Nataly

Ah ha ha!! Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually French-Canadian and have always had *excellent* oral hygiene Even 4+ years of living here hasn't corrupted me

OK, we're talking semantics here.. Whatever you call it, isn't really what I'm driving at.. It's more the ethical implications of paying the person whose eggs/kidneys/whatever will be extracted. What I find difficult about the whole thing is that I can imagine it's pretty difficult to "recruit" people willing to give/donate. I mean, it's even difficult to find blood donors and that is pretty minor compared to what I'm discussing here. I don't feel too strongly about it because it's never something that has touched me personally, but it just got me thinking.. I couldn't help but think that it must be a difficult position to be in if you're waiting to receive something so important. But however I look at one side of the argument for me there seems to be a good counter-argument in favour or against exactly the opposite side of the coin. I was just curious what people thought about it one way or the other, without getting too picky about whether it still technically should be called "donating" if you get compensated.. Edit to say: I'm thinking maybe I should have added a third option "I can't decide".. That's where I fit in.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Ouch. You mean like this one?? Sorry.. It wasn't that one, but I've just had the same reaction.. Still think it looks cool, but makes me wince a bit.. But then I see people with tons of earrings and think it looks stupid - even though I have 14 in my own ears!!! Now I need to brush my teeth because my feet don't taste very nice!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I think it's much more involved than giving blood.. An egg donor has to go through hormone therapy, undergo several health tests & psychological screening.. From what I remember it takes several months and it's a similar "trauma" for the donor as it is for the recipient. Not to mention there are risks with the drugs they take. I personally can't decide one way or the other. But I did really feel for that poor couple who were really struggling to get a donor. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I was on the tube last night (metro, for you non-Londoners!) and saw an add for IVF.. It was calling for egg donors & it made me think of this couple I met a few years ago who were considering IVF.. They told me that in the UK it's illegal to pay for donor eggs (although most costs associated with donating eggs are reimbursed). I still wonder to this day how on earth people find donors if it's illegal to compensate the egg-giver? I think it must only be very close friends or family of people who are infertile.. And doesn't that pose it's own ethical dilemmas?? Then again, if you pay people it must obviously attract rather unsuitable candidates as well.. Hmm.. Any thoughts? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Nah - I was born in the middle of Nov, so I'm a scorpio.. But even I have to admit that my double-standards are a little on the judgmental side!! Bit like the pot calling the kettle black, no?!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Sorry to flog a dead horse, but OMG.. I actually read the whole article and never laughed so hard in my life!! I genuinely can't tell if it's real or a spoof! And I can't decide what would be funnier! [/laugh] Way to come up with every stupid excuse in the book!!! Thanks for the laugh!

Mwaa haa haaa!! SOOOO true!!! This is a funny one.. I've often thought about this for some strange reason.. I saw a tat of a 3-ring release (can't remember if I actually saw it or just a picture).. Although I couldn't help but think it was kinda cool, part of me thought it was a bit gay as well.. I'm of 2 minds.. On the one hand, it's your body - do whatever the hell makes you happy.. On the other hand, I can't help but cringe a little when I see one, even if I found out they had 10 000 jumps.. I feel the same way about a lot of body art.. I don't like it personally, even though I have several piercings and a tattoo myself!!! And my tat is a black scorpion on my left shoulder-blade.. It's unique in the sense that my friend designed it for me, but so common at the same time.. I'm not exactly the first person to get a scorpion, and a tat on the shoulder-blade isn't exactly ground-breaking!! I still love mine and often don't like other people's!! I'm a complete fraud!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Good effort! Congrats. I usually lose my big toe nails a few weeks later after such a push. Yep, me too. Always the left one as well for some strange reason. But hey, dude (OP), great effort

Same here. Both of mine are listed. I had a cat once, and I named it Pachat (means lazy in french, but also has "cat" in the name).. It's not on the list

Don't blame yourself; You're still young, and have plenty of time to turn your life around. Hey!! Nothing wrong with dating *meaningfully*!! It just means I limit myself to no dating at all Oh dear.. I have tried all of the above (except drugs).. No interest.. But that's kind of my point. It's just not necessarily a bad thing. Kinda like shyness is made out to be an awful affliction, when actually it can be a very sweet *quality*.. Just think if everyone were outgoing.. What would be the fun in that? We need variety

I can relate to a lot of that.. I've never been big on clubbing, drinking, never tried drugs, not into meaningless dating, etc. I was always the responsible child.. I never had any rules - I was always so hard on myself I didn't need to be told what to do! I used to ask for extra work in class because I finished the assignments early and wanted more!!! (OK.. That's more to do with being a geek than being mature..) I can also relate to the slight nostalgia you seem to be feeling.. I so often felt like I was missing out on all the "fun" youthful stuff, but didn't quite fit in with older people because I didn't have much life experience.. So I always sort of felt out of place. And the really strange thing is that when I finally felt like I'd found happiness, my long-term partner broke up with me and forced me to re-evaluate my whole perspective on life. So I feel out of place all over again.. Like I'm too old for the whole dating game, etc., when in fact lots of people my age have never been in a serious relationship to begin with. Anyway, I'm starting to discover that being out of your comfort zone can be quite freeing! I'm actually starting to *think* about what *I* want.. Which I've forgotten how to do whilst I was so busy being "mature".. I've found I don't know myself half as well as I thought I did.. I've discovered I'm not as self-assured as I thought I was.. I'm starting to realise that I don't really want a lot of the stuff I thought meant the world to me.. At the end of the day.. You can be precocious, but maturity/wisdom ultimately comes from experience, no? Just go with it.. Try not to worry too much about it. Everyone is different & if you spend your time comparing yourself to others, you'll just make yourself crazy! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Studying for my accountancy exams so I can call myself "chartered" and double my salary.. At the moment, sticking a fork in my eyeball sounds like more fun.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I'm bored as well, but it's several hours later over here.. I spent all morning procrastinating on my studying.. All I could think to do instead was some well-needed spring-cleaning.. Now I'm on DZ.com just so I don't have to face mountains and mountains of laundry!!! Sadly I'm no further along with the studies.. D'oh!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

OMG you poor thing!! BIG hugs from me

I would be too much for you on my own - and I'm sure Skymama & Jumpingjunkie09 would also wear you right out "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Aww - good for you

I think everyone on here has heard me boo hoo over my ex.. Although I still believe the problems we had were mostly to do with a lot of external stuff that had nothing to do with "us", I don't think it would work if we got back together unless A LOT had changed... The problem is that the breakup process (for us, anyway) was really, really painful. We both said and did things that truly damaged our relationship and the way we felt about one another. A couple of weeks after we broke up, we tried to get back together. But although we both really wanted to make it work, everything fell right back into a negative pattern. The trouble is that as much as I long and yearn to be with him, I can't help but think whatever happened he would eventually leave me again. Maybe it's different with you two.. Maybe a lot has changed and the pain of the breakup has long gone. And if you really did break up because you moved, maybe this time you're both in a position to commit to one another regardless of location. That's assuming of course that there weren't any other reasons for the split... My aunt married her husband after a 7 year breakup. They now have 2 kids and are very happy. One of my friends hooked up with this girl he dated when they were younger - they're now happily married as well.. It happens.. I reckon it's pretty exceptional.. I guess it just has to be a case of the dynamic having significantly changed so that a "fresh" start is possible. Don't think it ever will be with mine.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Out of 432 posts, 2 in the recycle bin I asked to have deleted, and another in the recycle bin that got deleted because the post I was replying to disappeared!! 3 to 432, or 1:144, or 0.69% - a good number, I think Edit to say: just saw my full number come up as 451, meaning this makes 22 that vanished. I can only assume the threads got deleted? My ratio's more like 25:451, or 1:18, or 5.54%.. Not as fun as my original calculation "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Well, piss us off and you shall find out O.K., I'm TOTALLY intrigued now. .......What does that say about ME?! The fact that you are even considering pissing us off demonstrated delusional feelings of invincibility. Just don't do it. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Oh dear.. Dude that sucks.. Am I the only one on here who has never been caught or bumped into someone whilst doing the naughty?? Am feeling left out. Edit to say: I ticked everything anyway to make myself feel better "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I had composed a post with the same thought, but deleted it, thinking it might get her PO'd. But now that you've posted it, I can laugh. We all *thought* it.. I was just dumb enough to say it!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

BEER! But actually, the worst thing is wondering: what does having psycho in your immediate gene pool say about YOU?? Well, piss us off and you shall find out "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

OMG - horrible.. But I can't help but think.. Is this the *real* you, or just the hacker? Ok.. Bad joke.. Lame attempt at making you laugh a bit. Sorry to hear that.. I have a pretty difficult sibling who would totally do something like that as well if we still kept in touch.. Even though she's just a year younger than me and that kind of behaviour stopped being acceptable about 20 years ago.. Hope the damage can be fixed. Keep your chin up. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

That's kinda how I felt.. Except I'd want to spend the 24 hours with the people I love. Otherwise, I couldn't think of anything I'd really want to do. If I had one month left, then maybe I'd try a few things?? Not sure.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss