You can also include me in the I hate summer tribe. I'm more of a spring or fall person myself.

Centurion, 4 celebrations? Nice. I'm glad you got a break to go back to Canada. Sounds like you had fun there too.

Options for cheap child care have been limited significantly over here, in the last year (they were introduced to get more women working more hours). It has resulted in more women cutting back there working hours, quitting their jobs entirely, or having grandparents/neighbours/friends take care of the children when they are working (if they have parents who are willing to do so, of course). Resulting in less women that are financially independent (with a divorce rate near 50% this can become problematic), less careers opportunities for women, etc. There must also be some men who quit or cut their workings hours, but so far I haven't heard or read about them.

Summer vs. other seasons... I really like summer, because you can swim outside, have picnics etc. I seriously do not like that I cannot get out in the middle of the day unless covered in lots of sunscreen, the insects and the heat trapped in the house (and my bedroom especially). Maybe I like hot spring days best, nice warm weather but not too hot to become lethargic, plenty of light, longing days, fresh flowers everywhere, and little baby sheep playing in the grass. But then, I think every seasons has its pros and cons.

Centurion, congratulations again on the wedding!!! I understand the need for a Japanese and a Canadian wedding, but what about the other two? Not that I don't think you deserve a few parties after all your hard work lately, 'cause I think you do. But how does one get married four times?

I was hungry, and instead of making a sandwhich I ate a whole bunch of chocolate and peanuts... Now I'm out of both, but still hungry. Oh oh...

How many have to stay in their careers when they'd prefer to stay at home with their kids, because of the economic pressures society puts on them?

Just as there are people who would prefer to work, I suspect there are people who would prefer to be with their family instead. But if both parents are poor enough, they might need to both stay working in order to cover their food, rent, and utilities. Academia focuses on the concept of a "choice" with careers because they're institutions that cater primarily to the middle & upper classes where it may be possible [albeit sometimes at a cost in lifestyle] for only one parent to be working & still pay for the family's essentials.

The working class have always had instances of both parents working, because they don't get the luxury of a choice when one parent's earnings is insufficient. As the salaries of the middle class have stagnated how many in that group have started to believe that both need to be working because they feel they "have to" in order to do certain things they consider essential [like putting their kids through school]? When child labor was still legal the poor had as many kids as they could, because they expected everyone in the household to have a job. Even the elementary school aged children.

How many people have to work while they would prefer to be stay at home parents, is a good question. I don't know.

I do know that for - low and middle class educated women - the cost of child care over here is often the same, almost the same or even slightly higher than their paycheck, now that costs for child care are gone up. Women stay in their jobs not to ruin their career if they can't find cheaper or free child care (as there hardly earn anything after costs for child care are deducted) or leave (why bother working if you there is no money left after you paid for child care). Is this also going on in other countries?

What does amaze me, though, is that costs of child care are always compared to the income of the women, and never of the families (both parents together). Up until yesterday, that always was the normal way things were discussed in my country, to me. But yesterday I suddenly wondered: isn't this incredibly sexist?

Well we are a low income family. For years wifey worked days and I worked nights. Someone called that a day night family recently. Still needed some babysitting for gaps and sanity reasons.

Daycare is a relatively modern creation caused by nuclear family groups trying to live alone in one residence. When the working class were having both parents working & needed kids watched I suspect that was one of the benefits to multigenerational households [which are coming back now that this economic crisis has destroyed some seniors' retirement savings]. The working class hispanic families around here are still big proponents of the practice: they'll have a huge extended family living in one residence, even if it is a smaller rental. So there's the kids, the parents, the grandparents, maybe some cousins or aunts/uncles. With that many people there's always someone around so not a lot of daycare or sitters would be needed.

IDK if anyone here is into genealogy, but if so: have you ever noticed a "family home" or farm being passed down via inheritance? The grandparents would be living with one of the nuclear families of the next generation until they died, then the house would go to them.

I think the reason why child care costs are compared with women's earnings has a lot to do with how many single women have custody of their kids; either because of family courts predisposed to hand out custody that way by default, or because societal norms have changed to where its no longer a big deal if a child's father is unknown & therefore not in the picture. I don't think nearly as many moms give up their kids for adoption these days to prevent society from calling them "unwed mothers" or their children "bastards." In such situations the women are going to end up with the kids by default since they're the ones giving birth to them.

I just got back from my convention. I spent over five hundred dollars. It can't be helped. I was having so much fun and got some great stuff. Plus I won great stuff.
I got an inflatable portal turret. It's in the dining room watching for test subjects.

^^^^
Winrar!

Bear in mind that 18 and 19 are still teenage years.

This is not true for Ireland. It's only in comparatively recent years that "mammy" wasn't always at home as soon as the first sprog popped.

This is an awesome topic!<3

Speaking of topic....I recently got a bunch of stuff from Hot Topic. I got ripped tights, a black shirt, and a choker. Plus, I got two black shirts at Wal-Mart. One said "Love is all I need" and the other was just plain black. Oh gosh, I love shopping<3

~SIMPLYBATTY

I know that I could never afford childcare, plus I am also a full time caregiver for my father which makes working pretty hard for me. Going to school one day is week is hard enough right now with all the family pressures. I think the debates I read, and what you all have posted, is interesting, and may look into it more just to understand the dynamics better.

This isn't too recent, it happened around a year ago, yet I remember it as clear as crystal. My good friend and I were at McDonalds desperately trying to finish a project by midnight. Suddenly 'Love Song' by The Cure was on the radio, which gave me a bit of a surprise (normally music from the current top charts, as they would call it, would be aired).

Another one would be the day I finally received my copy of Ayami Kojima's "Santa Lilio Sangre' artbook, after almost 2 months of waiting. Very inspirational and beautiful stuff

Good idea, dude.

Simply_Batty_XO: Hello fellow bat!

I went to the Female Surrealist show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art yesterday. A large show with stunning works!
Review with more detail on the show
I was especially impressed by the work of Remedios Varo.

I just applied to be a freelance writer for a website. I had to submit a writing sample and everything. I think that if they think I have the talent, they'll look past the fact that my 2nd product advertisement was only 68 or so words. I mean, if the point of your site is to advertise hot deals I would put more emphasis on if the writer can be persuasive over things like a word count. I understand there's a minimum for these things sometimes, but what is crucial to *me* is if the person can generate catchy, persuasive pieces of writing that emphasize the great deals being offered.The tone they were looking for was fun but with a bit of snark - something I do quite well

The word count was to be between 100-130 words or so. My first one was 91 words and my second was as I said, 68. I also wrote a killer cover-letter as well.

Sounds like you had a good time harpy.

I hope you get the job orlok.

I'm thinking of dyeing my hair dark red. Haven't been able to do it in ages for obvious reasons, but I'd love to play around with my hair. Always liked red hair too.