Kristie

I have somewhere around 60 credit hours, but I never obtained my degree. I had to withdraw from school to have a cancer tumor removed from inside my thigh bone (chondrosarcoma, right femur). So, I gained a lot of experience through my last position as a cost accounting specialist. I've been at a new company since last May, and the gaps in my accounting knowledge are becoming a problem. My boss keeps saying that he's worried, that I need to be his extra set of eyes & have made some mistakes. I'm trying so hard, but there are things that I just don't understand because I simply haven't learned them yet -- or I've forgotten because of the length of time it's been since I attended college. I've always wanted to go back to school, but life has a way of putting some things on hold. I do have the opportunity now, and I discussed this with my boss. He's all for it. However, he needs me to know everything NOW.

So, today I'm feeling stupid & incompetant. I suppose the best thing to do right NOW would be to go to the library & check out a couple accounting text books. Does anyone else have a suggestion? How can I gain knowledge before I'm able to enroll in college again?

He overracts dramatically, is extremely impatient & goes into rages over the littlest things, during the rages he sometimes imagines something that hasn't happened (physical fights & other scenarios) and is completely convinced it's happened, he can't keep a job due to the anger & extreme lack of focus, his perceptions are skewed -- like some paranoia & extreme pessimism (a fatalistic mood at times), he obsesses on specific subjects & will not talk about anything else, he's agitated often & figity, and he itches & scratches & picks at his skin. Any idea what's going on here? I'd like to help this friend and get him to see a doctor, as I think he needs some serious help. He doesn't have health insurance, though. It's hard to watch him suffer. :-(

My 10-month-old male miniature dachshund/miniature pinscher has so many behavioral issues that I'm overwhelmed & thinking of giving him away. He is mostly house-trained, but he has #2 accidents when left by himself for even a minute or two. For example, he and my female doxie were in the house together with us. I went to shower, and 5 minutes before I came out of the bathroom, my boyfriend went outside to do yard work. When I came out of the bathroom, my female was lying on my bed dozing, and the male was running around as he does a LOT. He left a pile on the carpet, and he'd JUST been outside. He'll not go to the bathroom all night, and is obviously holding it when he goes in the morning (FULL bladder). He's had three #2 accidents in vehicles. He shakes when we stop somewhere in the car. I'm not sure if that's anxiety or excitement. He digs & has caused a dead spot on the backyard lawn where he pulls up the grass by its roots. He jumps on people when they're standing, and he jumps into their laps without their permission when they are sitting. He is unpredictable about his reactions to being touched, and he's even bitten (not broken skin, but fairly forceful) when surprised by a touch. Yesterday, he ate a golf-ball sized hole in my boyfriend's truck seat. He's so loving & can be so sweet. I just don't know what to do for him to correct the unwanted behaviors. I've tried so many techniques, even looked up information on Cesar Milan's website. We've kenneled him; we've asserted ourselves as pack leaders; and we've rewarded good behavior like crazy. We've taught him to walk on a leash successfully, as he was spinning and dancing around on his back legs when we got him. He'll sit, down, stay, and spin on his back legs for a treat. Our female is wonderful, never has accidents, and does exactly what she's told. I don't know how to get him to stop going #2 in cars & when he's left alone for a few minutes (we take them everywhere). Does anyone have suggestions? I'm looking for ways to handle him personally. I really don't have the money for an expensive professional dog trainer.

This is strictly for my own curiosity, but it's not exactly something a person could Google. I live near Houston, for climate information. There are 5 bushes in a row in a flower garden: ligustrum, crepe myrtle, ligustrum, crepe myrtle, ligustrum. The first ligustrum (furthest to the east) is covered in spider webs - various species. There doesn't seem to be any difference in the bushes besides in what order they are. There are no spider webs on any of the other bushes. They all get equal sunshine and shade, water, mulch, etc.. Why would spiders of varrying species decide to build webs on just one bush in a flower bed? I'm puzzled.

My boyfriend's brother has a pit bull mix. The dog is relatively sweet and very energetic. Dogs don't always behave as we humans believe they ought to, and I agree with correcting behavior with body language and words. I don't curse at my dog, spank, hit, or tell her she's a bad dog. I reward good behavior and redirect her when things aren't going well. I understand that a dog will not make the connection between the behavior and the spanking.

Yesterday, while at his brother's house, his brother was talking about how his dog did something wrong (I'm lost in the details of the incorrect behavior because of what he said next -- but it was something like chewing up an object). He said that he got out his belt and spanked him. I was horrified!!! Should I interfere and tell him that beating a dog is never good, that the dog doesn't know why he's being beaten, that he's going to either make him mean or ruin his love of people? Should I say something? My heart breaks every time I hear him talk about spanking this sweet dog. I was thinking of discussing it with my boyfriend, but I'm pretty sure he'll tell me that it's his brother's dog and up to his brother how to discipline him. Not sure what to do . . . advice please?

Boyfriend was pulled over with a claim of the officer of 58 mph. The box on the ticket next to "radar" is unchecked, though. Boyfriend KNOWS he was going 48 mph, but officer claims speed limit is 45 on that County Road. The speed limit is not posted anywhere along the CR. The road is numbered but in an unincorporated area. It is what I'd call "country residential." There are some houses with longer driveways back from the road scattered here and there. There is no shoulder, just a big ditch on either side.

So, if you are in a rural region in Texas on a numbered County Road and there is no speed limit posted, what IS the speed limit? I found the law that states that if it's not posted, the speed limit should be 65 mph. That would be too fast for this road. However, it's not posted anywhere what it actually is. I think he should fight this ticket, but I need a little ammo.

I've been with the same man for over a year. I am 42; he is 45. The relationship has been quite a challenge, as he has PTSD with explosive anger episodes. I've known him about 20 years. He is not able to get his own health insurance and cannot afford doctor's visits or medication. He keeps himself calm by smoking marijuana. Every few months and always when he has run out, he will get his mind into what I call "downward spirals." One small negative thought leads to another, which leads to another, which eventually leads him to yelling at ME (even though he might tell me in the midst of the yelling that he's not angry with ME, just the situation). Most of the time, this leads to me asking him to please not yell at me and to please sit down and discuss things calmly. It's too late by the time he's ranting. I was quiet the other day and let him go -- I guess to let him burn it out of his system. Well, unfortunately, he was driving my car at the time and started driving erratically: very high rate of speed, barely missing other vehicles, swerving to dodge cars. Our little dog was being thrown around the back seat like a ping pong ball. I started screaming at the point (I was in fear for my life), and told him to pull over and get out of my car. He wouldn't and only drove worse. When we finally pulled into the driveway, he got out of my car, into his truck, squealed the tires leaving marks on the driveway, and left. He called after a while, but by then I had had it and was packing up his belongings (he lives with me in my house). He came to get his things. We argued more. I held my ground, though. He called and told me things during the evening like he was going to go kill my ex husband, he was going to go to a bar and pick up another woman that night, calling me a stupid b****, and saying that I'd never have another boyfriend again because I'm so fat (I've recently lost 100+ lbs and have about 50 more to go, so he knew EXACTLY where to hit to hurt). This went back and forth for hours until I started to get text messages about him shooting himself. Things like if he's lost me, he can't live and might as well die; how much of a loser he is . . . things like that. Well, the messages got more and more intense until I actually started to really believe him. He said he was about to pull the trigger when I called him and told him to come home so we could talk.

I know this relationship is completely unhealthy for me -- emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, financially. I would never be able to live with myself if I did finally break off the relationship and he ended up committing suicide.

I don't know what to do.

I've had these light tan lines on the screens of my screened-in porch for months. They seem to disappear on their own, but it's frustrating and unsightly while they're there. The other day I saw that stink bugs are leaving these lines behind them on my screens. The lines range from half an inch to a few inches. They're light tan and seem to be rather solid. My guess was eggs, but everything I've found online indicates that stink bugs lay their eggs on leaves. Since their population seems to be growing in my yard, I was wondering if I needed to be more aggressive in removing the tan lines from my screens.

I have a family member who is 3 and will be 4 in July. His speech is strange. Some of it is understandable, but most of it is like a made-up language he's developed. When asked what he said, he repeats the same syllables. He's very defiant and when asked to do something says, "I can't. It's too happy." He's very obsessed with Hot Wheels, but I don't know if that has anything to do with his other behavior. He has hundreds of them and asks for more every time he is at a store. When he plays with them, he gets ALL of them out and fills tables, chairs, and the floor with all of them. When socialized with kids his age, he follows them around reenacting scenes from movies with his version of English/made-up language. He still is not potty-trained, either. He figured out, though, that he receives a treat for going in the potty. So, he went in his pants and put the "waste" in the potty, thinking he'd get a reward. He seems affectionate, but he doesn't seem concerned when he accidentally hurts someone. I've urged the parents to have his speech checked out, as his mother is due again in just a few weeks and will have her hands full then. Thoughts?

I've Googled my brains out trying to find postal codes for foreign cities. I'd love a link to ONE site where there is a complete list (it would be even more awesome if it were searchable) of postal codes. I'm trying to find one in Malaysia right now, and it's an arduous task. :-/

I've worked in a large chemical plant in the acccounting department performing cost accounting functions for the last 9 years. I have looked through The Texas Workforce Commission, Hot Jobs, Career Builder, Indeed, Monster, etc. I went to a job fair today. Still after 2 weeks, I've received no call backs. What else can I do? Where else can I look? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I recently removed a wooden deck that had begun to crumble. The framework was recessed in the ground, so it left a big hole. I had a friend offer to bring dirt to my house and fill the hole. Well, he brought sand. So, I was outside just a little while ago and saw a GIANT flying insect (about 2 inches long, one inch in diameter at the biggest part). I looked it up online and have discovered that it's a cicada killer wasp. <shiver> I am allergic to bees, and this is one HUGE stinging insect. I really can't afford an exterminator. Any suggestions??? Oh, I live in Southeast Texas if that makes a difference.

Yesterday, my neurologist put my on Lamictal for migraine prevention. Today, I'm aggitated and irritated. Could one dose cause this side effect? Does anyone have experience with Lamictal side effects or even direct effects? I've tried Googling it, but it's hard to get definitive and concise information. Thanks!

Have the key, having a hard time getting the codes. Help?

Two angles are complementary. The sum of the measure of the first angle and half the second angle is 86 degrees. Find the measures of the angles.

I think I have the two equations . . .

x = y = 90

x + 1/2y = 86

Am I close? What are the next steps to solve for both x and y?

Given the formula

y = 4.3x - 2

slope = ?

y intercept ?

I have a 2-story house. It's about 2400 square feet. It was built in 1995. I live near Houston. I have a crack in the foundation that runs from my front porch to my back porch (through my foyer, under my staircase, through my kitchen). I will be selling my house soon and wondered what I can expect to pay (a range) to have the foundation fixed -- not including flooring. My house is listed on zillow.com for an estimate of $189,500. Any advice and estimates would be appreciated. Thanks.