Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Jellybeans]

Of course you treat deafness. Why wouldn't you?

I am embarrassed when terms like "deaf genocide" come up...which is why I did not mention it earlier. I find it offensive. So if we eliminate diabetics, have we committed diabetic genocide?

And these same people want disability benefits but wait....it's not a disability, it is a culture.

No it is not a culture.

[Jellybeans]

Oh wanderwoman...speaking of Helen Keller, did you know she was a Socialist? :-)

Edited May 26, 2015 by Jellybeans

[SomePity1066]

First, Bella (Mod) - I'm so glad your cat is better, poor baby ! And that you were able to enjoy a day with your friends, take a nap, and have your chocolate. You're a woman after my own heart. And you guys are doing a wonderful job in the maelstrom following the Josh revelations ! The board now is just a whirlwind, and we're so happy to have y'all here as mods. Kudos, and well done !!!    :)

 

JenCarol - Yes, 1066 = Norman invasion. I'm an Anglophile to the core ! And I'm here anytime to talk doggies, especially aging mutts ! I've never actually had a puppy - I'm always the one with the older, one-eyed, three-legged cast-off that no one wanted, including my baby right now that hailed from Arkansas. I'm the first to admit that I'm a CRAZY dog person, and love to hear about similar people - we can all be crazy together !

 

Chocolate Addict - What a lovely dog you must have ! I love labs ! My own doggie always seeks the sunlight to bask in and has more toys than he could ever play with - yet I continue to buy more, so you're not alone !!! My fur baby is a mix of Belgian Malinois and Basenji, so he's quite exotic - I've had neighbors ask if he's a Dingo !!! Either way, please continue to post about your precious lab... !

 

Cock a doodle don't - So nice to see you on this board and thank you so much !!! It's so gratifying to read other "refugees" from TWoP and to see us all enjoying the freedom and the welcoming nature of PTV.  I'm just in love with the mods here and their tireless attention and endless patience. I have yet to receive a "warning" or whatever they call it, but I suspect, if I do receive one, it will be direct and respectful, and not the grade-school dressing-down you'd get at the "other" site.

 

Anyhoo...I ramble, so I'll sign off now, but not without expressing my appreciation for my fellow posters ! And if some one could/can create a separate thread for just the dog lovers here I'd be SO appreciative. I'm not savvy enough here to make a new thread, so I'm in the debt of anyone who makes the effort...  :)

 

Love and peace to all...

 

SomePity1066

[bigskygirl]

Moved the one post about the Duggars using certain words to the Things About the Duggars That Get On Your Nerves thread.

 

Please remember this thread is for off topic conversation. Thank you.

[Happyfatchick]

JellyB, what is deaf genocide?  Is this the death of the deaf culture because we now have the means to improve hearing?  I don't understand. 

 

I realize I wouldn't, having never dealt with it in a personal way.  Help me to understand the issue.

 

I'm going to share something with the community.  Please excuse the personal journey.

 

Three years ago tomorrow, my father passed from this world.  He was raised Amish, left and eventually went into the Army where he served 23 years.  He retired a Command Sargeant Major (as high as you go, enlisted).  Enlisted just after WWII ended, was in during Korea and "retired"  before Viet Nam was over.  (Then went on to retire from a civilian job).  He stood 5'6" on his tallest day ever, but he was a giant to me.  I loved him like air.

 

My mother has had Alzheimer related dementia for almost 14 years (or 14 years since we noticed symptoms), and is a Type 1 diabetic as well.  He hid the severity of the dementia until he died, and fought dying until the bitter end because he thought he had to care for her - that he was the only one who could.  They were married more than 63 years when he died.  She was a FORCE to be reckoned with in her day - and hilarious too.  He was so so so serious, had that stoic Amish serious face (and THEN went on to be a drill sergeant!!!  DOUBLE DOSE!!!!)  I have 2 older brothers, the nearest one is 7 years older.  Of course I was cute and cuddly and full of P&V like my Mama, so I spent my life torturing him beyond belief.... but.  He was my biggest cheerleader and my biggest fan.  He believed I could do anything I wanted, and made me believe it too. 

 

I put new flowers on his grave yesterday, and whispered to him like I always do.  I hate talking to that grave.  Our little town does this thing for both Memorial and Veterans Days - they line the streets with crosses with nice big flowey flags on top to commemorate the people who've been in our armed forces and lived in our community.  Their names on there, and their rank, and the conflicts that would have happened during their service years.  Last year, when they put the flags out for Veterans Day, I went over there in the middle of the night and sat down in front of his flag and talked to him.  It's so much easier, the flag/cross than his grave.  Yesterday, I finally realized why.  The grave is down.  I look down to speak.  The flag is up.  Over my head, whipping in the wind.

 

K, enough.  Sorry for the pity party, I'm done now.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Happyfatchick

[P2C2E]

For all of those with pets, check out the Pet Photos thread in the Off Topic - Everything Else forum!

[emma675]

I'm a lurker for the most part on the 19K&C threads, but I do keep up. I'm also a refugee from TWoP and use my same screen name (hi, SomePity, I recognize your old name!).

 

Happyfatchick, that was a lovely post. My grandfather, who was 5'8" at most, served in the 101st Airborne during WWII and lost an eye and had shrapnel in his back from a landmine in Italy. He was also one of the kindest, gentlest, funniest men I've ever known--he never talked about his time during the war and I had a hard time even picturing him in war. I still have his Army jacket and medals, but I haven't visited his grave since he passed a little over two years ago. I talk to a picture I have of him instead.

 

And I love reading the updates on Maisie! Such a strong, feisty little girl. She has big things in her future, I think.

[SomePity1066]

For all of those with pets, check out the Pet Photos thread in the Off Topic - Everything Else forum!

Thank you, P2C2E !!! But I'm having trouble finding the thread. Any advice or directions, please ?

 

And Happyfatchick - I'm SO very with you. Our grief can be shared as we watch the flags fly over graves. Thank you for sharing your personal journey. I'm not quite ready to as yet, but my daddy's path from cradle to grave is a story in itself. God bless those that went before us...  :)

 

ETA: And a fond hello to Emma675 ! Welcome to another refugee to this awesome site ! I recognize so many of you that it's like a high school reunion ! What a wonderful thing to have this as an outlet for our snark ! Y'all are such intelligent, articulate people that I feel less guilty for "gossiping" and more like I'm baring my best soul to people who truly understand. 

 

I say, truly, this is the best of the best. Informed, articulate, and well-informed. We are a force to be dealt with !!! 

Edited May 27, 2015 by SomePity1066

[P2C2E]

Thank you, P2C2E !!! But I'm having trouble finding the thread. Any advice or directions, please ?

This should link into the Everything Else forum, and you should be able to see the Post your Pet Photos thread!

http://forums.previously.tv/forum/351-everything-else/

[ramble]

I loved him like air.

Happy this little sentence truly touched me. Thank you for sharing about your parents & cyber hugs to you. I had a friend tell me once that my father ruined my life because no man would ever measure up to the standard he'd set. I was young & discounted the thought. As I've gotten older I understand more & more the truth to that statement. I don't think my life is ruined. I just think I have high standards because I've had an incredible example. And now I'm getting the weepies.

I have two dogs & I love them, most of the time. (j/k) The older one likes to walk directly in front of me all the time, almost causing me to trip. He will wait to walk until I'm near or he will move right in front of me whenever there's an opportunity. I sometimes wonder if he's silently laughing at my continued frustration.

[Happyfatchick]

Ramble, he IS laughing.  I have 3 of them (3 different sizes) and I SWEAR (I know this is true!) they gang up to block me from going anywhere they don't want to go! (Oddly enough, the whole pack seems to be steering me to the back door.  hmmmm).  My smallest one (cocker, and he's little for a cocker)... you could leave that dog sleeping like he's had Nyquil, walk on your tiptoes sneaking peeks to make sure he's still "out" the whole way, but I promise, by the time you swing that door open, he will ZOOM past you and be 12 feet away from you on the porch before he turns around.  Sometimes I think there are 2 of him...

[Micks Picks]

I love to hear about pets.  I've always had multiple, but down to one now, a 6 yr old min australian shepherd, blue merle with blue eyes, who is loved by everybody and gets along great with all other dogs.  Would that all of us could be so good natured, beautiful, beloved!  He can go anywhere.  He has no service dog designation, altho I could get him one, but he so very good they just think he is one.  I've never had such a good natured dog, with so many toys (I can't walk buy them without buying) but I have loved all the ones that went before, including the two border collies who herded sheep and cattle and who helped raise Mikey the aussie, but didn't tell him about herding, which he should have an instinct for but doesn't.  Mikey likes agility.  And playing with others.  And running.  And going places.  And getting attention.  I really love all your pet stories, and wish we all lived close and could have a pet "meet up".  That would be great.  My favorite people are responding about their fur babies.

[jcbrown]

As a bright spot amidst the last few days of horrific Duggar revelations, allow me to offer my latest cat story. We have lost two cats in the past two months, both of them 15 years old and part of the trio we adopted when they were three weeks old so hugely imprinted on us and much loved. On Saturday, we took in a 5-week-old black and grey tabby who is now wriggling her way into our hearts, albeit much more slowly into the heart of our surviving 15 year-old kitty. 

[Happyfatchick]

I came back to tell a "happy Daddy" story.  I truly gave him hell my whole life; he needed lightening up! 

 

When he was at the hospital at the end, I rarely left.  Slept right beside him.  

 

One day, I sat on the edge of the bed, and I said, "Daddy.  I have to know something.  I've wondered this for a very long time, and you have to tell me now."

 

He narrows his eyes, but nods.  Okay.  Anything.

 

"When you left the Amish, you changed your name.  You had a clean slate.  You could have picked any name in the world.  ANY name."

 

He knew exactly where I was going.

 

"Daddy,  when you could have had ANY name in the world, why on EARTH did you name yourself HARRY???"

 

"Well", he grinned, "You don't find too many Harry's in the Amish world.  Harry was a pretty happenin' name where I came from."

[mbutterfly]

I think Michelle was hyper-aware of her body image and retelling the bikini story is her way of reminding everyone that she had a desirable physique before having kids. We know she had food issues, too. I think she misses her old body.

I completely agree with those who think the "modest modern" approach was solely due to their exposure and income (and freebies). It's likely, too, that the crimper, prairie look was due to all of the girl's being younger than 13 on the first special. They were little girls who idolized the wardrobe in Little House. I don't care who you are- going to New York for the first time and seeing how ridiculously old timey your clothes look has to leave an impact. Before the show, the only people they socialized with were also wearing trumpets, so that was their normal. I've noticed that even the little ones are getting the newest Gymboree clothes. I think they've got a deal with the company.

If Torrid offered Jim Bob free clothes for the girl's, he would take them and make the girls wear something underneath. Lol.

Maisie News:

Ear molds were made and she will have her temporary devices by Friday. We will do the cochlear as soon as we get the all clear from her neonatologist and respiratory. They want her to weigh at least twelve pounds. During testing, they approximated her hearing for us, so we knew what her world sounds like now. It was very unsettling. It reminded me of what you hear when you're trying to talk to someone under water, but fainter. If I had doubts about the cochlear before, they're gone now. We had a last meeting with the anti-cochlear group and I don't think I made friends. They tell you about the failures and the deaf culture and treat you like you're committing an act of genocide by implanting your child. One lady accused us of "not accepting her (Maisie's) deafness". DH walked out because he was angry. Obviously, we will have to use sign language to give her her best chance, but I don't understand the argument that we should accept her disability by celebrating it. If our child was diabetic, we would treat it. How is this different?

Hubby has been working his tail off this weekend. Part of the job. But, that means Maisie, the therapist, and I have been on our own. We went down to the valley to get the mail and get a few pics of Maisie in the meadow. It was her first professional pictures! Hopefully, DH will let me use one as my user pic. Keep fingers crossed. :)

I feel like I might be brazenly walking into this, but I have strong feelings so I will. I was for many years a teacher/resource room teacher for students with significant disabilities. Their special teachers worked with them in my large classroom. In early days there were so many deaf children largely because of rubella. At that point there was still a large and active deaf culture. Now so many causes of profound deafness have been eliminated and electronic options are increasing every day, I see the deaf culture as becoming history. It has been a beautiful culture with a beautiful language. I would say nothing against it, but its time is passing. I hope I don't upset anyone with this. Maisie is a part of a new deaf world. 

[Jellybeans]

Deaf genocide is a term meaning the elimination of "deaf culture", or the signers who choose to live in the deaf world (and for the most part, are distrusting of the hearing world).

Deaf people who can't hear or speak (but sign) do NOT live in a country of their own. I understand the need to communicate with their own kind, but there is no reason to eliminate most of the planet. There are many deafies who do have hearing friends they've taught to sign... the idea is to expand their small world. Blind people do not have only blind friends unless it happens that way.

Having lived in that world due to my jail term (LOL) at the deaf school where deaf teachers and houseparents teach you to be very dependent on society, I find nothing beautiful about deaf culture. It is a cruel world to live in. I hope to see the end of it.

And signing... well, when we were forced to go to Church, the "interpreters" signed songs for their hearing audience and not for the deaf members. Oftentimes we'd laugh among ourselves because we had no idea what she was signing but hearing people were full of praise!

It is easy to make up beautiful song signs, not so easy to understand! Again, I am one who prefers to live in the world where I can choose my friends from all walks of life.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Jellybeans

[AnJen]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I figured here was the safest bet. In the Josh and Anna thread we've been talking about our fascination with big families, especially ones seen in books or film (Cheaper by the Dozen and Yours Mine and Ours for example) and it reminded me of a short little documentary I saw on PBS a few years back. I did some digging (thank you, Google), and found a copy of it if anyone is interested! It's a family with 21 children who look to be the polar opposite of the Duggars. 

[Itsnotreality]

AnJen thanks so much for posting that. THAT is family.

[GEML]

Another interesting book on a large family is THE FAMILY NOBODY WANTED which was a family of 12 adopted children by a Methodist minister and his wife in the 1940's. (I know they adopted during WWII, but I might not have the dates perfect.). Their children were of mixed ancestry and thus very difficult to place in the adoption system. The family had a big write up in LIFE magazine, and the parents had a few appearances on a game show or two. Sort of a lower key Duggar type situation.

I do know the parents divorced.

[Itsnotreality]

I have that book GEML! Incredible impact loving individuals and families can make by adopting and fostering. Especially now, really felt good to watch that story.

[Jellybeans]

While all this swirls around about the Duggars, I can't help but get angry.

Do you know how many children in the State Schools for the Deaf are abused in every state? No one really gives a shit because well, they are tucked away in beautiful buildings supported by taxpayer dollars being taught by who else, deaf culture people. Deaf schools have existed since the beginning of time. Google is your best friend. You'll find many cases. Not only that, reporting is strongly discouraged. They take care of it "in-house".

Sad thing is, they don't realize it is abuse. A 15 year old girl who has a deaf 27 year old "boyfriend"who is the head cook at the deaf school is simply, "cool".

I am thrilled that more deafies are attending regular classes with little or no supportive services.

OT: the Thunderbirds are practicing right now. Wonder if any of the Browns are in town!

[amitville]

While all this swirls around about the Duggars, I can't help but get angry.

Do you know how many children in the State Schools for the Deaf are abused in every state? No one really gives a shit because well, they are tucked away in beautiful buildings supported by taxpayer dollars being taught by who else, deaf culture people. Deaf schools have existed since the beginning of time. Google is your best friend. You'll find many cases. Not only that, reporting is strongly discouraged. They take care of it "in-house".

Sad thing is, they don't realize it is abuse. A 15 year old girl who has a deaf 27 year old "boyfriend"who is the head cook at the deaf school is simply, "cool".

I am thrilled that more deafies are attending regular classes with little or no supportive services.

OT: the Thunderbirds are practicing right now. Wonder if any of the Browns are in town!

Jelly beans i did not know that abuse in the deaf school  that is heartbreaking.  

[mbutterfly]

Another interesting book on a large family is THE FAMILY NOBODY WANTED which was a family of 12 adopted children by a Methodist minister and his wife in the 1940's. (I know they adopted during WWII, but I might not have the dates perfect.). Their children were of mixed ancestry and thus very difficult to place in the adoption system. The family had a big write up in LIFE magazine, and the parents had a few appearances on a game show or two. Sort of a lower key Duggar type situation.

I do know the parents divorced.

Thanks, GEML, I have ordered the book from the library. I'm sure I'll love it. 

[funky-rat]

My cousin is deaf.  He has less than 5% hearing without hearing aids.  With them, he can hear enough to get by, but he still lip reads.  He has enough hearing with the hearing aids to be able to drive a car with a restricted license, and back in the day before cell phones, was able to talk on the phone if it had an amplifier.  They were the only people I knew with a closed captioning box years before it was standard for TV's.  No one is sure if he was born deaf, or if he developed it at a few months of age, when he ran a very high fever.  He's 5 years older than me, and the testing back then isn't what it is now.  He went to (and lived at) deaf school until about 4th grade, when a school in the area had another deaf student, and they were able to accommodate him.  He can speak (with the "deaf voice" - he can be hard to understand at times) and is also fluent in ASL.  I learned some when I was younger, but then they developed better hearing aids, and we were able to communicate better (when he was really little, I remember him wearing a box around his neck and it looked like he was wearing a pair of ear buds that attached to it).  He graduated from high school, attended vo-tech, and worked in the building trades for many years, until the bottom dropped out of that industry, and he lost several jobs in quick succession as the companies all folded.  He reluctantly went on disability for a few years because he couldn't find a job that his deafness wasn't a huge liability and safety issue, and now has a job maintaining the greens on a golf course, and he loves it.  He was raised to believe that he was no differnt from anyone else - he just might need to do things differently.  He got my grandfather's knack for woodworking.  My grandmother used to try to baby him, and his parents would have none of it.  It was hard for her, but she finally understood.  He is an accomplished amateur magician and escape artist, a 5th degree blackbelt in Okinawan Karate, a skilled woodworker, and an accomplished skydiver and was once part of a Guinness World Record Breaking deaf skydive team.

 

A few years ago, the daughter of another cousin began to have slipping grades in school.  Frustrated, her mother said something loudly to her, and she didn't flinch.  She was taken for testing, and they discovered her hearing was rapidly declining, so we now wonder how much this may run in the family.  She was giving increasingly strong hearing aids until it stopped helping.  My cousin wasted no time in getting her evaluated for an implant, and she received it, and is doing very well several years out, and is a normal teenager.

 

My husband and I cannot have children.  We work with a social program and mentor at-risk kids.  The first one assigned to us really didn't belong in the program.  His mother was a teacher of hearing impaired children.  She knew my older cousin.  She also knew the girl he had once been engaged to, who was also deaf.  This boy's mother could hear fine - no issues.  She became irritated when I told her that they had broken up and he was dating (and eventually married) a woman with no hearing issues.  She wasn't happy that he found someone who didn't see his issues as any problem.  She became livid when I said about another cousin's daughter getting an implant.  She went off the deep end about deaf culture.  How I don't understand.  How she was disappointed in both cousins.  She had issues.  We only had her son for one year before he was removed from the program.

 

I asked my cousin for his take on it.  He shook his head and said "She means well, but has no clue".  He's not a candidate for an implant, and has lived so long without one, that even if he was, he wasn't interested in learning how to do all kinds of things over again.  He has no children of his own (2 stepchildren - one with autism) but said if any young child of his could be helped by an implant, he'd see they had one.  He said it's especially unfair to people like my cousin's daughter, who gradually lost her hearing, to force them into something that can be fixed.  He said if blindness would be able to be cured, no one would be advocating that it not be done.  So I will take his word for it since he's lived it.

[GEML]

Jellybean so - as does anyone who has ties to the autistic community. The abuse these children and adults bear is crushing, especially when many are so grateful for social interaction of any kind.

For those who can't get enough of all things Gilbreth and CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (I would be such a person) in addition to the biography of Lillian Gilbreth mentioned in another thread called MAKING TIME there is also her memoirs, called AS I REMEMBER.

[Cherrio]

Jellybeans

   I am only one person, but I care. I care about ANY child who is being abused in any way.

    We (as in our country) used to care more but it seems as if each year passes, more and more people either don't care or decide if they do depending on what religion, race or beliefs they have.

 That doesn't compute for me and it never will.

 I hate the Duggars, but that doesn't mean I don't feel badly for the victims.   We should ALL be outraged by what happened and ALL be sad.  

 It just seems as if some people would rather ignore or pretend this doesn't happen when it doesn't affect them personally.  

             Our time to act is BEFORE one more child gets abused, molested or shot, not afterwards.     We cannot sit in front of keyboards and do nothing else but write.

 Calling sponsors or bringing news stations attention is a start, but more has to be done.   We cannot forget about this in a few weeks.     If the show isn't cancelled for good, we should all be standing in front of TLC headquarters until they do.

[Jellybeans]

That was a great story- see,people who have been deaf all their lives with no assistive hearing are not ideal candidates for even a hearing aid. It is too late. They can't miss what they do not know. I would never suggest an implant for someone who has liived without sound.

I also had one of those captioning boxes. I remember my first shows were Love Boat and Barney Miller. Hated Love Boat! Then Peter Jennings was the first news to be captioned and every night I thought the world was coming to an end.

I had Voc. Training too. It is mandatory at deaf schools. Let's see... I learned: Sewing, Cooking, Typing and Beauty Shop. LMAO.

Families have been torn apart over the cochlear implant issue. Luckily I have long hair so no one knows unless I tell them.

The only "restriction" on licenses I know of is we're required to have mirrors on driver/passengers side but cars come with them so it is kind of silly.

An FYI- they did find as a group, deaf people had lower accident rates than hearing people.

Maisie is growing up in an more enlightened time. So happy about that!

I did not mean to imply no one cared about other types of abuse, it simply came to mind how much abuse there is out there. And how hard it is to make people pay attention.

The truth is, most people want it to go away. Very few people want to address it immediately.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Jellybeans

[Abstract]

Another interesting book on a large family is THE FAMILY NOBODY WANTED which was a family of 12 adopted children by a Methodist minister and his wife in the 1940's. (I know they adopted during WWII, but I might not have the dates perfect.). Their children were of mixed ancestry and thus very difficult to place in the adoption system. The family had a big write up in LIFE magazine, and the parents had a few appearances on a game show or two. Sort of a lower key Duggar type situation.

I do know the parents divorced.

I loved that book when I was around 9 years old. I checked it out multiple times from the library and nearly memorized it. Last year I was thrilled to find a hardcover copy at a used book sale. It was just as good as I remembered it.

[GEML]

I had the chance to buy the LIFE magazine they were in a few years ago. It was fun to see the photos described in the book. (They may be available online now.).

[Readalot]

Jellybean so - as does anyone who has ties to the autistic community. The abuse these children and adults bear is crushing, especially when many are so grateful for social interaction of any kind.

For those who can't get enough of all things Gilbreth and CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (I would be such a person) in addition to the biography of Lillian Gilbreth mentioned in another thread called MAKING TIME there is also her memoirs, called AS I REMEMBER.

. I'm a huge fan of this family too! I have all the books although AS I RENEMBER was a hard read. I don't think I finished it.

[NextIteration]

Waves at Prayer Closet!

 

Just wanted to acknowledge my appreciation for the group and the stories and Maisie!  Good show Wanderwoman!  Both my kids have "issues" that I had to fight hard about and learn whole new vocabularies for and advocate, advocate, advocate.  Bless you both!

[Happyfatchick]

Deaf genocide is a term meaning the elimination of "deaf culture", or the signers who choose to live in the deaf world

So it's sort of a badge of honor? I was at Disney recently, and a mother/daughter team sat down across from me on a low wall. The mother was deaf, but I could tell just from my rudimentary understanding of ASL that she was reading lips, rather than depending on the halfhearted signs her daughter gave. The daughter was speaking as well as signing, and the mother answered the same way. The daughter said (to her mother, I was only the fly on the wall) that she was in the gym the week before, and these 2 guys were there having a private "sign" convo. When she walked by them, she signed, "so we're speaking in sign only today?" And they were shocked that someone had understood them (as she meant for them to be).

Oftentimes we'd laugh among ourselves because we had no idea what she was signing but hearing people were full of praise! It is easy to make up beautiful song signs, not so easy to understand! Again, I am one who prefers to live in the world where I can choose my friends from all walks of life.

I am so GLAD you said that. Move seen people signing songs my whole life, and I wondered whether they were telling the whole story or not. Seems to me in a big congregation it's PC to have a signer. That cracks me up that you can't even understand them sometimes.

Turning left: in the cemetery where daddy is buried, he is near the paved path. On the other side of that path is a whole field of emptiness. Except all the way across, right up against the fence, all by its little lonesome self is one grave. Every time I go there and see that, I think of my husband. He has no hearing issues, and no vocal ones that I know of - but if he says 10 words in one day, it's a VERY busy day for him. I always wonder how long it will be before he announces he wants to find a grave like that, so he won't be crowded or bothered in his afterlife. (Except his grave has to be double sized to fit the big screen TV in).

And here's a rant for the day. My mom is 85 years old. She's had dementia for 14 years, give or take. She hasn't worked a paying taxable job since she was 19. Why do we have to file a tax return for this little woman who doesn't bother ANYONE and who lives on my fathers retirement??? I'm late, I know, the tax deadline has come and gone. I just forgot to gripe about it then. I think this is so D.U.M.B.!!!

Turning left again: about Waffle House... I live in the south. At the I75 exit nearest me, there is a Waffle House on either side. Without moving an inch, I count 5 within 10 miles. Whoever said its like waiting in the bathroom while watching the cook grill your meal pretty much nailed it. However, I have 2 unmarried male cousins who eat there up to 4 times a week. I've been there with them, and it's an on-going soap opera. They know everybody there, if they have kids, how much their wife cheats on them, if the waitress is dating someone (or trying to kill someone). It's FAMILY!!! (Think of Cheers with no alcohol, very few teeth and PLENTY of eye shadow).

The one cousin, Bill, had a birthday on Memorial Day. The other cousin called him up (he got the short straw fair and square) and asked where he'd like to go out for his birthday. Said he'd take Bill wherever he wanted to go. Can anybody guess the punchline??? If I'm Lyin' I'm dyin'!!!

Edited May 27, 2015 by Happyfatchick

[AmandaPanda]

Whenever my high school friends are in town, we'll go to Waffle House. We spent many nights there in high school and college. I know there were many times we were at Waffle House until 2 or 3 in the morning. I remember there was one night when we were all home from college. Despite the fact that it was heavily snowing outside, we decided we needed to go meet at Waffle House about 10:00 at night. Since we hadn't seen each other in a while, we we were all pretty exuberant and talkative. Apparently, we were too loud for this one woman. She loudly got up and complained to the waitress that we were being too loud and were ruining her 10th anniversary dinner with her husband. She took her food to go and yelled at us all the way out the door. The waitress came over afterward and said we weren't even being that loud. The Waffle House is just really small. We still laugh about it to this day.

[Bella]

Without further comment:

[CherryMalotte]

I'm getting away from the Dugger atrocity and watching the National Scripps Spelling Bee during the day tomorrow (well mostly listening, shhhh don't tell work) and then watching the Finals tomorrow night on ESPN.  While it makes me sad that none of the Duggar kids, and I include the older ones, are up to the educational level that some of the ten year olds participating in this are it's just wonderful to see so many smart kids in one place.  I see future presidents, business leaders, doctors, lawyers, and just really cool kids all together - how fab is that?       

Edited May 28, 2015 by CherryMalotte

[funky-rat]

The only "restriction" on licenses I know of is we're required to have mirrors on driver/passengers side but cars come with them so it is kind of silly.

An FYI- they did find as a group, deaf people had lower accident rates than hearing people.

There are a number of "restrictions" on our licenses here - mostly for people with various disabilities.  One is "May only operate a vehicle with hand controls" (for those with leg issues), and another may be "May operate a vehicle with steering assistance" (as suicide knobs on steering wheels here are illegal unless you have a disability).  I'm not sure why they're called "restrictions", but that's what they are.  I can't remember off the top of my head what his "restriction" was.  It might have been a requirement for mirrors like you said.

[CarolMK]

Is anybody here a blood donor? I'm working on my third gallon pin now. Since I'm O +, the American Red cross reminds me on a regular basis to donate and I try to schedule my donations about 4 times a year. Lately I've noticed that the American Red Cross will tell me a couple of weeks later where my latest donation has traveled to. I'm in NJ, and the most recent one was to Columbia, MD, as well as Philadelphia, Newark, NJ and NYC. I was wondering if there was a limit on how far it can travel in order to be used for a patient. They always say it can help up to 4 people at a time. I starting donating 30 years ago my senior year of high school, took several years off when I was pregnant and my kids were little, and started up again about 7 years ago. .One donation I'll never forget was for my 26 year old niece, who was born 6 weeks premature and needed 2 transfusions.I had to go over to Philadelphia in a snowstorm to get to the hospital (using public transportation ) and these were the days when weather people couldn't easily predict that 3-6 expected inches could turn into a two feet storm. Thank goodness for modern tecnhology.

[ginger90]

Is anybody here a blood donor? I'm working on my third gallon pin now. Since I'm O +, the American Red cross reminds me on a regular basis to donate and I try to schedule my donations about 4 times a year. Lately I've noticed that the American Red Cross will tell me a couple of weeks later where my latest donation has traveled to. I'm in NJ, and the most recent one was to Columbia, MD, as well as Philadelphia, Newark, NJ and NYC. I was wondering if there was a limit on how far it can travel in order to be used for a patient. They always say it can help up to 4 people at a time. I starting donating 30 years ago my senior year of high school, took several years off when I was pregnant and my kids were little, and started up again about 7 years ago. .One donation I'll never forget was for my 26 year old niece, who was born 6 weeks premature and needed 2 transfusions.I had to go over to Philadelphia in a snowstorm to get to the hospital (using public transportation ) and these were the days when weather people couldn't easily predict that 3-6 expected inches could turn into a two feet storm. Thank goodness for modern tecnhology.

Info on blood storage: http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/what-happens-donated-blood  I'm O negative, they want my blood, LOL!  Anyone can be given O negative, but those with O negative can only be given the same.

[AmandaPanda]

I'm getting away from the Dugger atrocity and watching the National Scripps Spelling Bee during the day tomorrow (well mostly listening, shhhh don't tell work) and then watching the Finals tomorrow night on ESPN.  While it makes me sad that none of the Duggar kids, and I include the older ones, are up to the educational level that some of the ten year olds participating in this are it's just wonderful to see so many smart kids in one place.  I see future presidents, business leaders, doctors, lawyers, and just really cool kids all together in one place - how fab is that?       

 

I. LOVE. The National Spelling Bee! It's one of my favorite days of the year, right up there with the Oscars, my birthday, and Christmas. I was one word away from getting to compete in the Spelling Bee back when I was in 7th grade. I missed the word "arboreal," spelling it with an i instead of an e. I'll be headed over to my parents' house to watch with my mom tomorrow. I'll be pulling for my girl Vanya from Olathe, KS. Her and her sister Kavya have been my two favorite spellers of the past decade.

[charmed1]

Whenever my high school friends are in town, we'll go to Waffle House. We spent many nights there in high school and college. I know there were many times we were at Waffle House until 2 or 3 in the morning. I remember there was one night when we were all home from college. Despite the fact that it was heavily snowing outside, we decided we needed to go meet at Waffle House about 10:00 at night. Since we hadn't seen each other in a while, we we were all pretty exuberant and talkative. Apparently, we were too loud for this one woman. She loudly got up and complained to the waitress that we were being too loud and were ruining her 10th anniversary dinner with her husband. She took her food to go and yelled at us all the way out the door. The waitress came over afterward and said we weren't even being that loud. The Waffle House is just really small. We still laugh about it to this day.

Yes! More WH stories please! I'm cracking up. My friend swears a guy pulled a gun on her in one in Georgia.

[SomePity1066]

Cherry Malotte and Amanda Panda - Yay for the National Spelling Bee !!! I was in in twice, made it to Washington once, and promptly got "dinged" in the second round. It was still a THRILLING experience, though. All those smart, nerdy, awkward kids in one place - I HAD FOUND MY PEOPLE !!! Sadly, you are both right - the Duggar kids would never ever, make it, even though they do include homeschooled children. But unless the words were limited to per-pen-dic-u-ler, bankruptcy, sonogram, meconium, pregnancy, jurisdiction, and defrauded they'd never make it out of their county. 

 

Such a sad statement on the condition of their (non)education, but can I have hope, please, that the scandal causes changes that leads to positives for the younger kids ? Maybe a Westinghouse Science project somewhere down the line ? I also lost at that, but it was still a highlight of my life to be included. Imagine the pride and self-confidence it would foster in them to be praised not just for being "Godly" or screeching out he zillionth version of Amazing Grace on those truly demon-posessed violins... !

[BitterApple]

I've given blood quite a bit. I'm O-negative which is the universal donor so I try to make it a point to give a couple of times per year.

[P2C2E]

I donate blood 4-6 times a year. For me, it's a really simple thing I can do that has an enormous impact.

[Jellybeans]

I am trying to get my son to donate- he is ABO negative. Rather rare, I think.

[kalamac]

I'm AB+ which is a Universal recipient (yay, all the blood for me!). I give blood anyway.

I'm also a registered organ donor, because rarer blood typed organs are harder to find, and I won't need them once I'm dead.

[Jellybeans]

When my daughter died, all her organs had failed. she had been gone a short time when the organ donor guy (I would hate to have his job) came by... a very, very, nice man. She was only able to donate her eyes and some things I can't even type. I know that two people have her eyes. I was told I could leave letters for them and they usually respond but I have no intention of contacting them.

I am an organ donor as well, and a believer in the program and hope most of you are as well.

[funky-rat]

I don't donate blood - my veins collapse, and it's just a horrible experience for me, but my husband donates.  We are both organ donors, as we have friends and family who are waiting, or died waiting.

[JenCarroll]

There are a number of "restrictions" on our licenses here - mostly for people with various disabilities.  One is "May only operate a vehicle with hand controls" (for those with leg issues), and another may be "May operate a vehicle with steering assistance" (as suicide knobs on steering wheels here are illegal unless you have a disability).  I'm not sure why they're called "restrictions", but that's what they are.  I can't remember off the top of my head what his "restriction" was.  It might have been a requirement for mirrors like you said.

I have a restriction for corrective lenses; in fact, everyone in my family has that restriction. No big deal.

------------------------------

I gave about 2 gallons of blood over time (I'm O+ so not as good as O- but still pretty desirable) but I can't give anymore because of reasons. My husband gives four to six times per year without fail, and the girls have started giving now that they're in college. It's easy to do when they have drives right on campus. We are all organ donors. Blood and organ donation just seem like no-brainers to me -- why wouldn't you want to help save lives, if you could?

[bigskygirl]

My husband received a kidney from an amazing 26 year old girl from Washington state on April 27, 2004. Krista and her family are my heroes.

 

Jellybeans, I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for helping and thinking of others while going through your own pain and grief. People like you give me hope and help me believe their are kind and wonderful people out there in our crazy, messed up world.

 

And on the subject of blood donating, I am a big wimp when it comes to needles, so donating is out for me. I almost passed out a couple of times in the dialysis unit when my husband was having a treatment.

[Mindymoo]

I don't donate blood. For one, I'm really anemic. I can't do much about it because I have this disease that makes me throw up all of the time, so eating iron-rich foods doesn't really help the situation. Also, I have very little IV access because of both my connective tissue disorder and the fact that I've been in and out of the hospital so many times over the past 14 years. Nine times out of ten, you can't start an IV on me without an ultrasound. I am an organ donor though. They can't take my kidneys because those are shot, and I don't know how my connective tissue disorder will affect my other organs, but they can have at them if they're useful. I won't need them where I'm going.