tigra

AB Negative. I used to donate blood and platelets regularly but I started getting deferred because I vacation in Mexico almost every year for a week. Now even the designated tourist areas are on the "defer" list- at least for Lifesource in my area.

I wouldn't tip at a fast food place anymore than I would tip at a Starbucks. And I actually find those tip jars annoying.

Sorry, mine are pampered indoor cats with limited supervised yard priviledges. No kitty doors for them! Besides, I'd be worried that other cats might see a kitty door as an open invitation.

I ended up with a black eye and some NASTY bruises on my arm after one "mishap". I had a customer (attorney) quietly pull me aside, ask if I was battered and offer some assistance if I was. I was actually kind of touched by it, because he was so concerned. When I told him I did it skydiving, he was relieved. But here's the funny thing about injuries in general, especially if you are female. If you're on crutches, even a complete stranger will feel free to ask about it and comment on your answer. (skiing, motorcycling, skydiving is all "fair game" to them- "gee, that's CRAZY! I'll bet you never do THAT again!") When its bruises or a black eye, most people just look away. They assume the worst and don't really want to know.

I have a Spike, too. He's a cat and looks an awful lot like HeavenlyTiger's Nikki! No pics to post- sorry. I'm at work, and besides, I haven't mastered that art yet......

OK, I have to ask- how is a motorcycle accident any *better* than a skydiving accident?

Been there.......... I've had a few people tell me I was crazy, especially when I returned to the sport. The worst (or most ironic) was when I was at a backyard wedding reception in my cast. It was August, I was hot, uncomfortable and still in pain but I made the effort to be there because it was important to my guy. Of course everyone wanted to hear the story and share their own. This nasty woman I had only just met told me I deserved to break my ankle because I did it skydiving. Here's the kicker- she'd had an almost identical injury tripping over a sack of groceries that her kids didn't put away while she was cooking them dinner. My guy was so offended by what she said to me that he told her straight out- "At least she hurt herself doing something she really enjoyed!" The thing is, I've met people who were more seriously injured doing the most mundane things. Cleaning, vaccuming. walking across a parking lot. Anyway, maybe I'm lucky because I encountered way more nice and supportive people than I did assholes the whole time I was recovering. How IS the recovery process going, anyway?

The joke is cute, but she may have a point about your timing. You turned her special memory of her trip to Vienna into a corny joke and she called you out on it. I'd chalk it up to "she's just not that into you" and leave it at that. If she was a little interested, even if she was irritated by your story, she probably wouldn't have said anything. At the very least, she wouldnt have gone into the whole "need to be the center of attention" psych speak. I vote for she *might* be right but she was definitely trying to torpedo the date.

Local or a spinal? I've had a couple of surgeries on my ankles (fixing them then removing the hardware later) and I personally prefer the epidural. I had no issues being "awake" during the surgery because they do load you up pretty well. The one time I had the general, I had a nagging nauseous headache for several days, plus I woke up screaming in pain and disoriented. It seems to me that most anesthesiologists prefer the spinal because they do feel its safer, but the surgeons and nurses would prefer you were completely out because you're easier to work with then.

They're boys- they'll sort it out eventually! I think the main reason I had a problem with the stray I took home was because she had been on her own for a long time and she was scared and insecure about everything. Having 2 boisterous male cats just made things worse for her, and her being so timid made my guys more agressive.

I'd say just let them be and they'll sort things out, but TRY not to pay too much attention to the new guy, because that will make the other 2 jealous. Easier said than done. I'm sure Michele (AKA the "Cat Whisperer") will chime in with some specifics, but in my experience, if the new one is a kitten, the others will automatically feel sort of protective and tolerant towards him. If they're anything like my cats, they'll take their "resentment" out on you and not the little one! The only time I had a problem bringing a new cat into my home was when I took in an adult female stray and I already had two neutered males. They never got along, the new cat was miserable. Eventually I gave her to my mom and she lived out the rest of her days as a spoiled and pampered "only child".

Actually, I think its been proven that pain management is an important part of the healing process, at least when you are dealing with physical injuries. Still, the percentage of people who become addicts as a result of taking pain meds as prescribed for a legitimate injury has to be pretty small.

I hear she has 5 hot sisters!

Positive vibes sent!

I would think that you would only owe the additional $60.00 if you went (by choice) to a doctor that was not part of your insurance company's network. When I was being treated for my broken ankle a few years back, I got those notices fairly often. Usually, a phone call wasn't even required. It was a matter of the provider "forgetting" that they were only allowed to bill a certain amount, and sometimes the insurance company had to "remind" them!

Wow- will there also be a special camp for all the able bodied employable US citizens who choose NOT to work and instead sponge off government programs? Or how about a special camp for the US employers who exploit the cheap illegal labor force?

I might get frustrated pretty quickly, but I rarely reply to my own posts. Its bad enough to FEEL like a loser (since no one is responding to my post!), but to LOOK like one on top of it?! You've gotta draw the line somewhere, right?

Yeah, and the media is doing for Fentinal what they did for crack all those years ago! Its like free advertising for dope dealers! All the addicts need to hear is that it makes the heroin cheaper and as long as its mixed right, a "better" high!

Actually, Tomcats in the "wild" or out in a farm or barn type environment have been known to kill an entire litter of another "Tom's" kittens, so they can take over and get the momcat or "Queen" pregnant again with his own kittens. If I'm not mistaken, large cats out in the wild behave in much the same way. (I saw a documentary a few years back.) I'm a cat lover but stray "Toms" roaming the area can be a dangerous nuisance, and not just to the kittens. The life of a barncat isn't exactly easy, either. I remember spending some time on a farm when I was in High School and growing attached to a kitten only to find it smashed by one of the dairy cows one morning. There's LOTS of hazards out there for those kittens, so be prepared for some tears from your kids if they've gotten really attached.

A couple of years ago, they came out with caramel ho-hos. Those just rocked!

They are different. With my speakers turned way up, I could hear the other one. This one- just barely. Its like I can feel it more than hear it. Weird.

Apparently because what she did wasn't bad enough for Barbara Walters not to honor her........ Who knows why half these bullshit sories end up on the internet. BUT, if she didn't have the history she had, she would not have been a target.

Like I said, you start throwing labels around, then expect one or two to come back at you. I HATE what Jane Fonda and a lot of other Americans did back in the late 60s and early 70s. Their RIGHT to do it is part of what makes this country what it is, warts and all. (Honoring JF as one of last century's greatest women still has me shaking my head........) And for all you people too young to remember Hanoi Jane- google it, do a little research and form your own opinion. The information is out there.

Exactly what ideological genre is that? The one that believes in equal rights? The one that thinks its OK to question our goverment? (Is that so bad?) And which one is yours? The one that thinks its OK to follow the government like sheep? The one that thinks its OK to deprive some people of basic civil rights? (Up until they arrive on YOUR doorstep?) Be careful when you start labelling people- you might not like the label you get in return.

I am so NOT "ultra right" its not even funny, but ask a Viet Nam veteran how he feels about her "repentence" and "apology". Or why it was so difficult to see her "honored" a few years back when this first started circulating. Even though this story is BS, the damage she did was very real. She wasn't alone, but she WAS extremely high profile. My SO did 3 tours in Nam, and experienced the "welcome" this country had to offer when he returned. That's reality.