Difficult. The DB here is upstairs unable to write a five line poem involving metaphor. It is made more difficult by having 'about someone in the class' as the subject. For heaven's sake.
Love and food and going to sleep on time, then. Plus lots of chilling That's my next suggestion. Even when one so huge has just eaten a massive meal there is always a tiny corner to be filled. And sleep permits even more growth. (BTW, he must be tired after the tour.)
Megan said it so well: GL. I'm thinking of you as I go off upstairs to offer support.
"who later set the speed record for a woman on the trail."
Am I the only one who finds this idea a little insane? When did hiking the Appalachian Trail become a competitive sport? Whatever happened to simply enjoying being in nature?
Oh well.
saef, sorry about the friend who has decided to undergo radiation therapy. That is no picnic, and I doubt it will gain her much. The place you stayed sounds wonderful, though.
The charges for my hospital stay and treatment due to the dog bite have come through. Had I not had insurance, the cost would have been over $20,000. But I do have insurance, and so my cost is $147.
People think they don't need health insurance until something like this happens.
Sending congrats to Becky's DS for his choral group's performances and supportive thoughts to Becky for that head-banging part of parenting. My DS is now 20 years past that age and is a contributing member of society. There were moments when such seemed in doubt.
I have yet-another-eating-opportunity this evening at a reception where the food will be good enough but the atmosphere will magically make me want to consume double portions as if it were the greatest meal on earth. Gotta remember: catered = 'good enough' - it's not gourmet. Obviously I'm trying to convince someone here about that. Perhaps all caps: IT'S JUST GOOD ENOUGH - so you don't have to over eat.
My contribution to planet earth last night was to cut three foot sections from a roll of chicken wire for DW to make cages to protect some newly planted's from local voracious rabbits. It's not legal here in the city to blast them with shotguns as is the want of all the gentle gardeners who face them.
The charges for my hospital stay and treatment due to the dog bite have come through. Had I not had insurance, the cost would have been over $20,000. But I do have insurance, and so my cost is $147.
Having worked for many years in a hospital billing office I know that those without insurance can often request the same or similar discounts offered to insurers. Quite frankly the overcharges that hospitals get away with is horrific.
All Canadians used to be covered by the federal health plan and everyone over 21 who worked contributed into it quarterly, based on our income. Now that system has been scrapped and those with money get faster and more varied treatment by going to private clinics. The rest of us get basic stuff looked after and most of it is paid for by provincial plans. Some is not. I always ask though I doubt I could avoid certain things if they cost a lot - like having my finger stitched and having my tonsils out. Not DIY projects certainly.
I really envy those people who have dental and medical plans. I have never worked for any corporate or government department so never have had any kind of coverage for anything. There are a lot of things I would have had attended to had I the money or even partial help for payment.
All Canadians used to be covered by the federal health plan and everyone over 21 who worked contributed into it quarterly, based on our income. Now that system has been scrapped and those with money get faster and more varied treatment by going to private clinics. The rest of us get basic stuff looked after and most of it is paid for by provincial plans. Some is not. I always ask though I doubt I could avoid certain things if they cost a lot - like having my finger stitched and having my tonsils out. Not DIY projects certainly.
I really envy those people who have dental and medical plans. I have never worked for any corporate or government department so never have had any kind of coverage for anything. There are a lot of things I would have had attended to had I the money or even partial help for payment.
Good thing I look after my health.
Dagmar
I don't know... We here in BC still contribute monthly according to income (or you can pay quarterly or yearly if you wish) for BC Medical. Of course there are a few clinics around that are private and if you decide you need your MRI tomorrow - you can get it for a price. Since I moved out of the house at 18 I haven't had a dental or optometric plan, but I haven't need one either, and I'm 50 now. My hubby works for himself and has never had dental or optometric either. We just pay for our dental cleaning and treatment and my contact lenses & eye health apptmts out of pocket. If you are on gov't assistance, you can get the basics done. If either of us need major dental we will head to Mexico and get it there - we have relatives on both sides with great experiences doing this. All I can say is I'm glad that if I had a heart attack tomorrow, I wouldn't have to mortgage my house and declare bankruptcy just to stay in the hospital and get treatment. (My sis-in law is married to an American; they live in Maryland and she had to have some expensive cancer surgery & treatment done a few years ago. Whoo boy, did I feel for them!)
BTW, it is sunny & 21C here and headed to 24 degrees by Thursday - Home of the Northernmost extension of the Sonoran Desert.... Well... ok, I'm slightly north of Osoyoos, but not by much, sorry to rub it in Mudpie
Last edited by canadjineh; 04-29-2014 at 07:16 PM.
Reason: added thoughts...
Becky, as a high school teacher I can tell you, that is the same with many boys. One thing that I have heard of working is to take him on a college tour. The official tour. There he will hear from the tour guide, a student, what is required to get in. Pick a school that is fun, like your state school with good football or BB or whatever he likes and pick a school that is more academic. If you can't go before school is out, then go early in the summer. If you do too many, he will become bored, but if you just do a couple that are places he likes, it is usually motivating. It might not work, but worth a try. If he's a rebel, don't take him where you guys went!
I can't tell you how many former boys I have taught that I either run into, or hear from, or hear about, many years later who graduated college and have great careers. Kids that I thought would flunk out the first year in college! I teach mostly boys since I teach CS so the few girls I teach are always top of the class so I don't have experience with girls who are not motivated.
Thank you all for the kind support! DS14 is a magnificent human - he really is. He's musical, smart, funny, twisted, compassionate, "carefully adventurous" and I just want to make sure he doesn't eliminate himself from any of the options he could have with bone-headed screw-ups, like digging a grade point average hole that he can't climb back out of in 3 years. CalCounter, the early tours might be a very good idea.
Becky, if he is musical then you can visit a college with a music program. Musical people are usually good in comp sci, so see if his HS offers a comp sci programming class. I have seen many kids who didn't care about grades discover they love programming and then do better in their classes.
Sorry, teacher hat on for a moment there! Just ignore whatever advise I give! Good luck!
I am Sooooo tired this morning! It's just the third day back after spring break and I'm more tired than before the break! I am however very excited to drive to work in the new car!
Canadjineh We are planning on retiring to either Kelowna, Osoyoos, or Kamloops, all due to weather and living cost. I've been to Kelowna so far and it was gorgeous, particularly the orchards and mountains ringing the town. I went in August so the weather was hot but beautiful.
Becky, why do I think you'd be really cool (and also understanding) to have as a mom? In the great lottery of life, your son could've drawn a lot worse.
I've got tight, painful shoulders after an epic fail with the WebEx application, which enables one to run a meeting with a video and to share PowerPoint slide decks. This was a meeting that about 15 people attended, including a fellow manager. Our conference room was co-opted, another that I tried to quickly reserve was snatched out from under me, and I ended up canceling in a flurry of failed emails. They had to follow the PowerPoint deck manually on their desktops while listening to me talk.
So now I'm writing a document on deadline and looking out onto hard-falling rain. They say four inches of rain over two days. Home in NY, our floodwall isn't up yet, of course -- we're taking contractors' bids -- but we are sandbagged. So I'll try not to think about that and focus on the job.
Okanagan! I've just done some work on 'health and wellness' for a client there. From this distance (!), it seems like an interesting and lively place. Gets cold in the valley in the winter, doesn't it? And good for skiing?
Okanagan! I've just done some work on 'health and wellness' for a client there. From this distance (!), it seems like an interesting and lively place. Gets cold in the valley in the winter, doesn't it? And good for skiing?
Cold - WHAT??? In Canada??? Seriously though apparently the closest we get to a "desert" in this country is Osoyoos. Never been there but on the realtor's map it looks like a big bedroom community. I want a bit more of a cultural hub (with an airport) and I visited Kelowna and found it very nice indeed. There is skiing in BC - Whistler I think mainly - but obviously I'm not in any way a skiier and don't know squat about it.
Hope to get there when I'm about 67 or so - 10 more years of slogging through the Ontario winter.
Dagmar~one of the people I "know" on my Lab board chat board told a story of her dog getting bitten by a coyote up there in Ontario. I'm not sure exactly where she lives but calls it Tri Cities. Kind of scary. Her dog had to have a bunch of stitches.
DS14 is a magnificent human - he really is. He's musical, smart, funny, twisted, compassionate, "carefully adventurous" and I just want to make sure he doesn't eliminate himself from any of the options he could have with bone-headed screw-ups, like digging a grade point average hole that he can't climb back out of in 3 years. CalCounter, the early tours might be a very good idea. 
the 
weather
Seriously though apparently the closest we get to a "desert" in this country is Osoyoos. Never been there but on the realtor's map it looks like a big bedroom community. I want a bit more of a cultural hub (with an airport) and I visited Kelowna and found it very nice indeed. There is skiing in BC - Whistler I think mainly - but obviously I'm not in any way a skiier and don't know squat about it. 
