Lannan M

Is there any way to make it look and act like the older versions of Word? I really hate this new format.

I want to redecorate my bedroom, but I am having trouble finding a comforter/duvet that I like. I love the weight of my current comforter, so I would definitely be open to a duvet cover. I was thinking mostly black, white, and grey with aqua accents. Ideally, I would love to have either a black comforter with a single large hibiscus outlined in white/grey/teal or some other variation of that, but everything I've found is either obnoxious Hawaiian print or does not come large enough (I need a queen size, not full/queen). Does anyone have a suggestion for me?

Who is your favorite "character"?

... Stranded with Cash Peters? It came on the travel channel and then dissapeared. Where did it go?

I teach English and my classroom library is.... nonexistent. I would LOVE to be able to just go out and buy all the books that I would like to keep on hand for the students for book reports, pleasure reading, sustained silent reading, etc. Unfortunately, that just isn't possible for me money wise and the county won't buy them for us. Can anyone suggest a good way that I could acquire books (or money to buy them with... ), short of posting a sign somewhere saying "give me books!" or putting myself into debt.

Thanks!

Google maps has this new feature where, in many cases (especially if you live in/near a city) they have driven down all the roads and you can look at a picture of the address you type in. This could be good for businesses I suppose, but I'm not too comfortable with being able to pull a picture of my house up on the internet where you can see my car in the driveway. If the house is close enough to the street and the blinds are open, you can sometimes zoom in and see what people have in their houses! Also, if someone was outside when these pictures were taken, there they are for all the world to see. I think this is being taken too far. What do you think?

I've been told that it is traditional that the bridesmaids get together and give the bride a "bridal gift" (some pretty jewelry or something... similar to an attendant gift). I have two questions about this.

One, is this really a necessary tradition? I'm the MOH... and actually the only bridesmaid so the shower and bachelorette have about cleaned my bank acct (as well as dress, shoes, hair, make-up, etc...) I hate to sound like a cheap-skate, but I'm broke.

Two, is this gift given at the reception dinner after the attendant gifts, or is it given before the wedding when everyone is getting ready?

Help!

Why do people insist on giving their children names that no one will be able to pronounce at a glance? Or, if the child tells someone their name, the other person would never know how to spell it correctly without asking? Even looking through Y!A, there are a bunch of people asking for opinions on names, and they have to give a pronunciation key. I understand that they want their children to have names that are "unique" and "different", but why subject your child to always having to correct a teacher on the first day of school or always having to spell their name out for everything?

....I could be wrong and be the only person with this opinion, and please feel free to tell me if that's the case, but I don't think that I am...

My parents have a 14 year old toy poodle. While they are out of town, the dog has been staying with me. She sleeps in the bed with me, but when I get up in the morning there is a big wet spot on my bed where she was. It isn't where she has used the bathroom, because it smells like wet dog rather than urine. It looks more like a giant sweat stain, and her fur is a bit damp. I might be wrong, but I thought that dogs couldn't sweat (that's why they pant when they are hot), so what might this be? She doesn't seem ill. In fact, she is much perkier and mobile than I remember her being in several years--she even tried to play with my puppy the other day!

I teach high school, and when I unlocked my room door this morning, lo and behold all of my desks are upside down! Another teacher uses my room for one period and he had come in after I left yesterday afternoon and flipped my desks. Now I want to get "revenge", but I am horrible at coming up with pranks! This person does not have their own classroom, so it would have to be something that worked anywhere. Also, this person eats lunch in their classroom, rather than with the other teachers which makes it even more difficult to get back at them! Help me please!

Why is it that if a person ever says "spank" (as in "I was spanked as a child") and "beat" as the same word? I know that I was spanked when I was a child and do not think that I was abused. A swat on the rear always told me never to do that particular thing again. I know that some people do take it too far to where it becomes abuse, but that seems to be what everyone interprets the word as now. Why have people changed the connotation of the word?

Can anyone reccomend something to stop my dog from barking all the time? I don't mind him barking a little bit if someone knocks on the door or something, but if he looks out the window and sees people or hears a loud noise he will bark at it incessantly.

I know that this is a natural reaction for some dogs, but I will be moving into an appartment soon and I don't want him to annoy my neighbors when I am not home or when my roommate comes home from work after 9pm or so.

Someone suggested I try a shock collar, but I would rather not use that method unless there is no other options (though I think there should be other options).

I've tried telling him "no" and spanking him with a newspaper when he barks, so now when he does bark and I tell him no, he rolls over onto his back and continues to bark. This tells me that he knows he shouldn't do it, but its like a little kid who is trying to see how much they can get away with.

I've had my puppy since last July, and he used to get sick in the car a lot for the first couple of months. I thought that he had outgrown it, but the he's vomited in the car twice in the last couple of weeks (I travel at least twice a week and he goes with me).

I try not to feed him for a couple of hours before we go in the car, so there shouldn't be anything in his stomach to make him sick. Also, I had tried travelling with him just riding in the passenger seat and also in a car seat that clips into the seat so that he can see out the window (he's a toy poodle), but neither seems to have had any effect.

Anybody have any suggestions for me?

I teach HS English and I am trying to build a classroom library. Can anyone recommend some good YA novels (or even other fiction) with MALE protagonists?

Can someone tell me why kids feel the need to post their schoolyard fights on YouTube? All I can tell is that something like that makes it easier for the police/school to identify anyone who might be involved in the fight and get everyone in more trouble. What purpose does it serve? Or does it serve no purpose?