I do the same thing in spurts with my knitting. I always have a project going, but I'm always looking around on the internet for different patterns, and in here also for new ideas. I find something that I like and then I order the yarn and there it sits, because by the time I finish my current project, I have found something else I want to do. I have enough yarn to make a prayer shawl and I was going to make a booga bag and then felt it so I have some noro kureyon and I have oodles and oodles of sugar and cream yarn for making dishcloths. I like to make them in sets and have a few for quick gifts. But yeah, I do like you do, buy the yarn and then wonder what I'm going to do with it. I subscribe to about 5 knitting magazines and there are lots of ideas in those all the time - some of them way too advanced for me, but I pick the ones I think I can handle.

See...I totally disagree when parents "encourage" the child to do one or the other. I suppose if I were more of a "step-mom" it would probably be more insulting to a "real" mom. The truth of the matter in my situation is that BM doesn't act like a mom and never did. Even when she was with my husband, she used sit home and email/text all her ex-boyfriends while my husband worked 3 jobs so the kids could go to daycare while she sat home "looking for work" as she called it. He later learned what was really going on and after learning of the occasions of cheating, finally gave up on the marriage. (Yay for me!) Now, at almost 30 years old and a mother of 2 children, she lives with her parents and younger brother in between his many transitions (and her parents pay for everything for her from food, gas, car and insurance to alcohol, cigarettes, and tattoos - she doesn't even work!) She pawns the kids off on her mom and my in-laws any chance she gets during the 8 weeks she has them. When they were in her primary custody, she NEVER signed them up for sports or activities, encouraged friends or playdates, partook in any arts/crafts/activities with them at home (let alone anything educational!) Instead, she used to sneak off to the basement to smoke pot with her brother and father and avoid them altogether. There were multiple neglect issues from not being fed or bathed, to not getting medication for an ear infection; and the youngest was even burned by a cigarette next to his eye! We called child services on her and were about to file an emergency custody order when she decided that we could have them if she didn't have to pay any child support (in the first go-around she actually tried to get us to pay her during the 2 months she has them!) We have a temporary order lasting 2 years (because she didn't want to rewrite it a year later) but we are fighting to change custody as soon as they are back with us in 7 weeks. My husband and I have them for 10 months straight without a dime of support from her (and no visitation) and I am a stay at home mom to them (aka chef, maid, taxi-driver) and do ALL of the things for them that she is not capable of. If they see me as more of a "mom" than she is, that's her own fault. If she put half the effort into mothering that she did into trying to get everything for nothing, she could be "mom of the year". I guess in my situation (which is why I say all of our situations are different) I truly feel that she simply carried my children for me (they even look exactly like me and nothing like her.) I understand how a child having "2 moms" could be insulting to a biological mother but the truth of the matter is that just donating an egg doesn't make you a mom. Adopted children don't call their parents by their first names. If I were an every-other weekend warrior with these boys and SHE did everything I do, than I could see the harm of it. But as far as my family, friends, and even the youngest's therapist sees it (and says it)- I AM the mom. BTW, he sees this therapist because of concerns about sexual abuse and inappropriateness in that house as well as for the damage his "mom's" behavior has caused emotionally. BM herself has said that she is fine with them calling me "mom" and went as far as to say that she was concerned about my DH when he was deployed (we're military) because he is the "father of our children." She doesn't want the work of being a mom, she just wants the title and to hang their pictures up on her myspace and say "look what I made, aren't they cute?" so I think she's actually grateful for me. Even if she wasn't OK with them calling me "mom", my answer to her would be "then step up to the plate and ACT like their mom." But like I said, that's just my situation.

Oh boy here goes. Rude people, me me people. I hate going to the store and people blocking the isles so you have to turn around and completely go back the way you came because no matter how many times you say excuse me they ignore you and wont move. People who cut in front of you or push you out of the way because they are much more important than you are apparently. People now a days seem to have no respect for their fellow humans. It is all about me and what I want and get out of my way no matter how polite you try to be to them. I too prefer to help animals over people. I have tried and tried to help people. I will donate to battered and abused women's shelters or homeless shelters. I will provide clothes and food. But. I have found over and over people just don't want to be helped. You offer them jobs or ways to help themselves and the excuses I have heard as to why they wont/can't work the job offered is beyond belief. They refuse to work at McDonald's for minimum wage, they can't work this or that job because they have a bad back, leg. They want offered cushy desk jobs with high paying salaries because they are too good to take a job less than that even though they haven't went to school. They'd rather beg for help than help themselves and that irritates the you know what out of me. I have people that clearly have a disability, they could qualify for it. I sent them the information offered to help them every step of the way. They won't take the the time even do it. I have a friend who husband drinks a lot. She is the only one working. They struggle month to month, they call me for money. I used to be stupid and give it to them because they have 3 kids. He'd spend it on alcohol. I would send gift cards to people instead of giving them cash, they'd sell them. I have donated my time to homeless shelters, crisis centers and so on and so forth and the same thing. There are more people who would rather live on streets asking for hand outs rather than help themselves. Battered women who kept going back to their abusers. People who have drug issues they blame on things that happened to them when they grew up. I grew up like a lot of these people. I was physically, psychologically and sexually abused growing up. I understand what they are going through. They refuse to listen, they hold that self pity and use it to their advantage. On and On, I just gave up. Animals can't help themselves and most of them are there because people are irresponsible or don't care or are just plain cruel. I would much rather spend my time and my money on something that can't help themselves and are there because of people. And honestly I believe that a lot of those animals would help themselves if they could and they are so much more appreciative of the help that they receive than most of the people I've ever tried to help. I let little things roll off my back. I don't get upset about the shape of a plate or what people choose to wear, though the pj thing does kind of bother me because it really does take literally 2 minutes to throw on regular clothes. The roadside memorials are sad and people grieve in their own way and I too always try to acknowledge them as someone did lose a life and that makes me sad for them and their families. If people want to dress their animals and it makes them happy so be it. I love to see people who truly love their animals, it tells a lot about a person on how they treat other living creatures. I do not like to see non service animals in the stores though. Where I live it is common to see people put their dogs in the grocery cart and wheel them through the grocery store and I do not feel an animal in a food store or really any type of store is sanitary. I see them even at the high end stores at the mall. They put clothes in carts and the animal is laying on them and they decide to put them back because they decided they don't want the items and now someone with allergies could possibly end up trying on that item and have a severe reaction to the hair. I am another who didn't listen to voice messages left on my phone. I am hearing impaired and sometimes it was just difficult to understand or hear them. My service provider offers voicemail to text and that was the greatest thing for me. As someone else mentioned sometimes the messages come out interesting but you can get the gist of the message.

Mystery solved ! Apparently there is a choice between glossy and matte finishes on a cover, whether it's a paperback or hardcover. The glossy supposedly shows scratches and shelf wear more easily. This from a bindery site.......I boldfaced their statement about the feel. I would say that 'pleasant tactile experience' is a judgement call.... MATTE LAMINATE Matte Laminate is often described as a more professional and elegant finish. Matte is currently the more "fashionable" choice for laminate. It is currently very popular among Young Adult titles. Authors, designers and consumers are enamored with the look and feel of matte lamination. The velvety texture of the finish makes for a pleasant tactile experience. The matte soft cover finish is less reflective than gloss, giving a more natural look to cover art. A less shiny cover absorbs more small scratches and scuffs without looking "beat up". The simple contrast of a matte cover among many glossy covers may draw it's own attention on the bookstore shelf. A few caveats regarding matte lamination: While many love the soft feel of matte lamination, the texture can be unusual and unexpected for some. The less reflective finish can lessen the intensity of cover color, producing a more "washed-out" or muted palette. Matte lamination can produce lower contrast on darker colors, resulting in an overall softer look. While scratches and scuffs are more readily absorbed by matte lamination, this finish can be more susceptible to stains and spills.