Welcome to Summer vacations

The Family Summer Vacations For Four Page

Latest Family Summer Vacations For Four News

Vacation Bible School - Duluth News Tribune

Vacation Bible School will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, 2701 W. 3rd Street, Duluth, MN 55806 from Monday August 16 through Friday August 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 each evening at the church. Dinner will ...

Mrs. Obama's 'vacation' - Fresno Bee

Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha arrive in Spain Security was tight at the posh Hotel Villa Padierna in southern Spain as Michelle Obama and her 9-year-old daughter Sasha arrived for a summer vacation in a ...

Obama Gulf trip part vacation, part sales pitch - Tri-City Herald

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama is taking his family to the Florida Panhandle this weekend. The trip is billed as part family vacation, part presidential sales pitch, as Obama looks to boost the region's ...

Sasha Obama Enjoys Her Summer - Elites TV

With sister Malia off at camp and dad running the free world, Sasha and Michelle Obama had some time to kill this summer. The two headed to Spain, and as you can tell from these photos, the Obamas don’t have to stay on ...

Vineyard buzzes less for Obamas’ second visit - Boston Globe

OAK BLUFFS — Sharky’s Cantina is once again mixing its “Obamarita’’ cocktail, with tastes of the president’s favorite fruits, and the Locker Room on Circuit Avenue has restocked the “I vacationed ...

Family vacation - tips for traveling with kids - Examiner

Continuing the series on travel tips, we take a look at traveling with kids. With the summer travel season getting closer, many families will be taking their kids on vacation. For some, this will be road trips to the ...

Members of Austin church use family vacation to distribute Bibles - Baptist Standard

The shy 10-year-old glanced down at the ground, embarrassed by the fact that his brown hair and fair skin made him stand out in a crowd of Chinese. He tried to make himself smaller than his four-feet nine-inch frame ...

Are You Maintaining a Cottage Vacation Home - Associated Content

3. Throw away anything that you do not actually need. If you have a set of chipped plates or plastic glasses, throw them away. Any knickknacks that will only gather dust eventually should also be thrown out ...

Best Family Vacations Around the World - Luxist

Luxist readers have nominated their favorite luxury destinations for families around the world. From Scotland to Hawaii and South Africa, these destinations offer wonderful programs tailored specifically for ...

Resolved Question: What is your opinion about the Obamas going to the Gulf for a "vacation"?

Do you think this trip to the Gulf is an attempt to do damage control over the highly criticized trip to Spain and is just a PR stunt? Some people are going to answer that she's a private citizen and can travel wherever she wants to. However, she's not a private citizen. She's the First Lady of the United States. What are your opinions on the Obamas and the decisions they're making during a Recession that many of us are still struggling through. Thanks. President Obama is taking his family to Florida's Gulf Coast this weekend in what the White House is billing as a show of support for the region's struggling businesses after the BP oil spill. The president, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia are scheduled to travel Saturday to Panama City, a popular tourist spot that has seen a huge drop in visitors this summer after tar balls from the oil spill washed ashore. Last month, the first lady traveled to the city in a bid to boost visitor traffic, calling the beaches there "pristine." "Everybody should come!" she urged. But the First Family won't actually spend much time in the region. According to the White House, the Obamas will spend roughly 27 hours on the ground in Panama City -- far less than they have on other vacation jaunts this summer. All told, this will be the seventh vacation that the first lady has taken this summer. Last week, Michelle Obama came under fire for a four-day trip she took to Spain with Sasha and several friends. The White House has said she took the trip to comfort a grieving friend. more

Resolved Question: Questions that i don't get? please help and explain your answer!?

1. a teacher divides Camp Greenfield into 5 squads for a contest. each squad competes against each of the other 4 squads two times. the contest lasted for 2 hours. if only one pair of teams competes at a time and all of the competitions take the same amount of time, how long is each competition? (A) 6 min (B) 10 min (C) 12 min (D) 15 min (E) 24 min 2. when the cousin's club decided to plan their summer barbecue, they found that 14 members could only meet in June, 10 members could only meet in July, 12 members could only meet in August. also, 3 members could meet in July and or august, 2 members could only meet in June or august, and 2 members could only meet in June or July. there were 22 cousins who could meet in June. what was the total number of cousins who could meet in July? (A) 15 (B) 16 (C) 17 (D) 18 (E) 19 3. how many different odd numbers can be written containing exactly four of the digits, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 if the number is smaller than 2,000 and none of the digits are repeated? (A) 6 (B) 9 (C) 12 (D) 24 (E) 27 4. there are five members in the family, on their vacation, they plan to rent 2 canoes. each canoe safely seats three people. how many ways can the family group themselves in the canoes? (A) 3 (B) 5 (C) 10 (D) 12 (E) 20 more

Resolved Question: Is it possible for a human and a dog to have this strong of a bond? Or am I just lucky?

First I would like to say, this is NOT a joke. I'm telling you people the truth. I've had a Boston Terrier for almost two years now. Her name is Zoey. I swear, its like, we were meant to find each other and be great friends. I know it sounds like I'm talking about a person, but I'm not. This is the bond my dog and I have. Its almost like she understands me. I've never trained her to do any of this stuff. It just came naturally. As soon as I saw her, we became attached, instantly. I begged my parents to buy her for me. And when I took her home, she gave me so many kisses it was almost like she was saying thank you. Zoey gave me these looks on the way home to that were sincere, like she meant it. As soon as I got her home, I showed her all of the rooms and let her explore on her own. I followed her so she couldn't get hurt and fall or something. She needed help to get upstairs, so I carried her. And she went to my room last, and stayed there with me for hours, laying on my lap and sleeping while I watched TV. She followed me everywhere, and I didn't mind at all and she still does. Zoey has helped me when I have bad days, and helped me feel better when I have a tough time. Like when my Grandma had cancer, she still does. Zoey is with me every step of my day when I'm home. She sleeps in my room. Curled up next to me, with her paw on my hand. When I can't sleep, she stays up with me, no matter how tired she might get. I tell her to get some sleep, but she sticks her tongue out at me, gives me a kiss and lays back down, next to me, with her paw on my hand. Zoey even gives me "high fives" or should I say, in her case it would be a "paw four" since she doesn't have her dew claws. Whenever I leave Zoey, she whines, my parents tell me she doesn't stop. When I leave for school and get on the bus, my parents tell me she sits at the door and whines for a while. Then lays down and takes a nap to pass the time away. She has memorized the sound of the school bus, and when she hears it, she runs to the door and waits for me. When I walk through the door, Zoey is right there, she jumps up, gives me kisses and then follows me everywhere for the rest of the night. Right now, its my summer vacation and she can't stand it when I leave her. When I wake up, I open my bedroom door and I find Zoey right there, she jumps up, and puts her paws on my waist and gives me a kiss. Almost like its a hug. Its almost like we're connected. She has the same emotions as me, and even has the same personality as me. Energetic, outgoing, and a little sassy. My friends and family say I'm just imagining things, but I know I'm not. Also, we even kind of have our own communication. If she wants something she barks. I'll ask her what she wants, and when I get to it, she jumps up and barks. Usually she just wants me to hold her and give her a kiss. I take her for walks every day, and play outside in the backyard with her everyday. When she was limping, my parents thought she hurt her leg while playing. I knew it was something more. Turns out, it was Patella Luxation so severe, Zoey needed pills to help the pain. After a few weeks of begging my parents to take her to the vet, and then Zoey finally not able to deal with the pain, wouldn't walk on that leg that was hurting her. After she came home, she gave me kisses and "hugged" me. Almost like it was a thank you. Now, we're even closer. Its so crazy how close we are. When I'm not with her, it feels like a part of me is missing. Is it possible for a dog and its owner to have this strong of a bond? Is it common? Or am I just lucky? I am going to say this again, I'm NOT making this up. Its the truth. So if you're going to say this can't be possible, or its my imagination, just leave the question and don't bother answering. Because I won't choose you for best answer, and it will be a waste of your time typing it, and for me too read the answer. Thanks to anyone who can answer. Sorry this is so long. I had to tell the full story.@ Newlookz, I have no idea what you are talking about. It almost sounds like you're just saying things to get points.@ Dylan: You didnt answer my question. I wanted to know if this was normal. All I got was, "I think dogs are easier to bond with" more

Resolved Question: falling in love with someone you haven't met?

Falling for someone you haven't met? So I posted something about a year ago similar to this and I'm still not satisfied So I have been talking to this guy almost a year it will be one year on august 11th. I met him accidental last year and we just connected. I was 16 when I met him and he was 17 and he lived in Holland while i lived in Canada. At first I was like no way am I going to fall for someone I haven't met but that wasn't the case. After talking to him for someone times I knew I had deep feelings for him and vice-versa. We said we love each other and stuff and I really thought I was in love with him, I had all these feelings I never felt before. Like whenever I see him online my heart skips a beat, and he could always make me feel happy whenever I'm sad and I feel depress when we don't get to talk for awhile. I decided that I must be in love. About four months talking to each other we had and ran into a decision that this wasn't really going to work. We want to see each other and stuff that normally people do in a relationship. After awhile he told me it wasn't going to work that we were getting to serious with each other and it just going hurt us both in the long run. That totally broke my heart for awhile because we didn't end up talking for weeks; we said we will just be friends with each other still. But after sometime we started talking again and it was different then how we use to talk. Though on my 17th birthday he called me not for long though. At first I was like shocked finally hear his voice, and then I was very flustered because I didn't know what to say, but after awhile I felt so happy. I knew that I still had feelings for him but not to point where I was in love. So we still ended up talking not a lot at first but after while we talked more again and our conversations were starting go back how it was once were. I found out that he had a girlfriend awhile go but he said he still had feelings for me, i was totally crushed by this, but I thought I just want him happy and if she can make him happy then I'm fine with it. After awhile he told me he loved me again, I was shocked hear that, but I thought he doesn't really mean it cause he is still with his girlfriend. On his 18 birthday I had promised to call him and we talk much longer this time, it felt good to hear his voice. I realized that I was not over him and I was starting to feel like I am falling all over again. I think we had this silent agreement long time ago where we could have other relationships with other people, because we weren’t really in a relationship kind of thing. We never thought of each other as boyfriend/girlfriend thing. So we had many talks of wanting to meet up with each other and I told him that next year we might. I’m going to go backpack through Europe with my friends after graduations, once he heard that he was so happy, telling me that he can’t wait for that to happen and stuff. So this brings me down to what I need help with, my family didn’t know about him; I kept it a secret because I know how they work and they are strict and they would never approve of such a thing. Though one day my sister found out and I got in a lot of trouble telling me I couldn’t not talk to him and stuff. Though I do still talk to him but not as much and its summer now and he went on vacation and it’s almost been a month since we talked and I really miss him. I must have bored you with my life story here but I really needed to get it off my chest and I really don’t know what to do with this situation.That part with him having a girlfriend and my family finding out really bugs me. I’m not really jealous that he has a girlfriend it’s more like I envy her. But I don’t know if he really loves her because why would he keep talking to me, and I don’t know why he says he loves me when he’s in a relationship. I know many people would believe why you are still talking to him when he doesn’t feel the exact same even if he tells me he loves me .He told me that his girlfriend found out about me and told him to stop talking to me but he said he would never do that that what we have is something special and could not stop talking to me, same goes for me. We both grew an attachment toward each other and won’t let go. While I read this I feel I sound very easy and naive and gullible. I would very much like if people can tell their input on this situation. All I know that I not really sure what I have with him will work out but right now I’m not willing to let go. more

Resolved Question: Which place has more to offer to a family of four, Las Vegas or San Francisco?

For this summer, I'd like our family to go to either one of these places that we haven't visited in awhile. We have two boys, twelve and two. San Francisco is a lot cooler temperature wise than Vegas. I am thinking SF is more sightseeing than summer water activities that Vegas has to offer in their numerous hotel choices. While Vegas has water activities, is there anything else for my kids to do? What about SF other than sightseeing in the typical places one visits, what else is there to do? We have four days to enjoy our mini vacation. more

Voting Question: Can you try to diagnose my skin disease?

About four years back, an itchy rash began to develop on my arms, torso and legs. It was red in color. It appeared after I, during my summer vacations, got drenched with mud (it was a very moist monsoon). When I scratched it it would break and spread, often bleeding. My legs ended up covered with large yellow-green sores which bled very often. After consulting several doctors,my mother, unsatisfied with their diagnosis, turned to Ayurveda. I was put on a vegan diet during this time (no eggs, no fish, no meat or fungi of any kind). I spent the rest of the vacation (four months) covered in medicine. By the end the rashes had disappeared, but my arms and legs were covered with large, disfiguring black marks. And every year after,when I went back to my home country for my summer vacations (the place where it all began) the rashes would come back. My mother suspected that it would be a food allergy and tested my resilience to different foods. I noticed that my rashes grew significantly worse the day after I had consumed something with egg, corn, cornflour, white flour (white bread), corn grits, lemon juice and other citrus-based foods (like concentrated orange juice). However, I had no problem with whole-wheat bread, mandarin oranges and popcorn. And my bread allergies never showed themselves in my residential country. A family friend suggested gluten allergies, but I have no history of food allergies (only dust, and that is something else). There are differences in the country I vacation in. Not really for the sake of vacationing, but my parents insist on visiting our ancestral relatives. It is very moist and rainy there. My residential country is in the middle east and very dry. It would be very helpful if you could suggest a cause. If you could add a solution and foods to stay away from, I would be much obliged. I am a teenager, and it is terrible when people shun you because of your physical appearance. And, as you may understand from my language, I am often lonely. I don't participate insports becasue of this, and have become quiet and unpleasant. I always wear full-sleeved and full-legged clothes so that people don't stare. I hope you can give me an answer, and I hope I didn't sound whiny, self-pitying or overly angsty. If so, I apologize. more

Resolved Question: falling for someone you haven't met?

So I posted something about a year ago similar to this and I'm still not satisfied So I have been talking to this guy almost a year it will be one year on august 11th. I met him accidental last year and we just connected. I was 16 when I met him and he was 17 and he lived in Holland while i lived in Canada. At first I was like no way am I going to fall for someone I haven't met but that wasn't the case. After talking to him for someone times I knew I had deep feelings for him and vice-versa. We said we love each other and stuff and I really thought I was in love with him, I had all these feelings I never felt before. Like whenever I see him online my heart skips a beat, and he could always make me feel happy whenever I'm sad and I feel depress when we don't get to talk for awhile. I decided that I must be in love. About four months talking to each other we had and ran into a decision that this wasn't really going to work. We want to see each other and stuff that normally people do in a relationship. After awhile he told me it wasn't going to work that we were getting to serious with each other and it just going hurt us both in the long run. That totally broke my heart for awhile because we didn't end up talking for weeks; we said we will just be friends with each other still. But after sometime we started talking again and it was different then how we use to talk. Though on my 17th birthday he called me not for long though. At first I was like shocked finally hear his voice, and then I was very flustered because I didn't know what to say, but after awhile I felt so happy. I knew that I still had feelings for him but not to point where I was in love. So we still ended up talking not a lot at first but after while we talked more again and our conversations were starting go back how it was once were. I found out that he had a girlfriend awhile go but he said he still had feelings for me, i was totally crushed by this, but I thought I just want him happy and if she can make him happy then I'm fine with it. After awhile he told me he loved me again, I was shocked hear that, but I thought he doesn't really mean it cause he is still with his girlfriend. On his 18 birthday I had promised to call him and we talk much longer this time, it felt good to hear his voice. I realized that I was not over him and I was starting to feel like I am falling all over again. I think we had this silent agreement long time ago where we could have other relationships with other people, because we weren’t really in a relationship kind of thing. We never thought of each other as boyfriend/girlfriend thing. So we had many talks of wanting to meet up with each other and I told him that next year we might. I’m going to go backpack through Europe with my friends after graduations, once he heard that he was so happy, telling me that he can’t wait for that to happen and stuff. So this brings me down to what I need help with, my family didn’t know about him; I kept it a secret because I know how they work and they are strict and they would never approve of such a thing. Though one day my sister found out and I got in a lot of trouble telling me I couldn’t not talk to him and stuff. Though I do still talk to him but not as much and its summer now and he went on vacation and it’s almost been a month since we talked and I really miss him. I must have bored you with my life story here but I really needed to get it off my chest and I really don’t know what to do with this situation.That part with him having a girlfriend and my family finding out really bugs me. I’m not really jealous that he has a girlfriend it’s more like I envy her. But I don’t know if he really loves her because why would he keep talking to me, and I don’t know why he says he loves me when he’s in a relationship. I know many people would believe why you are still talking to him when he doesn’t feel the exact same even if he tells me he loves me .He told me that his girlfriend found out about me and told him to stop talking to me but he said he would never do that that what we have is something special and could not stop talking to me, same goes for me. We both grew an attachment toward each other and won’t let go. While I read this I feel I sound very easy and naive and gullible. I would very much like if people can tell their input on this situation. All I know that I not really sure what I have with him will work out but right now I’m not willing to let go.i really hope people will read this and give me some advise because this has been on my mind forever, the first time didn't help much, hopefully this one will more

Resolved Question: How does this prologue sound?

I'm writing a novel about my trip to Louisiana, and this is the prologue. This guy I know wants me to send it to him, but I don't know if it's good enough. And plus I'm scared of what he'll think XD So, below is the prologue. Can you read it and tell me what you think, please? Thanks! PROLOGUE “I don’t know why I bought this stupid thing,” Lainie muttered to herself, referring to the old, worn suitcase she was packing for her eighteen day trip to Louisiana. It was true – she couldn’t remember why she bought it. After all, the black and white camouflage design wasn’t exactly eye-appealing, and it was really bright, so no one would be able to miss it. Under normal circumstances, Lainie wouldn’t have been caught dead with something so hideous, but she didn’t have the time to look for a better-looking suitcase, now. After a long and miserable school year, summer had finally arrived and that was the time that the whole family separated to go to different places. Zane, Lainie’s brother, would go to Washington D.C. with his father. Lainie’s mother and step father, Tanya and Thomas, would go to Steubenville, Ohio to visit Thomas’s family. Lainie knew her mother and step father would want to vacation by themselves this year, so she took the opportunity to visit her dysfunctional, Cajun family in New Iberia, Louisiana. Normally, Tanya wouldn’t let Lainie go for more than ten days, but since no one was going to be home for at least two weeks, this was an exception. “You bought it because it stood out. No one else would have one like it, so you’d always know what bag was yours at baggage claim,” Tanya answered with a little smile. She was sitting on Lainie’s bed, watching her pack her suitcase. “Besides,” She continued, “I told you it was ugly before you even bought it. You wouldn’t listen.” “Oh. Right,” Lainie mumbled, not really paying attention to her mother. She was packing the last of her clothes and trying to get the suitcase to close and zip up. “Are you excited about visiting your grandparents?” Tanya asked, crossing her ankles, watching Lainie struggle with the suitcase. “I guess.” “You guess?” “I’ve seen them plenty of times, before. We do the exact same thing every time I go there. I’m happy I’ll get to see them again, but I’m not excited about sitting around and doing nothing for eighteen days.” Lainie finally zipped up her suitcase got off of the floor to sit next to her mother on the bed. “They’re old. All they like to do nowadays is take naps and go to church.” Tanya laughed. “You should enjoy going to church.” “Going to church makes you a believer just as much as standing in a bathroom makes you a toilet.” Lainie smiled at her clever comment. “There is always Carrie,” Tanya said, more to herself. Carrie, Lainie’s cousin, wasn’t exactly the best influence, and Tanya regretted even mentioning Carrie’s name. “I’m sure she’ll find a lot of trouble for you. That’s exciting, right?” Lainie giggled, but didn’t answer. Lainie and Carrie had a history of getting in trouble together. There was the time they accidently rode Carrie’s four-wheeler into a ditch, and the time they messed with the horse next door to Carrie’s house, and the old man it belonged to ran outside with his shotgun, and the time Carrie stole her sister’s car and took Lainie on a drive through town without a permit or license. Carrie was an exciting person, and did like to find trouble. Even though Lainie didn’t enjoy the getting-in-trouble part, Carrie always found things to do and never got bored. Lainie was suddenly excited to go to Louisiana. “Get some sleep, little girl,” Tanya heaved a sigh and stood up, straightening out her shorts. “Your flight leaves early, tomorrow.” “Okay. Good night, Mom,” Lainie said before she went to her closet for her pajamas. “’Night,” her mom called as she left the room and started down the hall. Lainie promised herself, as she got out of her day clothes and into her pajamas, that she wouldn’t let herself get bored in Louisiana, this time. She would have the best eighteen days of her life. So what do you think? Be brutally honest! more

Resolved Question: Alternative entertainment for a 2 year old?

First off I'd like to point out that I'm not a parent; I'm an older sister that's only fourteen so if it involves driving or something you need adult supervision, not gonna work. My little sister was kind of a surprise in our family and is about eleven almost twelve years younger than me, the second youngest. She doesn't really have anyone to play with, and it's like a hundred and five outside now in summer, but I'm getting tired of sticking her in front of the tv. I know it's bad for her and my sister (16) and I try to play with her, but she's now kind of spoiled. When we were in school she went with our grandparents and they let her watch TV and movies A LOT and she's still in that habit and my dad's actually kind of encouraging it. Anytime he's trying to do something or doesn't want her to bug him (he's a stress relief vacation), he just puts her movie on in the other room even if she's seen it like four times in a day. And our mom is trying not to go automatically to it, but she is tired from work and it's the best way to entertain our sister. She's at the point where she can name all of her shows when asking and is imitating some of the movie scenes (such as she pretends to Fiona from Shrek and anytime someone carries her she'll pound on they're back screaming "PUT ME DOWN PUT ME DOWN NOT-" ext.) She'll even through a fit when we say she can't watch them. Two questions: 1. I'm not saying quit cold turkey, but I want to get her down from her practically addiction. Are there any tricks I can use to distract her from them and get her to walk away without just sitting there watching it hypnotized? 2. What are some indoor activities for 2 year olds that won't involve being exposed to the heat, and is something that two teenagers can put together without the need to have an adult's assistance and is possibly educational? (she's very smart; as in spell her name and count in two languages and she figures things out) more

Resolved Question: I feel like I've run out of summer?

I was gone the first two weeks of my summer. I went to Egypt and Italy with a friend. Since I've been back it seems as if I've been "busy" almost everyday. Yet, I haven't finished driving school and I'm really stressed because there's a four month limit and I'm on my fourth month. My last class is Saturday, then I have five days to finish all of my in car before leaving for South Carolina for a week. I can't see my dad until Friday which I hate... I miss him and I don't get to spend time with him during the school year because I always have so much school work! I get back from vacation the 31 and then I only have until the 19th of August. So I'm really stressed because it may not be physically possible to finish driving school before I leave, meaning I'd either have to retake the class (which is not only an extreme waste of my time, but a waste of money). Meaning it'd take even longer to get my license, which I need to get to school. I have summer homework which I'll probably start tonight. I have limited time left to spend with my friends and family. Then it's off to Junior year, the worst year of high school. Especially at my school. I only have one elective, for one quarter. Meaning I'm basically f*cked the rest of the year homework-wise. I'm so stressed out. I really want to cry. I had such a great beginning of the summer but now it's spiraling down the toilet... I don't know what to do. I'm really stressed out. Do you have any tips for me? Any advice? Any help so I can calm down? more

Resolved Question: Drifting Apart From Best Friend From School?

So, I just graduated 8th grade. My best friend and I are going to different high schools. Now it was me, her, and two other girls that ALWAYS hung out with each other from 6th-8th grade. The other two are going together. I barely get to see any of them anymore cause of summer (vacations, family stuff, sports camps for highschool, etc) Anyways, she just asked me if I wanna go to this pool party kinda thing for our church (us four all go there) and I'm going and stuff and she said she's bringing her friend. (new friend from her hs) and lately she's been with her alot and i always think about my friends, how i miss them sooo much. And it just kinda REALLY bums me out that she can't just go to these things just US. (this isn't the first time) I don't want to tell that to her face, but is there a casual funny way I can imply it how I love and miss them:((( It kinda makes me sad, every day the way we never get to see each other. Any advice? Please&ThankYa For Answeringg!! :)it's her friend from volleyball camp, for her new highschool. and i'm jealous of her cause i haven't made any new friends yet :( more

Resolved Question: Am I being juvenile to be annoyed that my parents didn't come to a national dance competition?

To be fair, up until this year I competed in 5-8 competitions a year, and they made every effort to be there, so it's not like my parents are complete deadbeats, but I'm still frustrated and a tad bit hurt they didn't come to this one since I dedicated weeks to preparing for it. My dad and I have been feuding a lot this summer, and though he says that's not the reason he didn't come, I feel like it influenced his decision. He said it was because he and my stepmother are leaving on a vacation this weekend and he had a lot to get done before they take off, so he couldn't fly over to Vegas where the competition is being held. It's a one-hour flight from where we live, and he could have just come to watch and then left. My mom couldn't come because of this work conference, and my stepdad is out of town too, so literally none of the four parents I have bothered to show up. They arranged the flight and sent flowers to my hotel room, which was nice, but it doesn't make up for not being here. I'm basically tagging along with my friend's family here, and they are the ones who cheered me on for the competition. We won. It's a fairly big deal within the dance community, and people were stunned my own freaking parents didn't bother to come. Am I being juvenile to be upset about this? I am seventeen, and have been dancing competitively since I was 5, so they've been to heaps of others, but this is one of the last ones I'll ever be in. I really am tempted to just live it up and go wild on the Strip since I feel like if they couldn't bother to show up for my competition they have voided the right to care about what I do here, but I'm probably just being cranky.Sub Stance - F you.Sub Stance - I apologize for that outburst, but this was a national competition that required weeks of hard work to prepare for, and I don't think it's selfish to have wanted my family to be there. I was literally the only girl from my studio without a single family member there. You're either a robot or a dimwitted jackass to fail to comprehend why it would be upsetting. more

Resolved Question: Sudden loss of appetite / don't feel hungry anymore?

I'm constantly eating. I can eat a meal and will be hungry again within an hour to an hour and a half again (crazy fast metabolism, I guess). But since about four or five days ago, I've suddenly stopped feeling hungry. I don't feel hungry when I first wake up (which used to be when I was the hungriest) or at any other point in the day. The smell of food makes me feel nauseous. I know I need to eat and try to, but just can't seem to because I feel full before I even put the food in my mouth. This is really, really bad for me since I'm already a skinny girl and am trying to gain weight, but am instead losing weight. On top of that, I typically go out on runs because I enjoy them and I enjoy being outdoors. I still feel as energetic as before, so no weakness or dizziness. The only other symptom is that I seem to be having more trouble than usual falling asleep. A doctor did diagnose me with chronic insomnia some years back, so it's nothing new to me, but I usually end up falling asleep before 3am, but haven't been able to at all these past few days. Can't see a doctor because my family no longer has insurance. As for any other information that may help, I am female, in high school (on summer vacation though), and the above listed symptoms are the only ones. more

Resolved Question: When are you too old for family vacations?

Since I was really young almost every summer my family and I have gone to ocean city beach, MD together which is fine when you're four and cute(I'm almost eighteen and start college in fall) I invited my bf to come with us for couple days but he hates the beach anyway. Is there a limit somewhere that family gatherings become outdated? more

Voting Question: Fun things for families with teenagers to do in the midwest?

My family never goes on vacations. We're a family of four with two teenagers. What are some fun and different things we can do durring the summer, together? more

Voting Question: Is it still cheating if......?

So i've been dating this guy for a month, it's now summer vacation and he went to camp, when vacation started i wanted (and still want to) break up with him. So my family was having a party, me and my friend were chilling in my room upstairs then i got a text from my two friends (guys) who were outside my house, so i invited them in. So the four of us (now 2 guys, two girls) were chilling in my room, bored. So my friends all decided to play a mix of spin the bottle and 7 minutes in heaven (we spin the bottle and the two people it lands on go in the cupboard for 1 minute.) So we were playing, one guy the first time i went in we kissed (like a millisecond thing) then the next time we kissed twice. Then the other guy i didn't do anything with. Is it still cheating if a)i want(ed) to break up with my boyfriend but i can't til he gets back from camp. And b) the kisses were just millisecond didn't mean anything kisses? Thanks more

Voting Question: How do I leave him? How do I break up this relationship?

I have been dating this guy for over 2 years now. When we first met we hung out often. When we first met i was in school and living in my parents basement. He was on his own. I only say that because now I live on my own make more $ and just graduated with my BS. Sometimes I feel he is jealous. He is 35 and I am 26. Basically we only spend one day a week together, and not the whole day. At first I was ok with this but as the relationship went on I wanted more. Basically that never happened. I felt like I was getting what I needed so I tried to breaking up him numerous times but he would always apologize and we would try to work it out. we went on vacation last summer which i paid for and he acted angry and like a child and ruined my vacation. When we got back i told him i couldn't do it, and y did he act like that than he said he was sorry but never told me why he acted like that. Though lots of his family lives locally i only met a cousin who lives in Kansas, and that was after me constantly asking. When we are together things are good, but I feel like I need more. More time, more affection more integrated in his life. He has written in cards that he loves me but i actually said it to him once and he said thank you. Yet if i am sick he'll call everyday to make sure I am okay. I tried to breakup with him four months ago and told him i cant do it anymore. he had his cousin call me and ask for another chance. Basically when i talked to him he said it isn't his fault its my faul, and if he can put up with me why cant i put up with him. Now I am not perfect, I will admit but i never lied never cheated, and never raised my voice to him. So basically we wind up making up. I still feel like I am being strung along. I feel unsatisfied, I want to end it but I do love him (I know they all say that). I really think he has some sorts of feelings for me but I think that I need to leave. We don't live together....It seems as if everytime I try to break up with him he has a tactic to change my mind, i know i have a weakness because I love him. I have given him 2 years of my life and he refuses to step up...I have given him chance after chance. The truth is he had multiple chances... Please give my some ideas on if i should break up and if so how? more

Resolved Question: Am I being strung along or what? How do i break up? Please honest answers!?

I have been dating this guy for over 2 years now. When we first met we hung out often. When we first met i was in school and living in my parents basement. He was on his own. He is 35 and I am 26. Basically we only spend one day a week together, and not the whole day. At first I was ok with this but as the relationship went on I wanted more. Basically that never happened. I felt like I was getting what I needed so I tried to breaking up him numerous times but he would always apologize and we would try to work it out. we went on vacation last summer which i paid for and he acted angry and like a child and ruined my vacation. When we got back i told him i couldn't do it, and y did he act like that than he said he was sorry but never told me why he acted like that. Though lots of his family lives locally i only met a cousin who lives in Kansas, and that was after me constantly asking. When we are together things are good, but I feel like I need more. More time, more affection more integrated in his life. He has written in cards that he loves me but i actually said it to him once and he said thank you. Yet if i am sick he'll call everyday to make sure I am okay. I tried to breakup with him four months ago and told him i cant do it anymore. he had his cousin call me and ask for another chance. Basically when i talked to him he said it isn't his fault its my faul, and if he can put up with me why cant i put up with him. Now I am not perfect, I will admit but i never lied never cheated, and never raised my voice to him. So basically we wind up making up. I still feel like I am being strung along. I feel unsatisfied, I want to end it but I do love him (I know they all say that). I really think he has some sorts of feelings for me but I think that I need to leave. We don't live together....It seems as if everytime I try to break up with him he has a tactic to change my mind, i know i have a weakness because I love him. I have given him 2 years of my life and he refuses to step up...I have given him chance after chance. The truth is he had multiple chances... Please give my some ideas on if i should break up and if so how? Thanks in advance!!! Serious answers only more

Resolved Question: How do you suggest overcoming a fear of flying?

Even though I flown four times once down to FL for vacation and then back home. Then From CA to CT to visit family and back home. I'm still terrified. Actually, more tramatized, my last flight wasn't such a good experience.We went through nasty turbulance and the pilot kept bringing the plane up and down up and down.As in a one minute I could see the lights below, then he'd bring us up higher and I couldn't see anything.I was so scared the flight attendents had to ask me if I was okay. Always been afraid of flying now I'm even more afraid. My sister who lives in RI booked a plane ticket for me to go visit her this summer from FL and she won't cancel it.She told me its nonrefundable and she's not letting me back out. So what are some tips to make it through this flight? without panic attacks or a heart attack or something like that.What the heck is a benzo? I really don't want to get all drugged up.I'm not the type of person who enjoys doping my self up with meds.XD more

Resolved Question: Disney/Universal Studios Summer Vacation Tips?

Hello! My family and I are going on a Orlando vacation in mid July. We have us 2 parents, a 17 year old, a 15 year old , a 9 year old and a 7 year old. We will be going to Walt Disney World for 1 week and Universal Studios for another 3 days. We have been to disney world before, just not in the summer time, but unfortunely we had no choice because of of our children's schooling shedules. But we have never been to Universal Studios, so I am very new to it and have no idea what I'm getting myself into :) I have heard of the negatives of going to Orlando parks during the summer. (hot and humid, crowded etc.) We know all the normal disney tips (extra magic hours b/c we are staying at a resort in disney, fast passes etc.) All in all, I want our family vacation to be relaxing, fun, and hasstle free. Here are my question(s): 1. Ok, I haven't got a clue how Universal Studios is! Is it broken up into separate parks like disney? 2. What rides would and wouldn't my kids like at Universal according to age group? (The reason we are going to Universal is because my son is OBSESSED with Harry Potter and we wanted to suprise him after our disney vacation with going to the Harry Potter World. But we ended up deciding to go for a week since we're already there and we didn't understand how the park worked XD. We have no clue what attractions they have.) 2. Are their any specific detailed Disney tips that you have? For example my daughters have been to disney world 10 times and say the fastest way to get the Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom is throught Dinoland. (teenagers lol) We don't want to have a very strict attraction schedule, we just want to know how to get the biggest and crowdest attractions faster without 2 hour waits!! If you have any, please tell me some tips for BIG attractions in each of the four parks. Along with Universal Studios please! 3. Any other summer disney/univeral tips that you have?? Thank you so much for taking the time to answer this long question in advance and making our summer vacation more relaxing! :D more

Resolved Question: PARENTS IN LAW, LIVING WITH US??!!!!?

my fiance and i are suppose to get married this summer. Im 20 and he's 30. He's indian and im african. In my culture, parents-in-law living with there children is NOT NORMAL. but to indians its completely normal. He promised my mom and my family in the beginning that this would never be an issue, and he would make sure i have privacy. now he's changing up his mind. My fiance has a brother. I told him that his parents should live with his brother. Because his brother did not live with his parents for the first 6 yrs of his marriage and he had complete privacy from his parents. I told him because i'm young, and because its not from my culture... i need some privacy and space for atleast the first 5 yrs. And that it would be too much pressure on me. (esp because indian mother in laws expect alot from their daughter in laws). He recently got a job overseas. And now he's saying that his parents will live with us for 3 months and with his brother for the rest of the three months. And we would also spend every vacation (he recieves a paid vacation every four months) and on top of that, we would spend summer living under his parents roof. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THATS ALMOST 4-5 months of the year spent with his parents. this is driving me crazy. i told him that if he wants to make our marriage work, he cant put this much pressure on me, and we need to establish ourselves first. i told him for the first 5 years we shouldnt, and maybe after we could discuss it. ive made many sacrifices for him, but he seems to be really selfish about this one. He told me that if i couldnt accept this, we couldnt be together. more

Resolved Question: Stars not respecting old-timers.....your thoughts?

The NASCAR Hall of Fame opened its doors with a star-studded ceremony showcasing many of its stars. Missing from last week’s events were Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. — the “big dogs” of today’s NASCAR Gordon, Johnson, Stewart and Matt Kenseth were the only three active Cup champions missing from the ceremony. Earnhardt, NASCAR’s most popular driver and a two-time champion in NASCAR’s second-tier series, wasn’t there despite the upcoming induction of his father. Their absence did not go unnoticed. Petty, a seven-time champion and NASCAR’s all-time winningest driver, thought their absence was wrong. “A lot of these drivers that are doing pretty well today don’t realize what some of the guys went through to get it to this point,” Petty said last weekend. “A lot of us old timers look back and hope that the guys that are doing it now appreciate what the guys did who laid the groundwork.” All four champions had various reasons for missing the ceremony. Gordon cited a prior commitment and Johnson said he was on one final vacation with his wife before the couple welcomes their first child this summer. The slumping Stewart was testing with his team in Virginia, while a spokesman for Earnhardt said there had been confusion as to which events the driver was to attend. This Hall of Fame is cherished — and long overdue — to the hundreds of drivers who never got rich, to the mechanics who traded families for race cars, and to the owners who poured every last dime into their pursuit of Victory Lane. Without the France Family, there is no NASCAR. Without Petty, there is no Dale Earnhardt or Jeff Gordon. Without Gordon, there is no Jimmie Johnson. There wasn’t supposed to be any confusion about the importance of this week, either. Maybe the Hall of Fame goofed in its scheduling, and its gala could have been held Tuesday night. Driver attendance has improved over the last several years at the Wednesday night Pit Crew Competition, so maybe the induction ceremony should be Thursday evening, when everyone is in town and has few legitimate excuses to miss the event. Or maybe it shouldn’t matter what day the ceremony is held. Everybody at one time or another has been dragged somewhere. “But, Mom! I don’t want to go Aunt Myrtle’s house! All my friends are going swimming!” We’ve all begrudgingly bypassed a fun day with friends. Sometimes we do what we do — or what we’re told — because it’s the right thinghttp://labs.daylife.com/journalist/jenna_fryerI don't think you are understanding my question. These guys souldn't have to be told to be there. They should (on a personal level) want to go on their own to honor and respect the men and women who built this sport to what it is. more

Resolved Question: What should I/we do? Oklahoma or Colorado?

Bit of history, my husband and I have been married for seven years, we have four daughters between us-fifteen and eleven from MY previous marriage and ten from HIS previous marriage. We have a two year old together. My oldest daughter, has lived with her dad and step-mom and their three kids in Oklahoma and my husband's daughter lives in Kansas with her mom and step-dad. My husband and I have gone 'belly up' in Kansas and we've been planning to move to Colorado over the summer to 'start anew'. We've always vacationed there, love the outside activities available and were really excited about the new opportunities for us there! I went to Oklahoma w/my younger daughters to visit my older daughter for mother's day last weekend and my ex-husband came out to ask me if instead of moving to Colorado, would I consider staying in Oklahoma to be the nanny for their three children along with my two year old. They would give me the option of a nice rental house they have or a regular salary. (My degree is in Family Relations and Child Development, so this kinda thing is right up my alley) Anyway, this sounded like a WONDERFUL idea for me, because I miss being around my oldest daughter and know that my second daughter misses time with her older sister and dad's family too. I love the house they're offering us, the neighborhood is great, AND I love the idea of having an alternative to working out of the home while my two year old goes to daycare everyday. The problem arises with my husband. He HATES..and has ALWAYS hated the idea of living in Oklahoma. That is where I lived when we met and married and he NEVER wanted to move there, so I've spent the last seven years in Kansas. Now he says that I'm taking away the best opportunity we'll ever have to break away and make this move-that he's been DREAMING about his whole life. I'm so torn about what to do, everyone that I could talk to about this has a motive in one way or another, so I can't really depend on their input. I would LOVE to go to Colorado too, we were all set and looking for jobs and housing whem my ex asked me to work for them. But I just can't help feeling like staying in Oklahoma is the right choice for my kids-closer to my ex for my older daughters and closer to my family (two hours away) as well. I really made some terrible, awful financial choices that have ruined us in the last two years of our marriage so I don't feel at all like I have the right to ask him to do this for me, but I really feel like it's the right choice for our FAMILY. He's said he would agree to Norman and just be miserable forever, but this whole thing makes me feel AWFUL. Soooo, what the heck do you think? What's your vote? Why? more

Resolved Question: Help me, I'm losing my mind from college?

I just graduated from high school last year, two weeks later, I immediately started college. After finishing that, two weeks later I started the fall semester and so forth. I know that the recommended amount of classes to take are four classes, but in my spring term, I decided to push it and take five which really stressed me out. I've been pulling all nighters every week. Now that it's been a year of college already, I want to do classes for the summer again for I can earn my degree early. This time I'm doing four and I start tomorrow. My friends and family think I'm crazy for not taking a summer vacation. I'm even to the point where people think I look depressed and quiet. Do you think I'm pushing myself too hard as an 18 year old college student? Will I eventually passed out? How will this effect my health? more

Resolved Question: Family meetings with ex-wife planning summer vacations in our garage?

OK-- I've been quite clear... I don't want to have a "friendly" relationship with my hubby's EX. I'm not rude to her... I don't interact with her the way she would like...I don't want to be her "buddy".. that's a relationship that she wants,and does her best to inch her way into our house every weekend, by driving back and forth three or four times a day... while the kids (4 teenagers 11-16) are here. So today she schedules a family meeting... and proceeds to come right into the house.. when she knows we've asked her not to do that... lately, she's been coming up with every excuse she can to come over here. As for today's "meeting"....I see no reason why summer vacation plans can't be discussed via telephone or email. I think she does this to "force" me into interacting with her... on her terms. I talk to the kids through facebook during the week and I text them. I've even offered to help them at night with homework....when my schedule allows. Ever since she's had access to my facebook info through the kids her "stalking" has become worse. Again, all these things could have been discussed over the phone...Why does she forcer her way into our lives every weekend? My husband is sick of her yet is too afraid to stand up to her because of the kids... the Ex's BF talks with my hubby and now she seems to think that because her BF is friendly with the kids dad that I should be more friendly with her too... Aren't I allowed to make my own choice in the matter without these situations being created to force me into dealing with her? more

Resolved Question: Mothers: what would you say if your daughter wanted to do this?

So my boyfriend's family invited me to go out east to meet his sister and her family, and just vacation by the coast. I think this sounds great; I'd love to meet them and spend time with him for almost a week. We aren't planning on doing anything "inappropriate", and I'm sure his parents have sleeping arrangements thought up and all that. But my mother is freaked out by the idea and calls it "improper" even though I'd be going with his whole family and probably surrounded by relatives the entire time. We're both 18 and have been dating for four months by the way. We're both already in college, and this trip wouldn't be until the end of the summer so...we'd have dated for like 6 months then. Opinions on my mother's opinion? Is she right? more

Resolved Question: Why doesn't he want to move in with me?

My boyfriend and I have been dating for about 2 years now. He's 22 and I'll be 21 in a few months. He'll be graduating from our university in a few weeks with a chemistry degree, and I'll be a senior next year in the English program. He should be getting an offer from a lab here in the city or he'll be going to grad school at our university, so either way he'll be close. After graduation I plan on getting a between job as a secretary or at a consulting firm until I get published and begin making money as a children's author. Our relationship always been kind of serious-- we both made it clear that we were looking for someone to marry from the get go. We've recently looked at engagement rings so he could get an idea of the styles I like, and we talk a lot about our future together. We always talk about our kids, our wedding, and we've even made lists of all the things we want to do before/after we have kids, the things we want to do before we die, etc. He's an incredible person-- sweet, caring, romantic, intelligent, funny-- he's someone that I can share my personal world with and the one that I hope to one day share my life with. We're both loved by each others' families whom we've met and stayed/vacationed with on multiple occasions. We've been practically living together since month three of our relationship. About three days of the week we sleep at his apartment, and four days of the week we sleep in my apartment. We do everything together. We buy groceries together, we brush our teeth together, we cook, we clean, we do laundry, we study, we go to the bank together. I know all of his quirks, his habits, his routines, everything. We both keep toothbrushes, towels and clothes at each others' places. We live together. We just happen to live together in two different apartments. Neither of us have housing yet for next year, so I proposed we move into a one bedroom apartment or studio together. He said he doesn't feel comfortable with it, and I have to respect his wishes, but I just don't understand. His only argument is that we haven't lived in "The Real World" since we've only dated while in college. However, we have lived in the real world-- we've lived outside the university setting for 3 months each summer in our own real apartments with very real 9-5 jobs (he worked in a lab and I worked at a non-profit). I feel like I just don't understand. It is costing each of us upwards of $20,000 a year to live separately and we're not even living more than 50% in each apartment. My parents even condoned us living together since it will cut my living costs in half. I am not proposing that we get engaged now, or even that he pay for my living costs. I just feel like we're ready to take this step and we're wasting $10,000 a year on the assumption that our entire relationship is just practice until we get out into the real world. Despite the fact that we're wasting a great deal of money living apart, I will respect his wishes if he feels we aren't ready. The last thing I want to do is make him uncomfortable or force him into something, but I have to know-- am I crazy for asking this of him? Is there something else going on that I'm just not picking up on? Is he right in thinking that our college relationship isn't legitimate until we survive in the real world? Thanks! more

Resolved Question: For all you pink Floyd fans out their did you hear they have a wine called pink Floyd?

For all you pink Floyd fans out their did you hear they have a wine called pink Floyd? June 6 (Bloomberg) -- Who knew I would ever have anything in common with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? It turns out we're *like*this* when it comes to wine, because we're all fans of Chateau Miraval. That's the extraordinarily beautiful and secluded wine estate in Provence that they have just rented for three years. Lucky them -- and I can vouch for it. I spent a couple of nights there nine years ago while tasting my way through the region and can report that the world's most famous couple will have more than decent wines to sip when in residence. Miraval now produces three fish-friendly dry whites, two savory reds, a delicious dry rose and a luscious sweet wine, L'Or de Miraval. Tile roofs, sky-blue shutters, warm creamy stone, plashing fountains, 13 varieties of olive trees on a steep terraced hillside, 75 acres of vineyards -- Miraval is everyone's secret dream of a home in the south of France. From my room in the 14th- century part of the chateau, the view stretched over a wide green lawn to rows of vines. A deep, claw-footed tub by one window offered the same vista while I was lolling in the bath, a glass of refreshing rose in hand. (I take my research seriously.) After breakfast, on a terrace under a pergola, I sampled the estate's wines in a light-filled room off the country kitchen and later dined with neighboring producers in the long medieval hall with immense fireplace. I also took a peek at the recording studio on the property (Sting once used it; the Stones left after one night -- not enough local action). The estate even has a tiny private chapel, whose dark blue painted ceiling is dotted with white stars. `Out of the Sky' For the past two months, the French press reported Brad and Angelina crisscrossing France in a helicopter, hunting for a private spot to escape hordes of paparazzi. Tom Bove, whose family owns the property, told me last week ``they dropped out of the sky.'' ``They're personally very nice,'' he said in the telephone interview. ``Brad is from the Midwest, as I am.'' (Hey, me too!) Bove, 65, is an Indiana-born businessman (Rochem Group) who fell in love with Miraval in 1992 when he and his first wife, Jane, were looking for a vacation home. He persuaded his family to purchase the 1,000-acre estate, where wine had been made for centuries. His wife took charge of the vineyards, and they set about vastly improving the wines' quality. Tragically, she died in a 1998 plane crash. Miraval Team The winery and vineyard will continue to be run by the Miraval team, Bove assures me. The Pitt-Jolie household, including four kids plus expected twins (who may or may not already have arrived when you read this), won't have to worry about toxic chemical sprays on the grapes since the vineyards are certified organic. And the nearby hamlet of Correns is the first ``bio'' (organic) village in France, meaning veggies, honey and chickens all carry the label. Besides celebs and St.-Tropez, Provence is, of course, noted for its gulpable rose wines. When Brad and Angelina first visited, they tried the savory, salmon-colored 2007 Chateau Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose ($16) with lunch. ``It's the first vintage to be labeled ``Pink Floyd,'' Bove says. (English rock band Pink Floyd recorded part of their iconic album ``The Wall'' at Studio Miraval.) Made from cinsault and grenache grapes, it's my idea of summer in a glass. ``And they took away a bottle of our top red, Cuvee Natouchka,'' Rove adds. The 100 percent syrah ($35) is made only in the best years. Their more widely available Cotes de Provence Rouge ($22) is a spicy, earthy-fruity syrah-cabernet blend. Zingy Whites Miraval's three whites are all made from the local rolle grape. The 2005 Coteaux Varois en Provence Blanc ($16) is zingy and assertive, with a hint of almond, perfect with grilled fish. Two more expensive barrel-aged cuvees, made in tiny quantities, are harder to come by. Naturally, the Brangelina buzz has already spurred sales. ``We've been inundated with calls from retailers,'' says Andrew Hirko, chief financial officer at the chateau's East Coast importer, Monarchia Matt International. ``We're sold out of the rose, and the red and white are nearly gone.'' The 2007 Pink Floyd will be on retail shelves soon. One of their biggest markets? Another celebrity haven, the Hamptons. ``I don't know how much time Brad and Angelina will be able to spend here,'' Bove says. ``But they liked Miraval's wines. I hope they'll drink them and serve them to their friends. Hey -- they can have as much as they want.'' (Elin McCoy writes on wine and spirits for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.) To contact the writer of more

Resolved Question: A question for the men: What does this mean?

I have liked Arthur since November, and I don't know if he feels the same way. This is what he does: - Follows me around when we're in the same room - Wants to sit or stand by me - Stares at me, and looks into me eyes - Asked me to go to a concert with him - Found my phone number without me giving it to him - Recommended music for me - Always offers to help me or carries my books for me - Always finds a reason to touch me or hug me - Talked to my family a lot when they came to my school - Laughs at my jokes, or tries to make me laugh - Brought in his iPod twice when I told him he should - Catches up with me - Finds reasons to talk to me - Gave me his hat to try on - Looks at me a certain way - Jumps into my conversations whenever he can - Teases me But sometimes, he won't text me, call me, or wait for me to walk with him. And what's worse: I have a friend named Tiffany who wants to flirt with him because she knows how I feel, and a friend named Sarah, who already has a boyfriend, but is flirting with Arthur. I am crazy for him, and I am so sad that summer vacation is approaching because I won't see him for four months. Is he going to forget about me? What's going on? more

Resolved Question: Help with a salary estimation?

So, I was wondering if some of you people could help me figure something out. I have always been curious as to how much my father earns annually, and was hoping some of you could point me in the right direction. He works for a corporate company I will provide details to our current lifestyle with hopes of someone being able to estimate a number. So basically there are four of us in my family. My mother does not work, both my sister and I go to private school, mine costs around $17,000 a year and my sister's around $25,000. We live in a current home valued at just a little over a million dollars and have purchased a new one for i think just under 2 million. My father drives a Porsche that is fully owned and my mother a Range Rover Sport that is leased, neither my sister nor myself have a car. We typically take two vacations a year for two weeks in the summer and one week in the winter. I don't know how vague I am being, I am just curious as to how much he might make, if there is something else I need to add in, let me know. Also no we are not in debt. I have estimated anywhere from 150k+ more

Voting Question: Help estimating a salary?

Resolved Question: Help estimating a salary please?

Resolved Question: How Do I Take My Life In New Directions?

I am adopted, and I am Sixteen Years old and every year, my mom plans a trip to Philidelphia from Colorado, Springs for our family. You see, we leave town to go visit relatives that live in Philidelphia, and some of them live near the beach in New Jersey. Unfortunately, I'v been going on this boring family trip at the end of every summer, nearly every year since I was five, and only about two summers so far, We've had to cancel the vacation there. Unfortunately, my mom has like four brothers, and sisters, and they all live there, and her dad lives there, at Philidelphia. My mom is so attached to him, but he is Ninety-three years old, and we have stayed at his house for two weeks each year. It's nothing against any of them, I love Aunt Wendy, Unkle Fred, Cousin Jack, Cousin Nash, Cousin Jessica, Aunt Dee, Unkle Bud, Unkle Mark, and All of them, but this is extremely boring. We always end up sharing a beach house at the beach for about a week and a half. But the past couple of years, this stupid trip has interfeared with some of my plans. Last year, I was gonna go to a concert, because my favorite band is in town, but we had to leave to go on that stupid trip again! And this year, I was gonna go on a Mission trip from here, to New Orleans, but this trip is at the same time as when I leave! I'm a male, and I want to take my life in a new direction, get famous or something, so I can go on tour, and not have to go back to boring Philidelphia.I understand that mom's dad is getting old, but this trip is REALLY getting old, and I'm not sure I want to tell her, because I don't want to hurt her, but Its super boring! more

Resolved Question: What breed would be best for our family?

Here's the sketch of the perfect dog (sorry it's so long): My favorite dogs are the English Shepherd and the Cardigan corgi. I have had experience with dachshunds. I have a small house, a small yard, and a small daughter. 1.Ideal dog for present needs: Most importantly, GOOD WITH CHILDREN. Since we won’t have our own home for awhile, tidiness is appreciated (shedding, housetraining, destructiveness). Willing to spend time on long walks or playing outdoors, but should be well behaved or independent during “quiet time” (usually 2 hrs long or so). Best would be a dog that would cuddle next to me for awhile during quiet activities (reading, writing, crafts, etc.). We currently have some small pets: rabbits, birds, lizards, fish, turtles. Would like dog to ignore said creatures (which are almost always shut in cages/tanks/aquariums). Can leave rabbits out of sight if necessary, but being able to watch when I took them out for exercise would be a bonus. Size: medium, maybe even on the small side. Abt. 24-30” tall, I guess Looks: I prefer sables, more elegant than bulky, tailed Herding: I’d prefer gathering to driving. Someday I’d like at least chicken, goats and sheep, possibly tougher animals too (not for years in the future) Guardian: I’d really like a dog that I could feel safe with, and trust my kids with. Loyalty is a big thing for me- I’d like one to be loyal. Reserved but not violent when first meeting strangers. Daily life: Typical weekday: Get up, feed/water animals, take a long walk, maybe to a park, and similar outside activities, put baby down for nap and have some quiet time on computer or reading, Jim comes home from work. After that things get more varied: run errands, one or both does a quiet activity, fun activities together, etc. Typical weekend: Friday, date night (Jim and I out together, baby either at sitters or tagging along). Saturday, spend morning doing something fun (attending dog/rabbit/chicken shows, playing outside, etc.). Sunday, spend at least three, usually four or more, at church related things (no dog allowed), rest of day spend on quiet activities. Vacations: Non-dog vacations: visiting family (1 week either Thanksgiving or Christmas, sometimes 1 week in late summer-early fall), family reunions (usually one week in summer) Maybe dog vacations: visiting my family (1 week either Thanksgiving or Christmas, sometimes 1 week in late summer-early fall),. Dog would need to travel well (it’s a 10 hr drive), get along with other animals (currently my family has 1 golden retriever and 2 dachshunds, 3 goats, several outdoor cats,) Dog-included vacations: camping and hiking trips with just our family, frequent during warm months. more

Resolved Question: Would you read the rest of the book?

I am in the process of writing a short story, but I'm not very good at short stories, I always add too much. So I decided on a novel instead. I want to know from you here at Y!A if you would flip the next page of my book if you read only this: By the time our flight back to Boston landed, I was thoroughly hated by almost every stewardess on the plane. I didn’t mean to be annoying, but it’s sort of hard for an 8-year-old boy to contain himself after the best vacation of his life. It all started when the lady with the snacks came down the isle. She said, “Hello, dear, what’s your name?” I looked at her with an chocolate-toothed smile. “Kevin,” I replied happily. “Would you like a soda, Kevin? Or some juice?” “Ummm, do you, by chance, carry KAKKY Jumpin’ Junebug Cherry juice?” She looked at me in awe. “Uh, no, I don’t think so. Would you like something else?” I folded my arms and huffed a little. “I would really like some KAKKY. If you don’t have Jumpin’ Junebug Cherry do you have Pool Party Watermelon, or Summer Love Strawberry, or Tangy Tropical Punch?? Can’t you go and buy some at the store?” I knew she couldn’t just go to the store, duh, we were in a chunk of metal in midair, but I didn’t tell her that. She proceeded to explain that we were on an airplane and she couldn’t just go to the store. That’s when all the other people and stewardesses started to yell at her to hurry up. She moved on, and I stuck my tongue out at her. We eventually landed in Boston and drove home. When I went to bed that night, I was thinking about school. Third grade was a big deal. Not only did we start multiplying, but we started reading chapter books with no pictures too. I was not excited. We spent the rest of our summer in the community pool and at the park and in the house watching TV. I didn’t have many friends, so the television and my paint set were my entertainment. I also learned to ride a bike that summer. It was June 28th, and I had seen older kids doing jumps in their driveway, so my dad taught me how to ride. I spent the rest of the June riding around as fast as I could. Leslie would read to me every night. Leslie was my older sister. 12 at the time, she had shoulder-length, white-blonde hair tied into a ponytail and wore jeans and a purple sweater. Every day she wore jeans and a sweater. She didn’t normally wear purple, only on special occasions. And today was an especially special occasion. It was the first day of school. She said that purple was the color that kings and queens of ancient times would wear for special events, and so she did too. Every party, holiday, birthday, she would wear purple. On the other days she wore blue, red, pink, green, brown, and sometimes white. I loved her and looked up to her as if she were a queen. Whenever I had a question, she would answer it. Whenever I was worried, she would comfort me. Whenever I was excited, she would jump around with me. We went to a party one day, a birthday party for Leslie’s friend, Hannah. I was talking to Hannah’s younger brother Max. He was babbling about some cat that he had last year. “Well, she was a nice cat, like, I really kinda liked her. I would feed her and pet her but one time she scratched me on the face you see? That’s why I got a mark right there ’cause that’s where she scratched me but she died last February and so we got our dog and my mom named it Tim Johnson, hell knows why, then she just went to make us dinner so I guess his name is Tim but I always call him Timmy.” Then he ran off to go play with another little boy. This got me thinking. I had never had a person in my family die. Well, one time my great uncle died, but I didn’t really know him, I wasn’t even invited to the funeral, but maybe that was on account of me being four at the time. I continued thinking. What would happen if my grandma died? I don’t think I would cry if she died, all she did was hug us and give us gross oatmeal cookies. What would happen if my mom died? I would definitely cry about that one. I mean, sure, she makde me do things and yelled at me sometimes, but she was my mom, and I still loved her after everything. What would happen if Leslie died? I couldn’t take it. I would not be able to function. I mean, what would I do? Who would watch movies with me and go to the pool with me and make mud pies with me? I started tearing up. What would I do? Just sit around all day? I called Leslie inside. Her face was a little red from running around the back yard. “What-is-it?” she puffed, and then saw my face and picked me up. “Really, Kev, what’s goin’ on?” She carried me to the TV room and set me down on the couch. My head was hanging low. She sat down next to me and pulled me closer. “What is it?“ I wiped a tear off my eye and looked up at her. “I was” sniff, “just thinking” sniff, “about… what I would do if you weren’t here.” She looked at me and hugged me tightly. “But Kevin, I will always be here for you, don’t you know that?” I sniffed again. “Kevin, eve more

Voting Question: How do you deal with this girl situation?

I work for my family. I ran one of their retail stores for the fours summers I was home on college break. We hired this girl who was five years younger than me. When she was a freshman in HS I was a sophmore in college. We worked together for three summers. She always hit on me, actually told me she loved me a few times. I rejected her all the time. She kept asking me out over and over. Always would try to hug me and I would always push her away. The .ast summer I worked with her she really wanted to stay in contact with me when I went back to school. I said no. She said we could just be friend. Then she told me she was the age of consent and then she said she was 18. She seemed like frantic to stay in contact with me. She told me she loved me and looked like she was going to cry the last day we worked together. I refused to have any contact with her outside of work like I had for the last years I worked with her. It is completely inappropriate to have any outside contact with her outside of work. I added her to facebook a few months later and she sent me a message she was the age of consent. I told her no. She flipped out on me told me to never talk to her. She basically told me to F myself. I have never said a word to her since. I came back that summer after graduating. She never worked for us again. Guess who was standing in my place of work the day I came back. I ignored her. She did it again at the end of the summer and I ignored her again. She "bumped" into my mom the days after both occasions that I ignored her. The next summer I guess she was 18, she came in my store every day for two weeks, randomly bumped into my parents a lot, even my co workers mentioned to her friends how much she was in my store. I found out that someone was calling my store asking when I working, this happened a lot. I also notice a ton (like everyday) someone hanging up when I picked up the ringing phone. I ignored her every time she tried to talk to me. Mutual friends of ours have talked to each other and she was never mentioned. This past summer she came into my store the day I came back from a long vacation. She stared at me and I ignored her and she walked out. I haven't heard from her in almost 10 months. Her mom comes into my store every couple of months like nothing has happened. I like being tempted to get involved with a underage female employee and then having her stalk me. more

Voting Question: Guinea Pig questions and concerns?

I would like to adopt a pair of Guinea Pigs from a local shelter, but I have some worries. Our family goes on vacations during the summer and whenever else we can, and I was wondering if I could take them with me on a car ride or if I should leave them at home and pay one of my well trusted neighbors to take care of them. I have a small-ish room and would not be able to give them seven feet of space, but they would have a four of five foot cage to live in. Is that good, because that is the best our family has? I could let them outside in one of those x-pens in the spring and summer. I also would take them out in the morning for ten minutes or so each, and then again in the evening, after I return from school. I would give them their exercise in the evening, after I get home from school. Will they be lonely if I am gone from 6am to 3pm? I would get two so they would be less bored and lonely and I would also give them some things to do in their age. Is that enough? If not, could you give me some advice? If we need to go to the grocery store the next day and are lacking in fruits and veggies, what should I do? How much should a Guinea Pig cost for it’s entire life, not including the original purchase price? How would I introduce the two Guineas together? I want them to be able to live calmly together, and I am getting two females, most likely around the same age or from the same shelter. Thank you very much, Indigo more

Resolved Question: Could it be real? Please tell me what you think.?

As a young girl I went to Wisconsin to visit my sister, the last day that I was there I very briefly met a boy named Reid. I had completely forgotten about this boy up until the last 4 years. One summer my brother went back to WI for vacation and met up with Reid again, to make a long story short my bro gave Reid my number and this boy, now a handsome young man called me and left a charming voice mail on my phone, ha ha. I called him back and we hit it off right away. We felt crazy about each other, and planned on starting a relationship together (my family was going to move to WI within the month) until we both figured out that I was not going to be able to move. After that we did not talk as much, it went from hours every day of talking, to maybe one phone call a week sometimes less. It was a very hard time for us. A couple of months passed and I met somebody else, I was crazy about him, we dated for about a year and all was great. But then there came a time when my mind was going back to the summer before, when I'd been involved with Reid. I felt like i was missing something in my current relationship. I called Reid one day because I felt that I would rather have him be a friend in my life, than not in it at all. If truth be known I really did not think that he'd ever be anything more than just a friend. I loved Nic, and I wanted to stay with him. But after months of talking to Reid again, he became my best friend, we would try and talk about our relationships together, and just be there for one another. But that soon was just not enough. All the feelings we once had were back. I made the big leap and I left Nic. Me and Reid had a long distance relationship together once again, but he planned on moving down here sooner or later. A long while passed and the distance became so difficult on both of us. We decided to wait. We dated around again for a while, still keeping in contact every once in a while. But with in the four years we've talked things always come back to the two of us. And every time that they do the feelings get more intense and more serious. More I love you's more I want to be with you forever when I come down there, etc. I am in love with this guy, and he is in love with me. But it is a hard thing for me to comprehend considering we have not seen each other since we were kids. We basically have not even met if feels like. Could what we have really be real? I can picture spending my life with him. I just don't know what to think. Anyway, he is trying his best to make it down here in May. How would you feel about this whole situation? Do you believe in loving someone you have never met but once? Thank you. more

Resolved Question: If you could tell the girls that made the pregnancy pact?

What you tell them? As summer vacation begins, 17 girls at Gloucester High School are expecting babies — more than four times the number of pregnancies the 1,200-student school had last year. Some adults dismissed the statistic as a blip. Others blamed hit movies like Juno and Knocked Up for glamorizing young unwed mothers. But principal Joseph Sullivan knows at least part of the reason there's been such a spike in teen pregnancies in this Massachusetts fishing town. School officials started looking into the matter as early as October, after an unusual number of girls began filing into the school clinic to find out if they were pregnant. By May, several students had returned multiple times to get pregnancy tests, and on hearing the results, "some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," Sullivan says. All it took was a few simple questions before nearly half the expecting students, none older than 16, confessed to making a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together. Then the story got worse. "We found out one of the fathers is a 24-year-old homeless guy," the principal says, shaking his head. (Read "Gloucester Principal Stands by Story.") The question of what to do next has divided this fiercely Catholic enclave. Even with national data showing a 3% rise in teen pregnancies in 2006 — the first increase in 15 years — Gloucester isn't sure it wants to provide easier access to birth control. In any case, many residents worry that the problem goes much deeper. The past decade has been difficult for this mostly white, mostly blue-collar city (pop. 30,000). In Gloucester, perched on scenic Cape Ann, the economy has always depended on a strong fishing industry. But in recent years, such jobs have all but disappeared overseas, and with them much of the community's wherewithal. "Families are broken," says school superintendent Christopher Farmer. "Many of our young people are growing up directionless." (See the top 10 news stories of 2008.) The girls who made the pregnancy pact — some of whom, according to Sullivan, reacted to the news that they were expecting with high fives and plans for baby showers — declined to be interviewed. So did their parents. But Amanda Ireland, who graduated from Gloucester High on June 8, thinks she knows why these girls wanted to get pregnant. Ireland, 18, gave birth her freshman year and says some of her now pregnant schoolmates regularly approached her in the hall, remarking how lucky she was to have a baby. "They're so excited to finally have someone to love them unconditionally," Ireland says. "I try to explain it's hard to feel loved when an infant is screaming to be fed at 3 a.m." (Read "Gloucester Pregnancy Plot Thickens.") The high school has done perhaps too good a job of embracing young mothers. Sex-ed classes end freshman year at Gloucester, where teen parents are encouraged to take their children to a free on-site day-care center. Strollers mingle seamlessly in school hallways among cheerleaders and junior ROTC. "We're proud to help the mothers stay in school," says Sue Todd, CEO of Pathways for Children, which runs the day-care center. (See the people who mattered in 2008.) But by May, after nurse practitioner Kim Daly had administered some 150 pregnancy tests at Gloucester High's student clinic, she and the clinic's medical director, Dr. Brian Orr, a local pediatrician, began to advocate prescribing contraceptives regardless of parental consent, a practice at about 15 public high schools in Massachusetts. Currently Gloucester teens must travel about 20 miles (30 km) to reach the nearest women's health clinic; younger girls have to get a ride or take the train and walk. But the notion of a school handing out birth control pills has met with hostility. Says Mayor Carolyn Kirk: "Dr. Orr and Ms. Daly have no right to decide this for our children." The pair resigned in protest on May 30. Gloucester's elected school committee plans to vote later this summer on whether to provide contraceptives. But that won't do much to solve the issue of teens wanting to get pregnant. Says rising junior Kacia Lowe, who is a classmate of the pactmakers': "No one's offered them a better option." And better options may be a tall order in a city so uncertain of its future. — With reporting by Kimberley McLeod/New York Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1815845,00.html#ixzz0eRghRCug more

Voting Question: Mother is afraid to go through divorce?

My mom has been separated from our father for almost two years. She left him for fear of herself as well as her children. He has a history of alcoholism and physical abuse. Now, she wants him to provide child support since he hasn't sent much money in these past two years. I understand that without court interference he isn't obliged to, but four children are a financial handful for a single mother living with her mom. She is afraid of our father gaining visitation rights and being able to take them out of state. Our father lives in Ga and we're upstate in Ny. My mother does not want him to take my siblings during summer vacations and holidays while she doesn't get to spend any time like that with them. My father has two strikes against him that I am aware of. One, when he got violent with me while I was in middle school. And two, when we left mom had physical abuse recorded with the police in Ga before we fled. He went to jail for a month after this and was sent to anger management and such. There is also talk within the family about my father abusing his siblings as well as his own mother, but i'm not too sure about how that would hold up in any court. Would this series of past events affect him gaining any sort of visitation rights? He followed the courts orders to go to AA and anger management. But, he was sent to these programs after the first incident and we see how that turned out. Sorry about the jumbled thoughts its just really late and mom is concerned about this. I just want to get any information on this. I'll greatly appreciate it.Haha see I told you its late I just didn't get down to it. The question is should my mom divorce my father instead of just going to child support? And, is there anything keeping him from getting out of state visitation rights based on past situations? more

Resolved Question: Where's a good place to stay in Puerto Rico in the summer?

My family and i have decided to start planning our summer vacation as of now since last year we planned too late and most of the places we checked out in PR were already booked. Now, i would like to know of a nice place to stay for a family of four : 2 kids under 5 and my husband and i. A place near the beach preferably and with an outdoor pool. I would like to hear from ppl who have actually stayed in the places they might recommend and if the place has a website, i would like to know if it's close to the way it's pitched on the website. more

Resolved Question: Am I being selfish or is she?

Maybe you read my other question about if I had a right to be angry. This is different. If you didn't read the question, my cousin who I'll call Colby fell out of a tree when she was at a party at midnight and drinking and riding ATV's. She's in 12th grade. She broke her back falling out of the tree, and now has to have two major surgeries, and will have a metal cage in her ribcage and metal rods in her back for the rest of her life. What I want to know is why I have to suffer for Colby's bad choices. Colby's partied like that before, her parents told her about the bad choices she was making, and she ignored them. She lives in California, and I live in New York. I have two other cousins, who I'll call Rory and Mike, who live near me in New York. Rory's eleven, Mike's 15 and I'm 14. My family, Mike and Rory's family, and Colby's family were all gonna go on a big vacation together this summer. We've been planning it for 2 years. But now my aunt's using up her vacation time at work to go fly out to California, my mom is doing the same thing, and my other aunt (Colby's mom), is of course taking off time from work to take care of Colby. They also have to pay for the plane tickets, and my aunt has to pay for Colby's surgery, which is 4,000 and she's going to college next year so they're worried about paying for that, so now we can't go on vacation. Maybe I wouldn't be disappointed if it was a spur of the moment thing, but I've been looking forward to this for 2 years, and Colby ruined it for all of us. Thing is, this vacation will never happen now. Not even in a few years. Because Colby's going to college, and the year after that my older sister's going to college, then the year after that, Mike, and the year after that, me. This was the last summer we could do it, and that's why we planned it to be now. And now it will never happen. It's not a loss to Colby, though, because she didn't even care about the trip, but the rest of us did. I tried to forget about it, and realize that Colby needed us, but my mom's going to be in California taking care of Colby during my midterm week at school. I was counting on my mom helping me study, because I have trouble concentrating on my own, and when my dad helps me study, he makes everything overcomplicated and we just get frustrated at each other. I know I won't end up studying, or even if I do, I won't be able to concentrate and memorize the stuff for all of my four midterms. This counts for 1/6 of my grades in all my final classes, and I think I'm going to fail, because I was depending on my mom being there for me, but now she's there for Colby. The thing I'm most upset about, though, is the way Colby treats me. She's four years older than me, and for a long time, was my only girl cousin. I idolized her, and she basically ignored me, always acting bored when I talked to her. She's always been fairly cold to me, and has recently started being a little bit mean to me. I know she'll act like she's got the worst life in the world now, and she won't even realize that she ruined stuff for me, my sisters, and my other cousins. I know it sounds selfish, but I used to idolize Colby and she always put me down and acted like me standing next to her was an inconvenience to her. And now she won't even ever know that she's actually inconvenienced me. She's all my family talks about now, my mom and my aunts are very stressed and irritable and it's making everything extremely unpleasant and everyone is unpleasant to be around because they're upset. I almost cried when I heard what happened, but I was also mad. I think if anyone's actions are selfish, it's Colby's. She didn't intend to get hurt, no, but she knew that my parents and Mike's parents were worried about the way she partied, and her parents were worried about it, too. And now because she did what everyone told her not to, we all have to give up everything for her, and she doesn't even care. What I'd like to know is- 1- Am I being selfish? and 2-Why do I have to suffer for her bad choices, and give up things for her when she's been so cold to me all these years? more

Resolved Question: What do I do since my girlfriend found inappropriate instant messages on my computer?

Okay, here's the deal. I am a freshman in college and I have been with a good number of girls. Girlfriends, friends with benefits, hook ups, the whole deal. But I have never loved anyone. Except this one girl, that I have been obsessed with since I first met her when I was twelve years old. All I have done for the past few years is think about her. She's beautiful, but she never wanted to be more than just friends with me. This past summer however, she revealed to me that she has strong feelings for me. We had one of the most amazing nights ever that day. But I cannot be her boyfriend because I am not Christian. Her parents are very religious and she has been brought up that way. I get along with her family very well, and they invite me over all the time, but they do not know that her and I love each other. They would never allow her to be with me because of the fact that I am not Christian, no matter how "good" they might think I am. Anyways, it has been eight months since the first night we kissed, and we have been behaving as if we were a couple. We go on dates, we hold hands, we kiss, we are absolutely obsessed with one another. I trust her and she trusts me. I could not be happier and neither could she. We love being together. But again, her parents think we are just best friends. The problem is that every now and then, when things are going absolutely perfect and the two of us are on top of the world, she reminds me that we may never be together. That because I am not Christian we will never be a couple. Her parents would never accept me as more that just her friend. When she reminds me of this, I break down. I go home and I cry, which I NEVER do, and I throw up. I can't sleep. And every now and then, I will go online and send instant messages to people. I will enter chatrooms and send random people really flirtatious text messages. Everybody ignores them. Nobody has ever replied to a single one. I feel like a creep, and then I go to bed feeling like the most pathetic man on Earth. I have never told her about these desperate messages in the middle of the night. The other day she borrowed my laptop to take to work. She found the messages which I had completely forgotten about because it's not like I did that every night, just three or four times over the past eight months. You can imagine how betrayed she feels. She even found a flirtatious conversation I had with my ex-girlfriend that I had on one of those nights. I have never PHYSICALLY done anything with anybody else while we've been "together", it's just these few instant messages. I think it's finally over. I feel it. She does not trust me. And she does not want to speak to me. I return to school in a few days, which is 2,000 miles away from here. I NEED to see her before then. I can't move away feeling like it is over and not see her again until summer vacation. What do I do? Have I completely destroyed my chances with the girl of my dreams?These are some really great answers. I just want to add that I would never lie to her parents about my beliefs. I am not a very religious person but I do believe in God, just not in the Christian God. And I could never tell her parents otherwise. They would not believe me if I said I was Christian anyways. They know that I am not. Also, she herself wants a Christian boyfriend. Not just because of her parents, but because she herself wants a Christian boyfriend. I started praying a few months ago to see if maybe her God can hear me.I spoke to her the very next day after she confronted me about the instant messages. I cried in front of her for the first time. Never in my life have I cried in front of another person. The tears were pouring down from my face. It was embarrassing. She didn't mind and has always told me that it is okay to cry. I told her why I wrote the messages, and that nothing ever came out of them. She told me that she looks at me and all she sees is a liar now. We have texted each other and talked on the phone since then, but she keeps saying that she is not going to go out of her way to see me before I leave. She has a job and tons of school work since the semester just started at her university. I don't know what to do or say. I can't lose her. I feel so stupid asking for help here, but I don't know where else to go. How can I fix what I have done? Do I deserve a second chance? more

Resolved Question: Family travel ideas?

I am trying to find an affordable and fairly closeby (within four hours) place for a family summer vacation. I have a 6 year old almost 5 year old and 2 year old. I love for my children to experience new things (we have been to Baltimore aquarium) but as a family of 5 are on a tight budget. We live on the easter shore of MD and would like to do just a weekend trip. Any ideas? P.S. We have looked into Sesame Place in PA and that's one of our current options more

Resolved Question: I don't know what to do with this situation, I'm a college student but I don't know if to continue!?

I'm 20 years old; I start going to college at the age of 18. I was so excited! High School for me was not I expect to be, My mom though that I won't have a future because for her I never do anything in life. At the age of 17 I start the GED program, I couldn't understand what's the professor was teaching so I decided to take the books to home and teach myself. But for my mother, I was doing anything. At the end of the year by June 2007 I asked my professor to send me to take the exam, Although he didn't feel I was going to pass, he sent me. When I came back from vacation, I Received a letter with my High School Diploma and a over high passin grade 4 every subject. I was happy I Knew that for the first time, my mom would be proud of me. When I start going to college, everything were awesome! But my mom start to push me to get a job saying that I have to stop being so useless, because for her I was doing anything. So I apply for target and got accepted, I love this store but its a retail store and crazy as hell scheduled. On spring fall 2008 my GPA star to fall. My scheduled at target was 3:15-12:00 am. But I didn't want my mom to start saying that I was a worthless. I talked to her and accepted. But the same think start again. She said that I misuse TAP and FAFSA money, but Hey! I worked the entire christmas 2008 days and night over hour; But I didn't take that money for me, I gave it to her! I Don't care about money I just care on making my people happy but its like they forget about me! I'm not a party person I just like to be at home with the love of my family.But this job at school its not the type of job I like, I like a place to move around and etc, Like Target! The main reason that make lead me to decide to start working its to start from the beginning & get experience, But this is affecting soo much my career. Its showing that I'm a dumb person and I'm not =( My GPA is sooo low!! I Studied sooo hard for this final to get a D in a class just because this damn professor its a maniac! But I realized that its my fault! I'm doing something wrong and what's hurts me more its that my mother can't understand how much this is affecting me! Because she start working younth, she expect me to do the same think. And what make me proud of me its having things on my own!But there's something I star to think ; If at college per semester, FAFSA and TAP give me $2,500 every semester. excluding $1,500 Workstudy! Total more than $7,000 year. Why I'm loosing that money and earning $3,000 a year by receiving humiliation from managers that make you feel a shit! just because if I exceed that amount my mother won't get Section 8 and help from the government, but in the other hand when she get mad at me she can start saying that she can call the police and kick me out of the house because she pay the rent? Hey Don't get me wrong she's not a bad mother, she's my life I love her so much! But sometimes she make mee feel so useless cuz she can't understand my pain. She always accuses me of the misfortune of her life, but its not my fault that she has taken bad desicions. Desicion that has affect me more than her but im not going to live in the past! She can expect me to be a professional in order to help her in the future if she don't help me to do it! Its like my psychology say when a person don't have a knowledge of what its to be a college students, won't understand what they suffer. I tried to say that to her and she felt offended. She's pushing me to act this way and I don't know what to do. I will defenetively leave target and go back to work on Summer and Christmas time but my school has alway be my priority in life. I'm stuying business management thinking of being a lawyer bubt almost all my classes are D so I don't kno if to start from the beginning again or finish and transfer to a four year college? I need 20 credits more but being on probation just let me take 7 credits per semester!! more

Resolved Question: Can someone PLEASE translate this paragraph to Spanish for me?? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE :)?

My family and I went to the Bahamas for a summer vacation, we went on a plane that took us from San Antonio to Florida, and from florida we got on a smaller plane that took us to the Bahamas. We stayed there for four nights. After settling in the first day, the vacation soon began. We went scuba diving, ate all types of different foods and tryed lots of fun activity's while hanging out at the beach and the hotel. When the time came to leave back home, nobody wanted to leave. more

Resolved Question: A Baby Name Story 2......by request?

You and your best friend were listening to your favorite radio station when you heard the announcer say be the 4th caller and you will win an all expense paid trip for two to Paris, France to see your favorite musician live in concert. YOU WON!!! You and your best friend didn't waist any time packing. Before you knew it you were in Paris at one of the most prestigious hotels in the city with a direct view of the Eiffel tower. You spent 4 glorious nights and five splendid days. While in Paris you and your friend met some handsome Parisian men who showed you around and showed you some other things too. Nine months later you give birth to a baby girl. What do you name her? Seven years later your little girl is in second grade. She travels to Paris in the summer to visit with her dad. You are now married and happy with your partner. Your partner cares for your daughter like his/her own child. While your daughter was visiting with her dad over summer break you conceived. The pregnancy was grueling and you craved celery, bananas, and meatballs together. On December 7th you deliver a healthy, bouncing, baby boy. He looks a lot like your partner what do you name him? Your family is complete you have a girl and a boy a wonderful partner. Your daughter is 11 your son is four. It's mid April and you decided to take a family vacation to Disney World. You all had fun seeing the sites. While there you and your partner conceived. This pregnancy was easy aside from the horrible morning sickness and heartburn from the spicy food you craved. On December 25th at 1:00am you gave birth to a baby girl who looks just like you. What do you name her? Your house is full of love now your oldest daughter is 16 and can speak fluent English and French, your son is 9 and likes playing hockey, and your youngest is 5 and is the most popular girl in kindergarten. You and your partner have your hands full with taking the kids to practice meets, friends houses, sleepover parties, birthday parties, dance recitals, school recitals, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, etc that you barley have any "one on one" time. For your anniversary your best friend decides to care for your children over night while you and your partner go out on the town and stay at a fancy hotel. You conceived. The doctor's worry because of your age that this pregnancy could become disastrous and there may be minor complications with the baby. You receive a terrifying phone call four months into the pregnancy from the doctor. The doctor states that he detected an irregular heartbeat and needs you to come in right away for observation. After being poked and prodded and several tests later the news is broken to you. Good thing you were already laying down. We have discovered that you are pregnant with triplets the doctor confirms as you and your partners mouths hit the floor. On December 28 you give birth to two boys and one girl. The oldest boy looks like your dad, the second boy looks like your partner's mom, and the girl is a perfect image of your mom. more

Resolved Question: What should I do with my African Grey Parrot while on vacation?

every year my family goes away for a week in the summer. but soon my family is going to adopt a baby african grey and im worried about what we will do with it while were away.. bringing it wouldnt be a problem im just worried about its health and safety. its a four hour drive with and we take one break about halfway, but we also have our dog in the car and our car is not that big and our dogs pretty hyper. were there for a week so would i need its normal cage there? maybe i could find one that folds up.. i have another bird, a green cheek conure.. and my brother comes over and feeds her and changes her water everyday but an african grey requires more attention.. like 4 hours out of her cage a day. and i cant expect him to do that for a whole week. at the cottage, i have my own bedroom that i could put the bird in and let her out of her cage in.. and also my dog isnt in the cottage alot shes usually at the lake playing in the water, so letting the bird fly around the cottage would be okay too as long as the doors are closed. i'm willing to pack a lot less (i usually pack too much teehee:3) to help fit the birds things. i also know it will take a lot of attention away from me having fun like swimming and stuff but im willing to give that up aswell.. ill do anything i can to help the bird! does anyone have any ideas? because i'm really confused.. i cant stay home alone with the bird cause i'm 17 and i'm scared to stay home alone for one night, let alone a whole week. :) (i know, im a wimp) would a bird be okay driving 4 hours in maybe a travel cage or something? what kind of cage would i have to bring with me, like what size.. since this is a whole week? would it be better to find her a babysitter or something?? any advice would be great! **please no rude comments or saying "you shouldnt get one then". you dont know me, and you dont know how much i loooove animals. so please dont, im trying my best.. and by asking this, i want to know what i should do, not any lectures. thanks. more

Voting Question: Is my friend gay for me and if so what should I do?

So I am a Canadian who went on a working holiday to Ireland for a year. While I was there I met a guy and we quickly became good friends and we did everything together from going to the shop for five minutes to shopping. We even moved with each other on 4 different occasions. We drank together all the time just me and him and we shared stories with each other. Towards the end of the trip we would sleep in the same room on separate couches eventhough we each had our own rooms. On a couple of occasions we even shared a bed eventhough there were other options available and we would never wear pants when we slept either in the same bed or on the couches. I also know that he has talked to his family about me lots as they all wished me well when i had to leave. However my friend did sleep with women while i was there as well, and at one point I had a friend from Canada come and visit me and the two hooked up (no sex). Eventually my visa finished and i returned to canada and we continued to keep in touch via facebook and IM. In the summer after being home for only four months me and my friend (the one who he made out with who now had a major crush on him) went back to Ireland. While there we did not sleep int he same room and he and my friend ended up having sex (although my friend is really headstrong and would easily initiate things). But when we went to Ireland we went to a music festival. While there him and my friend shared a blanket yet each night usually a part of my body was touching his. Then when we were really drunkwe both went to the portapottys to pee and when i opened the door he was standing there and he rushed in and shut the door, grabbed me by the hips, looked me int he eyes and said that he was soo happy to see me and that it kinda sucked that my other friend was there. This was followed by a short awkward silence of us staring into each others eyes and holding each other by the hips like he was expecting a kiss but i was paralyzed with joy and he leaned in and licked my face and said my friend is so hot though and ran out the door. Shortly after this we went to the concert area and he kept saying lets go to the washroom and i said yes lets go but we never did. Eventually i left by myself to go see a band that none of the other people really knew and when we left each other eventhough it was only gonna be for like an hour or so we gave each other a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Later int he vacation we decided to get dressed up in our nice clothes and go drinking just for fun. Numerous times when we were getting ready he told me i looked good. Tehn after a few pints he started dancing up on me, moreso me than my friend. Then he would unbutton his shirt and get me to motorboat him which i was happy to do and he motorboated me and at one point unbuttoned his shirt and, grabbed my hand, and made me touch his chest. This made me happy cuz i thought he actually did like me and throughout the day we would constantly go to the washroom with eachother and try to get a stall just for us. ianlly later int he night we went to the washroom and the stall opened up and i signalled to him so we both went in. I unbuttoned his shirt again and motorboated him and then kissed him on the cheek in a somewhat passionate way. He did not respond and left shortly after. We have yet to ever bring these up again. Later the same summer he came to canada but this time spent most of his time at my friends house (the one that he slept with) and even went on a boating trip with her without me. Needless to say his trip to canada wasnt asnice as my trip to Ireland, nothing exceptional happened other than a drunken trip to the washroom once again when camping but both of us were too sober i think. To this day we talk nearly daily and he had sent me a bday card for my bday and called me on my bday. hes constantly asking me when can i come back to ireland cuz he cant wait for another airport reunion. As to what hes saying to my other friend that he claims he likes im not sure but they dont seem to be talking as often as they used to. Now he is planning on coming to canada for a year and is planning to come sooner than previously planned and once told me if he could afford it he would come now. he already has told me he is living with me (which is about 4 hours drive away from my female friend). I am madly in love with him and think about him constantly and hes my best friend to and dont wanna risk losing him as a friend so how should i proceed? Theres many more things that have made me wonder about whether he is gay or straight but this question is already long enough. Also his parents are really old school and religious which i think would inhibit him on coming out completely but he knows that i can keep secrets so im not sure. Also Ireland isnt exceptionally as gay friendly as Canada.Also should I wait until we are face to face to tell him this or should I send him an email so that he knows before he fully commits to coming to canada and living with me. more

Resolved Question: What are my legal options against a police officer who arrested my son and lied in court?

I will try to be brief: While my son and I were visiting his high school this summer for a meeting with the football coach and guidance office, a police detective approached us. The detective asked if I could bring my son to police headquarters to discuss an incident that occurred on July 4th. We immediately went to police headquarters and talked to the detective outside, He asked if he could speak with my son alone, for which I objected. He then stated that my son was NOT under suspicion for ANY crimes, and was simply seeking information about a July 4th incident. My son indicated that he didn't know what occurred on July 4th and couldn't offer any information. The detective was insistent about speaking with my son alone. I objected, but my 17 yr old son offered to speak to the detective alone, since he didn't have anything to hide. Well, what resulted from this was my son being photographed and fingerprinted against his will. My son told me what happened, and I immediately requested answers from the detective. Two days later, the detective called my home and requested that my son return to the police department for more questions. When I told him I would not bring him back, on the advice of our attorney, the detective informed me that my son was going to be arrested for a crime that occurred on July 20th. The evidence used to make the arrest was the photograph the detective took of my son two days prior. Please note, my son had a clear record prior to this arrest. My son had to endure weeks in a juvenile detention center before we could go to trial. Unknown to the detective, the following facts existed: 1) My family returned home from a two week vacation on July 19, and I was able to account for my son's movements for the entire day on July 20. 2) The police report and the victim's statement indicated that the person who committed the crime has a close cut hair style. On July 20th my son had long twisted hair about 8 inches long. I provided video and photographs from a wedding my family attended on July 18 some 500 miles away. My son cut his hair five days prior to meeting the detective because he was getting ready for football season. 3) During the time of the incident he was charged with, he was on his Facebook account chatting with numerous friends. This information was provided at trial by certified records from Facebook. To sum this up, my son's trial showed how the detective lied on numerous occasions. His testimony at trial didn't match his written statement or the testimony of the victim. The victim and the detective called each other liars during the trial. Thankfully, the trial judge found the detective's actions were deceitful and not creditable, and my son was found not involved in the crime. My wife and I want to seek legal action against the detective, as my son lost over four weeks of school as a result of being in a juvenile detention center; missed out on his football season (my son is among the Top 5 sprinters in the state of Maryland); and was a mental and financial drain for us. Can we do anything? Thank youFor the person who insist the information I provided is false, my son's case number is JA-09-1414 in the state of Maryland. Everything I stated in my question can be substantiated. I posted my question in the hopes that I can obtain useful information as to my next course of action.To answer the question as to why I went to the police station and let the detective speak to my son: Because I feared the police/detective would have simply picked my son up at some later point and taken him to the police station and called me after the fact. I felt I was cooperating fully, and since my son assured me he was not involved in anythig, we had nothing to worry about.Order of Events: 8/10/09 - Date when my son & I went to high school, was approached by the detective, and when my son spoke with the detective. Detective was waiting at the school. Per his testimony at trial, he contacted the school ahead of time and the school informed him that my son and I were going to be there. 8/12/09 - Date my son was arrested. 8/13/09 - My son was detained and sent to juvenile detention center to await merit hearing (trial). 9/8/09 - Original date of trial. Trial was postponed until October 13 to allow our attorney to obtain records from Facebook. 9/1509 - My son was released from juvenile detention center under Electronic Monitoring. Merits Hearing (Trial) is again postponed until 11/5/09 to allow Facebook time to produce Certified Records of my son's account. 11/509 - Merit Hearing (Trial). My son was found Not Involved (Not Guilty) of all counts. Judge also reprimanded detective for his conduct in handling this case.Other Dates: 7/4/09 - During the July 4th fireworks celebration in our town, a young man was robbed of his skateboard. My son was at the celebration with his girlfriend, and the person accused of the robbery was a former friend of my son. This was the reason the detective claimed why he wanted to talk to my son. 7/20/09 - A person was assualted and robbed of his cellphone by a group of young men in the same area as the skateboard incident. Based on the testimony of the detective, he believed my son was involved because of his past friendships. When my son spoke to the detective on 8/10/09, he was never asked about the incident on 7/20/09. His entire written statement was one paragraph that stated he had no knowledge of what happened on 7/4/09. The detective showed the victim a picture of my son on 8/11/09, and the victim indicated my son "could have been" one of the people who attacked him and stole his cell phone. This was the detective's basis for arresting my son.The importance of the hairstyle is that my son's hair was about 7-8 inches long, styled in a twist. The victim's police statement indicated the attacker had a short, close cut hairstyle. My son cut his hair on 8/5/09, 16 days after the incident, because he was getting ready for football season, and he couldn't afford paying $50 every three weeks to have his hair styled. The Facebook records were critical because it showed my son was home with me at the time, and was on his computer. Our attorney need to show it was impossible to be at the crime scene, which was three miles from my home, and on his computer chatting with friends.As for the detective lying: During the trial, detective indicated that he went to the victim's home to show him photos of possible suspects. However, the victim testified he went to the police station and looked at some photo books. On 8/11/09, the detective showed him a photo of my son and said "he believes we have the right guy". At that time he picked the photo of my son. All of this is on record and part of the trial testimony. Also, when I arrived at the police station with my son, I asked the detective if I need to have my attorney here, or if my son was under suspicion for anything. He said "no". But he testified that he informed me my son was a suspect. This was challenged during cross examination, and he eventually recanted some of his previous testimony, where he "assumed" I was informed of the information. more