jumpinghorse210

My boyfriend and I have been seeing each other for the past year. Great relationship; fun, sexy, we play video games together all the time; he is my absolute best friend. But recently he asked to break up because he doesn't know what he wants. As an example he used the times we go out to the bar. When he is drunk he resents me because he feels like he can finally talk to girls like he has always wanted to (he's generally shy) but then feels guilty because of me hence he is angry for the rest of the night. I felt a little hurt obviously, but he went on to say he thinks he is too immature for me and I need someone who will treat me a lot better. So we break up and I ask him to leave me alone, he doesn't, keeps talking to me, asks me to be friends, and moves on to say he would maybe like to get back together again at some point in the future. I'm so confused, I don't know if he is being honest or if he just would like to be single and mess around with girls for a bit and come back to me. Obviously I don't want that to be the situation because I don't want to be put on the back burner until he is done with his thing. I'm also hurt because it seems that he would enjoy going to the bar a couple times a week and hitting on girls more than dating me. This situation was a little out of nowhere and I think that this relationship is worth salvaging but at the same time I don't want to feel like he can take advantage of the fact that I'm willing to be so flexible with his issues. All of my friends keep telling me I'm way too attractive for him and I should find someone better than him or he made a mistake and doesn't deserve me at all. So should I give it time or just walk away and try to find someone else?

I just got my tattoo done but I have no proper lotion. I was sure I had Eucerin around but I guess that's not the case. I have some baby lotion with fragrance. I was concerned about using fragrance but I know the fewer the ingredients, the less likely it is going to react. Would it be safe to use it just for this evening?

I adopted a Jack Russell/Beagle mix a month or two ago and she definitely is more Russell than beagle if you know what I mean. When I first got her she often would sleep or lay around all day. Now that I've got her on a good diet she has way more energy so I'm looking for ways to keep her busy while I am at class as she has become a little destructive (specifically going through the garbage) which is unusual for her. She doesn't like balls or rope toys and doesn't play fetch so it's pretty hard to find a toy she will actually play with. I often will leave the window shades open in different rooms as she will look out the window like she is watching TV. Any ideas for toys to give her some exercise?

To start, my boyfriend is basically a werewolf. Now I have no problem with it at all, in fact I find it very masculine and attractive. However he has always been very insecure about it. You will rarely see him without an undershirt to hide it and it took him almost two months to take his shirt off during sex. His sister told me he never goes out in the summer because he is not willing to wear light clothing. This will be out first college summer together and I want him to feel like he can come along with our friends when we go places. Any ideas about shaving or hair removal cream? I am worried about in grown hairs too

In previous years when I've claimed my tuition costs on taxes it has been for the academic period, not the fiscal year (i.e. January 2011-January 2012). For example, for 2011 I claimed the Summer and Fall of 2011 in addition to the Winter semester of 2012 (January to March 2012).

I just transferred to a university in January and I am doing my taxes yet again. However, they say I have no payment information listed for the year of 2012. So now I have one 1098-T form with my Summer and Fall of 2012 claimable from my other college, and nothing to account for the Winter semester of January to March 2013. Why the difference? Both colleges are in the same state and use the same 1098-T format which includes the box indicating that the amount claimable includes the period from January to March 2013. Any advice while I'm waiting to hear back from the university office?

Recently I have been purchasing textbooks (expensive as always) and I end up never using them in the class. Needless to say I'm fed up with spending 600 on books when I only use 200 worth of books each semester. So I'm investigating into this whole ebook thing. They are WAY cheaper and considering the cost of a Kindle, I'd earn my money back twice or three times over in just one semester. I was curious if anyone has every used one before for eTextbooks. Was it easy to use? Navigate? Read? Did your professor mind having electronics in the class? Etc etc any bit of info would be great!

I just had a relatively large tattoo done yesterday and I am not sure how it should hurt in the aftermath but my WHOLE shoulder aches including a bit of my lower back. It's across my shoulder blade. I assumed that just because I'm thin perhaps the pressure of the needle got to my shoulder blade. It was a two hour session. What should a tattoo feel like afterwards and does this sound unusual?

I had a short, maybe three or four month relationship. We really got along great however it was long distance and I was very understanding when he told me he wanted to break up because visiting once a month wasn't enough for him. He told me while I was visiting Halloween weekend. But I began to suspect that it wasn't really that because he spent the whole weekend hanging with other girls. It hurt my feelings to be honest so I hung out with a friend of his for part of the weekend. I wasn't sure why he got so upset, I'm not sure what else he was expecting to happen by him being with other women all weekend. I stopped seeing that boy, and the following night my ex told me that I shouldn't hang out with him because there was this girl he was trying to sleep with. So not only was I appaled by being so badly treated I told that other guy to hit the road and I was alone. Very annoying circumstances.

So basically I have deduced that he didn't break up with me for the reason he told me. I think he just doesn't want to stop partying or messing with women. Props to me for being attractive enough to keep him straight for a few months I suppose.

Every one of his friends, girls, boys, and even his best friend told me he will never get a girl as good as me ever again and he has seriously f*ed up. But for some reason I still miss him, even though I should believe them.

How do I get him out of my mind and accept what everyone else has been saying?

To start, the US population is currently 311,591,917. First let's get basic statistical errors out of the way:

1. Not all US citizens submit a census every year.

2. The US government establishes specific guidelines as to the consideration of those that are apart of the labor force.

3. Unreported contracting work is widespread.

Let's create a scenario where there are approx 155 million members of the work force and 145 million are actually working. In our scenario these 8 million jobs are out of a total amount of jobs AVAILABLE to the workforce. Which would put our 8 million jobs out of a pool of 155 million jobs (as opposed to subtracting them from the amount of jobs that American's already hold i.e. 145 million)

The first claim is that Republicans cost the United States 8 million jobs. 8 million is 0.0516% of the job pool. However, if this total of 8 million is out of the total jobs available there is still that variance of 2 million jobs available to the work force. Thus, no one technically has lost a job yet, we are still in our margin of safety (statistically).

Second claim; Obama created 4 million jobs. Again, that's still only 0.0256% of the total jobs available to the workforce.

The economy is made up of consumers that make decisions every day. These decisions vary from person to person. Am I supposed to believe that the economy is not 'alive' if it is made up of people who are 'alive'? How are these fluctuations of employment, as small as they are, actually a result of ANY president making any federal changes and not just the regular ebb and flow of the economy?

Free healthcare is a good idea. It's a good concept that many countries have had luck with. However, I'm concered about what will happen to my insurance coverage after I turn 26.

I have a pre-existing condition; Epilepsy. I will more than likely be coerced to get PCIP through the federal government because I won't be able to get the awesome care plan my Mom has for me now. It's a Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan. In addition to the $500 dollar deductible for my prescriptions (of which there is no generic available) I will be paying $250 out of pocket every 4 months for my 900 'specialty' prescription. In addition my annual EEGs are only covered up to 40%. My doctor fees alone are between $250 and $350, with an EEG no less than $650.

I will basically be under water for the rest of my life because I am an Epileptic. Thousands if not millions of other low income citizens with leukemia, cancer, etc etc will have the same fate I do.

I guess I just want to know how that makes everybody feel.

I am having a hard time understanding but I honestly think the younger girls in my barn are too focused on jumping. Every single time they ride they do full courses even in winter. This includes during lessons; 30 minutes of ground work, 30 minutes of non stop jumping. The on site trainer for the OTTBs they buy and rehabilitate has the same habits. I just purchased a filly from them and her 5th birthday is this September. Last June while I'm trying her out to buy this girl tells me she does full 2' 3" courses. The first time I tried ground poles she almost fell! If she didn't have such great vet check I would have worried about her soundness. These girls put a lot of pressure on me to jump and the onsite trainer I mentioned seemes insulted that I haven't jumped my horse yet. I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining but doesn't it seem a little weird? Anyone else have people like this at their barn? Cross country courses are nothing like hunter courses, so cross country horses are nothing like hunter horses! I'm in no hurry to jump a full hunter course every day if I'm more worried about her not picking up a gallop at the canter.

A lot of barns seem to be really focused on jumping and I'm looking for some stories or input on the subject.

One of the horses I'm training is a sweet, sweet, OTTB that really is enjoying his new job off the track. However, he can't be ridden if you have any plans of touching those reins. For some reason that I can't exactly fathom he cannot stand having any pressure in his bit. Generally what happens is that if you put pressure on the reins for a period of time, he sticks his head waaaay in the air and holds it. He WILL NOT put his head down. After awhile he will start just speeding up to a canter, almost like you don't exist. I understand race horses are trained to increase speed with an increase on rein pressure but he legitimately seems to be doing this out of either frustration, pain, or irritation. After a visit from the saddle fitter, vet, and the chiropractor we have ruled out pain so that leaves frustration and irritation. I'm at the point where I am the only one who is willing to ride him as you are literally riding without reins. I've had people tell me that my other riders need to 'buck up' and just ride him but he can be very indimidating to an intermediate rider. The only you can get him to slow down is by voice and putting your weight in the saddle seat which makes training progress very difficult. Yesterday I didn't even bother putting the bridle on. I rode him in a halter and leadrope just neck reining. He responded well.

So my next step was to try him in a hackamore. Other than his rein issues he loves to get ridden, loves to be petted and loved on etc. I would love to see some progress in him so we can place him in a good home; he deserves it. He has only been off the track since November and is a very quiet horse. Has anyone ever used a hackamore? How do you start a horse on one? Any other ideas and advice would be welcome (constructive criticism welcome as well haha).

Note: We had a filly (step-sister) of the same age arrive with him from the same trainer, barn, breeder etc. and she does not face any of these issues. In fact they are both very pleasant horses to work with. I don't think this is foul play as I've worked with thoroughly abused horses that have had hard mouths and they are not nearly as stubborn as he is.

I still have my IPhone 2g from a looooong time ago and didn't bother getting an upgrade. I have had an insurance plan on the phone the whole time I had it through AT&T but my deductible is 200 bucks. I heard Apple does replace phones that are malfunctioning or broken beyond use for free. I took really good care of my phone so it's not physically damaged but the touch screen is pretty unresponsive and barely useable. If I took my IPhone in would they replace it with another 2g or would they give me a newer phone?

Recently I got an x-ray and the doctors told me I had a large bone growth right above my ankle on my tibia. I used to be a mild pain, but now it's excruciating after only 20 minutes of riding. Apparently the doctors don't want to remove it because it's not necessary; the growth is benign and I would be out for months on crutches because of the surgery. I'm pretty upset with that because now it hurts to ride at all. Anyone have any good techniques for wrapping an ankle, therapeutic exercises, or maybe a good brace? I can't fit the one they gave me into my boot so I'm on the hunt for a good one. They also didn't approve me for any kind of physical therapy because it's obviously not an injury. I tried working no stirrups for a couple weeks but in the end I have to show with stirrups so I might as well try to build muscle around the growth. I can't seem to do any physical activity without it hurting and I don't understand why they won't just remove it. I'd rather lease my horse while I'm on crutches and be able to ride again. I honestly thought about pursuing surgery rights with a lawyer, but I am not sure if anyone would take me seriously. Giving up riding is not really an option.

Would not feeding your horse grain the day of a long ride in a trailer reduce the chances of stress colic? The gelding we are moving on Saturday is green and traveling still puts a lot of stress on him. He gets really worked up and his owner is always concerned he may colic or have stomach pain after we travel with him. He is a big TB gelding, 17.2 hh, so he eats a scoop and a half of grain AM/PM.

I was thinking instead of his morning grain we would just give him extra hay in the AM or in the trailer. Then we might feed him his grain either at PM feeding time if he's relaxed or not at all the day of the trip. Do you think we would have to slowly lower the amount of grain over a period of time or would just that morning before we trailer without grain make a difference?

Not really sure how to react. She's the only person who I've really connected with so it's sad to see her go. What happened was that her Mom was apparently trying to find a new barn to board at in secret. Since the economy has had an effect on my area, barn managers are calling previous barns to get an idea of a specific boarder's payment history. Her Mother owes my current barn manager a TON of money so when he got a call that she was trying to leave he was very, very upset. So she said she would sell their horse, give him the money, and leave. So I haven't seen my friend in a few weeks but her horse still lives at my barn with one of the students who bought her. It's kind of awkward because I have good credit with barns and I always assumed everything was fine with her and her Mom. My barn manager actually came up to me and asked why I associate with the people who can't pay their bills. I think he was just upset about it, I don't think he meant it.

Should I just step back from her for a few weeks and not talk to her for awhile or try to talk to her about it?

I plan on auditioning for The Voice next month and I'm looking for some vocal exercises that you find effective. I do have experience with my years in A Cappella and the Chamber choir in highschool but I have recently given up singing in order to focus on college. Now that I'm taking up lessons I'm just getting some opinions. I have my exercises with my instructor however, I know everyone does everything differently and if you have any suggestions please let me know! I'm trying to focus on broadening my range again, and improving the strength of my low and high notes.

Man, what a day. I finished knitting my dogs sweater today AND hung more Christmas ornaments on my horse today. My fabulous needlepoint inspired my neighbors to set off a firework, I heard the bang myself! Isn't setting off celebratory fireworks illegal? I mean I know my horse looks YoYo Ma-rvelous and my dog is just the spitting image of Kennedy on a summer's eve, but man, that stuff is dangerous!

So I recently broke up with my boyfriend of 2 years. Obviously at that point we were involved sexually and had a decently physical relationship. I'm worried about starting over with this new guy though. I don't want to make a wrong move and him assume something bad about me. I'm just used to things being physical. How long should I wait before I suggest being physical? I don't think he has ever had a serious relationship like that before. Any other advice on this situation would be great. I really like him and I would love for things to work out.

Doesn't 1 pound = 1 pound? Just curious.