Horatio

You are correct. The one thing I feel is that when there are technical difficulties and the lack of email response, then it is a good reason for dropping a course.

Traveling is a wonderful way to learn about the world. If I was going to give people advice, it would be to take a year off after college and get a job somewhere else in the world, Peace Corps, teaching English in a foreign country, something... just to get out and see how the rest of the world lives. This experience is so very enriching and makes you a much better candidate for a job. For example, TBFOF learning Mandarin or Cantonese will be extremely marketable in the job market, and actually have an advantage when it comes to a job search. SleepoverFanatic52!!!!!!!!!!!! How wonderful of you to stop by!!!!!!!

I think that between you and your mother, you will find many creative ways to save money, yet still have a phenomenally beautiful wedding! You just have to be willing to think on a non-traditional route. For example, when you are talking flowers, the florist will tell you how to create beautiful arrangements with less expensive flowers as opposed to exhorbitant arrangements with top dollar flowers. For example, my neighbor had the most beautiful bird of paradise plant before the new people moved in. The new people pulled up a fifty year old plant and threw it in the garbage. If I had been there, I would have asked to have it and would have replanted it in my front yard. The plant would have almost three hundred flowers over the summer, more than enough for you to pick and use in displays. Plus, they have purple in them.

Here are a couple of pictures of Paris from my hotel room... Day: Night: The night picture was not so good as I used my cell phone.

Email would work great, but I just looked at my schedule and realized that I will not be in Koln until Sunday night. If I can work out coming down a day earlier I will let you know. This way I could leave Paris on Saturday and perhaps take the train down and be in position on the evening of Saturday night. Then it would all work out.

Weddings are insanely expensive! Even eloping costs money. It always helps if you know people who are good at different things, such as a photographer, or a band, etc., who can donate their services. My friends had a very simple lasagna and salad dinner which saved them a ton of money. You could always have the reception in your backyard, but that can also run into a lot of money. It is really hard to get away without spending a whole lot of money. Creativity is the key and also it depends on how much you can do yourself. If you need ideas...

They should give you your money back, but good luck fighting for that. Sometimes they just prolong things, hoping you will give up and forget about pursuing the refund.

As for thinking... I have a cold and thinking is impossible at the moment.

Fantastic pictures! I look forward to seeing your town. The history in Europe is really terrific! I appreciate seeing the buildings and remnants of places past. Sunday should be fine, but I am the victim of riding on the airlines and will be at their mercy. If I can work something else out, to make sure that this happens, I certainly will try. Sometimes they let us deviate and come earlier. If I can perhaps get from Paris to Koln a day early, then I shall let you know. It should be approved before we leave the U.S,. As for our stops in Germany, the airplane I fly is subject to how the freight loads work out and where the company feels they will make the most money. So for now, the airplane will be flying some trips to Europe. Mostly Paris, Frankfurt and Koln, but I never know if I will be able to get one of these.

Facebook thinks that it is a great way to connect people. I think it is really creepy. They will put a spin on things to make people want to get the app, and then... ooops... too late. I love those wild violets. Your wedding is going to be the greatest!!!

Tomorrow I have to go to work... off to Paris.

I know your feelings must have been hurt by your friend Joe. Quite tough hearing the news on a social network. Speaking of which, when Facebook officially launches their mobile app allowing you to find all your friends within a specified mile radius, don't use it. They accidentally launched it prematurely and TechCrunch reported that it will show every Facebook person within that specified mile radius, friends and non-friends. The Facebook team pulled the app immediately, but not until after TechCrunch had reported on it. This is a scary app when it comes to surveillance. As for the wedding dress, I do believe your dress will be absolutely gorgeous. The idea of not quite floor length is a fantastic idea. Your mother and father must be so excited. The wedding day will be here before you know it. A friend of mine just got married this past April on the 21st. That was a really fun time. Very, very low key. For some reason I thought of you today and violets popped into my mind, the little purple flowers with the green leaves.

*wonders how the wedding plans are coming*

I am sorry that you have to drop the course, but I completely understand. I dropped an online course for exactly the same reason.

I expect a full report on the pyrotechnics you use for the fourth of July celebration!

Here is a picture of the Kodiak Bear after he arrived in Stockholm. Nice meal.

WOW!!! I want that course and professor!!! Of course, this test should be voided and not the one selected to delete. Do they select the worst exam grade to delete? Hopefully it would be even better if this was the case. What I found annoying was the fact that some professors are lazy when it comes to checking their email. I did not expect an immediate answer, but an answer that arrived within at least forty-eight hours. Good luck in your summer courses, I absolutely, positively know you will do great!!!

Leguan, I am so sorry to hear about your kitty. Pets are such an important family member. When they pass, it is really, really difficult. They give us unconditional love and acceptance, which is such a wonderful part of life. This just makes it that much harder when they are gone. I am so, so sorry. Your town is gorgeous!!!! I checked the train schedule and it is an easy train ride. It would be fun to come down, visit and buy you coffee, lunch or dinner. My schedule has me arriving from Paris on the night of the 22nd of July and leaving midday on the 24th. Let me know what you think.

*wonders what Annie thinks of - Kat -* By the way... we have not heard any stories yet about your pyrotechnic adventures. Anything you want to fill us in on???

LEGUAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How exciting that life is going so well for you!!!!!!!! Goettingen sounds like the exact place I would love to live... lots of nature. As for your work, how fortunate for you that you found the perfect place where money is no object and you are free to achieve the results that will make the world a better place. Good luck to you! As for now, I have to run, but I will be back to post more. So wonderful you stopped in!!!!!!!

The zoologist and his assistant said that bears are much smarter than dogs.

Lucky you!!! I wish my courses were like yours. My courses have a requirement that you do not post one second early and if you do post early, then you will be docked. Ouch!!!

The bear had been orphaned at nine months and rescued by this Alaska Wildlife organization. Usually the bear cubs stay with the mother until age three. Anyway, this bear was fortunate enough to be found and then cared for until his third birthday. He is now on his way to a wildlife center in Sweden, The center spend several millions on creating a natural habitat for him with lots of acreage and even a stream. When a bear is orphaned, they do not have the skills to kill the food it needs to survive and most often starves to death. This particular bear had been used in a colour study to see if he could recognize different colours. For example, he was taught that if he saw a red square of paper, he should raise his right paw and if he saw a green piece of paper to raise his left paw. He could actually tell the difference between the colours and would raise the correct paw every time. This study is attempting to distinguish what colour clothing humans should possibly wear to help avoid bear encounters. Anyway, we fed him fruit and cheese from the airplane catering, plus some juice in his water bowl to help him stay hydrated. Really exciting.

It would be great if you could get through the psychology course in two weeks, but don't you have to only do the prescribed lessons at the specified times? I know that when I took a course, you were not permitted to work ahead and had to contribute each week. Is this the same with your courses?

The bear was sooooooooo adorable. It was so much fun feeding him. What I learned was that the bear uses his nose to actually grab things and move them into his mouth. So there was no chance of me being bitten. I still am excited by the bear. The bear weighs about 280 pounds at three years old and will gain another 500 to 600 pounds by the age ten.