Shellon

Ala,congrats on winning! I'd happy dance but both legs are asleep from sitting like this too long. Tonight I'm a judge in a local Prince and Princess of the Pines Pageant. This weekend is our annual Pines Festival because we ARE Michigan and our revenue is pine trees of course. Kindergarteners dress us like lumber jacks and jills and talk to a really funny guy. Four of us judge them on personality, whether or not they stand up there and be stared at without wetting their pants and if they speak at all. I was a judge last year and let me tell you it's a freakin blast being in the front row watching those little buggers. The little guy that won kept yelling to his mom "moooommm! I really really really need to poop" The little girl that won kept kissing the MC's arm. Tomorrow I get to be the caller of numbers at a Bingo game. THAT is gonna be maybe funner than the pagaent. Now ya'll know what I'm doing too.

How's come,what's happening tonight? --> ROFL

:)--> Looking forward to more of your story

Excellant point! This has been the excuse so many times when things happen and like you I am then angry on top of the emotional of it. How dare anyone determine for me what I can or can not handle? Belle mentioned that we as a society don't want to offend. We don't want to hurt someone's feelings. I believe we are hurting feelings and alot more if we don't have the courage.

You want what to be tonight? Whatcha doing tonight?

Or can we? The tread on momentus got me thinking about the truth. Personally I prefer it straight up. Whether it's pretty or not I want the truth, every time. I want the option of making decisions based on the correct information. To me if someone doesn't have the guts to tell me the truth, I don't want them in my life. I don't want them controlling information that I have the right to know. The age old question is "would you want to know a truth even if it's going to hurt? Alot!" Yes Is there a differance between lying and not telling the truth? If someone keeps a thing that is my business from me, are they lying to me? Yes I'm so tired of our society thinking we have to sheild each other, protect each other from reality. A spouse, lover, friend not telling something they really need to tell just to not hurt the other? Imagine the hurt when it's found out in another way. And it will be found out! It's self serving if I have something to tell you and I don't have the balls to face it. Especially when it's some mess that I created then just make worse as I lie over and over so that I don't have to face you or your pain. Does my butt look fat in these jeans? That is your opinion, but if I ask, give it to me. If I don't want your opinion it behooves me to keep my mouth shut and decide for myself. Are you having an affair, being unfaithful to me? I want to know, cuz if our relationship is at a place where I suspect it, then I already know that answer anyway, I just want you to have the courage to tell me and lets gut it out and see where we go from that point. We as a society are so settled and comfy in our glossing over the truth, adding perfume to it, digging a hole and burying it. Why not keep things up front, honest and clean? I understand that many take the truth too far as well and be hurtful with it. I'm not talking about puking up painful things just to torture another. I'm talking about having the guts to say it because it's the right thing to do and we have enough respect for another to do so.

Kathy did you oversleep this morning? :)-->

As a widow and single mother, this thread about Ruth fascinates me, while at the same time ... well I don't know for sure. I would agree some with MJ's comment about society treating the widow differantly, but can also add that society doesn't know what to do with the widow; especially the young ones. For me, I was 37 when my husband died. The last eight years have held society accountable for comments that astound, shock and pain. I think we as women are made of extremely strong material and we don't 'need' a man. We want the companionship that Kathy mentioned and it's nice to have the spiders killed and the mice chased off by him. It's wonderful to have the support during crisis moments and the intimacy that relationships offer. But a young widow is somehow broken to our society. "oh that poor thing" is heard often. In addition children who lose their father young are viewed differantly by our society. My babies were 2 and 15 when their father died and talk about not knowing what to do with ME... whoa, those kids were totally lost in society's confusion. I recently wandered around looking for information on Martha. Should have asked ya'll for input, eh? Eight years as a widow has taught me that I can do many many things I'd never have attempted married, because I didn't have to. I've adjusted to a life without a man and it was not bad after a few years of acceptance went by and I reached the place of understanding I had to do what was necessary. I find that I haven't even begun! Recently there is a man in my life and I'm spending alot of time contemplating. It's a good place to be.

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Found these on MSN I was sprayed by a skunk. I tripped over my dog and was knocked unconscious. My bus broke down and was held up by robbers. I was arrested as a result of mistaken identity. I forgot to come back to work after lunch. I couldn't find my shoes. I hurt myself bowling. I was spit on by a venomous snake. I totaled my wife's jeep in a collision with a cow. A hitman was looking for me. My curlers burned my hair and I had to go to the hairdresser. I eloped. My brain went to sleep and I couldn't wake it up. My cat unplugged my alarm clock. I had to be there for my husband's grand jury trial. I had to ship my grandmother's bones to India. I forgot what day of the week it was. Someone slipped drugs in my drink last night. A tree fell on my car. My monkey died.

I agree -->

Someone in your head???? Um might I recommend a....well, or there is an....

Susie, you don't owe anyone any explanation. You are a busy woman with so many new and exciting things going on, enjoy them. Good luck to you and Tom and your family(s). We look forward to pictures!

We can DO that? HA!

Belle, I'd say ditto what laleo said. For me it was 9/11 also; I didn't know where to sit, stand, what to do or say. I was stunned and scared and angry and didn't have a clue what to do about it; not a good thing for me. In your case, it's personal in that you have lost loved ones,you likely feel out of control about 'doing something'. You are rightly so concerned about your parents. For me this is personal in that I have two sisters in law and neices and nephews there and I was so worried about them until I could find out how they were; IF they were. Once their welfare was confirmed to me, I received some respite from it. When we are dealt a shock, our minds take time to assimilate the information and we as a society are not generally used to this kind of catastrophy, even with 9/11 in our so recent past. Perhaps your mind is one that needs to take more time, especially where family is concerned; it's freakin scary! Also when one is dealt frightening news and the aftermath of same, s/he needs to get to place where they stop and realize that the after shock is almost as bad as the initial hit. Take a day ( or three ) off from it maybe. Do something for you, occupy your mind with pleasant things to you. As grown children, when our parent(s) are hurt, we HAVE to do something, we think. You sound burned out and that's not anything to feel bad about; it's so normal and expected. Of course you'd be somewhat consumed with this. Take some time, watch something else, read something else, all that laleo said.

Which picture are you going to send in?

Well,you must tell us where grunchy came from. Family term? That's how you said it as a child and it stuck?

what's a grunchy store?

Raf, pics of this sweetheart in pic forum. Grandma's brag book thread.

:)--> Naw, lets not ignore him, lets sneak into his pantry and take all the labels off the cans.

strange dude

J & K Kay Kay Gill Nancy Odren Pat Reid Greg Brooks Coretta Scott King Mayou Angelou ChattyKathy Kelly Raden

:)--> I've had the privelage of hearing her sing and enjoyed it very very much! Indeed, she sings beautifully.

The thing I have trouble volunteering for is religious organizations. BLECH. But, yeah, since TWI I am pretty darn fussy about what I agree to. I've always volunteered in my daughters school and other activities, that always fits me. Also I seem to have to volunteer in some capacity that doesn't put me working with many others; maybe one or two other parents is all I can do.

As the project coordinator at my daughters school, one of my service projects this year is Campbells Labels for Education. We'd appreciate if you want to save your campbell soup labels and send them to us. Our goal is 500,000 labels by May 1, 2006.Then we'll use the labes in exhange for great stuff for the school. For example an Exploring World Geography Video or DVD is 4,600 labels. I meet with my first group of eight 5th graders over pizza on Sept 19 to start choosing prizes and getting the rest of our plan formulated. These are the labels we are collecting: http://www.labelsforeducation.com/eligibleproductsEN.aspx Sending the lids would be too expensive, but we'd appreciate an envelope of labels now and then from any of you. I am setting up a P.O. Box just for this years projects that I will let you know about. Thank you in advance on behalf of a bunch of fifth graders. -->