BluesChick

Steve, That is wonderful news!! I hope things continue to improve! You're welcome and I'm always here and rooting for you!

My mother has worked with the mentally ill since I was very young so I have seen every concievable type of personality and mood disorder there is. I think that we are brought up to generally think of seeking help for mood or mental problems to be worse then seeking help for health problems. It is horrible the way we stigmatize people who have these issues. Depression is a problem that effects millions of people some for just a few months or years and some for decades or their entire lives. Not everyone who has depression is bipolar. Most societies need to move away from making people feel guilty or ashamed of seeking help for depression. I think that is doubly true for men. I believe that men don't get the same treatment when they struggle as women do or the same attention. If a women says she is struggling or not coping, I think a doctor is more likely to listen than if a man says it but I also think a woman is more likely to say it. When I lost my sisters and niece in 2002, I didn't even realize that it was depression but I did know that I wasn't sleeping and wasn't responding to things as I ought too. So, I think the key is to know when you see change in yourself and tell your doctor or trust in those close to you when they tell you they are seeing major changes so you can get help. It isn't always possible to get past it on your own. Steve, hang in there and get the treatment or keep talking to those around you and it will get better. I promise. Manpe... talk to someone... anyone... and remember I love you both

My sweetie came home from the US with gifts from the Apple store

I have to say I pick on my home country quite a bit at work (I work at the British School) and that I really don't care for the two American schools here in Shanghai. My students are always amazed to find out that when I say football I really do mean football not American football and that I know that they are boots not cleats LOL The boys especially like to try and trip me up and see if I can really talk football with them they are surprised when I know the scores of the game and can tell them who scored, who screwed up, who totally shocked who over the weekend in games. And since I have several football feeds that I read I can even comment on football from Germany, France, Australia, or New Zealand and that makes Mrs. Camp the cool teacher of the week LOL especially since she is American and doesn't like American football. Sorry I haven't been around, my lap top took a suicidal turn, but my sweet hubby has replaced it with an even better one so I should be on more often... depending on work of course! LOL

I hope they find the cause soon, have they looked to see if you have an ulcer? just a thought Take care and get well soon.

I have been MIA for a few weeks due to computer issues and I am sorry to hear this has happened.

Today it was the British Internation School Shanghai (BISS) Puxi v Shanghai American School in a tournament held at the American school and the British School came out the victors!.... The score was 2-0 and there were a few ironic factors to this football game 1. the goalkeeper for BISS Puxi was the smallest player on the pitch 2. the goalkeeper for BISS Puxi was also the youngest player on the pitch by a full year level as she is still in primary and the other girls are in secondary (Key stage 3 (years 7 −9) 3, the goalkeeper for BISS Puxi is AMERICAN!!! I had to share because she is also my beautiful little future Chelsea player

A sinus infection can lead to nosebleeds and or if your nose is over dry that may cause it as well. A saline spray in your nose wouldn't hurt anything and my help, but I would see the doctor as soon as you can. My son had a series of nosebleeds last year and they ended up having the inside of his nose cauterized.

I would guess that it is on at 12 noon PST if I remembered my time zone differences right! It will be on here in the wee hours of the morning and that means I will read the report in the morning since I have to work tomorrow!

Chris, my guess is that she is nervous about meeting you in person. It is one thing to talk to someone (even via skype) and a whole different thing to actually meeting them. I do agree with the guys, long distance relationships are so very hard. I know a few people who have made them work, but they have to both put in a lot of time and energy to make it happen. I wish you the best of luck! I am tired and mentally drained!

Good Luck, Nicola! I am sure you will do great!! I will miss you!! I am exhausted! I really didn't plan on working for a while yet and it is hard jumping in midterm for someone! Still feel like I am not doing as well as I could.

Thanks! The trip was amazing and the resort was top notch! I would recommend it to anyone. The vacation cost less than it would have cost us to take a cruise in the carribean which we were planning to do until the relocation to China. MacKenzie had an amazing birthday and I will never forget the smile on her face when the elephant came on the polo field with "Happy Birthday, MacKenzie" written on it! Thai hospitality is amazing.

Congrats Seb! I think your English is amazing! If you've made grammatical mistakes I haven't noticed them.

Here's a link to our pictures It was amazing https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2512937421522.2146852.1195751152&l=c8e63adcc6&type=1

LOL if I was awake I might have caught that, but we flew the red eye back from Thailand and my brain is a week bit foggy! LOL I did wonder why anyone would want a video of Tevez... he is so nasty looking

i don't play, but I am the ultimate football mom!! I am the one on the sidelines encouraging everyone and cheering for the whole team. I am also the first one to ask the coach what I can do to help out or what we can do to help our kids improve! When I was growing up football just wasn't played in the midwest part of the US, I think I would have like CB or goal, tho. I am partial to defenders probably because that is the position my children play (for the most part). My son is a CB or defensive MF and my daughter plays either right mid or keeper (she is a natural keeper and has no fear and for a girl at age 11 that means a lot!)

I know that I can speak for myself and probably zoyales, we have a few years on the rest of y'all, so the travel has been over a longer period of time than some of the others

my guess is it is not the right region. I run into that here in China with our Chinese bluray player not playing our US discs and vice versa, depending on your player you can unlock it to make it all region. if one of the guys doesn't know how to I'd suggest googling it. I found it for our bluray but we have the wrong remote

I have heard African elephants are more aggressive, the ones we were with very sweet and gentle and their Mahouts (trainers) were with them the whole time. I told Win that Pulamb was like a big kid. She would wait until he was not paying attention and then try and eat the plants by the road (how the resort keeps its vegetation I don't know) and she would make all kinds of noise (like she was talking back) when he would tell her no and if she really didn't like it she'd hit him with her ears! quite entertaining but I am glad he was with me the whole time, especially in the water because I am sure she was trying to get me as wet as possible. MacKenzie learned very quickly to imitate her mahout and by the end of the week was laying on Jenny's back and standing on her back and head when we would bathe them! One day her mahout actually ended up soaked and only the bottom of MacKenzie's pants were wet! She took to the elephants like she'd been around them all of her life!

Congrats!! What a lucky boy to be raised in a Chelsea family!

Home Country USA (but I live in China) Other Country's lived in China Other Country's I have visited Scotland England Belgium Poland Germany (only to the airport in Munich and Frankfort (overnight nearby) Netherlands (only to the airport in Amsterdam) China Thailand Canada (Eastern) In the US I have visited 46 of the 50 states And I have to say sometimes it is like visiting another country! LOL Puerto Rico Mexico Belize Cayman Islands Bahamas US Virgin Islands Dutch/French Virgin Islands Barbados Martinique Japan (only the airport) Country's i want to go too Japan Malaysia Indonesia Australia New Zealand Tahiti Ireland Germany Switzerland Chile .... as many as I can!

I am sore as heck and wonderfully relaxed after a week in Thailand and several days of Elephant Mahout Training! If you are friends with me on Facebook I have pictures posted (I'll try and get some posted here as well) We had a wonderful trip and would go back to the resort in a heart beat. MacKenzie celebrated her 11th birthday on Thursday (October 6th) and they made her day so very special. The highlights were elephant polo, "Happy Birthday, MacKenzie" written in chalk on her elephant, Jenny, and dinner at the baby elephant camp where she was able to feed the baby elephants and send up paper hot balloon lanterns!!

ouch! I hope it heals quickly!! those hurt

it's been fun and rough at the same time!! Life here is fun and interesting but also challenging

Had friends over last night and sat on the terrace and talked and relaxed. Kids played playstation and watched movies... Thank God they are old enough they don't need watch constantly!! Today, packing for Thailand and doing lesson planning... or trying to!! Tomorrow leave for Thailand for the week!!! So excited!