The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[MOXOMUMD]

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Well, its long weekend for you too right?

Yes, but in this case, I think the fact that it's a long weekend is making it worse.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Both of my kids are certified trIners of instructors and lifeguards. Life guards must retrieve brick out of 12 feet of water. They can't dive or go over head first. You surface dive. Basically butt plop and use arm strength to pull yourself down 12 feet pick up brick. That is a deep water verification. Disney has both shallow water guards and deep water. And they also have pool attendants. In a waterpark you'll find the guards in red. Attendants in blue helping guests in and out of tubes etc

I probably could have passed that test at about 12 years old. I remember when my swim teacher taught us how to surface dive, she put stuff at the bottom for us to retrieve.

We were always droppings toys at the bottom of the pool and retrieving them. It was usually a competition to see who could pick up the most in one breath. Usually it was me. I actually have large lungs for my height. My normal values for breathing tests are higher than what they should be given my height. Not a bad thing at all, though.

 

[MinnieM123]

I love Lands Ends swim suits, have bought them a long long time already. Their material is strong, doesn't pill easily and holds up against chlorine well not fading or suffering from Chlorine Rot. Big fan.

I like L. L. Bean swimsuit separates. They hold up really well. Of course, they're not cheap, but sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

[MinnieM123]

How annoying. We did one trip in April of 2014. We had the dining plan. We are hard pressed to find our TS venues. It wasn't Spring Break for most and not free dining but during F&G. Only odd times everywhere and at obscure hard to get to resorts. It was frustrating.

We were staying at the FQ. One night we went to Boatwright podium and they told us they were filled for the night. I'd say 1/3 of tables were empty. We went to the lobby to see what was available elsewhere. They said pick the time Boatwright had ressies all evening.

Wow. I've hear from others that they've walked into TS restaurants at WDW, and the room would be half full, but they'd be denied walk-in service. Sometimes I think they cut back the servers and chefs, based upon preliminary projections only. Stupid loss of revenue with that model, if there is no flexibility on the management end.

 

[Gabe1]

I like L. L. Bean swimsuit separates. They hold up really well. Of course, they're not cheap, but sometimes you get what you pay for.

I understand expensive. My DD competition suits ran $80-$120. Lands End is expensive, I always wait for a sale or off season. But I have never tried LL Bean. Going to have to go look. Do they run close to correct woman sizes?

 

[MinnieM123]

For the most part I stopped emailing as a form of communication. I originally loved it. It was quick and short. Then my circle of friends, family and community converted it to everything including social media. I found myself spending way too much time wading through what was info and what was more social media.

Email is still # 1 with me. I have friends that keep up with me that way, every week. They know I refuse to join Facebook, etc. And don't even get me started about how often email is used at work. My inbox at work is often up to 80 incoming emails a day, and that's from all over the hospital. None of it is junk email--it's all about work.

 

[MinnieM123]

Ah for the simple pleasure of cooking in your own kitchen

What's even better is eating in your own kitchen!!

 

[Gabe1]

I probably could have passed that test at about 12 years old. I remember when my swim teacher taught us how to surface dive, she put stuff at the bottom for us to retrieve.

We were always droppings toys at the bottom of the pool and retrieving them. It was usually a competition to see who could pick up the most in one breath. Usually it was me. I actually have large lungs for my height. My normal values for breathing tests are higher than what they should be given my height. Not a bad thing at all, though.

You likely could have passed at 12. Strong swimmers tend to do well in the water. These days they have to pass an online test that takes a few hours, test out in CPR, swim 8 continuous laps of the pool, be able to retrieve both shallow and deep water spinals on a back board and pull a real human out of the water on backboard without tipping them, know how to administer an epi (you could do blindfolded) and administer oxygen and know how to use an oxygen tank, how to use and AED and shock a Derrick Dummy, how to try and control bleeding and then there is a written test at the end. Likely you would pass with flying colors.

These are Ellis Lifeguards, that is also what Disney pools implement too. At Disney it is taught at Mickey's Retreat and the lifeguards spend 5 8 hour days in that pool being trained and another 4 hours per month going over it all again. Most have been lifeguards elsewhere before Disney. At a resort if you are up before the main pool opens a few times a week you will see the lifeguards for an hour at in service putting those 4 hours in the water or doing CPR skills on the deck. It is interesting to pull up a chair and watch. Those little packs they wear could save your life one day.

 

[MinnieM123]

I'm like you. I started taking lessons at 3. It was very important to my parents that I could swim. I took them until I was 12. I actually swim well enough to qualify as a lifeguard. My brother, on the other hand, took forever to put his face in the water. He still can't float on his back. My parents didn't force him as much. At Typhoon Lagoon, he's pretty content near the edge. Most other pools he's tall enough to stand, but can tread in deep water. But being able to tread in a pool for 10 minutes is different than treading in a wave pool for much longer. And if you happen to be in there when it changes from the big waves to the pulsing waves, that can be a hard swim back.

My mother enrolled me in a Red Cross beginner swim class when I was 5, because she never learned to swim. She was afraid of the water and never wanted me to be that way. I turned into a fish and absolutely loved the water!!

When I was about 12-13, I was in jr. life guard swim class. I recall the coach had us "rescue" each other in the pool; and I'd be pulling along one of my pals to "safety", and we'd both be laughing our heads off. The swim coach would not pass me in Jr. Life Saving, because she said I was too silly and immature.

 

[MinnieM123]

That is unfortunate. I've peeked. I stay away. I hope the name calling was reported. It is unfortunate when even a rough discussion on topic has anyone hurling personal insults. Says more about the member(s) trying to personally belittle a member by posting nasty, classless remarks.

Although I haven't read anything in that forum for quite some time, I do know that it gets intense. And that's exactly why Steve put it on a "trial" basis--it may or may not stay there. But he and The Mom were so tired of moderating so many out-of-control posts that had political messages, that they had to come up with a place they could send people to post political discussions--and keep them the heck out of N&R and General. So many threads up in N&R were ruined by some of those discussions.

 

[MinnieM123]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40048565

The photos of the deceased children really get to me. So, so sad.

 

[MinnieM123]

I understand expensive. My DD competition suits ran $80-$120. Lands End is expensive, I always wait for a sale or off season. But I have never tried LL Bean. Going to have to go look. Do they run close to correct woman sizes?

Yes their sizing is generally true to the charts (which they have online, on the same page with any garment they sell). I don't think they have gorgeous stuff; I think they have well-made, functional items. I'm not looking for gorgeous in my swimwear---I'm looking for function.

 

[Gabe1]

Email is still # 1 with me. I have friends that keep up with me that way, every week. They know I refuse to join Facebook, etc. And don't even get me started about how often email is used at work. My inbox at work is often up to 80 incoming emails a day, and that's from all over the hospital. None of it is junk email--it's all about work.

And there is the rub with email and me. Nobody sent 80 memos out a day before email. Now with a few clicks an author can create so many new policies, requirements and general work. It is documented so it must be learned and followed. Both my son and DD can clear their mailboxes out Friday afternoon and come back to over a 100 emails. A chunk of their day is spent just reading them all before they can even begin actually doing the work they were hired to do. And then you have the fools that hit reply all and you keep getting the same email back again usually unnecessarily.

There is a management course something like, The pitfalls of email and how to use it and have staff use it more effectively.

In the last year I got a Facebook account. I follow Disney things on it. That's all. My twitter account is the same, local community, news and lion share Disney.

 

[Gabe1]

Yes their sizing is generally true to the charts (which they have online, on the same page with any garment they sell). I don't think they have gorgeous stuff; I think they have well-made, functional items. I'm not looking for gorgeous in my swimwear---I'm looking for function.

Thanks.

Swimsuit malfunctions are never good.

 

[MinnieM123]

And there is the rub with email and me. Nobody sent 80 memos out a day before email. Now with a few clicks an author can create so many new policies, requirements and general work. It is documented so it must be learned and followed. Both my son and DD can clear their mailboxes out Friday afternoon and come back to over a 100 emails. A chunk of their day is spent just reading them all before they can even begin actually doing the work they were hired to do. And then you have the fools that hit reply all and you keep getting the same email back again usually unnecessarily.

There is a management course something like, The pitfalls of email and how to use it and have staff use it more effectively.

In the last year I got a Facebook account. I follow Disney things on it. That's all. My twitter account is the same, local community, news and lion share Disney.

Oh, I hear you. We're just slammed at work from all kinds of communications--email is just one of many. At least where I work, things move very, very quickly. I will say that I far prefer email over people calling in on the phone--that is far more annoying to me. At least with emails, I can prioritize the various requests that come in.

 

[Gabe1]

Wow. I've hear from others that they've walked into TS restaurants at WDW, and the room would be half full, but they'd be denied walk-in service. Sometimes I think they cut back the servers and chefs, based upon preliminary projections only. Stupid loss of revenue with that model, if there is no flexibility on the management end.

We had this happen at PF Changs a few weeks ago too. Called for a ressie and they said it be an hour wait. We walked from the other side of the mall and were seated in 8 minutes. They were not busy. I sometimes wonder if the servers know what the hosts are saying.

 

[Gabe1]

I like ice cream, too, but it's not the kind of love my dad had for it. If I have a choice between an ice cream sundae and pie, or a cookie, I'll go for the pie/cake/cookie any day. But my FIL is an ice cream fanatic, too...so I suppose you're right. And I guess, if you think about it, a lot of things were rationed both in Europe and in the US during WWII, so ingredients to make ice cream might have been hard to come by. I know sugar was rationed. So it probably WAS a huge treat for that generation.

Yes, I think because it was so hard for my brother and his husband to HAVE a child, and then for my brother to adopt her, she's like their little miracle, so they tend to dote on her. They went through a LOT and had to jump through so many hoops...I hope they wake up soon though. She IS going to start preschool this fall, so I'm betting that will be a revelation. A teacher won't put up with that behavior.
I had somewhat of a wakeup call this year with DD's teacher telling me I need to let her handle things on her own instead of swooping in to save her. I've always been the kind of parent who goes in to talk to the teacher and she said DD needs to learn to communicate her OWN needs...and she's right. Sometimes a good teacher can put it in a way that makes you see it for yourself. DD has gotten so much more independent this year. She knows I'm still here and we TALK about everything, but I don't do it FOR her. Hopefully my niece's teacher next year will be able to clue them in and get her on track!

I have mixed emotions on school children being their own advocate. I remember you having that issue with your son and all they expected him to do himself to advocate.

I was an advocate for my kids when need be. Most of the time I mentored them or role played. But with some of our staff a kid is no match in advocating for themselves with a school or staff on bigger issues. My DD had some known health issues that she now has well under control. They required her to always eat snacks during day and stay well hydrated also not to become overheated or she went splat. Well stay hydrated means bathroom breaks. She had a music teacher that flat out told her no-sit down. She was 6. I told her the next time that happened and was told no to any of health iep's to just walk out and go. And she did. Then Mommy Dearest stepped in. Most of the time the kids advocated fine as they got older but there are always a few teachers that made me want to pound my head into a wall. Her 4th grade teacher divided the gifted kids up into reading girls and math boys. DD got perfect scores always on her achievement tests through high school in math. But cause she was a girl she was to be a reading girl??? blahhhhhhhh So glad when school was finished for them.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I love Lands Ends swim suits, have bought them a long long time already. Their material is strong, doesn't pill easily and holds up against chlorine well not fading or suffering from Chlorine Rot. Big fan.

I bought one about 6 years ago on clearance and I reluctantly had to throw it away in November. It held up well. So when I tried my new one on at Sears I also tried on a Sears brand one too and it fit fine but I could tell it wasn't as good of quality. So even though the Lands End one was more expensive I got it because I figured it would hold up longer.

If that tractor is Green my DD will love this picture. Or I can just tell her it is green.

I think it was red, but you can tell her it was green. I did see a green lawn tractor on the same walk.

 

[Gabe1]

Oh, I hear you. We're just slammed at work from all kinds of communications--email is just one of many. At least where I work, things move very, very quickly. I will say that I far prefer email over people calling in on the phone--that is far more annoying to me. At least with emails, I can prioritize the various requests that come in.

I am never one to talk on the phone. If a kid calls it is usually a problem. Me I text. Done