<p>I once saw a very inspiring documentary on TV about dealing with severe ADD and what happens to adults who suffer through this as kids and teens. One older guy said that he had learned about developing coping systems–ways to organize himself --lists and routines–so the really important stuff did not slip through the cracks–but in the end the critical adaptation, he said, was to marry someone WITHOUT ADD. My husband was never diagnosed and son is very similar…I am definitely an ADD enabler with a disorganized husband on “latin time” . My son’s ex girlfriend (although an artist) was hyper well organized. She literally lied to him about the time of her sister’s wedding …he was in a panic because he was running very late, he set off and I called GF to let her know that he was going to be late…she laughed and said she had built in a 2 hour safety window so he would arrive early and she would have time to make sure he had tie, suit, cuff links, correct shoes, etc. I miss her sometimes (sigh). </p>
<p>I truly believe that the term “opposites attract” isn’t so much about attraction as about survival. I anticipate that my son will end up with someone who is more focused than him and hopefully this leads to both gainful employment and making sure that any future grandchildren are actually clothed and fed. If she is has a dragon tattoo but uses a desk organizer I will be a happy mother-in-law!</p>
<p>wow Gmom
is this the dog’s full name? what all these letters stand for?
GCH CH Elias Mes Yeux Vigilants RN
imagine! college you can take your dog! to become vet!
and the girl is so pretty, young Jane Goodall or something.
awww
G free = prettiness or at least no fat?
hummmm Westminister. I never got them how big-o-deal that is but maybe go see it.
Madison SQ garden become kennels that spread over sidewalk.</p>
<p>trained dogs are used to detect bedbugs, actually secret, reliable, harmful chemical free weapon, I hear.</p>
<p>“If she is has a dragon tattoo but uses a desk organizer”
Hysterical!
You must not have seen the movies yet (an acquired taste but I love them)
She has both a dragon tattoo and an impeccably clean apartment.
I suspect there’s a desk organizer in the drawer…where it belongs.</p>
<p>@Bears
The letters are for ‘Grand Champion’ or something like that. On the dog show circuit, dogs accumulate ‘points’ at each show, depending on how they place, and when you get enough points you get letters with your official name. Then they make it even more complicated because dog beauty shows aren’t enough, so then there’s specialized training that you can get grand champion designation letters for – like for obedience or agility or rescue work or herding. The Westminster dog show is really interesting. The ‘dog people’ are even more interesting. What they won’t do for those dogs. If you’ve never seen it, it’s definitely worth the trip. Go the last evening, though, when they have the ‘best in show’ competition with the winners from each class of dogs competing.</p>
<p>@FAMMoM
The ADD is a curse. D1 is so off-the-charts smart (in terms of IQ – not much common sense) and then is so talented with her art and many other things – plus she’s quite attractive – and yet she’s cursed with being not quite able to live up to her potential. Then there’s the ‘asperger’ thing… H and aspie-girl make quite a pair. H is not so impaired as aspie girl, but he has trouble making decisions not related to computer science (lol) and sometimes has trouble with social stuff – he misses social cues. In our younger days I found his eccentricities somewhat endearing. I do know that I could never ever ever go on ‘Amazing Race’ with him. I’d kill him. I try to let him do finance stuff (probably a mistake) and it’s painful. I could tell you a long involved story about how when I went to work H thought it best to adjust HIS withholding and then calculated it wrong… now he runs around like a chicken with no head at this point in the month when the main checking account starts to run low and he has to raid the other account that my paycheck goes to (earmarked for MICA… now up for grabs, I guess) and I get aggravated. He has a good heart though, so I wouldn’t consider trading him in. Sometimes I contemplate a temporary escape though. Particularly right now where aspie girl is threatening to shovel the snow in flip flops and pajamas if I make her do it.</p>
<p>the mop! the pompom! the French Bull! amazing…
I couldn’t figure out what audience are cheering for… the dogs! of course.
look at those handlers’ tight skirt hem, chubby calves and flats go as dogs trots… showing only human waist and below.
tux! bow tie!! look at the head judge never once smiling, all business, all for dogs.
peace in NYC
USA! USA! USA!!!</p>
<p>Bears, I agree with Greenwitch, ‘Best of Show’ is a very entertaining movie. If you don’t go to the dog show yourself, at least give the movie a look-see.</p>
<p>Manga-girl came to me this afternoon. She has a ‘friend’, a japanese boy, that used to be in her manga class. She keeps in contact with him via facebook; he doesn’t live too far away, he goes to our local high school, though poor manga girl gets bused to the Catholic high school with her sister. She wanted to know if it was ‘alright’ if she ‘hung out’ with him (OH JOY!!! BE STILL MY HEART!!! A KID WITH NORMAL WISHES–well sort of). Anyway the problem seems to be that the japanese mother is very strict and won’t let her japanese son visit some strange girl because she ‘hasn’t met the parents’… naturally I reciprocate and won’t let Manga girl go to strange japanese boy’s house because I don’t know japanese parents or japanese boy, for that matter. What is the japanese custom concerning ‘hanging out’ with friends of the opposite sex? I have no problem if the japanese boy wants to come here and hang out. I suggested some public venue such as the mall or a bookstore or even Mickey D’s… but manga girl says well, they need a tv and a dvd player… I have a hunch proposed hanging out involves watching some anime. </p>
<p>Manga-girl still prowling around. Apparently now her japanese friend says that it’s too much trouble dealing with parents, so they’ll just have to forget it. Manga-girl goes to great lengths to explain that this is just a good friend and there are no romantic intentions involved. She’s been lobbying to get him to come back to her manga class but apparently his parents balk at the half hour drive to get him there. I told manga-girl we could give him a ride, since he is in the area, but japanese mother doesn’t know me or H so she won’t let son ride in a car with us. I suggested to manga girl that we somehow meet this japanese family so then there isn’t this ‘don’t know us’ excuse, but manga-girl says that would be too weird. So whatever. But I am curious about if it’s generally acceptable to have girls visit boys or if japanese mothers consider those girls too forward.</p>
does his mom stay home?
if answers to all three are yes and you being in Westchester vicinity, chances are this is a chu-zai family. (roughly translate staying for the moment-family)
His dad’s Japanese company made him come, eventually family in tow. mom does not trust anything American, nor has willingness to learn. it was not her choice to be here.
I don’t know many chu-zai family, for they are different in class and mind sets but from what I know, they would be going back in few years and their social needs are met in those tight knit chu-zai commune.
The boy should have enuff friend, both boys and girls esp. if he is fluent in spoken teenage English and attends local public school.
Also it depends on his mom’s personality. some Japanese moms would get tickled pink (totally!!) if your dorky spiky or greasy haired boy would become any kind of “interest” of pretty native girl. I mostly hang out with ^those ei-zyu (permanent residents) moms. They are poorer, whacky-er, less polished, no pocketbooks, no heels, often artschool grads.
I wish I can help you better but I have a feeling this boy’s mom won’t invite me in their house either, Japanese or not.
are kids friends in facebook or some sort if manga class would be ending?
wait for few more years and see if parents gone and the boy wants to stay to attend US colleges (many do) then game’s on!!</p>
<p>Manga-girl reports that Japanese kid’s dad looks like H’s brother, so kid must not be 100% Japanese. She said that Shunta (the boy) has to go back to Japan, maybe next year. So I suspect you are right that they are here because of work. She told me he has gone back and forth between the U.S. and Japan several times. He is doing both 11th and 12th grade work at school – but she doesn’t know what his plans are for college (she’s in 10th grade). He was in her manga class at the Katonah art center last year, but his parents won’t let him go back because of the ‘long’ drive (bah, I say, 'tis nothing for us California folk… we had no problem driving two hours to Wantaugh in the summer to go to dinner at a restaurant that had a celiac owner and gluten free pizza – that was back when we first moved here and before it got so much easier to find gf food in restaurants – as an aside, we helped start the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program – check it out)… anyway, I lost my train of thought.</p>
<p>I should figure out a way for you all to see manga-girl’s manga. she posts on deviant art, I think it’s something like Laluweeb914. Just snuck on and checked, yes that’s it.</p>
<p>If the kids wants to get together or have you driving them you could call Japanese mother and suggest they meet (with the kids permission of course). Call and invite her to your house, look up a nice lunch place or coffee shop (Starbucks is okay) near her then if she hedges and says she can’t come and doesn’t invite you to her house, suggest the coffee shop or lunch place near her.When you meet her have a little gift for her, preferably some sort of pretty food item, a good chocolate would be fine. Food gifts when visiting or meeting someone of elevated status are almost a necessity or were when I was there so by offering the gift you are being very polite and complimenting her at the same time.</p>
<p>Bears is probably quite right in her estimation of their situation and status and they might have some concerns about son being corrupted by US decadence (and Japanese also). Likely he’s being prepped and groomed for university entrance whether it’s US or Japan, the focus at this age for the kids is getting into a good university.</p>
<p>smarty, you are so proper. maybe the mom would invite you in their house.
Be sure to take your shoes off and no hole in the socks. If there are array of mixed matched slippers in the entry way, pick no frill (literally) no lace or bows, superhero motif -these are assigned to family members who are away- for okyaku-san (visitor) reserved are the most ugly ones usually made out of vinyl (so to be able to wipe clean foreign (literally) scent after you are gone)
then squeeze your feet two sizes to big, walk on tippy toes if necessary.</p>
<p>Gmom
I don’t know if OK to snoop. Manga is sacred, you know. ask the girl and if OK, maybe I’ll come to your house, hahaha
yay Westchesteey! garage!! yard!! bay windows!!</p>
<p>2nd the “Best in Show” recommendation. My H and I used to show years ago, both in conformation (how close your dog measures up to the AKC standards - think Westminster) and obedience. Conformation titles are put on the front end of the dog’s name, and obedience on the back end, ie Ch Mari Red Delight CD JH, where Ch is the conformation champion designation and Cd is an obedience title and JH is Junior Hunter designation. It is fun, but can be fraught with politics.</p>
<p>I would love to go to Westminster! B&D, if you go, make sure you cheer for the setters!!</p>
<p>So I mention to Manga-girl that my CC friend from Japan (didn’t mention the failed Japanese part, lol) would not look at her deviant art without her permission. I told her “Bears says manga is sacred”. Manga-girl gets very serious and says since Bears finds manga sacred, she is worthy to view Manga-girls manga on deviant art.</p>
<p>I say, please don’t mind the blood and um… gore.</p>
<p>I’m curious about what you might have to say about her manga, Bears! I guess maybe the rest of us better not snoop (though if she posts it on deviant art it’s public anyways…).</p>
<p>@ bears seems that I was missing an ‘l’. It should be lalulweeb914. She is so funny when it comes to her manga-- manga class is the high point of her week and I’m sure that she spends time every day drawing. She is much more passionate about art than D1. She likes to write fan fiction too.<br>
She’s a very opinionated kind of kid.</p>
<p>Checking in again! Daughter was home for about 3 weeks for the holidays – she has already left again. I got a Netflix online-only subscription right before she came so I could watch a movie I needed for a class. Netflix has a lot of documentaries and some anime, so we watched documentaries almost every day, mostly about artists and art movements. Lots of them about grafitti history and differences around the world. Also about Basquiat, women artists, graphic design – soooo many! We also watched the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movies together – those are pretty intense! </p>
<p>She took a bunch of supplies from her storage unit, mostly fabric and yarn, to take back with her. She left early because she’s co-founding an artists’ collective and wanted to get back for meetings about that. I wanted her to come to the anime con that a friend and I were going to, but she wanted to get back to her apartment and her city. It was a pretty good visit, though. The next time we see each other will be in May for my graduation.</p>
<p>TRIN!!! so good to hear from you and that you and D are well. Belated happy holidays! So she likes where she is, apparently. This is good, very good. Hope the next semester goes well also. Hope to see you here more often. Good luck with your studies…careful with netflix it can get addictive!</p>
<p>Perhaps I should put this on one of the film school threads…here is a little music video that S did in his electronic media class. He said it was tough at first working as a team since almost all his stuff is solo projects (animation, etc) or with one other person. The dancer with the glasses is S’s roommate --comp sci major–belongs to hip hop dance club. The editing was the big part of the assignment. It is fun and you get to have a little tour of CMU–library, dorm room, conference hall, art rooms and hallways. </p>
<p>fam- ridiculously cute college boys. oy…great editing too!</p>
<p>well me and h dropped off my precious angel back in the big apple. had a good time. we went to MOMA, and cruised chelsea galleries with the one and only Bears! She is is even more fun in person. I miss him too much already. ugh.</p>
<p>famm: Thanks for your sharing! It is great.</p>
<p>switters: good to know you have a nice trip, yes Bears is a nice and fun lady!</p>
<p>D fly back today. Right after I hug her and say goodbye and H and me drive back, I started missing her.
Last Friday I asked her to go to bed, she said she want to stay late, since going bed mean this day is ending and winter break getting short by one more day…
Sunday morning, she wake up and said: mommy, this is my last day of vacation … I love you … I feel sweet to be with her but sad since she don’t want to go…</p>
<p>I know she will be fine after she get to school, get to the dorm and talk to her roommates, her mood will be back to her happy school mood.
During winter break, she and her roommates already talking about where to live next year and start search for apartment. She said she feel luck she can get along with her roommates and want to live together next year.
I ask her why she didn’t want to go back? She said it is because the work… Very busy, too many work… This makes me feel better since I am so much worry about her social side of college life and as for school work, she should be fine to get back to work on.</p>
I wanted her to come to the anime con that a friend and I were going to, but she wanted to get back to her apartment and her city. It was a pretty good visit, though. The next time we see each other will be in May for my graduation.</p>