Shoot the Breeze With the Cooler Crew - Peoplesforum Edition

DOH!

hey anyone heard from Terry or Inks?
I have thought of them a few times but never ask.

terry posted here over the weekend.

Good Evening!

We're around...just busier than busy. Usually I get about enough time to slog through everything here and that's about it.

I need some help finding something for cheaper than we're finding it.

Brian - the crazy kid of mine spending time in the Peace Corps in Guatemala misses a radio show that airs on NPR. I can download those shows - about an hour every day - and burn them to CD and then send them, but I don't want to pay any more postage than necessary and I was thinking of those cardboard type mailers. The cost for a little bit of card board packaging is ridiculous.

So...if any of you know of a place to get those cheap, let me know.

Went to Brown College to day to get my financial aid going and I asked if I could get some extra for a new computer and the guy said yes so I get a brand new Mac not sure witch one I want yet this is cooler.

So...if any of you know of a place to get those cheap, let me know.

AX-MAN ??

terry,
I mail discs all the time. I use bubble mailers (6x9, or size 0). Take the discs out of the jewel case and they fit inside perfectly. Use a piece of folded paper to seperate more than 1 disc. I've never had a problem with damaged discs. Domestically, it's about $.60 for the first disc, and $.23 for each additional disc. International postage will be more. You can get bubble mailers fairly cheap at Office Depot or any such office supply place. officemax.com has them listed at $10.99 for a package of 25.
http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prodBlock.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&expansionOID=-536892832&prodBlockOID=46791

Thanks for the suggestions. We use those bubble mailers at work, but they're more expensive than the cardboard do hickeys I found.

Ian - Axman just might be the place to try.

One thing I do is reuse the bubble thingies. Buy a package of super cheap blank address labels. Slap a new one on each time, and just stick the new postage right over the old. Use a little packing tape instead of the self-stick adhesive on the flap, and you can get a dozen round trips before they fall apart.

That would make sense if he was mailing anything back this way...but it's mostly a one way trip for each thing we send.

Maybe I'll just get those paper sleeves to keep them safe and send about a week's worth at a time.

Digger, good for you! On the 'putter and going to/back to school! NEATO! Whatchew studying?

Hope that Pops and me can do The Great-Minnesota-Get-Together on Thurs... Don't know if I can get the time off... One that was off an entire month with S-T Disability izz pretty much kinda, like, outta luck asking for time off... Even tho I do have the PTO... (sigh)

And I'm REALLY worried about The Hunt... I'd put in for time off next year (Timmmers, you shure the date(s) chanaged???) - almost a week - and now I won't have that time. Talk about wanting to cry, and wishing I could turn back the hands o'time...

Master, you may kiss all... You're my Caboose, after all! (As long as you don't kiss my caboose...) :D

Ter, so good to hear about Son! I can't help you about mailings or bubbles or anything, but so good ro read about Son!!! How's Daught???

Digger, good for you! On the 'putter and going to/back to school! NEATO! Whatchew studying?

Visual Communications it's like graphic arts.

Visual communication? Is that like flipping someone the bird?

Green - mostly I worry about the son. The good thing is that there is email at an internet cafe when he's in Guatemala City or Antiqua. He's now in his village though so communication is few and far between. That is one country I would never want to visit. He said it's beautiful but the depth of the poverty there is still shocking. The money belongs to a few. There is a huge shopping area in Guatemala City I think it is that has stores like Office Max, the Gap, American restaurants (for which he is eternally grateful), and other well known to us type shops.

They have chicken buses that they need to take to get from one place to the other. It's seven hours on one of those buses to his village. Chicken buses are old American and Canadian school buses that are brightly painted and packed to the gills with people. The area he's in is mountainous and often those chicken buses tip over on those mountain roads.

He said it's pretty lawless there. Everyone carries knives, there's burning garbage in the streets, they are obligated to be in before dark for their own safety. The stories go on and on.

Daughter is doing great! She's working full time and has been accepted back to Augsburg for weekend college. She's now going to take youth and family ministry. She's found her focus and is excited.

I'm excited as she has cleared most of the mega debt she managed to get herself into with credit cards. She now doesn't carry any cards now. Hard lesson to learn, but she's learned the lesson.

Are you still working the same place?

you could say that kids LOL.

JOE!!!!!

whats up am I scaring every one off this thread?

mornin all hope some one comes on this site today as I don't have a life any more... LOL ahh unemployment has it's moments.

::peek::

I think you're right. I think your avatar is scaring people. Looks a bit like Darth Vader in his early years before he could afford the fancy outfit.

LOL but I painted it my self with Illustrator.

mornin' ralph.

goodmorning - none of you guys scare me --under breath ::yeah right they ALL scare me::!

My news just keeps coming.... is this just LIFE or what?

went to the fair yesterday----aaaaah the heat!
we walked around yesterday and really didn't get far-
we left in the afternoon for an hour
we couldn't eat anything all day cause it was just too hot
had water, a shake, water,all you can drink milk, water, root beer from the root beer barrel, water!
so we decided instead of calling it a day at 4 pm we would go back for dinner! you cant go to the fair without having FOOD!

we went thinking we would stay just to eat
well because of the heat and all the walking it took over 4 more hours to get around.

we had tacos, one of those flowering onions, sweet marthas chocolate chip cookies, cheese curds (my favorite), my eldest daughter (walked around the fair all day looking forward to the deep fried candy bar)-then...she hated it. We have deep fried oreos here (I havnt tried one yet).

so the purpose of this post besides making you HUNGRY for fair food is....

we were getting tacos (on the outside of the food building)-then we were supposed to walk across the street and get the MINI DONUTS...well, we forgot and walked up a block and rode the Space Needle(it is still a wonderful ride -even at $3 per adult $2 per kid=$12 for us that night for 3 minutes)...we were gonna walk right out the front enterance to the fair when we realized we had to walk the opposite direction back to get mini donuts---

now, if we wouldnt have forgotten the mini donuts the next thing that happened to us would NOT have happened...

Mark went up to order the donuts and my nephew and youngest daughter saterte running around his legs and then around me -I am getting things organized and after a long day I am a mess! ...I hear my name called...I recognize the voice...oh no, it can't be...and it was...my oldest daughters grandma that we lost contact with 2+ years ago! I dont think it was neccessarilly a happy moment...but a moment that wouldnt have happened if we had forgotten to get mini donuts.

ok- and now more sad news ...

I think Neil Diamond is retiring from touring :(

This huge musical cd set is being release...I cannot imagine he isnt leaving the concert scene after looking at this.

you could say he may be launching a tour because of this cd set...I don't think so.

http://www.sonymusicstore.com/store/catalog/MerchandiseDetails.jsp?selectionId=90540&sms=258081-tik

just another good/bad day in the life of me2

I could tell you about the drama in my life, but I doubt you'd believe it.

hehehehehe :)

mine isnt as sexual lately-sorry

Mine isn't sexual either. In fact, things have been quite dull on that front since things didn't work out with the woman from WV. It has much more to do with politics in my singles club.

On another subject, I got this email in my bulk mail folder and I'm not even on Ebay! So if anyone else gets this, it's really a fairly well documented scam. Don't fall for it!

Dear valued eBay member:
It has come to our attention that your eBay billing informations are
out of order. If you could please take 5-10 minutes out of your
online experience and update your personal records you will not run
into any future problems with the online service. However, failure
to update your records will result in account suspension. Please
update your records by August 30th.

Once you have updated your account records your eBay session will not be
interrupted and will continue as normal. Failure to update will result in
cancellation of service, Terms of Service (TOS) violations or future
problems.

To update your eBay records click here:
http://cgi1.ebay.com/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?UPdate

eBay Update team
http://www.ebay.com

soooo, at first I thought-wow-wish I woulda seen the MTV music awards last night---after I saw this mornings newspaper with Madonna and Brittney kissing-tounge and all.

then I got angry that it was 'ok' for 2 women of such power to tell/show my daughters its ok to kiss other women. If its on tv it must be ok. NOT.
now thinking I need to re-explain the tv 'ok/not ok' thing again with them.

I don't condone nor bash bi-sexualality- - we all answer to God in the end and if thats what they want to do with their lives - but I do disagree when a person, that many kids look up to, oks' an immoral act that defies all that we have taught our girls. I do not condone it even though others think it is ok to do. Who is to say a gay man thinks what he is doing is moral/immoral? I am sure they don't think they are wrong as I don't think I am wrong.

Well, I am glad my kids didn't watch it last night either BUT then it is in the paper today (tounge and all) and online-now I have to hide the paper in the recycling if I don't want to discuss it with them-

I don't like being put in a position to feel like I have to protect my children but at the same time educate them!

so do I openly expose them to what happened by showing them the newspaper and explaining how some people think its 'ok' to do but I do not think it is ok? or let them hear about it 20 years from now as a moment that went down in tv history.

I guess I was bummed that I missed Madonna 'Like A Virgin' crawling on the floor- at the MTV Awards when I was a kid BUT I did get to see the ceremony where radio host Howard Stern's BUTTMAN appeared -and it is all in the past now as tv history-

I don't like being put in a position to feel like I have to protect my children but at the same time educate them!

You may not like it but it became your job as soon as you gave birth. No take-backs. Sorry.

then I got angry that it was 'ok' for 2 women of such power to tell/show my daughters its ok to kiss other women.

It's not ok for women to kiss other women? I think I missed that ruling.

It's entirely possible that they would have chosen to show that whether they believed it was ok to show it or not. If they don't believe what they were doing was wrong, then why shouldn't they show it? Should we not allow Christian programming on TV because some people think Christianity is reprehensible? What makes it ok to show is that we have free speech in this country, as well as freedom to believe what you will.

I don't condone nor bash bi-sexualality

So then what is your basis for saying it's not even ok to kiss someone of the same sex?

Who is to say a gay man thinks what he is doing is moral/immoral?

I would assume the gay man would know what he was thinking. :-P

I don't like being put in a position to feel like I have to protect my children but at the same time educate them!

Education is protection. Knowledge is power. Forewarned is forearmed. Ignorance is what makes us frightened and vulnerable.

so do I openly expose them to what happened by showing them the newspaper and explaining how some people think its 'ok' to do but I do not think it is ok?

You might likely be asked why you think it's not ok.

I didn't bash it here
and I don't say it is ok
therefore I dont condone and dont bash :)

I knew I would pull something outa you AW-that is what I was looking for ;p

I don't like being put in a position to feel like I have to protect my children but at the same time educate them!

Education is protection. Knowledge is power. Forewarned is forearmed. Ignorance is what makes us frightened and vulnerable.

I agree -wonderfully said- you know me -the words never come out the way I want them too...

I do like to protect my kids but it is almost as my husband says "pick your battles". I want them to know everything and make good choices. not loosing their moral judgements in the process. Just a worried mom-trying to have faith in my kids choices is all.

I actually have a friend who's boyfriend says he doesnt care how the kids come out-and that it is a waste of time to educate them on 'street smarts' so to speak because they are already genetically on a path. that they will come out the same way no matter what.
:( geeesh

Ignorance is what makes us frightened and vulnerable.

Maybe ignorance makes "us" bold and daring.

Maybe ignorance makes "us" bold and daring.

I guess it works for and against kids that way. There's plenty of times I wish I was a bit more ignorant so I can pursue with a little less caution. Although you still need to learn from your mistakes.

Nice to see ya over here in the 'hood' JB

One thing that I think is good that can come of it is that you talk to your kids about tv. You may not have before, but maybe now they will look at things a bit more critically, or you may also.

Without getting into the gay/bisexual debate here, I am just wondering one thing... don't you think there are much worse things on tv that you need to 'protect' your children from than two women kissing?

I guess I am just surprised that this is the first time that you felt it necessary to educate the children about tv, with all the violence and sex that is on these days.

I can't even imagine the type of things that will be on tv when I get around to raise kids of my own if things keep going at this rate.

I'm of the opinion that knowledge is power. If you try to sweep this under the rug and cover all traces that something like this has ever happened, your kids aren't going to be as equipped to deal with it when the do see two women (or men) kissing. And face it, they're going to sooner or later.

The more you talk about it, the more they are able to internalize and the better off they are. They'll have some context, and your POV, as background next time.

guess I am just surprised that this is the first time that you felt it necessary to educate the children about tv, with all the violence and sex that is on these days.

well #1 I never said it was the "first time" talking about whats on tv. I actually talk with them a lot-there is something on almost every program. which is probly my biggest gripe- I am tired of turning the tv on and having another thing to explain-it seams never ending. Which that particular awards show did not help and was not just on tv but in the newspaper so it made it seam as if it were an even bigger deal that it got exposure.

I have had a terribly stressful 2 weeks and to add one more thing to it (talking to the kids about 'another' program...I am gonna pull my hair out- cause I personally don't want to watch Barney or the Wiggles. But then again I don't like my hair either so maybe going bald will be a new look for me ;p

I have been trying to talk Sarah into reading the newspaper on a daily or weekly basis---so far she is reading the funnies :)
and when she does begin reading the local and worldly news there will be more questions to answer. I just need a break is all! YOU JUST WAIT TIL YOU HAVE KIDS-Kids and Timmers - ;p

Kinda like when a 5 year old asks you "where babies come from"- you answer questions as they are brought to you BUT there are times when the parent needs to bring the answer to them before they hear the question-

Have you talked to your kids about drugs before their friends do? ;)
that kinda thing

oh, by the way...yes, I have talked to them about drugs.

There are still landmines here! Seriously, I went into the capitol and
the doctor was like "didn't you know that San Marcos was hit hard by the war and
there are still mines in the field?" Greaaaaat. Considering how much walking
in the woods and on old foot paths I do, I'll be steppin' lightly.

So speaking of other crazy stuff in the world, my house got hit by a
boracho!! Yeah, this drunk driver crashed into the corner of my house and kept
on driving!! At least the inside is still in tact. My house is all adobe with
a crappy coat of crappy guatemalan concrete so it's suuuper fragile and now
crumbly. I was outside fixing the electrical wiring to my house when it
happened.

So did I tell you we had a pretty sizeable earthquake here? Yeah, about three
nights ago I woke up because the wind was really strong and all the sudden the
house started to shake! Now, I felt some tremors during training but this was
strong and lengthy. Nothing broke or fell but it definitely got my attention.
The thing is that that was a Mild earthquake according to my neighbors, which
incidentally seem to enjoy letting their expletive sheep, pigs, dogs, horses, and
chickens graze in my yard. I got back at one though, this one woman keeps using
my water without permission (my sink is outside) and letting her donkey eat and
poop in my back yard so one day and ran out and Booga Booed the ass, scared it
and it took off down the road, about half a second later I see her running down
the road after it. She's like 4 feet nothing in her colorful mayan clothes
cursing in spanish. She didn't know it was me. I was laughing sosososooooo
hard.

Anyway, the dangers just keep piling up because Monday I was out measuring some
land and I fell off a mountain! Well, it's not that serious but we walk
through the wilderness without machetes for some reason and I can't see but
three inches in front of me and I certainly can't tell what's under foot so I
didn't see this 10 foot cliff and I slipped on some veg and BAM! Man, my ankles
were suuuuper hurtin' and my left arm was all bloody. I guess that's what
scares me out here. You get injured and your ass is on your own. The bomberos
(firefighters) might be able to get to you in a few hours but I'm nine hours
from American standard of medicine.

Remember that land war I told you about? Well, there's still this dude with a
machine gun standing 24 hours a day over the water well. I pass him on the way
out of town. Funnnn...

So one last bit of fun news: the state department issued a travel warning for
Americans in Guate about the upcoming elections and the probability of violence
against us. This sucks because A.) I have to be in the capitol for medical
checkups for my excema, and B.) every year Embassy families invite volunteers to
celebrate Thanksgiving with them and the next day we have a ropa party that's
supposedly off the hook. Basically, you find the most outrageous clothes and
wear it to the Raddison Hotel. I'll try to take pictures for ya'! PC has been
kicked out of every hotel after this party. BUT, with the violence around the
elections, the director is thinking of canceling both events.

Wow, it sounds like I would really like your son if I ever met him, but he needs to learn the skill of "mom proofing" his writing. It sounds like he made it sound more dangerous than he had to, when he should be doing the opposite. That being said, my thoughts and prayers are with him, I hope he can maintain his safety while in Guatemala.

I told him ahead of time not to mom proof his letters. We work at straight honesty in this house.

And thanks for the prayers and good thoughts.

Me2, I've already thought about how Miranda and I want to handle things with our kids. What we want to talk to them about, how we want to handle things, what will be of concern. Nothing real concrete yet, but we've discussed it.

Terry, I hope your son can come back safe and sound. We're all thinking of him and praying for him.

Kids - I'm so impressed with the thought you've put into your marriage and family. You'll both do great!

And thanks. Two years from now he'll be home unless things blowup there and they send them out early.

I'll be totally gray by then.

Terry, when you're in the situation that Miranda and I are in, in a way you can't help but do that. Granted her and I are ones who will try to head off problems before they arise. But since we can't see each other as much, we have to talk about things. We talk about so much, with the future being one of the things we discuss. It helps us get a sense of the future, what is to come. To be prepared for it as much as we can. We want to raise our children the best we can, and we want to be in agreement on things. We both take raising children as such an important task.

And thank you.

If everyone thought about things this much ahead of time, there'd be fewer unwanted children in the world - and it would be a better place.

Going through the adoption process, I thought then how if everyone had to go through that much soul searching and talking about what, why, when, how, there would probably not be many children to adopt.

And your welcome.