Streams of Consciousness & Thoughts~~~

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Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
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Criss you should start a Facebook page for your area for that purpose, then that could lead to meetings, etc. I know people who have done such a thing, one in particular Erie help Erie, people come and ask questions or if they need help. It's got over 1,000 members now. Just start with friends ask them to spread it around.
 

Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
0
I admit I haven't actually gone to MOPS- I've heard good things about it and I'm not opposed to going. I'm just frustrated because I not only need something different for myself, but I've seen proof around here that others could really benefit from the type of group I'm thinking of as well.

Things we do have here:
low-income housing (but only the apartment complex where I live now, and it's just enough outside of town to make transportation super difficult)
a taxi service or two (which isn't useful to most people who live out here because hello, we live in low-income housing because we're broke)
A zillion churches, some of which band together for Love Inc., which helps with furniture or food or other desperate situations
pregnancy center, which helps with baby items
MOPS
Social Services, which helps, but they can only do so much
....there could be more. I don't know.

But what I see a real need for here is something that would really HELP single moms (and dads!)- not just once or twice, not just to get them through a few days or a super bad patch. Some way to get them on their feet- a way to meet with each other and encourage each other and even complain to each other if that's what needs to happen. Trading baby/kid items, or clothes, or furniture, or basic household necessities, so what little money they have can go towards bills or whatever. Trading services; babysitting, transportation, moving, cleaning...all the things that would be so much easier with two people. Bible studies. Someone to call and cry to in the middle of the night when your kids are sick and you haven't slept in two days and you're broke and your power is going to be shut off and your ex has been difficult and you haven't had a break in weeks...

Just something that's available all the time for single parents so they can breathe a little easier and gain strength to stand alone and hopefully, ultimately, be better parents for not being constantly stressed out and scared.

Something super simple like that...

um...excuse the rambling. But I now have an idea.

!!!!!!

MOPS can be nice, it depends on the group. I grew out of it after about 3 years, I made a few life long friends though and I'm thankful for that. Two in particular who we've helped each other when things were rough. I enjoyed it the time I was involved my kids made a few friends.
 
M

MissCris

Guest
Criss you should start a Facebook page for your area for that purpose, then that could lead to meetings, etc. I know people who have done such a thing, one in particular Erie help Erie, people come and ask questions or if they need help. It's got over 1,000 members now. Just start with friends ask them to spread it around.
That's a really good idea! I know of a couple pages for my area for kids' items and for cars for sale or like yard sale type pages, but for what I'm talking about, there's nothing. So that's a good place to start- thank you! :)
 

Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
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That's a really good idea! I know of a couple pages for my area for kids' items and for cars for sale or like yard sale type pages, but for what I'm talking about, there's nothing. So that's a good place to start- thank you! :)

Your welcome, I bet you'd find a lot more in your area who could use this kind of support.
 

gypsygirl

Senior Member
Sep 19, 2012
1,394
60
48
so, i'm having a weird monday.

i've got the usual work baloney going on, but um, having trouble sitting still.

could it be that i'm listening to paramore at full tilt and randomly dancing?

rachel, i forgot to mention this in response to an earlier streams post:

i'm super excited for you and your upcoming move. so incredibly excited. i'm happy for you and the beginning of this adventure. and truthfully, i'm mildly jealous! i just wanted you to know that. : )


aint it fun living in the real world?
 
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Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
0
Yesterday was my husbands work picnic it was at the same place my kids school picnic was. It was crowded, I'm not good with crowds, in fact I'm terrible, but we stuck it out. Anyhow my kids and I were in line so I could get ice cream for them. There was these pre teen girls in front of us, talking joking around, well then one starts punching the other one, she was kind of laughing but then she said, OK stop. The other girl said, this is pay back for your birthday, so she's like punch me. The other girl said, no, so she just hit her a little and the girl did this weird face and hit her again. Then the third girl said, well you should hit her harder, for her birthday. So she starts punching this girl in the arm.

Well I was pretty moody yesterday and the crowd there was pushing my buttons and my own kids were looking at these girls like, what? So I said loudly, Stop, stop what you're doing. Then one of the girls turns around and says, me. I said all of you, she doesn't want you to hit her and you shouldn't do that, no one should. Then miss snot turns around and says, it's a birthday thing. I said, well that's a pretty stinky birthday tradition.

So one of the girls Mom's walked up and she told on me, the Mom looked around shrugged her shoulders and said, OK.

My friends and I didn't hit each other on our birthdays and I didn't like the fact that the other girl was getting hurt. I'm really not good at confrontation, so I surprised myself, but I'm glad I said it.
 

Pipp

Majestic Llamacorn
Sep 17, 2013
5,539
2,712
113
Georgia
Yesterday was my husbands work picnic it was at the same place my kids school picnic was. It was crowded, I'm not good with crowds, in fact I'm terrible, but we stuck it out. Anyhow my kids and I were in line so I could get ice cream for them. There was these pre teen girls in front of us, talking joking around, well then one starts punching the other one, she was kind of laughing but then she said, OK stop. The other girl said, this is pay back for your birthday, so she's like punch me. The other girl said, no, so she just hit her a little and the girl did this weird face and hit her again. Then the third girl said, well you should hit her harder, for her birthday. So she starts punching this girl in the arm.

Well I was pretty moody yesterday and the crowd there was pushing my buttons and my own kids were looking at these girls like, what? So I said loudly, Stop, stop what you're doing. Then one of the girls turns around and says, me. I said all of you, she doesn't want you to hit her and you shouldn't do that, no one should. Then miss snot turns around and says, it's a birthday thing. I said, well that's a pretty stinky birthday tradition.

So one of the girls Mom's walked up and she told on me, the Mom looked around shrugged her shoulders and said, OK.

My friends and I didn't hit each other on our birthdays and I didn't like the fact that the other girl was getting hurt. I'm really not good at confrontation, so I surprised myself, but I'm glad I said it.
You go girl ! I bet the girl was proud of you too..lol
 

CatHerder

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2013
3,551
79
48
I think my cats have been watching Monty Python while I am gone; instead of meowing this morning, they greeted me with "Ni! Ni!"
 
Sep 6, 2013
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Yesterday was my husbands work picnic it was at the same place my kids school picnic was. It was crowded, I'm not good with crowds, in fact I'm terrible, but we stuck it out. Anyhow my kids and I were in line so I could get ice cream for them. There was these pre teen girls in front of us, talking joking around, well then one starts punching the other one, she was kind of laughing but then she said, OK stop. The other girl said, this is pay back for your birthday, so she's like punch me. The other girl said, no, so she just hit her a little and the girl did this weird face and hit her again. Then the third girl said, well you should hit her harder, for her birthday. So she starts punching this girl in the arm.

Well I was pretty moody yesterday and the crowd there was pushing my buttons and my own kids were looking at these girls like, what? So I said loudly, Stop, stop what you're doing. Then one of the girls turns around and says, me. I said all of you, she doesn't want you to hit her and you shouldn't do that, no one should. Then miss snot turns around and says, it's a birthday thing. I said, well that's a pretty stinky birthday tradition.

So one of the girls Mom's walked up and she told on me, the Mom looked around shrugged her shoulders and said, OK.

My friends and I didn't hit each other on our birthdays and I didn't like the fact that the other girl was getting hurt. I'm really not good at confrontation, so I surprised myself, but I'm glad I said it.
Good for you for standing up for that girl. Once, I saw some kids walking home from school, and one of the boys was pushing and shoving another smaller boy. They looked maybe 8-10 years old. I watched them a while to see if they were just messing around, but it was definitely a case of bullying. I opened my front door and said, "Hey, no shoving."

The bully looked right at me and said, "Shut the **** up, *****."

A 10 year old. Sweet, huh?
 

Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
0
Good for you for standing up for that girl. Once, I saw some kids walking home from school, and one of the boys was pushing and shoving another smaller boy. They looked maybe 8-10 years old. I watched them a while to see if they were just messing around, but it was definitely a case of bullying. I opened my front door and said, "Hey, no shoving."

The bully looked right at me and said, "Shut the **** up, *****."

A 10 year old. Sweet, huh?

Sounds like you live in my town. You know I can't even fathom how a little kid that's 10 would even know some of the garbage that I hear. I know I've talked about where I work before. It's in a not horrible part of town, but it's got it's moments. I've seen some of the worst parenting, it makes my skin crawl, I've also dealt with some really snotty kids.

One evening a lady came in and walked over to the Barbershop next door, she left her probably 11 and 12 and 7 year old in her van, OK whatever, I heard loud music so I looked out to the back parking lot and saw them. Well they get out and start playing in the middle of the parking lot. I don't say anything, it's not a super busy lot. Anyhow they come in and start talking to me, the older girl asked if I would give her a dollar so she could buy a candy bar, I said, no, I didn't have any cash on me. Then she said, well I saw all those quarters you have. I said, those aren't mine, they belong to my boss and I don't steal. So I suggested they go find their Mom at the barbershop. Well they went back into their car and a customer came in and said the kids in the car said, f you white lady. I apologized. She said, well it's not your fault, but I still felt bad.

Jesus come save us all now.
 
I

iTOREtheSKY

Guest
Laundry Accomplished! 86 degrees outside & 95% humidity. I wasn't sweating until I walked up the 22 stairs to my friends apartment with a 35 lb bag of laundry. Good Times,Good Times.

In other news...
I have M&M's! Yay me.
 

rachelsedge

Senior Member
Oct 15, 2012
3,659
81
48
34
I have two phone interviews tomorrow for jobs in the area of which I'm moving to. Prayers would be appreciated. Honestly, I'm not nervous at this point (I am, but not overly so), but...I'd still appreciate prayers. I'll keep you guys updated. :)
 
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MissCris

Guest
I had forgotten how refreshing it is to spend an hour on the phone laughing and talking with another girl. Helps me feel a little more human, and all that stuff.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,228
16,772
113
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Tennessee
I had forgotten how refreshing it is to spend an hour on the phone laughing and talking with another girl. Helps me feel a little more human, and all that stuff.
Maybe I should spend an hour on the phone laughing and talking with a girl too. I get the human part but I am more interested in the stuff.
 

Liamson

Senior Member
Feb 3, 2010
3,078
69
48
So I get to choose what day of the week I want off, and or if I want one. Mostly for company hours and stuff.

This week, I made that day today. So far its been... really productive, can't complain.
 

Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
0
You go girl ! I bet the girl was proud of you too..lol
Sadly she was probably afraid of not being cool in front of her friends. I remember being like that when I was her age. I felt sorry for her. We have a lot of future gang girls around here, they try to act all Pink Ladies, like from Grease, lol.
 

Fenner

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
0
So I get to choose what day of the week I want off, and or if I want one. Mostly for company hours and stuff.

This week, I made that day today. So far its been... really productive, can't complain.

Tell them that you took the wrong day off, you meant Tuesday, not Monday so you won't be in. lol
 
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MissCris

Guest
Today has turned out surprisingly pleasant.

I set a goal for myself, and tonight I'm going to start collecting the information I need to get going with the support type group I described earlier. I'm going to ask around, starting with...my mom and sister...anyone I know who is or has been a single parent in this area, to find out what kinds of things they wished they'd had more help with. If I can come up with a few common things, then I can find a way to put those into action. Once I know HOW to help the best, I'll start a Facebook page and enlist some people to help me help others.

I really think this will catch on around here; the number of teen pregnancies and divorces and...ugh. It's heart breaking.

And God has really opened my eyes to the fact that I'm in the unique position to help. He blessed me with creativity and empathy and resourcefulness. It's super exciting for me, realizing the endless ways I can use those gifts...to hopefully make a difference in the lives of others and maybe help them avoid some of the self-destructive things I've been through. I also have the time- yes, I have my kids, but I don't work, I don't have any other obligations.

And I've been known to tell people that they should focus on something other than themselves, that it really helps...I know from experience, but it's about time to take a refresher course.

It's a really amazing feeling, finally recognizing that I can serve God in such a tangible way. It's been a long time since I've felt this good, this certain about something.