jamesonfd

I lived in northern India for 3 years recently. If you'd like some tips or advice on travel there, please PM me....more than happy to share all I know.

Shaving your head is not just a look, it's an attitude. If you don't have the head or if you're not enough of an extrovert to carry it off, please just let it alone. The answer is within you, grasshopper.

So, you all are volunteering to pony up the 50K or so required for an on-call interpreter....and don't forget the one for Vietnamese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Arabic, and the other 125 or so recognized languages in the US? "Nice to have" and "required" are two different standards. Yeah, they should have found a way to communicate with the lady, without a doubt. However, there is a perceived duty to be able to communicate in the prevailing language of the country you live in, or to except some dimunition of services. If you travel to Thailand, do you expect remote Thai authorities to be able to speak and write in English?

Heh...when I stop having fun working with the best people in the world. Don't let anybody bullshit you about the "Greatest Generation"; these boys and girls are the best there has ever been. Seriously, I "have" to retire in 2011. Lots of Marines don't make the transition to civilian life very well; they'd often be better advised to "retire-retire"....which is my plan. Jumps to jump, dives to dive, skiing to get done, mountains to be biked, more countries to be seen.....

Get to a doctor, pronto.. Happened to a friend of mine. Many explanations are possible, but in his case it was a tumor, non-malignant but dangerous, on his auditory nerve. Not at all unheard of, and not worth taking the chance. I'll try to PM you as well.

Sigh.... Not in the Army; I'm a Marine. A Colonel with 31 years of service. I'm writing from Iraq (no jumping here). Can't get the Squad Leader? Where's your Platoon Sergeant? Platoon Leader? 1stSgt? Even when I was a Private, I wouldn't have let one guy out of the loop perpetuate stupidity; and as an Officer I wouldn't tolerate having people hanging around for the sake of hanging around. I'm sorry you lost so much time with your Mom. It really sucks. But thanks for being part of the team, and standing up for what you believe in. Keep your head down when you get here, and be safe.

Your daughter is playing you. You will absolutely lose her respect if you relent because "Mom let's me". Painful now, but a lot more painful later if you compromise and she understands that you can be manipulated. Set your rules (groups sounds good, but it's your call), and stick with them. I had three daughters. Their mother, my ex, was out of control....as your ex-wife is. The only solution, if she's truly not capable of "joint custody", is the courts. Get a good lawyer. If you love your daughter, fight for her. She'll kick and scream, but later she'll appreciate not being strung out or tied down with a 2 year old, or dealing with the psychological aspects of promiscuity. I went through a "rough stretch" with my daughters, but they are now all fine, grown women, who I have healthy, solid relationships. Their permissive mother? They avoid all unnecessary contact.

Speed2000 is dead on. I'm deployed to Korea, but make it back every coupla' months. I use his method. I don't do business on the phone. I don't pay 250. The guys know me, and they work with me. Bitchin' about a first price quote won't get it done.