runningmeg82

My best friend and her husband (he is from France) are coming over for a game night. I told them I would have wine, but I want to know if I should serve cheese and crackers with it? And if so, what kind? I know it depends on the wine. I like merlot and cabernet sagivnon. I don't know what sorts of cheeses are good and I'm actually afraid it won't live up to what her husband is used to having in France... Maybe I would be better off serving something other than cheese and crackers if I can't do it "right". Thoughts?

Can someone suggest a sushi place in San Fran? My hubby and I are traveling from the East Coast and don't have any contacts out there to suggest places. Thanks!!

I am getting a student teacher soon (elementary music) and I want to make sure I provide them with the best experience possible. I am sure my PT will have plenty of questions for me, but I know there are a lot of things they could tell me that would be useful to know. For example:

1. What classes/topics do you think are your teaching strengths? Weaknesses?

2. What is your philosophy of teaching?

3. What do you most want to gain from this experience?

What others am I missing?

My cat has a funny habit. He can be lovey dovey, but a lot of times he plays hard to get... rubs up against you, but then when you bend down to pick him up he prances away. A lot of times when he doesn't want picked up he runs to his food bowl. My husband and I think it's because he thinks we won't pick him up if he is eating. Which is true- we wouldn't interrupt his eating. But when he runs over there he just kind of stands over it and acts like he's going to eat. Is this his tactic?? Is it a game?

I can hear my cat breathe. Is this normal? He's a large cat (13 lbs... not fat, just really big and long). Everything he does is loud. He purrs reeeeally loud, he meows... very vocal. But when he's just chilling I can hear him breathing- like air going up his nose. This has been happening for at least two years (he's three now). He doesn't have a cold cause his nose doesn't run and his eyes don't water. Thoughts?

My cats, Christmas and Jelly are 3 years old. They're brothers and they grew up together their whole lives. They get along well- neither one of them is scared of the other. They often cuddle and groom each other. But they also FIGHT! Like roughhouse! Sometimes they're playing, sometimes they seem like they're really ticked off at each other. My question is, do you think it's okay to just let them go? I usually don't break them up because I figured they're partly playing, it's giving them exercise, and it's giving them something to do. Also, they're never hurt after. No blood or anything. No hard feelings... Once they're out of "fight" mode, they've calmed down.

Opinions?

After running my frst 50 miler, I started to have knee trouble. I eased up on the running and started the elliptical/swimming but it just wouldn't go away. I went to the doc and got an MRI. While no stress fracture showed up, they thought I had a very early one on my tibia- since there was bone marrow fluid there. They also said my ACL was bruised.

I did NO leg exercises for 4 weeks, as my doc prescribed. I swam (pull only) to stay in shape. I have now gone back to the elliptical. It does not hurt while I elliptical. My knee doesn't feel better... kind of "weak" if that makes sense. Which I don't get- it feels exactly the same as it did 4 weeks ago! (except it used to hurt when I ellipticaled and now it doesn't, so that is good)

Today I ran to the stop sign and back (.00001 miles lol) and it hurt RIGHT away, so I am not ready to run yet. I'm just wondering, do you think it was my ACL that was causing that pain? And if so, is there any stretching, etc I could do that would maybe help? I kind of feel lost on what to do next. If I have a plan, I can start to feel sane again.

Thanks guys!!

Okay this is humiliating! I don't think I have IBS... I think I have something else weird. When I am in a situation when I know I will not be able to use the bathroom, I get so stressed out and it makes me HAVE to use the bathroom. (We're talking #2) And not just once, but I can get diahrhea and go a few times until there's nothing else left in me.

This mostly happens to me at work or in long car trips with someone other than myself. It's like when I KNOW I can't use the bathroom (I'm a teacher and can't leave the kids alone) it makes me have to go. It's such a pain! What the heck is going on with me? Is it something physical? Or does my brain really have that much control over my body?

My brother is 29 and an alcoholic who also does cocaine and takes other pills. He had been in jail for 4 yrs, which helped him get sober, clear his head, and basically grow up. He's been out since July and just found out he has been binge drinking and snorting cocaine again. I feel so helpless. He's going to either kill someone else or himself from a DUI, overdose, or go back to jail. I feel like there is no happy ending to this. I really feel the only reason he is alive right now is because he had to go to jail. I feel like my only option is to level with him when he is sober and convince him to go to rehab. He is so talented, has a job he loves, friends, a loving family, and pretty much a lot going for him, except he is an addict. I guess I am searching for advice on how to get through this, and how I can sleep at night without worrying about him.

My brother is 29 and an alcoholic who also does cocaine and takes other pills. He had been in jail for 4 yrs, which helped him get sober, clear his head, and basically grow up. He's been out since July and just found out he has been binge drinking and snorting cocaine again. I feel so helpless. He's going to either kill someone else or himself from a DUI, overdose, or go back to jail. I feel like there is no happy ending to this. I really feel the only reason he is alive right now is because he had to go to jail. I feel like my only option is to level with him when he is sober and convince him to go to rehab. He is so talented, has a job he loves, friends, a loving family, and pretty much a lot going for him, except he is an addict. I guess I am searching for advice on how to get through this, and how I can sleep at night without worrying about him.

My brother is 29 and an alcoholic who also does cocaine and takes other pills. He had been in jail for 4 yrs, which helped him get sober, clear his head, and basically grow up. He's been out since July and just found out he has been binge drinking and snorting cocaine again. I feel so helpless. He's going to either kill someone else or himself from a DUI, overdose, or go back to jail. I feel like there is no happy ending to this. I really feel the only reason he is alive right now is because he had to go to jail. I feel like my only option is to level with him when he is sober and convince him to go to rehab. He is so talented, has a job he loves, friends, a loving family, and pretty much a lot going for him, except he is an addict. I guess I am searching for advice on how to get through this, and how I can sleep at night without worrying about him.

My brother is 29 and an alcoholic who also does cocaine and takes other pills. He had been in jail for 4 yrs, which helped him get sober, clear his head, and basically grow up. He's been out since July and just found out he has been binge drinking and snorting cocaine again. I feel so helpless. He's going to either kill someone else or himself from a DUI, overdose, or go back to jail. I feel like there is no happy ending to this. I really feel the only reason he is alive right now is because he had to go to jail. I feel like my only option is to level with him when he is sober and convince him to go to rehab. He is so talented, has a job he loves, friends, a loving family, and pretty much a lot going for him, except he is an addict. I guess I am searching for advice on how to get through this, and how I can sleep at night without worrying about him.

I'm throwing a costume run for my running group. Tomorrow night we're running about 3 mi around our neighborhood in costumes- just for fun! I need a good costume. It's only 3 mi so it doesn't matter if I can run well in it or not. Any suggestions??

My kids would get such a kick out of smelling skunk or stinky feet or something like that. Do these exist, and if so, where do I get them?

It doesn't itch or hurt, it's not super big.. I'm hoping it's not an STD cause I'm married and I haven't cheated on my husband. I do shave down there so it could be an ingrown hair? Or a zit? I have no idea. I'm freaking a little bit!

He has two little knots back by his tail. He has long hair but never got them before. I'm thinking of just cutting them out? What do yas think?

The area around my ankles and then stretching up just a few inches on the outter sides of my legs are really sore from a trail 1/2 marathon I did on Sunday. I never got sore here before, prob cause this is my first trail race. I'm wondering what the name of the muscle is so I can accurately describe it. Thanks!

My hubby was preparing chicken and my cat Christmas picked up a raw piece in his mouth- like a huge chicken breast. He did not eat it. My husband got it away from him, but should I be overly concerned that he could get sick?

I have a lot to get off my chest. Background: My husband and I dated 3 years before we got married. We've been married for 11 months w/ no children.

I hate being married. Not only do I not like being married to my husband specifically, but I don't think marriage is for me. I hate someone being around all the time. I don't like living with someone because someone is always messier than someone else (my husband would be the one messier than me) and I always feel like it's a constant cleaning up after him.

He annoys me. Little things annoy me but big things do too. He's very irresponsible with money. In 10 months there's been a $600 cell phone bill and $375 on a credit card. The money thing REALLY bothers me because I work 50 hours a week and he works 27. So it's not like he could've used his *own* money to pay those bills...

I'm also not attracted to him anymore. We don't have sex because I don't want to. I used to do it just to appease him but now I don't even do that anymore because it grosses me out.

I'm not sure how this has all gone downhill in less than a year but it has. I am so unhappy. I know we could get a divorce but that's kind of embarassing- divorce after one year. Also, my husband would be crushed. I don't know what to do. I know life isn't always supposed to be fabulous but I really hate my life right now.

My love of animals really came about in the last two years when I got my cats I mean, I feel more pain when I see a story about animal abuse than I do when I see one about child abuse- as messed up as that is. I am seriously considering becoming a vegetarian, however another part of me thinks, what's the point? Me not eating meat is not going to stop the slaughter of animals. And then there is the question of how far do you take it... so you don't eat meat but you wear leather shoes? Or you use products that were tested on animals.. I mean, where do you draw the line?

Any thoughts on this matter or your own struggles would be appreciated.