If you want to go hardcore, there is also infant toilet training but that just strikes me as a little craxy

hah! Yeah we used to joke about doing that with my best friend's twins. Mostly it involved miming holding baby over the sink and going, "pss pss pss"

Now I'm trying to get the twins to learn how to change each other's diapers. They like taking things away from each other so it just might work!

I'd bet there's a correlation between education level and lack of enthusiasm for having your parents choose your spouse.

Once you're in the States I'd figure all bets were off. As people say, PC, make friends. Why not? Don't bargain on a wife or an ally or anything. Just do what you do.

At the very least you'll have effort to show your parents next time you get into a senseless argument.

Xanthan gum isn't, as far as I know, a preservative. At least when I use it, it's about texture--it figures in gluten-free baking because in combination with gluten-free flour it has a similar structural effect to gluten without the health issues.

I think if I were in PC's shoes, I might meet Girl Picked Out By Parents and then say something like, "Howdy! Nicetameetcha!.....Um.... well..... wanna complain about our parents for awhile?"

If that doesn't get you two on the same page, well, then you know there's not much compatability there, right?

I went to my doctor yesterday and he switched my perscription from Adderall to Adderall Extended release. So far today, I love it. I don't feel that sped up feeling when I first take it, just a steady sense of being able to focus. Hopefully I won't feel the crashing feeling as it wears off either.

Speaking of environmental issues, we had a conference call with firm leadership yesterday, and one of the big internal initiatives they're pushing is for sustainability. Aside from things like getting rid of styrofoam in all our offices in favor of recycled, biodegradable cups, they've also run the math and this summer they'll be resetting the AC one degree higher than has been our standard for all our U.S. offices, for a savings of 215 lbs. of CO2.

connie, great news about the hubby's shoulder! Good luck with the pain reliever thingie. It sounds like a good idea, I hope it works out for him if he decides to try it.

{{Steph}} Good call. As much pain as the back caused the first time around, better to be safe than sorry.

Raq, it's so nice to see you posting at the same time as everyone else 'cause it means you're here, in the States! We can visit you! Hee.

sj, sounds good with the extended release. I'm still trying to decide if I want to get screened for ADD.

Someone tell me to go take my shower. I need to pick up my last paycheck and it's not going to get done at this rate.

Thanks for the advice, guys. This is all so frightening.

In the "could be worse" file for P-C:

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - Police in eastern India have rescued a Muslim man who had been shackled in chains for a month for marrying his childhood lover against the wishes of his father and village clerics, authorities said Friday. >[link]

Seriously, though, I really do hope things work out better for you on that front, P-C.

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Maybe you'll feel a bit better, PC, if I told you that once upon a time I woulda been kinda jealous of you and wished I could have had a date arranged for me with a prospective mate who had to be polite to me.

Signed, was nerdy in my twenties - and beyond!

P-C, I wish I had some good advice for you. I agree that you should try not to think about the marriage thing and just think of this as an opportunity to meet some interesting people. Good luck to you.