misteri

My friend is visiting from Japan in September. Another friend, who lives several states away, who is friends with both of us on Facebook, had been talking with my friend and invited himself and his family here while she is here.... and I wasn't even aware of it! He didn't ask if it was ok, never said anything to me (and I'm hosting this!!), he just said they're coming. I'm not trying to hog my friend all to myself, as she's coming all the way from Japan, but it kind of rubbed me the wrong way for someone to know she is coming and just say, 'well, we'll come, too.' I don't want to be a bad host or be rude to anyone but I just feel it was cheeky (possibly bordering on creepy) for them to just invite themselves. (If they do come, they are literally going to have to stay somewhere else as I don't have but one spare room...and my friend gets that.) They want to take her around. We are already going to do that. We have already made all kinds of plans, taking off work, etc. I know I wouldn't be that bold. I think it's rude. IS it rude or is this just my opinion, and I'm seeing it wrong?

My daughter has recently met a very nice, handsome,hard working boy. She's 18 but lives at home, he's 19 and lives with his parents. Anyway, they have been going out for a couple of weeks now, but she still talks to her friend of 10 years, who is also a boy and gay. The gay thing doesn't bother me, I don't really care about that. What I DO care about is she talks to him AND hangs out with him more than her actual boyfriend! She will stay up at all hours of the night texting and talking to him. I know it's really none of my business, but I am concerned that this might be a turn off for her new boyfriend. What I'm wondering is, am I wrong? She keeps telling me "He knows John is gay." BUT- what I want to know is, would her boyfriend like it if he knew she actually went out places with him and talked to him ALL THE TIME? I personally think it's rude and disrespectful to the relationship. Am I wrong? I told her, "If the tables were turned, you wouldn't like it, I bet." I know I would feel weird and a bit threatened. She just shrugs it off and says "Well, it's not happening to me." I told her since it isn't it's easy to sit there and say that. Am I wrong or what? I need some outside opinions on this. lol Please advise and thanks! :)

It's fall / winter and recently bought some nice clothes at a discount store when they were shifting stock. They are long sleeved but thin material, and in bright colors. I have a green (grass green, not a deep green) and a lavender shirt (2 different shirts...one is grass green, the other is lavender...not together on the same shirt..lol). I was going to wear one the other day but my husband commented it looked very 'spring' like to be wearing this time of year.

I'm not a fashion-ey person. Usually a t shirt and blue jeans kinda gal, but I had a little extra and liked the cut of the shirts, they're very nice. I know about the white after labor day thing and that brown is the 'new' black, or at least it was a couple of years ago. I'm out of touch otherwise.

Is it bad to wear bright 'spring' colors this time of the year? Or do I stick with the blacks, browns and greys? Input will be most appreciated. :D

My niece has been living with me for a couple of years, and she has been on a few different roller coasters, mainly with boyfriends and being a vegan. She's 16. A couple of years ago, she wanted to go vegetarian because a few of her friends were. (No meat, but dairy and eggs.) This was okay, but she wasn't eating right and after a while she started looking pale and sickly.(She was

NOT eating fruits and veg and nuts, as she had the option to, but instead chose lots of pasta, candy, chips,cereal, etc) We were always trying to tell her she wasn't healthy but she wouldn't listen. Then she got into a relationship with a guy she fell in head over heels with. He was a hunter and meat eater, and she quickly changed her tune (literally overnight) and started eating meat again, and she got healthy. She had a BAD breakup with this guy.

A couple months later she got involved with this other guy that is a vegan- NO dairy or eggs, cheese, anything like that. So she gets on this kick really quick. She joined PETA and is on a crusade getting people to sign petitions to save animals. (I know her heart is in the right place, but....) She's gone further and won't use anything that was tested on animals (she threw out a ton of stuff) - yet will wear leather boots after telling her they are leather!!! and is, in my opinion, getting very vocal and anal about her new lifestyle.

We were shopping and I forget how many things have a touch of milk or eggs. I'll grab something, "How about this?" "Eww! That has eggs / cheese / milk in it!" She says it loud enough to where people will turn around and look. We were at a sale the other day and I saw a fur coat (not a big fan of fur myself, but it was a pretty coat, and I said so.) "EEWW! THAT is FUR. *I* don't wear FUR!" Like the whole world cares. It's getting like this more and more. Her vegan boyfriend dumped her but she's still clinging to the vegan thing to 'prove' it wasn't a 'kick', although I know it is. I can tell she's miserable because I was cooking something the other day and she said, "Boy, that smells good, I wish I could have some." "You can, get a plate." "Uh, my veganism?" "Well, that's YOUR stupid lifestyle choice, my dear!" She did not like hearing that, but it's like a self induced punishment.

She keeps telling me "This is who I am!" but she's miserable.

She doesn't know how to do this diet right (she insists milk and eggs are deadly) and wants all these exotic ingredients to make vegan things. It's driving me nuts. I know I can't just tell her 'no' because that will make her want to do it even more. If we didn't have prior health issues with this lifestyle and she was doing it right, I wouldn't say anything. Also, she tends to 'mold' herself around her boyfriends. If they eat meat, she does, too. I think she's a poser. Any suggestions?

Pretty new to the political scene, but have really started paying attention to everything lately. It's obvious from where I stand now that I have been fairly liberal in most places, and conservative in others. Overall, I would say I'm conservative. But here's the problem I am having. I try to have conversations about things on forums, and, for the most part, I feel like I am dealing with seriously closed minded zealots who are not willing to even THINK about anything other than what they have in their heads. While I agree with most of what they have to say, there are some things I don't agree with. Examples, gay marriage. This is not MY marriage, so it's none of my business. Well, it goes against G-d. Well, not everybody conforms to your G-d. You see what I am trying to say? Yes, this country was founded with G-d, but it's also founded on diversity. They get mad because they take prayer out of school. This is a personal thing, in my opinion, do your praying at home. For example, if another religion was to pray at school, more than likely, there would be people that would not like it, and would say "Why do you have to do that here? Why not do this on your own time?" Same thing. Airport TSA searches, calling them rape. Please don't over exaggerate reality. It may be creepy, but don't say it's something it's not. 'My Constitutional rights were violated!" I believe it says 'unreasonable' search. I think being searched before boarding a plane that could very well be a coffin if the wrong people got on board is not unreasonable. They need to quit searching unlikely people, or search everyone equally. Light bulbs: This is crazy. Some folks are literally stocking up on the old 100 watt bulbs that suck electricity. They claim the new ones are poison. I realize we should have a choice, but this is the way we are moving, and I like having 1 bulb that gives just as much light for a fraction of the cost. For those beatching about the quality of the light, blah blah blah, remember that G-d you're always shoving down everyone's throats? Thank Him you even HAVE light! The post it note campaign: I see what you are trying to do, but it's just a silly little thing to do that is not going to get anywhere. You need to get to the roots of the problems instead of these tactics. If I were a store owner, I wouldn't like it one bit, it's nothing more than littering. The notes are even addressed to Obama... do you really think he's going to shop at a small town gas station or a grocery store, see the note and, "Oh yeah, we need to do something about this!" Come on. Burning the Koran. While I'm not a fan of Muslims at all, I do not agree with burning their texts. I don't agree with them burning our texts, either, but what good does it do? I CRINGE whenever I read about conservatives having Koran book parties. To both sides, the Bible and Koran burners.... yeah, looks like burning all those books is REALLY working! Pretty soon we won't have ANY Christians or Muslims....burning the books took care of it! I get called every name in the book- or I'm drinking this infamous Kool Aid everyone is talking about. (A conservative forum site which will remain nameless because I refuse to give them any press is the worst case of myopic people I have ever encountered in my life- they are quick to disagree with you and call you names, and not even TRY to come up with solutions.)I'm really at a strange place in my life...I guess what I'm trying to say is, I've been on both sides, and I feel I have a healthy grasp of what's going on. Both sides are bitterly at each other's throats, and this is a problem. The divided thoughts and the name calling does not get us anywhere. Just because I have a differing opinion I'm automatically a bad guy. I am sure this is going to rile some people's feathers, but--- I'm more inclined to agree with you if you're not calling me names, and opening your mind up a little. Unwillingness to have an open mind is ignorant. You're not always right!!! Just venting, but do you see what I'm trying to say here?

My daughter is pretty, and I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter; I feel she has wonderful features. I feel lucky people tell her she's pretty (I'd rather them say that than call her ugly!! lol) , however, I am a realist and when people tell her anything like that, it goes STRAIGHT to her head, and it's hard for her to come back to earth. She gets 'uppity' and acts snotty towards her father and myself. For example, we were working in the yard and she got a day's worth of sun. Hardly a tan- I told her, "You're getting a little color." Her new facebook post : 'I've got a tan!' and all her friends are like, what tan? She's a lil chunky, and lost weight enough to get into this dress she couldn't get into for over a year. Did you hear about it? Everyone in the WORLD I think heard about that. I know it's a great feat to lose weight, and I am proud of her, and told her as such, but again it went to her head and now I think she thinks she could make the cover of Cosmo or something. I know I probably sound strange, but I don't want to raise one of those snotty beeatches that think they are above everyone else. Yes, she's pretty, but that's all she talks about when someone compliments her. She's 17. Is this just a phase or what? I told her "Yes, you're pretty, now shut the hell up about it. Bragging about it is so tiresome and makes you not pretty." I tell it like it is, after hearing for a week straight her boyfriend, her boyfriends's mom, sister, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, grandmother, church pastor etc. told her so.... she said, "If you've got it, flaunt it." (Again, not a model, but she thinks she is...lol) Any advice?

My husband put a few items up for sale on Craigslist. He clearly spelled out his pricing and that these are pick - up only items as they are large. In a few hours, this guy emails my husband and expresses interest in one of the items. He asked in the first email if my husband would deliver, as he is only about 200 miles away. My husband replied 'no', he would have to come get it. Then, about an hour after that, the guy writes back, wanting to know if my husband will ship it to him, or meet him halfway to pick it up. My husband was irritated that he had already told him he would have to come get it, why he didn't understand. Over the course of the evening, the guy emailed about a dozen more times...literally, wanting our address. I told my husband it seemed weird this guy was so intense. The guy has, in the course of 24 hours now, has sent no less than 36 messages (I'm serious!) , some within minutes of each other, all politely demanding our address, if we can meet, how he wishes we were there now, etc... it's WAY too weird for me now, and I told my husband NOT to give him our address. I think he sounds crazy and intense. Question: would you go ahead and try to deal with this guy, or would you just ignore him, or tell him the deal is off? What would you do? I personally don't want him to know where we live. My husband is leaning that way, too, but still on the fence. Any thoughts?

I have started my seeds for my garden this year, tomatoes, peppers, etc. and they were doing really great, but I have been noticing some of the seedlings are 'topped' - like someone took a pair of scissors and just clipped the top off. I never find the top of the plant, or the pest that's doing it. I had this problem last year, too, and it really ticks me off after all the work to go inside and the next day have 'topped' plants. Today I found more seedlings like that - I think it happens at night, too. I never see the pest, and have turned the pots over to see if there's anything lurking on the bottom of the pot. I looked up slug damage online, it seems like it may be that, has anyone else had that problem? I read they don't like copper...what if I put some pennies in my pots? lol Thanks in advance.

When my husband was a teenager (he's in his 50's now) he had a drug problem. He went to his mom's house for help after he got out of jail and she and his sister took him to the homeless shelter and basically wrote him off for several years. He straightened up and married me, and we have a nice family, our kids have no issues with anything like that. His sister's son is always getting into trouble. Last year he was caught writing prescriptions and was arrested, and was facing a lot of jail time. Everyone in the family (except us) raked together a ton (over 10 grand) to get the best lawyer, etc etc. to keep him out of jail 'because he wouldn't survive in there.' He threatened to leave or to kill himself. So they busted their butts to do that. My husband mentioned that when we would see his nephew he still looked drugged up and up to no good. Sure enough, a couple of weeks ago, he was caught doing the same thing. If you can believe it, they tried bailing him out again but couldn't come up with the money.

Anyway, sorry to ramble, but to get to the point, my husband's mom keeps calling him- "Will he survive?" "Can he beat this?" "Will he still be looking at jail time?" "What can we do?" She's obviously distraught, but I noticed my husband was always rather distant and generic with his answers. I asked him about it and he told me he just couldn't get over the attention they are paying to his nephew. He told me they didn't even think twice about throwing him to the dogs, and he didn't do anything even CLOSE to what this kid's doing. He thinks the parents and his mom should just let him on his own, especially since this is his third offense (he's been in trouble more than these two times.) I agree. We love his nephew, but he's really screwing up. My husband isn't pitching a fit or being a baby about it, but it bothers him why his mom didn't seem to care as much for him as she does her grandson. Any advice? Also, so he can have something to tell his mom when she calls again, will he be looking at jail time? This last time he violated his probation doing the same thing, writing scripts for narcotics...isn't that federal? Thanks!

This past weekend I heard some kids awfully close to my house, and when I looked out my window, they were on my porch! They are my new neighbors' kids. They are small, the oldest being maybe three, and the youngest one barely able to walk. My landscape is agaves and cacti, and I have a lot of iron sculptures that are rather pointy, sharp and heavy as well. I went and to talk to the mother, who was washing her car, just letting them run free.

"Don't worry about them, they like your gnomes." she said.

"I understand that, but they could get hurt in my yard. Everything is pointy over there. I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I just don't want them to get hurt." I was as nice as I could be while telling this woman she needed to keep a better eye on them. After talking to her, I was more offended that she just assumed it was okay for her kids to just make themselves at home in my yard. We chatted a few more minutes and parted ways, on a positive note.

Well, they were on my porch again just now, and it just pi$$ed me off. Big time. I marched out as the mom was just coming out of her house. "I'm sorry," she said laughing. "I just went in the house to get something." She was in there long enough for these LITTLE kids to come into my yard!

"Look. Keep your kids out of my yard. They are going to get hurt over here, I'm telling you." and I went back inside. Needless to say, it wasn't as friendly this time.

I have to live close to these people so I don't want any hard feelings but it really cheeses me that I had to explain the safety of her kids to her more than once. I shouldn't have even had to, in my opinion. I don't want to be friends with her, but not enemies, either.

What should I do if it happens again? Again, the oldest is like, 3 years old. They can't hurt anything, it's what could hurt THEM. I have had neighbors before that had kids and I never had any problems.

Do I call the law or what? I won't tolerate this as it's a huge liability, and the twit mom should damn well know better.

>:(

I have acquired an older (I think 1960's) Kenmore sewing machine (model 158.504) that was horribly taken care of. It did not come with a manual, and I have not been able to find a free one online. (I really am hesitant to pay for one when I'm not sure if it will run again, you know?) Anyway, it's not rusty, but seized up pretty good. I turned it out of it's case (it's a portable, no table) and oiled all the gears and moving parts on the bottom, as well as put oil in the oil holes everywhere on the machine. I let all this sit overnight, and everything moves like a dream except one part, which, after searching online is the needle bar (I think.).. the shaft like thing that has the needle clamp thing on it.. Everything around it moves, and it budges ever so slightly, but it doesn't want to move. I put oil on it to no avail. Is there anything else I can do? Does it take more time than an evening for the oil to 'work in'? Am I missing something? I wish I had a manual, that's always a good to have, although this seems like more of a repair job than casual maintenance. I thought I would post on here, maybe someone has had this problem before.

Also if someone knows where I can get a free manual, that would be brill. If I can get it to budge, I wouldn't mind paying for one, you know? Thanks in advance.

I have some negatives that got wet in my storage unit. They were in the photo envelope with the photos that got damaged and 'glued' together. I carefully pulled the negatives out and they look a bit smeary on the edges and some of the 'picture' part is smeary in some, too. I can see what the picture is of,it's just messed up in the smeary parts.(of course..lol) Can the negatives be used still? I know if this is possible the picture will be bad in that one area but these are pictures of people who have recently deceased so that's why I was wondering. I was going to toss them but thought I'd ask first. Thanks.

I can't give details other than generic ones as the case is still open, but I need some advice.

Defendants know where I live (I have concrete proof of this) yet failed to tell their attorney this for 3 months, and he didn't contact me for 9 additional months. Defendants did not do what they were supposed to do (I have proof of this also) They are saying I am not doing my duties, but I had no idea any of this was going on until the day I got the paperwork! Therefore I feel I was not properly served.

Defendant's lawyer has lied repeatedly on documents. Has not answered or returned paperwork within time limits. He says he has certain documents yet has failed to produce any of them. (Also have proof of this).

Hired a lawyer but he seems to have come to a complete standstill and is unwilling to question the other lawyer's actions.

I want to report the defendant's lawyer, but would it do any good? I know you're not supposed to complain with 'emotional' issues, just the facts, and this is ALL fact. I am halfway considering reporting my own lawyer for his 'Oh well, I'm stumped' type of attitude. I've already sunk my money in this guy and don't have money to look for (retain) another. I really want to tell him I have complaints worked up against both of them but I don't want to be seen as 'threatening' anyone. Should I try to write a letter directly to a judge and explain my situation? Would that be bad? I'm up against a wall here but there was some serious issues here that need to be corrected. Any advice would be helpful.

Four days ago I was moving the trash bins for the gardener and didn't notice I had stepped into a huge pile of fire ants (they were under the can). I had about 50 of them on my foot (I was wearing sandals) and about 10 of them managed to bite me. I started feeling kinda bad throughout the evening, and I was so sick feeling- I had a horrible headache and nausea, and this lasted for three days. No fever or anything. The ant bites were RED around them, but are healing nicely now. Yesterday evening I seemed to 'come out of it.' I thought maybe I had food poisoning, but the rest of my family ate everything I did and didn't get sick. Today is the first day I have felt anywhere close to normal in days. Could this be a severe allergic reaction to ant bites? I've never had this problem before, but I've only had one or two bites at most and I am usually more careful around ants, but like I said I didn't EVEN see these little bastards! lol

My tomato plants got really big and produced a lot of fruits; however some of them got some sort of virus or something, where the top of the plants wilt, then the bottom leaves turn yellow, get crisp and die, working its way up the plant. Eventually the whole plant dies. Some of the plants were not affected by this even though they were growing right next to the others, even touching. I yanked the bad plants out, and have some younger tomato seedlings I could plant there, but I'm afraid of the disease. I'm also trying to grow all my tomatoes in the same area to avoid getting diseases all over the garden. I still have about 6 months growing time. Any suggestions?

I know there is no 'nice' way, but here's the gist, hopefully someone can help me. Earlier this year, a friend of mine was going to a big convention where he thought some of my artwork would be of interest to the people going there. I sent him with about 12 paintings, the smallest was about $50 and the largest ones, which were several, about $400-$500 each. He told me only a few had sold, and he would send the others back. I waited, and waited, and now he is avoiding my phone calls and emails. I recently sent him an email and he said he would get to it that week, but this was about three weeks ago. He does this, he buys time and then never does anything. I'm sick of it, and am planning to sue. I want to let him know I am planning on it, that if he would just do the right thing and arrange for this art to get back to me, and ACTUALLY get it back to me, I won't. What is a nice way of telling him that? BTW, I have documentation of him taking the art, as well as several of these emails where he says he will, but never follows through with it. There is also a magazine article he wrote that states the art was taken by him to this event, so I think I'll be good in court as far as evidence goes.

I want to contest my mother's will, I have the grounds to, and I believe it is fraudulent in itself, and the other people in the will acted in ways that lead me to believe they are trying to hide something. I could go into details, but will just leave it at this. But have learned through limited legal advice it will be lengthy and costly-veeeery costly. I am certain I can prove their wrong doings, but there is a lot of time, energy, and money that I do not have that would have to go into it. I want to fight it so badly but financially, I cannot proceed. I am wondering if it would even be worth it in the end. I don't want a handout, I just want some legal help I can afford, and I have searched for days to no avail. Should I just give up, or keep fighting if I can? Have any of you ever contested a will? How hard is it? DId you come out victorious? I'm exhausted and frustrated, and I have no idea what to do next. Any advice???? Thanks.

My watermelon vines are going crazy after the big rain we had last week. I have seen a few baby watermelons just on the one end of the vine, so there are probably many more I don't see. Every day I give each plant a watering can ( 2 gallons) of water, unless it rains. Each time I see the baby watermelons they look a bit bigger. At first, the were the size of a dime. Then a quarter. Then a half dollar, now a silver dollar and bigger. Is that enough water to keep the vine going? How much water should a fruiting watermelon vine recieve to get good melons without them splitting?

My sister has a 15 year old daughter that will not listen to anything her parents tell her and she has an attitude or a 'smart' answer to everything. It's driving her and her husband crazy. If you have a minute, I'll elaborate.

This girl is incredibly smart. She used to be an honor roll student, and things were going really well. Then she started hanging around these kids that her parents didn't like, and I met a couple of them once when I was over there- her parents were smart in limiting her contact with them to only on the phone, and when she sees them at school she can do nothing about. Anyway, her grades starting falling, and she started to get mouthy with everyone, including me! This was not the same sweet young lady I remember. I was starting to talk with her about her grades and she was very casual- "Yeah, yeah, I thought we established this." She said it just like that! Since her grades were going down, her parents took away her phone and visiting privilges. She doesn't listen to a word her parents tell her, either. Her cell phone, which she has on her for to and from the bus stop was shown she was texting and calling her friends, even after explicitly being told it was for emergencies or parental contact only, and that it was going to be checked every day- because she can't be trusted. When asked about it, "I don't know." This is her answer for everything.

Now, her parents are successful but live modestly, and are always trying to encourage her to learn, but they have always tried giving her thee most freedom they can. It was only when she started messing up that they curbed her privliges. But I can see my sister and her husband are at the end of their ropes. They've tried and tried, and I've tried and tried, but the girl is making me uneasy and the tension is so bad I don't like going over there anymore. I had told my sister this and she said that was it, they were going to look for some sort of reform school for her. I tend to agree- they have tried, they've punished, they've talked, they have tried figuring this out. I think she needs her *** whipped a few times. I think it's crazy that at 15 she can't- or won't even follow simple directions. She's a horrible liar, too. None of us believe a word she says. I know she didn't get any of that from her family! They have the reform schools down to a couple and are seriously thinking about doing it. What do you think? I mean, what do you do with a kid that is a liar, has attitude and just will not listen? There is no reasoning with her and it's driving the family apart! Suggestions and ideas will be appreciated!

When we came home this afternoon, there was a beautiful- it stopped the entire family in our tracks!- blue bird in our lawn eating with other birds near the feeder. There was a female cardinal nearby, and this blue bird looked like a blue cardinal. He was a dark ultramarine / indigo with greyish wings and he had a small crest on his head. Solid, rich dark blue all over. We kept watching him until he flew away...he's about the size of a cardinal, also. I thought it could be a purple martin, but looking them up online I see that wasn't even close. I didn't see anything that was even remotely like it.

I'm in the deep coastal south, maybe that can help pinpoint it. I hope he comes back so I can get a photo. Sorry to go on and on but this was such a beautiful , beautiful bird! :) Please if you can give me a clue I'd appreciate it! :)