mar 6, 2005 6:49 pm (#2734 of 2956)
Oh, my God! My wife tested out as Albus Dumbledore. I got the big Madam Hooch. Madam Hooch?!?
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boop - Mar 6, 2005 7:28 pm (#2735 of 2956)
Hello Jo S., runs over and gives her great big hug. I have missed talking to you. I have been thinking about, and wondered when you had the baby. Good to hear that the baby is doing fine as well as you. I have not been in the chat room much anymore. I should go in more, miss talking to everyone who used to come in. The chat room was down for a while and people just didn't come back. I think more are starting to use the chat room more. Welcome back, hope to talk with you in the chat room soon. Give your daughter a hug from me. take care
Betty(boop)
Hugs Always
PS Welcome all new forum members, This forum is a family forum. If you need suppose this is the place to come. We talk about different topics all the time. Please feel free to post.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 7:46 pm (#2736 of 2956)
Say, I just realised that March 6th is Mother's Day in the UK and there were no posts for it. So, to all the mothers in the UK, Happy Mother's Day! And happy Mother's Day to JK Rowling!
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Denise P. - Mar 6, 2005 7:51 pm (#2737 of 2956)
I tested out as Hermione.
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Catherine - Mar 6, 2005 7:54 pm (#2738 of 2956)
Ugh. I am depressed. I tested out as Madame Hooch.
NOT the result I wanted, I assure you.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 6, 2005 7:59 pm (#2739 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 6, 2005 7:06 pm
I tested as Dumbledore and then I changed one answer and got Madame Maxime.
(Begin whining....you may skip if you like) Well, here in the US it is tax time again. I did my federal return tonight and i am happy to report that I only owe about half of what I was expecting. That makes it easier to write that check come April 15 and it means that I won't have to starve myself to get my taxes paid. But, I have to say that doing 2 state tax returns is a pain the rear but at least I will only have to pay a small amount of tax to one state. (whining over)
I hope everyone has had a great weekend!
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Julia. - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 pm (#2740 of 2956)
Random question for all the Monty Python geeks around here. In some sketch there was a discussion about Bolton being a palindrome. Michael Palin and John Cleese were involved, and at some point John Cleese said 'Bolton spelled backwards is Notlob!' Do you guys happen to know which sketch that was from?
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 6, 2005 9:32 pm (#2741 of 2956)
Elenor, I tested as Fred and George. Not what I expected,, but yes chaos and pandemonium does tend to surround me. (e.g. spontaneous triplets)
Today we escaped the snow we just had a few flurries, I am just so ready for spring! So far there are no signs of it.
Happy Mother's Day to all our UK mother friends.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 6, 2005 10:30 pm (#2742 of 2956)
Penny: thanks. I'm not much of a backpacker, but for work I have to go on a 10 day backpacking trip (I know it sounds wierd, but it's for a purpose) no tents- just us and God's country. It's worth the investment just for that one trip a year. I hope the compression bag helps a big with the sleeping bag.
Ladybug: Taxes suck. I hate filling them out. Even though I'm in my mid to late 20s my mom still does mine. I think it makes her feel like she is still needed. I totally appreciate it! But if I had to do it on my own, which I'm sure will be the case next year, I may want to move to a more socialist society.
I've taken up crocheting (spelling) and I decided to make an afgan. HAHA, I've got this strange looking round/ovalish thing. The whole making a square escapes me. Oh well...it will keep me warm I guess.
Sunday is almost over. Another week to go...Happy Mother's day to all of you who live in the UK.
Back to Alias season 3 for me
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 6, 2005 11:20 pm (#2743 of 2956)
Mandy: I used to have problems making a square out of my crocheting as well. It took me a lot of experimentation to get it working the way I wanted it too. My explanation would no doubt confuse you, so perhaps there is another chrocheter on this site who can help you.
I've acquired another one of my roaring headaches, so I'll finish off here and come back later after a quick nap.
Lizzie
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Lina - Mar 7, 2005 12:01 am (#2744 of 2956)
It is really nice to get up in the morning and see the sun is already up. That's what I like about spring, no dark mornings!
And now, one daughter off to school, husband on his business affairs and two daughters sleeping like angels... This is my part of the day! And I wouldn't be able to enjoy it if I weren't on my sick days... Oh, I wish so much to be a housewife!
Nice week to everybody, dizzy lizzy, I hope you are well after the nap, I'm going to use this beautiful morning to catch on some other threads...
Edit: BTW, I saw some of you writing in your biography that you are home schooling your children. What does it exactly mean? Does it mean that they do not go to school? Just curious. Hope someone will answer.
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Ozymandias - Mar 7, 2005 12:05 am (#2745 of 2956)
All you people who are upset at being sorted as Madam Hooch, it could be worse. Much worse. I am Lord Voldemort. Who knew I was a Dark Wizard? I tested as an INTP, which is usual for me, but Lord Voldything?!?! INTERROBANG?!
Julia, the Python sketch with the Bolton/Notlob palindrome is the Dead Parrot sketch, but it comes after the main bit with the actual dead parrot.
Ugh, I'm tired and sore. My little brother tried to teach me to skateboard this weekend. Now I can hardly walk. I feel very stupid.
Farewell, everyone. Time for me to sleep.
Erin
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The giant squid - Mar 7, 2005 1:24 am (#2746 of 2956)
Well, there were a few questions that I was either-or on, so I answered it twice. The first time I came out INTJ--Snape; the second time I was ISTP--Hooch. So I think it's safe to say I'm an introverted thinker, but beyond that it's iffy.
--Mike
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 7, 2005 1:35 am (#2747 of 2956)
Well, I feel heaps better after the nap, some tea/dinner and a nice cup of tea.
I just did the quiz - I ended up as Hermione (ISTJ). People tell me I'm a shy person, but I think its more to do with being a tad introverted. I don't really know about the rest. It is the first time I've come across one of these Briggs-Myer (or is it the other way around?) tests.
Lizzy
EDIT: I went back and did the quiz again thinking, I'd get Hermione again and write the letters down...I got Snape! So I went looking for the whole list to get the letters.
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septentrion - Mar 7, 2005 3:52 am (#2748 of 2956)
Hello everyone !
It's nearly midday here. The snow have at least decided to let us in peace. I hope you'll get the same soon, Elanor.
Lina, I'm jealous of your spring morning. Could you send some blue sky round here ?
About home schooling, I understand it as teaching your kids at home and not send them to a school. At least, it's possible in France (education is obligatory, not school) provided you can prove your children know as much as those who go to school. But this isn't a majority of people who make this choice.
Have a good Monday !
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boop - Mar 7, 2005 4:41 am (#2749 of 2956)
Erin, don't worry I came out to be the Dark Lord as well. I was in shock, but Jim told me, “I have always known you had LV in you.”
Happy Mothers Day for our mum's in the UK. Have a wonderful day.
Have a great Monday! I go to work, but we have a fun day. I get paid to go on tour of campus. Then we have an hour lunch which is provided. The best part is I get to wear street clothes. The students are on spring break this week.
hugs always
boop
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 5:00 am (#2750 of 2956)
Lina, I homeschool my three children. They do attend school, and work on lessons, take tests, and all of the academic stuff that goes along with school. The difference is that I'm their teacher and we do their lessons at home. The same companies that produce "school" text books also produce versions for "homeschoolers" that include teachers additions with special tips for teaching your child the necessary concepts. I pick out the books that I'm going to be using each year, and purchase the necessary supplementals, workbooks, and manipulatives to complement the curriculum that I've chosen. It can become an expensive investment, to be sure.
Just like the Harry Potter series, homeschooling is all about choice. I get to choose the books that we use, I choose how to present the material, and--most importantly--I choose how quickly or how slowly to progress across the subjects to accommodate their needs. This is beneficial because in an over-crowded school system there is just little to no one-on-one time with the teacher. The teacher cannot vary her lesson plans to benefit children who are bored because they are not being challenged enough or, conversely, to give extra time to a child that has not yet gained a firm grasp on the subject matter. I also find that it helps because I can tell when my children are not "getting" something when it is being explained in one manner, and I can approach the problem from another angle. Often just explaining things from another perspective help the child to understand things much better.
To balance out their need to learn to be social with other children, we plan time for them to interact with others. Sunday schools at church are a good example of outside interaction, organizations like boy scouts/girl scouts, sports teams like softball/football, etc. Many homeschool mothers also join groups that meet weekly to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of homeschooling, and to allow their children to play together. I don't personally belong to a group, because I feel that my time is better spent doing the lessons than it is in planning the lessons. But again, it's all about the choices that we make to benefit the kids.
The greatest benefit to homeschooling, in my opinion, is that there is nobody that knows your child as well as you do. This gives the parent an advantage in properly motivating your child in a way that most benefits their learning. There are disadvantages, of course, like it provides little free time to the parent (as I can attest to). But overall it is a system that works for me and for an increasingly growing number of parents. Homeschooling was formerly only done by very radical people, but now that it is becoming more understandable, it is more accessible and attractive of an option for many others. I hope that I've answered your question without boring you with too much information!
Barbie
VeronikaG - Mar 5, 2005 11:57 am (#2701 of 2956)
Happy belated birthday to Shayla, Kierynn and Veronika (How cool that she spells it with a K).
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septentrion - Mar 5, 2005 12:04 pm (#2702 of 2956)
I join with Veronika for the birthday wishes, and wish Lina a prompt healing.
It snowed like mad yesterday evening and this morning (buses were cancelled after 7pm yesterday) and this afternoon, you'd have told it had just rained much. The weather's going mad and is driving me mad in the same time. We're nearly at spring !
Everyone have a good week-end !
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Sirius Lee - Mar 5, 2005 1:03 pm (#2703 of 2956)
Gina, "The ChipShop" in Park Slope, Brooklyn is the joint with all the fried yumminess! It also happens to be one of my favorite places to eat. Sunday brunch there has become a staple with me and my friends. Check it out! (corner of 6th Street and 5th Aveune off the F/R)
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kabloink! - Mar 5, 2005 2:07 pm (#2704 of 2956)
Septentrion, does it actually feel like spring on the first day of spring there? It never does here in Michigan. We typically have at LEAST three more weeks of winter after March 21st. I remember when I was little, before we learned about planets and equinoxes and stuff I never understood why people had decided to make the first day of spring so early...
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 5, 2005 3:15 pm (#2705 of 2956)
Happy belated birthday to Shayla, Kierynn and Veronika! My problem was I wanted to wish these children Happy Birthday, but did you think I could find and spell their names?? Septentrion finally provided me with the info.
Lina: I had a rather large birthmark on my waist on my right side. It was removed when I was 10 for exactly the same reason you had yours removed. The risk of melanoma. Actually my doctor and parents told me cancer, but it was enough to scare me in to co-operating. In a quirk of fate the operation was done on April Fool's Day and that particular day was big in a child's life back then.
I'm off to check the threads and then to do a good clean up of the house.
Have a good Sunday.
Lizzy
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Gina R Snape - Mar 5, 2005 7:02 pm (#2706 of 2956)
Oh, Sirius Lee. I've passed that place once before but never went in as I'm not often in Brooklyn. You should let me know when you go and I could meet up with you some time. Maybe we could have a Hogwarts Local meet there too!
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Julia. - Mar 5, 2005 8:47 pm (#2707 of 2956)
Good evening all. I'm home in New Haven for spring break. Ahhhh, the joys of dial up internet. Shabbos this week was very restful. I got a 4 and a half hour nap this afternoon. Yay.
Happy birthday to Shayla and Veronika! Hope you're feeling better soon Lina!
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 5, 2005 9:29 pm (#2708 of 2956)
Hi all, I've just learn't something new. I managed to talk to Marie in the Chat area and have learn't of the existence of mountain time. And worked out how the chat thread works.
Oh I knew it was there, I just couldn't find a city or town I knew of to locate it.
Off to spend the rest of Sunday afternoon snoozing....
Lizzy
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 5, 2005 9:44 pm (#2709 of 2956)
Oh my goodness so many posts!
P.S.- Calendula can be purchased at any health for store. I used it on the girls for diaper irritation. If it is just a minor irritation it works great.
Aloe vera is terrific on burns, it helps cool the burning feel and helps to reduce scaring. However, when you get a burn, put cold/cool water first. Then apply the aloe, I used to always keep one in my kitchen handy for all the cooking mishaps. Butter and oil based products should not be put on burns. The oil holds the heat in. So until all the hot sensations leave the burn it is best to avoid oil based products.
Kids do have their own time schedule and shouldn't be rushed and certainly not compared. My son and his 2-year-younger triplet sisters were very close on the milestones. The oldest girl we jokingly call "his identical twin". Anastasia, before she was two years old, when the other girls were basically saying "mommy" “cookie" and "give me", said to me:
“No mommy, I told you don't do that!”
when I tried to get her into her high chair. I was so surprises to hear that sentence, at the point (they were basically saying "cookie" “mommy" “give me" "doggie") Her sisters who are identical had a two month lapse from Anastasia and from each other on hitting the milestone.
Happy birthday Shayla and Kierynn and all the others.
PS On the glasses, I had wonderful vision, 20/10 all my life. I have now gone past the magic age mark, my vision is now 20/40 and it is so hard to deal with the idea that I can't see like I used to, my arms keep streching further out. My eye doctor who always made faces at me at the end of my eye examines (he wears glasses) has no sympathy.
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Amilia Smith - Mar 5, 2005 11:44 pm (#2710 of 2956)
Holy smoke, Mrs. Sirius! You had a two year old and triplets at the same time? You have my complete and utter admiration!
Going back a couple days. . . thank-you Lizzie for telling about the Royal Easter Show when I asked. It sounds like great fun.
And Mike: very cool that they now have affordable contacts for astigmatism. Either they didn't have them back when I needed them, or my optometrist didn't tell me about them. (This was probably about eight, nine years ago.) I just remember that it was ninety bucks every time I tore one of my contacts. And you also have my admiration for learning to put up with irritants and contacts. As you see, I don't have that patience. Fortunantly, I don't have to worry about contacts any more. Bwahahahaha.
I went tubing tonight up at Soldier Hollow (where the cross-country skiing was held for the 2002 Olympics) with the singles group from my church. Lots of fun. They even have a cable line that hauls you up the hill so that you don't have to climb. :-) I kept running into the fence at the bottom. You are supposed to drag your heels at the end so that you don't do that, but it didn't work very well for me. Not to worry, though, I didn't get hurt.
Mills.
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 6, 2005 1:18 am (#2711 of 2956)
While I'm waiting for tea to cook, I thought I'd update my Avatar.
Hi my name is Macca, I'm 9 years old and I'm the top dog in this family. I suffer from separation anxiety and have just been weaned off anti-depressants (I miss the daily cheese snack though). I'm a cross between a Australian Cattle dog (red) and a Kelpie. My "mum" thinks there's a good dose of Dingo in me though. I love barking at other dogs and 4 wheel drives (SUV's) and driving mum up the wall. Bye for now."
Cheers
Lizzy
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Lina - Mar 6, 2005 2:15 am (#2712 of 2956)
Well, thank you everybody for your "get well" wishes, except I'm not sure I'm sick yet. But I am sure it is going to be fine.
At the moment, everybody is sick around me (one of my daughters, my sister and my mum who live next door) with the flu or something like that. I couldn't be sure, because my mum took the vaccination and she got the temperature all the same. (???) And talking about sneezing, I have the real recipe this time, I use it always with my children: the english translation on my tea box says "Marshmallow root". One teaspoon of it (chopped in small pieces) cover with half glass of the boiled water and let it stay for an hour. Then filtrate it and use as drops for the nose. It doesn't heal but it makes feel much better.
Mrs. Sirius: Kids do have their own time schedule and shouldn't be rushed and certainly not compared.
I thought the same. My eldest daughter started to talk clearly and fine when she was 3, she constantly made questions, she started to multiply when she was 4 and half, she read Harry Potter passionally and by herself when she was 8. So I figured she was progressive and I didn't have to expect the same from Veronika. Well, I'm sorry now that I didn't suspect something was wrong with her earlier, because there were signs of it, and going to the school was a total disaster for her. Now we are repairing the damage all the time and I'm wondering if it will ever be repaired.
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septentrion - Mar 6, 2005 2:31 am (#2713 of 2956)
Hello all !
Kabloink, it never feels like spring here on 21st March, but you usually have milder weather on this period of year. We should have around 5/10°C, an alternance of rain and sun, and the best we have is actually -1/+2°C and snow. (0°C=32°F)Me think I'll still have a very cocooning Sunday.
Have a great Sunday everyone !
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Elanor - Mar 6, 2005 8:27 am (#2714 of 2956)
It is the same here Septentrion, it is snowing since this morning, sometimes it stops and you think the sun may appear eventually when suddenly another snow shower starts... But it is a nice afternoon for reading and being on the net!
Actually, I've just done a HP quizz someone pointed out to me that is very funny, about what HP character has the same personality type as you (it is there: http://piratemonkeysinc.com/quiz.htm ) and it told me I was Snape-like! From tomorrow, I dress in black, work on my piercing eyes and start torturing kids in class, so cool...
But I keep my hair like it is because I just made it cut yesterday. I was bold for once and tried a very short hairstyle, very Madam Hooch-like, the more because I have pepper-and-salt hair! I like it, but now I need a broom... Can I be a Snape-Hooch crossing?
Lizzy, Macca is so cute! It is nice to know the family.
Have a great Sunday everybody!
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Madam Pince - Mar 6, 2005 8:31 am (#2715 of 2956)
Oh dear, now there's one for the 'Ship thread....Snape and Madam Hooch....
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Good Evans - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 am (#2716 of 2956)
hey Elanor thanks for that - I came out as Dumbledore, I would never have guessed, but the analysis made sense.
Its Mothering sunday today and my baby girl (little doggie)saved all her doggie money and bought her mum a gryffindor scarf. What a sweetie. I hope all other "mothers" are having a lovely day
Julie x
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septentrion - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 am (#2717 of 2956)
Well, no snow since yesterday but it really freezes. Well, I worked hard on my translation of the lexicon, so I'm quite satisfied with myself.
Snape/Hooch ? LOL, why not ?
Actually, I went to the hairdresser too on Friday and I was told I have white hair too. I never noticed since I use a little color. It was the perfect excuse to try something new
I've tried some other quizzes and they told me I was Hermione-like. I try this one and tell you the result...I'm more like Dumbledore. As he deals well with Snape, it doesn't bother me.
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librarian314 - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 am (#2718 of 2956)
Hey all!
It's been a crazy busy week here at the librarian household. Darling daughter has been less than darling this week. She's going through one of those stages when she pushes her limits and tries to get away with things and being sassy and marginally disrespectful. It's made me and my husband be stern disciplinarians all week and we're exhausted. She turns six in two weeks, so hopefully this is just a phase and she'll get over this soon.
One of the events we endured was the "self given haircut". Luckily, it was only a little on the sides and I was able to fix it. Her little voice tentatively asking, "You've done this before, right?" was highly amusing. I almost said "Nope, never before in my life. Hopefully, I won't botch it worse than you did." (We use sarcasm and hyperbole a lot in our house.) But I couldn't quite do that to her, so I reassured her that I had indeed trimmed hair before. (Several friends in college, including her dad and her best friends' mom.) She was reassured and no one can tell that there had been an "issue" last week.
It seems as though I was one of the few women in the family that did not have a childhood "self haircut issue". My mother-in-law, sister, and cousin all had stories about trying to cut their own hair and it turning out disastrously. My mother-in-law cut off her bangs when she was 4, the morning before having a portrait made. If you look closely at the photo you can seen that she has no bangs. :-)
Well, y'all take care! Happy birthday to various kiddos! Hope everyone who's feeling poorly gets better quickly!
**michelle the librarian**
P.S. I know I've lived in the metro Washington, D.C. area too long, as I drove through downtown DC (by the Mall, between the museums and the Washington Monument, in front of the White House, and by the Kennedy Center) last night, on the way home from my in-laws and didn't even think twice about it. When I first moved here, didn't even drive the interstates and would have swooned had I even set one tire in the District. What 10 years of living here will do! :-)
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Ydnam96 - Mar 6, 2005 9:13 am (#2719 of 2956)
So are there any backpackers out there on the forum? I bought a pack yesterday, it's a Kelty and I love the pack. I think it will be great, I go with work on a ten day backpacking trip up in the High Sierras. We don't take much, so a 5-7 day pack is okay for me (as a guide I don't carry and food or stuff). But my sleeping bag is way big for it. I bought a compression bag, hopefully it will take care of that problem. Just wondering if anyone had ran into problems an internal frame and your sleeping bag.
On another note. The sun is finally out in Southern Cali. not sure how long it's supposed to be dry. Guess we'll find out. Off to the posts. Happy Sunday
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Julia. - Mar 6, 2005 9:23 am (#2720 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
Elanor, it's still snowing there?! Merlin's beard, how much snow have you got now? I never thought I'd say this, but if you want a vacation from the snow you can always come visit me in Connecticut!
I did the latest quis and it turns out I'm Hermione. Who knew?!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 10:17 am (#2721 of 2956)
Hey, Elanor. Want to hang out some time?
Well, it's cool and cloudy here in NYC today. I am grateful we didn't get snow again. Can't wait for this winter.
Oh, and mine quiz came out Snape too. btw, PirateMonkey has some fantastic fanart, for those who take an interest in poking around her site.
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kabloink! - Mar 6, 2005 11:16 am (#2722 of 2956)
I came out to be Fred and George....I think it was mistaken...
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Lina - Mar 6, 2005 2:55 pm (#2723 of 2956)
Elanor, your quiz was really cute! I hoped to become Dumbeldore, but I turned out to be Harry. I'm not surprised since I'm Leo in horoscope too.
Well, talking about hair cutting, I never did it to myself. My first haircut were my neighbor's dolls. Since I had the same pair of dolls, we had to exchange them. The next hair I cut, was my neighbor's real hair. Obviously the first lesson was not hard enough, and I find it hard to believe, but I don't remember to be punished for that. My practice continued on my sister's hair, but that was much later and for real. And my daughters haven't seen the hairdresser yet. Although, the younger two didn't seem to be quite satisfied with their mum and decided at some point to take their hairs faith in their own hands. For a while, I used to find pieces of Veronika's hair here and there, but it wasn't so visible on her. The youngest one, Mihaela, came to me one day saying that her forelock need to be cut. I told her I would do it after the bath. Since she didn't like the bath at that time, she decided to do it by herself. Well this did not look too good but it was a good excuse for me to cut her hair because I thought it didn't look good being long.
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Penny Lane. - Mar 6, 2005 3:27 pm (#2724 of 2956)
Ydnam96 - I bought an internal frame backpack a few years ago, and I love it - it's so much more comfortable. I had trouble adapting to the smaller size, but now after a few times, I managed to adapt. I live in Michigan, so I can only backpack 2-3 times a year tops, and since I graduated high school I've only been twice, but I love it. Feel free to email me, btw.
My spring break is over, and I'm now back at school. I'm SO tired, all I want to do is fall asleep, but I have a weeks worth of homework to do. I do this every year, I swear. I take home a bunch of books and vow to catch up, then I don't touch them until I have to go back. Grrrr. I hate being a procrastinator.
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Doris Crockford - Mar 6, 2005 3:39 pm (#2725 of 2956)
I was Snape, too. I didn't really agree until I read the little box, and I totally see how I'm like that.
Exciting news! My parents finally got our new car! We ordered it in November, and it finally came! It's our first new car in 10 years, since my dad takes really good care of his cars. It's a Ford Focus, and it's the nicest shade of green. I drove it today. I was terrified because it was so new, and I'm not a very good driver yet. But it's an awesome car.
I've never cut my own hair, either. I generally just have straight hair, varying the length between my chin and just past my shoulder. But I have one school picture of me where I have really short hair, and this one piece of hair sticking sideways out of my head.
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Amilia Smith - Mar 6, 2005 3:44 pm (#2726 of 2956)
I was Hagrid. Who is apparently an introvert. Go figure.
I don't remember ever cutting my own hair (selective memory?), but my little sister was infamous for it. She cut her own hair several times. Also the cat's hair. Also her best friend's hair.
Congrats on the new car, Doris.
Mills.
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Elanor - Mar 6, 2005 3:45 pm (#2727 of 2956)
Julia: "Elanor, it's still snowing there? Merlin's beard, how much snow have you got now? I never thought I'd say this, but if you want a vacation from the snow you can always come visit me in Connecticut!"
LOL! It would be nice! Actually, we had snow almost each day since february 12th in my region. As I live in the plains, it melts a little during the day and then some fresh snow falls again and there are always about 10 centimetres of snow... But in the Auvergne region, hilly, not far from here, there are some villages that have impressive amounts of snow!
Gina, I thought you would like this site! The fanart is really great. I was surprised first but then very happy that my quizz came out as Snape! I like your dear husband very much, one of the greatest non-understood-but-brilliant characters ever! Now I understand why I sometimes feel close to him...
Good luck with your homework Penny!
Edit: about self haircut, I don't remember doing it to myself but it happens sometimes in class. Suddenly, you see some hair on the floor or a desk and it is too late. I hate to give the kid back to his/her mother and say "well, there was a little "accident" about your kid's hair"... Though it is worse when the kid cut another kid's hair... I have a nice collection of confiscated scissors on my desk. Fortunately, most of them were seized before some "accidents" like that happen but it is often close!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 4:32 pm (#2728 of 2956)
Heh, heh. Yes, there is more to the 'ol potions master than just snarkiness.
As a matter of fact, though, I sort of know GRLMonkey. She did a banner ad for my Snape yahoo group about a year ago before we changed our name. If you look at the banners/art you will see one that says "Veresnas Veneries" "It's weird. We know. Get Used to It." with a cartoon Snape embracing a female by the lake (it's supposed to be funny). That was for us (the group) upon our request.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 6, 2005 5:12 pm (#2729 of 2956)
Oh my gosh. I tested out as Severus Snape and dear hubby tested out as Hermione Granger. Ain't that a kick in the head?!
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I Am Used Vlad - Mar 6, 2005 5:20 pm (#2730 of 2956)
My test result was Snape. I don't know what I think about that yet.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 5:26 pm (#2731 of 2956)
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha. Oh, Kim. How absolutely perfect!
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Madam Pince - Mar 6, 2005 5:44 pm (#2732 of 2956)
Well, I tested out here as Hermione, but in all the other Myers-Briggs tests I've done (and I did several back in the day when I was a corporate cut-throat -- ha-ha) I tested out as an ESTJ.... which unfortunately is Percy Weasley.
Hermione is an ISTJ, and Percy is an ESTJ, apparently. And all my testings showed that I was just barely over the line from introvert into extravert. In the reading of Myers-Briggs that I've done, I'd say that's about right -- I have a lot of ISTJ tendencies, but I'm just a teensy bit more ESTJ.
****waves to all other ESTJs!****
Incidentally, I just read on the COS Movie thread about Chris Rankin's recent interview, and it's interesting that he says something to the effect that, when asked about predictions for "Half-Blood Prince," he says "All I know at the moment is that at some stage Percy will probably redeem himself, that's what I've been told will possibly happen."
So, whew! ***wondering if it was JKR who told him that***
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Eponine - Mar 6, 2005 6:18 pm (#2733 of 2956)
I took the test and came out as Olympe Maxime. That's a little odd. It said I was an ENFJ, but when I took the Meyers-Briggs test before I was an ENFP. Another "Which HP-character are you?" test scored me as Harry, and another one as Ginny. It's intesting to see how varied the results are from different tests.
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Steve Newton - Mar 6, 2005 6:49 pm (#2734 of 2956)
Oh, my God! My wife tested out as Albus Dumbledore. I got the big Madam Hooch. Madam Hooch?!?
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boop - Mar 6, 2005 7:28 pm (#2735 of 2956)
Hello Jo S., runs over and gives her great big hug. I have missed talking to you. I have been thinking about, and wondered when you had the baby. Good to hear that the baby is doing fine as well as you. I have not been in the chat room much anymore. I should go in more, miss talking to everyone who used to come in. The chat room was down for a while and people just didn't come back. I think more are starting to use the chat room more. Welcome back, hope to talk with you in the chat room soon. Give your daughter a hug from me. take care
Betty(boop)
Hugs Always
PS Welcome all new forum members, This forum is a family forum. If you need suppose this is the place to come. We talk about different topics all the time. Please feel free to post.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 6, 2005 7:46 pm (#2736 of 2956)
Say, I just realised that March 6th is Mother's Day in the UK and there were no posts for it. So, to all the mothers in the UK, Happy Mother's Day! And happy Mother's Day to JK Rowling!
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Denise P. - Mar 6, 2005 7:51 pm (#2737 of 2956)
I tested out as Hermione.
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Catherine - Mar 6, 2005 7:54 pm (#2738 of 2956)
Ugh. I am depressed. I tested out as Madame Hooch.
NOT the result I wanted, I assure you.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 6, 2005 7:59 pm (#2739 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 6, 2005 7:06 pm
I tested as Dumbledore and then I changed one answer and got Madame Maxime.
(Begin whining....you may skip if you like) Well, here in the US it is tax time again. I did my federal return tonight and i am happy to report that I only owe about half of what I was expecting. That makes it easier to write that check come April 15 and it means that I won't have to starve myself to get my taxes paid. But, I have to say that doing 2 state tax returns is a pain the rear but at least I will only have to pay a small amount of tax to one state. (whining over)
I hope everyone has had a great weekend!
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Julia. - Mar 6, 2005 9:07 pm (#2740 of 2956)
Random question for all the Monty Python geeks around here. In some sketch there was a discussion about Bolton being a palindrome. Michael Palin and John Cleese were involved, and at some point John Cleese said 'Bolton spelled backwards is Notlob!' Do you guys happen to know which sketch that was from?
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 6, 2005 9:32 pm (#2741 of 2956)
Elenor, I tested as Fred and George. Not what I expected,, but yes chaos and pandemonium does tend to surround me. (e.g. spontaneous triplets)
Today we escaped the snow we just had a few flurries, I am just so ready for spring! So far there are no signs of it.
Happy Mother's Day to all our UK mother friends.
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Ydnam96 - Mar 6, 2005 10:30 pm (#2742 of 2956)
Penny: thanks. I'm not much of a backpacker, but for work I have to go on a 10 day backpacking trip (I know it sounds wierd, but it's for a purpose) no tents- just us and God's country. It's worth the investment just for that one trip a year. I hope the compression bag helps a big with the sleeping bag.
Ladybug: Taxes suck. I hate filling them out. Even though I'm in my mid to late 20s my mom still does mine. I think it makes her feel like she is still needed. I totally appreciate it! But if I had to do it on my own, which I'm sure will be the case next year, I may want to move to a more socialist society.
I've taken up crocheting (spelling) and I decided to make an afgan. HAHA, I've got this strange looking round/ovalish thing. The whole making a square escapes me. Oh well...it will keep me warm I guess.
Sunday is almost over. Another week to go...Happy Mother's day to all of you who live in the UK.
Back to Alias season 3 for me
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 6, 2005 11:20 pm (#2743 of 2956)
Mandy: I used to have problems making a square out of my crocheting as well. It took me a lot of experimentation to get it working the way I wanted it too. My explanation would no doubt confuse you, so perhaps there is another chrocheter on this site who can help you.
I've acquired another one of my roaring headaches, so I'll finish off here and come back later after a quick nap.
Lizzie
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Lina - Mar 7, 2005 12:01 am (#2744 of 2956)
It is really nice to get up in the morning and see the sun is already up. That's what I like about spring, no dark mornings!
And now, one daughter off to school, husband on his business affairs and two daughters sleeping like angels... This is my part of the day! And I wouldn't be able to enjoy it if I weren't on my sick days... Oh, I wish so much to be a housewife!
Nice week to everybody, dizzy lizzy, I hope you are well after the nap, I'm going to use this beautiful morning to catch on some other threads...
Edit: BTW, I saw some of you writing in your biography that you are home schooling your children. What does it exactly mean? Does it mean that they do not go to school? Just curious. Hope someone will answer.
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Ozymandias - Mar 7, 2005 12:05 am (#2745 of 2956)
All you people who are upset at being sorted as Madam Hooch, it could be worse. Much worse. I am Lord Voldemort. Who knew I was a Dark Wizard? I tested as an INTP, which is usual for me, but Lord Voldything?!?! INTERROBANG?!
Julia, the Python sketch with the Bolton/Notlob palindrome is the Dead Parrot sketch, but it comes after the main bit with the actual dead parrot.
Ugh, I'm tired and sore. My little brother tried to teach me to skateboard this weekend. Now I can hardly walk. I feel very stupid.
Farewell, everyone. Time for me to sleep.
Erin
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The giant squid - Mar 7, 2005 1:24 am (#2746 of 2956)
Well, there were a few questions that I was either-or on, so I answered it twice. The first time I came out INTJ--Snape; the second time I was ISTP--Hooch. So I think it's safe to say I'm an introverted thinker, but beyond that it's iffy.
--Mike
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 7, 2005 1:35 am (#2747 of 2956)
Well, I feel heaps better after the nap, some tea/dinner and a nice cup of tea.
I just did the quiz - I ended up as Hermione (ISTJ). People tell me I'm a shy person, but I think its more to do with being a tad introverted. I don't really know about the rest. It is the first time I've come across one of these Briggs-Myer (or is it the other way around?) tests.
Lizzy
EDIT: I went back and did the quiz again thinking, I'd get Hermione again and write the letters down...I got Snape! So I went looking for the whole list to get the letters.
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septentrion - Mar 7, 2005 3:52 am (#2748 of 2956)
Hello everyone !
It's nearly midday here. The snow have at least decided to let us in peace. I hope you'll get the same soon, Elanor.
Lina, I'm jealous of your spring morning. Could you send some blue sky round here ?
About home schooling, I understand it as teaching your kids at home and not send them to a school. At least, it's possible in France (education is obligatory, not school) provided you can prove your children know as much as those who go to school. But this isn't a majority of people who make this choice.
Have a good Monday !
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boop - Mar 7, 2005 4:41 am (#2749 of 2956)
Erin, don't worry I came out to be the Dark Lord as well. I was in shock, but Jim told me, “I have always known you had LV in you.”
Happy Mothers Day for our mum's in the UK. Have a wonderful day.
Have a great Monday! I go to work, but we have a fun day. I get paid to go on tour of campus. Then we have an hour lunch which is provided. The best part is I get to wear street clothes. The students are on spring break this week.
hugs always
boop
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 5:00 am (#2750 of 2956)
Lina, I homeschool my three children. They do attend school, and work on lessons, take tests, and all of the academic stuff that goes along with school. The difference is that I'm their teacher and we do their lessons at home. The same companies that produce "school" text books also produce versions for "homeschoolers" that include teachers additions with special tips for teaching your child the necessary concepts. I pick out the books that I'm going to be using each year, and purchase the necessary supplementals, workbooks, and manipulatives to complement the curriculum that I've chosen. It can become an expensive investment, to be sure.
Just like the Harry Potter series, homeschooling is all about choice. I get to choose the books that we use, I choose how to present the material, and--most importantly--I choose how quickly or how slowly to progress across the subjects to accommodate their needs. This is beneficial because in an over-crowded school system there is just little to no one-on-one time with the teacher. The teacher cannot vary her lesson plans to benefit children who are bored because they are not being challenged enough or, conversely, to give extra time to a child that has not yet gained a firm grasp on the subject matter. I also find that it helps because I can tell when my children are not "getting" something when it is being explained in one manner, and I can approach the problem from another angle. Often just explaining things from another perspective help the child to understand things much better.
To balance out their need to learn to be social with other children, we plan time for them to interact with others. Sunday schools at church are a good example of outside interaction, organizations like boy scouts/girl scouts, sports teams like softball/football, etc. Many homeschool mothers also join groups that meet weekly to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of homeschooling, and to allow their children to play together. I don't personally belong to a group, because I feel that my time is better spent doing the lessons than it is in planning the lessons. But again, it's all about the choices that we make to benefit the kids.
The greatest benefit to homeschooling, in my opinion, is that there is nobody that knows your child as well as you do. This gives the parent an advantage in properly motivating your child in a way that most benefits their learning. There are disadvantages, of course, like it provides little free time to the parent (as I can attest to). But overall it is a system that works for me and for an increasingly growing number of parents. Homeschooling was formerly only done by very radical people, but now that it is becoming more understandable, it is more accessible and attractive of an option for many others. I hope that I've answered your question without boring you with too much information!
Barbie
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:34 pm
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 6:55 am (#2751 of 2956)
Hey People!
Yes indeedy those nasty dementors have been keeping me very busy this past week, so I snuck on here first thing & have been playing catch up ever since. Just finished this thread... now for the rest of the forum. Happy belated birthdays & congratulations to you all.
It was Mothers Day yesterday here too, so a Happy Belated Mummys Day to all the forum Mums Talking of which, has anyone heard from Meg? I think she is due to be a Mummy any day now. If you're lurking out there Meg... good luck, but I reckon you're very busy at the moment! To go back a few hundred posts... I want to say 'Yeay' to the Mums trusting their instincts.... it's very true... you guys do know best! (so my Mum always told me )
I'm also making an appointment for an eye test... you guys made me realise I'm way overdue a test. I'm one of two in a family of glasses wearers, that doesn't wear glasses, so I guess there's a certain amount of inevitability that I'll need to wear glasses someday. I got put off by a nasty Optometrist a few years back (5 or 6 ... whoops that was my last eye exam). He was very dismissive & rude. I was still at Uni, & was suffering from eye strain in the class room when reading from the over head projectors & also whilst I was driving when attempting to read the road signs. He told me I needed to 'relax my eyes'. When I told him I didn't know how to, & that was the problem he again gave me a half hearted answer about staring at a blank sheet of paper for a few minutes (hmmm, very useful whilst driving ) & shooed me out of the office. I thought for ages it was because my eye sight was ok, & that he probably thought I was wasting his time. Now in hindsight, I realise that's his job.... I'm still having the same bother with overheads during meetings at work & whilst driving, so I should stop procrastinating to you guys & get on with it, right.. hee hee!
Finally got my copy of PoA back from the person I loaned it to, so I watched some last night. I actually ended up watching the 'Creating the Vision' piece on the second disk! Yes I was home alone, (my sis is in Berlin this week), so I was able to watch all the nerdy bits, without anyone complaining! I paused it on the picture that JK drew of Hogwarts & the surrounding grounds & was delighted to see it fitted a little of what I imagined... What I loved about the picture the most was the the little picture she drew of the Giant Squid in the lake... I laughed at that.... made me think of you Mike! LOL
Sitting here jealous of all you guys with dish washers especially brand spanking new ones *cough*Denise*cough* I would love to have one, but cannot justify the purchase. For starters only two people live in my house, my sister & me, and secondly, good luck finding anywhere to place another large appliance in our little kitchen! Oh well, I can dream!
Better go before I bore you all
TTFN
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Ydnam96 - Mar 7, 2005 9:18 am (#2752 of 2956)
My mother Homeschooled my brother. He had some learning disabilities that made public school rather hard for him, in that the teachers and administration thought he needed to be on medication and my parents disagreed. He has ADD (not hyperactive though) dyslexia and dysgraphia. The teachers just didn't want to spend the time necessary to work with him. My mom pulled him out of school after he did his second third grade (the school wouldn't pass him to the 4th grade). With one-on- one teaching he graduated on time, made it into University, and just graduated in May with a BS in Business. Some people homeschool just because they disagree with the things that are taught, or for religious reasons, or just because of the poor educational system here in the US (no offense to teachers, my sister is a public school teacher, it's just that in some areas of the US schools are just not up to par). My mother worked with a school which sent textbooks and lessons, she taught them and graded them, and then sent them in to the school and they overviewed the materials and issued grades. They also gave him a HS diploma and he graduated.
I don't think I have the patience it would take to do it. I have the utmost respect for those parents that can do it. Especially those who are teaching multiple students.
Well it's Monday. Off to work. Mandy
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Julia. - Mar 7, 2005 9:23 am (#2753 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
I paused it on the picture that JK drew of Hogwarts & the surrounding grounds & was delighted to see it fitted a little of what I imagined... What I loved about the picture the most was the the little picture she drew of the Giant Squid in the lake... I laughed at that.... made me think of you Mike! LOL *waves to Fawkes* Lovely to see you again dear! I do the exact same thing everytime I see that lovely feature of the DVD. There is usually an "I'm a dork" dance involved. The first time I saw that picture I paused it and pointed at it saying out loud (to myself mind you, because no one in my family is stupid enough to watch HP with me) "We have a canon map of Hogwarts!!" When I saw that she thought to draw the Giant Squid I said "See, proof that Dumboedore is the Giant Squid! JO even drew him in the lake!!"
Ozy, thanks for answering my Monty Python question. I could have sworn it wasn't in the Parot Sketch. I guess that's because in "And Now For Something Completly Different" that scene ends by going right into the Lumberjack song, with no mention of "Bolton spelled backwards is Notlob."
Oy, I can barely hear myself type. There are several strange men in my house giving me a new kitchen floor. These evil people woke me up at 7:30 this morning. Don't they know I'm on vacation?! I went to get in there to make myself some breakfast, but that didn't really happen. I ended up eating cereal right out of the box in the other room. Dude, is that a jackhammer? I'd beter go check this out...
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 9:47 am (#2754 of 2956)
Hee Hee Julia, nice to know you're on vacation & attempting to relax after the madness of all those assignments.
Sending a silencing charm over to you to block out the sound of the workmen in the kitchen! I'm being quite naughty today & almost refusing to do any work. I think its a result of being so busy for so long, I've reached frazzled point! It's nice to know I'm not the only mad Potter Freak that was delighted over the map. Must have a look at it tonight on my new computer at home... did I mention I got a new computer... (just in case you missed that first titanic sized hint), & yes I will soon be getting broadband installed so I can post from home.... WOOOHOOO! No more dial up for me, plus the pc work gave me at home is blocked for any outside work internet connections!
So soon I'll be able to post at weekends... *excited snoopy dance*
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Prisoner of Rowling - Mar 7, 2005 9:55 am (#2755 of 2956)
Good quiz. I tested out as Snape. Not sure what to think about that, but that reminds me, i must get rid of all my mirrors, i don't see anything in them anyway. Sorry Gina, only joking.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 7, 2005 10:09 am (#2756 of 2956)
Well, Prisoner of Rowling, I guess you--unlike Snape--must be a vampire then.
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Prisoner of Rowling - Mar 7, 2005 10:14 am (#2757 of 2956)
Gina, are you speculating that I might believe Snape is a vampire. The thought didn't even "cross" my mind.
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mike miller - Mar 7, 2005 10:36 am (#2758 of 2956)
I tested out as the male version of Prof. McGonagall! At least I'm still in the same House.
Julia - Ozy is right regarding the Parrot Sketch. Michal Palin is trying to confuse Cleese's character. If you've watch a lot of Python perhaps you've seen one of my favorites, the "Penguin on the Tele" sketch.
I spent the weekend painting the stairwell and second floor hallway. I still have the door frames and baseboard molding left to finish. Since I had to borrow a ladder for the tall sections, I wanted to get that finished and returned to it's rightful owner.
Have a great week everyone!
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 10:54 am (#2759 of 2956)
Hee hee Mike, I'm Prof Mc Gonagall as well. Then when I retook the test & changed the 'iffy answers (is 'iffy a word???), I came out as Sirius....
Never seen myself as either.... oh well!
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Madam Pince - Mar 7, 2005 11:05 am (#2760 of 2956)
Gina, that avatar made me laugh. Too funny!
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 11:41 am (#2761 of 2956)
Speaking of John Cleese and how hilarious he is, has anybody else seen the old Fawlty Towers TV show? He stars as "Basil Fawlty", a neurotic, clumsy and utterly hilarious hotel owner. My husband and I love the series, and bought it on VHS back when VHS was the only option. (I wonder if it's available on DVD now?) We still laugh at some of the skits at odd moments. It's worth a gander if anybody is interested in seeing "Nearly Headless Nick" in something other than Monty Python...(which my husband loves as well.)
Have a good day everybody!
Barbie
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Ladybug220 - Mar 7, 2005 11:59 am (#2762 of 2956)
Yes, Gina, great avatar as usual!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 7, 2005 12:02 pm (#2763 of 2956)
Thanks!
I just wish I didn't have to compromise the photo clarity to get it to 10k. It's from The Barchester Chronicles and Alan was only 36 years old when he filmed that for the BBC. His character, Obadiah Slope, is in some ways very much a young Severus.
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VeronikaG - Mar 7, 2005 12:54 pm (#2764 of 2956)
Gaah! I've been sitting exams! Only one more written exam in this study. Now I may even find the time to read threads again. Have a lovely Monday afternoon/night.
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 1:07 pm (#2765 of 2956)
Awww poor Veronika... hope the exams went well.
Barbie... I love the Fawlty Towers shows & they're definately on DVD as thats what I bought a friend for christmas. They sell them on Amazon.co.uk for about £20 stg for both series. Or Amazon.com for $45 (US)
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Catherine - Mar 7, 2005 1:27 pm (#2766 of 2956)
Hello to everyone. Hope everyone is having a better Monday than I am!
WARNING: ANIMAL WELFARE RANT. SKIP IF IT WILL BORE OR OFFEND.
I visited our public Animal Shelter (which is not the Humane Society that I am affiliated with) again today, and I am just sickened. Since the last time I was there, three mother dogs with puppies were owner-surrendered. People just need to realize that part and parcel of pet ownership is spaying/neutering and vaccinations. If you can't afford or are unwilling to do this, do not get a pet. If you do have a pet that needs spaying or neutering, many locales have low-cost clinics. If you must surrender a pet, do look for a no-kill shelter or breed rescue first. Realize that in some places, at a shelter that must euthanize animals to "make space" for even more stray or unwanted animals, owner-surrendered animals may be the first ones to go.
RANT OVER
See you all around the Forum.
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septentrion - Mar 7, 2005 1:42 pm (#2767 of 2956)
I'm not an animal-lover (except for cats), so I don't have any pet, yet I heartedly agree with you Catherine.
Gee ! I didnt' notice the giant squid on the map. The proof I didn't look well enough, or maybe I need new glasses ? *mental note to watch it again*
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Detail Seeker - Mar 7, 2005 2:10 pm (#2768 of 2956)
Though this question about backpacks was quite some posts ago: when i go out, I use my Berghaus Vulcan II. Quite a large one (110 litres) and able to carry a lot, but very good to carry and robust. the Two side pockets can be detached to make a daypack. But be warned: A large Rucksack will invite you to take more than you can carry for longer. And it costs a little bit (about 250€, I do not know about the american prices). The Berghaus Atlas is a good alternative at the same price level with a slightly different cut (you can put a larger sleeping bag into the bottom compartment and it is higher but less wide) and better side pockets (arched opening). They should do nicely for this and can be resold at reasonably good prices afterwards, if the bakcpacking fever does not get you....
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Elanor - Mar 7, 2005 2:21 pm (#2769 of 2956)
I do agree with you too Catherine! I have no pets though I love animals (I am a cat lover) precisely because I know they would have to live in a flat. They would be happier if I had a garden or a yard. When I was a kid, I used to spend wonderful holidays at my Uncle's farm (the owner of the kid in my avatar BTW...) and I saw there what a well-treated animal was and learnt the key word about how to treat an animal: respect. I wish some people would learn that word too!
I hope everyone has a great Monday! You will not believe it but it snowed again here all day long **sigh**. I believe the guys in charge of roads were short of salt or prefered to stay in bed for once today because this morning they didn't make the effort to clear the roads! Or maybe they thought that now we were used to it and not afraid anymore to see roads white with snow. There were only 2 or 3 centimeters on the roads but in the town I work in, there is about 20 centimeters of snow everywhere and impressive amounts of snow where some of it was pushed. I tell you, if it snows again tomorrow, this time I cry! You're lucky to have a better weather Sept!
BTW, I saw that Vlad posted again here: have you come back from the Alps Vlad? How was your stay there?
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Lina - Mar 7, 2005 2:31 pm (#2770 of 2956)
Barbie, Mandy and all of you who answered me, thank you! Not that it really matters, because I know it is not possible here, but it sounds quite interesting to me. I mean, I like it and sometimes I have the feeling that I am homeschooling my daughter even though she goes to school and I go to work 8 hours a day...
Now, I beg everybody who is not interested to excuse me, but I would have few more questions. Barbie, you told that the children do go to school sometimes, is it only for the tests or for some other things too? Do you need some sort of license to homeschool your children? Who decides if it is appropriate for them or not? Well, if you think it is not appropriate for this thread, feel free to email me to lina@pravri.hr. Thanx
And Julia, enjoy your student days! These inpredictibles are just part of it. Wouldn't life be too boring if everything would go by plans? Waves to everybody!
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Denise P. - Mar 7, 2005 2:48 pm (#2771 of 2956)
Lina, I am not Barbie but I can make a stab at an answer even though I don't currently homeschool any of my kids. I did homeschool one for a year due to medical reasons and I do have a college degree in Education.
Each state varies on what is allowed for homeschooling. Some states require that the parent/teacher have a certain level of education themselves, some do not. Some states require you work through a specific school system (unless you declare you are religiously affiliated) and some do not. Some require mandated state testing at certain points, some do not. Some require specific records be kept, some do not. As you can see, it varies so wildly that what Barbie does with her children may not be what I did with my son the year he was homeschooled. I worked hand in hand with the school system, with a specific teacher and he took tests after school hours at the school. He was homeschooled for medical reasons only and as soon as he was cleared, he was returned to the school system and was current with his class.
Just like the requirements for homeschooling vary, so do the reasons that people choose to homeschool. Parents do it for more individualized attention, more in depth study, because of behavioral issues and or/medical issues, religious/moral issues, safety concerns, dissatisfaction over all with the current system, social issues and the list can go on and on. Normally, at least in my area, you do have to register that you are planning to homeschool and what curriculum you are planning to follow. You can opt to follow what the school system does or you can create your own or follow one of the myriad of homeschooling programs that are available for purchase. You can go through a religious organization as well.
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Delightful Task! - Mar 7, 2005 2:59 pm (#2772 of 2956)
No more snow in Paris Elanor! But the weather is still quite cold... I hope winter is over now and we'll see the trees blossom soon!
I have finished correcting my student's tests, but now the holidays are over... **sigh** . Anyway, I felt a bit like Snape this morning when my 8 o'clock class asked me to postpone their test and I said "no!", hehe!!! They worked, and I watched... and I have to admit that was good! I tested out as Snape after all, Elanor!!! (Don't worry though, they are 18 years old, they knew they had a test this morning so I think they'll survive!)
Lina, I understand what you mean when you say you wish you were a housewife... It was so hard this morning to wake up the kids and have them prepared... My younger son's nanny sees him more than I do on some days... And I'm lucky, I teach in a lycée (high school), so I spend a lot of time at home compared to many other mums! I have to prepare my lessons though and correct tests at home, and my children hate that! That's the reason why I do it at night most of the time, which explains why I hate Monday mornings in particular! (I rarely go to bed before one am on Sunday nights/Monday mornings!)
Tomorrow, our students are on strike (this is France after all!) so I suppose it's going to be a nice day!!!
Monday is almost finished here so... see you tomorrow!
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Chemyst - Mar 7, 2005 3:19 pm (#2773 of 2956)
BTW, I saw some of you writing in your biography that you are home schooling your children. What does it exactly mean? Does it mean that they do not go to school? Just curious. Hope someone will answer. – Lina
Briefly, yes, it means I do not send my children off to a school building where someone is paid to teach them. Over the years, I have come to prefer the term "home educating." (I guess I should update my profile!) "Educating" is more accurate than "schooling" because the learning environment is more intimate and akin to tutoring.
I have no idea what would be legal in Croatia, but there is currently a grass roots move to try to make it legal in Germany. Here is an international information link http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/default.asp
We do it because it is the right choice for us. Other people with other abilities and other priorities will make other choices which will be better for them. If the parent is so motivated, I do think that home education is a particularly good choice for students on both ends of the educational spectrum, (those who are very bright and those who have learning difficulties,) because public schools will always have the disadvantage of having to accommodate the masses.
One of the greatest misconceptions about home education is in the area of socialization. It is not the problem that some opponents would make it out to be. Since I began sixteen years ago, there have been several studies done that show home educated children are less peer dependent and better at interacting with a wide range of ages than traditionally schooled children. I will take you up on your invitation to email you. I could chat on this topic for pages, but I doubt the other forum members would appreciate that.
Old News -
My suspicions of a beaver dam were correct. In fact, we found three of them. So this weekend we pulled apart the smaller two. The largest was 5 feet high at the deepest point and had/has a sizable lake forming behind it. We put a breech 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep in it. I'm fairly sure the beavers will rebuild that one, but it stopped the flooding into our woods for now.
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Catherine - Mar 7, 2005 3:48 pm (#2774 of 2956)
It's interesting that you mention the push to legalize home education in Germany, Chemyst.
A while back, I joined Mr. Catherine at a recruitment dinner for the Chemistry Department. The candidate, a German gentleman who currently resides in Sweden, was amazed to learn that two members of the Chemistry department have children educated at home. He was very intrigued, and had lots of questions that I knew I did not feel qualified to answer well, so I steered him to some websites for more information.
His shock that home schooling is "allowed" gave way to appreciation that we can exercise a freedom of choice. I'm not sure that he himself will choose it, but he seemed to appreciate the option.
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Julie Aronson - Mar 7, 2005 4:20 pm (#2775 of 2956)
I tested out as Snape. I'm not actually that surprised, since I've often felt that some of his characteristics are lurking just under my surface....BWAAHAHAHAHA!!!
Good news-- my HP-reluctant boyfriend saw parts of SS on ABC Family last night and is now finally willing to schedule a few moments to try the books out! Yippie!
Julie
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mike miller - Mar 7, 2005 4:43 pm (#2776 of 2956)
Fawkes - I knew we had more in common than just HP. I like Faulty Towers, just not as much as Python. It took years for me to stop seeing the Minister of Silly Walks every time I saw John Cleese in anything.
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Diagon Nilly - Mar 7, 2005 5:16 pm (#2777 of 2956)
I'm a Dumbledore! I guess I should stop self-depreciating, hunh?
My husband and his sister were both home schooled and neither of them would've traded it for a more traditional education. When I was a miserable, nerdy and very harassed middle-schooler, I would have given anything to have been home schooled instead!
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 5:18 pm (#2778 of 2956)
Lina, I am glad to talk to you about homeschooling, or "home educating" as Chemyst has termed it (and I agree, by the way!) Denise did an excellent job explaining the intricacies of teaching your children at home. Thank you! She is quite right, the regulations for education in the U.S. are governed by the individual states. Therefore, the requirements vary according to the state in which you reside. Some are quite strict, and others are more understanding of a parent's choice for their child's education. I am fortunate that my state, Louisiana, is quite open legally to home education. I am required to enroll my home as a legal place of education and submit my "roll" yearly. I am required to hold school lessons a minimum amount of days per year, and the "formal" educational days must be no less than 180 per year. The 180 days is the same requirement that the state sets for more formal school sites. We have school lessons a minimum of those days, but I often contend that each day is a learning experience for the children.
My children do not have to be tested by the local school systems. (In other states, this may be required.) And, I have had a college education in educating, although this also is not always required. When they are older and have entered the "high-school" years, they will need to follow more strict guidelines regarding outside testing and examinations. This is normally accomplished through the internet. I haven't progressed that far in the kids' education, though. My oldest child is in 2nd grade, the middle in kindergarten, and the youngest is in pre-school.
I have found some curriculum programs that work for us, and have chosen to follow their lesson plans and guidelines. It works out quite well.
As you pointed out, the average parent often spends so much time teaching their children at home (whether they realize it or not ) through homework that they are actually already home educating. I've found that after you subtract the class changing time, attendance recordings, behavioral problems, etc. of a normal school day that I can accomplish so much more than the average school in a much shorter period of time per day. There is no substituting individual attention when it comes to education. The home atmosphere is more conducive to active learning. The children know what they can expect from me, I know how to effectively motivate them, and the end result is wonderful.
As Denise pointed out, parents choose to homeschool for a wide variety of reasons. My reason is that I didn't want my children to suffer the same way that I did in school. When it came to mathematics, the lessons seem to fly over my head without me grasping the basics. The teacher couldn't help me individually, and before I could begin to understand he/she would be on to the next lesson. It doesn't take long to get behind like this! It was often my mother helping me at home that kept me afloat, she was actually the one that was teaching me all along! On the other hand, in the subjects that I excelled (history and reading) I felt bored, restless, and unchallenged. I was "marking time" in class and hated that just as much as being left behind. In a school system that is overwhelmed, the teachers cannot possibly accommodate their lesson plans to each student's individual needs. They are already overworked as it is! Unfortunately, though, there is a slice of children at the top and at the bottom of each class that are suffering for this problem.
There are also new studies being made that indicate that homeschooled children are testing higher than the average traditionally schooled child when they take their college entrance exams. That's exciting information for me, and it makes the sacrifices that I am currently making more worthwhile. Also, with regards to socialization issues, the studies indicate that homeschooled children are often more confident, secure, and generally have a more advanced vocabulary than their counterparts.
I hope that I've answered your questions. Please e-mail me if I can help you further!
Barbie
P.S. Diagon Nilly: Thanks for backing up my beliefs about the end result of homeschool children!
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I Am Used Vlad - Mar 7, 2005 5:19 pm (#2779 of 2956)
Yes, Elanor, I am back now, so I'm no longer praying for snow in your area. The mountains there are quite beautiful and the ski area is huge (as opposed to the room we stayed in, which makes Harry's cupboard under the stairs seem spacious).
My effort to speak French, however, was more or less a complete failure. Bonjour, Bonsoir and Merci was about all I successfully said. I did learn a few new words, though. You only have to bang your head on a door six or seven times before you figure out the words for push and pull.
I did miss the forum, and still have a lot of catching up to do.
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Helen Potterfan - Mar 7, 2005 5:45 pm (#2780 of 2956)
wow, I had almost 200 posts to read. I'm sure I missed a few things, but here are the things I remember:
Sirius Lee and Gina, I've wanted to go to the Chip Shop, but never have. We should meet up there!
Mike and Fawkes, I tested as McGonagall as well!
Happy Birthday to everyone I've missed, and happy belated Mother's Day to all of the British moms!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 7, 2005 6:28 pm (#2781 of 2956)
Great, Accio HBP. Let's set it up! See me on the 'Local'
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mollis - Mar 7, 2005 7:44 pm (#2782 of 2956)
I also tested as Prof. McGonnagal, Mike, Fawkes and Accio HBP. That is where I usually score on these things.
I'm traveling for work this week. Three states in one week. Lots of fun for me. Glad to see you out from under your rock, Fawkes. I'll hopefully be able to climb out from under mine in about 6 months. I probably won't have time to post, or keep up with any threads but this one, but I'll still try my best to keep up with you all here. I just can't keep away!!
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Catherine - Mar 7, 2005 7:49 pm (#2783 of 2956)
Mollis, no fair! You simply can't go MIA when your extensive plant knowledge might be needed this spring! Or even this week as I'm having to make some big plant decisions....
But, anyhoo, have a good trip, a safe one, check in, and tell me if my Confederate Jasmine vine which turned brown from 18 degree weather will, phoenix-like, rise from the ashes....
**waves to Mollis**
I'm off to bed. 'Nighty-night...
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mike miller - Mar 7, 2005 7:55 pm (#2784 of 2956)
Mollis - I'm not surprised we tested the same given the number of times that we've agreed on other threads. I usually test as either ISTJ or ESTJ depending on my state of mind at the time of the test. I find it interesting that many people have one element that will change while the remaining three stay the same (*waves to Madame Pince*).
I too have been buried by work. I hope yours will get better over time. (You too Fawkes! @#*$ Dementors) I keep saying to myself, "this too shall pass". I remember thinking if I can just make it to the Holidays things will ease up. End of work rant!
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boop - Mar 7, 2005 9:06 pm (#2785 of 2956)
For Feb. 8th: HAPPY BIRTHDAY Loopy Lupin. Have a great day!!! Big birthday hug just for you.
HI everyone have a great day.
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 9:17 pm (#2786 of 2956)
Oops Boop! I'm sure that you meant March 8th, right? (Happens to me all the time, I'm still dating my checks with 2004 on them! **blush**) Happy Birthday Loopy Lupin! I hope that you have a most excellent day!
Barbie
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 7, 2005 11:31 pm (#2787 of 2956)
I thought for a while, I'd forgotten Mother's Day, but a bit of searching found that Australia and the US share the same date for Mother's day - 8th May. Phew!! I got out of that one easy. Now to remember the right date and to remember to ring Mum this time!
I have friends who home school, for various reasons (religious mostly, coupled with dissatisfaction at the school policies.) Each state of Australia has its own education department, and it is these departments that design the syllabus and standardised policies for the whole state. And each state has very similar syllabuses etc.
Thus variations in schools (from a subject content and policy point of view) is minimised. There are differences between schools - more cultural based.
I have always approved of home schooling - provided it is done well, the children are learning and meeting standardised criteria, and the parent can cope with the added responsibility. I have a lot of respect for those who are home schooling, so for those parents on this forum who do home school/educate, good on you .
Lizzy
EDIT: Happy birthday Loopy Lupin!!
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septentrion - Mar 8, 2005 1:10 am (#2788 of 2956)
Happy birthday Loopy Lupin ! happy women's day to every woman in the world, and God knows some need it !
Elanor, I pity you really. I hope you'll have no more snow from today. It was good this morning to have just rain.
I discover home schooling was legal in France when I was more than 18. It never occured to me before this could be possible. Anyway, I don't regret to have attended school, even if it wasn't funny every day, and my parents don't have enough education to home school. And if I'd have children, I wouldn't home school them either because I don't want to stop working. I can't picture myself as a housewife. Yet as some of you have pointed out, parents often home school without realising it when they help their children with their homework.
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The giant squid - Mar 8, 2005 1:45 am (#2789 of 2956)
Fawkes Forever, I'm glad your Patronus was successful enough for you to get away from the dementors for a while, and tickled that one of JKR's items reminds you of me (rather than the other way around). As a card-carrying procrastinator (well, I was carrying the card...I set it down somewhere...) I highly recommend finding the room to squeeze a dishwasher into your flat. I find that there's a lot less crockery, silverware and, um, biological agents in the sink now that I have something to wash the dishes for me. And no, I'm not referring to my wife...
Mike, I agree with you on the Fawlty/Python thing. John Cleese was, is and always will be associated with Monty Python to me. Heck, even when I see him as Nearly Headless Nick I half expect Idle, Palin & Jones to pop up somewhere (Gilliam, of course, is behind the scenes making up some truly odd animation). Of course, Graham Chapman would have been perfect casting to play a ghost, but the bugger wouldn't answer WB's phone calls...
--Mike
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 5:04 am (#2790 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Loopy Lupin. Hope your day is filled with everything fabulous. **passes Loopy a bottle of Ogden's**
EDIT: Loopy has all the luck! I read at TLC that Katie Couric (a UVA grad just like Loopy! ) is supposed to reveal the cover of HBP on the Today show this morning! What a great present.
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Eponine - Mar 8, 2005 5:32 am (#2791 of 2956)
Is anyone else just a little disappointed that the HBP cover art didn't reveal the entire plot of the book?
It's a neat cover though. I like it.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 8, 2005 5:38 am (#2792 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 8, 2005 4:41 am
For those of us that can't watch TV - is the HBP cover posted anywhere yet?
Edit: Just checked the Leaky Cauldron webpage and there should be screen caps up later and it will be shown on the show again at 9 am EST. Woohoo!
Edit2 - posted at the same time as Catherine.
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 5:40 am (#2793 of 2956)
TLC expects screencaps shortly. Also, TLC said that the cover will be reshown at 9 a.m.
The Bloomsbury site has the British covers shown.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 8, 2005 6:55 am (#2794 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 8, 2005 5:57 am
Scholastic has it posted on their Harry potter website:
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/
and the UK covers are here
http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/muggles/whassup/news.asp
The Leaky Cauldron has a high resolution version of the American cover here:
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/images/2005/03/scholhbpcover.html
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septentrion - Mar 8, 2005 6:59 am (#2795 of 2956)
I'm quite excited to discover those cover arts. And did you notice the big spoiler on the adult cover of the UK version ?
edited to remove spoilers
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Denise P. - Mar 8, 2005 7:02 am (#2796 of 2956)
Please take any discussion of the cover art to the Half Blood Prince thread and remember, some folks try to avoid spoilers about anything regarding the books. Confining the discussion to the appropriate thread helps them remain spoiler free.
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Madam Pince - Mar 8, 2005 7:55 am (#2797 of 2956)
Oh fiddlesticks! Here I was answering e-mails at 9:00 and missed seeing the "Today" show! Phooey! But thanks for the heads-up and the links, everybody!
Mike, it is funny how often just one element of those tests changes depending on your state of mind when you take the test. For example, the question "Would you rather live by yourself or with a lot of people?" might depend entirely on how quiet and cooperative the "other people" in your life were being right at that particular moment! It reminds me of that TV commercial that's out now in the US for International Coffee Creamer -- it shows people being totally grumpy in the morning before they've had their java boost. One lady is watering her lawn and decides to randomly squirt a kid who's riding by on his bike; a woman punches the "Close Door" button on the elevator just as somebody's running up yelling "Hold the door!"; another guy aimlessly reaches his hand out as he walks by a credenza in his office and sweeps all the books onto the floor and keeps walking. It's a scream! Funny how one little thing can change your personality temporarily sometimes!
My ESTJ concern with "following the rules" has always caused me to be slightly bothered by Dumbledore's little maneuver at the end of "Sorcerer's Stone" by adding the House points in just the right number so as to topple Slytherin's win. Not that I wanted Slytherin to win, mind you, I just couldn't help feeling that Dumbledore cheated a little... And I was truly outraged when, a couple of seasons ago on "Survivor," they changed the rules to bring back two players who had already been voted off. Grrrrrrrr....
The psychology-major in me is coming out -- I love those little tests!
Last night I was watching re-runs of the US-version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway," (one of my all-time favorites, by the way) and I was marveling at the fact that while those comedians are so talented, they are not really mainstream "big names" here in the US. I was wondering about the British version of that show. Who were the comedians? Are they names we would've heard of perhaps?
Good Rainy-Tuesday-Morning to everybody! We had a gorgeous 70-degree spring day yesterday, and the rest of the week is supposed to be cold, rainy/snowy, and generally yuck. Elanor, I know how you feel.
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mike miller - Mar 8, 2005 8:34 am (#2798 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOOPY LUPIN!!!!
Labybug - Thanks for posting the links for the new cover art. I knew someone would come to our rescue.
Squid Mike - I never know when it's going to hit me, I'll see one of the Python troop in something else and just flashback to a Python sketch. When I was in college, a couple of my roommates and I dressed as the old ladies in so many Python sketches for Halloween and went bar-hooping going off into various sketches. It was a real hoot since Python was so big on the college campus back in the late 70's.
Off to check the HBP thread....
EDIT: It was 70 degree yesterday and it's snow like crazy right now!
Madame Pince - your post #2800 - W00T
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Ladybug220 - Mar 8, 2005 8:37 am (#2799 of 2956)
Happy birthday Loopy!!!!
You are welcome Mike. Since I don't read the HBP thread I figured there were others like me that would need the links.
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Madam Pince - Mar 8, 2005 8:39 am (#2800 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Loopy Lupin!
Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 6:55 am (#2751 of 2956)
Hey People!
Yes indeedy those nasty dementors have been keeping me very busy this past week, so I snuck on here first thing & have been playing catch up ever since. Just finished this thread... now for the rest of the forum. Happy belated birthdays & congratulations to you all.
It was Mothers Day yesterday here too, so a Happy Belated Mummys Day to all the forum Mums Talking of which, has anyone heard from Meg? I think she is due to be a Mummy any day now. If you're lurking out there Meg... good luck, but I reckon you're very busy at the moment! To go back a few hundred posts... I want to say 'Yeay' to the Mums trusting their instincts.... it's very true... you guys do know best! (so my Mum always told me )
I'm also making an appointment for an eye test... you guys made me realise I'm way overdue a test. I'm one of two in a family of glasses wearers, that doesn't wear glasses, so I guess there's a certain amount of inevitability that I'll need to wear glasses someday. I got put off by a nasty Optometrist a few years back (5 or 6 ... whoops that was my last eye exam). He was very dismissive & rude. I was still at Uni, & was suffering from eye strain in the class room when reading from the over head projectors & also whilst I was driving when attempting to read the road signs. He told me I needed to 'relax my eyes'. When I told him I didn't know how to, & that was the problem he again gave me a half hearted answer about staring at a blank sheet of paper for a few minutes (hmmm, very useful whilst driving ) & shooed me out of the office. I thought for ages it was because my eye sight was ok, & that he probably thought I was wasting his time. Now in hindsight, I realise that's his job.... I'm still having the same bother with overheads during meetings at work & whilst driving, so I should stop procrastinating to you guys & get on with it, right.. hee hee!
Finally got my copy of PoA back from the person I loaned it to, so I watched some last night. I actually ended up watching the 'Creating the Vision' piece on the second disk! Yes I was home alone, (my sis is in Berlin this week), so I was able to watch all the nerdy bits, without anyone complaining! I paused it on the picture that JK drew of Hogwarts & the surrounding grounds & was delighted to see it fitted a little of what I imagined... What I loved about the picture the most was the the little picture she drew of the Giant Squid in the lake... I laughed at that.... made me think of you Mike! LOL
Sitting here jealous of all you guys with dish washers especially brand spanking new ones *cough*Denise*cough* I would love to have one, but cannot justify the purchase. For starters only two people live in my house, my sister & me, and secondly, good luck finding anywhere to place another large appliance in our little kitchen! Oh well, I can dream!
Better go before I bore you all
TTFN
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Ydnam96 - Mar 7, 2005 9:18 am (#2752 of 2956)
My mother Homeschooled my brother. He had some learning disabilities that made public school rather hard for him, in that the teachers and administration thought he needed to be on medication and my parents disagreed. He has ADD (not hyperactive though) dyslexia and dysgraphia. The teachers just didn't want to spend the time necessary to work with him. My mom pulled him out of school after he did his second third grade (the school wouldn't pass him to the 4th grade). With one-on- one teaching he graduated on time, made it into University, and just graduated in May with a BS in Business. Some people homeschool just because they disagree with the things that are taught, or for religious reasons, or just because of the poor educational system here in the US (no offense to teachers, my sister is a public school teacher, it's just that in some areas of the US schools are just not up to par). My mother worked with a school which sent textbooks and lessons, she taught them and graded them, and then sent them in to the school and they overviewed the materials and issued grades. They also gave him a HS diploma and he graduated.
I don't think I have the patience it would take to do it. I have the utmost respect for those parents that can do it. Especially those who are teaching multiple students.
Well it's Monday. Off to work. Mandy
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Julia. - Mar 7, 2005 9:23 am (#2753 of 2956)
Good morning everyone.
I paused it on the picture that JK drew of Hogwarts & the surrounding grounds & was delighted to see it fitted a little of what I imagined... What I loved about the picture the most was the the little picture she drew of the Giant Squid in the lake... I laughed at that.... made me think of you Mike! LOL *waves to Fawkes* Lovely to see you again dear! I do the exact same thing everytime I see that lovely feature of the DVD. There is usually an "I'm a dork" dance involved. The first time I saw that picture I paused it and pointed at it saying out loud (to myself mind you, because no one in my family is stupid enough to watch HP with me) "We have a canon map of Hogwarts!!" When I saw that she thought to draw the Giant Squid I said "See, proof that Dumboedore is the Giant Squid! JO even drew him in the lake!!"
Ozy, thanks for answering my Monty Python question. I could have sworn it wasn't in the Parot Sketch. I guess that's because in "And Now For Something Completly Different" that scene ends by going right into the Lumberjack song, with no mention of "Bolton spelled backwards is Notlob."
Oy, I can barely hear myself type. There are several strange men in my house giving me a new kitchen floor. These evil people woke me up at 7:30 this morning. Don't they know I'm on vacation?! I went to get in there to make myself some breakfast, but that didn't really happen. I ended up eating cereal right out of the box in the other room. Dude, is that a jackhammer? I'd beter go check this out...
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 9:47 am (#2754 of 2956)
Hee Hee Julia, nice to know you're on vacation & attempting to relax after the madness of all those assignments.
Sending a silencing charm over to you to block out the sound of the workmen in the kitchen! I'm being quite naughty today & almost refusing to do any work. I think its a result of being so busy for so long, I've reached frazzled point! It's nice to know I'm not the only mad Potter Freak that was delighted over the map. Must have a look at it tonight on my new computer at home... did I mention I got a new computer... (just in case you missed that first titanic sized hint), & yes I will soon be getting broadband installed so I can post from home.... WOOOHOOO! No more dial up for me, plus the pc work gave me at home is blocked for any outside work internet connections!
So soon I'll be able to post at weekends... *excited snoopy dance*
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Prisoner of Rowling - Mar 7, 2005 9:55 am (#2755 of 2956)
Good quiz. I tested out as Snape. Not sure what to think about that, but that reminds me, i must get rid of all my mirrors, i don't see anything in them anyway. Sorry Gina, only joking.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 7, 2005 10:09 am (#2756 of 2956)
Well, Prisoner of Rowling, I guess you--unlike Snape--must be a vampire then.
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Prisoner of Rowling - Mar 7, 2005 10:14 am (#2757 of 2956)
Gina, are you speculating that I might believe Snape is a vampire. The thought didn't even "cross" my mind.
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mike miller - Mar 7, 2005 10:36 am (#2758 of 2956)
I tested out as the male version of Prof. McGonagall! At least I'm still in the same House.
Julia - Ozy is right regarding the Parrot Sketch. Michal Palin is trying to confuse Cleese's character. If you've watch a lot of Python perhaps you've seen one of my favorites, the "Penguin on the Tele" sketch.
I spent the weekend painting the stairwell and second floor hallway. I still have the door frames and baseboard molding left to finish. Since I had to borrow a ladder for the tall sections, I wanted to get that finished and returned to it's rightful owner.
Have a great week everyone!
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 10:54 am (#2759 of 2956)
Hee hee Mike, I'm Prof Mc Gonagall as well. Then when I retook the test & changed the 'iffy answers (is 'iffy a word???), I came out as Sirius....
Never seen myself as either.... oh well!
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Madam Pince - Mar 7, 2005 11:05 am (#2760 of 2956)
Gina, that avatar made me laugh. Too funny!
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 11:41 am (#2761 of 2956)
Speaking of John Cleese and how hilarious he is, has anybody else seen the old Fawlty Towers TV show? He stars as "Basil Fawlty", a neurotic, clumsy and utterly hilarious hotel owner. My husband and I love the series, and bought it on VHS back when VHS was the only option. (I wonder if it's available on DVD now?) We still laugh at some of the skits at odd moments. It's worth a gander if anybody is interested in seeing "Nearly Headless Nick" in something other than Monty Python...(which my husband loves as well.)
Have a good day everybody!
Barbie
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Ladybug220 - Mar 7, 2005 11:59 am (#2762 of 2956)
Yes, Gina, great avatar as usual!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 7, 2005 12:02 pm (#2763 of 2956)
Thanks!
I just wish I didn't have to compromise the photo clarity to get it to 10k. It's from The Barchester Chronicles and Alan was only 36 years old when he filmed that for the BBC. His character, Obadiah Slope, is in some ways very much a young Severus.
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VeronikaG - Mar 7, 2005 12:54 pm (#2764 of 2956)
Gaah! I've been sitting exams! Only one more written exam in this study. Now I may even find the time to read threads again. Have a lovely Monday afternoon/night.
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Fawkes Forever - Mar 7, 2005 1:07 pm (#2765 of 2956)
Awww poor Veronika... hope the exams went well.
Barbie... I love the Fawlty Towers shows & they're definately on DVD as thats what I bought a friend for christmas. They sell them on Amazon.co.uk for about £20 stg for both series. Or Amazon.com for $45 (US)
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Catherine - Mar 7, 2005 1:27 pm (#2766 of 2956)
Hello to everyone. Hope everyone is having a better Monday than I am!
WARNING: ANIMAL WELFARE RANT. SKIP IF IT WILL BORE OR OFFEND.
I visited our public Animal Shelter (which is not the Humane Society that I am affiliated with) again today, and I am just sickened. Since the last time I was there, three mother dogs with puppies were owner-surrendered. People just need to realize that part and parcel of pet ownership is spaying/neutering and vaccinations. If you can't afford or are unwilling to do this, do not get a pet. If you do have a pet that needs spaying or neutering, many locales have low-cost clinics. If you must surrender a pet, do look for a no-kill shelter or breed rescue first. Realize that in some places, at a shelter that must euthanize animals to "make space" for even more stray or unwanted animals, owner-surrendered animals may be the first ones to go.
RANT OVER
See you all around the Forum.
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septentrion - Mar 7, 2005 1:42 pm (#2767 of 2956)
I'm not an animal-lover (except for cats), so I don't have any pet, yet I heartedly agree with you Catherine.
Gee ! I didnt' notice the giant squid on the map. The proof I didn't look well enough, or maybe I need new glasses ? *mental note to watch it again*
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Detail Seeker - Mar 7, 2005 2:10 pm (#2768 of 2956)
Though this question about backpacks was quite some posts ago: when i go out, I use my Berghaus Vulcan II. Quite a large one (110 litres) and able to carry a lot, but very good to carry and robust. the Two side pockets can be detached to make a daypack. But be warned: A large Rucksack will invite you to take more than you can carry for longer. And it costs a little bit (about 250€, I do not know about the american prices). The Berghaus Atlas is a good alternative at the same price level with a slightly different cut (you can put a larger sleeping bag into the bottom compartment and it is higher but less wide) and better side pockets (arched opening). They should do nicely for this and can be resold at reasonably good prices afterwards, if the bakcpacking fever does not get you....
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Elanor - Mar 7, 2005 2:21 pm (#2769 of 2956)
I do agree with you too Catherine! I have no pets though I love animals (I am a cat lover) precisely because I know they would have to live in a flat. They would be happier if I had a garden or a yard. When I was a kid, I used to spend wonderful holidays at my Uncle's farm (the owner of the kid in my avatar BTW...) and I saw there what a well-treated animal was and learnt the key word about how to treat an animal: respect. I wish some people would learn that word too!
I hope everyone has a great Monday! You will not believe it but it snowed again here all day long **sigh**. I believe the guys in charge of roads were short of salt or prefered to stay in bed for once today because this morning they didn't make the effort to clear the roads! Or maybe they thought that now we were used to it and not afraid anymore to see roads white with snow. There were only 2 or 3 centimeters on the roads but in the town I work in, there is about 20 centimeters of snow everywhere and impressive amounts of snow where some of it was pushed. I tell you, if it snows again tomorrow, this time I cry! You're lucky to have a better weather Sept!
BTW, I saw that Vlad posted again here: have you come back from the Alps Vlad? How was your stay there?
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Lina - Mar 7, 2005 2:31 pm (#2770 of 2956)
Barbie, Mandy and all of you who answered me, thank you! Not that it really matters, because I know it is not possible here, but it sounds quite interesting to me. I mean, I like it and sometimes I have the feeling that I am homeschooling my daughter even though she goes to school and I go to work 8 hours a day...
Now, I beg everybody who is not interested to excuse me, but I would have few more questions. Barbie, you told that the children do go to school sometimes, is it only for the tests or for some other things too? Do you need some sort of license to homeschool your children? Who decides if it is appropriate for them or not? Well, if you think it is not appropriate for this thread, feel free to email me to lina@pravri.hr. Thanx
And Julia, enjoy your student days! These inpredictibles are just part of it. Wouldn't life be too boring if everything would go by plans? Waves to everybody!
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Denise P. - Mar 7, 2005 2:48 pm (#2771 of 2956)
Lina, I am not Barbie but I can make a stab at an answer even though I don't currently homeschool any of my kids. I did homeschool one for a year due to medical reasons and I do have a college degree in Education.
Each state varies on what is allowed for homeschooling. Some states require that the parent/teacher have a certain level of education themselves, some do not. Some states require you work through a specific school system (unless you declare you are religiously affiliated) and some do not. Some require mandated state testing at certain points, some do not. Some require specific records be kept, some do not. As you can see, it varies so wildly that what Barbie does with her children may not be what I did with my son the year he was homeschooled. I worked hand in hand with the school system, with a specific teacher and he took tests after school hours at the school. He was homeschooled for medical reasons only and as soon as he was cleared, he was returned to the school system and was current with his class.
Just like the requirements for homeschooling vary, so do the reasons that people choose to homeschool. Parents do it for more individualized attention, more in depth study, because of behavioral issues and or/medical issues, religious/moral issues, safety concerns, dissatisfaction over all with the current system, social issues and the list can go on and on. Normally, at least in my area, you do have to register that you are planning to homeschool and what curriculum you are planning to follow. You can opt to follow what the school system does or you can create your own or follow one of the myriad of homeschooling programs that are available for purchase. You can go through a religious organization as well.
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Delightful Task! - Mar 7, 2005 2:59 pm (#2772 of 2956)
No more snow in Paris Elanor! But the weather is still quite cold... I hope winter is over now and we'll see the trees blossom soon!
I have finished correcting my student's tests, but now the holidays are over... **sigh** . Anyway, I felt a bit like Snape this morning when my 8 o'clock class asked me to postpone their test and I said "no!", hehe!!! They worked, and I watched... and I have to admit that was good! I tested out as Snape after all, Elanor!!! (Don't worry though, they are 18 years old, they knew they had a test this morning so I think they'll survive!)
Lina, I understand what you mean when you say you wish you were a housewife... It was so hard this morning to wake up the kids and have them prepared... My younger son's nanny sees him more than I do on some days... And I'm lucky, I teach in a lycée (high school), so I spend a lot of time at home compared to many other mums! I have to prepare my lessons though and correct tests at home, and my children hate that! That's the reason why I do it at night most of the time, which explains why I hate Monday mornings in particular! (I rarely go to bed before one am on Sunday nights/Monday mornings!)
Tomorrow, our students are on strike (this is France after all!) so I suppose it's going to be a nice day!!!
Monday is almost finished here so... see you tomorrow!
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Chemyst - Mar 7, 2005 3:19 pm (#2773 of 2956)
BTW, I saw some of you writing in your biography that you are home schooling your children. What does it exactly mean? Does it mean that they do not go to school? Just curious. Hope someone will answer. – Lina
Briefly, yes, it means I do not send my children off to a school building where someone is paid to teach them. Over the years, I have come to prefer the term "home educating." (I guess I should update my profile!) "Educating" is more accurate than "schooling" because the learning environment is more intimate and akin to tutoring.
I have no idea what would be legal in Croatia, but there is currently a grass roots move to try to make it legal in Germany. Here is an international information link http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/default.asp
We do it because it is the right choice for us. Other people with other abilities and other priorities will make other choices which will be better for them. If the parent is so motivated, I do think that home education is a particularly good choice for students on both ends of the educational spectrum, (those who are very bright and those who have learning difficulties,) because public schools will always have the disadvantage of having to accommodate the masses.
One of the greatest misconceptions about home education is in the area of socialization. It is not the problem that some opponents would make it out to be. Since I began sixteen years ago, there have been several studies done that show home educated children are less peer dependent and better at interacting with a wide range of ages than traditionally schooled children. I will take you up on your invitation to email you. I could chat on this topic for pages, but I doubt the other forum members would appreciate that.
Old News -
My suspicions of a beaver dam were correct. In fact, we found three of them. So this weekend we pulled apart the smaller two. The largest was 5 feet high at the deepest point and had/has a sizable lake forming behind it. We put a breech 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep in it. I'm fairly sure the beavers will rebuild that one, but it stopped the flooding into our woods for now.
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Catherine - Mar 7, 2005 3:48 pm (#2774 of 2956)
It's interesting that you mention the push to legalize home education in Germany, Chemyst.
A while back, I joined Mr. Catherine at a recruitment dinner for the Chemistry Department. The candidate, a German gentleman who currently resides in Sweden, was amazed to learn that two members of the Chemistry department have children educated at home. He was very intrigued, and had lots of questions that I knew I did not feel qualified to answer well, so I steered him to some websites for more information.
His shock that home schooling is "allowed" gave way to appreciation that we can exercise a freedom of choice. I'm not sure that he himself will choose it, but he seemed to appreciate the option.
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Julie Aronson - Mar 7, 2005 4:20 pm (#2775 of 2956)
I tested out as Snape. I'm not actually that surprised, since I've often felt that some of his characteristics are lurking just under my surface....BWAAHAHAHAHA!!!
Good news-- my HP-reluctant boyfriend saw parts of SS on ABC Family last night and is now finally willing to schedule a few moments to try the books out! Yippie!
Julie
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mike miller - Mar 7, 2005 4:43 pm (#2776 of 2956)
Fawkes - I knew we had more in common than just HP. I like Faulty Towers, just not as much as Python. It took years for me to stop seeing the Minister of Silly Walks every time I saw John Cleese in anything.
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Diagon Nilly - Mar 7, 2005 5:16 pm (#2777 of 2956)
I'm a Dumbledore! I guess I should stop self-depreciating, hunh?
My husband and his sister were both home schooled and neither of them would've traded it for a more traditional education. When I was a miserable, nerdy and very harassed middle-schooler, I would have given anything to have been home schooled instead!
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 5:18 pm (#2778 of 2956)
Lina, I am glad to talk to you about homeschooling, or "home educating" as Chemyst has termed it (and I agree, by the way!) Denise did an excellent job explaining the intricacies of teaching your children at home. Thank you! She is quite right, the regulations for education in the U.S. are governed by the individual states. Therefore, the requirements vary according to the state in which you reside. Some are quite strict, and others are more understanding of a parent's choice for their child's education. I am fortunate that my state, Louisiana, is quite open legally to home education. I am required to enroll my home as a legal place of education and submit my "roll" yearly. I am required to hold school lessons a minimum amount of days per year, and the "formal" educational days must be no less than 180 per year. The 180 days is the same requirement that the state sets for more formal school sites. We have school lessons a minimum of those days, but I often contend that each day is a learning experience for the children.
My children do not have to be tested by the local school systems. (In other states, this may be required.) And, I have had a college education in educating, although this also is not always required. When they are older and have entered the "high-school" years, they will need to follow more strict guidelines regarding outside testing and examinations. This is normally accomplished through the internet. I haven't progressed that far in the kids' education, though. My oldest child is in 2nd grade, the middle in kindergarten, and the youngest is in pre-school.
I have found some curriculum programs that work for us, and have chosen to follow their lesson plans and guidelines. It works out quite well.
As you pointed out, the average parent often spends so much time teaching their children at home (whether they realize it or not ) through homework that they are actually already home educating. I've found that after you subtract the class changing time, attendance recordings, behavioral problems, etc. of a normal school day that I can accomplish so much more than the average school in a much shorter period of time per day. There is no substituting individual attention when it comes to education. The home atmosphere is more conducive to active learning. The children know what they can expect from me, I know how to effectively motivate them, and the end result is wonderful.
As Denise pointed out, parents choose to homeschool for a wide variety of reasons. My reason is that I didn't want my children to suffer the same way that I did in school. When it came to mathematics, the lessons seem to fly over my head without me grasping the basics. The teacher couldn't help me individually, and before I could begin to understand he/she would be on to the next lesson. It doesn't take long to get behind like this! It was often my mother helping me at home that kept me afloat, she was actually the one that was teaching me all along! On the other hand, in the subjects that I excelled (history and reading) I felt bored, restless, and unchallenged. I was "marking time" in class and hated that just as much as being left behind. In a school system that is overwhelmed, the teachers cannot possibly accommodate their lesson plans to each student's individual needs. They are already overworked as it is! Unfortunately, though, there is a slice of children at the top and at the bottom of each class that are suffering for this problem.
There are also new studies being made that indicate that homeschooled children are testing higher than the average traditionally schooled child when they take their college entrance exams. That's exciting information for me, and it makes the sacrifices that I am currently making more worthwhile. Also, with regards to socialization issues, the studies indicate that homeschooled children are often more confident, secure, and generally have a more advanced vocabulary than their counterparts.
I hope that I've answered your questions. Please e-mail me if I can help you further!
Barbie
P.S. Diagon Nilly: Thanks for backing up my beliefs about the end result of homeschool children!
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I Am Used Vlad - Mar 7, 2005 5:19 pm (#2779 of 2956)
Yes, Elanor, I am back now, so I'm no longer praying for snow in your area. The mountains there are quite beautiful and the ski area is huge (as opposed to the room we stayed in, which makes Harry's cupboard under the stairs seem spacious).
My effort to speak French, however, was more or less a complete failure. Bonjour, Bonsoir and Merci was about all I successfully said. I did learn a few new words, though. You only have to bang your head on a door six or seven times before you figure out the words for push and pull.
I did miss the forum, and still have a lot of catching up to do.
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Helen Potterfan - Mar 7, 2005 5:45 pm (#2780 of 2956)
wow, I had almost 200 posts to read. I'm sure I missed a few things, but here are the things I remember:
Sirius Lee and Gina, I've wanted to go to the Chip Shop, but never have. We should meet up there!
Mike and Fawkes, I tested as McGonagall as well!
Happy Birthday to everyone I've missed, and happy belated Mother's Day to all of the British moms!
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Gina R Snape - Mar 7, 2005 6:28 pm (#2781 of 2956)
Great, Accio HBP. Let's set it up! See me on the 'Local'
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mollis - Mar 7, 2005 7:44 pm (#2782 of 2956)
I also tested as Prof. McGonnagal, Mike, Fawkes and Accio HBP. That is where I usually score on these things.
I'm traveling for work this week. Three states in one week. Lots of fun for me. Glad to see you out from under your rock, Fawkes. I'll hopefully be able to climb out from under mine in about 6 months. I probably won't have time to post, or keep up with any threads but this one, but I'll still try my best to keep up with you all here. I just can't keep away!!
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Catherine - Mar 7, 2005 7:49 pm (#2783 of 2956)
Mollis, no fair! You simply can't go MIA when your extensive plant knowledge might be needed this spring! Or even this week as I'm having to make some big plant decisions....
But, anyhoo, have a good trip, a safe one, check in, and tell me if my Confederate Jasmine vine which turned brown from 18 degree weather will, phoenix-like, rise from the ashes....
**waves to Mollis**
I'm off to bed. 'Nighty-night...
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mike miller - Mar 7, 2005 7:55 pm (#2784 of 2956)
Mollis - I'm not surprised we tested the same given the number of times that we've agreed on other threads. I usually test as either ISTJ or ESTJ depending on my state of mind at the time of the test. I find it interesting that many people have one element that will change while the remaining three stay the same (*waves to Madame Pince*).
I too have been buried by work. I hope yours will get better over time. (You too Fawkes! @#*$ Dementors) I keep saying to myself, "this too shall pass". I remember thinking if I can just make it to the Holidays things will ease up. End of work rant!
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boop - Mar 7, 2005 9:06 pm (#2785 of 2956)
For Feb. 8th: HAPPY BIRTHDAY Loopy Lupin. Have a great day!!! Big birthday hug just for you.
HI everyone have a great day.
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Phoenix song - Mar 7, 2005 9:17 pm (#2786 of 2956)
Oops Boop! I'm sure that you meant March 8th, right? (Happens to me all the time, I'm still dating my checks with 2004 on them! **blush**) Happy Birthday Loopy Lupin! I hope that you have a most excellent day!
Barbie
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 7, 2005 11:31 pm (#2787 of 2956)
I thought for a while, I'd forgotten Mother's Day, but a bit of searching found that Australia and the US share the same date for Mother's day - 8th May. Phew!! I got out of that one easy. Now to remember the right date and to remember to ring Mum this time!
I have friends who home school, for various reasons (religious mostly, coupled with dissatisfaction at the school policies.) Each state of Australia has its own education department, and it is these departments that design the syllabus and standardised policies for the whole state. And each state has very similar syllabuses etc.
Thus variations in schools (from a subject content and policy point of view) is minimised. There are differences between schools - more cultural based.
I have always approved of home schooling - provided it is done well, the children are learning and meeting standardised criteria, and the parent can cope with the added responsibility. I have a lot of respect for those who are home schooling, so for those parents on this forum who do home school/educate, good on you .
Lizzy
EDIT: Happy birthday Loopy Lupin!!
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septentrion - Mar 8, 2005 1:10 am (#2788 of 2956)
Happy birthday Loopy Lupin ! happy women's day to every woman in the world, and God knows some need it !
Elanor, I pity you really. I hope you'll have no more snow from today. It was good this morning to have just rain.
I discover home schooling was legal in France when I was more than 18. It never occured to me before this could be possible. Anyway, I don't regret to have attended school, even if it wasn't funny every day, and my parents don't have enough education to home school. And if I'd have children, I wouldn't home school them either because I don't want to stop working. I can't picture myself as a housewife. Yet as some of you have pointed out, parents often home school without realising it when they help their children with their homework.
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The giant squid - Mar 8, 2005 1:45 am (#2789 of 2956)
Fawkes Forever, I'm glad your Patronus was successful enough for you to get away from the dementors for a while, and tickled that one of JKR's items reminds you of me (rather than the other way around). As a card-carrying procrastinator (well, I was carrying the card...I set it down somewhere...) I highly recommend finding the room to squeeze a dishwasher into your flat. I find that there's a lot less crockery, silverware and, um, biological agents in the sink now that I have something to wash the dishes for me. And no, I'm not referring to my wife...
Mike, I agree with you on the Fawlty/Python thing. John Cleese was, is and always will be associated with Monty Python to me. Heck, even when I see him as Nearly Headless Nick I half expect Idle, Palin & Jones to pop up somewhere (Gilliam, of course, is behind the scenes making up some truly odd animation). Of course, Graham Chapman would have been perfect casting to play a ghost, but the bugger wouldn't answer WB's phone calls...
--Mike
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 5:04 am (#2790 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Loopy Lupin. Hope your day is filled with everything fabulous. **passes Loopy a bottle of Ogden's**
EDIT: Loopy has all the luck! I read at TLC that Katie Couric (a UVA grad just like Loopy! ) is supposed to reveal the cover of HBP on the Today show this morning! What a great present.
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Eponine - Mar 8, 2005 5:32 am (#2791 of 2956)
Is anyone else just a little disappointed that the HBP cover art didn't reveal the entire plot of the book?
It's a neat cover though. I like it.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 8, 2005 5:38 am (#2792 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 8, 2005 4:41 am
For those of us that can't watch TV - is the HBP cover posted anywhere yet?
Edit: Just checked the Leaky Cauldron webpage and there should be screen caps up later and it will be shown on the show again at 9 am EST. Woohoo!
Edit2 - posted at the same time as Catherine.
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 5:40 am (#2793 of 2956)
TLC expects screencaps shortly. Also, TLC said that the cover will be reshown at 9 a.m.
The Bloomsbury site has the British covers shown.
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Ladybug220 - Mar 8, 2005 6:55 am (#2794 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 8, 2005 5:57 am
Scholastic has it posted on their Harry potter website:
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/
and the UK covers are here
http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/muggles/whassup/news.asp
The Leaky Cauldron has a high resolution version of the American cover here:
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/images/2005/03/scholhbpcover.html
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septentrion - Mar 8, 2005 6:59 am (#2795 of 2956)
I'm quite excited to discover those cover arts. And did you notice the big spoiler on the adult cover of the UK version ?
edited to remove spoilers
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Denise P. - Mar 8, 2005 7:02 am (#2796 of 2956)
Please take any discussion of the cover art to the Half Blood Prince thread and remember, some folks try to avoid spoilers about anything regarding the books. Confining the discussion to the appropriate thread helps them remain spoiler free.
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Madam Pince - Mar 8, 2005 7:55 am (#2797 of 2956)
Oh fiddlesticks! Here I was answering e-mails at 9:00 and missed seeing the "Today" show! Phooey! But thanks for the heads-up and the links, everybody!
Mike, it is funny how often just one element of those tests changes depending on your state of mind when you take the test. For example, the question "Would you rather live by yourself or with a lot of people?" might depend entirely on how quiet and cooperative the "other people" in your life were being right at that particular moment! It reminds me of that TV commercial that's out now in the US for International Coffee Creamer -- it shows people being totally grumpy in the morning before they've had their java boost. One lady is watering her lawn and decides to randomly squirt a kid who's riding by on his bike; a woman punches the "Close Door" button on the elevator just as somebody's running up yelling "Hold the door!"; another guy aimlessly reaches his hand out as he walks by a credenza in his office and sweeps all the books onto the floor and keeps walking. It's a scream! Funny how one little thing can change your personality temporarily sometimes!
My ESTJ concern with "following the rules" has always caused me to be slightly bothered by Dumbledore's little maneuver at the end of "Sorcerer's Stone" by adding the House points in just the right number so as to topple Slytherin's win. Not that I wanted Slytherin to win, mind you, I just couldn't help feeling that Dumbledore cheated a little... And I was truly outraged when, a couple of seasons ago on "Survivor," they changed the rules to bring back two players who had already been voted off. Grrrrrrrr....
The psychology-major in me is coming out -- I love those little tests!
Last night I was watching re-runs of the US-version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway," (one of my all-time favorites, by the way) and I was marveling at the fact that while those comedians are so talented, they are not really mainstream "big names" here in the US. I was wondering about the British version of that show. Who were the comedians? Are they names we would've heard of perhaps?
Good Rainy-Tuesday-Morning to everybody! We had a gorgeous 70-degree spring day yesterday, and the rest of the week is supposed to be cold, rainy/snowy, and generally yuck. Elanor, I know how you feel.
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mike miller - Mar 8, 2005 8:34 am (#2798 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOOPY LUPIN!!!!
Labybug - Thanks for posting the links for the new cover art. I knew someone would come to our rescue.
Squid Mike - I never know when it's going to hit me, I'll see one of the Python troop in something else and just flashback to a Python sketch. When I was in college, a couple of my roommates and I dressed as the old ladies in so many Python sketches for Halloween and went bar-hooping going off into various sketches. It was a real hoot since Python was so big on the college campus back in the late 70's.
Off to check the HBP thread....
EDIT: It was 70 degree yesterday and it's snow like crazy right now!
Madame Pince - your post #2800 - W00T
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Ladybug220 - Mar 8, 2005 8:37 am (#2799 of 2956)
Happy birthday Loopy!!!!
You are welcome Mike. Since I don't read the HBP thread I figured there were others like me that would need the links.
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Madam Pince - Mar 8, 2005 8:39 am (#2800 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Loopy Lupin!
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:43 pm
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Chemyst - Mar 8, 2005 9:02 am (#2801 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy!
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 8, 2005 9:14 am (#2802 of 2956)
Have a very happy birthday, Loopy. Life is good.
Diagon Nilly - Mar 8, 2005 9:43 am (#2803 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 8, 2005 8:43 am
:hpb:
...happy birthday uhh uhh happy birthday...
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 8, 2005 9:44 am (#2804 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOOPY LUPIN!!!! –Everyone
AWWWWW, Shucks! Thanks guys. It's been a busy morning so far. I won a trial and am scurrying around the office to put out fires while the boss is away. Stupid fires. And, as I was typing this, the office presented me with a fruit basket. Yay, pineapple!!! This is the best 29th birthday I've ever had. Much better than my last two or three 29th birthdays.
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 9:50 am (#2805 of 2956)
Much better than my last two or three 29th birthdays. --Loopy Lupin
Ahem!
Congrats on your win today.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 8, 2005 10:05 am (#2806 of 2956)
What can I say? I stopped aging seven years ago. Ooops!
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 8, 2005 10:09 am (#2807 of 2956)
Well, that is better than stopping aging 21 years ago as in my case. :-)
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Elanor - Mar 8, 2005 10:25 am (#2808 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy Lupin! Joyeux anniversaire! And congratulations on your win! I hope you liked your HP/covert arts birthday present!
I often have still 29 too though right now, I feel as if was 10. You should have seen me jumping on my chair when I saw the covert arts!
I needed to cheer up because it was another winter weather today here with a snowy fog, when it wasn't a foggy snow, most of the day. But when I came back home I saw the weather vane on the top of the dungeon tower. It showed a wind coming from the north for ages but this evening it seems it has finally changed his mind and is now showing a wind coming from the west at last! So if you add that to the cover arts good omen, that can mean only one thing: spring will be here tomorrow!
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Julia. - Mar 8, 2005 10:43 am (#2809 of 2956)
Good afternoon everyone!
First off, Happy Birthday Loopy!!! I hope you loved your birthday present from the publishers!!
Grrr! Darn me and my college student on vacation sleeping habits! I woke up at noon today and completly missed the Today show! However, a massive thank you to whoever posted the links for the cover art. That totally made my vacation! I had to bust out the dork dance for this.
Elanor, I feel your pain. It's snowing here too. Can it please be spring yet?!
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Madam Pince - Mar 8, 2005 11:02 am (#2810 of 2956)
Baby Pince is now watching "Blue's Clues," and it reminded me of all of us Forumers today -- looking at the new cover art and running around yelling "A clue! A clue!"
I had to laugh....
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 11:19 am (#2811 of 2956)
Ah, the days of Blue's Clues..
**singing to the "Letter Song" We just got an update, we just got an update, we just got update, when is the next one?**
Come to think on in, when Blue "skidoos" into the storybooks, that is a lot like the pensieve and Tom Riddle's Diary...
Spooky what you can relate to the HP world!
I'm off in a bit to take poor Hayley to the doctor. She may have strep throat. Hope you all have a good afternoon.
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kabloink! - Mar 8, 2005 11:41 am (#2812 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy ...and anyone else I've missed over the last few weeks.
I retook the quiz, changing the answers from what I would rather be to what I actually am, and went from the Weasley twins to Harry Potter. Cool! Okay, I think I'm going to celebrate my last day of complete and total freedom (I start working at my second job on top of full time school tomorrow) by going to see a chic flick. See you guys later!
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Viola Intonada - Mar 8, 2005 1:08 pm (#2813 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy!
I'm home today, my youngest was diagnosed with Strep yesterday. Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed that no one else gets it.
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I Am Used Vlad - Mar 8, 2005 1:34 pm (#2814 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Loopy.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 8, 2005 2:06 pm (#2815 of 2956)
Happy birthday Loopy Lupin.
Now, if you'll all excuse me... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE NEW COVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:hem, hem: Off to the HbP thread to discuss.
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The giant squid - Mar 8, 2005 2:38 pm (#2816 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Loopy--or, as Homer would say, "MMmmmm...birthdays..."
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Lina - Mar 8, 2005 2:56 pm (#2817 of 2956)
Let me tell you something: I LOVE this forum! And I am so thankful that Jo picked HPLexicon for the Fan Site Award the first time I found it.
Happy birthday Loopy Lupin!
Thank you all who answered me about home educating. I do think it is a great thing although I see no way that it could happen here before my children finish their schooling. But it could help them educating their children since it seems that some sorts of learning disabilities run in our family. To be honest, I see no need for two of my three daughters to get home education, but Veronika would most certainly benefit from it. Unlike you Barbie, I have very pleasant memories from my kindergarten and school and I feel quite upset and guilty seeing Veronika not having them. I'd scream. I see your point too, Septentrion but I can't say what would I decide if I had the opportunity. Right now, I would really like to be able to give up my income and take care of my children. Once, that they grow up and don't need me that much any more, I could take some part time job. That's something I would like and still hope could happen (a part time job).
Elanor, I started to blow to the sun so it might come to you soon! Only two sunny days and it feels like spring already.
I had quite a busy day. All adults around me with high temperature and children full of energy. My eldest asked me if she could go to her friend's to do the homework and I was happy not to have to take care about her too. Then I came to the forum and found a whole bunch of posts and news. It is just not simple.
Good day to everybody!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 8, 2005 9:05 pm (#2818 of 2956)
And, as I was typing this, the office presented me with a fruit basket.---Loopy Lupin
:::loves a fruit basket, so many fruits to choose from...reaches in for the apple of HBP knowledge:::
Happy Birthday Loopy!
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Eponine - Mar 8, 2005 9:18 pm (#2819 of 2956)
Here's a late Happy Birthday, Loopy Lupin! I hope you had a great day.
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Dumbledore - Mar 9, 2005 5:23 am (#2820 of 2956)
A Happy birthday from me too, Loopy Lupin!
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septentrion - Mar 9, 2005 6:13 am (#2821 of 2956)
Hello everyone !
Elanor and Julia, I may try a weather spell like the ones they have at the ministry of magic. At least, even if the real weather doesn't improve, you'd have the impression of a sunny sky when watching out of your windows. Just please step aside while I'm casting my spell, you never know how imprecise my aim is
Lina I meet a lot of women who do that kind of choice (to stay at home while their children are young and then looking for a job) but here in France, it's very difficult for them to find something. The companies are suspicious that they may not be interesting because they were away from working for years, as if a housewife did nothing. There's only one moment when I don't want to work, it is when I have to leave my bed in the morning.
Have a good morning/day/evening/night !
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 9, 2005 6:39 am (#2822 of 2956)
:::loves a fruit basket, so many fruits to choose from...reaches in for the apple of HBP knowledge::: -- Kim
Yes, choosing fruits is ever so much fun, and quite fruity. Thanks again for the birthday wishes from everyone. They were much appreciated.
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Catherine - Mar 9, 2005 7:10 am (#2823 of 2956)
Mmmm....fruity fruits.....mmmm...
I think my lack of sleep last night is showing; Hayley was up sick most of the night. It's a yawn-y kind of morning. I think this calls for a second pot of tea.
Today is kindergarten registration; my baby goes off to school full time come August. I can't believe the number of documents required to register her for school. I received my driver's license and was allowed to register to vote with 1/5 the amount of papers shown! I don't think my college education required this amount of information! They want two forms of my identification, of which must have a picture; two proofs of my address on top of that (no using my driver's license as proof of address, for example); her social security card; her birth certificate; a "kindergarten assessment form" signed by a doctor; and her vaccination record. Maybe I'll bring my grocery list, too!
Off to infuse my body with caffeine and collect all our documents. See you all around!
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Denise P. - Mar 9, 2005 7:59 am (#2824 of 2956)
Catherine, we have similar requirements to register for school here. We have to bring in shot records on an official state form, physical or an appointment slip showing we have one, birth certificate with a raised seal (no hospital copies), Social Security card, electric bill and water bill (to show proof of address) and if your child was born outside the US (which in a military town, many are), they also have to have a doctor's test showing they are clear of TB. Oh, and the parent has to have ID. Never mind if you have 3 other children already registered in the school, you still have to bring your proof of address. If you are the sole parent of a child, you also have to bring in court papers showing who has custody of the child.
I am off to get craft foam to make Brownie SWAPS. They are little doo hickeys made on pins to trade with other girls. We have a musical theme so we are doing little xylophones in addition to mini sundaes and some silly google eye ones.
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kabloink! - Mar 9, 2005 8:58 am (#2825 of 2956)
Wow, there would have been a problem getting me into kindergarten if we had needed all that stuff when I was that age. I was born in Florida, but moved to Michigan long before I was school age, and I didn't get my REAL birth certificate from Volusia County until I was in 10th grade!
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Penny Lane. - Mar 9, 2005 9:09 am (#2826 of 2956)
Considering that I switched Kindergarten three times due to moving, I don't think we had that kind of requirement either - I've seen how organized my parents are with paperwork. They would probably STILL be looking for some of that stuff. But, I do think that it's a good idea, what with all the parents kidnapping their own children and draggign them across state lines.
Granted, if I ever have children, I might seriously consider the home schooling route. When I was in 5th grade a friend and I wanted to be homeschooled, because the Catholic School we attended was slightly irritating, to say the least.. Her mother was willing to educate both of us, even though she had 7 other children (not at home), but the school didn't want to release our records. So, I've never been home schooled, but I know we had lots of programs for homeschooled kids to recieve instruction in art, science, humanities, farming, foreign languages through a local school district. The homeschooled kids just come to a special building and they go on all these fun trips and they seem to learn more. Also, I figure if I home school my yet unborn children, I can teach them Italian, while I myself learn it.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 9, 2005 11:16 am (#2827 of 2956)
Denise, Kip. Shall I take the rule about limiting HbP discussion to the HbP thread to mean I cannot change my avatar to include something from one of the covers? I thought I'd check before I went ahead and made a new graphic. I remember last time a few people made OOtP avatars before the book came out.
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Chemyst - Mar 9, 2005 11:28 am (#2828 of 2956)
Re: record-keeping to go to school.
For home schooling where I live, we need show only proof of residency, and only if asked, because they may need to verify that the attendance forms are going to the correct district. Every few years someone down at the statehouse will try to add on a requirement to show proof of vaccination. So far, this has failed to pass based on the arguments of privacy of medical records and the what-should-be-obvious fact that a school one is not attending does not need to see your medical records to protect others.
As for schools not releasing records (as Penny Lane mentioned), that is fairly common. Much of the record would be of little value to a home educating parent anyway. For students who begin home education midway through their school years, it is often better to begin with assessment tests, many of which are available free or at a small cost from curriculum publishers.
Also, I figure if I home school my yet unborn children, I can teach them Italian, while I myself learn it. There is a lot of truth to that. It is amazing how much more you can pick up your fourth time through high school!
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Phoenix song - Mar 9, 2005 12:12 pm (#2829 of 2956)
Chemyst: It really is amazing how much you can pick up through teaching your children, isn't it? I can only imagine how much more I'm going to learn as I guide the kids through the higher grades in school. I plan on researching methods of teaching Spanish for next year. I think that it could really be beneficial to teach them a second language. Since I don't know how to speak it either, we'll be learning it together. What could be more of a family project than that?
Does anybody know of an effective, relatively inexpensive language education program?
Barbie
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Lina - Mar 9, 2005 2:09 pm (#2830 of 2956)
When I was 6, I went to my kindergarten alone and came home alone. Nobody had to pick me. Now I am not allowed to send my elder daughter to pick her younger sister from the kindergarten! And we live so close to it, she even doesn't have to cross the street, I could watch her through the window, but I have to show up at the kindergarten. (fortunately, I don't have to sign anything when I'm picking her)
I do understand those teachers, I just find it so sad that it seems as if the world has become such a dangerous place. I don't like to see things that way.
And, Barbie, I was wandering, how is your home educating going to be with three children in different grades? I think the person really has to be well organized to make it work... I'm not well organized, but it is a fact that I do have to learn some subjects to be able to help my daughter.
Waves to everybody
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John Bumbledore - Mar 9, 2005 2:11 pm (#2831 of 2956)
And, as I was typing this, the office presented me with a fruit basket.---Loopy Lupin
Loopy, does that mean they renewed your premium membership here for another year? How thoughtful! **Ducking and running from dung bombs thrown by the sour fruit in this basket!** **Missed**
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore.
P. S. **SPEW!** I crack myself up. Love ya all, lots! Really!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 9, 2005 2:22 pm (#2832 of 2956)
I'd like to draw everyone's attention to a new thread and plead for your help. I've volunteered (my first mistake) to teach an afterschool class on Harry Potter. This is explained more fully in the thread Ideas for Harry Potter Class. This is a class for 3rd-5th graders who have read the books. I'm looking for any ideas you have, even if all you can contribute is a trivia question, I'll take it.
You can't see me but I'm on my knees begging for help. The thought of facing 10-20 kids and wowing them with my HP knowledge and keeping them engaged frankly terrifies me.
No one knows Harry Potter like the members of this forum and I know your ideas will be brilliant. Please share them with me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Click here for thread.
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Dumbledore - Mar 9, 2005 2:35 pm (#2833 of 2956)
Hiii everybody!!
Phoenix Song, I agree that parents can learn a lot from kids these days. I have taken French at school for three years. My mother had learned it high school, but more or less lost the language as the years passed on. However, I have made it a habit of speaking French at home whenever I can, and by doing so have helped my mom re-learn the language simply be speaking it to her wherever appropriate. We can now converse easily, and none of my other family members have a clue what we're saying!! :-D
Lupin is Lupin, I think that that is a SUPERB idea to teach a Harry Potter class!! Kudos to a true Harry Potter educator!!!!!!!!
That's all for now..have a great day, everybody!
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Catherine - Mar 9, 2005 7:18 pm (#2834 of 2956)
Good evening to all.
I could use a pick-me-up from Loopy's fruit basket, but I have it on good authority that he already ate the pineapple on a stick, so I'm out of luck.
What a day. I won't go into it, except to hit the "happy notes" and say that despite the troll-sized mountain of paperwork required, I did manage to get my Hayley into Kindergarten come August.
Kim, I hope you get lots of good ideas for your class, and as soon as I post this, I'm off to check it out.
Then--I'll go to sleep, and hopefully have no sick kiddies in the middle of the night tonight!
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 9, 2005 11:06 pm (#2835 of 2956)
Well today I finished up at my job. This is the one that was making me unhappy and stressed out. The bit I found sad is that my boss, didn't bother coming in today after a meeting. He has not talked to me since mid-December, unless I asked him a question first, but it would have been nice if he had actually acknowledged I was leaving. I'm well out of it, I reckon.
I start the training for the new one on the 14th March and I fly down to Sydney on the 13th March.
So now I have to redo my budget to live on a quarter of my old wage (not easy), so I will have to apply for unemployment benefits to supplement my income from my part-time job. The upside is I will have plenty of time available to catch up on my sleep, sew, garden, spend time with the puppies and surf the net.
I wonder how smooth/rocky this road/path will be??
Lizzy
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Lina - Mar 10, 2005 12:27 am (#2836 of 2956)
Well, dizzy lizzy, I guess this was one of the reasons to leave the old job: having a boss like this. And the boss must have been even worse than you are aware if you decided to take the quarter if income. I wish you luck and good advancing at the new job!
Waves
Edit: don't you find it interesting, Loopy Lupin, that your birthday is only two days apart from Remus' birthday?
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Elanor - Mar 10, 2005 1:08 am (#2837 of 2956)
Good luck about the new job Lizzy! I know what you feel about your boss. When I left my previous job in the tourist office for becoming a teacher, he told me nothing on my last day either and he happened to be nice before, when he needed me... Well, look at the good side of it, you hadn't to thank him for his words, I'm sure it would have been painful too, isn't it?
Thanks for your weather charms all! You are great wizards, which I never doubted, because there was indeed a kind of improvement yesterday since it didn't snow! It was just a grey and cold day and today is cold and foggy but forecast says it should be a sunny day tomorrow. Well, I will believe it when I will see it... I hope that it is improving for you too Julia!
Have a great day/night everybody!
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 10, 2005 2:22 am (#2838 of 2956)
Lina and Elanor:
I am looking forward to the challenge. I have finally read the manual for the new job - all 468 pages of it, it made my head spin much worse than the alchemy, prophecy and time turner threads combined.
I guess over the next 9 days I will be able to put it all into practise and make sense. I am looking forward to it and the challenge it is going to be for me.
The one thing I like about getting this new job is that it will make the time to HBP go that much faster. I will be occupied with all this other new stuff to learn.
Have a wonderful evening and a great Friday everyone.
Lizzy
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Lina - Mar 10, 2005 5:07 am (#2839 of 2956)
Fortunately you had the practice with those threads on the forum.
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Pinky - Mar 10, 2005 6:20 am (#2840 of 2956)
Gina, I think at the moment, an avator with a picture of one of the covers would be considered a spoiler. Perhaps when it comes closer to the time of the book release it would be ok, but for now, we're trying to confine all the spoilers to the Half-Blood Prince thread. So if you think that is the only thread you'll be posting on, go ahead... but if you think you might possibly post on any other thread... better not. *grin*
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septentrion - Mar 10, 2005 7:10 am (#2841 of 2956)
Lizzy, good luck with your new job !
Elanor, tell us if you have some sun ! If so, I'd have done better for you than for me.
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Denise P. - Mar 10, 2005 7:15 am (#2842 of 2956)
Heigh ho! It is off to the dentist we go this morning. With my gang, it is almost a given that any month, there is one that has a cleaning and exam due. This month's lucky guest is Miss Kaitlyn. We have a fantastic pediatric dentist though and the kids don't mind going.
My 10 year old is currently reading OoP and let me tell you, he is one sharp kid. He just started and he is already asking me all the right questions. I just smile and tell him to keep reading.
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mollis - Mar 10, 2005 7:56 am (#2843 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 10, 2005 6:56 am
Never fear Catherine. I wouldn't dream of deserting you in the springtime! I promise to keep checking in to offer all botanical knowledge free of charge (butterbeer donations gladly accepted! ) You have to promise not to tell anyone else this, but I too planted a Jasmine last year and it seems to have the same crunchy brown look you described in yours!
Sorry I missed it, but Happy Birthday Loopy Lupin! I hope it was as wonderful as you are!
And as a final note, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm here and posting. My trip for today was cancelled. Yippee!!! So I am just sitting at my desk under mountains of work (that are cleverly blocking my screen from view of the outside world/dementors!). I feel like procrastinating some today (perhaps because I missed the release of the new covers?). I think I've earned it. I'm pretty sure this week or next week is procrastinators day. I meant to check on that. Actually, I think someone mentioned it here, maybe, a few days ago? Maybe I should check that. Maybe Later.
Well, I think I'm going to stick around some today. Got to hit the HBP thread! Everybody have a great day!
PS to Mike Miller - Yeah, I wasn't surprised at all to learn we agreed with each other yet again. It's getting to be a pattern with us!
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Elanor - Mar 10, 2005 7:57 am (#2844 of 2956)
Well, early in the afternoon, we had about 10 minutes of sun, just enough for wondering if it would be a good idea to start searching where on earth I have put sunglasses I haven't used for months and it was gone behind ugly grey clouds...
Tell me Sept, did you skip the weather-lesson two? You did a great job with the first one "how to stop the snow falling" but I ask you, what were you doing when they talked about "how to make sun appear again"? I bet you were thinking to a certain professor all dressed in black
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septentrion - Mar 10, 2005 8:30 am (#2845 of 2956)
Well, it seems in North France, we're not very skilled in making the sun appear, and it's still more difficult when your mind is so willingly wandering towards what you wrote so small
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Phoenix song - Mar 10, 2005 8:30 am (#2846 of 2956)
And, Barbie, I was wandering, how is your home educating going to be with three children in different grades? I think the person really has to be well organized to make it work... Lina
Well, I have to admit to you that at one time I was the most obsessively organized person that you'd ever know. Fortunately, my compulsive OCD behavior has faded as I've reached more "adult" years and I've learned to channel the need to be organized to the areas that matter most, like our school lessons.
It is a matter of being organized, but it isn't as insanely difficult as it sounds. The history, social studies, Bible studies and science can all be held as a group. Any group projects or experiments can be done together. The only times that need to be held separately to accommodate grade level are reading and math times. I just shift those times so that the child that needs the most intensive help is receiving more supervision, and the other two are working on things that don't require as much help. At our kitchen table there are often three different projects going on simultaneously, but it's not as much of a three-ring circus as it seems to be.
Dumbledore, I'm glad that your education has re-sparked your mother's knowledge. Great for you two! The relationship between a mother and a daughter is often so special, and I'm glad that you both have a common "secret" language.
Kim, I'll be checking out your thread later on today and seeing what I can contribute. It sounds like an awesome idea! Good luck!
Have a great day everybody!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Mar 10, 2005 9:50 am (#2847 of 2956)
Hey all!
If I've missed your birthday recently, sorry! Happy Birthday! The beginning of March is birthday central here at the librarian house. (We've got three during the first three weeks of the month. My husband's brother, my dad (whose is on Sat.) and my daughter.)
My dad gave me some good news last night. He told me that he's never going to be old enough (even when we're both in the old folks home, I asked ;-) ) to have a middle aged kid. So, I'll never be middle aged! Woohoo!
Got the stuff for darling daughter's b-day party in a week. For the kids craft party I'm making golden snitch cupcakes and I was able to get the Harry Potter Quidditch plates and stuff, so that'll actually coordinate well! (She asked for an HP themed party, so this is not Mom making a "suggestion" (aka executive decision) :-) I'm so happy she likes HP, too! )
Anyways, y'all have a good weekend. Take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Madam Pince - Mar 10, 2005 10:07 am (#2848 of 2956)
Dizzy Lizzy, congratulations on your last-day-at-work / beginning-of-a-new-one! It will be fine. I took a step down in pay many years ago when I left a high-stress but lucrative job for a fun and energizing but pitifully poor-paying one. Some of my co-workers at the time thought I was nuts, but it was sooooooo the right decision. It is possible to rearrange your life to accommodate a lower salary. Not fun, mind you, but possible. Good luck!
Your "last day" story reminds me of a similar one, but from the opposite viewpoint. I once had a girl who was an administrative assistant on my team -- I liked her and thought she did a great job, and we got along great together. At one point she came to me to ask me to resolve a dispute on the team, and I ended up making a decision that was sort-of a compromise, but that probably did favor the other person a bit more than her (actually, I felt her request was a little out of line -- she wanted permission to turn the music up really loud in the workroom and have more of a "party" atmosphere so that the assistants could enjoy their work more, but a couple of the other older assistants found the loud music to be distracting and causing them to make mistakes in their work. I decided that some music is fine, but that it couldn't go above a certain level on the volume scale, and asked them to please be considerate when the others who didn't like it were in the workroom, and to occasionally turn it off altogether during those brief times. It was an office, after all, not a party.) I had what I thought was a good talk with both sides, and both seemed to be OK with it. A couple months later, this girl handed in her resignation, apparently because she was planning to move. I told her how much we'd miss her, and how I appreciated her work, and I went out and bought a going-away gift for her and planned to give it to her after lunch on her last day, which she had told me she was going to work the full day. I came back to work after lunch and went by her desk, and she had cleaned it out and was gone. I said something like "Oh! I'm so sorry I missed saying good-bye to her! I had a gift for her and everything!" At which point, one of the other team members snorted and said "I don't think she missed saying good-bye to you!" I found out later that right before she left, she went to one of the other department heads and let loose with a spew of vituperative opinions about me -- apparently she hated my guts and cussed me out and made a huge scene! I was totally shocked. The other department head said she was making such a scene, he expected her head to start spinning around at any moment. Now granted, it turns out that this person had some emotional / psychological issues going on, but I was still very hurt. And mad at myself a little for being so oblivious to her opinions of me. Sigh..... oh well! I tried my best!
Mollis, glad your trips got cancelled! Woo-hoo!
Catherine, congrats on getting Hayley all set for school! I was just reading our little local paper today, and it had an article about all the things you need to do to register your child for pre-K or Kindergarten -- the list sounded almost exactly like what Denise mentioned earlier. Ugh - a lot of work! It's good to know though -- I'll have it to do soon. (Well, maybe I will, if Baby Pince doesn't get thrown out of daycare first. In the last week his teachers have "chastised" me because he made a pretend gun out of his thumb and index finger and ran around going "Pow! Pow!" and then yesterday he apparently covered another child with a blanket and then laid on top of him -- which is what we often do at home when cuddling and getting ready for bed, but the other child didn't appreciate it, and Baby Pince ended up getting written up with a "Behavior Note" that he was being mean to his friends, which I had to sign and it got put "into his record." Sigh... I'm raising a delinquent....)
Happy Thursday, everyone!
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mollis - Mar 10, 2005 10:19 am (#2849 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 10, 2005 9:25 am
Mollis, glad your trips got cancelled! Woo-hoo!
Unfortunately, not trips. Just one got cancelled for today. I am still leaving tomorrow. But, I was able to sucker the dementors into purchasing me a laptop - so I'm only a Wi-Fi hotspot away!
EDIT: Grrr - stupid smilie isn't working. Gonna have to go searching for a replacement.
EDIT #2: That's better.
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kabloink! - Mar 10, 2005 11:07 am (#2850 of 2956)
Madame Pince, I doubt you are raising a delinquent. It sounds like he is just a little boy. By the way, when did making a gun out of your thumb and forefinger become a crime? I think people panic a bit too much sometimes. My nephew has a miniature hockey stick (he's almost 2), and goes around whacking people with it. Not to mention the fact that this kid is going to be an MLB pitcher and his parents have given him real hard baseballs...I am terrified everytime he throws it (after my softball incident little kids and hard balls=Terrified Kimmi).
Chemyst - Mar 8, 2005 9:02 am (#2801 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy!
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 8, 2005 9:14 am (#2802 of 2956)
Have a very happy birthday, Loopy. Life is good.
Diagon Nilly - Mar 8, 2005 9:43 am (#2803 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 8, 2005 8:43 am
:hpb:
...happy birthday uhh uhh happy birthday...
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 8, 2005 9:44 am (#2804 of 2956)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOOPY LUPIN!!!! –Everyone
AWWWWW, Shucks! Thanks guys. It's been a busy morning so far. I won a trial and am scurrying around the office to put out fires while the boss is away. Stupid fires. And, as I was typing this, the office presented me with a fruit basket. Yay, pineapple!!! This is the best 29th birthday I've ever had. Much better than my last two or three 29th birthdays.
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 9:50 am (#2805 of 2956)
Much better than my last two or three 29th birthdays.
--Loopy LupinAhem!
Congrats on your win today.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 8, 2005 10:05 am (#2806 of 2956)
What can I say? I stopped aging seven years ago. Ooops!
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 8, 2005 10:09 am (#2807 of 2956)
Well, that is better than stopping aging 21 years ago as in my case. :-)
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Elanor - Mar 8, 2005 10:25 am (#2808 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy Lupin! Joyeux anniversaire! And congratulations on your win! I hope you liked your HP/covert arts birthday present!
I often have still 29 too though right now, I feel as if was 10. You should have seen me jumping on my chair when I saw the covert arts!
I needed to cheer up because it was another winter weather today here with a snowy fog, when it wasn't a foggy snow, most of the day. But when I came back home I saw the weather vane on the top of the dungeon tower. It showed a wind coming from the north for ages but this evening it seems it has finally changed his mind and is now showing a wind coming from the west at last! So if you add that to the cover arts good omen, that can mean only one thing: spring will be here tomorrow!
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Julia. - Mar 8, 2005 10:43 am (#2809 of 2956)
Good afternoon everyone!
First off, Happy Birthday Loopy!!! I hope you loved your birthday present from the publishers!!
Grrr! Darn me and my college student on vacation sleeping habits! I woke up at noon today and completly missed the Today show! However, a massive thank you to whoever posted the links for the cover art. That totally made my vacation! I had to bust out the dork dance for this.
Elanor, I feel your pain. It's snowing here too. Can it please be spring yet?!
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Madam Pince - Mar 8, 2005 11:02 am (#2810 of 2956)
Baby Pince is now watching "Blue's Clues," and it reminded me of all of us Forumers today -- looking at the new cover art and running around yelling "A clue! A clue!"
I had to laugh....
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Catherine - Mar 8, 2005 11:19 am (#2811 of 2956)
Ah, the days of Blue's Clues..
**singing to the "Letter Song" We just got an update, we just got an update, we just got update, when is the next one?**
Come to think on in, when Blue "skidoos" into the storybooks, that is a lot like the pensieve and Tom Riddle's Diary...
Spooky what you can relate to the HP world!
I'm off in a bit to take poor Hayley to the doctor. She may have strep throat. Hope you all have a good afternoon.
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kabloink! - Mar 8, 2005 11:41 am (#2812 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy ...and anyone else I've missed over the last few weeks.
I retook the quiz, changing the answers from what I would rather be to what I actually am, and went from the Weasley twins to Harry Potter. Cool! Okay, I think I'm going to celebrate my last day of complete and total freedom (I start working at my second job on top of full time school tomorrow) by going to see a chic flick. See you guys later!
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Viola Intonada - Mar 8, 2005 1:08 pm (#2813 of 2956)
Happy Birthday Loopy!
I'm home today, my youngest was diagnosed with Strep yesterday. Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed that no one else gets it.
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I Am Used Vlad - Mar 8, 2005 1:34 pm (#2814 of 2956)
Happy birthday, Loopy.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 8, 2005 2:06 pm (#2815 of 2956)
Happy birthday Loopy Lupin.
Now, if you'll all excuse me... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE NEW COVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:hem, hem: Off to the HbP thread to discuss.
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The giant squid - Mar 8, 2005 2:38 pm (#2816 of 2956)
Happy Birthday, Loopy--or, as Homer would say, "MMmmmm...birthdays..."
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Lina - Mar 8, 2005 2:56 pm (#2817 of 2956)
Let me tell you something: I LOVE this forum! And I am so thankful that Jo picked HPLexicon for the Fan Site Award the first time I found it.
Happy birthday Loopy Lupin!
Thank you all who answered me about home educating. I do think it is a great thing although I see no way that it could happen here before my children finish their schooling. But it could help them educating their children since it seems that some sorts of learning disabilities run in our family. To be honest, I see no need for two of my three daughters to get home education, but Veronika would most certainly benefit from it. Unlike you Barbie, I have very pleasant memories from my kindergarten and school and I feel quite upset and guilty seeing Veronika not having them. I'd scream. I see your point too, Septentrion but I can't say what would I decide if I had the opportunity. Right now, I would really like to be able to give up my income and take care of my children. Once, that they grow up and don't need me that much any more, I could take some part time job. That's something I would like and still hope could happen (a part time job).
Elanor, I started to blow to the sun so it might come to you soon! Only two sunny days and it feels like spring already.
I had quite a busy day. All adults around me with high temperature and children full of energy. My eldest asked me if she could go to her friend's to do the homework and I was happy not to have to take care about her too. Then I came to the forum and found a whole bunch of posts and news. It is just not simple.
Good day to everybody!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 8, 2005 9:05 pm (#2818 of 2956)
And, as I was typing this, the office presented me with a fruit basket.---Loopy Lupin
:::loves a fruit basket, so many fruits to choose from...reaches in for the apple of HBP knowledge:::
Happy Birthday Loopy!
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Eponine - Mar 8, 2005 9:18 pm (#2819 of 2956)
Here's a late Happy Birthday, Loopy Lupin! I hope you had a great day.
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Dumbledore - Mar 9, 2005 5:23 am (#2820 of 2956)
A Happy birthday from me too, Loopy Lupin!
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septentrion - Mar 9, 2005 6:13 am (#2821 of 2956)
Hello everyone !
Elanor and Julia, I may try a weather spell like the ones they have at the ministry of magic. At least, even if the real weather doesn't improve, you'd have the impression of a sunny sky when watching out of your windows. Just please step aside while I'm casting my spell, you never know how imprecise my aim is
Lina I meet a lot of women who do that kind of choice (to stay at home while their children are young and then looking for a job) but here in France, it's very difficult for them to find something. The companies are suspicious that they may not be interesting because they were away from working for years, as if a housewife did nothing. There's only one moment when I don't want to work, it is when I have to leave my bed in the morning.
Have a good morning/day/evening/night !
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 9, 2005 6:39 am (#2822 of 2956)
:::loves a fruit basket, so many fruits to choose from...reaches in for the apple of HBP knowledge::: -- Kim
Yes, choosing fruits is ever so much fun, and quite fruity. Thanks again for the birthday wishes from everyone. They were much appreciated.
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Catherine - Mar 9, 2005 7:10 am (#2823 of 2956)
Mmmm....fruity fruits.....mmmm...
I think my lack of sleep last night is showing; Hayley was up sick most of the night. It's a yawn-y kind of morning. I think this calls for a second pot of tea.
Today is kindergarten registration; my baby goes off to school full time come August. I can't believe the number of documents required to register her for school. I received my driver's license and was allowed to register to vote with 1/5 the amount of papers shown! I don't think my college education required this amount of information! They want two forms of my identification, of which must have a picture; two proofs of my address on top of that (no using my driver's license as proof of address, for example); her social security card; her birth certificate; a "kindergarten assessment form" signed by a doctor; and her vaccination record. Maybe I'll bring my grocery list, too!
Off to infuse my body with caffeine and collect all our documents. See you all around!
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Denise P. - Mar 9, 2005 7:59 am (#2824 of 2956)
Catherine, we have similar requirements to register for school here. We have to bring in shot records on an official state form, physical or an appointment slip showing we have one, birth certificate with a raised seal (no hospital copies), Social Security card, electric bill and water bill (to show proof of address) and if your child was born outside the US (which in a military town, many are), they also have to have a doctor's test showing they are clear of TB. Oh, and the parent has to have ID. Never mind if you have 3 other children already registered in the school, you still have to bring your proof of address. If you are the sole parent of a child, you also have to bring in court papers showing who has custody of the child.
I am off to get craft foam to make Brownie SWAPS. They are little doo hickeys made on pins to trade with other girls. We have a musical theme so we are doing little xylophones in addition to mini sundaes and some silly google eye ones.
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kabloink! - Mar 9, 2005 8:58 am (#2825 of 2956)
Wow, there would have been a problem getting me into kindergarten if we had needed all that stuff when I was that age. I was born in Florida, but moved to Michigan long before I was school age, and I didn't get my REAL birth certificate from Volusia County until I was in 10th grade!
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Penny Lane. - Mar 9, 2005 9:09 am (#2826 of 2956)
Considering that I switched Kindergarten three times due to moving, I don't think we had that kind of requirement either - I've seen how organized my parents are with paperwork. They would probably STILL be looking for some of that stuff. But, I do think that it's a good idea, what with all the parents kidnapping their own children and draggign them across state lines.
Granted, if I ever have children, I might seriously consider the home schooling route. When I was in 5th grade a friend and I wanted to be homeschooled, because the Catholic School we attended was slightly irritating, to say the least.. Her mother was willing to educate both of us, even though she had 7 other children (not at home), but the school didn't want to release our records. So, I've never been home schooled, but I know we had lots of programs for homeschooled kids to recieve instruction in art, science, humanities, farming, foreign languages through a local school district. The homeschooled kids just come to a special building and they go on all these fun trips and they seem to learn more. Also, I figure if I home school my yet unborn children, I can teach them Italian, while I myself learn it.
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Gina R Snape - Mar 9, 2005 11:16 am (#2827 of 2956)
Denise, Kip. Shall I take the rule about limiting HbP discussion to the HbP thread to mean I cannot change my avatar to include something from one of the covers? I thought I'd check before I went ahead and made a new graphic. I remember last time a few people made OOtP avatars before the book came out.
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Chemyst - Mar 9, 2005 11:28 am (#2828 of 2956)
Re: record-keeping to go to school.
For home schooling where I live, we need show only proof of residency, and only if asked, because they may need to verify that the attendance forms are going to the correct district. Every few years someone down at the statehouse will try to add on a requirement to show proof of vaccination. So far, this has failed to pass based on the arguments of privacy of medical records and the what-should-be-obvious fact that a school one is not attending does not need to see your medical records to protect others.
As for schools not releasing records (as Penny Lane mentioned), that is fairly common. Much of the record would be of little value to a home educating parent anyway. For students who begin home education midway through their school years, it is often better to begin with assessment tests, many of which are available free or at a small cost from curriculum publishers.
Also, I figure if I home school my yet unborn children, I can teach them Italian, while I myself learn it. There is a lot of truth to that. It is amazing how much more you can pick up your fourth time through high school!
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Phoenix song - Mar 9, 2005 12:12 pm (#2829 of 2956)
Chemyst: It really is amazing how much you can pick up through teaching your children, isn't it? I can only imagine how much more I'm going to learn as I guide the kids through the higher grades in school. I plan on researching methods of teaching Spanish for next year. I think that it could really be beneficial to teach them a second language. Since I don't know how to speak it either, we'll be learning it together. What could be more of a family project than that?
Does anybody know of an effective, relatively inexpensive language education program?
Barbie
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Lina - Mar 9, 2005 2:09 pm (#2830 of 2956)
When I was 6, I went to my kindergarten alone and came home alone. Nobody had to pick me. Now I am not allowed to send my elder daughter to pick her younger sister from the kindergarten! And we live so close to it, she even doesn't have to cross the street, I could watch her through the window, but I have to show up at the kindergarten. (fortunately, I don't have to sign anything when I'm picking her)
I do understand those teachers, I just find it so sad that it seems as if the world has become such a dangerous place. I don't like to see things that way.
And, Barbie, I was wandering, how is your home educating going to be with three children in different grades? I think the person really has to be well organized to make it work... I'm not well organized, but it is a fact that I do have to learn some subjects to be able to help my daughter.
Waves to everybody
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John Bumbledore - Mar 9, 2005 2:11 pm (#2831 of 2956)
And, as I was typing this, the office presented me with a fruit basket.---Loopy Lupin
Loopy, does that mean they renewed your premium membership here for another year? How thoughtful! **Ducking and running from dung bombs thrown by the sour fruit in this basket!** **Missed**
<)B^D= (John) Bumbledore.
P. S. **SPEW!** I crack myself up. Love ya all, lots! Really!
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 9, 2005 2:22 pm (#2832 of 2956)
I'd like to draw everyone's attention to a new thread and plead for your help. I've volunteered (my first mistake) to teach an afterschool class on Harry Potter. This is explained more fully in the thread Ideas for Harry Potter Class. This is a class for 3rd-5th graders who have read the books. I'm looking for any ideas you have, even if all you can contribute is a trivia question, I'll take it.
You can't see me but I'm on my knees begging for help. The thought of facing 10-20 kids and wowing them with my HP knowledge and keeping them engaged frankly terrifies me.
No one knows Harry Potter like the members of this forum and I know your ideas will be brilliant. Please share them with me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Click here for thread.
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Dumbledore - Mar 9, 2005 2:35 pm (#2833 of 2956)
Hiii everybody!!
Phoenix Song, I agree that parents can learn a lot from kids these days. I have taken French at school for three years. My mother had learned it high school, but more or less lost the language as the years passed on. However, I have made it a habit of speaking French at home whenever I can, and by doing so have helped my mom re-learn the language simply be speaking it to her wherever appropriate. We can now converse easily, and none of my other family members have a clue what we're saying!! :-D
Lupin is Lupin, I think that that is a SUPERB idea to teach a Harry Potter class!! Kudos to a true Harry Potter educator!!!!!!!!
That's all for now..have a great day, everybody!
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Catherine - Mar 9, 2005 7:18 pm (#2834 of 2956)
Good evening to all.
I could use a pick-me-up from Loopy's fruit basket, but I have it on good authority that he already ate the pineapple on a stick, so I'm out of luck.
What a day. I won't go into it, except to hit the "happy notes" and say that despite the troll-sized mountain of paperwork required, I did manage to get my Hayley into Kindergarten come August.
Kim, I hope you get lots of good ideas for your class, and as soon as I post this, I'm off to check it out.
Then--I'll go to sleep, and hopefully have no sick kiddies in the middle of the night tonight!
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 9, 2005 11:06 pm (#2835 of 2956)
Well today I finished up at my job. This is the one that was making me unhappy and stressed out. The bit I found sad is that my boss, didn't bother coming in today after a meeting. He has not talked to me since mid-December, unless I asked him a question first, but it would have been nice if he had actually acknowledged I was leaving. I'm well out of it, I reckon.
I start the training for the new one on the 14th March and I fly down to Sydney on the 13th March.
So now I have to redo my budget to live on a quarter of my old wage (not easy), so I will have to apply for unemployment benefits to supplement my income from my part-time job. The upside is I will have plenty of time available to catch up on my sleep, sew, garden, spend time with the puppies and surf the net.
I wonder how smooth/rocky this road/path will be??
Lizzy
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Lina - Mar 10, 2005 12:27 am (#2836 of 2956)
Well, dizzy lizzy, I guess this was one of the reasons to leave the old job: having a boss like this. And the boss must have been even worse than you are aware if you decided to take the quarter if income. I wish you luck and good advancing at the new job!
Waves
Edit: don't you find it interesting, Loopy Lupin, that your birthday is only two days apart from Remus' birthday?
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Elanor - Mar 10, 2005 1:08 am (#2837 of 2956)
Good luck about the new job Lizzy! I know what you feel about your boss. When I left my previous job in the tourist office for becoming a teacher, he told me nothing on my last day either and he happened to be nice before, when he needed me... Well, look at the good side of it, you hadn't to thank him for his words, I'm sure it would have been painful too, isn't it?
Thanks for your weather charms all! You are great wizards, which I never doubted, because there was indeed a kind of improvement yesterday since it didn't snow! It was just a grey and cold day and today is cold and foggy but forecast says it should be a sunny day tomorrow. Well, I will believe it when I will see it... I hope that it is improving for you too Julia!
Have a great day/night everybody!
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 10, 2005 2:22 am (#2838 of 2956)
Lina and Elanor:
I am looking forward to the challenge. I have finally read the manual for the new job - all 468 pages of it, it made my head spin much worse than the alchemy, prophecy and time turner threads combined.
I guess over the next 9 days I will be able to put it all into practise and make sense. I am looking forward to it and the challenge it is going to be for me.
The one thing I like about getting this new job is that it will make the time to HBP go that much faster. I will be occupied with all this other new stuff to learn.
Have a wonderful evening and a great Friday everyone.
Lizzy
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Lina - Mar 10, 2005 5:07 am (#2839 of 2956)
Fortunately you had the practice with those threads on the forum.
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Pinky - Mar 10, 2005 6:20 am (#2840 of 2956)
Gina, I think at the moment, an avator with a picture of one of the covers would be considered a spoiler. Perhaps when it comes closer to the time of the book release it would be ok, but for now, we're trying to confine all the spoilers to the Half-Blood Prince thread. So if you think that is the only thread you'll be posting on, go ahead... but if you think you might possibly post on any other thread... better not. *grin*
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septentrion - Mar 10, 2005 7:10 am (#2841 of 2956)
Lizzy, good luck with your new job !
Elanor, tell us if you have some sun ! If so, I'd have done better for you than for me.
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Denise P. - Mar 10, 2005 7:15 am (#2842 of 2956)
Heigh ho! It is off to the dentist we go this morning. With my gang, it is almost a given that any month, there is one that has a cleaning and exam due. This month's lucky guest is Miss Kaitlyn. We have a fantastic pediatric dentist though and the kids don't mind going.
My 10 year old is currently reading OoP and let me tell you, he is one sharp kid. He just started and he is already asking me all the right questions. I just smile and tell him to keep reading.
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mollis - Mar 10, 2005 7:56 am (#2843 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 10, 2005 6:56 am
Never fear Catherine. I wouldn't dream of deserting you in the springtime! I promise to keep checking in to offer all botanical knowledge free of charge (butterbeer donations gladly accepted! ) You have to promise not to tell anyone else this, but I too planted a Jasmine last year and it seems to have the same crunchy brown look you described in yours!
Sorry I missed it, but Happy Birthday Loopy Lupin! I hope it was as wonderful as you are!
And as a final note, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm here and posting. My trip for today was cancelled. Yippee!!! So I am just sitting at my desk under mountains of work (that are cleverly blocking my screen from view of the outside world/dementors!). I feel like procrastinating some today (perhaps because I missed the release of the new covers?). I think I've earned it. I'm pretty sure this week or next week is procrastinators day. I meant to check on that. Actually, I think someone mentioned it here, maybe, a few days ago? Maybe I should check that. Maybe Later.
Well, I think I'm going to stick around some today. Got to hit the HBP thread! Everybody have a great day!
PS to Mike Miller - Yeah, I wasn't surprised at all to learn we agreed with each other yet again. It's getting to be a pattern with us!
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Elanor - Mar 10, 2005 7:57 am (#2844 of 2956)
Well, early in the afternoon, we had about 10 minutes of sun, just enough for wondering if it would be a good idea to start searching where on earth I have put sunglasses I haven't used for months and it was gone behind ugly grey clouds...
Tell me Sept, did you skip the weather-lesson two? You did a great job with the first one "how to stop the snow falling" but I ask you, what were you doing when they talked about "how to make sun appear again"? I bet you were thinking to a certain professor all dressed in black
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septentrion - Mar 10, 2005 8:30 am (#2845 of 2956)
Well, it seems in North France, we're not very skilled in making the sun appear, and it's still more difficult when your mind is so willingly wandering towards what you wrote so small
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Phoenix song - Mar 10, 2005 8:30 am (#2846 of 2956)
And, Barbie, I was wandering, how is your home educating going to be with three children in different grades? I think the person really has to be well organized to make it work... Lina
Well, I have to admit to you that at one time I was the most obsessively organized person that you'd ever know. Fortunately, my compulsive OCD behavior has faded as I've reached more "adult" years and I've learned to channel the need to be organized to the areas that matter most, like our school lessons.
It is a matter of being organized, but it isn't as insanely difficult as it sounds. The history, social studies, Bible studies and science can all be held as a group. Any group projects or experiments can be done together. The only times that need to be held separately to accommodate grade level are reading and math times. I just shift those times so that the child that needs the most intensive help is receiving more supervision, and the other two are working on things that don't require as much help. At our kitchen table there are often three different projects going on simultaneously, but it's not as much of a three-ring circus as it seems to be.
Dumbledore, I'm glad that your education has re-sparked your mother's knowledge. Great for you two! The relationship between a mother and a daughter is often so special, and I'm glad that you both have a common "secret" language.
Kim, I'll be checking out your thread later on today and seeing what I can contribute. It sounds like an awesome idea! Good luck!
Have a great day everybody!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Mar 10, 2005 9:50 am (#2847 of 2956)
Hey all!
If I've missed your birthday recently, sorry! Happy Birthday! The beginning of March is birthday central here at the librarian house. (We've got three during the first three weeks of the month. My husband's brother, my dad (whose is on Sat.) and my daughter.)
My dad gave me some good news last night. He told me that he's never going to be old enough (even when we're both in the old folks home, I asked ;-) ) to have a middle aged kid. So, I'll never be middle aged! Woohoo!
Got the stuff for darling daughter's b-day party in a week. For the kids craft party I'm making golden snitch cupcakes and I was able to get the Harry Potter Quidditch plates and stuff, so that'll actually coordinate well! (She asked for an HP themed party, so this is not Mom making a "suggestion" (aka executive decision) :-) I'm so happy she likes HP, too! )
Anyways, y'all have a good weekend. Take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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Madam Pince - Mar 10, 2005 10:07 am (#2848 of 2956)
Dizzy Lizzy, congratulations on your last-day-at-work / beginning-of-a-new-one! It will be fine. I took a step down in pay many years ago when I left a high-stress but lucrative job for a fun and energizing but pitifully poor-paying one. Some of my co-workers at the time thought I was nuts, but it was sooooooo the right decision. It is possible to rearrange your life to accommodate a lower salary. Not fun, mind you, but possible. Good luck!
Your "last day" story reminds me of a similar one, but from the opposite viewpoint. I once had a girl who was an administrative assistant on my team -- I liked her and thought she did a great job, and we got along great together. At one point she came to me to ask me to resolve a dispute on the team, and I ended up making a decision that was sort-of a compromise, but that probably did favor the other person a bit more than her (actually, I felt her request was a little out of line -- she wanted permission to turn the music up really loud in the workroom and have more of a "party" atmosphere so that the assistants could enjoy their work more, but a couple of the other older assistants found the loud music to be distracting and causing them to make mistakes in their work. I decided that some music is fine, but that it couldn't go above a certain level on the volume scale, and asked them to please be considerate when the others who didn't like it were in the workroom, and to occasionally turn it off altogether during those brief times. It was an office, after all, not a party.) I had what I thought was a good talk with both sides, and both seemed to be OK with it. A couple months later, this girl handed in her resignation, apparently because she was planning to move. I told her how much we'd miss her, and how I appreciated her work, and I went out and bought a going-away gift for her and planned to give it to her after lunch on her last day, which she had told me she was going to work the full day. I came back to work after lunch and went by her desk, and she had cleaned it out and was gone. I said something like "Oh! I'm so sorry I missed saying good-bye to her! I had a gift for her and everything!" At which point, one of the other team members snorted and said "I don't think she missed saying good-bye to you!" I found out later that right before she left, she went to one of the other department heads and let loose with a spew of vituperative opinions about me -- apparently she hated my guts and cussed me out and made a huge scene! I was totally shocked. The other department head said she was making such a scene, he expected her head to start spinning around at any moment. Now granted, it turns out that this person had some emotional / psychological issues going on, but I was still very hurt. And mad at myself a little for being so oblivious to her opinions of me. Sigh..... oh well! I tried my best!
Mollis, glad your trips got cancelled! Woo-hoo!
Catherine, congrats on getting Hayley all set for school! I was just reading our little local paper today, and it had an article about all the things you need to do to register your child for pre-K or Kindergarten -- the list sounded almost exactly like what Denise mentioned earlier. Ugh - a lot of work! It's good to know though -- I'll have it to do soon. (Well, maybe I will, if Baby Pince doesn't get thrown out of daycare first. In the last week his teachers have "chastised" me because he made a pretend gun out of his thumb and index finger and ran around going "Pow! Pow!" and then yesterday he apparently covered another child with a blanket and then laid on top of him -- which is what we often do at home when cuddling and getting ready for bed, but the other child didn't appreciate it, and Baby Pince ended up getting written up with a "Behavior Note" that he was being mean to his friends, which I had to sign and it got put "into his record." Sigh... I'm raising a delinquent....)
Happy Thursday, everyone!
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mollis - Mar 10, 2005 10:19 am (#2849 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 10, 2005 9:25 am
Mollis, glad your trips got cancelled! Woo-hoo!
Unfortunately, not trips. Just one got cancelled for today. I am still leaving tomorrow. But, I was able to sucker the dementors into purchasing me a laptop - so I'm only a Wi-Fi hotspot away!
EDIT: Grrr - stupid smilie isn't working. Gonna have to go searching for a replacement.
EDIT #2: That's better.
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kabloink! - Mar 10, 2005 11:07 am (#2850 of 2956)
Madame Pince, I doubt you are raising a delinquent. It sounds like he is just a little boy. By the way, when did making a gun out of your thumb and forefinger become a crime? I think people panic a bit too much sometimes. My nephew has a miniature hockey stick (he's almost 2), and goes around whacking people with it. Not to mention the fact that this kid is going to be an MLB pitcher and his parents have given him real hard baseballs...I am terrified everytime he throws it (after my softball incident little kids and hard balls=Terrified Kimmi).
Lady Arabella- Prefect
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Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:46 pm
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Madam Pince - Mar 10, 2005 11:33 am (#2851 of 2956)
I sort of agree, kabloink. I mean, I know everyone is on hyper-alert since Columbine, etc., and I don't mean to belittle the concern, because guns are a serious thing and I take the education of kids about that subject very seriously. But they were almost acting like he was the first little boy ever in the history of Time to make a pretend one out of his thumb and forefinger. We don't have any toy guns in the house, and we try to not let him see any shooting stuff on TV although I'm sure it sneaks by now and again. And we hardly ever let him wear his long black trenchcoat and sunglasses to school....
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Catherine - Mar 10, 2005 1:00 pm (#2852 of 2956)
Oh, no, Madame Pince, Baby Pince already has a permanent record?
Just kidding. It's hard when you always feel like there is an "issue" at your child's school/daycare. I'm not suggesting this about Baby Pince, but I can remember taking Claire to the doctor with her school's "complaints" about her, asking, "What is so wrong with my child?" Finally, her neurologist told me, "I honestly think it is a problem with them. Claire's specialist finally concluded that Claire was attending the wrong school. Once we switched, our lives became much easier. Her current school told me within 10 days of attendance that they did not even "recognize" the child her previous school described. It's like they were talking about two different people.
About the finger/gun thing, I think people can get way too worked up about that. I've seen little boys who have never even had a water gun and don't watch TV use their index finger and thumb to "shoot" people. Maybe it's hardwired on the Y chromosome? Anyway, at our house we call that a "deader" because when Hayley was two, she came home from preschool very upset. We asked her why, and she said, "A boy made his hand into a deader and tried to get me." It was only when she showed us (by making a gun with her hand) what a "deader" was that we understood what she meant.
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Penny Lane. - Mar 10, 2005 1:12 pm (#2853 of 2956)
I really wish people would just get over it. Kids have been playing Cops and Robbers and Cowboys and Indians and probably Cavemen and ... other cavemen? Wooly Mammoths? Anyway, kids have been playing games like that for eons. I will personally attest that at my Catholic School we played Cops and Robbers and used our "gun hands" to 'kill' each other on a fairly regular basis. As far as I know, none of us have robbed a bank, shot anyone, or ever shot up our school. Also, one of our teachers was a HUGE civil war reenactmant person, so we got to play with real (fake) toy guns and swords and bayonetts a lot. All we did was learn that Wars= lots of time laying in dirt.
Ah well, what can you do? Times, they are a changing.
I have to take my postponed French test in 1.5 hours. I sure hope I'm ready.
Happy Birthday to anyone who's celebrating, including my man Remus Lupin!
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Lina - Mar 10, 2005 2:43 pm (#2854 of 2956)
Phoenix song: The only times that need to be held separately to accommodate grade level are reading and math times.
Well, Barbie, I must say, you are right. This home educating could even be helpful in organizing the life. And may I say, from the time you started to write about it, I imagined you at the kitchen table with your kids. The table is round in my imagination and you look like a Carebear...
Madam Pince, the age of two is the age for the child to learn about how strong he/she is and how strong he/she may be. It is like the puppies. If they don't grow up at the beginning with other puppies, they never learn how strong they may bite without attacking. My daughter who happens to be one of the quietest children in her class, when she was about that age, used to hit the children quite unexpectedly. When they would start to cry, she would run after them to kiss them so that they would stop to cry. But they would run away, who knows why? She stopped doing that without any special intervention. I think I told her that she would become ugly if she continues hitting other children. I do think that teaching children what is right and what is wrong is the parent's job, but at the time they are in school or daycare, the parents are just not able to be there. Those teachers have to interact with those children! They can't just give reports to the parents and not talking to the children! My dad used to say to his mum: "Punish me now, don't let me wait for dad to come home!" I bet it would not be possible to find a child without a file in that daycare.
*michelle the librarian*, happy great birthday to your daughter! My 5 year old also likes HP very much - just watching the films and playing the PC games. Her favorite is PS/SS.
I'm going to throw finally Veronika's birthday party. I hope that the flu won't get me as strong as it got my mum and hubbie. Tomorrow my elder daughters go to the snow to the mountain near the town with their school and I will be able to do the cake in peace. They are so happy about going to the snow.
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Denise P. - Mar 10, 2005 2:48 pm (#2855 of 2956)
Maybe it's hardwired on the Y chromosome?
It is! It is right next to the boy “Vroom” gene. Little boys will pick up anything and make it go vroom, like a car. My girls don't have this same gene. When Kaity was just almost 2, my father was visiting. We were in the toy store, in the cheapo aisle for them to pick out a toy. The boys immediately grabbed a truck and for the sake of ease, I was prompting her to get a truck too. No way, she wailed and wanted the package of bracelets.
My almost 4 year has had notes from school too. He got one for inappropriate kissing a few weeks ago LOL He kissed a little girl on the mouth. What horror! Apparently, had he kissed her cheek, he would have been okay. In any event, we discussed not kissing others at school.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 10, 2005 2:53 pm (#2856 of 2956)
Keep your lips to yourself young man!
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Catherine - Mar 10, 2005 3:50 pm (#2857 of 2956)
In any event, we discussed not kissing others at school. –Denise
LOL! Our preschool had to have a big powwow with the kiddies about that, too. It started with one kindergarten girl kissing everyone, and now it has spread. I was initially told that Hayley was not participating in the kiss-fest, but then I found out that, while she was not kissing anyone, she was allowing all the kindergarten boys to kiss her.
My friend Tamara (a UVA grad; ::waving to Loopy: has a young daughter who was delighted to be kissing everyone. After the talk, she came home and told her mommy, "No kissy-kissy at school!"
So, it looks like everyone needs the "no kissy-kissy" meeting at some point.
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Madam Pince - Mar 10, 2005 4:14 pm (#2858 of 2956)
Thanks for the encouragement, guys, it makes me feel much better! I am convinced about the Y-chromosome thing -- he learned all about "vroom" with (I think) absolutely no teaching from us. And I'm pretty sure he's not being "mean" with these things at school because he's just as cheerful as he can be when coming home -- he waves and yells "Bye-bye (name)" to all the kids, so I don't think he has a clue. He goes up and hugs them and says "I'm sorry" if I suggest that to him, and sometimes even on his own. We had the talk about how, even if you're just playing, if the other person gets upset, then that means they're not having fun, so you have to stop what you're doing and tell them you're sorry. ****crosses fingers and hopes that it works!***** If it doesn't work, I love Lina's idea of telling him that he'll turn ugly if he keeps on doing it!
The "kissy-kissy" is so cute! It's actually pretty funny -- little kids that age are so full of love and innocence that they have no idea that it might be a concern for somebody.
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librarian314 - Mar 10, 2005 4:32 pm (#2859 of 2956)
Hey all!
I'm not certain that the finger gun is necessarily attached to the Y chromosome. My daughter has done that quite regularly since about the time she was 3ish. (My parents are avid sports people, being competition civil war shooters (grannie is on a smooth bore cannon team that regularly wins meddles).)
Don't worry about that permanent record. I've actually heard that overcoming childhood troubles is helping to get some kids into college. (Besides, there's always community college who generally take anyone with money :-) )
Good thing kissy faces didn't get you in trouble when I was young. I would've been down at the principal's office all the time, as I chased after boys to kiss them all the time. (I also used to threaten to kiss boys if they didn't stop bothering me; at six that actually works. :-))
Kayla (my daughter) says, "Hi!!" :-) We're going upstairs to put the frosting on the cake we baked for Lupin's birthday.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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timrew - Mar 10, 2005 4:51 pm (#2860 of 2956)
Belated Happy Birthday greetings, Loopy! Congratulations on your 99th, and may you live another!
99, that is, not another year!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 10, 2005 5:47 pm (#2861 of 2956)
When he was two years old and lived the most sheltered-from-violence and pop-culture-free life one can imagine (only TV shows allowed were "Sesame Street" and "Mr. Rogers"), my Jordan calmly sat at the breakfast table, took two bites out of his toast, held up the remaining L-shaped piece and announced, "Look, mommy, it's a gun!"
Hard-wired it is for sure.
Ciao. Barb
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Jo S - Mar 10, 2005 9:24 pm (#2862 of 2956)
My three-month-old daughter has already got an independent streak. She whinges unless she is sitting completely upright or is standing. The only problem is that she can’t physically hold herself up. Im dreading her growing up and getting into all that other stuff. I dont know where she got it from, but I am certain that her independent streak is somehow "programmed" into her. Mind you I still think she is gorgeous!
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 10, 2005 11:03 pm (#2863 of 2956)
Guns are a big no-no in my household and my husband and I are even anti-hunting with guns, we don't watch gun violent TV shows (we rarely watch TV). But yes, our precious bundle also made his toast, hot dog, book...., into a gun shape. My question is, what did little boys do before guns were invented?
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Marè - Mar 11, 2005 12:52 am (#2864 of 2956)
Use sticks as swords?
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Cornelia - Mar 11, 2005 1:01 am (#2865 of 2956)
Did play with bows and arrows? My four year old son loves his, and of course his (wooden-)sword to play knight...
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Dragonesss - Mar 11, 2005 1:33 am (#2866 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 11, 2005 12:40 am
“Severus Snape: INTJ
INTJ’s are resourceful, perfectionistic, and reserved. They excel at planning and strategy and, though they prefer to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves, they can be effective leaders when the need arises. INTJ’s do not often express strong emotions but can become animated when provoked.”
How embarrassing... Pirate Monkey's Harry Potter Personality Quiz
Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.
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Lina - Mar 11, 2005 3:10 am (#2867 of 2956)
I agree with **michelle the librarian** . When I was a little girl, I played Cowboys and Indians with my cousins all the time. And when I got to play with my neighborhood kids and in the kindergarten, I tried to make them all play the same (sort of leadership gene). I had many dolls and they all stayed in great shape (except those two that used to be my neighbor's and I cut their hair) until my sister came to the world because I never played with them.
And I always thought my daughters, if someone hurts them (emotionally or physically) to punish them with a kiss. They rarely do that, but those rare times they really listened to me, it worked! They've got what they wanted!
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Cornelia - Mar 11, 2005 4:19 am (#2868 of 2956)
By the way, how old were your kids when you introduced them to Harry Potter?
I´m thinking about reading the first book to my four year old but I´m not sure if he is old enough.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 11, 2005 6:17 am (#2869 of 2956)
Belated Happy Birthday greetings, Loopy! Congratulations on your 99th, and may you live another! – tim
What's that? I can't hear you; you've got to speak directly into this trumpet thing I'm holding to my ear.
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Lina - Mar 11, 2005 7:20 am (#2870 of 2956)
Cornelia, there is no rule. My eldest was 8 when she introduced me to Harry Potter. She has got PS/SS around her 8th birthday. We both liked it, so we gave her the CoS for her sisters next birthday (3 months later) and PoA for her sisters next birthday (another 3 months later). She (with me together) enjoyed it. I wanted to wait for the OotP to be published to buy GoF on a discount but the waiting was too long so we gave her GoF for her ninth birthday. I must say that I was worried on how would she react on it because it is much darker. And I was thankful that we had to wait for OotP for such a long time because she had time to grow up a little bit in the meantime. I just think that the last two books are a little to heavy for little children, and once you get hooked, you can not stop reading. My cousin's son, who is elder than my daughter, is a little dyslexic and he started to read books with Harry Potter. I tried to increase my middle daughter's interest for books with HP, but it didn't work with her. She is 11 now and I have the feeling that her interest grows. The youngest one is 5 and she likes to watch the films but we haven't even tried to read the books. The best way to see if he is old enough is to try and check if it works or not. I'm just glad that my children were not to young when OotP went out. In our schools PS/SS is part of optional reading in the 4th grade (10 years).
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Phoenix song - Mar 11, 2005 8:00 am (#2871 of 2956)
Cornelia: I agree with Lina that there is no hard set rule about when is the right time to introduce the HP series to your kids. I began to read SS to my kids a year ago, when the littlest one was around 3 1/2. I haven't read past PoA yet, though. I'm not sure that the younger ones are quite ready for the rebirthing scene in GoF yet, so I'm holding off until they are.
Reading Harry Potter to the kids has gotten them excited about books! It also helped me in encouraging my son to learn to read when he wasn't so sure that it was worth the effort. (He thought that he'd rather spend his valuable time working on math problems...go figure!) I encourage all of the parents out there to take out just 15 minutes or so an evening to read to their kids. These are the kind of things that they will always remember.
To any of the parents of younger ones, in the scenes that are "scary" you can always act a bit "dramatic" when reading these parts (like the troll scene in SS and the spider scene in CoS). My kids really react well to seeing that I'm having fun with the scary stuff, and it increases their appreciation of Harry's "adventure". It also helps to talk to them before and remind them that this is just a story and everything is going to be alright.
Have a great day everybody! Hope that your day is as pretty as our day is looking!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Mar 11, 2005 8:13 am (#2872 of 2956)
Hey Cornelia, et al.
Our soon-to-be six year old loves the movies but has shown little interest in the books yet. Even when her dad tried to read the first one to her earlier this year. (I was bummed when that didn't work out.) Give reading the first one a try but don't be disappointed if the chapters are too long for your child's attention span. If he settles in that's great; if not try again in a couple of years.
I'm not certain what we'll do when our little one does finally start the series. If she waits until she's 12 or so then I don't really have a problem. If she's younger, say 8ish, it'll be really difficult for me to let her read GoF and OotP. There are some really very adult issues involved in those books that I'm not sure I'd want her reading quite that young. (I'd probably compromise by suggesting a family read a loud.)
Anyway, good luck with stories!
**michelle the librarian**
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Steve Newton - Mar 11, 2005 8:35 am (#2873 of 2956)
His grandparents gave my son the books, first 3, I think, when he was 8 or nine. He read them and recommended that I read them. Having already read all 54 Animorph books on his recommendation (actually pretty good) I gave them a go. I liked the first 2. POA was the clincher.
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kabloink! - Mar 11, 2005 9:09 am (#2874 of 2956)
I have every intention of introducing the books to my children before they are even born. That, however, is a little ways off. My husband has just done the whole step-down from a well-paying-but extremely-stressful-not-even-worth-it job to one that pays about half od what he was making before and is reminding him what he loved so much about McDonald's in the first place. Its great to see him so happy, but this means that I have to go back to McDonald's myself in order to help pay the bills. Between two jobs and school, who has time for kids? (That doesn't stop me from wanting them desperately, mind you).
As for violence, I was pretty much exposed to everything at a young age, as I had brothers who were 11 and 13 years older than me. Also, whenever I have time I do medieval and renaissance reenactment, and have swords hanging on my walls, so my kids will probably learn swordplay and period dances fairly young.
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Chemyst - Mar 11, 2005 9:13 am (#2875 of 2956)
I´m thinking about reading the first book to my four year old but I´m not sure if he is old enough.
Cornelia, I think you will find that children, (those who are truly still children and not edging into adolescence, and have at least one adult who meets their basic physical and emotional needs,) are created with an intuition about what is too intense for them. (Many teens suppress this ability when faced with peer pressure, which makes parenting a challenge!) What is scary for one four year-old may be an amusement for another. You are the parent; you are in the best position to judge this. If your instincts are telling you he may not be old enough, he probably isn't. You can try if you want, but if he's not interested, then keep it on the shelf a bit longer.
If he does like it now, you will probably want to "frame" some of the ideas for him– point out how Ron's insult hurt Hermione, how breaking the rules put many people in danger, and that he needs to think about his choices.
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Denise P. - Mar 11, 2005 9:18 am (#2876 of 2956)
I can only echo what others have said. You know your child best and if you think they are ready, they probably are. My kids enjoy the movies. When CoS came out, my then 6 year old had no problems watching it although I did get an arm clutched during the spider scene. Other families, they would not let their 10 year old watch it because it was too frightening for them. It just depends on the child.
My 10 year old is currently reading OoP but his almost 12 year old brother is not really interested in reading the books even though he will listen to the audio versions.
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Cornelia - Mar 11, 2005 10:34 am (#2877 of 2956)
Thank you all for your responses! I´ll just give it a go.
And Chemyst, I can´t leave the books on the shelf, because I have to read them:-)
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Madam Pince - Mar 11, 2005 11:47 am (#2878 of 2956)
I agree -- it's a two-fold "attention span" thing and a "level of scariness" thing. Baby Pince will be three next week, and he's seen all the movies, but I have not attempted any reading. It's all we can do to get through "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" some days.
I had some reservations about the dementor scenes in PoA, but he didn't seem to mind them. Occasionally he will retreat behind the kitchen table when the troll scene comes on in SS (which I think is probably pretty astute of him!), but he doesn't seem to mind the spiders, the basilisk, Voldy and the unicorn blood, or even the werewolf. (Golly, now that I list them, there really are a lot of scary scenes, aren't there?) He didn't like it too much when Aunt Marge "ballooned," which I thought was interesting. He play-acts a lot of things from the movies, too, especially "Wingardium Leviosa." I imagine Seamus' explosion appeals to the Y-chromosome in him or something.
Next time they'll probably have a note for me to sign from school saying "We're sorry to have to expel your son -- he tried to "Avada Kedavra" one of his little friends."
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 11, 2005 2:05 pm (#2879 of 2956)
I'm very conservative. My kids are almost 8 and almost 6 and I have neither read the books to them nor let them watch the movies. **sees the looks of horror appear on everyone's faces** The books are so wonderful that I'm trying to preserve the experience of reading them on their own. They're the type of books which can turn a reluctant reader into a voracious one so I'm keeping that trick pony in the stable for now.
It's snowing. Again. For the love of God will this ever end? Easter's in two weeks. At this rate I'll be hiding eggs in an igloo.
The ideas for my class keep coming and I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed. I don't start teaching it until the end of April, so please feel free to keep passing along your suggestions. The thread has been moved to The World and the Harry Potter Phenomenon for those looking for it.
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Denise P. - Mar 11, 2005 3:01 pm (#2880 of 2956)
Ugh, we are about to drive down to Nashville so one of the boys can be interviewed live on the radio for a radioathon. (Anyone in the Nashville area, 107.5 FM...all weekend, they replay the "live" bits but around 6 CST is when he is scheduled) I would rather not bring everyone but Mr. P seems to think it will be fun. I agree, it will be fun like getting my teeth cleaned. Yuck, this means we won't get back until after the wee ones bedtime, which means we will have cranky kidlets and one tired mom.
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Acceber - Mar 11, 2005 4:29 pm (#2881 of 2956)
I got Hermione on Elanor's quiz from a while ago. Typical. It's either Hermione or Dumbledore.
Happy Belated Birthdays Loopy Lupin and Remus Lupin! So hopefully this means Remus will survive the series. Yay!
Opening night for my school play (Into the Woods) is in 6 days. We're a lot better than we were before we added tech (props, lights, sound, and curtains), but the curtain people can't process when they're supposed to open and close the curtains. We have a rehearsal tomorrow (Saturday) from 9 AM-1 PM. Four hours with those blasted knee pads on, and on a Saturday! Gah!
Going to plow through the truckload of posts that awaits me before I start dinner.
PS Speaking of plowing, did any fellow New Englanders (Julia, Kim, Pinky, Leila, Maritza, Meg if she's reading this) experience a very annoying flurry of snow this afternoon? It wasn't enough to hold up traffic, but it did bug me to no end.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 11, 2005 4:58 pm (#2882 of 2956)
Speaking of plowing, did any fellow New Englanders (Julia, Kim, Pinky, Leila, Maritza, Meg if she's reading this) experience a very annoying flurry of snow this afternoon?---Acceber
See my post, #2879.
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Madam Pince - Mar 11, 2005 5:17 pm (#2883 of 2956)
Speaking of Meg, has anyone heard from her lately? Is there possibly a new baby Potter-holic in the world?
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Denise P. - Mar 11, 2005 7:55 pm (#2884 of 2956)
Hey Kim, did Son Lupin ever get any mail?
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 11, 2005 8:14 pm (#2885 of 2956)
Hi all.
I've just been spending the last two days reining in my spending. I've some ideas floating around in my head to do with soap making and Internet based work for some time now. Now is the time to put them in action as I've a good motive, to bring a little extra money into my wallet.
I will be away for 12 days as of tomorrow (13th March). I will be in Sydney for the training for this new job. And I am really starting to look forward to it.
You wouldn't believe it , but yesterday, when I rang the motel I was going to stay at, they had decided I wasn't coming and had re-booked my room to someone else!
It turned out, that although I booked by email and received an email confirming my booking, no-one had bothered to tell me that I needed to ring them and pay one nights accommodation by credit card (which I don't have) to confirm the booking. Grrrrr.
The motel then had the hide to try and up-sell me to a room costing $30.00 per night extra and I said no thanks. I fail to see why I need to reward them for their incompetence in not letting me know of their booking arrangements. And a gentle slap on my wrist for not assuming the correct procedure!
So I rang my Cousin who lives about 15 minutes away from the city centre, and she rang back this morning to not only say that it was OK for me to stay there, they would also pick me up from the airport!
I didn't want to stay there originally as they are very busy people and I really didn't want to spend 1/2 hour travelling by train/bus every morning and evening. But now I have no choice. Actually the more I think about it, the more I think it was meant to be.
So the doggies are now on holidays at the vets, I have finally finished cleaning the kitchen (a work in progress for the past two weeks) and now its just email and Internet time.
I will do a last check of the threads tomorrow morning before I fly out and then I shall sit back and relax and enjoy my time away. And look forward to the 300 odd posts there are likely to be on this thread (and the next chat thread) alone when I get back.
I will be back on-line sometime around Good Friday.
So have a wonderful fortnight everyone and a Good Easter with your family and friends.
Lizzy
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Phoenix song - Mar 11, 2005 9:33 pm (#2886 of 2956)
Lizzy, have a great trip. You'll be missed, so try to check in on us if it's possible. (You'll probably have to use the dreaded "mark as read" button upon your return trip, I can't imagine two weeks' worth of posts to try to catch up on!)
Sorry for the yucky people that messed up your reservations. I agree that you shouldn't have to pay extra just because they sold your room to another client. You probably wouldn't have liked that hotel anyway! (I bet that they would expect you to eat something horrendous for breakfast like stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast!)
Have a good trip!
Barbie
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Ydnam96 - Mar 11, 2005 9:56 pm (#2887 of 2956)
Lizzy just think of the money you will save
It's been warm (actually quite warm) here in California the last few days-during the day- but very cold at night. Because of this I have developed quite a icky cold or something. I'm not complaining about the weather, just the icky cold.
I've let the threads pile up on me over the last week...and now I have just a ton to wallow through. I'm not sure I'll get through them all! It's a shame really that my job (as much as I love it) gets in the way of my HP obsession.
Anyway. Happy weekend everyone!
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 11, 2005 10:06 pm (#2888 of 2956)
PS Speaking of plowing, did any fellow New Englanders (Julia, Kim, Pinky, Leila, Maritza, Meg if she's reading this) experience a very annoying flurry of snow this afternoon? It wasn't enough to hold up traffic, but it did bug me to no end.
Rebecca, you are lucky to have only been annoyed a little bit by this! It started snowing this morning before the kids got on the bus for school and continued until after dismissal. I cleared the deck and the driveway of snow before going to the kid's school, making me late, then again when I got back home from school, and yet again after lunch. Driving was hazardous and the school bus had to drop the kids of at the top of our street because trucks were stuck on our road. It was just cold enough so that none of the snow melted although it was very wet snow at times. And now we are awaiting round 2 to start around midnight and continue through the morning gymnastic class ughhhhh! Will this winter never end?
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 11, 2005 10:08 pm (#2889 of 2956)
Hey Denise, you're not the only one who wants to know. Son Lupin's response, when questioned, was inconclusive. I meant to ask the teacher this week past, but never actually saw her. Will be able to get you and answer early this week. Thanks again.
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Madame Librarian - Mar 11, 2005 10:18 pm (#2890 of 2956)
Weather here (Chicago area) is just dreadful. Upper 20s to low 30s. Gloomy skies. Wet, soppy snow. Horrid street sludge splashed all over car. Salt stains on leather boots. Chronic hat hair. Nasty patches of black ice on sidewalk (whoops!). You know, perfect March weather. Blaaaah. Winter. Blaaah.
Have a lovely weekend, all!
Ciao. Barb
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Elanor - Mar 12, 2005 1:27 am (#2891 of 2956)
I'm so sorry to hear about that bad weather some of you still have. You wil not believe it but yesterday we had SUN for 2 or 3 hours. It's been so long since it happened for the last time! It was a cold sun and the snow hardly melt, if not at all if it was in the shade, but still...
Sept, your weather charms remedials were a great benefit to you! You still have to work on the length of them because it is grey and cold again today but I'm sure that if you find the right teacher that will not be a problem anymore (any ideas?)... In education, everything depends on the student's motivation...
Have a great Saturday everybody! **waves to Fawkes! I'm sure you will watch the Ireland/France rugby match this afternoon. it should be a great match! **
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septentrion - Mar 12, 2005 3:18 am (#2892 of 2956)
Well, I intend to work my weather charms for you, Elanor, and for those in New England who still are under snow, cold or else, but my range of efficiency is...small to the last. Perhaps it's like occlumency, eye contact is important. Or maybe I'm really distracted by my teacher (there eye contact is important).
Have a great saturday everybody !
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Accio Sirius - Mar 12, 2005 2:19 pm (#2893 of 2956)
Hey Julia, sorry about UConn. I always cheer for the Huskies. My son's winter coat is from UConn. Gotta figure they know how to keep warm!
I'm excited that WVU is in the championship, although the teams I cheer for have a habit of making it to the big games and choking. For what its worth, Go Mountaineers!
Weather is finally nice again, or at least tolerable. We had our Brownie Sock Hop last night and I overheard several girls discussing HBP, who it could be and how they can't wait for the book to come out. It is so thrilling to hear kids debate it with as much passion as, well...us! Happy weekend everyone.
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Denise P. - Mar 12, 2005 3:56 pm (#2894 of 2956)
Ohhhh, I am so excited!
Several years ago, a friend and I co-authored some fanfiction. We have gotten a lot of praise about this one particular story and are often asked if various places can feature it on their site. There a fanfic/zine publisher that has asked if they can use it!
The plan is for some original art to be produced for the story and for both the art/story to be printed, bound and published. Once it is for done, it would be up for sale on the web site. As the authors, we get a free copy of our work.
How cool is that? We never dreamed when we wrote this all those years ago that it would come to this. This story came to be one night on a cruise ship about 3 am when we were talking about some characters and then brought up the original question in a chat. We had an outline and just ran with it. We wrote it in a fairly short period of time and the most amazing thing, I find, is that I wrote large sections, she wrote large sections but our betas thought it was written by one person before we revealed it was a joint effort.
Can you picture me squealing like a girl here??
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 12, 2005 4:02 pm (#2895 of 2956)
Denise,
Congrats on the Fanfic. Does this mean it is going to be published in genuine print? I am jealous.
Marcus
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Denise P. - Mar 12, 2005 4:07 pm (#2896 of 2956)
Yep, in actual print, that you can hold in your hands to read. Of course, since it is fanfiction, *I* can't and won't make any profit off it but it is still thrilling that someone wants to actually print what we wrote. For anyone interested, I will put a link to the story behind my picture.
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Lina - Mar 12, 2005 4:11 pm (#2897 of 2956)
Birthday party is over. Everybody home, kids in bed. Here is the birthday cake without the candles: birthday cake In case you can't recognize, it should be Flounder.
dizzy lizzy, I'm glad you found the way to earn some extra money. It is great. Are you sure you won't be able to check the Internet while in Sydney? I hope you're wrong.
My husband took our daughters to school yesterday. They went to the snowy mountain. While they were waiting for the buses and for the children to get into them, he was talking to another father. He saw his son beating another boy, and ran to separate them. He thought that the other father didn't see what is his son doing, but the other father said "Let the kids beat each other. They have to solve things by themselves!" My husband tried to explain him that it is not the right way and that it doesn't lead anybody to the peaceful life, but the man didn't want to listen. Unfortunately, this son came home from the trip with a broken arm. And as a meter of fact, at least another two children came home from the same trip with some broken bones. I must say I'm horrified. What were those teachers doing? I'm happy to know that my children know how to choose their company, but sending children to the trip with the school sounds like a real hazard! And I just wish to say that all advices to parents to listen to their instincts that came on this thread lately, they assume that parents who are on this forum should. Not all the parents, obviously. The rules on this forum seem to attract just specific kind of people (I like to feel special ) but this is obviously not the way that all people are.
Waves to everybody!
EDIT: Denise, you posted while I was writing my post. CONGRATULATIONS! It is really great!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 12, 2005 4:12 pm (#2898 of 2956)
Denise - congrats! That is great news!
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Marie E. - Mar 12, 2005 5:04 pm (#2899 of 2956)
Congratulations, Denise! I think I remember you mentioning this fanfic before. How exciting!
I have, sadly, had to give the "no kissy-kissy" speech to both of my girls. It seems to be quite a kindergarten thing to do. In my current class it is the boys who are doing all the kissing.
Our weather is bouncing back and forth between "60 and sunny" and "30 and snowing". I detest Spring in the Rockies. Just warm up and get it over with! Grrrr.
This is how crazy my life has been: I tried to take Lexie to a birthday party that isn't being held until next Saturday. Good thing it wasn't at the person's house.
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The giant squid - Mar 12, 2005 5:28 pm (#2900 of 2956)
This is how crazy my life has been: I tried to take Lexie to a birthday party that isn't being held until next Saturday.
I know...your life is so crazy you never answer your brother's questions! I mean, it's not like I care about the girls' birthdays, or the cat, or...
My condolences to those of you still dealing with winter. For the last few days it's been over 80 degrees (26 C) here in Vegas! Apparently the two weeks of rain qualified as "spring" out here. I know it did a number on our back yard...we're still trying to hack our way through five-foot-high weeds! For the three years we've lived here the back yard has been nothing but dirt (and a swingset left by the previous owners). We left it bare until we could figure out what to do with it. Well, we've finally come up with a plan and--lo and behold--the weeds have come out in force. Apparently they've been lying in wait just under the surface, biding their time until we wanted to do something with the land. I've done more yardwork in the last two weeks than I've done in the previous two years. And Marie can verify that yardwork & I don't get along very well...
Denise, congratulations on being published. You may not get any monetary gains from this, but it's a start in the biz. And once your brood is grown up & out of the house you'll need something to do to fill your time...
Madam Pince - Mar 10, 2005 11:33 am (#2851 of 2956)
I sort of agree, kabloink. I mean, I know everyone is on hyper-alert since Columbine, etc., and I don't mean to belittle the concern, because guns are a serious thing and I take the education of kids about that subject very seriously. But they were almost acting like he was the first little boy ever in the history of Time to make a pretend one out of his thumb and forefinger. We don't have any toy guns in the house, and we try to not let him see any shooting stuff on TV although I'm sure it sneaks by now and again. And we hardly ever let him wear his long black trenchcoat and sunglasses to school....
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Catherine - Mar 10, 2005 1:00 pm (#2852 of 2956)
Oh, no, Madame Pince, Baby Pince already has a permanent record?
Just kidding. It's hard when you always feel like there is an "issue" at your child's school/daycare. I'm not suggesting this about Baby Pince, but I can remember taking Claire to the doctor with her school's "complaints" about her, asking, "What is so wrong with my child?" Finally, her neurologist told me, "I honestly think it is a problem with them. Claire's specialist finally concluded that Claire was attending the wrong school. Once we switched, our lives became much easier. Her current school told me within 10 days of attendance that they did not even "recognize" the child her previous school described. It's like they were talking about two different people.
About the finger/gun thing, I think people can get way too worked up about that. I've seen little boys who have never even had a water gun and don't watch TV use their index finger and thumb to "shoot" people. Maybe it's hardwired on the Y chromosome? Anyway, at our house we call that a "deader" because when Hayley was two, she came home from preschool very upset. We asked her why, and she said, "A boy made his hand into a deader and tried to get me." It was only when she showed us (by making a gun with her hand) what a "deader" was that we understood what she meant.
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Penny Lane. - Mar 10, 2005 1:12 pm (#2853 of 2956)
I really wish people would just get over it. Kids have been playing Cops and Robbers and Cowboys and Indians and probably Cavemen and ... other cavemen? Wooly Mammoths? Anyway, kids have been playing games like that for eons. I will personally attest that at my Catholic School we played Cops and Robbers and used our "gun hands" to 'kill' each other on a fairly regular basis. As far as I know, none of us have robbed a bank, shot anyone, or ever shot up our school. Also, one of our teachers was a HUGE civil war reenactmant person, so we got to play with real (fake) toy guns and swords and bayonetts a lot. All we did was learn that Wars= lots of time laying in dirt.
Ah well, what can you do? Times, they are a changing.
I have to take my postponed French test in 1.5 hours. I sure hope I'm ready.
Happy Birthday to anyone who's celebrating, including my man Remus Lupin!
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Lina - Mar 10, 2005 2:43 pm (#2854 of 2956)
Phoenix song: The only times that need to be held separately to accommodate grade level are reading and math times.
Well, Barbie, I must say, you are right. This home educating could even be helpful in organizing the life. And may I say, from the time you started to write about it, I imagined you at the kitchen table with your kids. The table is round in my imagination and you look like a Carebear...
Madam Pince, the age of two is the age for the child to learn about how strong he/she is and how strong he/she may be. It is like the puppies. If they don't grow up at the beginning with other puppies, they never learn how strong they may bite without attacking. My daughter who happens to be one of the quietest children in her class, when she was about that age, used to hit the children quite unexpectedly. When they would start to cry, she would run after them to kiss them so that they would stop to cry. But they would run away, who knows why? She stopped doing that without any special intervention. I think I told her that she would become ugly if she continues hitting other children. I do think that teaching children what is right and what is wrong is the parent's job, but at the time they are in school or daycare, the parents are just not able to be there. Those teachers have to interact with those children! They can't just give reports to the parents and not talking to the children! My dad used to say to his mum: "Punish me now, don't let me wait for dad to come home!" I bet it would not be possible to find a child without a file in that daycare.
*michelle the librarian*, happy great birthday to your daughter! My 5 year old also likes HP very much - just watching the films and playing the PC games. Her favorite is PS/SS.
I'm going to throw finally Veronika's birthday party. I hope that the flu won't get me as strong as it got my mum and hubbie. Tomorrow my elder daughters go to the snow to the mountain near the town with their school and I will be able to do the cake in peace. They are so happy about going to the snow.
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Denise P. - Mar 10, 2005 2:48 pm (#2855 of 2956)
Maybe it's hardwired on the Y chromosome?
It is! It is right next to the boy “Vroom” gene. Little boys will pick up anything and make it go vroom, like a car. My girls don't have this same gene. When Kaity was just almost 2, my father was visiting. We were in the toy store, in the cheapo aisle for them to pick out a toy. The boys immediately grabbed a truck and for the sake of ease, I was prompting her to get a truck too. No way, she wailed and wanted the package of bracelets.
My almost 4 year has had notes from school too. He got one for inappropriate kissing a few weeks ago LOL He kissed a little girl on the mouth. What horror! Apparently, had he kissed her cheek, he would have been okay. In any event, we discussed not kissing others at school.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 10, 2005 2:53 pm (#2856 of 2956)
Keep your lips to yourself young man!
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Catherine - Mar 10, 2005 3:50 pm (#2857 of 2956)
In any event, we discussed not kissing others at school. –Denise
LOL! Our preschool had to have a big powwow with the kiddies about that, too. It started with one kindergarten girl kissing everyone, and now it has spread. I was initially told that Hayley was not participating in the kiss-fest, but then I found out that, while she was not kissing anyone, she was allowing all the kindergarten boys to kiss her.
My friend Tamara (a UVA grad; ::waving to Loopy:
has a young daughter who was delighted to be kissing everyone. After the talk, she came home and told her mommy, "No kissy-kissy at school!"So, it looks like everyone needs the "no kissy-kissy" meeting at some point.
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Madam Pince - Mar 10, 2005 4:14 pm (#2858 of 2956)
Thanks for the encouragement, guys, it makes me feel much better! I am convinced about the Y-chromosome thing -- he learned all about "vroom" with (I think) absolutely no teaching from us. And I'm pretty sure he's not being "mean" with these things at school because he's just as cheerful as he can be when coming home -- he waves and yells "Bye-bye (name)" to all the kids, so I don't think he has a clue. He goes up and hugs them and says "I'm sorry" if I suggest that to him, and sometimes even on his own. We had the talk about how, even if you're just playing, if the other person gets upset, then that means they're not having fun, so you have to stop what you're doing and tell them you're sorry. ****crosses fingers and hopes that it works!***** If it doesn't work, I love Lina's idea of telling him that he'll turn ugly if he keeps on doing it!
The "kissy-kissy" is so cute! It's actually pretty funny -- little kids that age are so full of love and innocence that they have no idea that it might be a concern for somebody.
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librarian314 - Mar 10, 2005 4:32 pm (#2859 of 2956)
Hey all!
I'm not certain that the finger gun is necessarily attached to the Y chromosome. My daughter has done that quite regularly since about the time she was 3ish. (My parents are avid sports people, being competition civil war shooters (grannie is on a smooth bore cannon team that regularly wins meddles).)
Don't worry about that permanent record. I've actually heard that overcoming childhood troubles is helping to get some kids into college. (Besides, there's always community college who generally take anyone with money :-) )
Good thing kissy faces didn't get you in trouble when I was young. I would've been down at the principal's office all the time, as I chased after boys to kiss them all the time. (I also used to threaten to kiss boys if they didn't stop bothering me; at six that actually works. :-))
Kayla (my daughter) says, "Hi!!" :-) We're going upstairs to put the frosting on the cake we baked for Lupin's birthday.
Y'all take care!
**michelle the librarian**
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timrew - Mar 10, 2005 4:51 pm (#2860 of 2956)
Belated Happy Birthday greetings, Loopy! Congratulations on your 99th, and may you live another!
99, that is, not another year!
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Madame Librarian - Mar 10, 2005 5:47 pm (#2861 of 2956)
When he was two years old and lived the most sheltered-from-violence and pop-culture-free life one can imagine (only TV shows allowed were "Sesame Street" and "Mr. Rogers"), my Jordan calmly sat at the breakfast table, took two bites out of his toast, held up the remaining L-shaped piece and announced, "Look, mommy, it's a gun!"
Hard-wired it is for sure.
Ciao. Barb
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Jo S - Mar 10, 2005 9:24 pm (#2862 of 2956)
My three-month-old daughter has already got an independent streak. She whinges unless she is sitting completely upright or is standing. The only problem is that she can’t physically hold herself up. Im dreading her growing up and getting into all that other stuff. I dont know where she got it from, but I am certain that her independent streak is somehow "programmed" into her. Mind you I still think she is gorgeous!
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 10, 2005 11:03 pm (#2863 of 2956)
Guns are a big no-no in my household and my husband and I are even anti-hunting with guns, we don't watch gun violent TV shows (we rarely watch TV). But yes, our precious bundle also made his toast, hot dog, book...., into a gun shape. My question is, what did little boys do before guns were invented?
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Marè - Mar 11, 2005 12:52 am (#2864 of 2956)
Use sticks as swords?
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Cornelia - Mar 11, 2005 1:01 am (#2865 of 2956)
Did play with bows and arrows? My four year old son loves his, and of course his (wooden-)sword to play knight...
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Dragonesss - Mar 11, 2005 1:33 am (#2866 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 11, 2005 12:40 am
“Severus Snape: INTJ
INTJ’s are resourceful, perfectionistic, and reserved. They excel at planning and strategy and, though they prefer to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves, they can be effective leaders when the need arises. INTJ’s do not often express strong emotions but can become animated when provoked.”
How embarrassing... Pirate Monkey's Harry Potter Personality Quiz
Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.
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Lina - Mar 11, 2005 3:10 am (#2867 of 2956)
I agree with **michelle the librarian** . When I was a little girl, I played Cowboys and Indians with my cousins all the time. And when I got to play with my neighborhood kids and in the kindergarten, I tried to make them all play the same (sort of leadership gene). I had many dolls and they all stayed in great shape (except those two that used to be my neighbor's and I cut their hair) until my sister came to the world because I never played with them.
And I always thought my daughters, if someone hurts them (emotionally or physically) to punish them with a kiss. They rarely do that, but those rare times they really listened to me, it worked! They've got what they wanted!
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Cornelia - Mar 11, 2005 4:19 am (#2868 of 2956)
By the way, how old were your kids when you introduced them to Harry Potter?
I´m thinking about reading the first book to my four year old but I´m not sure if he is old enough.
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Loopy Lupin - Mar 11, 2005 6:17 am (#2869 of 2956)
Belated Happy Birthday greetings, Loopy! Congratulations on your 99th, and may you live another! – tim
What's that? I can't hear you; you've got to speak directly into this trumpet thing I'm holding to my ear.
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Lina - Mar 11, 2005 7:20 am (#2870 of 2956)
Cornelia, there is no rule. My eldest was 8 when she introduced me to Harry Potter. She has got PS/SS around her 8th birthday. We both liked it, so we gave her the CoS for her sisters next birthday (3 months later) and PoA for her sisters next birthday (another 3 months later). She (with me together) enjoyed it. I wanted to wait for the OotP to be published to buy GoF on a discount but the waiting was too long so we gave her GoF for her ninth birthday. I must say that I was worried on how would she react on it because it is much darker. And I was thankful that we had to wait for OotP for such a long time because she had time to grow up a little bit in the meantime. I just think that the last two books are a little to heavy for little children, and once you get hooked, you can not stop reading. My cousin's son, who is elder than my daughter, is a little dyslexic and he started to read books with Harry Potter. I tried to increase my middle daughter's interest for books with HP, but it didn't work with her. She is 11 now and I have the feeling that her interest grows. The youngest one is 5 and she likes to watch the films but we haven't even tried to read the books. The best way to see if he is old enough is to try and check if it works or not. I'm just glad that my children were not to young when OotP went out. In our schools PS/SS is part of optional reading in the 4th grade (10 years).
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Phoenix song - Mar 11, 2005 8:00 am (#2871 of 2956)
Cornelia: I agree with Lina that there is no hard set rule about when is the right time to introduce the HP series to your kids. I began to read SS to my kids a year ago, when the littlest one was around 3 1/2. I haven't read past PoA yet, though. I'm not sure that the younger ones are quite ready for the rebirthing scene in GoF yet, so I'm holding off until they are.
Reading Harry Potter to the kids has gotten them excited about books! It also helped me in encouraging my son to learn to read when he wasn't so sure that it was worth the effort. (He thought that he'd rather spend his valuable time working on math problems...go figure!) I encourage all of the parents out there to take out just 15 minutes or so an evening to read to their kids. These are the kind of things that they will always remember.
To any of the parents of younger ones, in the scenes that are "scary" you can always act a bit "dramatic" when reading these parts (like the troll scene in SS and the spider scene in CoS). My kids really react well to seeing that I'm having fun with the scary stuff, and it increases their appreciation of Harry's "adventure". It also helps to talk to them before and remind them that this is just a story and everything is going to be alright.
Have a great day everybody! Hope that your day is as pretty as our day is looking!
Barbie
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librarian314 - Mar 11, 2005 8:13 am (#2872 of 2956)
Hey Cornelia, et al.
Our soon-to-be six year old loves the movies but has shown little interest in the books yet. Even when her dad tried to read the first one to her earlier this year. (I was bummed when that didn't work out.) Give reading the first one a try but don't be disappointed if the chapters are too long for your child's attention span. If he settles in that's great; if not try again in a couple of years.
I'm not certain what we'll do when our little one does finally start the series. If she waits until she's 12 or so then I don't really have a problem. If she's younger, say 8ish, it'll be really difficult for me to let her read GoF and OotP. There are some really very adult issues involved in those books that I'm not sure I'd want her reading quite that young. (I'd probably compromise by suggesting a family read a loud.)
Anyway, good luck with stories!
**michelle the librarian**
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Steve Newton - Mar 11, 2005 8:35 am (#2873 of 2956)
His grandparents gave my son the books, first 3, I think, when he was 8 or nine. He read them and recommended that I read them. Having already read all 54 Animorph books on his recommendation (actually pretty good) I gave them a go. I liked the first 2. POA was the clincher.
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kabloink! - Mar 11, 2005 9:09 am (#2874 of 2956)
I have every intention of introducing the books to my children before they are even born. That, however, is a little ways off. My husband has just done the whole step-down from a well-paying-but extremely-stressful-not-even-worth-it job to one that pays about half od what he was making before and is reminding him what he loved so much about McDonald's in the first place. Its great to see him so happy, but this means that I have to go back to McDonald's myself in order to help pay the bills. Between two jobs and school, who has time for kids? (That doesn't stop me from wanting them desperately, mind you).
As for violence, I was pretty much exposed to everything at a young age, as I had brothers who were 11 and 13 years older than me. Also, whenever I have time I do medieval and renaissance reenactment, and have swords hanging on my walls, so my kids will probably learn swordplay and period dances fairly young.
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Chemyst - Mar 11, 2005 9:13 am (#2875 of 2956)
I´m thinking about reading the first book to my four year old but I´m not sure if he is old enough.
Cornelia, I think you will find that children, (those who are truly still children and not edging into adolescence, and have at least one adult who meets their basic physical and emotional needs,) are created with an intuition about what is too intense for them. (Many teens suppress this ability when faced with peer pressure, which makes parenting a challenge!) What is scary for one four year-old may be an amusement for another. You are the parent; you are in the best position to judge this. If your instincts are telling you he may not be old enough, he probably isn't. You can try if you want, but if he's not interested, then keep it on the shelf a bit longer.
If he does like it now, you will probably want to "frame" some of the ideas for him– point out how Ron's insult hurt Hermione, how breaking the rules put many people in danger, and that he needs to think about his choices.
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Denise P. - Mar 11, 2005 9:18 am (#2876 of 2956)
I can only echo what others have said. You know your child best and if you think they are ready, they probably are. My kids enjoy the movies. When CoS came out, my then 6 year old had no problems watching it although I did get an arm clutched during the spider scene. Other families, they would not let their 10 year old watch it because it was too frightening for them. It just depends on the child.
My 10 year old is currently reading OoP but his almost 12 year old brother is not really interested in reading the books even though he will listen to the audio versions.
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Cornelia - Mar 11, 2005 10:34 am (#2877 of 2956)
Thank you all for your responses! I´ll just give it a go.
And Chemyst, I can´t leave the books on the shelf, because I have to read them:-)
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Madam Pince - Mar 11, 2005 11:47 am (#2878 of 2956)
I agree -- it's a two-fold "attention span" thing and a "level of scariness" thing. Baby Pince will be three next week, and he's seen all the movies, but I have not attempted any reading. It's all we can do to get through "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" some days.
I had some reservations about the dementor scenes in PoA, but he didn't seem to mind them. Occasionally he will retreat behind the kitchen table when the troll scene comes on in SS (which I think is probably pretty astute of him!), but he doesn't seem to mind the spiders, the basilisk, Voldy and the unicorn blood, or even the werewolf. (Golly, now that I list them, there really are a lot of scary scenes, aren't there?) He didn't like it too much when Aunt Marge "ballooned," which I thought was interesting. He play-acts a lot of things from the movies, too, especially "Wingardium Leviosa." I imagine Seamus' explosion appeals to the Y-chromosome in him or something.
Next time they'll probably have a note for me to sign from school saying "We're sorry to have to expel your son -- he tried to "Avada Kedavra" one of his little friends."
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 11, 2005 2:05 pm (#2879 of 2956)
I'm very conservative. My kids are almost 8 and almost 6 and I have neither read the books to them nor let them watch the movies. **sees the looks of horror appear on everyone's faces** The books are so wonderful that I'm trying to preserve the experience of reading them on their own. They're the type of books which can turn a reluctant reader into a voracious one so I'm keeping that trick pony in the stable for now.
It's snowing. Again. For the love of God will this ever end? Easter's in two weeks. At this rate I'll be hiding eggs in an igloo.
The ideas for my class keep coming and I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed. I don't start teaching it until the end of April, so please feel free to keep passing along your suggestions. The thread has been moved to The World and the Harry Potter Phenomenon for those looking for it.
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Denise P. - Mar 11, 2005 3:01 pm (#2880 of 2956)
Ugh, we are about to drive down to Nashville so one of the boys can be interviewed live on the radio for a radioathon. (Anyone in the Nashville area, 107.5 FM...all weekend, they replay the "live" bits but around 6 CST is when he is scheduled) I would rather not bring everyone but Mr. P seems to think it will be fun. I agree, it will be fun like getting my teeth cleaned. Yuck, this means we won't get back until after the wee ones bedtime, which means we will have cranky kidlets and one tired mom.
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Acceber - Mar 11, 2005 4:29 pm (#2881 of 2956)
I got Hermione on Elanor's quiz from a while ago. Typical. It's either Hermione or Dumbledore.
Happy Belated Birthdays Loopy Lupin and Remus Lupin! So hopefully this means Remus will survive the series. Yay!
Opening night for my school play (Into the Woods) is in 6 days. We're a lot better than we were before we added tech (props, lights, sound, and curtains), but the curtain people can't process when they're supposed to open and close the curtains. We have a rehearsal tomorrow (Saturday) from 9 AM-1 PM. Four hours with those blasted knee pads on, and on a Saturday! Gah!
Going to plow through the truckload of posts that awaits me before I start dinner.
PS Speaking of plowing, did any fellow New Englanders (Julia, Kim, Pinky, Leila, Maritza, Meg if she's reading this) experience a very annoying flurry of snow this afternoon? It wasn't enough to hold up traffic, but it did bug me to no end.
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 11, 2005 4:58 pm (#2882 of 2956)
Speaking of plowing, did any fellow New Englanders (Julia, Kim, Pinky, Leila, Maritza, Meg if she's reading this) experience a very annoying flurry of snow this afternoon?---Acceber
See my post, #2879.
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Madam Pince - Mar 11, 2005 5:17 pm (#2883 of 2956)
Speaking of Meg, has anyone heard from her lately? Is there possibly a new baby Potter-holic in the world?
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Denise P. - Mar 11, 2005 7:55 pm (#2884 of 2956)
Hey Kim, did Son Lupin ever get any mail?
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dizzy lizzy - Mar 11, 2005 8:14 pm (#2885 of 2956)
Hi all.
I've just been spending the last two days reining in my spending. I've some ideas floating around in my head to do with soap making and Internet based work for some time now. Now is the time to put them in action as I've a good motive, to bring a little extra money into my wallet.
I will be away for 12 days as of tomorrow (13th March). I will be in Sydney for the training for this new job. And I am really starting to look forward to it.
You wouldn't believe it , but yesterday, when I rang the motel I was going to stay at, they had decided I wasn't coming and had re-booked my room to someone else!
It turned out, that although I booked by email and received an email confirming my booking, no-one had bothered to tell me that I needed to ring them and pay one nights accommodation by credit card (which I don't have) to confirm the booking. Grrrrr.
The motel then had the hide to try and up-sell me to a room costing $30.00 per night extra and I said no thanks. I fail to see why I need to reward them for their incompetence in not letting me know of their booking arrangements. And a gentle slap on my wrist for not assuming the correct procedure!
So I rang my Cousin who lives about 15 minutes away from the city centre, and she rang back this morning to not only say that it was OK for me to stay there, they would also pick me up from the airport!
I didn't want to stay there originally as they are very busy people and I really didn't want to spend 1/2 hour travelling by train/bus every morning and evening. But now I have no choice. Actually the more I think about it, the more I think it was meant to be.
So the doggies are now on holidays at the vets, I have finally finished cleaning the kitchen (a work in progress for the past two weeks) and now its just email and Internet time.
I will do a last check of the threads tomorrow morning before I fly out and then I shall sit back and relax and enjoy my time away. And look forward to the 300 odd posts there are likely to be on this thread (and the next chat thread) alone when I get back.
I will be back on-line sometime around Good Friday.
So have a wonderful fortnight everyone and a Good Easter with your family and friends.
Lizzy
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Phoenix song - Mar 11, 2005 9:33 pm (#2886 of 2956)
Lizzy, have a great trip. You'll be missed, so try to check in on us if it's possible. (You'll probably have to use the dreaded "mark as read" button upon your return trip, I can't imagine two weeks' worth of posts to try to catch up on!)
Sorry for the yucky people that messed up your reservations. I agree that you shouldn't have to pay extra just because they sold your room to another client. You probably wouldn't have liked that hotel anyway! (I bet that they would expect you to eat something horrendous for breakfast like stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast!)
Have a good trip!
Barbie
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Ydnam96 - Mar 11, 2005 9:56 pm (#2887 of 2956)
Lizzy just think of the money you will save
It's been warm (actually quite warm) here in California the last few days-during the day- but very cold at night. Because of this I have developed quite a icky cold or something. I'm not complaining about the weather, just the icky cold.
I've let the threads pile up on me over the last week...and now I have just a ton to wallow through. I'm not sure I'll get through them all! It's a shame really that my job (as much as I love it) gets in the way of my HP obsession.
Anyway. Happy weekend everyone!
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Mrs. Sirius - Mar 11, 2005 10:06 pm (#2888 of 2956)
PS Speaking of plowing, did any fellow New Englanders (Julia, Kim, Pinky, Leila, Maritza, Meg if she's reading this) experience a very annoying flurry of snow this afternoon? It wasn't enough to hold up traffic, but it did bug me to no end.
Rebecca, you are lucky to have only been annoyed a little bit by this! It started snowing this morning before the kids got on the bus for school and continued until after dismissal. I cleared the deck and the driveway of snow before going to the kid's school, making me late, then again when I got back home from school, and yet again after lunch. Driving was hazardous and the school bus had to drop the kids of at the top of our street because trucks were stuck on our road. It was just cold enough so that none of the snow melted although it was very wet snow at times. And now we are awaiting round 2 to start around midnight and continue through the morning gymnastic class ughhhhh! Will this winter never end?
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Lupin is Lupin. Natch. - Mar 11, 2005 10:08 pm (#2889 of 2956)
Hey Denise, you're not the only one who wants to know. Son Lupin's response, when questioned, was inconclusive. I meant to ask the teacher this week past, but never actually saw her. Will be able to get you and answer early this week. Thanks again.
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Madame Librarian - Mar 11, 2005 10:18 pm (#2890 of 2956)
Weather here (Chicago area) is just dreadful. Upper 20s to low 30s. Gloomy skies. Wet, soppy snow. Horrid street sludge splashed all over car. Salt stains on leather boots. Chronic hat hair. Nasty patches of black ice on sidewalk (whoops!). You know, perfect March weather. Blaaaah. Winter. Blaaah.
Have a lovely weekend, all!
Ciao. Barb
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Elanor - Mar 12, 2005 1:27 am (#2891 of 2956)
I'm so sorry to hear about that bad weather some of you still have. You wil not believe it but yesterday we had SUN for 2 or 3 hours. It's been so long since it happened for the last time! It was a cold sun and the snow hardly melt, if not at all if it was in the shade, but still...
Sept, your weather charms remedials were a great benefit to you! You still have to work on the length of them because it is grey and cold again today but I'm sure that if you find the right teacher that will not be a problem anymore (any ideas?)... In education, everything depends on the student's motivation...
Have a great Saturday everybody! **waves to Fawkes! I'm sure you will watch the Ireland/France rugby match this afternoon. it should be a great match! **
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septentrion - Mar 12, 2005 3:18 am (#2892 of 2956)
Well, I intend to work my weather charms for you, Elanor, and for those in New England who still are under snow, cold or else, but my range of efficiency is...small to the last. Perhaps it's like occlumency, eye contact is important. Or maybe I'm really distracted by my teacher (there eye contact is important).
Have a great saturday everybody !
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Accio Sirius - Mar 12, 2005 2:19 pm (#2893 of 2956)
Hey Julia, sorry about UConn. I always cheer for the Huskies. My son's winter coat is from UConn. Gotta figure they know how to keep warm!
I'm excited that WVU is in the championship, although the teams I cheer for have a habit of making it to the big games and choking. For what its worth, Go Mountaineers!
Weather is finally nice again, or at least tolerable. We had our Brownie Sock Hop last night and I overheard several girls discussing HBP, who it could be and how they can't wait for the book to come out. It is so thrilling to hear kids debate it with as much passion as, well...us! Happy weekend everyone.
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Denise P. - Mar 12, 2005 3:56 pm (#2894 of 2956)
Ohhhh, I am so excited!
Several years ago, a friend and I co-authored some fanfiction. We have gotten a lot of praise about this one particular story and are often asked if various places can feature it on their site. There a fanfic/zine publisher that has asked if they can use it!
The plan is for some original art to be produced for the story and for both the art/story to be printed, bound and published. Once it is for done, it would be up for sale on the web site. As the authors, we get a free copy of our work.
How cool is that? We never dreamed when we wrote this all those years ago that it would come to this. This story came to be one night on a cruise ship about 3 am when we were talking about some characters and then brought up the original question in a chat. We had an outline and just ran with it. We wrote it in a fairly short period of time and the most amazing thing, I find, is that I wrote large sections, she wrote large sections but our betas thought it was written by one person before we revealed it was a joint effort.
Can you picture me squealing like a girl here??
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Prefect Marcus - Mar 12, 2005 4:02 pm (#2895 of 2956)
Denise,
Congrats on the Fanfic. Does this mean it is going to be published in genuine print? I am jealous.
Marcus
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Denise P. - Mar 12, 2005 4:07 pm (#2896 of 2956)
Yep, in actual print, that you can hold in your hands to read. Of course, since it is fanfiction, *I* can't and won't make any profit off it but it is still thrilling that someone wants to actually print what we wrote. For anyone interested, I will put a link to the story behind my picture.
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Lina - Mar 12, 2005 4:11 pm (#2897 of 2956)
Birthday party is over. Everybody home, kids in bed. Here is the birthday cake without the candles: birthday cake In case you can't recognize, it should be Flounder.
dizzy lizzy, I'm glad you found the way to earn some extra money. It is great. Are you sure you won't be able to check the Internet while in Sydney? I hope you're wrong.
My husband took our daughters to school yesterday. They went to the snowy mountain. While they were waiting for the buses and for the children to get into them, he was talking to another father. He saw his son beating another boy, and ran to separate them. He thought that the other father didn't see what is his son doing, but the other father said "Let the kids beat each other. They have to solve things by themselves!" My husband tried to explain him that it is not the right way and that it doesn't lead anybody to the peaceful life, but the man didn't want to listen. Unfortunately, this son came home from the trip with a broken arm. And as a meter of fact, at least another two children came home from the same trip with some broken bones. I must say I'm horrified. What were those teachers doing? I'm happy to know that my children know how to choose their company, but sending children to the trip with the school sounds like a real hazard! And I just wish to say that all advices to parents to listen to their instincts that came on this thread lately, they assume that parents who are on this forum should. Not all the parents, obviously. The rules on this forum seem to attract just specific kind of people (I like to feel special ) but this is obviously not the way that all people are.
Waves to everybody!
EDIT: Denise, you posted while I was writing my post. CONGRATULATIONS! It is really great!
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Ladybug220 - Mar 12, 2005 4:12 pm (#2898 of 2956)
Denise - congrats! That is great news!
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Marie E. - Mar 12, 2005 5:04 pm (#2899 of 2956)
Congratulations, Denise! I think I remember you mentioning this fanfic before. How exciting!
I have, sadly, had to give the "no kissy-kissy" speech to both of my girls. It seems to be quite a kindergarten thing to do. In my current class it is the boys who are doing all the kissing.
Our weather is bouncing back and forth between "60 and sunny" and "30 and snowing". I detest Spring in the Rockies. Just warm up and get it over with! Grrrr.
This is how crazy my life has been: I tried to take Lexie to a birthday party that isn't being held until next Saturday. Good thing it wasn't at the person's house.
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The giant squid - Mar 12, 2005 5:28 pm (#2900 of 2956)
This is how crazy my life has been: I tried to take Lexie to a birthday party that isn't being held until next Saturday.
I know...your life is so crazy you never answer your brother's questions! I mean, it's not like I care about the girls' birthdays, or the cat, or...
My condolences to those of you still dealing with winter. For the last few days it's been over 80 degrees (26 C) here in Vegas! Apparently the two weeks of rain qualified as "spring" out here. I know it did a number on our back yard...we're still trying to hack our way through five-foot-high weeds! For the three years we've lived here the back yard has been nothing but dirt (and a swingset left by the previous owners). We left it bare until we could figure out what to do with it. Well, we've finally come up with a plan and--lo and behold--the weeds have come out in force. Apparently they've been lying in wait just under the surface, biding their time until we wanted to do something with the land. I've done more yardwork in the last two weeks than I've done in the previous two years. And Marie can verify that yardwork & I don't get along very well...
Denise, congratulations on being published. You may not get any monetary gains from this, but it's a start in the biz. And once your brood is grown up & out of the house you'll need something to do to fill your time...
Lady Arabella- Prefect
- Posts : 2566
Join date : 2011-02-22
Location : Silicon Valley, CA
Re: Chat & Greetings 2005
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:52 pm
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boop - Mar 12, 2005 7:42 pm (#2901 of 2956)
Denise, congratulations to you and your co-author of the fanfic. That is great to get it published.
We have had snow showers off and on all week. I wish the sun would come out. I am ready for spring!!!
My granddaughter Taysha has a virus that she is allergenic to. Taysha looks like she was burned all over her body. What the Dr. said is her body is fighting against its self. Dustin is allergenic to eggs, peanuts, dairy products, soy products. Poor Shelia with both having problems. Shelia said to me, I have one child allergenic to herself and a child that can't eat most things.
Have a great weekend everyone.
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Dumbledore - Mar 12, 2005 8:11 pm (#2902 of 2956)
Congratulations, Denise!
Boop, I too have had snow showers here in New York off and on all week. But I do have to say that I love the snow. That's not to say that I don't wish the spring to come...but I find few things more beautiful than the snow.
Yikes..I'm thinking of all the schoolwork I put off today that I will have to do tomorrow. There is nothing worse than a dreary Sunday (well I suppose there is...but in my current state of mind there isn't)
Well, have a great weekend everybody, and I hope the weather holds up for all you guys who don't enjoy the snow as much as I do.
-Lauren
_____________________________________
Madame Librarian - Mar 12, 2005 8:15 pm (#2903 of 2956)
Denise P., nice work! Give yourself an "atta girl." Sorry for being dense here, but was it HP fanfic?
Ciao. Barb
_____________________________________
Denise P. - Mar 12, 2005 8:21 pm (#2904 of 2956)
Naw, I can't write HP fanfic since the world is not finished yet...if that makes sense. The one in question is set in Highlander: The Series. If you are not familiar with the series, parts of the story won't make sense since it refers to events that took place on the show, as well as the lore behind the series and the rules of that world.
_____________________________________
Julia. - Mar 12, 2005 10:10 pm (#2905 of 2956)
Good evening all! I've not fallen off the face of the earth, I just don't have anything at all to add to parenting discussions.
Denise, mazel tov on your fanfic!!! *hands Denise butterbeer*
Becca, I got much more than a dusting of snow. I woke up this morning to many inches of snow. I had to walk to synagogue this morning, and nobody shoveled the main street. There was too much traffic to walk in the road, so I had to treck through the many inches. By the time I got there my legs were numb and my skirt was wet. When will this winter be over?! I can't take any more of this snow!!
I saw a wonderful production of Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare tonight. For a play I really didn't like reading, I loved the production.
Well, off to make pizza bagles and clear the threads.
_____________________________________
Madam Pince - Mar 12, 2005 10:33 pm (#2906 of 2956)
This little news snippet was in a newspaper I read today. For some reason it reminded me of the scene in the DOM, and it also struck me as hilarious:
A research lab in Portland, Maine, is ending a brain-collection program for a laboratory in Bethesda, Maryland. A lawyer for the Stanley Research Institute said that the lab has enough brains already and there is no more storage space.
_____________________________________
The giant squid - Mar 13, 2005 1:57 am (#2907 of 2956)
The one in question is set in Highlander: The Series.
Excellent...now I have something to get my wife for Christmas. If only it would be in print by next Thursday--it's our first anniversary (the traditional gift is paper)...
--Mike
_____________________________________
septentrion - Mar 13, 2005 2:25 am (#2908 of 2956)
LOL madam Pince ! Maybe Bethesda is the American department of mysteries !
Congrats Denise for being published !
I'm really sorry for those who still have snow. Here it's over till next year (I hope). We're going to have a sunny Sunday and a spring week. It'd be one of the rare years when the weather matches the calendar (official spring next week !).
Good Sunday to everyone !
_____________________________________
Acceber - Mar 13, 2005 5:00 am (#2909 of 2956)
Since everyone's pestering me, I'll come out of my state of lurking and post. It's more than a flurry of snow here, too. It's at least a foot, but I'm not sure exactly on the details, as play was canceled yesterday (because of a then-light snowfall ) and I didn't leave the house and its warmness all of yesterday. I did do a page and a half of notes on my independent study, which isn't due until the beginning of April. I never said I procrastinated.
I'm up at this unruly hour because my cat woke me up rubbing his head against my door, pleading to be fed. I didn't really feel like reading, I'd done that a lot yesterday, so I hopped on the Forum. Today, my dad, sister, and I are driving to Connecticut *waves to Julia and Maritza* to see my mom's family and celebrate her upcoming birthday. It's on St Patrick's Day. I doubt I should tell you how old she's turning (not that she reads this), but it is a golden birthday in a sense. For her present, she and her three siblings went to Florida to see two New York Y***** spring training games. My sister wanted autographs; I wanted to stow away in her suitcase, then hop on a bus to Ft. Myers and see the Sox play. Didn't happen. But we all get to have a scrumptious meal for lunch today.
Paraphrasing my Social Studies teacher from last year: "The best part about today being Sunday is...tomorrow's Monday!" It's really, "The best part about today being Thursday is...tomorrow's Friday!" but I couldn't resist.
_____________________________________
Marie E. - Mar 13, 2005 8:42 am (#2910 of 2956)
I woke up this morning to about three inches of snow and it's still falling. They have issued a Winter Weather Advisory for 5pm tonight until 5am Monday morning. If they close school tomorrow I'll scream. This is so unfair. It was 68 degrees yesterday.
Answers to the whining squid's questions: Shayla loved her presents from you, though Lexie was a little disappointed at first that you gave her a shirt and not toys. I told her that her birthday is coming up and to get over it. Kittycat is doing fine and she has an appointment next week. We may be switching her food to help her digest it better.
We had company over to dinner last night. The husband used to be in the military with Bill and also helped us buy our house. After dinner their oldest was looking at our Gamecube games and said, "Oh, Quidditch!" He then started talking about how he had finally read all the books. Well, that's all it took for a long discussion about what's coming in HBP. Poor Bill. Our dinner guest has even been to the jkr website.
_____________________________________
Ydnam96 - Mar 13, 2005 8:44 am (#2911 of 2956)
Congrats Denise! A published author; something many people aspire to!
It's started raining again. I know whaaaaaaaa. (sarcastic there, since at least I'm in warm weather while it rains) Oh well.
I finished crocheting an afghan yesterday. My first big accomplishment as a crocheter (spelling?). It's an oval still but at least it's done.
Happy Sunday all.
_____________________________________
Mrs. Sirius - Mar 13, 2005 9:15 am (#2912 of 2956)
Hey Denise, a published author, congratulations!!!, Hi >>zoom>> Rebecca!
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 9:24 am (#2913 of 2956)
Congratulations, Denise! I was wondering which fandom until I saw the link. But Highlander would have been one of my guesses! Really!
Mrs. Sirius, oh oh oh how I too ask 'When will winter end?' I fear we are in for cold beyond the official Spring date threshhold.
Well I've got a day of preparing for an exam. Anyone else want to study up on Experimental Design? C'mon, aren't you just fascinated by the possibility of explaining all the X's and O's and what validity and reliability and nesting in factorial designs mean? No idea what I'm talking about? Oh, I could make you fall asleep even FASTER by quoting the text directly, but I'll spare you all...
_____________________________________
Madam Pince - Mar 13, 2005 12:42 pm (#2914 of 2956)
Mandy, congrats on your afghan! It sounds perfectly lovely. Think of the oval shape as being unique! You'll figure out the corners eventually. I haven't crocheted in years, but would love to take it up again. My Grandma taught me when I was little, and I remember the part I had the hardest time with was the basic little circle that started the whole square.
Gina, *****eyuckkk!!!!**** on your exam! Validity, reliability, factorial design..... Bleah! Sounds horrible. Good luck, though!
_____________________________________
Chemyst - Mar 13, 2005 1:43 pm (#2915 of 2956)
Golly Gina, I didn't know they gave classes on how to make statistical relevance more complicated on purpose!
Congratulations Denise!
Sorry your play was cancelled Accerber; will they reschedule a make-good? (Cute Omeletteheads thing BTW)
We are having an extraordinarily nice window wide open day here, so I'm not going to stick around indoors. 'just didn't want the chat posts to get ahead of me though.
_____________________________________
Detail Seeker - Mar 13, 2005 2:04 pm (#2916 of 2956)
Gina, Experimental Design is a fascinating tool to reduce experimental programmes and to conceal, what you want to find. I always get the feeling, you have to know the borders of your model beforehand to be really able to come to the conclusions. (evil grin) But honestly, I was able to use it to my advantage, after learning more - but not from textbooks, they are usually meant to be unintellegible.
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 2:11 pm (#2917 of 2956)
Thanks, guys. I agree Detail Seeker. Running experiments can be very interesting. I will get the chance to design an experimental model at the end of the semester. Pity it's not in potions.
But for now, I need to demonstrate I know some of the raw terms and such for a mid-term exam... B-O-R-I-N-G!!!!!!
_____________________________________
Detail Seeker - Mar 13, 2005 2:19 pm (#2918 of 2956)
I feel with you, Gina ! And don´t start dreaming of Taguchi designs. I will let my Occlumency fences down while you are writing the exam, perhaps you find some clues...
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 3:28 pm (#2919 of 2956)
Heeee. You are too good to me.
_____________________________________
Ladybug220 - Mar 13, 2005 4:16 pm (#2920 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 13, 2005 3:19 pm
But Gina, don't forget specificity, power, point estimates, confidence intervals, standard deviation, variance, logistic regression, poission distributions ...and so many others. You have my sympathies - I do not miss quantitative methods class.
_____________________________________
Julia. - Mar 13, 2005 7:02 pm (#2921 of 2956)
You guys are giving me a headache. Good luck on your midterm Gina.
Mandy, congrats on finishing your afghan. Being able to make things is something I've always wanted to learn. My Grandma tried to teach me to knit when I was little, but that didn't go over very well. Good on you for being able to crochet.
Are they rescheduling your play, Ms. Omlettehead?
Back at school now, and already bogged down with work. This isn't fair, I've only been back for three hours, how do I have so much work already?!
_____________________________________
Ponine - Mar 13, 2005 7:44 pm (#2922 of 2956)
Gina, my deepest sympathy.... I am forever finished with social work research methods, and I can proudly say that I have never since had to contemplate hermeneutics, t-tail test (?) or the seemingly endless varieties of external and internal validity... ***cringing at the mere thought, looking for a pensieve to throw all traces of relevant memories in it*** Good Luck!
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 7:57 pm (#2923 of 2956)
Thanks, Ponine. Are you a social worker?
Thanks, Julia. I have spent the entire day revising the entire semester so far. My exam isn't until Wednesday morning. . . so I can revise again before then! Woohoo.
_____________________________________
Ponine - Mar 13, 2005 7:59 pm (#2924 of 2956)
Gina - I got my MSW a few years ago, but am in the process of re-futuring, and am considering going back to graduate school for English...
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 8:16 pm (#2925 of 2956)
Re-futuring? Is that a fancy term for reconsidering one's profession?
I received my MSW in 1998, am now in a PhD program.
_____________________________________
Mrs. Sirius - Mar 13, 2005 9:07 pm (#2926 of 2956)
Oooh Gina, I won't even ask as my eyelids are already drooping, but good luck.
Rebecca I do hope your play is rescheduled, the play must should go on!
_____________________________________
Ydnam96 - Mar 13, 2005 10:43 pm (#2927 of 2956)
Julia, crocheting is easy! There is this great website for teaching it www.stichguide.com. I hadn't crocheted in a long time and this website helped me pick it back up. Gina, WOW. PhD! I just finished my masters and I never ever want to pick up another book, well not really it's the papers I HATE. Good luck on that!!!!
_____________________________________
The giant squid - Mar 14, 2005 2:20 am (#2928 of 2956)
Good luck on your exam, Gina. Most of that looked like gobbledy-gook to me too, and I'm used to spouting unintelligible nonsense to "civilians" (i.e. anyone who isn't in your field & doesn't understand the shorthand). I recognized the term "factorial", but I'm not sure it's the same as what I learned in calculus...
Marie, thanks for the update. I suppose I could have just called you, but that would be too easy... If Bill thinks things are bad now, wait 'til the family reunion this summer, when we'll have you, me, Mary (my wife), Pat & Khim (our cousin & his wife) and no doubt at least 2 or 3 more cousins that are Potterheads that we don't know about. At least he'll be able to hang out with She Who Has Not Read The Books...
--Mike
_____________________________________
Ponine - Mar 14, 2005 4:44 am (#2929 of 2956)
Gina - Re-futuring - I suppose I did just make that word up, but I like it?!?! Re-arranging my future, or simply re-planning my future - re-futuring...
_____________________________________
librarian314 - Mar 14, 2005 6:44 am (#2930 of 2956)
Hey all!
Gina - Good luck on your test! It really looks terribly complicated; I hope you can keep it all sorted out.
Mandy - Don't worry that you have an oval. When I first learned to crochet I was attempting to make granny squares but they ended up as granny blobs; not even properly oval.
For those interested in various needleworks, I can't recommend highly enough the Readers' Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. It presents the crafts in a very straight forward manner with clear photos and written examples. The projects displayed are fairly classic and varied. There are tips for designing your own projects. As someone who's been a fiber artist for the last 30 years, I still refer to it regularly during projects.
If you have trouble finishing projects, do smaller projects. I crochet large projects (sweaters and afghans) but knit socks and mittens. S
boop - Mar 12, 2005 7:42 pm (#2901 of 2956)
Denise, congratulations to you and your co-author of the fanfic. That is great to get it published.
We have had snow showers off and on all week. I wish the sun would come out. I am ready for spring!!!
My granddaughter Taysha has a virus that she is allergenic to. Taysha looks like she was burned all over her body. What the Dr. said is her body is fighting against its self. Dustin is allergenic to eggs, peanuts, dairy products, soy products. Poor Shelia with both having problems. Shelia said to me, I have one child allergenic to herself and a child that can't eat most things.
Have a great weekend everyone.
_____________________________________
Dumbledore - Mar 12, 2005 8:11 pm (#2902 of 2956)
Congratulations, Denise!
Boop, I too have had snow showers here in New York off and on all week. But I do have to say that I love the snow. That's not to say that I don't wish the spring to come...but I find few things more beautiful than the snow.
Yikes..I'm thinking of all the schoolwork I put off today that I will have to do tomorrow. There is nothing worse than a dreary Sunday (well I suppose there is...but in my current state of mind there isn't)
Well, have a great weekend everybody, and I hope the weather holds up for all you guys who don't enjoy the snow as much as I do.
-Lauren
_____________________________________
Madame Librarian - Mar 12, 2005 8:15 pm (#2903 of 2956)
Denise P., nice work! Give yourself an "atta girl." Sorry for being dense here, but was it HP fanfic?
Ciao. Barb
_____________________________________
Denise P. - Mar 12, 2005 8:21 pm (#2904 of 2956)
Naw, I can't write HP fanfic since the world is not finished yet...if that makes sense. The one in question is set in Highlander: The Series. If you are not familiar with the series, parts of the story won't make sense since it refers to events that took place on the show, as well as the lore behind the series and the rules of that world.
_____________________________________
Julia. - Mar 12, 2005 10:10 pm (#2905 of 2956)
Good evening all! I've not fallen off the face of the earth, I just don't have anything at all to add to parenting discussions.
Denise, mazel tov on your fanfic!!! *hands Denise butterbeer*
Becca, I got much more than a dusting of snow. I woke up this morning to many inches of snow. I had to walk to synagogue this morning, and nobody shoveled the main street. There was too much traffic to walk in the road, so I had to treck through the many inches. By the time I got there my legs were numb and my skirt was wet. When will this winter be over?! I can't take any more of this snow!!
I saw a wonderful production of Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare tonight. For a play I really didn't like reading, I loved the production.
Well, off to make pizza bagles and clear the threads.
_____________________________________
Madam Pince - Mar 12, 2005 10:33 pm (#2906 of 2956)
This little news snippet was in a newspaper I read today. For some reason it reminded me of the scene in the DOM, and it also struck me as hilarious:
A research lab in Portland, Maine, is ending a brain-collection program for a laboratory in Bethesda, Maryland. A lawyer for the Stanley Research Institute said that the lab has enough brains already and there is no more storage space.
_____________________________________
The giant squid - Mar 13, 2005 1:57 am (#2907 of 2956)
The one in question is set in Highlander: The Series.
Excellent...now I have something to get my wife for Christmas. If only it would be in print by next Thursday--it's our first anniversary (the traditional gift is paper)...
--Mike
_____________________________________
septentrion - Mar 13, 2005 2:25 am (#2908 of 2956)
LOL madam Pince ! Maybe Bethesda is the American department of mysteries !
Congrats Denise for being published !
I'm really sorry for those who still have snow. Here it's over till next year (I hope). We're going to have a sunny Sunday and a spring week. It'd be one of the rare years when the weather matches the calendar (official spring next week !).
Good Sunday to everyone !
_____________________________________
Acceber - Mar 13, 2005 5:00 am (#2909 of 2956)
Since everyone's pestering me, I'll come out of my state of lurking and post. It's more than a flurry of snow here, too. It's at least a foot, but I'm not sure exactly on the details, as play was canceled yesterday (because of a then-light snowfall ) and I didn't leave the house and its warmness all of yesterday. I did do a page and a half of notes on my independent study, which isn't due until the beginning of April. I never said I procrastinated.
I'm up at this unruly hour because my cat woke me up rubbing his head against my door, pleading to be fed. I didn't really feel like reading, I'd done that a lot yesterday, so I hopped on the Forum. Today, my dad, sister, and I are driving to Connecticut *waves to Julia and Maritza* to see my mom's family and celebrate her upcoming birthday. It's on St Patrick's Day. I doubt I should tell you how old she's turning (not that she reads this), but it is a golden birthday in a sense. For her present, she and her three siblings went to Florida to see two New York Y***** spring training games. My sister wanted autographs; I wanted to stow away in her suitcase, then hop on a bus to Ft. Myers and see the Sox play. Didn't happen. But we all get to have a scrumptious meal for lunch today.
Paraphrasing my Social Studies teacher from last year: "The best part about today being Sunday is...tomorrow's Monday!" It's really, "The best part about today being Thursday is...tomorrow's Friday!" but I couldn't resist.
_____________________________________
Marie E. - Mar 13, 2005 8:42 am (#2910 of 2956)
I woke up this morning to about three inches of snow and it's still falling. They have issued a Winter Weather Advisory for 5pm tonight until 5am Monday morning. If they close school tomorrow I'll scream. This is so unfair. It was 68 degrees yesterday.
Answers to the whining squid's questions: Shayla loved her presents from you, though Lexie was a little disappointed at first that you gave her a shirt and not toys. I told her that her birthday is coming up and to get over it. Kittycat is doing fine and she has an appointment next week. We may be switching her food to help her digest it better.
We had company over to dinner last night. The husband used to be in the military with Bill and also helped us buy our house. After dinner their oldest was looking at our Gamecube games and said, "Oh, Quidditch!" He then started talking about how he had finally read all the books. Well, that's all it took for a long discussion about what's coming in HBP. Poor Bill. Our dinner guest has even been to the jkr website.
_____________________________________
Ydnam96 - Mar 13, 2005 8:44 am (#2911 of 2956)
Congrats Denise! A published author; something many people aspire to!
It's started raining again. I know whaaaaaaaa. (sarcastic there, since at least I'm in warm weather while it rains) Oh well.
I finished crocheting an afghan yesterday. My first big accomplishment as a crocheter (spelling?). It's an oval still but at least it's done.
Happy Sunday all.
_____________________________________
Mrs. Sirius - Mar 13, 2005 9:15 am (#2912 of 2956)
Hey Denise, a published author, congratulations!!!, Hi >>zoom>> Rebecca!
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 9:24 am (#2913 of 2956)
Congratulations, Denise! I was wondering which fandom until I saw the link. But Highlander would have been one of my guesses! Really!
Mrs. Sirius, oh oh oh how I too ask 'When will winter end?' I fear we are in for cold beyond the official Spring date threshhold.
Well I've got a day of preparing for an exam. Anyone else want to study up on Experimental Design? C'mon, aren't you just fascinated by the possibility of explaining all the X's and O's and what validity and reliability and nesting in factorial designs mean? No idea what I'm talking about? Oh, I could make you fall asleep even FASTER by quoting the text directly, but I'll spare you all...
_____________________________________
Madam Pince - Mar 13, 2005 12:42 pm (#2914 of 2956)
Mandy, congrats on your afghan! It sounds perfectly lovely. Think of the oval shape as being unique! You'll figure out the corners eventually. I haven't crocheted in years, but would love to take it up again. My Grandma taught me when I was little, and I remember the part I had the hardest time with was the basic little circle that started the whole square.
Gina, *****eyuckkk!!!!**** on your exam! Validity, reliability, factorial design..... Bleah! Sounds horrible. Good luck, though!
_____________________________________
Chemyst - Mar 13, 2005 1:43 pm (#2915 of 2956)
Golly Gina, I didn't know they gave classes on how to make statistical relevance more complicated on purpose!
Congratulations Denise!
Sorry your play was cancelled Accerber; will they reschedule a make-good? (Cute Omeletteheads thing BTW)
We are having an extraordinarily nice window wide open day here, so I'm not going to stick around indoors. 'just didn't want the chat posts to get ahead of me though.
_____________________________________
Detail Seeker - Mar 13, 2005 2:04 pm (#2916 of 2956)
Gina, Experimental Design is a fascinating tool to reduce experimental programmes and to conceal, what you want to find. I always get the feeling, you have to know the borders of your model beforehand to be really able to come to the conclusions. (evil grin) But honestly, I was able to use it to my advantage, after learning more - but not from textbooks, they are usually meant to be unintellegible.
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 2:11 pm (#2917 of 2956)
Thanks, guys. I agree Detail Seeker. Running experiments can be very interesting. I will get the chance to design an experimental model at the end of the semester. Pity it's not in potions.
But for now, I need to demonstrate I know some of the raw terms and such for a mid-term exam... B-O-R-I-N-G!!!!!!
_____________________________________
Detail Seeker - Mar 13, 2005 2:19 pm (#2918 of 2956)
I feel with you, Gina ! And don´t start dreaming of Taguchi designs. I will let my Occlumency fences down while you are writing the exam, perhaps you find some clues...
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 3:28 pm (#2919 of 2956)
Heeee. You are too good to me.
_____________________________________
Ladybug220 - Mar 13, 2005 4:16 pm (#2920 of 2956)
Edited by Mar 13, 2005 3:19 pm
But Gina, don't forget specificity, power, point estimates, confidence intervals, standard deviation, variance, logistic regression, poission distributions ...and so many others. You have my sympathies - I do not miss quantitative methods class.
_____________________________________
Julia. - Mar 13, 2005 7:02 pm (#2921 of 2956)
You guys are giving me a headache. Good luck on your midterm Gina.
Mandy, congrats on finishing your afghan. Being able to make things is something I've always wanted to learn. My Grandma tried to teach me to knit when I was little, but that didn't go over very well. Good on you for being able to crochet.
Are they rescheduling your play, Ms. Omlettehead?
Back at school now, and already bogged down with work. This isn't fair, I've only been back for three hours, how do I have so much work already?!
_____________________________________
Ponine - Mar 13, 2005 7:44 pm (#2922 of 2956)
Gina, my deepest sympathy.... I am forever finished with social work research methods, and I can proudly say that I have never since had to contemplate hermeneutics, t-tail test (?) or the seemingly endless varieties of external and internal validity... ***cringing at the mere thought, looking for a pensieve to throw all traces of relevant memories in it*** Good Luck!
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 7:57 pm (#2923 of 2956)
Thanks, Ponine. Are you a social worker?
Thanks, Julia. I have spent the entire day revising the entire semester so far. My exam isn't until Wednesday morning. . . so I can revise again before then! Woohoo.
_____________________________________
Ponine - Mar 13, 2005 7:59 pm (#2924 of 2956)
Gina - I got my MSW a few years ago, but am in the process of re-futuring, and am considering going back to graduate school for English...
_____________________________________
Gina R Snape - Mar 13, 2005 8:16 pm (#2925 of 2956)
Re-futuring? Is that a fancy term for reconsidering one's profession?
I received my MSW in 1998, am now in a PhD program.
_____________________________________
Mrs. Sirius - Mar 13, 2005 9:07 pm (#2926 of 2956)
Oooh Gina, I won't even ask as my eyelids are already drooping, but good luck.
Rebecca I do hope your play is rescheduled, the play must should go on!
_____________________________________
Ydnam96 - Mar 13, 2005 10:43 pm (#2927 of 2956)
Julia, crocheting is easy! There is this great website for teaching it www.stichguide.com. I hadn't crocheted in a long time and this website helped me pick it back up.
Gina, WOW. PhD! I just finished my masters and I never ever want to pick up another book, well not really it's the papers I HATE. Good luck on that!!!!_____________________________________
The giant squid - Mar 14, 2005 2:20 am (#2928 of 2956)
Good luck on your exam, Gina. Most of that looked like gobbledy-gook to me too, and I'm used to spouting unintelligible nonsense to "civilians" (i.e. anyone who isn't in your field & doesn't understand the shorthand). I recognized the term "factorial", but I'm not sure it's the same as what I learned in calculus...
Marie, thanks for the update. I suppose I could have just called you, but that would be too easy... If Bill thinks things are bad now, wait 'til the family reunion this summer, when we'll have you, me, Mary (my wife), Pat & Khim (our cousin & his wife) and no doubt at least 2 or 3 more cousins that are Potterheads that we don't know about. At least he'll be able to hang out with She Who Has Not Read The Books...
--Mike
_____________________________________
Ponine - Mar 14, 2005 4:44 am (#2929 of 2956)
Gina - Re-futuring - I suppose I did just make that word up, but I like it?!?! Re-arranging my future, or simply re-planning my future - re-futuring...
_____________________________________
librarian314 - Mar 14, 2005 6:44 am (#2930 of 2956)
Hey all!
Gina - Good luck on your test! It really looks terribly complicated; I hope you can keep it all sorted out.
Mandy - Don't worry that you have an oval. When I first learned to crochet I was attempting to make granny squares but they ended up as granny blobs; not even properly oval.
For those interested in various needleworks, I can't recommend highly enough the Readers' Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. It presents the crafts in a very straight forward manner with clear photos and written examples. The projects displayed are fairly classic and varied. There are tips for designing your own projects. As someone who's been a fiber artist for the last 30 years, I still refer to it regularly during projects.
If you have trouble finishing projects, do smaller projects. I crochet large projects (sweaters and afghans) but knit socks and mittens. S