Former Member

I loved the scene where Kaiden is talking to his mother on the phone and Jake is getting them ‘prepared for the evening’s activities.’ ;-)

Maybe they were on the spaceship Queen Mary, the sister ship to the Titanic from the Doctor Who Season 4 episode! (The one that featured the actor who played ‘Richard Bucket’ from Keeping Up Appearances.)

For a while I thought this would be a ‘shipboard affair’ and we’d never really hear about Ivan & Katya after the trip, but it sounds like they’ve become part of the MacKenzie-Del Vecchio family! ;-)

Is Nat really that evil? Or is it Jake’s mother? Who else has an incentive to drive Jake back to drink?

That was my thought too. I would probably have reacted the same way as Adam and David. The teacher clearly goaded them into that situation. I think they did right. And the parents, as well as the school overreacted. Perhaps an argument could be made for them reacting better, but I'm not sure they deserve to be punished - especially punished as severally as they have been.

Did Jake do or say something to everyone that’s caused them to act so strangely? And if Jake doesn’t recognize the bucket, who put it there? Can someone fall off the wagon and not be aware of it the following morning? Something odd has happened…

It’s difficult to monitor all eight arms to make sure that pieces/tokens/markers haven’t been ‘adjusted.’

Some fine Italianate sunshine for our afternoon Ignaz Joseph Pleyel, Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Piano

I guess Don doesn’t believe that bisexuality exists…

US and Canadian military personnel stationed there might not think highly of the residents, but I will always remember how hospitable they were when Gander was forced to host all the trans-Atlantic flights that were barred from entering US airspace on September 11, 2001. I still don’t think Americans would have been as generous and welcoming to all those strangers. It’s a different sort of generosity and kindness.

At least according to the graphics in the Honda ad, the Civic engine has only 4 horse power. But the Infiniti ad with Stephen Curry suggests that the advertised vehicle has only two cylinders! Maybe it’s a good thing I’m not a potential customer for either of them! ;-)

I see a therapist and a psychiatrist. I also have friends I commiserate with (historically, that was my go-to strategy when I had to deal with difficult customers when I worked in retail). Masturbation (in private) is a free stress release…

The author doesn’t believe that the psychological diagnosis was correct? The diagnosis doesn’t mean that JAM has to be debilitated by abandonment, just that his reactions have a rational, understandable source. JAM can use this information to understand why he reacts the way he does even though it doesn’t make sense to him. I know that I suffer from Cognitive Dissonance. I don’t see things the same way everyone else does. One (straight) friend told me he liked me because I smiled all the time. I denied smiling all the time, but everyone else who was listening agreed with him! When I told my at-the-time-therapist the story, she agreed with him too! Every time I tell the story, everyone agrees with him! I still don’t think I’m smiling all the time, but that at-the-time-therapist did allow that maybe what others see as me smiling is more that I’m not frowning or grimacing all the time like most of the people around me, that I have ‘smiling’ eyes.

Um… I get Notifications on the numerous stories I follow. Much easier than trying to check all the time… ;-)

@Wesley8890 I think the doctor is right. I would think that most, if not all, foster children would have the same issue to a greater or lesser degree. I cannot imagine that with the way the system works there would be any other outcome.

I knew what a Loonie and and a Toonie, but I’d never heard of a Newfie. I can swing a bat, but I don’t think I’ve ever hit a ball! I have a difficult enough time standing on roller-skates with assistance, there’s no way I’m trying ice skates! I’m trying to absorb as much as I can in case California ever tries to join the Canadian Federation (I don’t think rejoining the United States of Mexico is likely). Sue is a manipulator. She is willing to emotionally blackmail Robbie with Amy. She seems to want to use Alex, but doesn’t seem to realize the real connection Alex and Robbie have. She thinks she’s taking care of her family, but she doesn’t seem to realize how she’s damaging it by supporting Don so blindly. Don is a toxic danger to the family. He is unwilling to admit his guilt in tearing the family apart with his homophobia. He wants to blame Robbie, but as the adult, he has the responsibility to adjust to the new reality in his life.

I'm glad that Quinn and Bree finally confronted their mother. They're 16 and 17, and Jude is nearly 18. They're not children. And the door removal thing and her constantly interfering with their lives when she'd been content just staying in the background through so much of it, is just unnecessary. As for Brad. I'm in two minds with him. The fact that your friend's gay shouldn't be such a problem. What's to "get" about it? But at least he's still trying.

I was thinking that the main reason a homeless person doesn’t have any mourners at his grave is that his friends were never contacted. When you’re homeless, you tend to lose contact with most of the people you know. Either they don’t want to be dragged into your problems or they get tired of hearing about them. You probably have other friends who are homeless, but quite often there isn't any way to contact them unless you go out to find them on the streets. Many homeless people, but not all, do not have cell phones. Some because there are few places to charge them, others because they don’t want to be contacted. Some are unaware of free cell phone programs available to those on government assistance – a few don’t qualify and cannot afford pre-paid phones. (Many of the homeless are getting Veteran’s Benefits or Social Security – often because they are disabled.) Homeless people disappear all the time. Some move to new, hopefully greener, grasses. Others are imprisoned or hospitalized. And some die. You never know why they’re gone unless someone was there when things happened. It’s very much like when e-friends disappear…

At 23, I’m guessing the majority of them would be the same things you already do with two arms, only all at once! ;-)

The distance growing between Robbie and his old friend Tom saddens me a little. Although I guess it's to be expected and just the way things are when friends move apart. I just remember reading how close they were, and how good and supportive Tom was for Robbie. And how distraught they were when they were separated. And now they barely think about one another. I guess humans, especially young ones, are quick to adapt to new circumstances. It's probably for the best. Although I understand him not missing much in England. I moved to Scotland (from England) several years ago, and I'm much happier here and there's only a few things I miss in England (although there's much less of a cultural / social difference between England & Scotland, VS England & Canada). But Scotland's now my home and I intend for it to be permanently. I'm really starting not to like Sue, either. I think I'd refuse the adoption. If they can't accept him as he is, then he shouldn't accept them as they are. It's a two way process. And then she has the nerve to emotionally blackmail him with Amy, when he's (understandably) hesitant. "she thinks she's getting another brother." I still think a lot of it is about Don's image. Him adopting a poor orphan boy would look just great for him.

I irritates me how interfering Quinn's mother is with things that have nothing to do with her. I mean, Jude's almost 18. He has a stable job, property and Murphy, who looks out for him. He's clearly doing fine, he's not a child. But Brenda wants to treat him (someone she practically doesn't know,) like one.

Are you sure the ‘lottery’ that couple won wasn’t just a million dollar loan from his father? I hadn’t heard of people grabbing female body parts like that until last year. It’s an entitlement thing that only one ethnic group in the US might feel is their right.

Still on that tablet? (It’s ‘Alik.’)

It’s not just one broken key on your keyboard that’s causing problems, right? ;-)

I’m easily confused. When the scene with Hayden and ‘Mr Greenely’ began, I couldn’t figure out why Ian was leaving the hospital so soon. I’d forgotten all about Hayden! ;-)