Former Member

You will find your courage of living sweet brother of mine. Sis

I think it’s interesting what you didn’t comment on. Either I’m so far off the mark that it wasn’t worth pointing out, or I’m too close to bring attention to the comment… ;-)

A child is less likely than an adult to have experienced the death of a close relative. That alone should suggest to the adult that they should be more attentive to and more aware of any changes in the child’s behavior. A mother should know when her child is hiding his feelings even if she’s not aware of just how he feels. Six months (or however long it’s been) is an awful long time to take before the adult looks past her own grief to check on how her child is coping. She doesn’t have to stop grieving or have finished grieving, just pause and pay attention to the other person in her life who is also in pain. Michelle has acted like Bailey is a robot who has no feelings.

What do you mean by horse race? I am not quite sure, if I get it right.

While true, Bailey is the child. Michelle is the adult. She should have been the one to reach out to her son instead of guilting him by invoking her deceased husband every time she wanted to force him to do something. I see this as irresponsible parenting. If she didn’t feel she was reaching him, it was her duty to at least attempt to try to find someone who Bailey would actually talk to (unlike the school counselor). In her grief, she has failed Bailey repeatedly. It is understandable to be overwhelmed initially, but she needed to be the responsible one after a while. Again, she is the adult, why has she shirked her duty this entire time? The parent shouldn’t force the child to be the support for the adult for this long.

Metal just isn’t my thing. I grew up on Southern California Soft Rock. Beach Boys, America, Stephen Bishop (he still owns the guitar John Belushi grabbed from his hands and smashed in Animal House). Then I moved on to Disco, New Wave, Modern Rock, and Alternative. But in the ‘70s, radio stations used to play all sorts of genres, so you’d hear The Commodores, Olivia Newton-John, The Beatles, Chicago, Led Zeppelin, The Bee Gees, ABBA, Gordon Lightfoot, Elton John, Dolly Parton, Earth Wind & Fire, and others one after another. Everything wasn’t quite so walled off. You probably heard the top hits of most of the genres. It’s so funny how excited Teddy’s dad got when he found out Ryder wanted to consult with him. I don’t know what that would be like. My parents were notorious even among their friends for being low-key, quiet people – one of their best friends used to joke that my father proposed to my mother by giving her a certain look and she accepted by giving him a certain look back. They weren’t that bad, but they usually only got excited when they were angry (with me, usually, or my brothers). I wonder if Teddy’s rant about homophobia at the end of the game/match/whatever will have longterm consequences. Will the students be more aware of what they're saying to each other? Will they realize Teddy is Gay? How will they react? Will they, in fact, apologize to Ryder? How soon before people realize Teddy is interested in Teddy?

I think Declan is starting to get a hint at just how much bullying has affected Bailey’s life. Declan has come to realize that several somethings are bothering Bailey even when Bailey denies it. Declan doesn’t realize that he’s starting to notice signs of Bailey’s cutting, he doesn’t know what the wincing means. But he’s happy Bailey has let him get this close to him… ;-) As for Daniel, it sounded to me as though Michelle might have had a crush on her much older classmate even if he never paid much attention to her. He’s paying attention now. But she has seemed oblivious to Bailey’s feelings throughout this entire story.

But it is why they brought her. ;-) Colin is jealous! It’s ironic that the aristocratic Southern Gentleman feels outclassed by a man who sees himself as only a miner. Colin would have been seen as little more than a country bumpkin from the rebellious former colonies by Edwin’s adoptive father. James Harriot and Tristan Farnon would have loved to have moved into Mrs Pumphrey’s Big House and been adopted!

Maybe there is an English version. LOL It is a childhood movie for me. It influenced my whole life.

I don't know if this belongs here, but this video says what I cannot express. What is it to be human? Do you have to be spiritual to know the answer? Do you have to be an intellectual to know the answer to this question? Or, do you just have to be aware of others, and accept them with all of their flaws, and unique qualities? We talk a good talk, but do we as humans walk the walk?

Thanks for sharing with everyone some Kulturgut! LOL

After all those times pretending to be too drunk to know what they were doing, was Wylie actually too dunk to know this time? As a non-drinker, I cannot understand the appeal of alcohol. I cannot stand the smell of beer. I do not like dealing with people who are drunk (and I met more than a few alcoholics when I was staying in homeless shelters!). It is portrayed as glamorous and sophisticated in magazines, TV, and movies, but most of my experiences with people who drink have not been pleasant. Why do you want to ingest a substance that changes how you act? Why are you trying to be something that you’re not? Is it insecurity? Peer pressure? Lack of self control? I just do not understand…

I think Nicola is going to be a whole new kind of problem for Robbie! Not quite a rivalry, but definitely a kind of competition. There will be more times when they act in alliance – it should be interesting if they ever decide to team up against their parents or teachers! I don’t think Amy will have a problem with two of her favorite people being a couple, but they might not always be thrilled that she wants to spend so much time with them when they want to be by themselves. If Sue were crafty, she’d ‘suggest’ to Amy that she look for Nathan and Robbie. Amy would be an extremely efficient (and persistent) ¢ø¢k-block!

It isn’t clear yet if my life is a tragedy or a comedy. It’s certainly not a romance! And I’m sure it’s straight-to-video (probably the straightest thing about me)… ;-)

Now if only I could get you to write my life story and have it end that way – and somehow make it come true! ;-) I keep asking my psychology therapy interns and psychiatrists to wave their magic wand over my head and cure me, but they keep telling me they can’t. I think it has something to do with budget cuts at the County Health Care System and government cuts for social services agencies. Someone either stole or broke the only one they had and they can’t replace it! ;-)

It’s funnier my way! ;-) ‘Erm’? Are you British now?

She called him “McGiver”, even when they had sex. I don’t think I have the drive required to get a degree, not even an AA. Part of it is that I have trouble concentrating, in part due to my diagnosed Depression and anxiety. The other part is related to my not wanting to take required prerequisites. I understand why they are required, but I only want to take the interesting classes. ;-) My mother gave me an ultimatum when I was in my 20s: either pay rent or go to school. Well that was an easy one! She never told me how many classes I had to take at a time, so I only took one or two. The teacher would tell me I needed to take the English Placement Test (to take a California History or a Fantasy and Science Fiction Class – maybe even the French classes I took) and I’d say yes, but ‘somehow’ never manage to get it done. I never accumulated enough credits for even one year – and they might not have even counted since I never took the English Placement test and I never checked to see how well (or poorly) I did by picking up my report cards. I got bronchitis one year and dropped out of school (I was out from work for two weeks). Eventually, I decided to try going back (after sever years away). They wouldn’t even let me register unless I took the English and Math Placement Tests. So I took the tests. It had been significantly more than a decade since my last math class (I almost flunked Intermediate Algebra – it was the first time math class didn’t make sense and since I never studied in high school, I could never figure it out. I had all the math credits I needed, so I didn’t take any in my Senior year. Oh, and I was only in Advanced Classes in 7th Grade – I was moved into regular English and regular Social Studies partway through the year because of spelling tests in both classes! I survived the year in Advanced Math, but was placed in regular Math the following year – no spelling tests in math class!) I was surrounded by kids who had just graduated from high school. I couldn’t remember any of the formulas, so my scratch paper was filled with my roundabout methods to get the right answers. When we finished the Math Test, we were allowed to immediately start on the English Test. I was still one of the early finishers and was able to leave. I actually went back to find out how I did. I was shocked to find out that I did so well on the Math Test that it didn’t reveal what level my knowledge was just that I was way above the level they were testing for. This after only using math to figure out basic math, percentages, and to calculate gas mileage (one of my semi-OCD things). I didn’t do quite as well with English, but I wouldn’t have to take Basic English classes (as if my previous classes didn’t already prove that!). And then I never did register for any classes… Several of my psychology therapists over the years have suggested I take classes at the local community college (a different district in a different county from the one I had attended). But as with many other suggestions, I am very resistant. ;-) Apart of my therapy, I have gone through two separate series of psychological tests. One of the more interesting results from both series is the conclusion that I am in the top 5% in intelligence. I’ve always thought I was dumb. My ex used to tell me I was the smartest person he knew, but I always took that as something he was just saying and didn’t believe him. I had to believe the results when the second series confirmed the first series. I still don’t feel smart though. It’s yet another manifestation of my Cognitive Dissonance. ;-) Sorry for the long reply…

Oh an other question, which leads to embarrassment. LOL My favorite horse movie is "Immenhof", which I hope nobody except me knows around here. It is so sappy. LOL

That’s what you got out of this chapter?!?!?!?!?

Sorry. I got confused somehow. I’m following too many stories.

LOL I once was just like you. But you have no idea what being with a mathematician can do to you. They are subversive.

Hey, what is wrong about statistics? Never trust one, you didn`t fake yourself!

Or you’re being too young! Your. Don’t worry, Mom’s not being insensitive. Don’t worry Mom, he’s not… So, are there werewolves in East Anglia? (Keep to the roads, stay off the moors.)

LOL, magnificent. I wish it would work like this.

Clever. Very clever. LOL I love it!