A former coworker of mine used to take her kids to daycare knowing they were sick, like vomited three times in the night sick, on days when she decided she just couldn't miss work.

Guess who got to field the calls from the daycare when the kids threw up again (surprise, surprise), and cow-orker wasn't in her office and wasn't answering her cell phone...

One of my grandmothers was in the DAR, so theoretically, all I have to do to get access to a thorough geneology on that side of the family back to colonial days is ask (and possibly pay a modest fee).

On the other side of the family, asking questions about family history too often yielded answers like, "She was nuts, in a bad way. She made her kids cut the lawn with scissors." And, "You know, there were several years growing up, when I had no idea where your dad was." Which tended to make me not want to ask any more. And now, of course, there are precious few left even of the old man's sibs that I could ask if I wanted to.

Guess who got to field the calls from the daycare when the kids threw up again (surprise, surprise), and cow-orker wasn't in her office and wasn't answering her cell phone...

Hmm, I had a coworker back in Az. who lived in terror for those times when her kid might develop symptoms while at daycare. Our line of work, you _can't_ leave until your relief comes in - that puts "vulnerable adults" in danger and could result in charges of neglect. As she was receiving state assistance to pay for daycare, they had a strict rule on how many minutes she had to pick the kid up once she got notified, before they had to call CPS - something on the order of 15 minutes due to the distance of the job location to the daycare site. That's not a lot of slop factor.

See, I sympathize with your coworker's situation. Mine could damn well have left, and, for that matter, she could've damn well stayed home with the kids when they were sick and not exposed the rest of the daycare to their assorted illnesses. Sure, she would've had to use up lots of sick leave and vacation...but I had zero sympathy for her, given how much leave I burned through during Annabel's first year in daycare.

I just realized that I got up half an hour ago to get a magazine from the other side of the room, and I somehow haven't made it there yet. There were too many distractions in between me and the magazine that's less than 20 feet away. This is utterly ridiculous.

Yeah, Susan, clearly she is one of those people who spoil humanity for the rest of us.

Hil, do you get the feeling you are ready for the hereafter? You'd like to know what you are here after?

I'd apologize, but I am utterly unrepentant.

I just realized that I got up half an hour ago to get a magazine from the other side of the room, and I somehow haven't made it there yet. There were too many distractions in between me and the magazine that's less than 20 feet away. This is utterly ridiculous.

Jeez Hil, sounds like your place is a MESS! You really should tidy up, or you'll never get cracking on that math you've been avoiding.

:: ducks & covers ::

Question for Librarians in the group: If one has stacks of magazines, is it worth calling public library to see if they would like them?

If one has stacks of magazines, is it worth calling public library to see if they would like them?

The library would probably only be interested in individual issues that they'd need to complete a set for binding. It's doubtful that they'd want the magazines otherwise. School libraries sometimes like recent issues of things they cannot otherwise afford to subscribe to, and elementary schools sometimes like the ones with good pictures for art projects.

For my whole 10+ year librarian career people have quoted $35 as the cost of putting a donated book on the shelf.