I've seen all but two of the pictures nominated for Best Film. After having seen them I can't understand why Frost/Nixon or Benjamin Button were nominated. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button was based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the movie isn't even close to the story. The only thing is the ending. For me the saving grace was Brad Pitt's performance. Frost/Nixon was, well, boring. Langella was a caricature of Nixon. Half the time he mumbled his lines so it was hard to understand just what he was saying. Milk was an excellent production and IMHO deserves to win best picture but Slum Dog Millionaire will probably win. I haven't seen it and several people that I know that have, haven't liked it. Sean Penn should win for his portrayal of Harvey Milk. Talk about a dead on performance! Doubt wasn't nominated and should have been. The picture sent chills up and down my spine and all the nominated performances, Streep, Adams, Hoffman and Viola Davis were indeed worthy nominations. I did feel that Hoffman and Streep should have been in the Best Actor/Actress category. Will be interesting to see if we have any surprises this year.

lovehadley - she did have a great time... it was just amazing how the illness disappeared when the police report was filed..... DH had to decide to keep things going on here in VA in VA for the sake of SD. BM attacks everything we tell SD and then at times makes her feel bad for wanting to attend. We attempted to keep her in the loop or ask her for her help or input and it is always met with opposition or lies. For instance -this past summer - SD was with us for 4.5 weeks. DH asked BM to send along her hair care products so that we would be able to keep her hair clean and combed. She (BM) replied with telling DH - it was not necessary for us to comb or wash SD hair - and that if her hair was changed - there would be a major problem. HUH? 4.5 and for us not to comb or wash SD's hair. Just nuts! Then she took her to the counselor when DH took her back home and her hair had been combed and washed. AND stated I abused her in order to get her to sit still to wash her hair. Which was a complete lie.... SD enjoyed it - plus it was necessary... i could not believe she wanted us to ignore a 6 years old hygeine that way. So not knowing what else to do to help protect Sd from some of her mother's actions we will just keep it too ourselves. We have no choice.

cat38 & sweeby~ Yeah. We are all aware of the risks associated with sports. But our kids have mucho athletic prowess, so we allow them to play. As mentioned, both boys (older) played hockey and ran track. One of them broke a collarbone in hockey. The other also was into downhill skiing, but not on a team...just for fun. He broke his arm 3 times over the course of 13 years, and it wasn't even competetive. SD is actually at least as athletic as her brothers, maybe moreso, given the nature of dance. Youngest swims and dances, so no major injuries from sports yet, but she has had stitches....twice! And I suspect she'll have her own set of injuries over the years. It's part of growing up active, I guess. Sure, I'll be thrilled (and surprised!) if none of them ever get injured doing "stuff", but I don't expect that. Mom's been kept in the loop from the get-go. She not furious...she's not even a little mad. I think she knows that it's just part of the game/sport. FD, I'm glad your daughter has been so fortunate to not have any injuries. And I'll bet if you wait long enough, someone on here will suggest that you sue the pencil or paintbrush maker for your nerve damage. Or better yet, your former art teachers for not teaching you proper technique for positioning yourself to prevent injury while painting. (sarcasm intended) Now for the good news: SD saw ortho/sports med guy today. He thinks she will heal well with proper rest and immobilization, and without needing surgery. He agreed that the cast shouldn't have been removed by the trainer, but said that no harm was caused. He (the doctor) removed her cast today and put her in an ankle immobilizer that she can adjust as she heals...and take off for showers. No v-ball or dance for at least another month (so, v-ball is done), and crutches for now. He's going to see her again in a couple weeks. She's still going to see the ankle guy Monday. So, hopefully, she's on the mend... And she's going to help with the musical tomorrow, as planned. She'll be taking tickets at the door, sitting in a tall chair....

That was written to be rhetorical. Obviously nobody gets married expecting to get divorced. You would have stayed with a cheater? Nobody wants their child to go through a custody battle or having to grow up in two homes. It's not what we dreamed of as little girls. But in reality, we have to make the best of our situation that we are in. I don't know what kind of work you do, but as long as you are able bodied and not relying on a fixed amount check (like social security or disability), then there ARE options, like changing the kind of work you do, where you can make more, etc. I had my first child at 17 and went back to get my HS diploma when I was 19 (and 9 months pregnant with my 2nd child at graduation) i had my 3rd child at 21 and by 22 I was left alone to raise my kids. I rode the transit bus to the community college to attend classes & walked with the stroller to get groceries. I also worked minimum wage jobs and got rides or walked until I finally saved up enough to buy a clunker. When I was 23 or 24, I got together with a guy that had custody of his 3 kids. I worked at Target (for just over minimum wage) while I went to school. He was a police officer that worked graveyard shift so I got the kids up and off to school, then I went to school, then to work. He was home when they got home from school & he would feed them dinner. I got home and put them to bed while he got ready for work and left. Eventually I got a job with the Department of Social Services and continued college. Our relationship fell apart when I was 29 and found out he had no intention of marrying me and I had raised his kids for almost 7 years(their mom was MIA). The hardest part of leaving was worrying I wouldn't survive financially. I never received any child support for my kids. I worked full time (4 -10 hour days) and that gave me a 3 day weekend, so I worked a part time then. Almost four years ago, I resigned & cashed out my retirement account. I used it to start my own company and I've been doing that for three years now. It's been very tough, I've only been married for a year. When I met him almost three years ago, he made more than twice what I did. He still makes about the same as he did then & I am now making more than him. If I had stayed in my old job with vacation/sick days and insurance/retirement benefits, I would be making about a third what I make now. So, I don't believe ANYONE that works has a "fixed" income. (and I am running my company, caring for my step mom and my 8 year old step daughter full time too)