ChasUFarley

I hate it when the damn wheel on the mouse clicks when you scroll - grrrrrrrr! The other thing that drives me up the wall is the screaming fan in the tower. The desktop I have at work sounds like a helicopter landing - after 8 hours with that thing I'm ready for those earplugs! Satori - Try Logitech's website - you're probably going to have to test drive some, since no one really specializes in a "quiet" mouse - I've only seen quiet keyboards. Good luck!

1) Groceries - yes, I cut coupons but also compare brandname to store name items at the price per volume for the best buy. Sometimes the coupons, even when doubled, are not a real bargain. And yes, buying in bulk usually is cheeper - especially with diapers! We also have a weekly "menu" and try not to make runs to the store for single items. 2) Pets - some of the meds, such as flea repellent, are less expensive on the web. Just make sure it's what your vet recommends. 3) Prescriptions - ask for generics always - don't always assume your pharmacist is going to fill your script with the least expensive med for you or your healthcare plan. Also, know what meds are or aren't covered by insurance. 4) Medical Expenses - always ask for an itemized bill and carefully review it before you pay. I work with medical audits in my regular job - you wouldn't believe what gets accidentally added to bills! 5) Auto repairs - We use Midas and other "chain" stores because they have more consumer protection. We've probably saved a couple $100 because we saved receipts of waranteed items that eventually had to be replaced. 6) Heating - Big subject in my neck of the woods this year! #2 heating oil is about $1.99/gal here in NH. We're installing a propane heater with a 99% efficency to zone heat the room we spend the most time in (we also have an open-concept house). The heater is about $500 but we have already figured how we can save that in just this year alone! 7) Entertaining - the library has FREE videos we can take out. We can also check out puzzles (great for the rug rat!) We use an entertainment coupon book. We try not to rent and found NetFlix didn't work for us (couldn't watch the movie & send it back fast enough for it to be a savings - and often the movies were scratched!) We download a lot of music off the internet and play games that are with the websites, rather than buying the games to install. We are switching to high-speed dial-up when I go on maternity leave in Feb '05 - which will be a $30/month saving over the cable internet we have. We get takeout a couple times a month - seldom eat in a restaurant so we don't have to leave a tip (and the kid can't act up). 8) Refinanced the mortgage - huge savings ($300/month) and our PMI dropped off in just the 2 years we were in the house because it appreciated in value almost 20%! 9) Child care - worked out an agreement with my boss for a 4-day work week after the baby is born until the summer, when hubby won't be teaching school and the rug rats can be watched by one of the grannies - for free! 10) Shop Consignment or Thrift Stores - especially for kids clothes. Kids outgrow clothes more than out-wear them. I've found high-end labels (Ralph Lauren, Baby Gap, etc.) at a fraction of the price. Get to know the owners and find out what day of the week they usually accept incoming clothing - shop the following day or late afternoon.

It's been a few months since I started this thread and although I'm sure none of you have been on the edge of your chairs wondering about how "The Wee One" was doing... We had a few "false starts" with potty training over the past few months. Earlier this month, when we'd finally had "ENOUGH!" we took what we thought would work - the bribery, cotton underware, taking him ever 90 min. to the potty, etc. and as of this week he is, for the most part, trained! (Never a wet night since the Bob The Builder undies went on his bottom!) I won't bore you with the details - he did catch on pretty quickly, although the first three or four days were a little rough. The funniest part about him going in the potty is how he gives the contents of the toilet a big send-off as he flushes - "Bye-bye pee pee! Have a good day! See you later!" (I'm not making this up! It's a riot to listen to!) Thanks again to all of you who chimed in with your wisdom and advise - I don't know what we'd do without you! Dry hugs to all! -Krista

The thing that makes some (most) of these habits "stupid habits" is that ol' question that is now cliche to most of us former Wayfers, "WHAT'S THE PROFIT?!" I mean, is it more important that I dry out my sink every time I use it or spend the time playing with my kid? Will the world stop turning if I don't leave my porch light on until 10 PM to make my house look "welcoming"? I mean - let's get real! TWI leader**** wanted everyone below them to look, think and act like them. Right down to the stupid habits. Gawd help you if you were different - as long as you could fit in, you were accepted - never mind your heart or love for God. How to spot TWI leaders (or wannabes): Men: Very short hair, goatee, makes a sniffing noise when pushing glasses up (if he wears glasses), golf (pique) shirt for casual outings, stiff/startched button-down collar shirts for more formal outings, Dockers pants, extra-shiny shoes, tie meets top of belt buckle, rectangular tin of Altoids in the pocket, briefcase stocked with every office supply you'll never really need, Dayplanner (Franklin Covey, if he's WC), chunky watch with a luminated dial, Stepford-Wayfer wife cooing at him, if married. He gets extra points if he has an electronic Bible or PDA. Women: Last-year's or even last decade's hair style (frosted hair is a big tip-off), fake smile, a little bit too much make up - or NONE AT ALL (the granola-woman look), holy spirit necklace, BIG button earrings, cardigan sweater over shoulders, fake smile, below-the-knee skirt (if married), low heels or flat conservative dress shoes, briefcase (snake skin or other more feminine material), fake smile, and three paces behind her husband. She gets extra points if she had a nice chest, isn't over weight, doesn't ask questions, and has a fake smile.

Belle -- I assume you had posted on the thread - here's the only other post by you that I could find with the word "Dating" in it: http://gscafe.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=9...00014#221100014

When we cook fish every dish must be cleaned immediately afterwards and I work hard to make sure there is no odor. I try to keep clutter down by removing at least 5 things off the kitchen counter top every morning and every afternoon and putting it away. I still try to use Mrs. Owens style manners at the table. Even if I'm eating while wearing my pj's. I can't say the word "Catholic" without saying "Roman" prior to it.

I did a short stint on staff in the Food Services Dept. - I actually liked my work a lot there - but one time someone broke a dish. OH NO! You wouldn't believe what had to be done after the dish broke. The person who broke it reported it to the shift leader. They were told they had to wrap it up in a heavy brown paper bag and tape the bag shut. The package was placed in a trashbag and the trashbag had to be labeled "BROKEN GLASS" or something like that in several places. Then, they had to take it to the dumpster themselves so that no one would take the chance of getting cut on the glass. Finally, they had to write a short incident report on how/why the plate was broken and if anyone was hurt, etc. I'm not making this up - this really happened!

First, they would need their PR man to spin about how the bulb didn't really burn out when the story hit the papers. They had perceived the bulb was on the take and prepared for it being faulty. They had given it pleanty of warning, telling it that it should submit a request to the BOT if it planning to go out. Next, they would get advise from their legal team on removing the bulb. Since they can't afford any more lawsuits, settlements or legal rulings, they want to make sure that they are within the parameters of the law before removing the said bulb. An announcement would be made at the lunchtime meal about the burnt out bulb. There would be discussion on how the bulb was a "bad apple" to begin with and that there was some crap in the bulbs past that it couldn't get over. The bulb could not prevail over the adversary, because the adversary prefers darkness, afterall. (This would lead into a teaching about light v. darkness at the next Way Corp phone hookup.) The Cabinate would meet to discuss the bulb and examin why it burnt out. They would call the Grounds/Way Builders to discuss why no one had the "green light" on the bulb burning out. They would also talk about the possibility of cost savings and possibly changing light bulbs BEFORE they burnt out, since a burnt out bulb was also a waste of electricity. Grounds/Way Builders would call the Purchasing Dept. to find out where they got the bulbs from, if any studies were done on the bulbs and if there was a more "cost-effective" vendor with a more reliable product than the brand of bulb they they had procured. They would also ask for a new ladder to get to the burnt out bulb because they needed the best equipment for the job. Purchasing Dept. would call the vendor, totally rag them out, .... them off and then try to locate another vendor. After alienating all the other light bulb vendors in Ohio, they would go back to the first vendor with a service agreement and warantee contract for the purchase of any future light bulbs. The Accounting Dept. would be deployed next, to examin the contract with the light bulb vendor and to project future light bulb costs. Shipping/Receiving Dept. would accept the delivery of the new light bulbs. They would examine the box and try to discern if any debbil spurts came in on or in the box. Then they would call Grounds/Way Builders to come get the bulbs. The members of Grounds/Way Builders would need to write in the changing of the burnt out light bulb into their schedules to be approved by their dept. director that they, in fact, do the task. Grounds/Way Builders would hold the new bulbs until they got the new ladder they had ordered. Then they would call the Housekeeping Dept. to come clean the glass fixture the burnt out bulb had been in. After the clean fixture was checked for faulty wiring by Way Builders, they would get on their new ladder, wearing proper safety equipment - gloves, safety glasses, steel-toe boots, elbow and knee pads - to install the new bulb. There would be two men at the bottom of the ladder and one on it. A fourth would be supervising and SIT-ing. Once the new bulb was in place they would all need to report back to leadership that they had completed the task. They would fill out the necessary paperwork for disposing of the old bulb, report on the safety of the job, the performance of the new ladder and test the new light bulb. Their leadership would report to the Cabinate, who would report to the BOT. The BOT would make an announcement at the next lunch time about how the household had once again prevailed against the darkness of the adversary. This would result in a teaching at the next Way Corps phone hook up about light v. darkness. Did you notice how little the BOT was really involved?

Song - when I say "Life is a constant," I'm not talking about the universe, but about the individual. If you read the context of what I wrote you'll see that I'm talking about people changing (opinions changing), etc.

A measurement is a fact about something. It is done with some sort of standard - as you would might measure customer satisfaction, unit sales per quarter, etc. This is what I mean by it is objective - it is done with a standard and results in a "truth" about the subject. However, the paradox in your initial post is when you introduce "perception". That is something that is not objective. It is in the opinion of the person who has the experience. For example, I can go to a doctor who I perceive is competent in his practice, while someone else might perceive he is a quack. The best way I can think of to re-word my question is "Can perception be measured? Wouldn't that really be a contradiction?" I guess the thing that makes me go "hmmmmm" about your post is when you say, "objective assessment of what you value". I don't see my opinion as "objective". I see opinions as subjective - they can change as a person changes. Life is a constant. Food for thought...

Measurement should be an objective thing, while perception is subjective. In this do we have something that crosses the line of duality or do we, in fact, have a contradiction?

I still have dreams about packing up boxes to move or moving other people... I think those types of dreams are really nightmares!

Hubby's elderly aunts were handing out those orange slice gum-drop candies that they had let go stale and then repackaged in little sandwich bags (which no kid will eat, but anyhow...) Kristopher accepted two bags of them last night and came home to show me his "loot" for the night. He asked for one of the candies to be given to him from the bag. As he took it he said, "ROCK!" and threw it outside! Hubby & I were laughing our butts off! I love that kid!

BTW - I seem to get the most relief with a couple of cups of strong coffee in the morning, my usually steriods and a hot shower. If I could just install a coffee maker in the shower stall I'd never leave home!

I've checked with some respiratory therapists who I work with and they have told me that a lot of the advise that was given to patients years ago to move to a "dryer" state has been found to be not the best advise after all. Part of the reason is because the air pollution coming in from other countries makes it so the lack of pollen or other asthma triggers are the least of the patient's worries. Maybe we should live on the moon... (HA!)

Gee, I was just a lowly assistant twig coordinator, too, and I didn't understand Song's first post on this thread either. No offence intended to you, Song, but perhaps some of us aren't as perceptive as others are and need things to be a bit spelled out for us somedays. At least, (for now) I can blame the pregnancy hormones for my "duh!" moments, but if you had plainly posted, as Cool Waters clarified for us, your purpose, I believe you would have had better responses from posters. After all, don't you want meaningful responses on your thread? That being said... I disagree (respectfully, of course) that a Way Corps, WOW, Twig Coordinator, etc. type forum would be constructive. I feel I have been subjected enough to a caste system while I was in TWI and think that the forums we have now offer a more "level playing field". I would sooner put on my old blue and white WOW name tag when at the 'puter than be assigned to a specific forum. I am not against a thread for people who served in certain capasities - I think a forum would pigeon hole us once again - something I've worked hard to get out of. Peas.

Kristopher George is going as a fire fighter - he has a rain coat that is designed just like a fireman's coat and the red hat and boots. The challenge with him is getting him to accept candy that is not chocolate. In his opinion anything that isn't chocolate shouldn't be called candy. Hubby is dressing up as a Red Sox player - mullet wig, baseball cap, 3 day old beard - you know who I'm talking about. I thought I'd paint my pregger belly to look like Pac Man and dress up as a ghost, with the belly showing... Yup, we're a strange bunch but we have a good time.

I don't mean this to sound like critcism - please don't take it that way - but... Is there someone, other than yourself, who is obligating you to take this class or hang with this group? You can't forget the experiences you had with TWI or anything else that has turned you off to this teaching you are now trying to swollow - and it sounds like YOU are expecting yourself to swollow an elephant! Again, no offence intended, but do you think that going to church will rid you of Waybrain? It sounds as though you like the fellowship aspect that this church offers. I would join a church if I felt I needed fellowship, too. If I needed to strengthen my relationship with God, I would work on that one-on-one relationship. I certainly wouldn't be in a hurry for any classes because of the Waybrain thing - much like youself. Somethings to consider.... The pace that you keep to take this class or any other "spiritual paths", should be one of your choosing. If it's not sitting well with you perhaps you need to remove yourself from it or create some distance, at least. Perhaps call in "sick" for a little while. See how you feel about it after a break. Maybe you'll miss it - maybe you'll be better for it. Only you will know that. Also consider - what do you have to loose if you decide to drop the class? Are you sticking with it because you "made a committment" and still find the teaching are crapola? Maybe dropping this class would be the best thing for you - may it's not "waybrain" but that you have different beliefs than they do because of what you've been taught. Is that wrong? Maybe they are. Just some "food for thought" -- the decisions, as always, are yours to make. Peace.

I forgive them. Pure, simple, honest. But, I won't forget what they did. God doesn't ask me to and I'm sure it's because it would be "impossible" to do, really. Sure, my memories have "softened" as time has gone on and I've been further away from them and their forms of abuse. I certainly wouldn't run back to them because I forgave them. I still think they are a corrupt, abusive, ego-centric organization and that's the complimentary part of what I think of them. Just because I forgive them doesn't mean I want them to succeed with their mission, either. I think they should repent of their mistakes and either right themselves or fold. I'm not holding my breath for either to happen. I wish them no ill-will, just as I wish an "enemy" no ill-will. We just go our separate ways.

Yes, this baby is due in early Feb '05 (after this one, one of us is having a little operation!). We don't have an air purifier. We use a humidifier in the winter when things start getting really dry because of the heat running. I do try to keep a clean house - vacuume frequently, etc. Believe it or not, I had to get "religious" about it because I had an asthmatic cat. He died because of asthma (twisted lung lobe) - about the same time I was diagnosed with asthma, but had had it for quite some time - I just finally went to a doctor about it because I finally had insurance. This all happened about the same time there was the forest fires in Canada - we got a lot of the smoke/debris in the air in the area of NH that I live in - it messed a lot of people up pretty badly. I was on Advair 250/50 (2x day), Pulmacourt (1x), and a rescue inhaler (prn). I'm usually on Prednisone when I get a cold. I was told I couldn't have any of it - just the rescue inhaler - by my OB. Big mistake on his part. I took the day off work yesterday so I could see a respiratory therapist that I was referred to by my OB. The OB's office really dropped the ball with my referral and told me to "just go to the emergency room" after I'd waited for four frikkin' hours for an appointment with a therapist just so I could have a neb treatment - NOT COOL! (Of course I had my 3 year old son with me, which made it stressful - and stress made the asthma/cold/allergy - not breathing thing - much worse.) My OB finally looked up the meds I was on when I had a total meltdown and decided I needed to be on them - duh! I'm going to pursue this through my PCP to get in with a pulmonologist - my OB office has proven they can't handle anyone who doesn't have a textbook pregnancy - which includes me. Jar1122 - I'll be with a high risk OB starting in December - the 3rd. trimester. The closest high-risk OB is almost 2 hours away, which is why I've been going to this other quack. My first baby was early with no warning and I had respiratory problems when I was in labor. After what I've been through with this brain-dead OB office, I'd have changed doctors anyways. Ah, the fun of it all....

It’s about 3:30 AM. I’m still wheezing, trying to clear my throat, and feeling like two hands are going to wrap themselves around my neck again anytime now. My eyes are still watering. I’ve taken about eight or nine hits off my rescue inhaler. I’ve had my butt kicked already by this today. I was diagnosed with asthma in 2001 – shortly after our first child was born. I’ve always had a lot of respiratory problems, even as a child. I think it may be because both parents were two-packs-a-day smokers, but I really can’t “blame” them, you know. Since being diagnosed I’ve done some things – more exercise, lost 50 lbs. (lots of good that does me now that I’m pregnant, but anyway…), tried some herbal teas – although most have stimulants so I can’t take them at night. As of spring this year, I was on two different daily inhalers, plus my rescue inhaler. Now that I’m pregnant, I can only use the rescue inhaler – I’ve seen a big difference since discontinuing my other two prescriptions. I miss breathing. Anyone else here have asthma? How do you deal with it?

I'm doing some free-lance graphic design work for a multi-denominational theological group. They use the term "Catholic" when I know THEY MUST MEAN "ROMAN Catholic"... The other "flashback" I get is when I get corrected by management - I still feel like I should "thank" them for correcting me, even when they're having a "pointy-haired boss" moment...

JustThinking -- You just gave me a great idea! How about a version of "Present Truth" Adlibs? That could be a scream! "It is with (adverb)(advective)(verb)that we, the household of (proper noun), stand together this great day on (adjective)ground as we complete the (verb)the Adversary class that you have so (adjective) made available to us so that we can be (adverb)rooted and grounded on (possessive proper noun) Word, withstanding the wiles of our opponent."

What about the term "love bomb"? Anyone remember that? I don't, but Hubby, who was TWI-1, remembers it. (He still uses it but it's in regards to the raspberries he puts on Kristopher's tummy when they're rough-housing. He yells, "Love BOMB!" and then plants a big, wet "phtttthhhhhhbbblaaaatttt!" on the squealing kid!)

"Sing It, Dave!" came out in the early-mid-90's, but that was the last album that was released from an individual. After that it was all "Singing Ladies of The Way" and other Way Productions type albums. I don't think Mike Martin ever released an album of his own - I remember he sort of was lumped in with the "Singing Ladies". Then again, I don't think anyone could have stomached a whole album of his work - it would have been like listening to just Alvin Chipmonk for 45 minutes - no thanks! The "no more individuals" rule was more to purge the ministry of things done by people who had left that were still being utilized by those who were in. LCM wanted NOTHING of it. He changed the songs in the "Sing Along The Way" book, sent out long lists of Sunday Teaching Service tapes and Way Mags that needed to be distroyed from the limb library, and even art work that was done by those who were no longer standing with the ministry were taken off the walls and out of the bookstores. Interestingly enough, the whole push to the emphasis on the HOUSEHOLD was being sold to the innies. It wasn't so much about who you were to God any more or your sonship, but the household - almost a hive-like mentality. This type of thinking is typical of cults - and it certainly was used by TWI to the point where members were told they would DIE - no exaggeration - if they left the safety of the household.