u/CaptainEmmy

I started reading the book series to my daughter this year before we were even aware of the Netflix series and she quite enjoyed the series. Old Town in the Green Grove was on display at the library, so I picked it up. We're about 2/3rds through.

And we're quite enjoying it. I appreciate the choice to work with the notes they had and I adore Cynthia Rylant's works.

On a personal note, my toddler son died a few months back, so I think reading about Freddie was cathartic for us.

Last week, I checked out a book. It sat on my table at home for a few days before I could get around to reading it. I feel quite confident nothing unfortunate happened to that book in that timeframe. Yesterday, I opened the book, found it quite enjoyable, and read it in one sitting.

As I neared the end, I discovered the book spine was almost entirely unglued, but in such a way it only demonstrates as such when the book is held as one does at the end. It's really unnoticeable otherwise, but very noticable upon inspection. It could have been missed last time it was turned in.

Again, I'm quite confident I didn't damage it. But since I've had it a few days, I feel obligated to take the blame.

Is this worth speaking to the desk about?

So I'm enjoying the show. I'm a fan of the books (was actually reading them to my daughter before I learned there was a new show), the actual history, etc, though I confess I've only saw a handily of episodes of the old series.

I'm accepting the show for what it is and am enjoying the melodrama.

But I have one complaint: I can barely hear these people. Yes, I own a remote with volume control. Yes, I recently crossed over into my 40s and an therefore ancient, decrepit, and apparently losing my hearing.

Still, I feel like they're all speaking in these soft breathy voices void of any diction training and it's getting annoying.

Saw another post among the homeschool crowd debating if public schools are failing in reaching reading because we depend on parents reading to kids. The accusation seemed to be that if schools were good, kids wouldn't need to read at home. This wasn't to bash reading at home; simply to suggest that schools ought to successfully have kids reading at grade level without needing outside reading practice. Think parent with no time to read with kids, or illiterate parents, etc. The schools fail them by a literacy program that doesn't lead to grade-level in school hours only.

The question intrigued me. My gut says "but reading is good!" but of course that wasn't the complaint.

It has seemed that for pretty much the history of public education the assumption was kids would practice reading outside of school. And obviously practice makes one a better reader.

But is it problematic the school system relies on outside reading?

So the husband and I didn't have Netflix for the years and years for some reason. We always said one day we would catch up on Stranger Things. We finally signed up this past spring and watched the show with the kids.

And I loved the ending. I'm an absolute sucker for a good character-focused ending (yes, I loved the ending of Lost). I thought the defeats of Vecna and the Mind Flayer were just fine (I wouldn't have minded more to those, but really in a pure "more is more" way).

But I felt the whole mysterious brief case plot came to no real meaning.

I liked the individual elements. I loved the idea of Earth's connection and history with the Abyss going far deeper than we'll ever know. I love the idea of a redemption possibility. I love that getting flipped on its head with the reveal Henry was all for it, maybe evil all along. I love the idea that we can't be sure of that. Why have a fear of the caves if he's totally cool with all of it? The unknowable question of "is he just too far gone? Too manipulated?" is an intriguing and uncomfortable mystery and that's awesome.

Again, great individual components.

But as a whole it just did not quite land for me. I loved the ideas, but I was left wondering why have all of that if it was just going to end up with "I love being evil!"

I think I have preferred a classic bad seed situation for Henry without the ambiguity.

I greatly regret I didn't get any screenshots to prove this happened. Life got in the way and by the time I went back to look the conversation was gone.

So hopefully you can enjoy the story with whatever size of salt grain you want.

Yesterday in a group a woman posted an emergency situation. It was her cousin's wedding day, but the photographer was sick and they needed to hire someone pronto at the last minute.

This is a community where every other woman has a little photography business, so different women who were available that day started sharing links to their portfolios and whatnot, happy to save the day. Though of course they wanted to be paid because photography be difficult. I don't know how many of them were excellent, but they still had their businesses, some talent to defend them, and deserve to be paid.

So the question of "how much?" came up. Some people were offering their price lists, including some offering some good neighbor deals to help out.

OP then says "I want to stay around $150"

Per hour? Again, some people are willing to help.

No, $150 flat fee.

A few shock/angry emojis appear. I can only hope there were some nasty replies before it was deleted.

If you're looking for an emergency photographer at the 11th hour, I can only assume you need to be ready to pay more than $150.

I wonder what they were paying the photographer that got sick.

I've been working on my child's hospital indemnity/critical illness insurance claim and it has been a nightmare. My husband and I both have the insurances through our respective workplaces; my husband's process was easy-peasy. He sent in a few papers, claims were immediately approved. Mine has been a living nightmare. I have gotten everything and I mean everything the hospital and doctors have been able to provide and it still isn't good enough.

Now they want proof there was still neurological damage 4 days after the hospital stay, so I uploaded my little boy's death certificate and I'm not sorry one bit.

We may or may not be seeking a solution for a student, but in general, I'm curious: If an IEP states a student has extended time (let's say time and a half) to turn in an assignment, how does that work if the measured time and a half runs past the end of the school year? What does the IEP say about a hard deadline? Would it require to keep the grade book open and have someone from the district/pay the teacher extra to grade during the summer? Would there need to be an emergency amendment to find another solution for the student?

I saw this as an observer. The other day we did a community yard sale. Just a few families gathered together to offload random stuff as one does.

One family was selling some of their old video games for super cheap. A dollar a game or best offer. I don't know too much about games, but apparently they had two games of a trilogy.

Best paraphrase/recollection of the story I can do:

CB: Do you happen to have the third game?

Neighbor: No, we never bothered with it.

CB: So what am I supposed to do with these two?

Neighbor: Uh, they're a dollar each?

CB: Are you sure you don't have other game in your house? (Note: this particular neighbor wasn't even the hosting neighbor).

Neighbor: We never bought that one, man.

CB: Can you find it for me?

Neighbor: ...no.

CB: So you're saying these two games are worthless.