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ha ha polar/llama - I try to work as little as possible....

Thats why I prefer contract work too. I don't do anything for free and neither am I obliged to do so to impress anyone.

Don't think I'd fit in to the US corporate culture :-(
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I think you're right there, Paul. I don't think anyone who tries to work as little as possible would last five minutes in US corporate culture.

[Cue: lots of lovely Americans reminding me about Dilbert..!]
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CM - Which famous person (was it Brunel?) explained why he'd charged £1000 or something when the person had complained all he'd done was take a hammer and bang one nail in?

£1 to hammer the nail in, £999 to know which one to hit. ;-)

But nah, I wouldn't fit in. I'm too old to try to impress people these days and have no interest in being "part of a company"
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paul: My ex company I worked for pulled some fast stunts like my job used to be done by 2 people - then they cancelled out the other person, leaving just me for same wages! One time 2 minutes till closing bell - they say "You have to do your boss's job for 2 weeks while he goes on vacay." What the heck kind of stunt is that? I tell ya, there was some shady stuff goin' on - lucky I got out with my life.

Now the county is making my daughter do her job AND someone else's who took a LOA.for same wages - not double wages! What the heck?
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Okay, Paul

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Llama,

Would you remain in the US if you could live anywhere in the world?

Last night on our Presidential debates, Denmark was mentioned for what many feel is the number one place for the highest quality of life. Any thoughts on that?

So many changes have happened in our lifetimes. If our grandparents could come back and see our progress they would be shocked, especially in medicine and technology.

If you could get into a time machine how many years ahead would you travel? I remember reading George Orwell’s book, 1984 as a teenager and feeling it was bizarre. Especially reading about the test tube babies. Then years later I ended up doing the in vitro fertilization three times myself trying to conceive a baby!

We spent a fortune without success. Ended up adopting our first child and then conceiving without any fertility treatments seven years after we adopted our daughter.

Paul, wasn’t the first successful in vitro fertilization in the UK?
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Need, I think you might be conflating Nineteen Eighty Four and Brave New World. The babies were in Brave New World, not only gestated in vitro but also genetically modified. I'm not the biggest-ever fan of Aldous Huxley but he does seem to have been remarkably prescient there.

Tina Brown, I think, was the first test tube baby, wasn't she? Decades ago - goodness, I wonder how she is now! I'm so pleased for you that your blessings both came along in the end in their own different ways :)
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NHWM: Oh, my goodness, that's a resounding YES. I will remain in the U.S.A. I am a 73 year old elder so it would be too late to start any place new! Away from my daughter, son in law, grandson and other family members who will help me as I age forward. Do I have any thoughts on Denmark? No. You see, Need, I'm well into my 70s and no need to completely uproot my life, especially as I have dry Macular Degeneration and other inherited factors. Also my husband's sister has Alzheimer's and although 6 years my junior, may need help especially since her husband is also a VERY ill man.
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CM,

Yes. Of course you are correct! Sorry! I read both books many years ago!

Thank you for correcting me! Yes, I can’t recall her name. We’ll have to look it up.

Okay, I looked it up. Louise Brown.
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Need, I'm ashamed to say that when I read BNW as a teenager I honestly couldn't see much wrong with a world where all the people were healthy, happy, and at ease with their place in society. And his point was..?

Nowadays, after babies and a bit of actual life and all the rest of it, I (mostly) get it.
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Louise! Of course!

Tina Brown is the editor of Vanity Fair, isn't she! - oops, I do beg her pardon :/
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CM,

Neither of us could remember her name. Like you said, it was a long time ago!

Yes, I read Brave New World as a teen too. Also 1984 oh, and remember reading George Orwell, Animal Farm? That was one we read as teens too.
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I just loved 1984 the book. Look at the 'newspeak' we have now! Eg fake-news.

Also love the ideas from Scandinavia esp Denmark but had the concept of cozy couch time under a blankie (watching a movie) way before we heard of h. . Must be my 12% Viking genes, he he.

My partner & I joke about moving to Tasmania if we outlive the parents. Will take disabled sister with me (to a local nursing home). Kids can visit - there is a ship or planes...
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Hygge, isn't it called, Beatty? Roaring fire, rugs, cushions, mulled wine, good friends on your sofa, while a blizzard howls outside your tightly closed front door, that kind of thing?

Mm. And who's fetching the groceries?
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Yes, hygge. I went of to spellcheck it & fell asleep watching the movie - oops.

The groceries?? Well currently, DH decided to teach son some life skills & took up the challenge that groceries are a man's job. "It's our job to hunt & bring back meat, son" (ie what's on special at Aldi...)

Maybe in the future, drones will deliver. We'll probably be all living in domed cities to protect against the mega storms, tornados & bushfires. On hills for flood protection too!

This year already we've had fire, smoke, mega hail storms & a brown sticky rain people said was like manure falling from the sky (luckily I was out of town for that!)

CM & Paul, hope the flood waters are receding?
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Need:
What about you? You ready to leave the U.S.?
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Beatty after that list I feel a bit pathetic whining about a bit of rain and a few puddles!

There is an awful mess to clear up, though. The council sent an email to all staff yesterday morning asking for volunteers to go out and help. Only... yesterday was my first day off for over a week, and I turned my phone off and hid. I will now feel guilty all weekend.
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CM, no guilt!! Everyone needs a day off!

When the thunderstorm struck this week, instead of complaining about the rain, people said "at least it's proper rain - not that poo rain!" You've got to laugh 😁
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Llama,

I have thought about it. My husband most likely not be on board with it. I wouldn’t mind.

I would miss New Orleans cuisine!
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Need: I would be too frightened to up and root at my age of 73 as I've known to be my home, That would be so foolish of DH and I (he is 69 and will turn 70 this year). I believe you said you're much younger than me?
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Place I'd live. Well I go to Florida every single year on vacation so I guess that would be one place!

I think the only thing putting me off would be crime and gun laws if I'm honest. Nuts how someone can own a gun that easily. Its foreign to us in the UK where is pretty much NO gun crime because you can't get one!

Then again, and CM will disagree, I think the healthcare in the UK is AWFUL. My wife tore her ACL in her knee last week - 7 HOURS wait in A&E. Yet they prioritise drink people covered in blood, dragging in there by the police, abusing staff (And there is NO security!).

GP appointments pretty much 2-3 week wait. Only chance of urgent appt is to turn up at 8am and wait until 11am.

I mention Florida. We drive past the sign "Kissimmee Hospital A&E - current wait time - 14 minutes" Just WOW.
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Anyway back to my Dad. Hes been difficult this week. I get hes worked out that I'm not jumping when he says any more.

He does seem to be getting VERY obsessed with me visiting or not. Like its a huge, massive deal. He seems to be overly anxious and stressing that I've GOT TO VISIT.

Hes been very erratic as well. I'm concerned that this is playing on his mind a little. Like I've always said, his health is OK, he manages to live alone, hes got friends, he goes out. I've ALWAYS sorted things for him in the past, never let him down, but it sometimes feels like he feels the need to test my commitment ALL the time.

After fake admissions a few years ago, fake illnesses, ambulance etc I am concerned that if he feels things aren't going how he'd like we'll get that again or worse.
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Paul,

I totally agree with your feelings on guns. As a US citizen it is always on my mind. The mass shootings are so disturbing, especially school children.

We have typical fire drills in schools but we also invader drills preparing students what to do in the case of an imposter in the school with a gun. So sad!

Killing sprees in movie theaters and concerts. Awful!

Regarding your dad, it’s just hard always living with the pressure of his constant expectations of you. I’m sorry you have to deal with it. There will always be underlying stress associated with it.

Paul, our healthcare system needs improvement too. I suppose there isn’t a place on earth that has perfect healthcare.
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NHWM--A few years ago I was in Tampa getting ready to give a presentation at the U of S Florida med school when I looked at the door of the lecture room and read all the various warnings (e. g., fire, severe weather, active shooter) and what to do in each case. I remarked to those already present that I wondered what kind of warnings will be added, let's say, ten years from now. At least the air raid warnings weren't there, and probably hadn't been for decades--I recall the drills we had in grade school, as I'm sure many other people on this forum do.
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Paul- you know your dad's tricks well. You also know what you should do, after all we've covered this ground many times over the 1000 plus posts.

Your difficulty might be your emotions, understandably, after all he's your dad, but you need to act logically. His doctor and the 999 responders certainly do.
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Jacobsonbob,

I do remember our drills. We only had fire drills.

I am 64. My school days were vastly different from my children’s. So sad.

The worst that I saw in elementary school was someone chewing gum which was against the rules, an occasional food fight in the cafeteria or talking in class. Oh, and the boy who sat in front of me decided to staple his finger to see if it would hurt. Our teacher (a nun) was not happy when she heard him scream. Hahaha

In high school there was the occasional ‘smoker’ who was caught or we rolled up our Catholic school skirts because they were supposed to be knee length.

The nuns would make us kneel on the floor and the skirt had to touch the floor. That was the ‘mini skirt’ era and I hated it and would roll up the waistband on my skirt.

There wasn’t anything serious to worry about. Now, kids have imposters or fellow students bringing guns into the classroom. It’s horrible.

My youngest daughter is now at LSU, (Geaux Tigers!) and the university police sent alert messages to students saying a man was spotted on campus with a gun. She called me freaking out. Then I freaked.

Guess who had a visible gun showing and who turned him in? A janitor alerted security and the gunman was an undercover cop!

Geeeeeez, wouldn’t you think he would realize that he can’t walk around in today’s day and age with a visible gun? I say, great janitor for alerting the university police and good for the security at her school and someone needs to talk to the undercover cop!

Like Paul says, it’s nuts how people act with guns.
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Went to a shooting range in Orlando last time. Teenage son into all the that sort of thing. He loved it - I was not keen. It was an eye opener. It was like a walmart for guns.

I remember speaking to the guys there who were lovely. I mentioned we just did not see guns in the UK ever pretty much. They were amazed but all had the attitude (I suppose working in a gun club you'd be more of a supporter) that they hoped the US would never be like the UK because it was their right to have a gun to protect themselves.....
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polar - I think whats worrying me at the moment is how far will he go?
Its getting to the point where I dont know to be honest.
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Paul,

When I was a child we watched the old western television shows with my grandfather. They were popular then featuring cowboys and Indians (now referred to as Native Americans) and toy guns were extremely popular for children. Did you have toy guns in the UK? Just curious...
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NHWM- Just a word of caution. Gun is a very hot political topic that gets people riled up on both sides. It has the potential to get this good thread to go side way the way the Canada thread did.
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NHWM, only referred to as Native Americans by non Indians. My family will correct people every single time. We are Indian thank you very much and no shame in it.

Just so you know what Indians feel about politically correct names.
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