:)

In response to:What a beautiful dress!

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:02:58 +0100

Will this be your wedding dress!? :-P

In response to:Dumbing Down

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:56:48 +0100

I'm always so proud to read that someone else is able to overcome years of dumbing themselves down to "fit in" with peers.

I grew up in an incredibly rural area, and at a very young age I learned that by distinguishing myself as having an above average intellect, I would be ostracized. Names were tossed about, and i'm sure it's funny to some people now, but they hurt then, and to avoid that hurt I made it a point to stop letting people know that I was intelligent.

The scary thing is, after a while I had to remind myself. It wasn't until my senior year in high school (after switching schools), that I realized that I am more intelligent than a lot of folks. I also realized that year that by dumbing myself down, I was ensuring that I would never have any relationships that were intellectually stimulating, and that i'd never be able to be around people that I wouldn't have to dumb myself down in order to be around.

Now, ironically, I find it more difficult to dumb myself down for people. I have to concentrate to make sure that I am not going to insult people for dumbing things down for them.

With all of that said, I am fairly certain that I sound somewhat conceited, and i'm truly not. I am aware that there are a lot of people far more intelligent than me, but even now in college, i'm still shocked at some of the people whom were accepted into UCF. I expected to find a lot more people at school who I could interact with on an intellectual level, but there's not a whole lot out there...

Keep up the good work!

In response to:Chrysler Building

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:03:13 +0200

The Chrysler building was always my favorite building, too. :(

In response to:An Affair to Remember

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:44:43 +0200

One thing I love about old films is at the ending because they always have a chorus singing the title theme song. :)

In response to:Possible Cannibalism in the Ancient Southwestern U.S.?

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:16:07 +0200

Sounds like another example of text-book political correctness. Political correctness is quite simply the repression - or wholesale re-writing - of truth, for fear of causing "offence". People should care a lot less what their ancestors did and see themselves more as individuals.

In response to:One Year Ago

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:54:54 +0200

Happy Anniversary! :)

In response to:One Year Ago

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:52:55 +0200

I am extremely touched by this and equally privileged to have you. I think you underestimate your value, but then your humility is part of it.

If I have my way, we will have many very happy years together, and this is only the beginning! See you soon xx

In response to:Why Men Don't Iron

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:47:54 +0200

That is an interesting comment lalalie, and not just because I'd kind of theorised it to myself a long time ago - so it's kind of nice to hear it's more mainstream than just a thought in my head.

As for the supposition that 85% of the washing and ironing is done by women and 82% of the household repairs are done by the men, I'm not so sure. My 4 foot high ironing pile would indicate that the figure here is around 5% gets done. And the succession of hopeless tradesmen that have been through this house in the last 3 years would kind of suggest that 75% of the household repairs are certainly not achieved by men. As one of the decorators was a woman, and she missed a bit in every room she did, I will add that 10% is not achieved by women either.

;-)

In response to:Why Men Don't Iron

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:42:36 +0200

What's really interesting is that I read in an article (as well as watching a documentary on HBO) that gay men have the same amount hormonal chemicals in their brain as heterosexual women do, and lesbians have the same amount of chemicals as heterosexual men do. In another article, we as animals send out scent for our hormones to be aroused sexually. However, men who are gay have hormones that prefer the scent of men and lesbians prefer the scent of women.

I just thought this was interesting to share. :)

In response to:Thoughts about Life

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:01:56 +0200

Have you ever seen the television program, "The Baby Borrowers?" It's an excellent program for teenagers who are in the whips of a glorious relationship (although they have only been dating for a couple of months) and want to rush into settling down & having a family. NBC actually took five of those couples into a cul-de-sac home area, where they are forced to witness the reality of having a real family. They have to pay the bills, so they have to work. In addition - five ADULT couples will come into their lives and give them their children to care for. So far, they have only taken care of a newborn baby for 3 days. Don't worry - they were supervised by professional nannies and they were also monitored via cameras by the parents, and they could step in any time they felt like they had to.

But once those 3 days are over, they have to take care of toddlers and their siblings. Then, they have to take care of pre-teens, then teenagers, then the elderly. It is really an eye-opening show, and it shows the foundation that you speak of. I can see how some of those couples would make great parents, while others really need to slow down & focus on what needs to be done first in their relationship. You can also see the strain of having children, and how it affects their relationships. THREE of the five couples are on a verge of a breakdown! And people wonder why I don't want any kids...

In response to:Baby Names

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:42:54 +0200

Henry, Richard, Corin, Colin, Alistair, Daphne, Selene, and Elena are the ones I like...I just thought I'd let you know, heh.

In response to:Tobacco Usage: The Negative Consequences of a Nasty Vice

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:34:16 +0200

My mother had been a smoker for many years. Of course, she was a flower child of the 70s, so it is pretty understandable that she broke down to smoking & using drugs by peer pressure. BUT! Right after the 70s ended, she stopped using drugs. She spent the next couple decades just smoking & drinking. Just a couple of weeks ago, she decided to stop smoking. She has not had ONE cigarette since then, and I applaud her for doing so. I can see that she desperately want one, but she had enough strength & courage to face the nicotine cravings. Quitting cigarettes is not easy, but it can be done with the help of medication & love & support. I'm so glad to see my mother making progress. And what's more, my mother has stopped coughing, wheezing, & her natural color is coming back! It's amazing to see some colors in her that I have never seen before. :)

But agreed - smoking is a NASTY habit. And coming from someone with a history of heart surgeries and other health issues, second hand smoke actually harms me. That's why my mother smoked outside at the house or restaurants or wherever I am with her. As for the others...well...I just hope I die of natural causes before their second hand smoke get to me...

In response to:The Problem with Affirmative Action

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:20:56 +0200

When I was in 9th grade, I had a black English teacher. She, at first, did like me and everyone else in the class. However, Black History month came along. At the same time, we were studying Shakespeare. Now, you know how I excell in that subject, and we actually performed a few scenes from R&J. Instead of giving me an A on the overall section, she gave me an F, and yet she gave this black kid an A and he didn't even remember HALF of his monologue and I am sure he did not pass all his tests or assignments because he was not in the classroom for 3 weeks!

I know how you feel, but that is what happens when you live in a country that is supposedly the land of the free. Seeing that minorities "supposedly" don't get as much education as the white people do, they actually accomodate for them, otherwise we would not be a free country.

I totally do not agree with this. I think education is important, and that we should all be employed by being based on it. I'm also shocked that Publix wouldn't hire you! Seriously...retail is usually a place where anyone can get a job. I guess that proved me wrong...

But don't worry, Andrea, you WILL get something! :)

In response to:Very true indeed

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:11:35 +0200

That is probably the best quote I've heard all month!

In response to:Tobacco Usage: The Negative Consequences of a Nasty Vice

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:58:51 +0200

Couldn't agree more about this (as you know! x). It seems like smoking is compulsory in London. I'm fed up of walking behind junkies who are trailing cigarettes in their hands as they walk to the tube, exhaling their disgusting smoke into my path. It doesn't help that they then start chewing with their mouths open on the tube to try to freshen their breath either. How revolting. I'd like to see smoking banned in all public places.

In response to:The Painted Veil (2006)

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:16:50 +0200

'Tis true this excellent film inspired me to have a suit made by Gieves & Hawkes! :)

In response to:The Problem with Affirmative Action

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:52:28 +0200

It seems obvious that these measures are not only used as tie-breakers, but that this discrimination is being applied more widely too. It's becoming so employers are afraid not to employ ethnic minorities, and as Andrea suggests, any self-respecting black/Indian/Afghan/Somali/all the others in London (not sure how to refer to them all collectively) should be as offended by this as everybody else.

A person should be employed on their skills alone, and employers should not feel corner into employing less qualified staff for fear of being sued. I'm concerned that we are seeing rampant political correctness morphing into what is essentially racism against whites, and that this kind of carry on will simply, eventually, hand votes to the likes of the BNP, who none of us ever want to see in power.

People: don't be afraid to speak out about this problem before things get even worse. (It's good to see most people agreeing here: http://tinyurl.com/6daxdz)

And to Andrea personally: you know you're going to be okay x

In response to:The Problem with Affirmative Action

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:24:21 +0200

We'll see. I just hope that it won't be like it is here- a complete mess!

In response to:The Problem with Affirmative Action

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:23:13 +0200

The law proposed here is not one of quotas, but is supposed only to apply as a tie-breaker with similarly qualified people...

Whether that's how it actually works out remains to be seen, of course!

Am pretty sure that the majority of companies will probably pretty much continue to employ whoever they like.

In response to:Very true indeed

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:48:24 +0200

I love that, brilliant :-)

In response to:Great Long-Distance Relationship Song

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:04:30 +0200

That's lovely. Great guitar playing, nice lyrics and well sung. Thanks, that's a new song to me.

Cheers, Tom.

In response to:My Theatrical Experience

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:10:21 +0200

I remember when we did Mitty! That was a HORRIBLE one, though! But we did have fun, didn't we, and that's all that matters, right? :)

And you were swell with your Shakespeare monologues! I'll have to post my theater experience...I think I'll do that now! :)

In response to:My Theatrical Experience

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:39:54 +0200

you've got plenty of great experience, so go for it.
i've recently re-discovered that i can act (i gave up when i left sixth form) and am enjoying myself a lot!

let us know how you get on.

In response to:Thongs: Neither Fashionable Nor Hygenic

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:46:29 +0200

I'll admit I've worn them. They don't feel very sexy to me either. And it is very true about the diseases being so widespread with thongs! I had a friend who got an UTI from riding in a taxi with a thong. Creepy & disgusting!

In response to:Lady or Ladette?

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:35:23 +0200

And a beautiful lady you are..

Maybe they should bring back "finishing schools" for girls or something to explain to them how to be feminine again in the face of all this horrible androgyny. The most perverse thing is it is really so anti-women the way they all want to be the same as men now.

You tell them darling..! x

In response to:Thongs: Neither Fashionable Nor Hygenic

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:56:36 +0200

I'm not a fan of thongs myself. I just don't find them flattering or comfortable to wear. French knickers make you look and feel that much more sexy. And fortunately my fella loves them on me too lol.

In response to:So In Love

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:15:36 +0200

I absolutely LOVE Cole Porter! There's not one person who can rhyme like he can!!!

In response to:I'm Old-Fashioned, Rita Hayworth

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:57:12 +0200

Ginger Rogers is pretty swell with Fred Astaire too! :)

In response to:Sarah Brightman's Symphony Tour!

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:48:50 +0200

That's kick arse! I'd love to go too, but I cannot afford the tickets. :( But I'll be looking forward to you raving about it! :)

In response to:Like a Virgin...only better.

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:52:17 +0200

I've always wanted to see "27 Dresses!" I love chick flicks...hehe.