gadgetlady

I haven't read all the say through this thread, but this post really hit me. I've been married for 14 years and my dh is also my best friend. We dated for 3 days and then were engaged, and fewer than 6 months later we were married. We have an a very fulfilling sex life, and but for a few bumps in the road here and there, we always have. We are super affectionate and treat each other with respect and love at all times. We don't fight, we don't yell at each other, and we rarely disagree. Reading about those of you who haven't had sex in 2 years or consider your spouse to be more of a roommate than a lover makes me very sad. DH and I have a saying that "sex is like glue" -- it helps keep the marriage together and it's an important part of your relationship. Don't assume it's gone forever. I agree with lizrbit that sometimes you just have to go for it sometimes. Make up your mind to make your marriage something terrific and, barring unusual things going on (affairs, etc.) you will see little successes along the way. Get into counseling or talk to someone, preferably together but alone if you spouse won't go, and get some good advice and ideas. Remember that a lot of our self-esteem is tied up in the physical relationship, so don't get discouraged about who YOU are if your spouse isn't physical with you. All that said, marriage does NOT have to be boring. I fully believe every marriage has the capacity to be outstanding.

Have you tried any alternative sweetners? Besides the usual (Splenda, NutraSweet, Sweet-N-Low) there's a product called Stevia which a lot of people seem to like. It's available at health food stores. I think there might be another one as well but I'm drawing a blank. Otherwise, you'll just have to limit your sugar and maybe use honey every once in a while.

Those of us in the greater Los Angeles area pretty much know to avoid this hospital (and a few others) like the plague. What's sad is those that aren't "in the know" or have no other option end up getting the short end of the stick. There's no excuse for it, but it's also not surprising. What a heartwrenching thing for the family :-(

I'm right there with ya'. Not only am I a mosquito magnet, but I'm allergic to them. When I get bitten, the spot swells up to the size of a softball, gets hard under the skin, and is hot to the touch. It takes weeks for bites to go away. I'm currently in Florida (not that I WANT to be in Florida, but I'm here on business) and the mosquitoes are out en force. Where I live (So. Cal) we don't get them at all. So I have to keep remembering to put repellent on every few hours. I posted last year about this very issue (can't remember if it was on this board or B2G) and got a lot of suggestions. I can tell you from experience, for me, garlic did zilch. I took garlic pills (no problem getting them down, BTW) en masse, and it didn't do a thing. Total waste of money. What DID work was 2 things: Cutter Advanced, or any product with Picaridin (as opposed to DEET), and Catnip Oil. The Catnip Oil is an herbal remedy which comes with Cornmint Oil and Rosemary Oil in it (I bought it from naturesherbal). You have to shake it a lot before AND DURING spraying it on because it separates very quickly. It smells like peppermint. What I do is spray my whole body with that, prior to dressing, and then spray my exposed areas (arms, neck, legs, feet) with the Cutter Advanced. I figure the non-chemical stuff is good for milder protection. That combination pretty much keeps me bite free. I was looking for a good alternative to DEET (that stuff is SCARY! Once I sprayed it on my feet while wearing sandals and my feet turned black where the straps were and the sandals were ruined). I researched a lot and it looks like Picaridin is a pretty good alternative. If you look in the stores, Cutter Advance is a blue bottle with an orange lid. There is one other thing you can do if this is a consistent issue where you live: other than keeping your surrounding area standing-water-free, you can buy a Mosquito Magnet or similar product. They're not cheap, but they're machines designed to attract mosquitos by emitting CO2; they draw them in and then they die there. The good quality ones can clear an area of mosquitos in a few weeks, I think. I've never owned one (don't need it) but know people who swear by them. If I lived in a mosquito-prone area (which I would do my best to never do; that's one of my requirements for a place to live), I would have several of these all around the property. HTH! Good luck!

and yet Nothing personal about "There's no reasoning with you." Oh, sorry, was that too sarcastic for you?

I never said I don't respect people who believe in abortion. I said I don't respect the pro-abortion position. I believe I was quite clear in saying I respected the person and their right to have that opinion. As to being decent to people with whom one disagrees, in my opinion offering an apology when one is wrong is something that reflects that decency and respect.

Hey Melissa, Boarding time will be on those edocs I emailed you. I can't access them right now because I'm not at home. But let me tell you a little secret: you can arrive earlier than they say, usually by an hour or so. If you do arrive early, you miss a lot of the check-in lines. Enjoy!

Not out of context at all. Slave owners DEFINED slaves as 3/5 of a person despite the fact that the slaves were human beings with their own DNA. People in favor of abortion DEFINE the unborn baby as a blob of tissue, a product of conception, etc. despite the fact that they babies are human beings with their own DNA. It's very easy to withhold rights when the thing we're withholding from is DEFINED as something other than fully human. The only reason you don't see it is because you're doing the defining as less than a person. Just like the slave owners didn't see it.

I'm not beating around the bush. I'm clarifying your statements for those that are not well informed on fetal development. I've also answered this question previously in this thread and others, so I'm not afraid of it. Once fertilization occurs, a human being with different DNA from the mother is created. That is when human life begins. Abortion is certainly more ghastly when it involves ripping the baby apart limb from limb, but at any point it is the deliberate taking of a human life.

The baby's heart is beating before most women know they're pregnant. The heart begins beating at about 22 days. The classic dating timeline of a pregnancy begins at the time of the woman's last menstrual period, which as you know is approximately 2 weeks before pregnancy occurs (or maybe you didn't know). So at 22 days, or roughly 3 weeks, + the original 2 weeks that happened before fertilization, is when the heart begins to beat. Most women don't know they're pregnant until they've missed a period, which is very close to the time the heart starts beating.

It's only grossly out of context if you don't believe the unborn baby is deserving of basic human rights. If you believe the baby is somehow less than human (hmmm . . . just like the slave owners believed a black man was 3/5 of a person), then you're likely to be blind to the parallel.

Neither did the slaves. Neither do modern-day sex slaves. Neither do the victims of genocide or oppressed peoples everywhere. What's the problem here? "If you don't like slavery, just don't own a slave." The problem is you're dealing with another human being's life. If you want to do something with your own body, get a tattoo, amputate your arm, get your tubes tied, heck even become a prostitute, that's YOUR decision with YOUR body. But in an abortion, another person's body is involved.

You think an unborn baby is dead? Ever seen an ultrasound? Photos of what goes on in the womb? Heard the beating heart?

First of all, I have NEVER quoted the Bible to justify my position on abortion. I do not believe abortion is a religious issue. I believe it is a human rights issue. Second of all, I'm not Catholic. Not everyone believes human beings have souls. And personhood is not contingent on the existence of a soul. I base my position on abortion on science, on the fact that abortion stops a beating heart, on the fact that the unborn baby is a human being with separate DNA, a separate circulatory system, separate organs, two arms, two legs, a head, and a torso. Our choices should be limited when they infringe on the choices of another person. Where's the baby's vote in all this?

If you don't believe you owe someone an apology for accusing them of something they haven't done and then slamming them for what you presume to be their position, that's your business. I had hoped an apology would be forthcoming, but to no avail. And I guess that's consistent with the attack position you always take.

I never said there was only one issue in the world, Butch. But you're right. If we all just hold hands and sing Kumbaya it'll make it all better. Unfortunately, in the real world, 1/2 of the people who go into an abortion clinic don't come out alive. And because I choose to speak up for that silent 1/2 doesn't make me a bad person or immune to (or worse yet, complicit in) the evils of the world. If you don't think making something illegal reduces the incidence of that act (doesn't eliminate but reduces), I don't know what you're smoking.

Not judging, just commenting here. It sounds like you are more of a Universalist (many paths, one destiny) than a Catholic. The Catholic church, to my knowledge, doesn't teach anything other than John 14:6 (Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.). Again, I'm not judging, I'm just commenting. I also believe everyone has the right to whatever faith, or lack of faith, they want.

How about this? How about if we look up the number of LEGAL abortions the year after Roe? Then compare that to today? Would you hold that the number of ILLEGAL abortions before abortion was decriminilized was higher than the number of abortions the year after? Would that be fair to you, or would that be a huge exaggeration as well?

The friend is a he. Actually, it's a married couple but I know the husband better. The baby is 4 months old and they'll have her at least until November, until the state can re-evaluate the mom. This couple is one of the friends I've talked about in the past. They had an abortion before they were married and very much regret it. They have 3 daughters but feel a hole in their hearts from the baby they aborted. He feels like they aborted their son. They are now, of course, pro-life. These "rabid pro-lifers" are giving something back, caring for those who society tells us don't deserve to be alive. But of course, pro-lifers never do that. They're just pro-life because they are fetus-lovers, and after the babies are born they're not around to help take care of them.

Nope, didn't think so. Accusing someone of something they haven't done, or of a position they do not hold, and then slamming them for that position (that they don't hold) repeatedly doesn't deserve an apology. No, ma'am. Didn't really expect any apologies from you.

BTW, sorry I couldn't figure out how to post the picture. It's asking for an URL address but the photo is on my desktop and the path isn't working. If anyone knows how to do it please let me know.

Because I hear it all the time. "What about the crack babies? Who's going to take care of the crack babies? Don't you think we should abort the crack babies?" Well, the answer is no. I don't think any babies should be aborted, regardless of circumstance.

There certainly weren't more than 1,500,000 abortions per year in the US when abortion was illegal. Even if you accept the number of illegal abortions that the pro-abortion movement touts as gospel truth, you are still looking at a dramatically high percentage increase, well over 1000%. So it's only 1300% or even only 1000%? It's still a huge number.

I'm posting a picture of a beautiful baby girl (being held by MY beautiful baby girl). Her name is Gaby. She was brought over to our house today by a dear, dear friend who is a foster parent for her. She is a crack baby. Yes, the dreaded crack baby that everyone talks about. She is a total sweetheart, an adorable, precious little girl. Better that she would have been killed?

what a sweet way to start a post I disagree. I know a lot of women who wouldn't have had abortions if they were illegal. Abortions have increased 1500% since abortion was decriminalized. How do you know I'm only looking at one aspect? That's awfully presumptuous of you. Very true. But the sooner we stop abortion, the sooner we stop the murder of innocent human beings. Yes, the rest is important, but I think the most important thing for the baby that's about to be slaughtered is stopping the slaughter.