The ***Official*** Weekend Singles Thread (Aug. 25-27)

August 25, 2006 | WFTR and Rightwingintelligentsia

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Back to School

Well, it's that time of year. We're finally throwing away Fourth of July leftovers in our refrigerators; the stores are starting to put out Christmas decorations; and school is starting. (Okay, the stores don't have Christmas decorations up yet, but complaining about how early holiday decorating starts is everyone's pet peeve.) For lack of a better seasonal topic, this week's singles' thread topic will be back-to-school. We want to talk about your school experiences in general and back-to-school experiences in particular.

We'd like people to share any memories that they have of going back to school. Please feel free to post anything that comes to mind when you think of this topic.

Here are some questions to kick us off.

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Does back-to-school this year have any special meaning to you? Are you taking any kind of classes in the fall semester or quarter? If so, what are you taking and why are you taking it? How do you think you'll do? How close are you finishing whatever schooling you're doing? Do you have children in school?

When you think of going back to school, do you think of experiences you had as a child, as a teenager, or as a college student? Were you one of those people who looked forward to new friends and new challenges or were you one of those people who hated to lose the carefree days of summer?

What did you wear to school? Were you a jeans and T-shirt kind of person or did you wear the trendiest fashions? When you started back to school in the fall, were cool, crisp days just ahead or was the weather going to continue to be hot for a few more months?

Whom did you hang out with? The jocks? The artsy crowd? The nerds?

Did you go to football games in the fall? basketball games in the winter? Did you go to your prom or formal dance? If you didn't go to these kinds of events, what did you do instead?

What was the most popular song in the year that you graduated?

What was your favorite subject and why? Who were your favorite teachers and why?

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If you are heading back to school and have any subjects that scare you, please let us know. Within Free Republic in general and within this group, there are some very intelligent, very educated people. If there's some subject that could be a problem for you, maybe we can help.

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[lysie]

Praying for Josy's safe return.

[lysie]

So sorry to hear about Pansy. She was a cutie.

[DollyCali]

I have a pretty good suspicion that my neighbor "took care of" Josy. He is evil & I know that many of my cats & other's people pets who have disappeared are at his hands.

The 5 months he is in Florida, there is never a problem. When he is back..it starts again.

He has had cages to trap in his yard & when confronted says it is for raccoons. (also illegal but not a police matter). I caught him last year with a cat in the cage/trap & taking it away in car. I chased him down with my van & confronted him, he said he was returning it to owner. Problem is the he passed the owners street about 5 houses down. I also once found a dish of antifreeze in the back yard between our yards in bushes. confronted him.. he didn't know where it came from

so I am pretty sure he took her. After she chased the possum she would normally come home. He regularly has his garage door open about 12" .. I am pretty sure to bait anything. (it is open now) If he didn't drive her off & shoot her, he probably took off her tags & dumped her somewhere. She has no street savvy & would not do well in the city. She is a country pooch... (this would be before he went to church .. good Christian man that he is)

My parents years ago called authorities on him as he would trap anything wild & shot it in the cage.

He has called the police often when a pet in in his yard or driveway. They stop by & tell me.. He called the police once to complain about me wearing a two piece bathing suit in the yard.

I have met dead ends with police about this issue over the years. They just don't handle this sort of thing without any proof.. they will not do the detective work. The humane society wont either.no funds/staff.

I am pretty down right now..

[lysie]

You were suspicious of that guy when you had Toby, too.

[lysie]

(((Dolly)))

[DollyCali]

Thank You to

WFTR & Rightwingintelligentsia

for the weekend thread.
Great Job!

This is as festive as I can be tonight gang.. sorry.

[DollyCali]

so many of my pets disappeared. Oh Lysie..

[lysie]

Sorry, Dolly. Praying with all my might.

[DollyCali]

would you please call nita & tell her I wont be doing the baby pix tonight? I think I emailed her. not sure..

[trussell]

Oh Dolly...I'm sorry.
I'll pray that you are wrong and she will come home.
I thought I had lost a very special dog a few years ago...she got out one day...we were in the process of moving. She had only been to the new house with us one time. She was gone for days. We moved and thought she was gone forever.
It was amazing...she showed up at the new house on her own. We were so happy to have her back!

[rzeznikj at stout]

Good God--sorry about your loss.

Having said this, the man's just sick...

That guy really ought to go to prison under the state's animal cruelty statutes--sections 959.02 and 959.13.

Not too knowledgeable about the laws in OH--nor am I a lawyer (although as a pre-law student, I did do some research for ya--perhaps you and your neighbors might be able to run with it and put an end to his cruelties)...

It appears that if he did get picked up and charged, it'd probably be for a misdemeanor.

959.02 prohibits "injuring" of animals. 1st degree misdemeanor if the value of your cat is over $300. Punishable by 180 days in jail, possible mandated counseling and a $1000 fine.

959.13 appears to be the main statute and covers virtually all domesticated animals. First offense is a 1st degree misdemeanor punishable as above ; second and subsequent offenses are 5th degree felonies punishable by a year in jail and $2000 in fines.

IIRC, the fines go to organizations that fight animal cruelty (e.g. humane societies; ASPCA; etc.) if they exist in the county or municipality in which the offense occurred.

[WFTR]

You don't need to be festive. You just need to take care of yourself. I so wish that there were something that we could do.

Bill

[DollyCali]

Thanks Bill.. please pray that if she is still alive she will be safe & found or finds here way back here.. Trussell.. could you ping the prayer list.. She is all God's at this point..

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Dolly, I am still praying that is not the case and that Josy is ok.

What an evil man! Surely there's something that can be done about him. How awful about those other animals.

[trussell]

Prayer ping. Please see post 363 posted on 08/27/2006 5:01:06 PM MDT by DollyCali {click the number}

Please post your replies to DollyCali

DollyCali, My prayers going up for your beloved pet Josie and for you. God's protection for Josie...God's comfort for you.  

Blessings,
trussell

If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.

[Nowhere Man]

My condolences on your loss. You had many good years together, and I'm thankful that you had those years.

I know, she turned 19 last weekend, I had her since I was 21 and I'm 40 now. My 17 year old, grey and white cat, Corky, she is looking for her from time to time. It's hard though, no matter if you know they are going to pass away or not, it is still tough when it happens. Thanks for the well wishes.

[Nowhere Man]

Oh, I am so very sorry. I know your heart & soul are heavy with pain. She was old & ill.. but we still dont' want to let them go.. I have been there. It hurts so much.

She was quite fine up until a month ago, she really did well on the thyroid meds. Tomorrow, we will lay her to rest, that is going to be another toughie.

Prayers offered for your comfort

Thanks, it is very much appreciated.

You have been a good daddy. You loved her for all those years, played with her, cared for her & took care of her medical needs. She knew she was loved & she loved you.

True, that is the best part of it all. I know tonite, I'll be snuggling up to Corky a lot more, Corky likes to sleeps with me. I remember the night my maternal grandmother passed away, March 24, 1997, Corky came up to me at night and slept with me like a teddy bear, which she still does on most nights to this very day. Pansy slept with Mom, although Pixie does too. Pixie is a black cat, about 13 or 14 years old, I'm sure Mom will keep her close tonite.

[Nowhere Man]

So sorry about Pansy. I believe you lost another cat recently, so this must be particularly difficult. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers today.

Thanks. BTw, you're right, I lost Greystone on April 15th of this year. In addition to Tax Day, there is another reason to dread April 15th. B-P It was also the day before Easter too. For some reason, things like that happen around holidays, my grandmother in 1997 passed away during Holy Week (week before Easter). I started 2006 with eight cats, now I'm down to six. B-(

[Nowhere Man]

Please say a prayer for us..? thanks FRiends. If she isn't back by 3, Toby & I will go into the forest & begin searching. I will count on Toby to help find her.

OMG!!!! looks like there is "no joy in Freeperville today" between me losing Pansy and you looking for Josy. B-( I'll say a prayer for you and hope everything turns out well.

[Nowhere Man]

I have a pretty good suspicion that my neighbor "took care of" Josy. He is evil & I know that many of my cats & other's people pets who have disappeared are at his hands.

Ugh, that's all you need. People like this makes it hard to remember where Rep. Henry Hyde said "we are a nation of laws and not men" to where it is hard not to become a vigilante. If I said my true thoughts on this guy and people like him, I'd get banned, but I'll tone it down. I'd either want to put a BATF jacket on him and parachute him into the mountains of West Virginia or Idaho or put an "Allah=Satan" T-Shirt on him and parachute him into Mecca during the Hajj.

I really hope Josy did not fall victim to this nimrod. Again, prayers sent.