cantarloca

This is an entirely tricky situation. This young man lives in a residential treatment center with 30 other boys. It's a great place for him to live, but things are far different there then if he lived at home. I typically try to spend $10 or less on his gifts only because everything I give is either stolen or traded away within a few days by/to one of the other boys. I get it, although don't love it.

I've tutored him for 4 years now and he's soon to turn 16. Though the institution he lives in will give him a gift it will not be of any great significance over any other gift the other kids get on their birthdays, but it's his 16th birthday. He has no one to make him feel like the most special person on the planet.

I'd like to get him something around 50 or 60, but not if it's just going to get trashed. This may be the only nice gift he ever gets as soon he'll be moving on to another home and I'll no longer have contact with him.

Soooo, what do you get a 16 year old that HE will think is amazing, but all of the other boys will not care about?

i was told i should burn them first, but this will be a bigger issue for me considering some time and equipment restraints i have.

The men's biathalon just came to a conclusion. American, Tim Burke, was interviewed afterward and said, "Yeah, that was the most unfair race I've ever been a part of...those that started late never had a chance."

The reason for his comment was that snow came in the middle of the competition and slowed the late starters to the point that they really didn't have a chance.

I contend, however, that this is the way the sport is played. It is an outdoor winter friggin' sport! It ticks me off that he would say such a thing. Unfair, to me, implies that someone did something to mess with the outcome, but this is just part of the game. It completely sucks that some people had an advantage and some a disadvantage, but it could have been the opposite. The snow could have been at the start and not the end.

It saddens me to see an American say such a thing. I surely hope he thinks about those words and realizes that he misspoke and does not continue to see it as UNFAIR.

our close group of girlfriends want to get her something personal. we thought about buying a tree for her yard, but not sure. we're looking for the "perfect" thing. any thoughts?

I have never experienced a NYC winter and my friend has never experienced a Detroit winter so neither of us can really say, but were wondering who usually has it worse and why?

So I facilitate a Sunday School group of 19 year olds. It's sort of open ended so attendance fluctuates. There have been 2 girls that come nearly every week. All of the others come and go, no more than 2-3 times. Truthfully, I don't feel much need to get them gifts as there is just not much of a relationship with them.

I thought about taking the two out to dinner one night, but then the others will come...they are all friends. I am not really interested in buying them all dinner as I'm on a pretty tight budget myself.

I don't mind having a few gifts to give the last day before Christmas and if anyone else comes just give them something too, but I don't want to be stuck with all these gifts left over at the end either.

So, does anyone have a SMALL token idea that I could have but maybe use later myself depending on how many I have leftover?

Im not so worried about this as my sister would be for her son. I know he'd love it, but I don't really know the content of most of his songs...are they appropriate for most ages? He's 9.

i'm a very experienced teacher, i have tried every gimmick and trick in the book, but the last two years something has changed. i do not think i have had any stretch longer than 5 minutes where my students ahve actually been quiet.

i am not on of "those" teachers, but there are times when they need to now how to work quietly.

i am starting to feel like a bit of a failure. do you have any innovative ideas?

thanks!!

I fell in love with the name Jayden when I saw it in a book last year but "made up" the spelling Jaidyn (which i now see more often) and liked even more. A week later I heard it was one of the top 5 boy names and I wanted it for a girl.

I love unisex names, but is it tooooo BOY? Will my daughter be teased too much for having a boy name? (i'm choosing a very feminine middle name in case she really hates it)

Also, I later found out it was Brittany Spears's son's name...is that the first thing everyone thinks of when they hear the name? I hope not!!

i am not great about driving in detroit, but seem to remember that there was roadwork on one of the main roadways into mexican town earlier this year. i was hoping to go there this saturday and then to comerica park. is there any construction that will completely block the most direct routes? if so, how would you suggest going instead? thank you!

I am starting a Sunday school group with 18-20 year olds...I refuse to do the lame ice breaker games, but do need something to keep them talking if it doesn't happen naturally. Any thoughts or have any "not lame" ice breaker games?