The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Songbird76]

But I think he has such a skewed perspective of himself, that he's the "perfect" parent, he doesn't even see that his behavior will count against him. Even when trusted friends disagree with him, he still holds his position.

Tonight he had the nerve to tell me that the only time our daughter has meltdowns is with me. Plus he said I have an "illness". But she's had tons of meltdowns with him - I even have an email from him telling me she had one with him back in the fall. He clearly does not see himself as not creating any problems or drama and yet that is all he's been doing since the divorce process began. I try so hard to ignore it and not let it bother me, but it's times like these where I want to put my fist or head through the wall.

It sounds so frustrating. I guess the only thing you can do is trust in the evidence you have and in his illogical behavior, that it will bring the truth out.

 

[Songbird76]

Thanks - I wish, too! I don't know if he'll ever move on, though. I think he's incapable of letting go of anything negative in his life.

Do you think he'll live by whatever parenting plan is in the divorce decree? Or will he cause problems if he doesn't get what he wants?

 

[betty rose]

Ditto

Double ditto!

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

My first car was a 77 chevy malibu. Yellow. I paid for it myself and was so proud of that car. That thing was a TANK. We called it the banana boat and we'd stuff it full with friends on the weekend and go to the drive in movie theater. That drive in closed about 15 years ago...so sad because I have so many great memories from that.

my first car was a 79 Mini

 

[Gabe1]

OMG I must be old. I sort of remember those stamps. More like I remember a rant my father went on when he had to drive a bit to turn in the last of them

I remember those stamps too. My Mom would save the Green Stamps for years to get something semi worthwhile. And she had two DDs that were responsible for putting them into the books as part of our weekly chores. Personally I prefered dusting and trimming the grass (life before weed whackers) Those things were nasty.

 

[Gabe1]

After a day at Disney I could sleep on a bed of nails and sleep like a rock.

I can sleep on just about any bed if I am tired enough though I might be sore in the morning. The pillow thing though is another story. I need a mushie pillow. When we would stay onsight at my DD University at the Union hotel they had these big, fat, firm pillows. I could not fall asleep with my head on an angle like that. When we had to stay at the Union I bought a $5 pillow from Walmart, flat and soft and left it behind when we checked out. Problem solved. Who has the bestest pillows is The Hampton Inns. My DD and I in Mattoon IL in the middle of corn stayed there one night as we were touring colleges. Result reasonable hotel and $200 in purchasing pillows for both her and I for 4. Best things ever.

 

[Songbird76]

Yep, in a perfect world. But if the guest is challenged you have a big box of worms. Disabilities are very touchie with the Disability Act. You can have a child totally melt down with a disability in Disney and go pretty out of control and it will be rare for Disney to step in and tell them they can't do that. They might, might ask the parents if they can be of assistance. Disney could possibly be wedged into a gray area with this particular passholder. If that is the case they might be waiting for a legal way to step in and deal with this patron. A very fine line and a very expensive one to litigate.

My DD had a very high IQ early on in elementary school but also had an IEP. The IEP was outlined clearly. If a teacher ignored the IEP I stepped in. My DD was also hypoglycemic and had a medical plan. She was self managing but it anyone interfered with her management plan I stepped in. My DD is the reason why I became a school board member. Not out of any great desire to be an elected official but to bring consistency and policy for those students with special needs. Our district did have the IEPs nailed down. They somewhat had a gifted program sort of. What they didn't have policy for was a Gifted Student with an IEP. It was very much an either or. Fixed that through policy because we could not have different teachers having different expectations for the same students. While I knew No Child Left Behind was destined to fail, it was flawed, I did embrace the flavor of the getting all students to achieve the best they could be.

But what you're talking about with a child having a meltdown in Disney is different because that child is accompanied by an adult. That person is responsible for their child. This woman is an adult and in the parks by herself. If someone is drunk and unruly, Disney would deal with that. And I know it's different with a person with a disability, but if she is that unstable, she shouldn't be by herself...it's not safe for her, or for others. And whether you are disabled or not, there ARE guidelines to be followed and while in some cases special allowances are made for certain disabilities, it's probably not Disney policy to let anyone with a disability just cut in whichever line they choose. I'm assuming there would be special passes, or special lines or some other provision for disabled patrons to discreetly be helped without causing problems with the other patrons. If she doesn't qualify for special arrangements, then they shouldn't let her take advantage of other patrons. And if she DOES qualify for special arrangements, then she needs to use THOSE, not just make her own, if that makes sense. And that she's kind of become famous for this behavior...That is sad in a way to me because if she really does believe that she's Luke's wife, then it's kind of mean to encourage her in that...like "Take a picture with the bearded lady", "come see the freak"..like they are making a spectacle of her. And if she's not that delusional, then she's taking advantage of every other patron in the park, playing on a disability, which is unfair of her to do. I have no way of knowing whether or not she sincerely believes it, but I think it's a disservice to her, either way.

 

[Songbird76]

Thanks, he stayed in a cabin in Yellowstone National park.

We did that a couple of times, too..I don't remember mice. Spiders and mosquitoes, sure, but no mice. There's also an actual hotel in Yellowstone that looked really nice, but we never stayed there.

 

[Songbird76]

@Songbird76 how's your voice and hip doing? Hope you're healing!

Okie dokey. Can't complain. I stepped wrong again yesterday, so my hip is hurting, but it should be better after the weekend. My voice gets a bit better every day. I'm hoping I can sing normally by Tuesday when I have choir.

 

[Gabe1]

That would depend on where you stay. I've been there many times and never had mice running around in my sink. Granted, it's wide open spaces there, so there is a lot of wildlife, and that includes mice, but if you are staying in a decent hotel, you'd be fine. Stay away from hotels in Jackson....they are SERIOUSLY overpriced. But someplace like Cody, if you don't want to stay IN Yellowstone would be great. Powell is iffy....some are good some are REALLY bad.

Yep! That is so true for just about anywhere. If we look at the greater Orlando area, from luxury to hole in the walls. And I picked hole in the wall phrase because years ago when we stayed in the POR Bayou's there was a 4x4 hole in the wall, roughly cut out and edges painted over in the bathroom.

 

[Songbird76]

Oh my goodness! Why is it so expensive?

The theory test costs about 500, then there's the practical test, and all the lessons to learn. Over here, there are separate tests for stick and automatic and if you get an automatic license, you can't drive a stick, but if you get a stick license you can drive either. But I only ever learned automatic, so I'd have to take lessons to learn to drive a stick. And here, you can't just ask someone else to teach you. You have to have a certified instructor with a special car, and those lessons cost about 50 euros per lesson.

 

[Songbird76]

I didn't think about the privacy laws. I did see one candidate for president that wants to put involuntary admittance laws into effect for mentally ill people. I can't remember which one it was, he appeared on Morning Joe, and this was one thing he wanted to do.

But don't they already have that to a certain extent? If they can prove someone is a danger to themselves or others?

 

[Figgy1]

But don't they already have that to a certain extent? If they can prove someone is a danger to themselves or others?

Obnoxious isn't considered dangerous

 

[Songbird76]

Obnoxious isn't considered dangerous

No, I wouldn't expect her to be committed because it's not dangerous. But I was referring more to the politician that wants to instate involuntary commissions. Those are already on the books, I'm sure. In Linda's case, I would just say they shouldn't allow her to break the rules. There must be provisions in place for someone with a disability and if she doesn't qualify for those, then they shouldn't be allowing her to do that. And I can't imagine it's Disney policy to just let random people cut in a line because they want to. I would assume there would have to be a special pass or something that stated the person can't wait in lines and that there would be a CM assigned to get her past the lines, if that was a problem. At least, I've read that they have a policy for those things, that you arrange for ahead of time. Like, when we were at the HP studio tour in London, we were with a disabled person who can't stand for extended periods of time, so to accommodate her, they brought her a portable stool so that as the line moved for things like pictures, etc, she could stay with our group without having to stand in the line or let our entire party skip the line. There's got to be a better way to deal with it that meets her needs, but doesn't inconvenience other patrons.

 

[Figgy1]

@songbird if you have problems finding park hours by ADR day check out easy wdw

 

[catmom46]

If that is his motive, that is really using his own DD.

That is exactly what one of my best friends said. If we didn't have our daughter, he wouldn't be able to cause all these problems.

 

[catmom46]

I would want to put my fist in his face!

You made me laugh out loud - thank you!!

 

[Figgy1]

You made me laugh out loud - thank you!!

I have a list of bars in Joisey he should check out sometime

 

[catmom46]

Do you think he'll live by whatever parenting plan is in the divorce decree? Or will he cause problems if he doesn't get what he wants?

If he doesn't get what he wants and continues to cause problems, he could be held accountable for violations, but they'd have to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. I think if it gets really bad, then we'd go back into court to decrease his custody. If he just continues being jerky, then I'll probably have to simply ignore him.

 

[catmom46]

I have a list of bars in Joisey he should check out sometime

I bet! Now we just need to figure out a way to lure him there...