LadiDadi

I'm trying to help out a friend who was recently diagnosed with ALS. I have found a couple of text to speech programs that run fine on my computer but I'm trying to find one that will run on a Pocket PC. Namely an absolutely ancient Compaq iPaq 3870 that's about ten years old. I'm also hoping to find a free or close to free program since he's broke and I'm not far behind. Any suggestions? If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Has anyone ever used a headset with the student radios? I have a mild level of hearing loss (I don't wear aids - yet) and have a terrible time hearing the radio clearly. My first S/L jump had me piloting the canopy with my head bent down sideways so I could try to get my 'good' ear closer to the radio. I still had a hard time hearing clearly what all I was being told to do. And, yeah, yeah, I know that I'm not supposed to rely on the radio and all of that. I get that. My Oto told me I could wear ear plugs if I wanted to protect me from the noise but "you're going to completely lose your hearing at some point anyway..." I love that man's optimism. The other issue with the ear plugs is that, yet another symptom of my myriad ear problems, is that the pressure in my ears doesn't self regulate, I have to clear them constantly - even while sitting at sea level - so ear plugs could possibly interfere or compete with the goofy things my ears are doing on their own and cause an eardrum to perforate. That's not fun or comfy and I don't ever want to experience that again. So - check with your Oto and make sure that wearing ear plugs will be beneficial for you and not make your head explode. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

In honor of you, Billy, I shall add: Funkytown In My Pants (my first thought was to take a ride on the way back machine and go with "Who Put The Bomp In My Pants by Barry Mann - ironic - or La Bamba In My Pants by too many people to list) If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Yup. Why? If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Are you going to bob around in the water while one of you cradles the other and laments "Talk to me, Goose! Talk to me!!" (I think I was the only teenaged girl that busted out laughing in the theater at that) If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I think it's wonderful that it's a Bratz doll. Let's all encourage little girls to look like tranny hookers and then go skydiving in Vegas showgirl clothing (circa 1968). Those dolls are creepy. But I don't think they do any damage to little girls' psyches. I had Barbies when I was a kid and I never aspired to look like a Barbie. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

The Jolly Green Giant and Sprout *edited to add:* Oooh!! One more - (unless you're easily offended) Catholic priest and an altar boy (picking up on the 'gay' vibe mentioned earlier) I saw a guy last year who was dressed in full Catholic priest garb and had a life sized little boy doll dressed as an altar boy attached to his crotch. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Ages and ages ago I drove a Super Shuttle for a living existence. I dropped a family off at one of the nicest downtown hotels one fine rainy and nasty Seattle afternoon. The family was a mom, dad, surly son about 16 or so and a daughter about 18. Seattle's downtown streets are very steep hills and I was parked facing up one. I unloaded all of their bags from the back and grabbed the last one - the daughter's - and it came open as I set it down on the curb and things fell out of it into the wet gutter and street. I felt awful because now her clothes are all wet and dirty and- holy crap! Something of hers is rolling down the hill towards a very busy intersection so I ran off after it. I slipped on the wet street made from bricks and skidded to a stop on my butt next to the item in question. I looked over my shoulder at the teenaged girl who was following me close behind and she looked like she had seen a ghost. It was her vibrator I was chasing. I wasn't going to pick it up, she was too terrified to move so I kicked it into the storm drain and loudly announced to her dad - who was on his way down the sidewalk to help us - "Yeah - she's gonna need a new toothbrush. There's a store just two blocks *that way* or I'm sure you can get another one from the front desk." The poor girl looked like she was going to cry, dad was railing her about not latching her suitcase properly and mom was going on about how they would have to send out all her clothes to be laundered now. No one wondered about the huge hug I got from her. Ladies - be careful how you pack. Take your BOB's with you, by all means, but please pack them well. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

How much altitude are we talking here? Anything less than a HALO and the girls are staying tucked in. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

No, sorry. I can't tell you how I wish I did have a picture of me shooting a flamethrower... Oh... That... Nope. I'm not going to send you a picture to prove that I have boobies. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

That's for your in-laws during the holidays... If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Yeah. Great. Now it's stuck in my head. Thanks. Ladi Dadi - your source for random music info. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I spent about an hour or so at Home Depot in the motion detector light section comparing them all. My favorite was that they had a great selection of solar powered ones that you could use for barns or detached garages or just to be environmentally friendly. The shelf was full of them. They were all covered in dust. I live in Seattle. Why would they even bother stocking them?!? Anyway. I asked the sales guy which ones had the best sensor (I have bamboo that triggers one of the lights I have now with just the tiniest of movements) and which ones were most likely to cause retinal damage. I ended up getting one that is two 150watt halogen bulbs with a 240 degree motion sensor that is supposed to light up 21,000 square feet. It was $39.97. The other one is pretty industrial looking. It's got two 250 watt halogen bulbs, a 270 degree sensor with a 100 foot detection range. That one was $79.97. I haven't put either up yet because I haven't felt like playing with electricity outside while it is raining. Hopefully I can get them up today. There are also add-ons you can get for motion sensor lights that will turn on a light in your house as well when the motion sensor is triggered. Security system? I have two dogs. I don't know anything about getting a security system but I do know that my dogs are way more snuggly than anything made by ADT. Then again, a security system probably wouldn't try to hog the bed. My dogs alerted us to the Asshat in the house and helped chase him away. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Hey... Ya' know... You do what you gotta do... For the record, though, I do not flirt with sales guys or service guys to get a discount. That's ridiculous and I want to punch women in the face when I see them doing that. But... If they're gonna oogle, I'm gonna try to get something out of it. That's just the way it works. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Funkytown The original was by a band called Lipps, Inc. and that was the early 80's, I think. It was remade by Pseudo Echo (an Aussie band) in the late 80's and sounds like a totally different song. That is probably the version you're thinking of. It has more of an early techno vibe to it with a heavier beat. If I'm not mistaken, it was remade for that super cheesy movie where the kid wins the surfing competition in the wave pool in Iowa or someplace so he goes to Oahu and learns to surf the big waves on North Shore in a week or two. Baaaaaaaadddd Pidgen in that movie is what I really remember. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

You can let your dog or cat try it first if you're wary of it. Turducken for Dogs Turducken for Cats If it matters, the Merrick company is located in Texas... If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

Superstitious and Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder (hell, even the Chili Peppers funk the hell out of Higher Ground) Don't Stop by Michael Jackson (teetering on the edge of not being funky enough, I know) Tell Me Something Good by Rufus You Dropped a Bomb on Me - The Gap Band Anything off the Chocolate City album by Parliament War by Edwin Starr That's a sample of my "Funk Must-Haves" If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

COWBELL!!! If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I don't happen to know any friends that have flame throwers so I had to take the opportunity when I had it. He didn't ask specifically for me to flash him. He asked "What do you have to offer me in exchange?" I had absolutely nothing. My husband said "You have tits, don't you?" so I flashed him. I think he was shocked more at my husband than at me so he let us both have a go at it. Now if someone *asked* to see my tits in exchange for something like a discount on car repair, that's a whole other issue. I would be horribly upset and then ask to see the manager and then likely get a much better discount. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I think all the prices should be fair. I also believe that men are going to stare at my (or any woman's) tits no matter what so I should get something out of the deal. Right? I am not ashamed to admit that I flashed my tits at a guy this summer so I could shoot a flame thrower. Hell, I'm proud to admit that! If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

My mom desperately wants to jump but her doctors are very reluctant because of the blood thinners she has to take from the kidney transplant. You breathe hard on her and she bruises so the harnesses could do some serious damage. My sister is waiting until we can get together so she can jump with me (she lives in Pensacola, I'm in Seattle). Her daughter, who will be 8 years old in a month, recently called me and said "Mommy said that if you're good enough to be a skydiving teacher that you will take me skydiving on my 16th birthday. Will you?" I guess this means that I have 8 years to get a tandem instructor rating. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I'm sure she knows that in the last moments of her life she was treated with love and dignity and compassion. Thanks to you. If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

My heart goes out to you. Truly. If you wander around these boards you will see that I am somewhat in the same boat as you. Somewhat. I don't know where you live but if it's anywhere near me, I'll come over and sit watch for you. I am currently harboring a lot of anger in desperate need of displacement. At least you weren't hurt. Seriously. I know that statement is a hard one to wrap your mind around because I keep hearing it and having to repeat it to myself these days. You weren't physically hurt but you were violated, kicked when you were down and, along with everything else, your peace of mind was stolen. The tools and handgun and other things are just stuff and your insurance will replace that. Nothing can replace the peace of mind. Time maybe? I don't know yet. It's only been a week for me. If you want to chat, whine, wallow in self pity, feel free to use me as a sounding board. We can wallow together. Big giant hugs from some chick you don't know!!! If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I don't have any pictures of my dad from his early days of jumping. I asked and got the standard "They're classified. If I showed them to you, I'd have to kill you." My mom is trying to find them for me - they're from his training in the Army in 1966. The other set of photos that I desperately would love to share but I KNOW he would kill me are of his first and only tandem jump - 40 years after he earned his jump wings. He was talked into doing it by some very persuasive characters and, against all orders of "DON'T PUT YOUR FEET DOWN" when they came in to land, he did. Instinct took over. If he'll let me, I will post a picture of my dad, the LTC, being lawn-surfed by SSG Joe Jones of the Golden Knights. Truly a wonderful sight to behold. Brilliant timing on the photographer's (SGM Ike Eitniear) part. My first jump was with the same kooky bunch of folks at Yuma. Attached is a photo of me and my dad and one of me and my TI - the kickass wonderful amazing great guy SFC Mike "Big Mike" Elliott. (and, yes, I am aware of the fact that I look like a larvae in the yellow suit built for a man) If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

I would select: Goa Way Or you could do something along the lines of my favorite exit sign on the way to Vegas from LA - off of I-15 a bit north of the split with I-40 there is an exit sign for "Zzyzx Road" If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up.