Okay, can I just tell y'all how proud I am of Abby?

She just came home from school and told me that one of her best friends had told her something and she sort of wanted to tell me, but had been sworn to utter secrecy. I asked her if it was anything dangerous or illegal-- she said no. I asked if she wanted to tell me and she said yeah, she really wanted to get it off her chest. One of her best friends came out to her today and Abby basically said, "Oh, okay. Cool," and moved on with the conversation.

Abby wanted to tell me, mostly because she tells me most anything. I asked her if she felt weird about it and she said, "No, other than I don't get how M can be gay and still have the hots for Inuyasha," which cracked me up, because really, only an adolescent girl, right?

I've got a really cool kid, y'all.

I've got a really cool kid, y'all.

Yes, you do. And, I suspect her mama and daddy had something to do with that.

Oh, Steph, fer the love of Pete! May this be it, for a good long while.

Huzzah, Barb! Can't wait to read it.

Oh crap, I just realized I missed a baby shower this weekend. Totally forgot. And I forgot to go to DBT today. Must implement new reminder system, now that I'm not in front of a computer all day.

Okay, hivemind, I need the teachers this time: I've got six 20-22 yo, who are not very mature - think high schoolers. Four boys, two girls. They have a pronounced tendency to hold side conversations while I am talking, despite repeated reminders of varying assertiveness not to do so. Any advice?I am trying to compliment them on what they do right, to catch them being good. Do I just stop talking and wait? If it gets really bad, add that time to their day?

smonster, what's the context? Are these volunteers or paid employees?

Any advice?I am trying to compliment them on what they do right, to catch them being good. Do I just stop talking and wait? If it gets really bad, add that time to their day?

I would just stop talking and wait. If it gets to be too much, let them know that they will not get paid/ you will add on time to the day in 5 minute increments.

I have to do that with my volunteers all of the time. I'll stop and say "is there a question?" when I see side conversations.

Paid employees. And part of what I'm supposed to be doing is teaching them basic employee skills. They get evaluations every two weeks, I'm thinking the first one may be a wakeup call.

Plus, some have been in trouble with the law, I don't know for what or how serious. I think they're all good kids, they just lack some basic skills.

Well done, Abby! And well done, Barb, for raising her right.

So now my parents are trying to get my brother and me to come on the five-day vacation portion of the India trip (like with a tour bus and accommodations and food and camel rides and whatever). That was the only part of the trip that seemed somewhat appealing since it was less likely to involve relatives pushing wives on me. But I don't think spending three thousand dollars on a plane ticket for a five-day vacation is really a good deal. If my brother ends up caving, though, then maybe I would go.

In other news, I e-mailed Doctor Girl yesterday and got a response this morning:

I understand your sentiments regarding the whole process. I will also officially continue to refuse as you. I think it's for the best.

So far she seems cool, and at the very least, maybe we could be friends.

I also like to use their names. Throw them right in the middle of a sentence, no emphasis or anything. "So, when addressing this issue, Sherry, we see that..." if you do that without stopping, it can snap them back in without taking a lot of time. I used to also stroll over to the conversing peeps and stand next to them, still without stopping what I was saying.

How are things with your brother and his White devil, P-C?