Exactly why I never go to the crazy sales.

People go insane during the holiday shopping season.

• What is wrong with people?! - makes me sick
  • It was probably 'Wal-Mart rage'.... which is sort of like - sm - 'sky rage' on airplanes.
    • WalMart Rage - nana
    • With you on that one - no item is worth the zoo
  • Must've been a small town, since nobody got shot. *sigh* NM - deb
  • No excuse for this level of entitlement no matter what your stres level or financial situation is! - mtgal
  • Exactly why I never go to the crazy sales. - Mel
    • I'm avoiding the entire holiday shopping insanity this year. - sm - San Francisco
    • Agree! Won't see me shopping on any Fri. or Sat. until after - New Year's. Early Sundays are great! nm
  • Definitely stress. Cops said once that Xmas eve with alcohol & money - woes makes it the top night for domestic fights. S
    • ...nm up there. Very sad. And we live in an older, settled community, - not a rowdy downtown area. nm Tis the Season
  • We must walk in love and peace every single day of our lives. sm - Amen to that!
  • 'Tis the season.... - tinkerbell
    • I think finances and stress ALL play a huge part in this. nm - Yes

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CHANTILLY, Va. — A new drug store at a Virginia strip mall is putting its faith in an unconventional business plan: No candy. No sodas. And no birth control. Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy is among at least seven pharmacies across the nation that are refusing as a matter of faith to sell contraceptives of any kind, even if a person has a prescription.

States across the country have been wrestling with the issue of pharmacists who refuse on religious grounds to dispense birth control or morning-after pills, and some have enacted laws requiring drug stores to fill the prescriptions.

In Virginia, though, pharmacists can turn away any prescription for any reason.

"I am grateful to be able to practice," pharmacy manager Robert Semler said, "where my conscience will never be violated and my faith does not have to be checked at the door each morning."

Semler ran a similar pharmacy before opening the new store, which is not far from Dulles International Airport. The store only sells items that are health-related, including vitamins, skin care products and over-the-counter medications.

On Tuesday, the pharmacy celebrated a blessing from Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. While Divine Mercy Care is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, it is guided by church teachings on sexuality, which forbid any form of artificial contraception, including morning-after pills, condoms and birth control pills, a common prescription used by millions of women in the U.S.

"This pharmacy is a vibrant example of our Holy Father's charge to all of us to wear our faith in the public square," said Loverde, who sprinkled holy water on the shelves stocked with painkillers and acne treatments. "It will allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised."

The drug store is the seventh in the country to be certified as not prescribing birth control by Pharmacists for Life International. The anti-abortion group estimates that perhaps hundreds of other pharmacies have similar policies, though they have not been certified.

Earlier this year in Wisconsin, a state appeals court upheld sanctions against a pharmacist who refused to dispense birth control pills to a woman and wouldn't transfer her prescription elsewhere. Elsewhere, at least seven states require pharmacies or pharmacists to fill contraceptive prescriptions, according to the National Women's Law Center. Four states explicitly give pharmacists the right to turn away any prescriptions, the group said.

The Virginia store's policy has drawn scorn from some abortion rights groups, who have already called for a boycott and collected more than 1,000 signatures protesting the pharmacy.

"If this emboldens other pharmacies in other parts of the state, it could really affect low-income and rural women in terms of access," said Tarina Keene, executive director of the Virginia chapter of the National Abortion Rights Action League.

Robert Laird, executive director of Divine Mercy Care, believes many of the estimated 50,000 Catholics within a few miles of the store will support its mission and make up for the roughly 10 percent of business that contraceptives represent in a typical pharmacy.

Whether Catholics will be drawn to the pharmacy is uncertain. According to a Gallup poll published last year for an extensive study of U.S. Catholicism called American Catholics Today, 75 percent of U.S. Catholics said you can still be a good Catholic even if you don't obey church teachings on birth control.

Catherine Muskett said she plans to shop at the drug store even though she lives more than 20 miles away.

"Obviously it's good to support pro-life causes. Every little bit counts," said Muskett, one of about 75 people who crowded into the tiny shop for Tuesday's ceremony.
___
On the Net:
http://www.dmcpharm.com
http://www.naralva.org/instate/pharmacy.shtml

Wow, the last few days have been fantastic! 50 percent off and 60 and 70 percent off all merchandise, Christmas and other... Toys at a bargain. I tell you, from now on I am saving my cash for after Christmas to buy gifts for people for the whole year...  Give simple things for the holiday and then go spend for the whole year at a fraction of the price the days after Christmas.

Only 1 error for me this year... I actually got gift cards and cash for Christmas because I am always crabbing I never have money in my wallet just for me. So what do I do? go to Walmart and K-Mart with the KIDS and get hornswaggled into getting them more stuff. Yep. Between groceries and them I have exactly approximately 60 cents in change, no lie! Shame on ME. I cut down from Santa this year to show them the meaning of Christmas, but because they are good consumers on sales and good con artists to me (puppy eyes) I gave all my money away.  Never again.  Never ever again. That will be my Christmas gift to me to keep that promise.

So, love the sales, but beware to save ahead of time and don't bring the kids!!!

Happy New Year everyone and may 2008 be the best year yet!

Someone I recently met is selling Melaleuca products and supposedly making a good profit.  He wants me to start selling these products, too....first of all, I think it's a pyramid scheme, like Amway....and I don't know anyone who has had a GOOD experience with Amway.  He says it isn't, though.  He says I'll work for myself.  Hmm.  Do any of you guys know about this company?  I'm getting bad feeling about it.  However, I'm broke and could use the extra $$$. 

seem some pretty surprising stuff go on, only to watch people battle off and jump in their "fancy" cars.  I've had people set a whole pile of stuff in front of me and throw a 5 at me and try to take off knowing that what they had cost more. I had one lady say "quarter?" over and over and over trying to buy two folding lawn chairs and I kept saying, "NO." She finally gave up and left.  I've had people steal right out from under my nose and jump in their "fancy" cars and take off.  I've had a whole "family" of Mexicans pile out of a very nice van and converge upon my yard sale with one person trying to keep my attention while their family members steal whatever they could from me.  When I saw a one of the kids stick an X-Box game in his shirt, I told him he had to pay for it and he tried to walk away.  When my husband came up on the boy, the father tried to start a fight with my husband.  My neighbor called the police and when they arrived they had the adults and teens in cuffs and the children in the back of a unit.  Turned out they were illegal and were arrested and hauled off and then a tow truck came and got the van. 

I haven't had a yard sale in a long, long time.

for the reasons you stated, but it was very underhanded that the woman would snatch up the doll for $2.00 knowing she was buying it from a little girl when the mother wasn't looking.  It was just plain wrong.

There is a man (very good looking I might add) who goes to our church.  He is newly single, having been divorced about 3 months.  I am single, having been divorced about 4 years.  We have known each other since I was about 14 or so. He is about 11 years older than me, which is not a problem (for me anyway) We have a lot in common, having both been single parents, both of us raising only 1 child, boys.  I REALLY like him.  He is smart, funny and just an all around good guy.  He is not perfect, I know that.  But he has had some ATROCIOUS luck with women.  Ditto me with guys.  He has come to church off and on, not steady but from all apperances he is back to stay now. 

Question:  should I let myself like him?  I am kinda shy, and lord knows that I am not Miss Teen USA but I think I am a pretty nice person.  He is pretty flirty towards me (in a NICE way) but I am scared that I will run him off if I flirt back but at the same time, I don't want him to think I am a snob. 

I have had him fix my computer (he is a computer whiz) and I baked him a cherry pie and that went well.  I need all the advice that I can get (prayer would not go amiss either!)

I am in my mid 30s and currently having orthodontic treatment done. The doctor is so sweet (great looking too!).  I find him staring at me whenever I come in there, unusually so.  He's very, very attentive to me when he sees me.  Fast forward to yesterday. I paid all of treatment within 3 months using insurance and cash (close to 5,000) and I received a letter today. He told me that he was so impressed with the way I set goals to pay my treatment in such a short time.  Then he went on to say he was "looking forward to getting to know me better."

Okay. I was a little shocked. Is this normal? I've never had this happen before. It was a personal, hand written note.

Anyways, just wondering what your thoughts would be on this.  He is the kindest, gentlest doctor I've ever been around.  But, that's besides the point.

Just wanted to share this with you all. Not really looking for advice. Just thought it was weird.

I'm in a phase of craving cold water and ice like crazy these days.  Anybody know what that means, besides perhaps anemia?  I was anemic a while back, but got that taken care of and don't see any reason I should be again.  I've been cutting back on sugar and dieting a little bit, wondering if that could be it?

Whatch'all think?

Sounds like he has a good heart but other problems. You could ask him if you could both go on an alcohol-free stay at the hotel? Most hotels have a pool, suana, etc., and since alcohol dulls your senses, etc., wouldn't it be nice to start the new year out sober and clean or clean and sober, whatever! If you drink as well, it may be nice for both of you to pour all the alcohol down the sink together forever. Not only will you two be happier, but what a gift to your children! Alcohol could be causing him to act peculiar. Alcoholism is an allergy of the body and a craving of the brain or obsession of the mind, in my estimation. There are so much better things in life! Just my humble opinion. You sound strong enough to carry out a plan and if it doesn't work, then take the next necessary step. Good luck!

PS: You could tell him that your marital relations will improve in the bedroom without alcohol, that's a fact as well. Sounds like a good guy gone wrong to me.

I was wondering if anyone had ever made a crazy quilt just by sewing old scrap material onto a sheet.  I inherited a sewing machine and tons of scrap material.  I also still have my children's old baby clothes I could use.  Mom said it comes out too heavy doing it that way.  I don't know if there is a special way to do it.  I don't know how to quilt.  I am afraid though If I get someone else to do it, they would charge me an arm and a leg.  Does anyone out there have any information on this? H and I could really use something this winter.  The old quilt I have on there has a hole in it. 

I had already been kicking this idea around in my head, then I stumbled across some other people going cool things....

I live in a city. I mean IN a city, not KINDA near a city, but IN a city. I started looking at http://www.urbanfarming.org/ They get people growing things, including youth, and including food banks and such. I went to the auditor's site to look up the owners of a few vacant lots near me. Is this an insane project to even consider? I was going to try starting it from the ground up, so to speak, but then I bumbled across people already doing it, just not here yet!

Best of luck - if ya give him space, he might come a-runnin.....he also might be *gun-shy* at the moment...being only 3 months out....

Prayers comin' your way!! 

Ever see the movie "Clueless?"  There's this GREAT line where the father tells this boy that if he doesn't have his daughter home safe and sound at the end of the date, "I got a .45 and a shovel, I doubt anyone would miss you." 

Freakin' kills me! 

Two stories:

First is lady who lives upstairs, is retired, likes to wake up with gin and set the sun with it. This woman HAS to win the award for the biggest busybody ever born. I've tried to be friendly (10 apartments on this side...I'm on the bottom level). If someone's car tags expired yesterday, she is asking management to have it hauled. If someone's dog looks like it's going to poop, she is going over to ask the owner if they plan to clean it up.  She walks around the parking lot to critique how clean people keep their cars.  Two other neighbors above me have banned her from talking to them because she is so intrusive, so she started fixating on me

My son moved out about 45 days ago and left his broken down car and guess what? The tag expired. Two weeks ago she accidentally told me she was after mgmt to  get it towed. I looked at her and asked her if she was trying to get my son's car towed. Oh, no, she didn't mean it like that. I couldn't help it.  I said, "you mean you didn't mean to say that to my face, right?" I told her keep her nose out of my business and I got the car towed within 3 days and blocked her phone number on my phone. She knocked on my door yesterday (my son was pulling up to come in to sign the title and I was getting ready for a doctor appointment). I thought it was my son when she knocked and I opened the door. She wanted to talk to me about my across-the-hall neighbor's garbage (see next story) that had been pulled apart by cats in the breezeway...I told her I didn't have time cuz of the appt and started to shut the door.  She put out her arm and pushed my door back open into my apartment, making me have to step backward. I was floored! I told her she didn't have the right to use her body to keep me from closing my own front door. I told her to move her arm ...now! She didn't drop her arm, but the pressure lessened and I was able to close the door.  I heard voices and my door opened by my son.  He had heard what was said and she was trying to get him to tell me something.  He just shook his head and said, "not my problem!" Arggh! I did stop at the office on the way out to let them know about the garbage and what happened with the neighbor. Other than just avoiding her as I have been doing (which I think is the best approach) is to file a complaint at the sheriff's office.  If something else happens within 12 months of the complaint, I could get a restraining order on her.

Story Two - even better - Across-the-hall trash lady who leaves out her plastic garbage bags 1 or 2 times a week. Since she started that, cats, insects and vermin have infested my home, so I call the office to ask them to place give her a reminder notice that leaving out trash is not allowed. I'm never ugly about it even though I have had to get a professional pest control service and I have caught one rat and one mouse since she started this.  I have never gotten along with this woman. My first interaction with her told me she has an abbrasive personality, so I just smile, say hi, quick chit chat, but nothing personal.  The first neighbor introduced us because new neighbor was taking her 3 yo son with her to work and it was causing her problems on the job...so first neighbor knocked on my door, introduced us and told her that since I stay home and had a 3 yo, I could keep HER kid too!   We exchanged phone numbers to "think about it" and I told her it wouldn't work as we worked different shifts (I thought that was a gracious passive-aggressive way to handle it). The longer she has lived here, the more the phrase comes to my mind.."you can take the girl out of the trailer park, but..."  So today I come home from picking up my kid from daycare to find a puppy out in the trash and huge boxes of used toys she hasn't gotten to the dumpster yet in the breezeway. The puppy comes right over to my 4 yo (who is thrilled) and starts peeing on her shoes   The neighbor's sister who moved in to babysit came out the door saying she dropped her phone in the tub, it won't work, can she use mine.  I tell her I'm using mine to work, so not now. I ask her if that is their dog.  Yes. I tell her that I think I just don't know if I can handle all the trash in the breezeway, plus a dog that relieves itself just outside my door, too. She denied the dog did that and as I was pointing out the puddles, there it was.  The cutest little pile of steaming brownies 2 inches from my door jam. Oh, HE didn't do it! yeah, right! But, sister said she would clean it up.  I told her I'd be glad to watch the dog while she did that. She got mad, but I didn't believe she was going to clean it up. When the neighbor got home, she called me and was screaming about how ugly I treated her sister! I told her if she couldn't talk calmly, conversation was over.  She couldn't, I hung up. She called back in same manner.  I told her don't call me again or I would report her for annoying phone calls and hung up.  Yep, 8 calls later she finally left a message on voice mail admitting it was her dog.

So here is my question - I already made a tape copy to possibly take to mgmt to see if she has paid her $500 pet deposit - do I do that?  I went online and filled an annoyance call record with the phone company (all the calls were on my caller ID). That's out of my hands. After she left the message, I heard her come out into the breezeway and start yelling at me through the door. I ignored her. She is one of those who has to WIN and I wouldn't be surprised if strange things started happening.  Do I file a complaint at the sherrif's for both these things (I'll be the one looking like a nut!), do I find a lawyer to get me out of my lease, do I install a hidden camera to feel a little more secure, or just be a hermit until my lease is up Feb 1?

Anybody have any suggestions? I hate this kind of stuff.  Why can't we all just get along?  Where is that poster who set the visiting neighbor's kid straight about the rules of her house so I can rent her out to handle my problem!!  OMG, I just looked out my peep hole and there is ANOTHER bag of garbage just now put out with yesterday's garbage!!! No Way!!!!