LTE 2.0

[Sue71]

Damn movers. The 10am estimate showed. 11:30 no dice. Now hoping 1pm shows. Frack.

[Bostondevil]

I'm going by a yarn shop on my way home from work!!!!

[cl15876]

Hey, Wilson, thought you might like it.

Bone/CL - were you looking for a "Polo"? If so, here it is. If not, oops.

I just wanted to vent for a second. My wife's uncle wanted to have a HUGE family reunion involving all the branches of the family, the size of which they haven't had in 20 years (they have a reunion of just the one branch of the family every year, but seldom do they get together all the descendants of all of my wife's grandmother's six brothers and sisters). Anyway, they wanted to have it on Memorial Day weekend, but they scheduled it for this weekend, thinking this was the right weekend. Oops. Now Sean is going to have to miss his two best friends' birthday parties this weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday (including an ice skating party). My wife insists that he has to be at the reunion, cause it's important to her dad, and so seldom do they get the WHOLE family together. That family is ALL about family duty...they aren't very close and most really don't like each other THAT much, but they get together as often as possible "cause it's what families do". Apparently, since my father in law is estranged from his other two daughters and all their kids, he wants to have all his available grandkids on deck. I offered to stay with Sean to take him to the parties (slick of me, eh?), my parents, who live twenty minutes away from us, offered to take him for the weekend and take him to the parties. No dice. The wife wants him there. He's all upset about not getting to go. He'll HATE the reunion (all the kids are either much older or much younger than he, so he doesn't really fit in anywhere) cause he always hates them. And it's all because her idiot uncle, who was a marine so you'd think he'd know when Memorial Day is, picked the wrong weekend cause he couldn't be bothered to study the calendar back when he reserved the place.

Anyway, I just feel bad for the kid. Rant over. Maybe the crew could send a few hugs my son's way, and a few kicks my wife's uncle's way. ;)

Make sure that Sean pitches a dying duck fit at the reunion. Encourage it from the beginning of the event until your FIL or wife asks you to take him away. Then, when you leave, reward him with ice cream, and take him to his two parties.

Stories like yours make me so happy that I don't have to deal with the OUT-laws anymore!

First, Yes, I was looking for a Polo, but being neck-ED in the pool yelling Marco (as handsome as YOU ARE (please keep that in the proper perspective since you now have my number ).... wasn't exactly looking for a male response ... and apparently all the lady's weren't impressed either ...... (maybe I should have a RED BULL ;) ), but at least we were cheering and toasting to DiK's old car!!!!

I am not sure if your RANT was directed to me or general consumption (but, I feel compelled to respond either way, but am thinking the later).....
Although I like what CathyCA has replied with and is a VERY CREATIVE strategy... I am single so keep this in perspective, but YOU have stated to your wife your thoughts on this matter, but she is sticking to her guns because it is about impressions for her and how she feels from her family point of view whether it makes sense to you or Sean or not .... but YOU HAVE TO GO HOME WITH HER AT NIGHT (EVERY NIGHT) so... WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO to keep OUR OWN HOME FRONT PEACEFUL... I think it is called sacrifice or in other terms, IS THIS HILL WORTH DYING ON????

Sean is very young, Your wife's DAD is not getting any younger (as much sometimes as my kids complain about going to grandparents, hey, they won't be here forever... so SUCK IT UP, I am the Dad.....), and I will add -- I've seen you with your kids and YOU ARE GOOD with them and can mediate these childish, self-centered emotions (generally speaking, that is all any kid knows unless corrected and some of us carry this behavior forward into adult hood and don't even realize it sometimes - "I want, what I want, when I want it, or else")! HELP THEM understand the bigger picture (just kidding, but really if you try to discuss with them, I believe it will teach them communication on a different level (knowing WHO IS IN CHARGE and there is NO room for negotiation) and at the same time understanding authority, compassion and understanding at the same time - (be prepared for it to go over their heads), but I don't think they will ever forget your tenderness and understanding in a non-suffocating, expressive kind of way, and you will additionally have the set aside quality time with them explaining and showing them you AND their MOM understand what they are experiencing but it is IMPORTANT for HIM/THEM to curtail any inappropriate behaviors, especially if there will EVER BE HOPE of HAPPINESS (at least for you! ), but the more important lesson here is that LIFE deals you situations YOU AREN'T happy with and YOU have to SUCK IT UP and ENDURE for a limited time sometimes and then GOD WILL SHINE ON YOU FOR doing so, especially if YOU LOOK FOR AND CAN find the POSITIVE in every negative situation as IT IS ALWAYS there, just not SO obvious at the time! ;) ) - and do this the best you can and I would hope that YOUR KIDS will see this and YOUR WIFE being in LOVE WITH YOU AS SHE IS, WILL SEE WHAT YOU DID TO PLEASE HER and NURTURE YOUR KIDS WELL BEING AND GROWTH, POSITIVELY and SHE WILL APPRECIATE YOU THAT MUCH MORE FOR IT (isn't IT ABOUT HER ANYWAYS?) at least from your perspective within reason? ....

NOW, let's say all the above goes to HELL in a hand basket, YOU at least have a blended approach/strategy as suggested by what CathyCA said and now YOU ARE MORE CREATIVE AND ON YOUR TOES (not that you aren't already) and EVERYTHING might just work itself OUT and YOU proposing to your Wife the creative, alternative problem solving strategy that results in a WIN WIN for everyone (but possibly not necessarily your kids if the party thing doesn't work out), but harmony is a good thing (definitely for you and your wife, but not essential for your kids) - especially if you are lucky enough and appreciate crawling up next to the one nearest and dearest to your heart EACH NIGHT! ;);

Remember, your priorities - God first, then your wife, then your kids, then everything else!)

I believe by doing some or all of this, YOU will have satisfied God's expectation of you, then your Wife's expectation, and the rest will be okay. Circumstances will be what they are and WITHOUT YOUR PROMPTING for whatever reason and THINGS DO work themselves OUT (sometimes NOT as WE ENVISIONED at all) and THEN IT WILL BE OKAY! Best case - (to make a presence and then leave early in the name of being tired or whatever is appropriate) and then there might be time to attend the parties and/or enjoy the rest of the weekend in a peaceful manner! Alternatively, EVERYONE as superficial as THE GATHERING MIGHT BE, might in fact ALL have a REALLY GOOD TIME.... GO THERE WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE in spite of ANY PRE-CONCEIVED ideas and YOU WILL BE SURPRISED (maybe not), but if you don't try, YOU WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MIRACLE (Keep YOUR HEART OPEN FOR ANYTHING)! I'll be vibing and praying for YOU and your family this weekend and I hope IT ALL WORKS OUT! ONE THING FOR SURE - SOMETHING WILL WORK OUT (in spite of anyone, so Enjoy the ride and experience) and YOUR ACTIONS (not words) WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN!

Just my 2 cents!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I actually put up a Status Check in the middle of a thread on the DBR main board http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/for ... hp?t=16140

Since the topic came up the other day, I thought I'd let you know!

[ArkieDukie]

It's at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It's a very big convention. A gaggle of geeks, if you will. :geek: :ugeek: :oops: :lol:

You'll be right next to the Reading Terminal Market. You MUST go. Enjoy! (It's bigger than you realize. Plan to eat a meal there at least once and leave enough time to explore it fully. Buy yourself snacks there, so maybe go at the beginning of your trip.)

Oh, and have a Philly pretzel or two for me.

Reading Terminal-agreed
Pretzels-agreed
A couple Belgian ale houses around the Center City area.


Did I mention Jim's, Pat's and Geno's?

Thanks, devildeac! Assuming I can talk my colleague into it (and I'm sure I can), cheesesteaks are on the list for tomorrow. And possibly for several other days.

Any specific names of Belgian ale houses?

[ArkieDukie]

I <3 fire alarms caused by stupid people who don't know how to open a window or turn on a fan when cooking. Damn.

Who's happy to move? I told the LAFD I may have to bake cookies for them next time. They laughed.

You sound like me pre-move, except I didn't have to deal with morons setting off fire alarms. Dare you to have cookies ready for LAFD the next time the fire alarm goes off! That's a great idea! That is, assuming you haven't already moved by then.

[ArkieDukie]

Thanks for the toasts for my car. I missed the 10pm toast - so I'm having a glass of wine now.

Just booked my flights to go visit my sister and her family in PA. Graduation, a dance recital, and various festivities will occur. I can't wait!

Have a great trip to PA, DinK!

[ArkieDukie]

Hey, Wilson, thought you might like it.

Bone/CL - were you looking for a "Polo"? If so, here it is. If not, oops.

I just wanted to vent for a second. My wife's uncle wanted to have a HUGE family reunion involving all the branches of the family, the size of which they haven't had in 20 years (they have a reunion of just the one branch of the family every year, but seldom do they get together all the descendants of all of my wife's grandmother's six brothers and sisters). Anyway, they wanted to have it on Memorial Day weekend, but they scheduled it for this weekend, thinking this was the right weekend. Oops. Now Sean is going to have to miss his two best friends' birthday parties this weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday (including an ice skating party). My wife insists that he has to be at the reunion, cause it's important to her dad, and so seldom do they get the WHOLE family together. That family is ALL about family duty...they aren't very close and most really don't like each other THAT much, but they get together as often as possible "cause it's what families do". Apparently, since my father in law is estranged from his other two daughters and all their kids, he wants to have all his available grandkids on deck. I offered to stay with Sean to take him to the parties (slick of me, eh?), my parents, who live twenty minutes away from us, offered to take him for the weekend and take him to the parties. No dice. The wife wants him there. He's all upset about not getting to go. He'll HATE the reunion (all the kids are either much older or much younger than he, so he doesn't really fit in anywhere) cause he always hates them. And it's all because her idiot uncle, who was a marine so you'd think he'd know when Memorial Day is, picked the wrong weekend cause he couldn't be bothered to study the calendar back when he reserved the place.

Anyway, I just feel bad for the kid. Rant over. Maybe the crew could send a few hugs my son's way, and a few kicks my wife's uncle's way. ;)

Make sure that Sean pitches a dying duck fit at the reunion. Encourage it from the beginning of the event until your FIL or wife asks you to take him away. Then, when you leave, reward him with ice cream, and take him to his two parties.

Stories like yours make me so happy that I don't have to deal with the OUT-laws anymore!

First, Yes, I was looking for a Polo, but being neck-ED in the pool yelling Marco (as handsome as YOU ARE (please keep that in the proper perspective since you now have my number ).... wasn't exactly looking for a male response ... and apparently all the lady's weren't impressed either ...... (maybe I should have a RED BULL ;) ), but at least we were cheering and toasting to DiK's old car!!!!

I am not sure if your RANT was directed to me or general consumption (but, I feel compelled to respond either way, but am thinking the later).....
Although I like what CathyCA has replied with and is a VERY CREATIVE strategy... I am single so keep this in perspective, but YOU have stated to your wife your thoughts on this matter, but she is sticking to her guns because it is about impressions for her and how she feels from her family point of view whether it makes sense to you or Sean or not .... but YOU HAVE TO GO HOME WITH HER AT NIGHT (EVERY NIGHT) so... WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO to keep OUR OWN HOME FRONT PEACEFUL... I think it is called sacrifice or in other terms, IS THIS HILL WORTH DYING ON????

Sean is very young, Your wife's DAD is not getting any younger (as much sometimes as my kids complain about going to grandparents, hey, they won't be here forever... so SUCK IT UP, I am the Dad.....), and I will add -- I've seen you with your kids and YOU ARE GOOD with them and can mediate these childish, self-centered emotions (generally speaking, that is all any kid knows unless corrected and some of us carry this behavior forward into adult hood and don't even realize it sometimes - "I want, what I want, when I want it, or else")! HELP THEM understand the bigger picture (just kidding, but really if you try to discuss with them, I believe it will teach them communication on a different level (knowing WHO IS IN CHARGE and there is NO room for negotiation) and at the same time understanding authority, compassion and understanding at the same time - (be prepared for it to go over their heads), but I don't think they will ever forget your tenderness and understanding in a non-suffocating, expressive kind of way, and you will additionally have the set aside quality time with them explaining and showing them you AND their MOM understand what they are experiencing but it is IMPORTANT for HIM/THEM to curtail any inappropriate behaviors, especially if there will EVER BE HOPE of HAPPINESS (at least for you! ), but the more important lesson here is that LIFE deals you situations YOU AREN'T happy with and YOU have to SUCK IT UP and ENDURE for a limited time sometimes and then GOD WILL SHINE ON YOU FOR doing so, especially if YOU LOOK FOR AND CAN find the POSITIVE in every negative situation as IT IS ALWAYS there, just not SO obvious at the time! ;) ) - and do this the best you can and I would hope that YOUR KIDS will see this and YOUR WIFE being in LOVE WITH YOU AS SHE IS, WILL SEE WHAT YOU DID TO PLEASE HER and NURTURE YOUR KIDS WELL BEING AND GROWTH, POSITIVELY and SHE WILL APPRECIATE YOU THAT MUCH MORE FOR IT (isn't IT ABOUT HER ANYWAYS?) at least from your perspective within reason? ....

NOW, let's say all the above goes to HELL in a hand basket, YOU at least have a blended approach/strategy as suggested by what CathyCA said and now YOU ARE MORE CREATIVE AND ON YOUR TOES (not that you aren't already) and EVERYTHING might just work itself OUT and YOU proposing to your Wife the creative, alternative problem solving strategy that results in a WIN WIN for everyone (but possibly not necessarily your kids if the party thing doesn't work out), but harmony is a good thing (definitely for you and your wife, but not essential for your kids) - especially if you are lucky enough and appreciate crawling up next to the one nearest and dearest to your heart EACH NIGHT! ;);

Remember, your priorities - God first, then your wife, then your kids, then everything else!)

I believe by doing some or all of this, YOU will have satisfied God's expectation of you, then your Wife's expectation, and the rest will be okay. Circumstances will be what they are and WITHOUT YOUR PROMPTING for whatever reason and THINGS DO work themselves OUT (sometimes NOT as WE ENVISIONED at all) and THEN IT WILL BE OKAY! Best case - (to make a presence and then leave early in the name of being tired or whatever is appropriate) and then there might be time to attend the parties and/or enjoy the rest of the weekend in a peaceful manner! Alternatively, EVERYONE as superficial as THE GATHERING MIGHT BE, might in fact ALL have a REALLY GOOD TIME.... GO THERE WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE in spite of ANY PRE-CONCEIVED ideas and YOU WILL BE SURPRISED (maybe not), but if you don't try, YOU WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MIRACLE (Keep YOUR HEART OPEN FOR ANYTHING)! I'll be vibing and praying for YOU and your family this weekend and I hope IT ALL WORKS OUT! ONE THING FOR SURE - SOMETHING WILL WORK OUT (in spite of anyone, so Enjoy the ride and experience) and YOUR ACTIONS (not words) WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN!

Just my 2 cents!

I agree with bunch o'numbers on this one. Grandparents aren't around forever. I'm sure his grandfather will be happy to have him around to show off. I grew up in an environment where attendance at family events like this were pretty much mandatory, and I often was surprised to find that I enjoyed the experience much more than I thought I would. Granted, that was especially true as I got older, but it's nice to instill a sense of importance of family at an early age. There's also an underlying respect of elders theme here, since the grandfather is the one that really wants your family to be there. In fact, it sounds like it might be important to him. It is a tough situation, though, given the timing of the event.

Is there any way at all for a compromise where your son could spend some time at the reunion and still attend both parties, or is the distance too great? You probably said that and I missed it. If that's not possible, what about doing something special for your son and his friends sometime later?

[ArkieDukie]

Thanks for the suggested list of places to visit in Philly! They're all written down. Will report back upon my return next weekend. I'm going to spend a few days after the conference visiting some friends in Trenton. I've never been to Jersey, so that will be interesting. With my accent, no one will mistake me for a local. :roll: :oops:

My poster is finished and uploaded to a Kinko's in Philly for printing. I'm picking it up there tomorrow. Don't you love the internet?!

[ArkieDukie]

Here's a funny Sports Center video: the national spelling champ trying to spell the name of the coach that we all know and love:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=421641 ... id=2378529

[CathyCA]

It's quiet in here.

[Sue71]

I just made popcorn. I love popcorn.

[CathyCA]

I'm watching Tony Hawk on the Jimmy Fallon show. Tony is talking about a skate park he's opening in Colorado tomorrow. My friend Ann is going to see Tony Hawk in Colorado tomorrow at the new skate park.

[CathyCA]

And now Tony's doing skateboard tricks in the television studio. LOL

[CathyCA]

My kids would love this if i'd let them stay up this late. They like Tony Hawk.

[CathyCA]

Okay, now that Tony's piece is over, I'm going to bed.

[CathyCA]

I fell asleep earlier tonight. I had a good nap.

[CathyCA]

I hope I can sleep now.

[devildeac]

Ozzie's correct about a great cheesesteak close to where he lives at Sami's (sp?). But then, you'd have to drive/fly down to Smithfield to enjoy. The advantages would be that you'd get to meet Ozzie, I'd drive down to meet you, too and Ozzie would buy us BOTH the cheesesteaks .

Yes, it is Sami's. Me buy? I could do that. We'll get them to go, you bring the beer!

Only the good stuff.
Now, let's see, what would match nicely with a Sami's cheesesteak...

A brown ale sounds good...

An amber would also be tasty...

[devildeac]

You'll be right next to the Reading Terminal Market. You MUST go. Enjoy! (It's bigger than you realize. Plan to eat a meal there at least once and leave enough time to explore it fully. Buy yourself snacks there, so maybe go at the beginning of your trip.)

Oh, and have a Philly pretzel or two for me. [/quote]

Reading Terminal-agreed
Pretzels-agreed
A couple Belgian ale houses around the Center City area.


Did I mention Jim's, Pat's and Geno's? [/quote]

Thanks, devildeac! Assuming I can talk my colleague into it (and I'm sure I can), cheesesteaks are on the list for tomorrow. And possibly for several other days.

Any specific names of Belgian ale houses?[/quote]

No specific names as I only read about them in some mid-Atlantic beer mags a couple years ago. I think they are in the Market/Chestnut street areas. Google Belgian pubs, Philly and I would bet they come up. I'll try later today. Trying to help my daughter move this afternoon/evening.