SamanthaEvans

Shouldn't it be, "By whose hand was this Vogon poetry written?"

I never ask about this, but I do know that the Christmas shopping season tends to be very good for business. "Going Christmas shopping" must be a good excuse!

Me, too! Although, at times, depending on my mood and the circumstances, I hear it in solemnly declaimed Shakespearean style.....

Yay! Congratulations! You're really making your mark. First, the new-suit wardrobe and now this milestone--that's awesome! Keep at it!

I agree with you, CB. At the same time, it's interesting to note when judges who are assumed to be of some political bent or other don't make the judgments we might expect.

I'm glad you like it, ladies. I was pretty impressed, myself. Sometimes professional associations and licensing bodies don't pay attention to the things their members get up to. Academic freedom and all that, right?

Can you work from home? If you can work on a laptop or notebook computer while keeping your leg elevated, that would help. It IS boring to have to sit or lie down most of the time, for sure. Read. Watch TV. Play computer games. Master chess. Learn a new language. Always remember that beautiful paid companions are available to come and help you feel better, too! Most of us can make coffee and tea or pour wine. We're experts at adjusting pillows in myriad ways to make you feel comfortable. We also specialize in relaxation techniques that you're bound to enjoy over and over again.... :icon_wink:

Hey guys.... it looks like you have some serious competition!

Twelve baby pandas, sleeping in a single crib at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Photo courtesy of Boing Boing.

Can you use a wheelchair at work? That might help you out a lot! Crutches are tricky and may not be the best option for you at work.

Cat, you write like no one else here. Thoughtful, wise, honest, sometimes hard-hitting, but always, always deeply kind and compassionate. Thank you for the first 1,000 gems you've given us. You are simply the best!

This is what I was going to suggest, too--no question! I don't know how old you are, or how much you earn, but, frankly, if I went shopping with you, we'd avoid Moore's. I can spot a Moore's dress shirt 100 yards away, and not because it's good quality! They're not. Moore's suits are fine for very young men who obviously can't afford to spend a bit more and/or who are still growing (men often keep growing into their mid-20s). The reason these suits are so inexpensive is that their internal structure is poor. They look great until you wear them. Then they don't hold their shape, they sag, the shoulders crush, they look like they're hanging off-grain because, well, too often they are. You're in Ottawa? Go to the Rideau Centre, to Harry Rosen. Be frank about your situation, but also be prepared to spend some money and some time, there. Get some help figuring out what cut and style of suit is best for you. Let them give you lots of advice--they know what they're talking about! Buy a suit, two sports jackets, three pairs of trousers, two dress shirts for the suit, three or four more for the sports jackets and trousers. Go for top-quality shirts, above all else. If you'll be wearing the sports jackets often, buy the best you can possibly afford. You won't be sorry! When you find the suit you like, buy an extra pair of trousers. That can make the suit wear longer--jackets tend to last longer than trousers do. Find out when Harry Rosen's sales events are. They have really deep discounts a couple of times a year. You may be able to get a custom-tailored suit for the price of a good off-the-rack suit. The initial wardrobe cost may be a bit high, but over the long run, you'll pay less for good quality, every time. Congratulations on the promotion!

One of my favourite sex ed sites is the online magazine, Scarlet Teen. It's written for teenagers, but it's great for adults, too. It's full of thoughtful, insightful articles and absolutely accurate information. I recommend it for teens, for parents, for people who think about and may sometimes engage in being physically human and maybe having sex. I love this piece: To Slide or to Slice? Finding a Positive Sexual Metaphor. It's become an essential part of my ongoing claim that intercourse cannot be the be-all and end-all of sexual activity.

There's a wealth of good advice here! All I can say is that I fell, 13 years ago, and shattered my right tibia plateau. I was in a cast, and then in a kind of brace, for 8 weeks. I couldn't use crutches--my balance wasn't good enough. We transformed our house for a while, with a hospital bed in the living room, as well as a commode chair because the main floor bathroom was a tiny powder room. I had a wheelchair to get around on the main floor and I could stand up from there to wash my hair in the kitchen sink. I took a lot of sponge baths. When I was finally able to go upstairs to the full bathroom, I showered sitting down on a plastic chair with a hand-held shower wand. It was a major hassle! But my kids got into it. They were very helpful. I'd never realized how often I dropped things in the normal course of the day. As for sex, we managed! It wasn't fantastic, but it was worth it! Take it easy. Ask for help. Shower your helpers with concrete, genuine appreciation. Don't push yourself too far or too hard. When you're tired, slow down or stop what you're doing for a bit. Rest is your friend.

Congratulations, sweetie! Keep at it!

Listening to the CBC this morning, one thing that does NOT make sense is that Gloria Steinem is 77 years old! She looks fantastic and she sounds incredible!

Ladies, can I share a couple of tips? First, be cautious about handing over hard-earned cash too quickly! So far, I've found that these guys are super-thrilled just to have a couple of newish beer coasters; a handful of ketchup, mustard or relish packets; and last year's Lee Valley Tools catalogue. Honest: they love these things! If you want to give an extra tip, consider Canadian Tire money. I haven't had to do that, yet, though. The other thing is, they've figured out that not all clients want sex. You can just talk to the guy for half an hour! He won't mind. They're all very good at tuning women out when they've got the Lee Valley catalogue to page through. The big advantage is that you can both go away happy--you, because you don't have to navigate the rustic shower facilities, and him, because he gets to keep the catalogue. Yay!

Yay!!! Congratulations, Angela!

O-kay.... That's quite a list! I do have one little quibble, though. The CDC is recommending battery-powered radios. That's obviously not a good idea. Batteries die. With no time or place to re-charge, and the unlikelihood that there will be batteries available anywhere, it's unwise to count on this for more than a few hours. A hand-cranked radio, however, is a wise investment. The model above is available from Lee Valley Tools for just $29.50--a modest price, considering the source! Not only is this hand-crankable, but it's also solar-powered in case the apocalypse hasn't blocked out the sun where you are. Additional features, including an ear jack and USB port, may not offer much protection from zombies, but will lend a certain panache while scanning the airwaves for emergency reports.

Happy birthday! Being sick on your birthday is no fun at all. I hope you're making bigger and better plans for when you're feeling well again.

LOL! Katherine, I'm not sure what kind of recommendation that really is! :icon_evil:

I know that girls don't get a vote, but seriously.... Lee already has his own trailer to add to the stack. That's gotta be an incentive to let him into the group, right?

I have to spread the joy around a bit more before I can give you rep points again, WiT. Thank you for pointing us to that paper. It's well-written and a truly valuable resource. ========== I'd like to interject into this discussion that, in Canada, many prostitutes find they have positive interactions with the police when they need help. Even if we're working illegally--say, from home--contacting the police does not mean subjecting oneself to prosecution. I say this because this has been my recent experience. I turned in a client who was harassing me. The police treated me beautifully and continue to look out for my safety. I'll post about that shortly and update this post with a link to the new thread.