I think either way...whatever you decide to do...will be fine. Do not beat yourself up (and don't let anyone else beat up on you) if you decide to forego the death bed scene.

On the other hand, if you think this might bring you some closure, then do it.

I don't think I'd want anything to do with it - especially since he made the abuse a family affair, but I wasn't sexually molested by a supposedly safe and trusted parent. I wouldn't dream of imposing what I'd do on you as the standard of behavior. You have survived this and you have EVERY RIGHT to react anyway you deem appropriate.

Best wishes, OYPT!

"Please stop calling me. If you continue, you'll be in violation of the Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 which provides for a fine of $500 to $1500 for each call made."

That usually does it. Make sure you get a name , number, and address if you can.

I shipped six boxes of cds via Parcel Post, but I should have packed them better. I think maybe the post office may be a little rougher with parcel post than with other grades of shipment. Two of the boxes exploded (they were too heavy and I used a moving box instead of a shipping box - mea culpa).

It really didn't take that long to receive the four boxes (maybe 8-10 working days) and what remained (three cds and two without their jewel boxes)of the other two boxes - although they said it could take up to a month (it was LA to Seattle).

So, pack well and insure!

Shades and blinds are too expensive and I'm through with purchasing furnishings/fixtures for rentals. I've had pretty good luck with room darkening Redi-Shades. They look fine from the outside and inside, too. Maybe they aren't so permanent...but they stay looking good for a long time and they come in all the standard sizes (and a few colors). You can customize with a pair of scissors. They're about $6-7 at Home Depot. They also have Redi-Shades that don't darken so much.

Yeah, the joy of fresh cut basil is fleeting. That's why pesto was invented. Alas! Similarly, nothing beats its natural teammate, the tomato, grown with lots of sun and fresh off the vine. You can can it, make it into a sauce, dry it (sun-dried or otherwise) for fall and winter, and roast it in the oven and preserve that in oil, but nothing beats a fresh tomato picked right when it's supposed to be picked.

Everything has its season, right?

It isn't the rain that you may find troubling, but the short days and long nights of late autumn to mid-winter. In November and early December it's night by 16:30 and some people just get very gloomy at that time of year (not me though - I'm not a sun person). On the other hand, if you aren't a sun person, May and June and most of July have very long days. It doesn't get truly dark until after 22:00 and the sun rises very early - like 05:00. That bothers me more than the short days. I don't sleep very well during the summer in Seattle.

Welcome to Seattle. You are going to love living in a progressive city.

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly had a campaign about a hundred years ago called Skin Care Le Hot. Heated Vaseline and gloves overnight. Back then you put the jar in boiling water for a while to get it warm. Today, you could probably microwave - very carefully, of course - testing it to avoid scalding. Doesn't have to be very hot just nice and warm.

I've noticed a trend that owners/landlords are adopting - and I hate it, really, from a prospective renter's perspective - namely open houses. They aren't making appointments anymore to show the apartments, but rather saying, "I'll be showing the apartment from 12:00 to 3:00 on Thursday."

You get there, the place is filled with people and you can't really see it at all. I went to one or two in Vancouver that looked like a town hall meeting. In one, I saw somebody going through some of the current renter's personal things (the current resident was at work).

It was like "COME AND GET IT!" Horrible, but that's what happens when vacancy rates are very low. On the other hand, it usually gets the place rented (if you win the war) in one day or so - so the current resident isn't bothered continually.

An initial correction of "Oh...it's pronounced (insert name here)." It's friendly and concise and quite proper. If you do it once and it continues, I think you can try to correct them one more time if it's an on-going relationship or if it isn't let it slide. If people you want in your life don't get it right after the first or second correction, I'd re-evaluate the relationship because it is rather disrespectful. It's like saying, "Please don't do that." and they continue to do it, right?

If it's a co-worker situation, after two corrections max, I'd say, "Why do you insist on pronouncing my name incorrectly?" If you're dealing with someone with an IQ above 80, that should take care of it. If it doesn't, you have my permission to limit your associations with this rude, thoughtless person.

Two weeks minimum; four weeks maximum. The two weeks gives time enough for the machinery at your current employer to crank up for replacing you (or trying to get you to stay!). It's the professional thing to do. Positions that carry a higher degree of responsibility require a little more notice, but no more than four weeks because once you give notice, you're a lame duck. You won't be kept in the loop. You won't be asked to attend meetings. There'll be no raises, of course, or promotions to someone on his/her way out. And they may want you to train the new person if they hire before you leave. That's a huge drag and shouldn't be your responsibility.

Here's what I recommend: I think you should get a break between jobs, too, because you won't get another vacation for a while. Give three (or two) weeks notice, but tell your employer you'll be ready to start in four (or three) weeks. that'll give you a week off.

Not giving someone who's laid off notice is optional unfortunately. I think it's pretty crummy to not at least hint that there's gonna be cutbacks and that it may affect you. So, not a very nice place to work. Congrats on getting out. Still, be better than them and do the professional thing, but do not feel guilty about leaving. Most of your bosses would be out of there SO fast for more money and/or better benefits. Don't let them make you feel like a creep for wanting to improve your status.

Good luck and congrats on the new job!