Posts by Billygoat

27

Medscape Article: Munchausen by Internet

by Scully in

medscape article

munchausen by internet

marc d. feldman, md, birmingham, ala .

Billygoat

This is a great reminder Scully, thanks.

An a related note: I had a male friend last year that struggled with an online "relationship". After almost a whole year it finally dawned on him that 18 cancelled or postponed trips from his online "girlfriend" (whom he'd never met, but felt was his soulmate) was probably a sham.

Through that year, this girl struggled with endometriosis that was incorrectly diagnosed as kidney stones, thus prolonging the disease being untreated and ultimately making her infertile. Because of these health problems, her hospital (she was a nurse) let her go due to all of her health-related absences and she lost her medical coverage. But it all worked out because daddy's rich and just paid cash for her household and medical bills while she laid on the couch for several months recuperating from the emotional and physical pain of realizing she'd never have children. In the meantime...her sister-in-law left her brother and their two kids, which in turn made him move in with my friend's online girlfriend because the brother had nowhere else to go. So she had children in the background all the time screaming and playing and doing homework. (Hmm...who's kids were they???) Also...her rich daddy was diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer and had to go through many bouts of chemo, radiation and surgeries and finally the family decided that he was to be pulled from all types of treatment in order to enjoy the last days of his life. The whole family then went to their home in Lake Tahoe to say good-bye and watch said rich daddy die out his last days in peace.

*deep breath*

It's even more laughable now that I write all this crap and can see it in black and white. My friend is a very smart man, but had not had much experience with the opposite sex and fell for this liar hook, line and sinker. In spite of it, he (finally) very gently broke up with her, just in case she was for real. (LOL!) But she continued to call, IM and email. I haven't talked to him in ages, so I don't know what came of it after that. I do know that after the 3rd cancelled trip, I was ready to fly to California and find the beatch and wrangle her to the ground. That is if she was a SHE after all. (Of course when I did a search on her, I came up completely emptyhanded.)

63

How do I control my jealousy?!! Help!

by Crumpet in

the first time i can vividly recall feeling jealous was when i was 7.. my dad came home from visiting a client with gifts for me and my sisters.

my younger sisters got a beaufiful handmade doll dressed in pink lace called betty and a handmade cotton cot.

i got the 1982 yearbook of jws.

Billygoat

Crumpet,

Not to be patronizing, but I am so proud of you! In the past I've been a very jealous person, so I sympathise. But I believe in your situation, this isn't just a black and white thing as most people seem to be taking sides. Couldn't it be a combination of ALL the comments?

Self-esteem is low. Okay, we've discussed this at length, but once this is worked on, the jealousy will naturally subside. The good thing is that this is something in YOUR control, so you have homework to do until you get some results.
Your boyfriend has a tendency to be blind to your needs. He's a man - they don't always KNOW our needs unless we spell it out for them. So instead of hiding something, he may just not have the wherewithall to handle your jealous feelings. It's easier to shut down and tell you to shut up. But he has no idea that this makes it worse.

I must say I still struggle with jealousy now and again. And like others have said, if you starve the monster, it eventually dies. Make a logical (not emotional) choice to not feed those thoughts. You've gotten some great suggestions as to handle that at the very moment. It truly can become a habit! So, I know this can be overcome. (It has been a few years, but I've visited Crazyland a time or two. LOL)

I wish you well!

Andi

4

Does anyone know anything about Box Turtles?

by Billygoat in

jw
friends

she found it in the middle of the road and took it home to her backyard so it wouldn't get run over.

but her blind golden retreiver, shasta, would always put her mouth around the shell and bring him into the house.

so my mil would be walking around her home and would find a turtle in the middle of the kitchen...or hidden in the shoes of her closet.

Billygoat

Late winter, my mother-in-law asked us to take in a Box Turtle. She found it in the middle of the road and took it home to her backyard so it wouldn't get run over. But her blind Golden Retreiver, Shasta, would always put her mouth around the shell and bring him into the house. So my MIL would be walking around her home and would find a turtle in the middle of the kitchen...or hidden in the shoes of her closet. LOL She could never seem to keep the dog away from the turtle. So she asked us to take him for his own safety. (Our dog isn't much bigger than the turtle, so carrying it off into the house would never happen.)

Anyways, "Bruno" the Box Turtle has been living in my garden. He lives under our 3 foot tall rosemary bush with a pile of leaves. Every morning when I garden, I'll find him basking in the sun or hiding in between my plant containers. (I have a container garden in an enclosed area of grass.) I don't feed him because I've read on the internet they eat bugs. I just keep a few pans of fresh water out for him. He's very active and friendly and never hides when I pick him up. He loves to be rubbed on the top of his head. (He always quits fussing his legs when I do this and then he blinks like he's sleepy. LOL)

Does anyone here know anything about these creatures? Have first hand knowledge of how to keep this little guy happy and healthy? I want to a be a good Turtle Momma. I know lots about cats and dogs, but I'm new to this reptile thing.

Andi

23

Ok this being at home thing is starting to get to me...

by TresHappy in

jw
friends

it's been almost a month since i was let go by my employer of 10 1/2 years...i've been searching the want ads, signing up with temporary agencies and today i stayed and did nothing but clean house.

i got our file cabinet organized, for the first time in 7 years i have an actual filing system at home...then i realized how lucky i am.

i have a roof over my head, a man who loves me...then why am i having a pity party?

Billygoat

(((((Tres)))))

I totally understand. When I was unemployed I went on a binge around the house. I thought "Man, I need to be unemployed more often." LOL Even Neil has said to me that he wishes I'd quit months before...I'm so much more fun to be around.

But seriously...take advantage of this time. God has given it to you for a reason. Do whatever is undone. When the time rolls around for you to have the perfect job, it'll happen.

Love to you,

Andi

20

Is there something wrong with me?

by ChrisVance in

jw
friends

i just read david_10's thread "my mother died..." 13 years ago i called my mother, after i had left the lie because i'm gay.

i hadn't been disfellowshipped at that point, but she told me she didn't want to keep in contact because "being homosexual is one of the worst things.

" i told her ok and have never tried to contact her again.

Billygoat

(((((Chris))))))

However as EF says, I'm wondering if I'd feel guilty for not trying once she's passed away. But then again since she's so fragile maybe I should leave well enough alone.

Why would you feel guilty for doing something that's good for YOU? I made it quite clear to my parents a few years ago, that they were welcome in my life if THEY made the effort. For 12 years (at that time) I was the one initiating contact, always disappointed when they still made it clear they didn't want me in their lives. Why did I continue wanting something that was not meant to be? I was chasing after people that truly didn't love me. Why was I doing that to myself? And then being surprised at how hurtful they were? It truly was insanity at it's highest level.

My two cents: a relationship is a two way street. You've done your part. Let your mom do hers. If she doesn't, then it has nothing to do with you. IT'S HER ISSUE.

I realize it's easier said than done, but I'm coming at this from the other side of the fence. After 15 years now, I don't really miss my family anymore. God has provided other people in my life to fill those voids. And I'm healthy enough now to be grateful for it.

Love,

Andi

18

Guess who came to my door Saturday morning?

by Nosferatu in

..... burton cummings!

he said that he likes my music and will do everything in his power to get me a recording contract!

so we sat and had a few beers, and shot the bs for a while.. yeah right, i wish.. it was actually the not so musically talented jws who came to my door.

Billygoat

Anyway, I looked down the street and saw two ladies walking, dressed in ankle length skirts. One was carrying a bookbag, and the other was carrying a two year old child. I knew who they were. JWs are easy to spot from a mile away.

Jws love this as they can point to just their presense out and about as "giving a witness".

What they don't realize is that we "identify" JWs a mile away, the way people can immediately identify the crazy cat lady in a new neighborhood. We cross the street to avoid her.

26

Oh no! Janine Turner is the new Herpes Chick!

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

janine turner played mary margaret 'maggie' o'connell in the series northern exposure (one of my favorite shows)... recently i saw her in a commercial for restasis, a herpes medication.

i thought maybe she was just doing a one-time deal, but when i checked the restasis website (http://www.restasis.com) and there she was on the first page!

apparently she is their new primary ad actor!

Billygoat

Did Mike Vick happen to stay at her house overnight?

LMAO!

18

Guess who came to my door Saturday morning?

by Nosferatu in

..... burton cummings!

he said that he likes my music and will do everything in his power to get me a recording contract!

so we sat and had a few beers, and shot the bs for a while.. yeah right, i wish.. it was actually the not so musically talented jws who came to my door.

Billygoat

Nos,

Anytime I see women with ankle length skirts and bookbags, I always point them out to my hubby. He always says, "How do you know that they're JWs?" You really can spot them a mile away.

Glad your experience was at least positive. I just smile, listen to their comments, and nod a lot. I've noticed that nowadays, they don't do much to engage you in a conversation. Back when I was a JW, you were taught to overcome conversation stoppers and not let people go until they pretty much slammed the door in your face. Not anymore. The last two JWs that came to my door didn't even ask me any questions, let alone give me a chance to slam the door. LOL

Andi

22

Internet Dating......has anybody tried it?

by JV in

jw
friends

well seeing as my social skills are severly limited or it's just really really hard to meet women i thought i'd get everybody's opinion on "netdating".

i think it's worth a shot, i think it gives you an opportunity to meet people that you'd never meet in the real world, well it's 2 am and i'm bored, i guess i'd better hit the sack now

Billygoat

JimTX,

It's so good to hear that you've found someone you love. I think these type of things happen when you're not seriously looking. My husband and I met at a church volleyball league. He'd been in my Sunday School class for years, but we hung out with different people and we didn't really know each other that well. We knew OF each other, but that was it. He was really shy and I didn't think he'd be interested in an "older" woman anyway. (I'm three and a half years older than him.)

One day, when I joined the church volleyball league, I noticed Neil was on an opposing team. And he was VERY good. It impressed me that someone so quiet could be so intense and athletic. In the past, the beefcakes I'd dated were outgoing, outspoken, and arrogant. (Please don't ask why I was always attracted to that, but I was.) After several weeks of playing together, we went out for a bite to eat after the game. That night in the parking lot he asked me out on a date and almost two years later we're standing at the altar together. The rest is history.

I love love stories. *sigh*

Andi

40

Lotus Birth: So you think you've seen everything, eh?

by Scully in

http://onyx-ii.com/birthsong/lotus.html

lotus birth - a ritual for our times.

by sarah j. buckley .

Billygoat

I love my body and all...but this is most possibly the strangest and most disgusting thing I've ever read.

And yet I read through the whole article.