May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 4

[pjpoohbear]

John, are you and PJ on commission with apple again?

I am saving up my points (large sales, training,etc.) for the either a macbook or the new widescreen video ipod whenever it comes out.

 

[Jhalkias]

As crazy as my household is, I can not believe we are doing this. We applied in Jan to host an exchange student for a year. We have now been accepted and it looks like we will have a senior from Norway!! My girls are very excited.
Daniel will be gone to school....so he really does not care one way or the other.

I am not sure about you guys but I would have a very hard time sending either of my girls to a far away place to live for a year

So we all decided we can see what the life of an exchange student is like, by having one come to us!!

As an eighth grader, and then again as a Junior in HS, Alex spent three weeks in France each summer. One of those weeks was spent with a French Family in their home. He got some wonderful lifelong experiences out of that. Now, a whole year - that's a different story. And a girl (sorry if this is not pc and sounds sexist) but I think that would be a different story too.

I keep hearing what I am in for in a few years (like it's easy now?) and I cannot imagine having to deal with that with a girl who also may have a bit of a language barrier. Or, to send my daughter over somewhere for a year in her teens?

Am I being an irrational dad?

 

[kimerinc]

Exactly.

What more can I add to that?

Ok, I am going to stop now before I cross too many lines.... Just on one tonight.

 

[pjpoohbear]

On both 2005 PC repos, we received a fleece blanket with a nice design that reads:

"PANAMA CANAL CRUISE
CASTAWAY CLUB
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
SAILING 2005
CABO SAN LUCAS*MAZATLAN*ACAPULCO*CURACAO*CASTAWAY CAY"

Woody

Sounds loverly!

 

[Jhalkias]

Luckily there will be enough of us going (it sounds like it) so someone else might pick you up We'll have to hear for ourselves to see if it truly is that BAD!

Ahhhhh . . . you have no idea. Look up dismal in the dictionary. Picture of me singing as an example.

 

[Jhalkias]

Ok, I am going to stop now before I cross too many lines.... Just on one tonight.

Just remember, you started it . . . my comments of course, were quite innocent.

 

[kimerinc]

Just remember, you started it . . . my comments of course, were quite innocent.

I almost posted the dancing banana for this comment!

 

[disneylover5]

As an eighth grader, and then again as a Junior in HS, Alex spent three weeks in France each summer. One of those weeks was spent with a French Family in their home. He got some wonderful lifelong experiences out of that. Now, a whole year - that's a different story. And a girl (sorry if this is not pc and sounds sexist) but I think that would be a different story too.

I keep hearing what I am in for in a few years (like it's easy now?) and I cannot imagine having to deal with that with a girl who also may have a bit of a language barrier. Or, to send my daughter over somewhere for a year in her teens?

Am I being an irrational dad?

We decided we did NOT want a male. It will me, my 2 daughters, my 3 female cats and my female dog....oh yes and my husband!!

Looking at these girls applications who want to do this for a year...these girls are very accomplished and smart....(all of them have straight A's)

It was pretty easy for us to pick....we need a girl who was religious. This girl loves the piano ... we have a baby grand in our living room and my husband plays all the time!! She loves animals and has several already....

My DD's picked because one of her favorite activites is shopping!!

My DH and I have always fought about adopting a child (older) I wanted to and he said NO WAY...so this is our compromise!!

Maybe I am nuts.....guess we will find out!

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Wow...what an amazing story (or stories). Thank you for sharing. Am I the only one that got teary eyed reading that one?!

No, both of those stories were very moving. Thanks for sharing!

Very interesting, and great stories. For some reason, I put more stock in these stories than a total stranger "chanelling" but who knows? Thanks for sharing. I would love sometime to hear what you guys have to say in more detail about your experiences at the University of Oregon.

I'd like to hear more about your experiences, too! Obviously I have a keen interest in this subject.

Your second story reminded me about this experience:

About 18 mo. after my father died unexpectedly, his father (my grandfather) was stricken with a massive heart attack while he was at work (he was the justice of the peace of our hometown). He never regained consciousness and although his vital signs were good, he was in a coma, without any higher brain function. He ended up passing about a week later after being weaned from a ventilator. It was wrenching seeing this strong, independent man in such a helpless state and we all felt he never would have wanted to linger for months (or who knows how long) in a care center.

Early on in that week, as the events were unfolding I was at my mom's house, in my old bedroom, sleeping. In a dream I saw my grandfather, sitting in the rocking chair in my room, holding his head in his hands, shaking his head. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry...I never meant for it to happen like this..." It was so vivid. As the week went on, I thought I understood what he meant, that he didn't want to end up in a coma, etc. But after he died, we found out that he didn't have a proper will, the instructions were very vague, he'd verbally told some of us certain things but not others, and the real mess came from the fact that my father had predecesed him, making us 4 kids heirs along with my aunt (the only other sibling). My aunt felt that she should be the sole heir. It turned into a terrible situation, and caused a rift between my family and my aunt and uncle that lasted for several years. As this ugly situation began to take shape I remembered the dream, and I feel certain that THIS was what he was referring to when he said, "I never meant for it to happen like this". Very often in the last year of his life (after my dad was gone), he would say things like, "I know when I die you all will be able to work everything out". He just couldn't make himself get his affairs in order, I guess.

 

[MrsMork]

If the jeeps are like the ones at Cozumel, I would not want to be prone to motion sickness and ride in one. They were open air, and their suspension had seen better days. It was like riding an old sofa with no springs (and smelled like one too). Later, maybe when I get home I can post some pictures from that convoy. Did I tell you it also started raining during the drive? Amy and Sophia got pretty wet!

And the first one they put us in was running when we got in. Thankfully Dennis is always prepared and decided he should turn it off and start it, just to make sure and sure enough it wouldn't start up again. We called the rental guys over and they moved us to another. Thank goodness he was suspicious of that engine being already running for us. We would have been stuck at the first stop.

 

[pjpoohbear]

Oh yeah, forgot that one. Another fav. As much as I love roller coasters and such I really like these too. You can always use a time out at WDW. And, if you are really LUCKY (like we were one time) Space Mountain will break down, and you will get to go by when the lights are on inside. It is not a pretty picture with the lights on.

Like this, was able to grab this in December before the cruise,

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

When I mentioned the Amazing Randi, don't think I mentioned this . . .

A friend and I were really into magic (mentioned that) I think I was still in High School, and did not know what I wanted to do with my life. Anyway, I read up on Randi, and Houdini, and Randi's foiling of the fake psychic Uri Geller. I thought that was really cool, and so did my friend. We decided we would write to Randi and offer to be his apprentices.

We wrote him a letter, telling him after graduation, we would come out to wherever he was, and become his pupils in debunking frauds, doing magic, and generally having a good time. (kind of like running away to join the circus) A few weeks later, I got an envelope from him - it included an autographed picture, personalized, and said "John, STAY in School!" - Randi.

GREAT story!!! Do you still have the picture???

 

[pjpoohbear]

Doug is riding with me? Don't tell Dennis! Sorry, I could not resist!

Angie you broke the bananas, (in your quote of EllaEnchanted)

 

[disneylover5]

No, both of those stories were very moving. Thanks for sharing!



I'd like to hear more about your experiences, too! Obviously I have a keen interest in this subject.

Your second story reminded me about this experience:

About 18 mo. after my father died unexpectedly, his father (my grandfather) was stricken with a massive heart attack while he was at work (he was the justice of the peace of our hometown). He never regained consciousness and although his vital signs were good, he was in a coma, without any higher brain function. He ended up passing about a week later after being weaned from a ventilator. It was wrenching seeing this strong, independent man in such a helpless state and we all felt he never would have wanted to linger for months (or who knows how long) in a care center.

Early on in that week, as the events were unfolding I was at my mom's house, in my old bedroom, sleeping. In a dream I saw my grandfather, sitting in the rocking chair in my room, holding his head in his hands, shaking his head. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry...I never meant for it to happen like this..." It was so vivid. As the week went on, I thought I understood what he meant, that he didn't want to end up in a coma, etc. But after he died, we found out that he didn't have a proper will, the instructions were very vague, he'd verbally told some of us certain things but not others, and the real mess came from the fact that my father had predecesed him, making us 4 kids heirs along with my aunt (the only other sibling). My aunt felt that she should be the sole heir. It turned into a terrible situation, and caused a rift between my family and my aunt and uncle that lasted for several years. As this ugly situation began to take shape I remembered the dream, and I feel certain that THIS was what he was referring to when he said, "I never meant for it to happen like this". Very often in the last year of his life (after my dad was gone), he would say things like, "I know when I die you all will be able to work everything out". He just couldn't make himself get his affairs in order, I guess.

These stories are all so wild!! I have never had...or ever known anyone who has had anything like this!!

I am so sorry for your family.....I hope everything worked out.

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

PJ - YES, me, I do it for free, out of the goodness of my heart, and because I want my friends to have fun with their computers instead of hating them.

(BUT, if Steve Jobs sends me a check, I will cash it)

Hey John & PJ,
I got a wireless Mighty Mouse today and I love it! I had a wireless mouse before, but it didn't have the buttons. I'm a clickin' and scrollin' FOOL now!

 

[Jhalkias]

I'd like to hear more about your experiences, too! Obviously I have a keen interest in this subject.

Your second story reminded me about this experience:

About 18 mo. after my father died unexpectedly, his father (my grandfather) was stricken with a massive heart attack while he was at work (he was the justice of the peace of our hometown). He never regained consciousness and although his vital signs were good, he was in a coma, without any higher brain function. He ended up passing about a week later after being weaned from a ventilator. It was wrenching seeing this strong, independent man in such a helpless state and we all felt he never would have wanted to linger for months (or who knows how long) in a care center.

Early on in that week, as the events were unfolding I was at my mom's house, in my old bedroom, sleeping. In a dream I saw my grandfather, sitting in the rocking chair in my room, holding his head in his hands, shaking his head. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry...I never meant for it to happen like this..." It was so vivid. As the week went on, I thought I understood what he meant, that he didn't want to end up in a coma, etc. But after he died, we found out that he didn't have a proper will, the instructions were very vague, he'd verbally told some of us certain things but not others, and the real mess came from the fact that my father had predecesed him, making us 4 kids heirs along with my aunt (the only other sibling). My aunt felt that she should be the sole heir. It turned into a terrible situation, and caused a rift between my family and my aunt and uncle that lasted for several years. As this ugly situation began to take shape I remembered the dream, and I feel certain that THIS was what he was referring to when he said, "I never meant for it to happen like this". Very often in the last year of his life (after my dad was gone), he would say things like, "I know when I die you all will be able to work everything out". He just couldn't make himself get his affairs in order, I guess.

This reminds me of another Greek thing. Greeks believe that for 40 days after death, the soul walks the earth, and communicates with loved ones. My mother used to tell me this all the time. She told me she saw her parents after they died when she was over here instead of in Greece. Once the memorial service is held at church after 40 days, the soul can then rest, and goes to heaven.

I have to say that since mom's death in December, I had dreams with her in them, but nothing vivid or earth-shaking like you guys have related. Just normal stuff. I waited for it too, because I was betting she would come back and say "told you so" to me about the 40 days.

 

[MrsMork]

When I mentioned the Amazing Randi, don't think I mentioned this . . .

A friend and I were really into magic (mentioned that) I think I was still in High School, and did not know what I wanted to do with my life. Anyway, I read up on Randi, and Houdini, and Randi's foiling of the fake psychic Uri Geller. I thought that was really cool, and so did my friend. We decided we would write to Randi and offer to be his apprentices.

We wrote him a letter, telling him after graduation, we would come out to wherever he was, and become his pupils in debunking frauds, doing magic, and generally having a good time. (kind of like running away to join the circus) A few weeks later, I got an envelope from him - it included an autographed picture, personalized, and said "John, STAY in School!" - Randi.

And I see you took his advice. John1, another thing you have in common with Dennis. He loves magic, a love he got from one of his favorite uncles who was really, really good.

 

[calmom]

Hello everyone! I soooo miss you all. It has been just crazy. We are selling our first home (which has been a rental). All with the secret plans to have enough money to take this cruise!! Just kidding (somewhat!). Tax season has KILLED us! My husband had his severance from his last job before starting his business. The taxes are sooo big. My DH is questioning this cruise and I WILL NOT LET IT GO! Of course they make real estate taxes come the same time as income taxes. Noel, you can I sure imagine what our real estate taxes is since we just got in the Woodside market in 2005. Yikes! Anyway, work and taxes has taken over our lives but I wanted to take a breath to say hi. I think soon I can do my nightly reading of DIS to catch up. But until then please keep me in your thoughts! By the way, my friend got an okay from Stanford oncology to wait for chemo and try IVF for one more month. She is thrilled as last month she could only get one egg (or how ever that works). I'm scared of course because she is postponing treatment, but I figure the doctors wouldn't okay it unless it wasn't too risky.
That's all - sorry for the long posting. Lisa

 

[Jhalkias]

Like this, was able to grab this in December before the cruise,

Yup, not very impressive, is it?

GREAT story!!! Do you still have the picture???

Yes I do, tucked away inside a magic catalogue. Have not looked at it in a while. In the picture he is in handcuffs, ready to escape!

Hey John & PJ,
I got a wireless Mighty Mouse today and I love it! I had a wireless mouse before, but it didn't have the buttons. I'm a clickin' and scrollin' FOOL now!

I got one too about six months ago, while I really like it, I hardly ever use the laptop anywhere near a flat surface (other than when using Quicken) so I found I don't use it much.

 

[MrsMork]

Oh boy! I'm not even gonna touch that one!

Aw come on, touch it!