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  • Why are middle class people so jealous of upper class people?

    Marriage & Divorce - 4 hours ago

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    I could drag this question out into a full-blown essay, as I have years of experience under my belt in watching middle class people suffer in their middle class nightmares. But I'll only point to one example. Why do middle class people obsess over taking vacations? I mean, when middle class people take a vacation, they take millions of pictures and discuss the fact that they're actually on a vacation. And when they get back from the vacation, they don't shut up about the vacation. When I was growing up, we'd pack up and spend the summer months in the Bahamas (nothing too fancy but my parents have a bungalow down there). We didn't scream, "Oh, we're on a vacation! Let's take a million pictures to remind ourselves of it!" Nor did we treat the locals with disrespect as do many middle class people since it's there only opportunity to be the boss of someone else--similar to how they treat waiters in restaurants. Rich people actually treat waiters kindly. Middle class people abuse the power divide. Anyway, do middle class people just obsess over how they feel like 'royalty' for that one week? Is that what it is? Are they so frustrated with their class status that they worship the idea of not being enslaved for that one week every year? You guys have to know what I'm talking about. So why are they so obsessed with vacations?
  • I need help NOW Im in so much trouble!?

    Other - Family & Relationships - 5 hours ago

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    I am struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and have been struggling with alcoholism as a result of it. First off, I have nonstop panic attacks because of seizure disorder and the only way I can go outside is to drink. I almost died 5 years ago at age 23 from a brain aneurysm. Well, I successfully quit drinking for months and relapsed. I have no license from seizures and my friend drove us to a bar. My body wasnt used to alcohol and I got drunk extremely fast. I ended up falling in the parking lot and hit my head VERY hard, cut my nose, hands and knee. My friend was like ur fine and took me home. She was so wasted that she helped me up and left. The pain in my head was so extreme and I got up and looked in the mirror and could not believe how much blood and the size of the injury that was on my head. I called 911 since I knew there was something wrong because of the amount of pain I was in. At the hospital (which i deserved) they treated me like crap for drinking yet I still needed a ride home. My mom started screaming at me when I called and asked me what happened and I told her I think we were in an accident and that my friend (who Im questioning my frienship with anyway considering leaving me bleeding) drove home to avoid a DUI. Its been 24 hours. I have been in bed all day. How do I explain to my mom this was all a fabricated lie? Or do I just roll with the car accident story? One things for sure, this is def. a low point and Ive needed one as an excuse to get sober. THanks I went thru a year long rehab program. My panic attacks came back and my doctor said they are a result of PTSD and put me on Seroquel. (which is for psychotic episodes) I sleep 24 hours straight on it or I would take it.
  • Men:do u like romantic girls or non romantic girls?

    Singles & Dating - 5 hours ago

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  • I'm seen as a nice guy, however will i get anywhere with them?

    Singles & Dating - 6 hours ago

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    Im in college at the moment, and my course has 28 people. 26 of those are girl , me and one other lad-though he is gay. So in effect, people say especially my old high school mates, wow you are lucky! However, whilst hanging around with them now for 4 weeks, i have learned sooo much about girls now, as in my high school my group was just lads as mates. Now though, i do like some of them , as in like/love them more than a mate, but cannot tell them that though. In college, i try to be nice, friendly as can be towards them, i am flirty, but never tease them or annoy them. I ask to carry their stuff occasionally, when she needs the toilet i would go and wait outside for her etc. She does have a boyfriend, ( Thats one of the great things about being good friend with a girl, they trust me. Tell me about their boyfriend, what gets on their nerves, the texts they send, and even their secrets. They was joking about someone in our class, they did not show the other lad, but when i asked they did show me.) ANYWAYS, if or when she breaks up with her bf, trust me it has come close, i would deffo support her, and would not want to ask her out straight away. 2 days ago whilst sat down at lunch, her mate said wow you two would look great as a couple, i didnt know what to say lol. She said what him , as there was lots of people, then she said im going out with someone. IM JUST CONFUSED , most girls go for a bad boy look, i just prefer being nice and flirty, i hang around with her everywhere, sitting next to her etc, if she does break up, i dont want to ask her out for fear of losing her.... What should i do ??
  • Why is she such a bitch.?

    Friends - 6 hours ago

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    There's this girl in my class(Channelle) and she's the loudest out of the lot of us I use to dismiss it as partly because she come s from a family of 11. However at the start I thought we were really getting along talking and joking and now and again i would mes around hugging her and pretend to kick her in the ass. She would do this to other people in the class to. All the girls in my class like her except me. You see she went and told the principal I touched her inappropriately I was called over and my two year heads were there and I told them what I told you guys. They said just be careful yet then I had girls in my class say "Oh did you touch her then snigger's".. Then the next day I had nail varnish out and i was touching up my nails and this other girl in my class(Nicky) asked me would I do her nails so I said yeah cool. After I did that my mam was told that a mother had rang the school about me touching her etc (You see my mam had to go down as part odd what happened with channel) Only to be told more lies about another girl.(Nicky). Now n class they call me a weirdo and everyone else is just as cool as a cucumber. On my way back from drama class this girl(becky0 asked if i fancied this other girl(natalie) I sad to her she was weird and she said IM weird.!. they Its lie one day outta 2weeks they ease up on me. It ridiculous I suffer from depression and ive been self harming for a year and a half. I thought T. would bring us all together and id make some friends for once yet these girls don't wanna work together. The teachers are even more delusional sure like they know whats wrong and they don't do anything about it any time one of them meets me she asks me how are u cloe and before i can answer she says good good. I feel like i should play along. My parents wont change schools for me what can I do.? T.Y transistion year.
  • Any help with this quick one...?

    Singles & Dating - 6 hours ago

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    cut along story short ex girlfriend broke up with me after being together for 2 years...spending many happy times together she talked of having my kids etc...and she wouldn't let me off the phone with out me saying i loved her... she broke it off saying she hadn't been feeling herself lately..so i played it cool and was like ok do wat u want....and then she said i no this sounds sad etc but i can see myself settling down with you and marrying you etc but im not ready for all that yet your all i have known... cut anti her bit short she is now with a boyfriend, even tho she has been desperately trying to get in contact with me...me ignoring it...so i finally said wat do you want she said can we talk i lost like my closet friend in all this to...and it sucks etc...now is there trouble le in paradise? she claims she is completely over me and doesn't fancy me etc..so why all this fuss i have stayed away...she should be all wrapped up in her new guy and i should be the last thing on her mind...why all this after four months of not being together? i said to her i cant be friends sorry...she cant have her cake and eat it as well... its like she wants the friendship without sex...i told her don't contact me etc...will she try again do you think? thanks for reading!
  • Does he like me? Really confuzzled :/?

    Singles & Dating - 7 hours ago

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    Ok, i have this guy friend and i've known him for like 1 year and a half. He is a friendly person and has the most wonderful personality :] I became like really good friends with him like the first week since we started talking to each other. But i didn't fancy him at that time. I was actually trying to help him to ask a friend of mine who he liked. Anways, recently, he has been hugging me A LOT. When i say a lot, i mean like whenever we see each other, whatever situation and we don't care who's around us...he just makes me forget about anything and everything around me. There are also a whole bunch of girls he's friends with but he doesn't hug them as often and as tightly as he does with me (he sometimes like hugs them with just one side or like normal hug but they're not close.) AND like when he drinking something and a girl comes up by him, he just hugs them with like the hand that's not holding the drink. But he hugs me normally, even if he has a drink in his hand. He used to hug me often when we first started talking but it was one of those friendly ones where you don't actually get close you just like give each other a little bit of space. But now-a-days, he hugs me every time. And they're not just like friendly hugs (like 3 second, light hug type) but they're like more than 20 seconds+ and he hugs me tight too. He sometimes comes up from behind me and just rests on my shoulder (even though he's like 3 inches taller than me...and that's probably uncomfortable... I'm like 5ft 6/7 he's a bit taller but I still go on my tip-toes to hug him properly though) We also hang out all the time like at lunch times and break times..which really doesn't help things and he used to hug me when we first met but he liked someone else but he told me just recently that he doesn't like her any-more because he doesn't see him and her going out. Sorry, if it's really long, but i was wondering if he likes me or if I'm just over-analysing this. He doesn't hug his other friends like he hugs me. He only side-hugs them all just a short normal hug. But when he hugs me, it's like a 20 second, tight hug and sometimes we just talk while hugging...just relaxing. My friends say i like him but i deny because if i asked him out and he sad no...it'll be awkward between us and i don't want that because he is like a really close friend of mine. The other day, my friend even said that he blushed when he hugged me in the hall (it was when we were about to have registration and he came out of his last lesson, and then i smiled at him, he smiled back and we hugged for like a long time...then my friend had to say that he BLUSHED!!!) Oh, and that day he made a little sound like "hmm". WHAT DOES IT MEAN!??! My other friend said that he follows me everywhere and always thinks of a reason for him to talk to me (like when I was playing ball with my girl friend...he was like with other people talking and stuff then he just came up to me and hugged me and we started talking and I kinda forgot I was playing something...) We hugged a lot after that and for a long time...all in like 10 minutes. Pleeeeease help me. I think he likes me...no, I HOPE he likes me because i like him A LOT. I'm just afraid to make the first move 'cause he might reject me and it'll be awkward between us (i even hug him from behind and he doesnt care...he turns around to hug me back or just carries on talking to who-ever but leans on my arm or something like that) I think if he did care that i hugged him that way he would have said something (and because he has to like lean a bit back...'cause of the height difference, and that probably uncomfortable) Oh, btw i was thinking of like hugging him on next time i see him then kissing him on his cheek (we've never kissed so i don't know how he'd react.) He usually doesn't mind me hugging him or saying 'i love you', he even says it back. When i hug him, it's like i don't want to let go of him, and when i hug him for like longer than you're meant to- he doesn't say anything :| I'm REEEALLY sorry that this is like an essay, but i really need your help!
  • Please help me, this is very important!!!?

    Singles & Dating - 7 hours ago

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    Please help me decide what i should do? Should i stay in Australia for my boyfriend. I received a job at a firm in New York city and have an apartment on the upper east side and as much i wont to go i have this voice in the back of my head saying dont go. We have been together 4 years and are very stable . with his job he wont be able to come over for a year due to work commitments. After then he can live with me. Im 25 and he is 29. Should i go and hope he doesnt cheat on me?? I love him so much and i dont want to loose him and Its not him that i don"t trust, its all the other girls. A year without his girlfriend, they will try anything. His brother hinted that he has a ring in his top draw and said that he may only give it 2 me if i stay, i don't know if his brother is telling the truth and i don't know if going to New York will put that ring on my finger or keep it in the draw forever.
  • What should i do, Please help me!!!!?

    Singles & Dating - 8 hours ago

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    Please help me decide what i should do? Should i stay in Australia for my boyfriend. I received a job at a firm in New York city and have an apartment on the upper east side and as much i wont to go i have this voice in the back of my head saying dont go. We have been together 4 years and are very stable . with his job he wont be able to come over for a year due to work commitments. After then he can live with me. Im 25 and he is 29. Should i go and hope he doesnt cheat on me?? I love him so much and i dont want to loose him and Its not him that i don"t trust, its all the other girls. A year without his girlfriend, they will try anything. His brother hinted that he has a ring in his top draw and said that he may only give it 2 me if i stay, i don't know if his brother is telling the truth and i don't know if going to New York will put that ring on my finger or keep it in the draw forever.
  • have you ever felt this way?

    Singles & Dating - 8 hours ago

    Additional Details

    everyone is telling me to forget about him and that I deserve better, but I really feel like I don't. If someone as terrible as him doesn't want a girl like me, than how am I worthy to be with someone better? and have you ever gotten over that feeling?
Yahoo! Parenting

Shedding some light on the issue of sleep

Posted Thu, May 10, 2007
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If you're a sleep-deprived parent, you'll be pleased to know that Wendy Hall, an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia, is on the case — the sleep case, that is.

Hall would like the powers that be to start taking the sleep issue seriously: to treat it as a health issue that affects all members of the family, parents and kids alike. As she notes in an article that appeared in the Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, "it is difficult to imagine a child whose optimal development would be unaffected by distressed and tired parents."

At the top of Hall's sleep wish list is more dollars for research into the most effective methods of dealing with sleep problems in babies and young children. "Parents have justification for being skeptical about the utility of interventions in the absence of such evidence, particularly when the lay literature provides conflicting views about behavioural sleep problems and optimal solutions," she writes. "More longitudinal research is necessary to support causal relationships between early sleep problems and longer-term social and behavioural difficulties."

The sleep issue could certainly benefit from a bit of a boost — kind of like what happened with the postpartum depression issue. It wasn't that long ago that mothers with postpartum depression suffered in silence. Sure, family and friends knew something was wrong, but the secret was closely guarded, swaddled in a blanket of shame.

Then something shifted. Postpartum depression became a public health priority and mothers started to talk about how hard it was to care for a baby when you could barely take care of yourself.

That's typically what happens with public health concerns. One moment there's low-level awareness of the issue. The next day, the topic is making headline news.

If sleep advocates like Hall have their way, it won't be long before we're having productive conversations about sleep, as opposed to feeling guilty about the sleep choices we did or didn't make or feeling like we have to wear sleep stickers that identify our sleep allegiances to like-minded parents on the playground.

Now, over to you. Post your comments below.

  • Are you losing sleep over sleep?
  • Do you think there should be greater emphasis on sleep research and education?
  • How is sleep (or the lack thereof) affecting your life?
  • What sleep words of wisdom would you like to offer to other parents, based on your own experiences in the sleep deprivation trenches?

 

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4 Comments

  • 1. Posted by bdcfdx on Tue, May 29, 2007

    As a Sleep doula I am always shocked that nobody seems to care about all these sleep deprived parents. Most recently the piece from City TV on driving drowsy failed to mention new parents as well. Instead it seems people seem to make parents feel guilty about their survival choices, but don't offer them any resources to make their survival easier. Kudos to Weny Hall (and you too Ann) for her energys to bring this important issue to the issue the spot light. If only people could hear the stories from the sleep trenches would they realize what a important issue this is. Tracey Ruiz aka The Sleep Doula

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  • 2. Posted by anndouglas on Mon, Jun 04, 2007

    Tracey, thanks for swinging by to share your perspective. I remember reading a study in which an alarming percentage of parents reported having momentarily fallen asleep at the wheel during the previous year. It only takes a moment for a car accident to happen, particularly when we're often traveling at high speeds and there's simply no margin for error. The consequences can be devastating.

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  • 3. Posted by anndouglas on Mon, Jun 04, 2007

    Research update: Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner released a study this afternoon analyzing the leading causes of child deaths. The report highlighted deaths due to unsafe sleeping arrangements as a key area of concern. 12 children died as a result of unsafe sleeping environments in 2005, as compared to 16 in 2004. A CBC news story quoted Ontario's Deputy Chief Coroner Dr. Jim Cairns as saying that babies should only sleep in cribs with properly-fitting mattresses. This is in synch with Health Canada's recommendations. In its 2004 position statement on safe sleeping recommendations for infants and children, the Canadian Paediatric Society noted that bedsharing changes the quality of infant sleep and noted that further research should be done into the ways that proximity to the mother might be protective to a young infant: see http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/CP/cp04-02.htm This is an area of research that James McKenna of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory has researched extensively. http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/index.html

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  • 4. Posted by anndouglas on Thu, Jun 21, 2007

    Just thought I'd add a footnote to this post (as I'll continue to do whenever I find anything relevant to earlier discussions). First of all, you might be interested in checking out this interview with Dr. James McKenna @ http://platypusmedia.com/jimmckenna_interview.html. Secondly, there's another discussion thread on sleep here at Yahoo! Parenting: http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/family-relationships/blog/anndouglas/77/baby-sleep-paranoia

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