just me

As part of my job I will visit a hospital regularly and need an ID card to get in. To get the ID, I need to undergo a background check. I have no worries about this. They also mentioned something about "drug history"- what does that mean? Is it a drug screening test (urine or blood) or will they ask me about prior drug use?

I have a $50 gift card and I've been wanting to buy Walking Dead graphic novels but I'm not sure which to get.

Cover art is as important to me as the story.

The Omnibus 1 seems great but it's so expensive, and I don't really want a heavy book to lug around.

The Compendium 1 is closer to my budget right now, but does this have the cover art?

Otherwise I might get Books 1-3 or 1-4 in hard cover.

I'm open to buying more books later, but there are so many!

Any suggestions?

I just got a new job. I'll be earning $10K/year more than ever before. And I'll soon be getting paid for unused vacation time from my old job that equals about $8K.

What should I do with this money?

-I have a lot of student loan debt- about $120K. I could use this to help pay down that debt, but it would hardly make a dent in the debt.

-I would like to buy a house one day- but I have bad credit because of my student loan debt, and I have been saving for a down payment, but that seems like a distant dream. $8,000 would help to bring us closer to that.

-My 22-year-old son needs a new car. I could buy him a decent used car for about $3K, and use the rest towards insurance.

-I could use the money to pay for my son's tuition in school (this would cover about one year of community college which I otherwise planned pay through a payment plan). He's not actually enrolled in college right now but I really want him to go. He's not sure if he wants to go.

-I could take a vacation. My husband has never been out of the country. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for us.

I've noticed that since yahoo answers changed to the new format, if I go back and edit a question, I lose the formatting... particularly the line between paragraphs.

This is strange- particularly for long answers. They end up jumbled into one really long paragraph.

Has anyone else noticed this? If so- has anyone found a solution?

I put in an application about a month ago for a cute dog I saw online. I was surprised that they contacted me the next day, and starting checking references the very same week. However- within two days after submitting my application, the dog I was applying for found a home. That was fine- I'm glad that it found a home. I asked to move forward with the process. There were several other dogs available that fit the criteria.

However- each step is taking a week or longer--- scheduling the phone interview, scheduling the home visit... now none of the several dogs I wanted are available. New dogs have come up since then. Very few fit our criteria (age, weight, temperament). I did find one that we totally fell in love with- the day the pic was posted I contacted the rescue group to see if we could be added to the list for that one. The reply I got was "wait until you're certified first and then we'll chose the dog."

I suppose that makes sense since apparently, it takes longer to certify a family than the dogs stay in foster care... but in that case, isn't it misleading to begin the process by asking people to apply for a specific dog in the beginning? It feels a bit like a bait and switch. Why aren't pet rescue groups more up front about the process in the beginning? Why not just say- "apply to adopt one of our pets" instead of "apply to adopt Vivian" since Vivian will certainly not be available by the time you've finished a 4-6 week application process and likely has a waiting list 6 people long anyway.

My boyfriend and I have one dog and a stable life with a fenced in yard. Last weekend we put in an application with a local rescue organization to adopt another dog. They're already processing our application and have checked our references. I have a phone interview scheduled tomorrow, and if all goes well, we'll start meeting potential dogs soon (the first one we wanted found a home already, but there are a few others that we'd like).

We have three criteria: the dog should be housebroken, it should be small (under 30 lbs), and its age and activity level should match our current dog (he's two and really likes to run around and play chase but he's not hyperactive). Based on the descriptions on the website- there are a few different dogs that might be a good match.

Assuming all goes well, and we're allowed to adopt, what are some issues we should be aware of as we add a new dog to our family?

I have one dog. He's 2 years old make cocker-mix. He's easy going and friendly. We haven't done much elaborate training, but he's so easy going that he doesn't really have any problematic behaviors. He come when he's called and sits and stays when we tell him to.

He rarely barks at people or other dogs- only alarm barks if there are unidentified sounds in the night. We're dog sitting for two weeks for friends who are out of the country. Their tiny dog is three years old and she was raised in an apartment and doesn't have nearly the energy as our dog. My cocker tries to get her to play chase and we've tried to get her interested in frisbee and fetch, but mostly she just stands there. We normally take our cocker for two medium-lengthed walks per day at a brisk pace, but Guest dog has trouble keeping up- so now we just take her along for the evening walk and let her do her business in the yard in the morning, while our cocker gets a nice brisk-paced walk without Guest dog lagging behind.

One thing she does enjoy doing is barking at people and other dogs when they walk down the street. I only allow them in our back yard while supervised in the mornings and evenings. My cocker joins in. I think it's the one thing they really enjoy doing together, but it's quite noisy and I worry that my cocker is going to develop this bad habit of barking at people all the time.

I tell them to be quiet- but it's hard to stop them when they've gotten into a frenzy. I think they actually enjoy running from one side of the yard to the other while they bark. What can I do to discourage this behavior?

So many schools start as early as 7:15am, and then get out at 2:30. That means students (and teachers) are waking up at 5am and waiting at bus stops as early as 6:15am.

I know some people are more productive in the mornings, but many studies show that teenagers' brains and bodies are more active late at night rather than early in the morning. Why don't schools have a more reasonable schedule like 9am-3pm?

International adoption can cost at least $20,000 per child. Wouldn't it be better for the child to give the $20,000 to the birth parents to use to raise the child on their own? That kind of money would go really far in poor rural areas in other parts of the world.

Sure- sometimes birth parents are abusive and have no business raising children- but if you're trying to save a child from an abusive family- why not foster one of the many abused and unwanted children in the US?

Doesn't it seem that the adoption industry has become more about financially privileged people paying for the privilege to raise a child, rather than doing what's best for the child?

My son's bio dad was never reliable. He wouldn't contribute to my son's care, when he wouldn't show up when he said he would, when his actions showed that he wasn't able to put his son's needs ahead of his own. After many many chances over my son's first year, I finally told him not to bother. I reasoned that my son would be better off not knowing this man than knowing someone who wasn't willing to be the kind of reliable and loving father that he deserved. He never sued for visitation, never sent cards or called for birthdays or holidays. I attempted to reach out to his bio-dad's extended family, but they never wanted to set up a time to see him either, and never made any effort to stay in touch. We moved away- for a better life (though my parents stayed in the same place, so if bio-dad wanted to track me down, it was possible) and my son grew up in a loving family with healthy male role models but he never knew his bio-dad. At the time, I felt that growing up with a non-traditional family would be better than a consistently unreliable person who called himself 'dad.' I waited for my son to ask about his father, and he really never did. I told him the basic information- his name and where he lived, but didn't tell my son the full story- or all the details and the drama.

Later on, when my son was a teenager, he found his bio-dad online. They became friends and started spending a lot of time together. This was difficult for me- because I felt like this man had never been a real father to my son, and he really didn't deserve the love that my son was giving him. But my son enjoyed meeting a whole new side of his extended family, and I reasoned that since this was something that he wanted, it didn't make sense for me to make it more difficult for him.

After some time, his bio-dad did something really terrible. My son fell in love with a girl. They moved in together. She had a daughter which my son loved as if she were his own. He wanted to make this a family. His bio-dad also knew this girl, and the three of them spent a lot of time together. After some time, my son and his girlfriend had a falling out, and she kicked him out and said she didn't want him to be a part of her daughter's life. This really hurt my son and it's taken him a long time to deal with his heartbreak. The loss of the little girl probably hurt him more than the loss of the girlfriend- but since this girl wasn't his bio-daughter, he didn't have any rights.

Just a few weeks after he moved out, it became clear that my son's dead-beat bio dad was in a relationship with the girlfriend. I knew that guy was no-good but this just boggles my mind!!! My poor son is heartbroken after losing his girlfriend and her daughter- but now he's lost his father too! I think he's willing to forgive his father for almost anything- but I just can't see how, in any universe, this situation could be ok.

I'm so sad that my son, who's now 22, has learned the hard way. I knew the man was sleazy, but I'm surprised that he's stooped to this level. I despised the man in the first place, for never being there for his son... but this is a new level of disgusting behavior. I wish I could protect my son- but there's nothing I can do to change this.

What would you do?

I have a close relationship with my former boss. Because I changed positions a year ago, I report to someone else now (and that person reports to my boss). Recently, my new supervisor has done some things I'm not comfortable with including changing my work loads, overloading me with tasks to the point that I can't possibly get all these things done, and most recently scolding me for the tone I used in an email in reply to a colleague who had been insulting to me repeatedly over the last several months (apparently my supervisor doesn't see any problems with my colleague's behavior towards me).

Rather than running to my old boss to complain, I decided to find another job... and it looks like I have found a really great new job. Now I'm feeling guilty for planning to leave. I manage all of my old boss' accounts, and when I go, it'll be him that suffers the most until they find someone to replace me (and this will likely take a number of months).

How can I explain this to my old boss? I think he'll feel like I've betrayed him- but I really can't stand working for this new supervisor and in some ways, I hold him responsible for putting her in charge of me.

I have a friend who started working last June, but due to various administrative problems his appointment has been slow to start and he's finally only receiving his first paycheck six weeks later. Eventually he'll be paid for all of his time back to June but we're not sure when.

Does this violate any labor laws? He was given the option to not start working until the appointment was official, but he wants the job so he's been working without pay for the last six weeks.

Sometimes it's hard to know what kind of room you're booking online- particularly with an international hotel.

There's a hostel/hotel that I'm looking at in Istanbul. My friend and I would like to share a room, but we want two beds.

Usually in the US, a Twin bed means a skinny bed for one person, Full, Queen or King is for 2 people. I found out the hard way on a recent trip that that you can't always assume it's going to mean the same thing (and sometimes hotels won't give a refund and two girls get stuck sharing one bed).

What kind or room is likely to have 2 beds? Does "double" mean two beds- or one big bed for two people? Does "twin" mean one skinny bed- or is that just a word for a single person in a room? Will they charge us per person or can we share the cost of one room with two beds?

Deluxe Twin Private Ensuite

$146.46

Standard Twin Private Ensuite

$125.52

Deluxe Double Bed Private Ensuite

$167.37

Standard Double Bed Private Ensuite

$125.52

Superior Double Bed Private Ensuite

$167.37

Deluxe 3 Bed Private Ensuite

$125.52

ect. on and on until 10-beds per room... the price gets lower and lower, the more beds they have in a room.

Over the last week, while outside in my backyard after dark, I've seen a rat twice! Both times I screamed- each time the rat ran in a different direction (under the fence into a different neighbor's yard).

We rent- and live in a very nice middle class suburban community. We have a meticulously maintained yard, and so do our neighbors. There is no trash or debris strewn about. Our neighborhood has a listserve where people post frequently about mosquitoes (reminding folks not to leave standing water- and debating various treatments and their effects on butterflies and bees) break-ins (which are fairly frequent since we're not far from some really poor communities), foxes and possums, babysitters and other mundane things. Nobody's posting about rats though and I'm really concerned- but I probably don't want to be the first person to raise the alarm.

I wrote to my landlord (the homeowner is a friend who lives out of state) and explained the situation and asked if he has any advice.

We're planning to go over the yard again- and through the garage- to double check to make sure there aren't any places that rats could be hiding. Short of calling an exterminator- and alerting our neighbors what can we do?

If someone is disabled and receiving social security disability- would their minor child be entitled to a benefit? If that child does not live with them, who would receive the benefit? The custodial parent, or would Social Security issue the payments directly to the child?

I'm asking because my son's deadbeat dad never paid child support (even though the order was only $50/week and never increased) and he worked off the books hiding his income. After a number of years, when the past-due amount was over $10,000 I took him to court for back child support. I couldn't afford a lawyer, but he had legal aid.

He claimed that he was on disability and couldn't work so he he couldn't pay the full amount- but made a partial payment (with some sort of inheritance he had received) which the courts considered payment in full.

At the time I thought that my son should get some sort of benefits from Social Security, but I didn't really know how to follow up. Perhaps if I had ever received welfare, the court would have appointed a lawyer to go after his dad- but I've always just worked hard or borrowed to keep us afloat. His father never showed any interest in our son or asked for visitation, and I lived a few states away, so I just moved on- raising my son on my own- doing the best I could.

Years later, when my son was a teenager, my parents and I agreed he'd be better off living with them to finish high school. We never formalized a custody agreement. According to the school, I was the sole parent, and I still paid for his living expenses and made the major (educational, health ect) decisions- but my parents were the responsible adults in his life and he lived in their home. In some years, my parents claimed my son as a dependent on their taxes, in other years I did- depending on who provided the most support on a given year.

At some point, my son started having a lot of spending cash- and I found a few letters from social security. Neither my parents nor I ever knew how this happened or how much money was involved or where it actually went. My son was very secretive about anything to do with his father, and I couldn't really follow up- being a few states away. I was a bit frustrated with my parents for not getting to the bottom of this- because an adult should have really been managing these funds. If my son had been issued benefits, they shouldn't have been a teenager's spending cash- and I wasn't even sure if my son was receiving the total amount or if his biological father was keeping it and throwing my son a few dollars here and there.

Would Social Security have issued payments directly to a minor? Or is it more likely that my son's father claimed that he was the custodial parent? It's a shame that all this money might have been pissed away by a 16-year-old, or kept by his father who never supported him- even minimally. My parents and I have never had much money, but we've always worked really hard to make ends meet.

Is this fraud? Or does Social Security just send money to teenagers directly?

I'm a single parent. My son is 22 and lives in another state with my parents and has for several years. He has filed taxes as independent for the last three years and maintains a legal residence (with a driver's license) in my parents' state. Next year he wants to attend community college there. According to FAFSA, he is not independent and they will consider my income in determining financial aid. On FAFSA, it automatically computes "2" for my household size (him and me) even though we do not share a household. Will my out-of-state residence interfere with his ability to get in-state tuition at the community college where he lives?

I know a young man who fell in love with a young woman who has a 2-year-old daughter. They've moved in together, and because of the mom's work schedule, this young man is spending a lot of time caring for the little girl. He adores her- but he doesn't have any experience at all with taking care of children... and 2-year-olds can certainly be challenging!

What resources can I provide that can help this young man learn better ways to deal with the little girl. He tends to yell at her when she "misbehaves" and I don't think he really understand what kind of behavior is normal for a child of this little girl's age, or how to re-direct unwanted behavior in more positive ways.

Can anyone suggest books or shows I can share with him?

I started a new job about 9 months ago. It's a new position- and the department is re-organizing so my responsibilities have shifted a bit and I've been giving more work than one person can reasonably do. It's also a very important position that's paid better than I've ever earned before. At first I found myself working extra hours just to keep up- but I figured that as I eased into this job, things would become easier to manage.

I've noticed that others at work have been shifting some of their responsibilities over to me. I work three out of four weekends every month, and stay late at the office at least one evening a night but I still can't keep up with everything that needs to be done. I just hired an office assistant- which should help a little- but assistants take time and effort to train as well.

My job is salaried- which means that I have a little bit of flexibility with my work day, but I'm expected to work as long as needed to get the work done and I'm not eligible for overtime.

I told my supervisor about this at my performance review... that in order to really do this job I'd have to work 50-60 hours per week. She suggested that if it's more efficient for me to get some of the work done in evenings and on weekends, then I should take a week day off. The problem is, if I take the week day off- I'll just have more work to come back to when I finally do return to the office. I don't think she realizes the scope of the problem.

I've tried closing my door- and working more efficiently (I don't take phone calls- I never check my personal email at work and rarely even take a lunch break)-- I've tried prioritizing and avoiding taking on new tasks. But I'm still behind.

There are lots of things I really like about this job. I don't really want to quit- but what can I do?

I'd sure like to be able to do have a life- clean my house sometimes, maybe even take some night classes- plan a vacation- but right now my job is just all consuming- and it's not really paying so well that it's worth giving up my entire life.

Is it more efficient (and cost effective) to set my thermostat low during the day when nobody is home, then have it heat up in the evening when we're home, and then lower again at night... or is it better to keep it at a standard temperature? At anything lower than 68, I'm cold and need blankets so sometimes I push it up to 70. We have a new and efficient boiler with radiator heating.

Currently my thermostat is set automatically to fall down to 60 (though it doesn't actually get that cold yet).

Some people say it's more efficient to keep the temperature settings stable around the clock.

I've heard the same thing about central a/c: some people say it's better to turn it off (or set the temperature high) during the day, and then on again when you need it. Others say it's better to keep the temperature constant.

What's really true?

How much of life do you think is due to the choices we make (our actions and our effort)... and how much is due to things we can't control- like the family we're born into and the genes we're born with?

Do you think most people end up in life where they deserve?

Why or why not?