The only thing Dave has said that I can disagree with, is that it's 'simple' to find all your posts by typing in your user name in a search. Yes, it does bring up all your posts, but it doesn't bring them up in chronological order. If you've been here for years as many have, you could have many pages of posts to review before you might stumble upon your most recent posts. I gave up on trying to find my posts in that way. I did decide to 'check the box' on each thread I post to, so that it will be sent to my email. That was not easy either. I had to contact support because after repeated efforts to set my account to allow emails, it wasn't changing it. Once I did contact Tamara, they did change it and now I do get emails for the threads I'm following. But, I don't always get them and sometimes they come into my email box days later. lol But, for now, that is working the best so far for trying to keep up with threads I am following. But my email box is now needing a lot more time weeding out. I use the Cornell site to read reviews on different vegetable varieties and like that site. I have however started following others' suggestions that Google/Gardenweb searches turn up better results than GW and have found that works better for me sometimes. I try the search function and if the results are just too random and I find myself *sighing*, I just start a new thread and ask for what I need. edit: I see someone above has said, that sometimes other members 'insist I do a search'. I have rarely had that happen to me, thankfully. My way of looking at it is, that every subject we discuss is a repeat of some earlier discussion. Some of the forums, especially over the winter, are so inactive, that any discussion is a bonus, even a repeat one. If we all did searches and found the answers we needed, we wouldn't need to be discussing live every day. And btw, even if you find posts on the subject you are looking for, they are not always giving you what you want. Sometimes there will be 3 posts on a thread. Or the exact question you wanted to ask was not discussed. Or the person on the forum with the most experience was not on that day. This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Fri, Jun 27, 14 at 17:07

I'm prolly gonna get in trouble, but here goes. The Victoria County, Texas, MG has just gone through the most aggravatin' time over these background checks. It was presented to our board that it was mandated by the state, everyone had to do it, and that was that. One member was not happy, and is very knowledgdable about getting what info she needs, and talked to the guy who runs the program in Texas. He told her where to get a copy of the mandate, which she did. Since she was not allowed to share this material, I had to get one of my own, but it was easy enough to do. Long story short. The state does NOT mandate that all MG have a background check. It is voluntary, and you do not have to do it, unless you are going to work with children in certain settings. And this does not include a 2 hour tour through the Children's garden. Also, we were told the cost was $10.00. It is $6.00, and the remaining $4.00 was to be a "cushion" for the 4-H. This is not going to be all that confidential, files will be kept in the Extension office, and we just had an email come in wanting to know who had the file of the last years applications, as someone wanted to look at it, and the Secretary didn't know who she had loaned it to last. I thought that info was 'confidential'. I don't know about y'all, but donkeys will do the chicken dance before I will willingly give them my SS#, DL# etc. As it turned out, the motion was made by Pres. that all MG had to do the checks, and the assn. would pay for all of them. A secret ballot was asked for, and the motion was defeated by an astounding number! We are old, don't want to work with kids, or just resent having to share my personal info. I am not going to do that. WE did pass a motion that those who wished to do so could, and the assn. will pay for it. Did not make some people happy, but it is a lot better than watching membership drop to nothing because of it. Down here, we are just trying to get through this year, hoping that the next will be better. This year has been the pits. ItCollins, if you will email me, I will share where to get a copy of this mandate. You will be interested in it. Janie

I'm looking for a rangetop, either slide in or drop-in. Everything about this range looks perfect to me except the "island trim" which won't work in my application (in front of a window). Usually island trim means the trim is flush with the counter surface. This one rises above the back of the unit. How will people use this on an island?

I'm not perfect about my choices but getting better. What was really helpful was hiring a very good decorator for a few hours (very experienced with projects that I had seen and liked). I couldn't afford a decorator for everything- just for the big choices. She pointed me in the right direction and gave me tips. We went over candidly what was wrong with previous choices- how they were not working together well. I took it from there. Regarding "low expectations", yes, the media has been pushing that idea lately- that people with low expectations are happier. But all of the quality projects and inventions and great art that gets done are from people who have the courage to put out an idea and work towards it. Not expecting anything so that you don't get disappointed is an apathetic view of life. Magnaverde is a talented writer and designer. Yes, he may have low expectations but he also has *high* expectations. Its where you park your expectations that is important. He obviously does not expect that his happiness is derived from the objects. If you expect that the objects are going to make you happy, you loose every time. Yet he has high expectations in his ability. He has high expectation that whatever he chooses will be fine, and that he can admire his results. And he wins. The discussion reminds me of this: I have a special teenage friend that has a passion for football. He is small of stature so when he went to play, he was on the bench for two seasons. He just *knew* that at 5'3 and 120lbs that he was a better choice for quarterback than the buff guy who was 165 and 6 foot tall. The coaches thought his expectations were ridiculous, but he didn't care. So he grew (just a little bit more), put on a few more pounds. He found a 6-man tackle league where he was allowed to play QB. From there he became the top scoring 6 man QB in his state. He decided to become a pro football coach, another ridiculous expectation, ridiculous goal. He coaches other kids, has had undefeated seasons. His successful action, he told me, is *very high expectation* in his players. He says "I expect the most, and they give me the most". He doesn't treat them like kids. He respects them as serious players. He's their favorite coach. Now there is someone that I expect to succeed, because he knows where to put his expectations, and doesn't get stuck in the losses, and is not afraid to have "ridiculous" expectations, and just doesn't get stuck in any bad outcome. Whatever he ends up doing I suspect (expect) he'll be a winner.