I took a lap around the Rose Bowl on my way home today and saw a tandem bike with a father and son on it. The son was probably 7 or 8 years old and even with the seat all the way down, he couldn't reach the pedals at the bottom. Still, the father kept chugging along and the kid did his part by meeting the pedals on the upstroke and pushing them down until he couldn't reach them anymore.

Sorry if you don't think that's cute. I'm living vicariously through other people's children until I can have my own.

Ah yes...>>>>>>> OPC's <<<<<<<<



Other peoples children. Adorable...:D
:)

I took a lap around the Rose Bowl on my way home today and saw a tandem bike with nd pushing them down until he couldn't reach them anymore.

Sorry if you don't think that's cute. I'm living vicariously through other people's children until I can have my own.

You're welcome to come babysit our 13 year old! You and Mariana can give lessons together while Vicki and I go out for the night!

Sheldon

You're welcome to come babysit our 13 year old! You and Mariana can give lessons together while Vicki and I go out for the night!
Sheldon
Your daughter wants trumpet lessons, too?! :D
I always imagined Mariana would be a great babysitter, let alone a virtuoso singer. She and my girlfriend in college were like peas in a pod, and were great with children.

I'm not the only music teacher in here?

I'm not the only music teacher in here?
My sentiments exactly! What do you teach?

I teach middle school band and orchestra. A former classmate of mine is giving Sheldon's daughter voice lessons.

I give private trumpet lessons and am the clinician for the bagpipe band at my old high school.

Eventually I'd like to teach high school band; but first I need to get out of my community college, over to the university, graduate, get my credentials, and hope that there is still music in schools by this point.

My sentiments exactly! What do you teach?

I teach middle school band and orchestra. A former classmate of mine is giving Sheldon's daughter voice lessons.



Start grooming Sheldon's daughter now for babysitting services....:p

I give private trumpet lessons and am the clinician for the bagpipe band at my old high school.

Eventually I'd like to teach high school band; but first I need to get out of my community college, over to the university, graduate, get my credentials, and hope that there is still music in schools by this point.
Bagpiping is so tight knit in Southern California, you probably know Susie Snell (I forget her maiden name). She plays at the bagpiping thing at Queen Mary all the time. I went to college with her and her husband (also a trumpet player).

Start grooming Sheldon's daughter now for babysitting services....:p
That actually brings a thought to mind. If she's 13, she will BE a babysitter instead of needing one soon! Sheldon, you gotta put her to work! Being a male, I did less babysitting and more lawn mowing at that age.

That actually brings a thought to mind. If she's 13, she will BE a babysitter instead of needing one soon! Sheldon, you gotta put her to work! Being a male, I did less babysitting and more lawn mowing at that age.

Love to put her to work! Her cell phone bill is getting out of hand!

She's a young 13 however.....this past summer was the first time my wife and I were okay with leaving her for an hour or so while we rode together in the mornings.

Sheldon

Cell phone at age 13?! I didn't have a cell phone until I was 20! My child will not have a cell until 16, and even then it will be that kind that only dials 4 proprogrammed numbers.

Cell phone at age 13?! I didn't have a cell phone until I was 20! My child will not have a cell until 16, and even then it will be that kind that only dials 4 proprogrammed numbers.

Peer pressure on the cell is unreal! We held out until this past year....most of the kids at Hilly's school had phones in elementary grades. And we got her a GoPhone with prepaid minutes. She is supposed to keep a minimum amount for emergencies. However, her friends will text her and poof! the minutes are gone.

If you think you are going to hold out until 16, think again. Never gonna happen. That was our plan as well!

And now I heard from my brother that my niece is getting a phone for her birthday next week.......she's 11!!!!!!! This is so insane.

Sheldon

My 17 year old has to have the most high tech phone available. It keeps her working part time. That and her car, of course. And it never stops ringing for a minute.

On the other hand, them having a cell phone is easier for us, too, in some ways.

Yeah, most of my students have better cell phones than I do. Mine was free when I signed up for service. My child will have to convince me that it's worthwhile, and since I survived just fine without it, I will be hard to convince.

I imagine your daughter has repercussions if she doesn't keep to the minimum requirement? Are there prepaid plans with unlimited text?

I'm really leery because my brother showed my parents how easy it is to run up a $600 cell phone bill in one month.

I didn't have a cell phone until I was 48!

My daughter is on a "friends and family" plan with some other kids...I think her bill averages about $75 a month. She has to buy her own phones. The ones she wants are never free.

I try to stay out of it. I have a tracfone that costs $8 a month...for quick "emergency" calls only :D

Our GoPhone plan is this:

Calls are .10 per min unless she calls a Cingular phone, then it's free.
Text messages are .15 each.

If she uses the phone for a call, they charge $1 access fee (for that day). If she doesn't make any calls that day, no access fee.

We have been putting $25 in and telling her it has to last two months. Didn't happen this month, however and we had to re-fill.

Every time the phone is used, she gets a message telling her the remaining $$. All calls can be checked on the log online so we can see what is going on.

Sheldon

Wow, parenting sounds even more complicated than it ever was. I'm done living vicariously for a while :D