ie, "Which photographer is most able to make a normal child look like a Precious Moments figurine?"

Closer to a painting on black velvet purchased in TJ, I think.

eta: my first cool number in ages!

Mom's home from OK. It was long and my uncle managed to top previous ass hat behaviour.

I won't go into it, but he's a complete and utter ass and most 12 yr olds are more emotionally mature than he is.

My G'ma is getting worse. Mom had to admit that it's probably time for assisted living, she just has to convince my aunt.

Mom notice that G'ma can't get her shoes on right and that she wasn't holding her fork right to cut meat. She can remember things for about 30 seconds and that's it. Even when she just ate she can't remember that they ate, much less what she ate.

And it's worse. G'ma told Mom "I can't remember my first husband's name." Her first husband is Mom's dad, my grandfather, they were married for over 50 yrs. Mom said she nearly started crying and that after a minute or so of prompting G'ma finally got it.

If y'all could send my aunt and Mom lots of ~ma so they can make the right decision and not feel so guilty about the decisions they are going to make.

When they do make the decision to move G'ma to assisted living they will probably end up with Uncle Asshate and Aunt Spoiled Brat, who have in the past acted like they are so hurt and betrayed that Aunt J is talking about doing that to "their mother".

Uncle Asshat lives two hours away and I don't think he's spent more than a day helping take care of G'ma in months.

I think most of the pageants have a "Most Photogenic" contest that those photos are entered in.

And there's a separate line of photo only competitions without even a pageant connected.

As a kid, I wonder how it feels to be such raw material. Airbrushed pictures of other people can be bad enough for self esteem.

askye, that kind of decision is never easy. All the ~ma to your family for having peace about what is needed.

Much ~ma to your mother and her sister. It is clearly for the best. Best for them and best for their mother.

Assisted living is not a waiting room for death, and far too many people act like it is. They aren't "doing that" to their mother. They are making sure her quality of life remains good, or even gets better. Your uncle is the one who is "doing that" to your family for making a caring descision not to be selfish and think about what's best for your grandma.

Pageant photo retouching

Eek!

Before: cute kid wearing ghastly clothes.

After: scary sexualised Stepford kid wearing ghastly clothes and more makeup than a Bangkok hooker.

WTF? What is the thought process here? Why does anyone want their child to look like a bad waxwork of a child prostitute from the 1980s? Who are these people?

sexualised

Why do Americans use a z when Brits use an s? Ie, sexualized.

It's on the differences between online and deaf discourses

Ooh, that sounds neat, VW! Though...what about Deaf people online?

I cannot BELIEVE you people talked about circumcision for SO LONG.

Meanwhile: Anyone got any good suggestions for not torturing myself thinking about someone who is TOO DAMN FAR AWAY?

it doesn't sound so much like he wants you to be someone else as that his mental image of you doesn't include the name Raquel.

This is true. Much like I have a hard time thinking of some online people as their real names, even if I know them IRL a lot. Or something. I mean, I'm not married to any of them. But if it makes you uncomfy, well. Hmm. Well, i think the name Raquel is hot! Unless that doesn't help. At which point Raquel is a perfectly cromulent name)

I want to go shopping with Fay--especially in Cairo with Fay

It's fun! I encourage it!

Also, Raquel should change her user name to Bamblebert Fishtibuns.

Totally!!

Why do Americans use a z when Brits use an s? Ie, sexualized.

Just another crasy difference between our nations?

edited for clarity.

Meara, I suggest pr0n. Maybe SGA pr0n. It's ideal as a distraction - unless the someone in question is David Hewett or Joe Flannigan, in which case? Not so much.

After: scary sexualised Stepford kid wearing ghastly clothes and more makeup than a Bangkok hooker.

Plus fucked up pod-person eyes.