h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

it might be a cold or a flu or something except it's not respiratory.. so I'm just taking it easy and putting little in my tummy (as it doesn't seem to care for anything I've tried to put in there)... I'm sure it will be gone in a day or so.. at least I got all the stuff done with the contractors and all so I'm not worried..

Then that is one less detrimental concern or bother, eh?

I know it seems odd as heck, but milady and I both have simmering head-colds this past week. For me, sinuses and ear-drums being 'irregular', she with symptoms of her own. We have a very inconsistent transitional period from "spring" in to "summer. Subtle as yours may be, I expect you've already adapted to the nuances of the local weather, and may be equally susceptible.

THUS spake Rev !!!

I'm not really worried.. I don't even feel THAT bad.. just a bit of a scribbly tummy.. I'm waiting on a few things from contractors anyway so have needed to be near my computer for emails and faxes so it's not so bad.. just figured it was a good day to spend in my jammies since I wasn't feeling well..

EVERYbody needs a jammy-day on occassion. Even toughened old Canuck guys.

And sometimes, you get a completely unexpected phone call to brighten your day. F'rinstance, a call from the UAE, just to put a voice to some words and pics.

This is true.. my call was from an old coworker.. she's pregnant!! I know they were wanting to try and have a baby but it had been stopped by her being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.. luckily the says she hasn't been on the meds long enough for them to be really in her body so there is no real danger of birth defects..

Oh that is a blend of good news. Happy thoughts go out for the prospective parents.

She's excited about it, as I'm sure her husband is as well.

We're having a bit of a time trying to gently discourage my daughter and son-in-law from trying to build another. They have 'his' daughter from a previous circumstance, and two sons of their own. But they'd like to try for a girl of their own as well. He is finally part-time employed, she hasn't yet been successful, and so they are atleast 60% dependent on support systems. For income, housing, utilities, medical, pharmaceutical, ... just name it. We think it would be a poor idea to add one more to the clan, atleast until they get a bit more solid footing of their own.

I think you're right. They need to deal with what they already have on their plates first..

There is the obvious problem, of course. They see themselves as young, and myself as "less young". (She doesn't call me old yet, but has other choice words) Anyway, things being what they are, ... they are obviously right, and I am not. Children ALWAYS know more and better than parents, eh?

*giggles* I've gone past that part and realize my mom usually does know best. I'm occasionally the one in the know but more often than not it's her.

Most folks realize that parents aren't complete imbeciles when they are in the mid-20's. My "kids" are still so protected by the support systems that they are a bit immature in some ways. They DO take a lot of practical suggestions if I relate to something that I've met or done. But if it's just an opinion, and about something they've already decided that they want anyway, ... well, ...

My girl, from somewhere unknown to me, has quite an obstinate streak too. Imagine that.

I can't imagine...

My mom always said my sister was openly defiant, my brother would mind sometimes, and I'd always say "yes mom" then do whatever I darn well pleased anyway..

When I was away at uni my mom paid for school, books and my flat but left such "luxuries" as utilities and food up to me.. this forced me to get a part-time job after school and helped me learn responsibility for myself before being totally on my own, where I had to suddenly pay for rent and all that on my own.

I knew better than to openly exhibit defiance. X-rays still reveal scars from the normal day-to-day life I lived. But in my own ways, I have always had a mind of my own, never a "follower of the pack"...

There are times and days that I slightly envy folks of the University and College crowd, for having had that opportunity. My Dad was a self-employed over-all-licensed contractor, and earned enough to maintain us. But not enough to fund six kids education. And it was he that declared that there would never be choosing of one over others. (I remember my Mom glowering that night, that her two pets weren't going to be given special considerations) So as life in small-town-Ontario was in the 70s, without government loans or grants to even the best students ... You had family money, or well paying summer employments, or you left high school and straight in to the real world. One of the six did manage university. I dropped out of the 12th grade, (again, family life considerations) and never properly finished high school.

Carrying on, ... I eventually needed to join the military to sustain myself. Local or even regional employment opportunities being non-existent in the post-Christmas lull.

But they did teach me a very viable trade, and along the way, I aquired a GED and enough world and trade experience that I am registered North America wide as a Certified Engineering Technician, of Electrical/Electronics. So I really haven't suffered from missing the uni/college teachings. Just the social and "experience" of that whole time that is much of your life back-ground, and so many others. Some of the defining times, n'est-ce pas?

Here you can take an exam called a GED and still get a diploma, even if you dropped out. It basically proves you have the same general education and skills as someone who graduated school normally. With that you can start Uni. Here many immigrants who have worked as general labor study to take their GED so they can then go on and take other adult education courses to get better jobs.

Our GED is the same. In all but a limited number of circumstances, it is seen as the equal to the full and formal "book-larnin'"

One day, over a lunch of barley sandwiches, a mate came into the bar all dressed up. We asked why, he said he was going for this GED thingie. A brief description, and 3 of us said "sure, let's give it a go".

I paid my $10 (1983, I think) wrote the 5 exams in perhaps 2 hours, and went to the nearest pub. Oh, and just btw, we were all stationed 60 miles from a town, bank or general civilisation. Anyway, a few weeks later, I received the diploma in the mail, and a note congratulating me on achieving in the upper percentiles.

In any case, it proved adequate and was one of a dozen certifications needed to measure up to that CET mentioned earlier.

I've known people who have dropped out and years later sat for their GED then gone on to college and gotten a degree.

At the time, I was probably only out of school by 5 or 6 years. So it was simple enough for me. But also by then, I was in the uniform and it was my livelihood. Later followed by marriage and further obligations.

Maybe one day I will earn a large enough wage, or win a measure of some lottery, to be able to leave the working environment and attend further education options. Until then, a mortgage and bills need paying, and that is predominantly my responsibility.

Here I think you are unable to join the military without a diploma or GED.