Linda Z

Groucho: You thought those of us in the Family Corps were idiots? We had a few (I'm being nice) people who came from Emporia to the Indiana Campus who thought they were superior to us and the only "real" Corps. The ones who didn't come loaded with attitude actually had fun and learned some things they wouldn't have learned from the Indiana comedian or the spit-spewing forehead. To each his own, I guess. Whatever, Groucho. Sheesh

My aunt sent me this and I thought it was too cool: The photograph below shows a red Doberman licking an exhausted fireman. He had just saved her from a fire in her house, rescuing her by carrying her out of the house into her front yard, while he continued to fight the fire. She is pregnant. The firefighter was afraid of her at first, because he had never been around a Doberman before. When he finally got done putting the fire out, he sat down to catch his breath and rest. A photographer from the Charlotte, North Carolina newspaper, "The Observer," noticed this red Doberman in the distance looking at the fireman. He saw her walking straight toward the fireman and wondered what she was going to do. As he raised his camera, she came up to the tired man who had saved her life and the lives of her babies, and kissed him, just as the photographer snapped this photograph. And people say animals are dumb - yeah right.

Groucho: :D-->

Back to your original question, CW...yes, there were plenty of examples in twi of how to fight dirty. I've also seen similar examples in the places where I've worked, the places where I've attended school, the neighborhoods where I've lived. I think it's man's lowest nature to try to be the one on top, the one in charge. Isn't that what got humankind in trouble in the first place, when ya think about it--that desire to be right and smart and respected as some wise one. Of course, the leaders of twi claimed to walk in love. Sometimes some of them did, sometimes they didn't. Many of them grew more and more "in love" with being right than being loving. Instead of humbling themselves in service, they were humiliating those they were supposed to be serving. That "fighting dirty" influence is still evident in GS discussions. I think there really is a war going on in our heads. You can call it "old man" vs. "new man" or "the worst in humankind" vs. "the best in humankind" or whatever you want, but I believe that struggle is real. Whether we win the struggle or not (love wins--thanks for that simple truth in your signature, Oeno, in case you drop into this thread) depends on whether we want to stop and consider that maybe "I" shouldn't be the most important word in our vocabularies. I think some of the nastiness comes from that "false sense of likemindedness," but I think a lot of it comes from plain old ego, fueled by the fires of anonymity afforded by the Internet. I might be full of hooey, but that's how I see it.

I think we could achieve this in discussing almost anything by trying to understand each other and taking the time to learn why other people communicate differently or believe differently than we do, instead of being defensive and getting pi$$ed off and nasty when someone disagrees with us. Isn't that part of what love is about? Humility and selflessness. None of us achieves that all the time, but wouldn't it be a nice thing to shoot for, rather than shooting at each other with word-bulltets?

Krys, I was just at a medical conference last where hyperbaric O2 therapy was praised highly for the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds. The speaker was a bonafide MD, not an "alternative medicine" proponent. I've heard about this treatment at other conferences and have read a little bit about it in the medical literature. Somewhere I have an old postcard of a huge hyperbaric O2 chamber that used to be in Cleveland, shaped like a big silver dome. I think I once asked Dave Anderson if it was still here, but I can't remember what he said. Maybe I need a treatment!! And surely you don't expect anyone to actually read the article before putting it down, do you?

Rose is a real cutie, and so is Pumpkin, WN! Hey! You and Cindy have the same last name. Are you guys related? Anyhow, I'm sure you'll both love your pooches the way pooches should be loved.

'appy birthday, 'erbal! 'ope you 'ave fun doing everything your 'eart desires on your day!

Happy b'day, Vickles, whenever it was!!

Thanks, Chas, but he hasn't posted in any forums since May 4. We generally e-mail at least every month or so, and I haven't heard a peep out of him, even when I asked, "Are you okay???" Socksness, I hope you're just busy!

Whoopie Goldberg The Color Purple Oprah Winfrey

Happy happy happy belated birthday, Oak!

I'd rather be early than late, dear Exsie, so... Have the HAPPIEST birthday ever!!! Love you! --> --> --> --> -->

A belated but heartfelt... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Sorry if I missed this, but what kind of non-profit do you volunteer for? Could what you do there fit with a paying job? Don't be discouraged!

Anybody hear from him lately? He's been absent a long time, it seems to me. Soocccckkkkks. Come out, come out, wherever you are!

You probably already know this because you're smart, but since I've seen a lot of smart people miss it, I'll tell you anyway just in case. By all means, when you're applying for jobs, shoot for ones you genuinely might qualify for (i.e., be realistic), and let your potential employer know that by tailoring your resume to fit the job sought. I don't mean lie about your skills or experience, but be sure to emphasize those skills/experiences that especially fit that particular job description. When it comes to resumes, one size doesn't fit all. When I've had to hire staff in the past, I've read I don't know how many resumes that came nowhere near what we needed. Like the auto mechanic who thought he could be an editor because he "likes to read." Or the woman who tried to portray herself as a candidate for a high-level executive postion when (a) what we advertised for was a copy editor and (b) what her resume showed was that what she'd really been in the past was an administrative assistant. On the other hand, you can "sell yourself" by being creative yet still truthful to let people know you have aptitude for certain tasks and responsibilities, even if you haven't used those skills in a previous job, per se. Example: When I first got into editing for medical/clinical publications I was an experienced editor but had no experience as a medical editor. I said in the interview that although I hadn't edited that type of material before, I had studied Latin and a little bit of Greek and that I picked up on medical and scientific terminology easily. I was hired part-time, for three days a week, and after less than a month I was offered a full-time position. Keep in mind that employers are investing in you, and if they're worth working for, they have your best interests in mind as well as theirs. They want a good fit. Unless the person doing the hiring has a sadistic streak, he or she doesn't LIKE to hire someone and then later have to fire that person. So giving a clear and honest picture to them will go a long way toward your getting the job. Good luck in your search!

Wacky: I liked the turkey shoot one, the one with the two jousting knights, and the Men in Black one. I also did well on Rocky (as in the Sylvester Stallone movie--that might have been a nickel one) and one called the Bee Band. I did go to the pastry shop once, and you're right...the pastries were excellent.

I'm back, I'm exhausted, and I had a good time. I only had one disappointment (besides my generous "abundant sharing" to the casino!!! and the fact that Exsie couldn't go along). I remembered my good friend in Calif. and her hubby go to Vegas fairly often. So on an impulse Sunday night I e-mailed her and said, "I'll be in Vegas, staying at the Paris. If you happen to be there at the same time, call me on my cell. If not, I dare you guys to join me on a whim." Today I got an e-mail from her saying "Arrrggh. We WERE in Las Vegas, from Sunday until Wednesday. We even went to the Paris a couple times!" What bad timing. I shoulda had that impulse sooner! I would have LOVED running into them out of the blue, though. Drats all the way around. Wacky, you were so right about the penny slots. When you said that, I thought, "Oh goody, what do you win? A nickel?" It didn't occur to me that you could play more than one penny per spin. The only place I really had any decent winnings was on those penny and nickel slots. I turned $20 into $100 in a pretty short time playing them, usually at no more than 30 cents a spin. When I got $10 or so ahead of where I started, then I'd do "max bets" of $2 or $3 unless I got back down to my original $20, then I'd return to my 30-cent bets. The graphics and the interactiveness of those penny and nickel slots are so much more fun than the plain old cherries/bars/etc. slots. Thanks for the tip! I might not have checked them out if you hadn't said something. Reikilady, yes the Luxor is pretty impressive. I stayed there last time I was in Vegas. I liked it better than the Paris, because there were more reasonably priced dining options close to the guest rooms. At the Paris, the restaurants near the rooms were pretty pricey, and I had to do so much walking for the conference that I wasn't up for hiking around searching for food. I did have a great view, though. My room overlooked the gorgeous octagonal rooftop swimming pool about 15 floors below me, the 1/2-size Eiffel Tower, and the "dancing fountain" between the Paris and Bellagio. It was lovely. Yesterday I clicked my heels and said, "There's no place like home." Silly me. I think I caused a tornado somewhere over Kansas, because we hit some really rough weather and had to change course and fly over Oklahoma. It's kinda scary when the flight attendant says, "We've been told to take our seats and fasten our seatbelts because we're encountering some bad weather and it's gonna get bumpy." Okay, I've heard that before...not a biggie. Then he said, "We cannot come when you press the flight attendant buttons at this time, so do not press the button for assistance unless you have an actual emergency." Yikes! That was the bumpiest flight I've ever been on. I was having some serious conversations with the guy upstairs, I'll tell ya. But we made it, thank God! All in all it was fun, but I'm glad to be home.

Thanks Exsie and Cindy! Exsie, I so wish you could have come along. We would have had such a hoot. Priorities though...the cool li'l dude couldn't possibly be graduatin' without his mom!

Thanks, David, Belle, Vickles, and my sweet ~. David, the conference is for nurses who specialize in wound and ostomy care. I'm not a nurse--just covering the educational sessions for one of the magazines I work on, to learn and to maybe find an expert or two to interview on the subject. You haven't lived till you've seen an advanced pressure ulcer on a big screen right after lunch! :D--> Tilde, enjoy your R&R, too, and keep the hatches battened or whatever it is you all do down there.

Thanks, Wacky. I enjoy Vegas--for about 3 or 4 days at a time. I'm always ready to come home at about that time. I'll probably pass on the shows. I'd rather spend my money on the one-armed bandits. Elton John will be playing in town while I'm out there, but tickets are $116! I'm still kicking myself for getting talked out of going to see the Moody Blues play when I was there once, but it would be have to be a performer or group I like as much as I like them to get me to part with more than a hundred bucks. We went instead to the jousting/dinner theater at the Excalibur, which was fun but it sure wasn't the Moody Blues!

Wacky: I don't blame you for wanting to stay independent. If your house is paid for, that makes a big difference. I'm glad you're healthy and hope you stay that way till you're 100. But as we get older, we often need routine medical care more often than we once did. I'm not "being negative"...just practical and realistic. If you ever do consider taking a job, I wonder if you've ever thought of being an activities coordinator for a good nursing home or CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community--they have everything from independent living apts. to skilled nursing care)? In the less progressive ones, activities might consist of little more than Bingo and singalongs, but facilities like that are becoming dinosaurs, thank goodness. I've visited CCRCs that have art classes, swimming classes, their own libraries, political discussions, classes at their local universities. I even visited one where the residents served on the town's city council and as tour guides at the local museum. I've been to an art gallery with all its paintings, sculptures, etc., done by residents of long-term care facilities. There are some really phenomenal places out there. With your background in art and crafts and healing with your hands, it could be a full-time job you could actually enjoy, and get some benefits, too. It's not a high-paying position, but it could be a bit more secure than self-employmennt. And I just wonder if a smart CEO of one of these places wouldn't just love to be able to add massage to their list of amenities offered!

Cowgirl said: I ask you the same question. You started off by accusing Galen and Pirate of being shallow. Do you know them from a hole in the ground?

He does live in Las Vegas, doesn't he? Tomorrow I'm off to Las Vegas for 4 days to attend a conference, and I can't wait! Work's been even more of a pressure cooker lately than it usually is, and I'd be happy to go just about anywhere for a change of pace. I'll be busy during the day, but my nights are free and I plan to have a blast. My coworker who's going is a blackjack player, but I'm not that brave at $5 per hand. So I'll inhabit the slot machine area while he probably drops much more cashola than I'd be comfortable blowing. My expenses are all paid, I'm staying at a nice hotel, and I only have to talk to my office when I return their occasional frantic messages, instead of putting out fires 10 hours a day. And I don't even have to put my li'l EmmaDog in a kennel, because my son's housesitting and doggie sitting for me. Life is GOOD!!!