Julia M

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/sty...

It's at a methodist church, if that makes any difference.

I'm trying to decide on a cute wedding gift for one of my friends. She loves to cook, but always makes a mess, so I was thinking I'd buy her a nice apron. What do you think about this one?

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.228843604.j...

Hey, I'm doing a research paper for my International Relations class on the effect of female representation in the government on the nation's well-being. I have a nation with extreme female representation (Rwanda) and moderate female representation (United States), but need one with next to no female representation in their government. I've looked at the Middle Eastern countries, but they are so authoritarian, female representation wouldn't make a difference. So I'm trying to find a nation with nearly no female representation in their government that is also at least semi-democratic. Any suggestions?

I'm trying to connect to FaceTime on by iPod touch, fourth generation. I have connected to FaceTime on this iPod before using the exact same Apple ID and password I am trying now. I already tried a hard reset, reset all settings, and have checked the internet connection (it's fine). Whenever I try to log into FaceTime, however, it says "Could not sign in. Please check your network connection and try again." What should I do?

I grew up on a farm with a lot of animals, but now that I'm at college, I don't have any pets. My apartment is a good size and very close to a huge park, and I have time to take an animal on a walk at least once every day. I would rather not have something too big (think >50 pounds) because I'm small and need to be able to control the dog if something bad happens. I hate toy dogs, though. I need something that isn't too high strung so I can leave it at home when I'm at class without it destroying the place. I was looking at a beagle, but the baying thing has me worried. Do you have any suggestions?

I just got a Epson Stylus NX420 and set it up. It connected to my wireless network just fine, no problems there. I installed the disk on my MacBook, and my computer said the printer was there and was connected just fine as well. When I ask the printer to print a test run from the printer itself, it will print. However, if I ask it to print a test run (or anything else for that matter) from my computer, the computer shows it is trying to print for about ten minutes, then all that comes up is that the print failed. The printer doesn't do anything at all when this happens. What's going on? I'm not sure where to proceed from here. Thanks.

I love my apartment, it's quite big and has everything I need.. Unfortunately, all the walls are this terrible off-white color and the carpets are all grey. I don't mind it too bad, but I have to be at my apartment for huge amounts of time to do my schoolwork, and it's really starting to get to me how bland the place is. I can't paint the walls or put up wall paper, but I can hang things. Also, the lighting is fluorescent (blegh), so there's not much that can be done about that. Any ideas on how to make it a more comfortable and inviting place? Thank you.

I'm not going to say my life is awful or anything like that, I realize I'm lucky to be where I am today, and I'm thankful for it. However, lately I've just been feeling really terrible about myself, and it's getting worse. I feel completely alone, even though I've got a boyfriend who I've been dating more than a year now (it's long distance). I don't really have any friends, and when I come back from class, all I ever really do is just get online and sit around until I sleep. I know it's pathetic, but I just don't know what else to do with myself. There's no one I really have to hang out with, and I can't seem to get up the confidence to make actually good friends with anyone. I feel like everyone's always judging me, and as soon as I talk, they've already decided I'm not worth their time. I used to be more fun, at least when I was in high school, but now that I'm in college, nothing works. My grades are great, I show up for my classes, I eat healthy.. But I'm miserable, and it feels like every day is the same. Is there anything I can do to get out of this? I'm not depressed, I've never considered hurting myself or others, and I realize how fortunate I am to be where I am, but I'm not happy. Help?

So, my boyfriend got back from a trip to Europe about two weeks ago. This morning, he decided to tell me that, by the way, he smoked some weed. And cigarettes, which I find just about as repulsive. He knows this. And he promised he never would (to either). He also told me, over and over again, that he would never lie. I know it's a little naive of me to believe him, but I did. And now that this has come out, two weeks after the fact, I'm not sure what to do. I've been avoiding him all day, but I have to go home eventually. What do I do?

I had my wisdom teeth extracted last Monday. About two days ago, one site started oozing black-brown matter which smelled strongly of death (sorry, that's really exactly what it smells like), and started bleeding slightly. Since then, I've rinsed with mouthwash about three + times a day, used the cleaner given, etc., but the oozing has not completely stopped. Just now, I looked in my mouth at the spot and noticed a hole had formed. I cannot see the bone, however, I've been looking in poor light, and I'm sure that, with proper lighting, the hole can be seen to extend to the bone. My lymph nodes have been swollen and there has been more pain than expected, so I'm confident that this is a dry socket. Now, what should I do about it? From what I can tell, if I go to the doctor, I'll really just get treatment for the symptoms, but it'll heal in about the same amount of time. I think I can handle the pain, and I've been extremely sanitary since discovering the issue. Can I just let it heal without going into the doctor?

I had my wisdom teeth cut out a week ago, and I ran out of the prescribed medication (painkillers, antibiotics, etc.) this morning. One side of my jaw feels completely healed, but the other side continuously hurts. It's still rather swollen, and I cannot chew with that side of my mouth yet. The pain is into my jaw; not far from where the teeth were removed, but there is a definite pain outside of my mouth. Is this just a part of the healing process? I don't have any more antibiotics, so I'm a little worried.

Okay, here's the situation. I'm currently going to a decent, if not amazing, university of about 3000 students. It's a public liberal arts college, and tuition is about 6,500 a year (+other fees). I'm doing very well, I have a high GPA, very active in the SGA, Honors college, etc., and I expect to do well on the LSAT. However, I live in Alabama, and the choices for law schools in the south are very limited, so I'm looking up north for law school. Would a law school up north prefer that I transfer to a university with higher prestige (and that they would have assumedly heard of before), or stay where I'm at and build on what I already have? I don't want the university I go to to be the reason that I can't get into the law school I want.

I've been wanting a short haircut for a little while now, especially since, recently, my hair has been looking more damaged than I'd like. Can you suggest a cute short haircut for me? When I say short, I'd rather it not be, like, a pixie cut. Anything short to the extent that I need to shave my neck is too short, sorry.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Siddonie/Ph...

I have a 15" MacBook Pro I've been using for school- this summer, though, I'm going to be using it for my internship and classes, as well as recreationally, so I wasn't sure if just carrying it around in my tote bag would be the best situation for that. I was thinking a sleeve would be best for me, since I do have a bigger bag for it, but just want a little extra protection from bumps and scrapes. Cost is not an issue, it just needs to be high quality; I don't want to have to replace it once fall term comes around. I saw the site for the ColkaSac sleeves, and those seem somewhat like what I want, but I wanted some extra feedback or suggestions. Help?

I've had my current hairstyle since fall, and had the full bangs for about a year and a half before that. I'm tired of this hairstyle, and want a change. I'm not opposed to going back to full bangs or cutting off all of my hair, but I am opposed to dying my hair/getting a perm. I'm just not really into chemicals. My hair is naturally a bit wavy, but I straighten it pretty regularly. Any advice?

http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/zz180/jmalone2/...

First, a little background. Last year, I applied to, and was accepted at, a very good private, Christian college. They offered me roughly fifteen thousand dollars a year, with their full expenses being roughly thirty. I needed twenty to make it work, though, so, in respect to my parents wishes, I did not take out loans for the remainder, and instead chose to go to my backup, which had offered me a full ride. I now feel I made the wrong decision- I have difficulty identifying with these people, the department of my major is no where near as strong as I was led to believe (only two professors teach it), and I feel like there's no way I'm going to be challenged here (I'm in one of their senior-level classes, which is also offered to graduate students, and I'm making an A, easily. As a freshman.). I have seen very little in the way of initiative in the other students, and it is making it very hard to take my schoolwork seriously. I feel the private college is shut out for me for good, as there's no way they will offer a transfer student as much as they offered me as an incoming freshman. There is, however, another option. Back home, we have a university of our own. The department of my major is stronger than it is here, and I would also have a full ride, easily. The problem is that the reputation of that university is MUCH worse than it is here, and honestly, I try to think more of the future than I do the present. But it's hard not to consider going back home, since my boyfriend is there, and I already have literally dozens and dozens of friends back there. The only thing keeping me back is the university's reputation. I don't want to screw up the rest of my life because I want to be back with my boyfriend and friends, even if it means what I actually learn is of a poorer quality here. So, I guess what I'm asking is, what is the best option here? I feel like I can't win, regardless..

I spilled some lemonade on the ground, and apparently some got into my MacBook. I dried it off as best I could, and left it out to dry before turning it on. Unfortunately, when I turned it on, the screen worked for a minute, flickered for a while, and now doesn't come on. I suppose it's a short. Everything else works (I can click on icons without seeing them, and they will play the music, the light behind the keys works, etc.), so I believe I haven't lost any information, and it's limited to the screen. How much will it cost to get this fixed? The warranty doesn't cover liquid damage. I don't want to go up there until I'm sure I can afford to get it fixed, since it's a long drive.

I spilled some lemonade on the ground, and apparently some got into my MacBook. I dried it off as best I could, and left it out to dry before turning it on. Unfortunately, when I turned it on, the screen worked for a minute, flickered for a while, and now doesn't come on. I suppose it's a short. Everything else works (I can click on icons without seeing them, and they will play the music, the light behind the keys works, etc.), so I believe I haven't lost any information, and it's limited to the screen. How much will it cost to get this fixed? The warranty doesn't cover liquid damage. I don't want to go up there until I'm sure I can afford to get it fixed, since it's a long drive.

My boyfriend and I have been dating for about 6 months now. During this time, we have both been going to college. I'm from a relatively well-to-do family, so I don't have to work. He is not. He's been unemployed the entire time we've been going out, and it really looks like he can't afford to do that anymore. He says he knows he needs to get a job, but then absolutely seems resilient to go and actually apply for jobs. He frequently says no one is hiring, but he's not even trying anymore to really find a job. Whenever I ask him to go apply for a job, he complains that I'm nagging him, and he gets enough of that from his family. Whenever he does "see the light" and say he's going to go apply for a job, something always "comes up", and he can't go look for work. It's gotten rather absurd. This weekend, we were eating out, and there was literally a place right across the street with a "Help Wanted" sign in the window. It wasn't a bad place, and it would have fit his needs perfectly. I ask him about it, and he says he'll go apply after we get done eating. Then, because I'm driving, he says I should let him go get his car, and then he'll go apply. Then he decides he'll do it the next day.. Then the next.. And now he's just forgotten about it. I'm tired of nagging him. He lives at home, has no money for gas to come see me (I live two hours away, and it's incredibly hard on me to always be the one that drives over there), and always complains how he needs money, how he needs a job, etc.. I love him deeply, and I don't want to hurt his feelings, but come ON, now, it's getting silly. His last girlfriend (who he dated for five years) nagged a lot, and he ended up breaking up with her because of it.. But honestly, I don't know what else to do, I'm tearing out my hair over this. Help!

I just got it cut, I'm not sure if I like it better now, or when I had full bangs..

http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/zz180/jmalone2/...