Oh Aimee. Oh my God. I am so sorry. Did you get a chance to explain your circumstances? And besides, how on EARTH did they expect you to make enough money on a once-a-week job to support your family? ARGH. I friggin' HATE bureaucraxy.

I'm leaning towards thinking silver amalgam is bad myself, based on anecdotal stuff. Have there been any recent studies on the issue?

Well, I thought I'd read something on the subject somewhere, at some point.

Which makes my information, of course, anecdotal.

current mainstream dental people don't think there's anything wrong with silver amalgam.

Actually, I've heard this is changing, and that there's a not insubstantial population among dentists who don't want to use silver amalgam.

Anecdotal.

I got denied my unemployment. Because I quit my Saturday job.

The job that wasn't full time and could not possibly have supported all of you, the job that was all that you had left after you were let go from your actual job, that prompted your giving up on California and moving, hence the quitting of the 1-day-a-week-barely-a-job? That's nine kinds of wrong. I mean, I can see why according to their rules and regulations it's logical, but that doesn't make a stitch of difference to the nine kinds of wrong.

I'm so sorry, dear.

Oh no, Aimee! Shoot.

The fillings I've had replaced were because the teeth are cracking around them -- so my insurance does kick in. Still, I think I only get 50% for a bridge, and my last one of those was $850 bucks.

Yay, lisah! It sounds like it went great! Sorry about the hunger issue.

My DH is taking Arabic classes on Monday nights that he's enjoying. Apparently, knowing Hebrew helps a lot. Also, a cousin who lives near my parents in VA has a husband from Morocco, so he gets a little practice.

Don't mean to add to the downers, but a week or so ago a man and his five-year-old daughter were killed in a crosswalk by an 85-year-old man in his car. They're still trying to find out if it was a case of impairment due to substances or of simply being old.

Bad enough, but that was in the big city so it was classified as "Damn, that's sad."

Until our "son" came by last night and told Hubby, "Did you know that man who was killed was someone you used to know well?" I knew him slightly, but when I finally looked at the pictures on the web, yeah, I know him. Bugger.

My DH is taking Arabic classes on Monday nights that he's enjoying.

I've always thought it to be a very musical language, and very pleasing to the ear. I'd love to learn, maybe trying the Rosetta Stone program.

Oh, Aimee! That sucks.

{{connie}} Bugger, indeed.

Oh crap, connie. How awful.

And what crummy news, Aims. I'm really sorry to hear that.

maybe trying the Rosetta Stone program.

My DH started with this, and he got some vocabulary out of it, but his pronunciation was the pits and he couldn't make himself understood. It's quite possible his ear just wasn't very good at picking up the nuance needed.