Posts by clharr

When having trouble keeping food down, it is common to tell people to consume only clear liquids (juices, broth, jello...) for 24 hours or more until you can keep things down.  Then you progress to simple starches.  No milk!  4 days seems a bit long, but it isn't going to do any permanent harm.

There are diseases that can affect people and certain animals without needing to mutate.  They are easily passed back and forth.  The article makes it sound like H1N1 might be one of them.

*Carefully washes her hands after touching the thread*

The article stated that Ammiano heckled the Governer during a speech and then took the podium and attacked the Governer after the speech.  It didn't say in the article what Ammiano said, but from what I have heard from other sources, "F you" is mild in comparison.  Don't piss off the Governator

Wow, that is harsh.  It is also very honest.  He starts with some mea culpas and sugar-coating, but then he tells it like it is.  Like anyone else on this site, I don't know how close to reality what he says is, but you must believe that it is reality to him. 

No, your relationship is not going to be the same.  It is almost certainly over.  Do what he wants to do but can't bring himself to do.  End the relationship.  If all he wants is for you to change, he didn't love YOU.  He was trying to make you into his dream girl.  Find someone who loves you for YOU.

Put the letter away somewhere for a few months and then read it again.  There is some really good advice in there, but you probably not ready to take it now.  Get yourself into a calmer space and then think about what he told you.  He was far more honest than most of your friends will ever be.  Learn from it.

Your exercise is focused on aerobic exercise right now.  (Shred is mostly aerobics, right?) Most people here would also recommend you incorporate strength training as well.  The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women is a highly recommended book if you want to read up on weight lifting.  There are also websites that people in the fitness forum could recommend.  And there are videos for strength training too.  Power 90 comes to mind.  The reason we talk so much about strength training is that muscle burns calories at a higher rate than any other tissue, so the more muscle you have, the more you can eat and still lose or keep off weight.  Now, it doesn't burn huge amounts, so you still have to be careful, but every little bit helps.  It will also give you a nicely defined body when your weight does get down to where you can see the muscle.  So, you might want to do an hour of aerobics and 1/2 hour of strength training instead of your current program.

Iowa is the state that produces the most corn in the United States.  It produced 18% of the total US crop last year.  Iowa is also the first state to vote in the presidential primaries which makes it hugely influential.  Very few candidates can survive a poor showing in Iowa and many previously minor candidates have gotten a huge boost by a good showing in Iowa.  Pissing off the corn lobby can be political suicide.  That is why we have subsidies and HFCS will never be controlled by congress.

Almost anything you would like to do as long as it involves shiny material and odd colored makeup.  (and don't forget the antenna)  It would be a 1950s sci-fi look.

I want one!!!

I was just pointing out some of the feelings and reasons that this is not as simple as some people seem to think.  There is no need to attack me or be rude.  I don't see any place where I said that the gay soldiers would attack or even make passes at anyone.  I only stated that it would be uncomfortable.  That the feelings of the straight soldiers are also a consideration.  Just as it would be uncomfortable for me to be living with a man under the same circumstances.  The military does not have co-ed showers. 

I have been with CC long enough to know that some people here cannot deal with someone who disagrees with them, but I keep hoping that you people will grow up.

The OP is 13 according to her profile.

My religious beliefs are similar to yours, but I married into a very religious family.  My solution is to avoid the subject.  Whey they pray before dinner, I go through the motions.  It doesn't hurt me and it makes the evening flow pleasantly for them.  If a family activity involves going to church, I go too.  I consider it being polite and respecting their beliefs. 

I have a teenage stepdaughter who doesn't follow their beliefs.  She seems to find it necessary to confront her father and grandparents with that.  Doesn't want to pray, doesn't want to go to church.  I think it is more adolescent rebellion than any thing else.   I know it hurts the family deeply when she does it.

So my question for you is this.  How much will this hurt your family?  Is it really necessary to do it?  How much are your parents trying to get you to do that is religious?  Because if you had a strong religious belief, then going through the motions of a different belief would be a betrayal of what you believe in.  But if you don't really believe anything, it doesn't really hurt to do some things to make your family happy.  If it makes you feel dishonest, you should probably hint that you are questioning their beliefs and don't have the passion they do.  But ask yourself, "am I doing this just to piss them off?".

Urinary tract infections are fairly common among females.  They can have the lovely side effect of greatly reducing your control.  I can understand your feeling ashamed, but it really isn't your fault.  You should try to get to a doctor.  UTIs respond very well to antibiotics but it maybe something different as well.  After all, this is only a guess.  In the meantime, drink lots of water, wear pants that are easy to get off quickly and stay close to bathrooms.

Sorry about being absent.  I have been feeling down lately.  I think I am fighting some kind of a flu (stomach upset).  I have been eating too much and was actually up to 186 a few days ago, so yeah, I'm hiding.  I am beginning to wonder if I can ever lose any weight.  This is not a good place to get stuck.  I am still obese.

Ahh Kathy.  I know this is hard.  I am in the same place with my father.  The good part is that my mother is still with him so I don't have to do anything yet.   The bad part is that if she needs any help, he is no use.  There are a lot of different alternatives for the elderly that are in need of some help. 

There is "Assisted Living".  The residents actually have their own apartments with a living room and bedroom of their own (and possibly a kitchenette).  The facility makes meals and checks on the residents.  They organize clubs and activities.  They are often very nice places (and not cheap). 

There is "live-in" care.  This is often an older person who doesn't have the means to live on their own so they live in someone else's house and take care of them.  (Rent-a-wife)

There are also organizations that have people (supervised by nurses) who stop by the elderly person's house, either daily or every few days to check on them, bathe them, give them pills, do light cleaning and some cooking.  In my area, they all seem to charge about $20 an hour.

If there was someone who could live with your father, but worked or just needed some time off, there is "Elder Day Care".  Just like kids day care but for the elderly.

There are also people, usually with a nursing background, who specialize in helping the kids navigate all the above options as well as deal with Medi-Care and insurance and what is covered and what is not.  For a price, of course.

If your father was in Southern California, I could provide you with lots of links, but you are on your own in Oregan.   Also check on community services.  They often offer aid (Meals on Wheels, rides to doctor's appts. etc.) to the elderly.

Of course, the biggest problem is getting the elderly person to accept that they can't manage on their own and accept that the changes are necessary.  So far, I haven't managed to get my parents to do that, but as you can see, I have been doing the research, so I know what the alternatives are.

Original Post by gi-jane:

Technically Scotland is part of Great Britain or, if you prefer, the United Kingdom.  They have devolution (independent government) but not full independence.   So the collective term for people from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is British  although individually we're English, Welsh etc.  There's no such thing as a Scottish passport, for example..... we all hold a British passport.  But you'd never call yourself Scottish British or Welsh British... to bring me back to the original point.

Of course not.  Scottish is, by definition, also British.  Adding British would be redundant.  However, if you are an American who has some ancestors that came from Scotland, you do not hold a British passport and need some way to distinguish yourself from those who do.  Therefore you would call yourself a Scottish-American.  Note that this is purely a self defined label.  Other people probably have no idea where your ancestors came from and couldn't care less.  People who use the label Scottish-American are showing pride in their Scottish heritage.  And they probably know next to nothing about the Scots or Scotland, but we still like to talk about our ancestry. 

When we got one of my cats, the people told us they called him "the dumpster diver" because he was always trying to get food out of the trash cans.  Sure enough, he eats his food and then tries to eat the other cats food.  He begs for food all the time.  Trying to watch his weight has been an endless battle.  Can a cat have an ED??