I just found this board...

[RVGal]

... and how sad is it that I've been posting for almost 2 years and this is the first time that "Gay and Lesbian" caught my attention as I was scrolling down from the Disney boards to the Universal boards. :rolleyes:

I am fortunate enough to be the younger sister of a lesbian. My sister and her partner have been together for... goodness... 15 years or maybe a little more. Growing up with my older sister as my best friend and then watching her deal with/accept who she was has made a profound impact on me.

I hope it is okay, even though I am straight, if I drop in from time to time and chat. :goodvibes

[rosiep]

Welcome!!!! :welcome: This board is for gay and gay friendlies.
You're sister sounds like a very lucky woman, to have both you and a loving partner in her life.

Please feel free to join in the fun!:grouphug:

[ConcKahuna]

We've got lots of straight folk in here, and they are welcome!!

After all, we do need at least a few smart breeders, that way they can pass it on to their kids!!

[RVGal]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I think the luck between my sister and myself is mutual. I'm just as lucky to have her in my life as she is to have me.

I've been the subject of some ridicule in the past 6 years. I am 41, and hubby is 50. We have two kids... DS5 and DS2. We live in a somewhat rural area, where most people marry somewhere in the first few years out of high school, have kids in their 20s, and are looking at becoming grandparents when they are our age. You wouldn't believe the comments we got when we decided to have children. :eek:

Anyway, I know that my experience is in no way the same as the discrimination that my sister has faced from time to time over the years, but it is an example of how people can be narrow minded... and of the opinion that if you aren't doing things just like them then something must be wrong with you.

Sigh.

But, enough of the negative, I try stay on the sunny side of life.

And I'll try to keep the bumper sticker metaphors to a minimum. ;)

[OrlandoMike]

I hope it is okay, even though I am straight, if I drop in from time to time and chat. :goodvibes


We hate chatty people! :lmao:

But seriously, your always welcome over here!

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Hi RVGal! This is a very fun board. Nice people.:grouphug:

We had kids early in life ... and late in life. Gotta tell ya -- it was tons easier to do right by'em with the second batch -- so I think you made the right choice. :thumbsup2

[RVGal]

We had kids early in life ... and late in life. Gotta tell ya -- it was tons easier to do right by'em with the second batch -- so I think you made the right choice. :thumbsup2

It was definitely the right choice for me. I look at the nervous, "developmental derby" moms around me and I am SO glad I am past the point of caring what other people think of me.

I'm sure you know the developmental derby moms. The my-kid-hit-this-basic-milestone-way-ahead-of-schedule-so-I-must-be-a-fabulous-parent types. I had this one mom at a playgroup going on and on about how she had potty trained her daughter at 16 months. There was a pregnant pause where I was clearly supposed to praise her and/or her daughter. I just looked at her and said, "Wow. That's great. Do you think you'll be able to fit that in on her resume?"

Needless to say, I didn't last long with the playgroup moms. :rolleyes1

[steven_&_daniel]

RVGal,

I grew up in rural Ohio, I know what it's like. Your situation is actually very common these days. Many couples are waiting until later in life to marry and/or have children. When today's young children graduate, there will be many older parents there with them.

The next time someone says anything to you, tell them to join the 21st century, or at the very least the 20th century (I know some areas are still catching up to that). :rolleyes:

[lttlmc3]

:thumbsup2 I'm a long-time lurker on this board. I'm just taking the opportunity to say hello!

[RVGal]

I grew up in rural Ohio, I know what it's like. Your situation is actually very common these days. Many couples are waiting until later in life to marry and/or have children. When today's young children graduate, there will be many older parents there with them.



I grew up in Atlanta (well, the 'burbs), so this move was quite an adjustment for me.

I don't mean to make it sound like a stereotypical small town where everyone knows everyone and they all think and act alike, but it never crossed my mind that we'd get a reaction from anyone when we had kids. We've had several. The most common is along the lines of, "I couldn't handle having kids at your age. Had mine young and got it out of the way. Now I can enjoy myself."

Ummmm... where is it written that having children is a requirement? Or a chore? :rolleyes:

[rosiep]

:thumbsup2 I'm a long-time lurker on this board. I'm just taking the opportunity to say hello!

Hi!:wave:

:welcome: Time to stop lurking and come play.

[rosiep]

RVGAL,

My husband and I are just the opposite. We had our kids really young.

True story:

When my daughter was in grammer school there was a room set aside for parent volunteers to have coffee and hang out. One morning a woman I didn't recognize came in and started talking...being of a friendly nature I responded to something she said and she gave me a look that would wither an oak. I was taken aback and tried again a few moments later...when she spun around and demanded "Where do you belong?". I was so startled :confused: and asked "excuse me?" and she said "I said what class are you in?".
It was then that another parent realized she thought I was a student and introduced me!:lmao: :lmao:

Oh well! Young or old I think anyone who approaches parenting with thoughtfulness gets full points in my book!:thumbsup2

[RVGal]

:thumbsup2 I'm a long-time lurker on this board. I'm just taking the opportunity to say hello!

I'm brand new to this board, but, "Hi!" :wave:

[RVGal]

RVGAL,

My husband and I are just the opposite. We had our kids really young.

True story:

When my daughter was in grammer school there was a room set aside for parent volunteers to have coffee and hang out. One morning a woman I didn't recognize came in and started talking...being of a friendly nature I responded to something she said and she gave me a look that would wither an oak. I was taken aback and tried again a few moments later...when she spun around and demanded "Where do you belong?". I was so startled :confused: and asked "excuse me?" and she said "I said what class are you in?".
It was then that another parent realized she thought I was a student and introduced me!:lmao: :lmao:

Oh well! Young or old I think anyone who approaches parenting with thoughtfulness gets full points in my book!:thumbsup2

:lmao:

I guess that gives me the perspective that some people with find a way to take a jab at you no matter what. I don't think there is a perfect age for parenting. I have a friend who had her first when she was 18. I have a friend who is now pregnant with her first at 39. And then I know some people that maybe shouldn't have had a child at all, but that is whole different can of worms and one I'm not brave enough to open. :rolleyes1

[ConcKahuna]

I'm sure you know the developmental derby moms. The my-kid-hit-this-basic-milestone-way-ahead-of-schedule-so-I-must-be-a-fabulous-parent types. I had this one mom at a playgroup going on and on about how she had potty trained her daughter at 16 months. There was a pregnant pause where I was clearly supposed to praise her and/or her daughter. I just looked at her and said, "Wow. That's great. Do you think you'll be able to fit that in on her resume?"


:rotfl2:

I love the threads that spring up on the "other" boards on the DIS. You know the ones. "My child is gifted, but the test is wrong and shows the IQ as less than brilliant." Always good for some good chuckles.

[darlak]

Hi RVGal, you have stumbled onto the nicest place on the Dis. This is where I come when I need a refuge from the nastiness on the rest of the boards. Now, I should add that I am neither shy nor the retiring type, so you will often find me deep in the midst of some of the most heated debates. So when I come here to feel welcomed and safe, you gotta know it's gotten really ugly out there.

That's not to say you won't find some strong opinions here, just that in general, you will find them expressed in a more civilized manner here.

(This is where the nice kids play)

[rosiep]

I'm brand new to this board, but, "Hi!" :wave:

That's it! Just jump right in....the water's fine:flower3:

[RVGal]

Hi RVGal, you have stumbled onto the nicest place on the Dis. This is where I come when I need a refuge from the nastiness on the rest of the boards. Now, I should add that I am neither shy nor the retiring type, so you will often find me deep in the midst of some of the most heated debates. So when I come here to feel welcomed and safe, you gotta know it's gotten really ugly out there.

That's not to say you won't find some strong opinions here, just that in general, you will find them expressed in a more civilized manner here.

(This is where the nice kids play)

So, should I start a thread about wearing my Heelys while riding an ECV and pushing a stroller at the same time, while drinking from a 10 year old refillable mug, then pushing my way in front a family with small children that have been waiting for an hour just minutes before a parade starts, all after standing in the middle of the walkway to study a park map for 5 minutes, with plans to return to my onsite hotel and pool hop after I'm done? ;)

Goodness knows, I need a break from THOSE threads. :rolleyes1

[Saxton]

RVGal & Lttlmc3 - welcome to both of you! As you've already seen we've got a great group here & we tend to have lots of fun.

[rosiep]

So, should I start a thread about wearing my Heelys while riding an ECV and pushing a stroller at the same time, while drinking from a 10 year old refillable mug, then pushing my way in front a family with small children that have been waiting for an hour just minutes before a parade starts, all after standing in the middle of the walkway to study a park map for 5 minutes, with plans to return to my onsite hotel and pool hop after I'm done? ;)

Goodness knows, I need a break from THOSE threads. :rolleyes1

Now THAT'S funny! :eek:

[TuckandStuiesMom]

...wearing my Heelys while riding an ECV and pushing a stroller at the same time, while drinking from a 10 year old refillable mug, then pushing my way in front a family with small children that have been waiting for an hour just minutes before a parade starts, all after standing in the middle of the walkway to study a park map for 5 minutes, with plans to return to my onsite hotel and pool hop after I'm done? ;)...

OOOOOooooooOOOOO Now, where were you when I was tryin' to get some naughtiness goin' last week, my Sistah?!?!

Last one into th GF pool's a rotten egg! :beach:

[RVGal]

OOOOOooooooOOOOO Now, where were you when I was tryin' to get some naughtiness goin' last week, my Sistah?!?!

Last one into th GF pool's a rotten egg! :beach:

Heaven forbid I stick my Value-Resort-Paying toes in We-Paid-More-For-Our-Room water. :rolleyes:

Personally, I wouldn't have the energy to pool hop. By the time I drag my tired rear end to my room, I wouldn't dream of going any farther than the closest pool. If I can't stumble out of my room with a towel and hit a chair in under 2 minutes, I ain't going. :p

[darlak]

So, should I start a thread about wearing my Heelys while riding an ECV and pushing a stroller at the same time, while drinking from a 10 year old refillable mug, then pushing my way in front a family with small children that have been waiting for an hour just minutes before a parade starts, all after standing in the middle of the walkway to study a park map for 5 minutes, with plans to return to my onsite hotel and pool hop after I'm done? ;)

Goodness knows, I need a break from THOSE threads. :rolleyes1

You probably won't have seen any of my posts on those threads since I really don't care if kids are wearing Heely's unless they run over me or mine...I wish I could get someone to push ME in a stroller sometimes, so I don't care how old that child is in a stroller....although I wouldn't do it, I don't think people reusing their mug is going to make my WDW vacation cost thousands more....I avoid the parades at all costs...and like you, I'm way to tired at the end of the day to pool hop.

This is where I come when I need a break too. Everyone here is nicer and seems to have arrived here with their sense of humor intact so that I don't need to add a disclaimer at the end of every post saying that "I am speaking in only the most general terms and my intention is not to personally insult anyone."

On the other hand, I am always up for a good line-cutter thread!

[rosiep]

I am currently embroiled in a ruckus on a post that reads something like "this makes my blood boil".....and it's a picture of some kids climbing in a recessed area. Everyone agreed with the OP and I was just amazed at the things some people freak out about....
Heaven help us..

[RVGal]

I guess that's what I don't understand about most of those posts. People get SO worked up about the most trivial things.

It has never crossed my mind to look in someone else's stroller and attempt to make a guess at how old the child inside is and then pass judgement on the parent based on it. What is up with that? I'll bet that the same people that argue "That child is too old to be in a stroller" are the same people that tsk-tsk about parents who take their baby to Gymboree classes or whatever because "That baby is just too young to have scheduled activities like that".

In other words, "You are not raising YOUR child the way I raised MINE... so you must be doing it WRONG." :rolleyes:

I guess I'm one of those that doesn't pay enough attention to what other people are doing while I'm at a theme park. Unless you actively cause me pain or distress, I'm probably not even going to know you are there... and even if you run over my toe or bump into me or *gasp* break in line in front of me... I might have a moment of "Well, that was unpleasant" but it will not last longer than a moment or ruin my whole vacation.

The way I see it, those people that fixate on a pet peeve (mugs, strollers, heelys, etc.) are going to be on the lookout for those things when they go. Inevitably, they will see whatever their pet peeve is and come back here to the DIS to rant about it. Personally, I go looking for a fun time with my family. That is what I fixate on when I am there. That is what I come back here to share.

I know... crazy, huh? :crazy:

[darlak]

I guess that's what I don't understand about most of those posts. People get SO worked up about the most trivial things.

It has never crossed my mind to look in someone else's stroller and attempt to make a guess at how old the child inside is and then pass judgement on the parent based on it. What is up with that? I'll bet that the same people that argue "That child is too old to be in a stroller" are the same people that tsk-tsk about parents who take their baby to Gymboree classes or whatever because "That baby is just too young to have scheduled activities like that".

In other words, "You are not raising YOUR child the way I raised MINE... so you must be doing it WRONG." :rolleyes:

I guess I'm one of those that doesn't pay enough attention to what other people are doing while I'm at a theme park. Unless you actively cause me pain or distress, I'm probably not even going to know you are there... and even if you run over my toe or bump into me or *gasp* break in line in front of me... I might have a moment of "Well, that was unpleasant" but it will not last longer than a moment or ruin my whole vacation.

The way I see it, those people that fixate on a pet peeve (mugs, strollers, heelys, etc.) are going to be on the lookout for those things when they go. Inevitably, they will see whatever their pet peeve is and come back here to the DIS to rant about it. Personally, I go looking for a fun time with my family. That is what I fixate on when I am there. That is what I come back here to share.

I know... crazy, huh? :crazy:


You had me agreeing on all points....until you got to the part about line cutters. :lmao:

[RVGal]

You had me agreeing on all points....until you got to the part about line cutters. :lmao:

I'm not saying I LIKE line cutters or think they are not doing something wrong, but why would I get all worked up over someone else's rude behavior and have it change how my day is going? I would have a moment of GRRRRR and R-rated thoughts about them and then let it go. That's just me. If I get upset, then it changes how I feel overall. I refuse to let someone else have that kind of impact on my vacation.

Some people can get mad and shout at someone who is breaking the rules and it makes them feel better. They would have a worse time if they held it in and didn't address the situation personally. For those people, I say have at it. Do the confrontation thing with my blessing. For me, confrontations like that make my stomach hurt. It is better for me to shrug it off because I will suffer for it, mentally and physically, if I make a big deal out of it.

I'm not saying I'm a doormat and would let someone take advantage of me, but I choose my battles. This just doesn't happen to be a battle of significance to me.

[RickinNYC]

Welcome to all the new folks! :wizard:

[darlak]

RVGal, I think we're pretty much in agreement here. You're right, in the grand scheme of things, line-cutters really don't impact my life that often. However, it is a battle I choose to fight when confronted with it. If I try to let that one go, I tend to fume over it all day. I agree that's pretty petty, but I'm sure you most likely have some small thing that really bothers you that I could just shrug off. Line cutters are that line in the sand for me. They are at that point of rudeness that I have decided that I will no longer tolerate.

Your last line sums it up best. "This just doesn't happen to be a battle of significance to me." It is to me. I cannot make a convincing argument on the merits of that particular choice. I suspect that it is a fight better left for others, yet I know I will still choose to fight it.

Our differences are exactly what make us interesting to one another. If we were all cut from the same cookie cutter, what a boring world this would be.

[RVGal]

I think we are definitely in agreement, we just have our line in the sand drawn in different spots.

The line cutters are something that bother you and not confronting them would have a negative impact on your vacation. I have no problem with that. Yell at the jerks. Maybe it will make them think twice before they do it again (and again). Don't keep it bottled up if it is something that you can easily vent.

The line cutters are something I consider rude, but they only bother me for a moment and then I'm over it. If I were to confront them, that would bother me more. I'm not the kind of person that can get angry... really angry... and then let it go quickly.

Fight the good fight. Maybe if there were more people like you and less like me, there would be fewer line cutters. I doubt it, but maybe. :goodvibes

[padalyn]

I may be wrong here, but I think Disney actually has a policy about line cutting. Tossed out for the day.

hello one and all - welcome to the new posters, and the "no longer lurkers"
:thumbsup2