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Post by auntkelly on Aug 11, 2022 18:34:39 GMT
I heard his mother speak at luncheon in Oklahoma several years’ ago before any of this came to light. Armie’s mother grew up in Oklahoma and went to college here. I never met her but a lot of my friends went to college w/ her and said she was always very nice. She was asked to speak at the luncheon because she does a lot of charity work in L.A. Armie’s grandmother was at the luncheon too. She was sitting w/ all her friends and she was obviously so proud of her daughter. You never know what really goes on inside a family, but I can’t help but think about his mother and how devastated she must be.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 11, 2022 13:21:53 GMT
I thought my son’s college counselor asked my son a great question the first time she met with my son, my husband and myself. It really helped us narrow down the list of schools we visited. She asked my son, “When you imagine yourself waking up on Saturday morning at college, what do you see yourself wanting to do? Do you want to go hiking in the mountains w/ your friends, do you want to catch a bus to the nearest city and explore the art museums or do you want to go to a football game and cheer on your school’s football team?
I don’t think this sweet, artsy woman had been to an athletic event in her life, but when my son immediately choose the football option, she said “okay, you’re looking for the traditional college experience. There are lots of great academic schools which also have a good football team. Let’s concentrate on those schools.” We toured Michigan, Notre Dame, USC, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. He ended up at Notre Dame and it was a perfect fit for him, both academically and socially.
I loved the counselor’s question. I think the college experience is so much more than just what you learn in class. If a kid loves the outdoors, they may not be happy at a school in a sprawling urban area, while a kid who loves the theatre may not be happy at a school located in a small town far from any big city where touring theatre companies visit.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 10, 2022 14:43:37 GMT
On a sad note, one of my very favorite authors, David McCullough, died this week.
My husband had never read for pleasure until I introduced him to this author. I would read McCullough's books aloud on long car trips while my husband drove. The first McCullough book we read together was Mornings on Horseback about Theodore Roosevelt's childhood. My husband was hooked after that one. We went on to read John Adams, The Pathway Between the Seas, The Great Bridge & The Pioneers. The man could write about any aspect of American history and make it entertaining.
I saw a clip from an old interview w/ him where he was asked what would be viewed as America's greatest accomplishments during his lifetime. Interestingly, he said the advances in medicine and our great universities.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 9, 2022 15:01:22 GMT
I read Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow. I loved it. I would go so far as to say it is one of my all-time favorite books.
Now I'm reading Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach. It's really good so far.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 8, 2022 0:46:20 GMT
I’m glad your son is recovering. I will continue to pray.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 7, 2022 20:40:36 GMT
What a tragedy. I’m so sorry.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 7, 2022 19:28:11 GMT
I don't think Harry would ever be crowned King of England. As unpopular as he is, I think the monarchy would be abolished. Newsweek recently reported that 40% of the British population between the ages of 18-40 are in favor of abolishing the monarchy. I think that number would rise dramatically if Harry became 2nd in line to ascend to the throne. Newsweek
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 6, 2022 17:07:35 GMT
When it comes to big purchases like a sofa or a dining table, we keep looking until we find something we both agree on.
When it comes to smaller things like a spice rack, one of us it will buy it without consulting the other. However, if the other one hated the spice rack, or hated where it was placed, we'd get rid of it or rehang it.
We're both very opinionated and not afraid to express our opinions, but we seldom argue over decor. We save our fights for the big stuff like politics and religion.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 5, 2022 15:48:07 GMT
He must have a really steady hand to paint those little barbs and make them look so sharp!
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 5, 2022 15:28:42 GMT
I'm clearly in the minority, but I kind of liked the b&w pics because it helps you focus on the bones of the house and not get distracted by the owner's decorating choices. Having said that, it does raise a red flag since it's so different, and I wouldn't want my real estate agent to list my house that way.
In this case, I'm guessing the rooms are very dark because the house is surrounded by trees and it didn't seem like there were many windows, except in the dining area. The house looked great otherwise.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 5, 2022 12:55:09 GMT
It’s a lovely family home. I hope it sells quickly and your sister finds a new place she loves.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 4, 2022 13:39:21 GMT
I'm so sorry for everything you are going through. I hope you can find a good counselor and/or support group. I also hope that you always feel free to express your feelings here.
I think it's so sweet that your daughter flew home to be with you on your son's birthday. You and your daughters will be in my prayers.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 3, 2022 12:50:38 GMT
It was a pretty popular insult when I was a kid growing up in the 60s/70s.
I knew what it meant and was forbidden by my mom and my teachers from using that word as an insult. I think most of my friends knew what it meant, but of course some kept using the insult.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 3, 2022 3:37:16 GMT
I'm so sorry. I hope things get straightened out soon. I can't imagine how stressful this must be.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 1, 2022 16:34:02 GMT
I read Trust by Herman Diaz which I enjoyed once I finally figured out what was going on. Basically, it's about a very successful Wall Street mogul who hires an author to write a sugar-coated biography of his life. I think maybe the point of the book is that the truth can very much be distorted, intentionally or unintentionally by those telling the story or those who control the people who tell the story.
On a much lighter note, I read The Palace Papers by Tina Brown. It covers the goings on in the House of Windsor over the last twenty years. A good portion of the book is dedicated to the feud between the William and Harry. I suspect that if you are on team Cambridge you will like it very much and if you are on team Sussex, you will hate it.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 1, 2022 16:03:48 GMT
If it were me, I'd pick a song that your sister would have loved. I wouldn't worry about it being wedding appropriate or having some deep meaning.
For example, if she was a James Taylor fan, I might choose "How Sweet It Is."
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 31, 2022 23:20:52 GMT
On the local news last night they were citing the number of patients hospitalized in our state w/ covid and the number of people who have died in the last few weeks. They haven't been talking about covid hospitalizations and deaths for quite a while. It sounds like the number of serious cases is really climbing again.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 31, 2022 19:54:37 GMT
I love that women's sports are finally getting the attention they deserve!
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 31, 2022 15:50:25 GMT
Electrical fires are so scary! I hope all goes well with the insurance company. I’m so sorry this happened.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 30, 2022 19:38:27 GMT
I'm so sorry.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 28, 2022 16:33:16 GMT
Congrats on going down a size!
I'm another one who is not matchy matchy, but I always try and coordinate, even if I am just working out at home. I buy all my leggings, yoga pants and workout shorts in black or navy. I usually wear a neutral colored sports bra and a solid t shirt. It's boring, but functional, and I wouldn't be embarrassed by what I was wearing if I fell while I was walking in the neighborhood and had to go to the emergency room.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 28, 2022 16:04:32 GMT
I haven't used Babble, but I've been subscribing to Rosetta Stone for a little over a year. I could be wrong, but I think Babble and Rosetta Stone are pretty similar.
I've been studying French. I think Rosetta Stone has been very helpful. It's definitely geared towards speaking the language rather than reading and writing.
I have a friend who teaches an informal adult French class which meets once a week at a restaurant. She has taught in a college setting for years. She gives us homework, etc. Between the French class and Rosetta Stone, I feel like I've gotten to the point where I could have a very slow conversation w/ a patient French person. One of my goals is to be able to read some classic French novels in French. I feel like that goal is very doable.
If nothing else, I've had a lot of fun studying French and I think it's been good for my mind.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 27, 2022 18:21:31 GMT
I think it was very tacky and unfeeling for a stranger to ask you how someone you loved died.
People can be so callous and uncaring. My father died suddenly when I was three. It was, and still is, the most painful thing that ever happened to me. I still remember being about seven years' old and sitting in the backseat of a car w/ my best friend while her mother drove. Out of the blue, her mom asked me if I had any memories of my father. Even at seven years' old, I knew it was completely inappropriate for an adult to ask a kid an intimate question like that when they are just being nosy. I just evaded the question by giving a very vague answer.
That incident occurred about fifty years' ago, but I remember it so well. I'd like to go back to my seven year old self and tell her "you don't have to be polite to some nosy woman. She is being cruel and she thinks because you are a kid, you won't realize the question is intrusive and inappropriate. She is not being a nice person at the moment."
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 27, 2022 13:22:02 GMT
The picture popped up just as I was posting. He is adorable. It's nice to be able to put a face w/ your prayers.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 27, 2022 13:20:23 GMT
I will say prayers for Colton and family. I am so sorry he has to have another surgery.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 26, 2022 18:23:51 GMT
I'm sorry you and your parents are going through such a difficult time. My mom lived w/ my family when she was dying of cancer, and fortunately, although she was scared and sad, she didn't have the kind of mood swings your dad is having.
Would your dad be willing to have you accompany him to one of his appointments w/ his oncologist? I think you should rule out any physical causes for his sudden change in behavior. Hopefully, the oncologist will have a better insight as to what is causing your dad's mood swings and what can be done about them, if anything.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 26, 2022 18:02:22 GMT
Going to law school was a good choice. It allowed me to have a lot of flexibility in my career choices.
Exercising almost every day of my adult life has been a good choice. I'm overweight, but I don't have any other health issues and I feel great.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 26, 2022 17:14:53 GMT
I didn't get married until I was 29 and I had some pretty definite things I was looking for:
Someone w/ a stable career who was careful, but not stingy, w/ his money.
Someone who wanted to have kids.
Someone w/ a great sense of humor and fun.
Someone who got along well w/ my friends and family.
My husband checked all those boxes. After 32 years of marriage, we've had our ups and downs, but he still checks all the boxes and I love him a lot.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 26, 2022 13:45:36 GMT
I'm only here for the "bad parents" judgment calls. 🤣🤣 I mean... What the hell? A child wears a mask and he's got terrible parents? This is the type of sheltered childhood that I'm glad I didn't have, looking through that Gen X thread. We watched all the scary movies. Nothing like running through the corn after watching Children of the Corn for scary. Also lots of kids know who Chucky is without having seen the movie, same with Jason, Freddy Krueger, and Michael Myers back in the day. The world really is going to hell in a hand basket. Back in the sixties when I was growing up we had wholesome costumes-devils, skeletons and witches.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 25, 2022 13:10:50 GMT
I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through.
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