The Happy News thread

[Asso]

Hard times for young people, in Italy!
But... I hope things will change for the better.
I want grandkids!

[Entilzha]

Got my hand checked out today and didn't need any stitches but I have to go back on Monday for a recheck .

[blacknblue]

Hard times for young people, in Italy!
But... I hope things will change for the better.
I want grandkids!

I hear you. Same here. Fortunately, my daughter's bio-clock is ticking, so I have good hope. They are making noises about paying off their student loans first. Objectively a good idea, but I keep pointing out that if they wait until they can afford kids, they will never have them. Besides, children can break a wealthy couple anyway, so why worry about it?

On another note, it was 6 years ago today that they wheeled me into the ER and told me I was dying. But I am still here. Whether that is an overall plus or a minus has yet to be determined, but I am told that I can be useful for reaching things on the top shelf anyway.

[Linda]

Hey, the top shelf is where all the good stuff is...all the vital, most needed, and most interesting stuff! You definitely have job security there, Bnb. Need a union steward? I'm your man. I mean woman. Just successfully defended a union member today and I feel good. Well, pretty good for a short, mousy looking introvert, anyway. Short - meaning I too need a top shelf helper!

[justTripn]

On another note, it was 6 years ago today that they wheeled me into the ER and told me I was dying. But I am still here. Whether that is an overall plus or a minus has yet to be determined, but I am told that I can be useful for reaching things on the top shelf anyway.

A plus! A BIG plus for everyone!

[Asso]

A plus! A BIG plus for everyone!

WELL SAID!

[Elessar]

Hard times for young people, in Italy!
But... I hope things will change for the better.
I want grandkids!

I hear you. Same here. Fortunately, my daughter's bio-clock is ticking, so I have good hope. They are making noises about paying off their student loans first. Objectively a good idea, but I keep pointing out that if they wait until they can afford kids, they will never have them. Besides, children can break a wealthy couple anyway, so why worry about it?

On another note, it was 6 years ago today that they wheeled me into the ER and told me I was dying. But I am still here. Whether that is an overall plus or a minus has yet to be determined, but I am told that I can be useful for reaching things on the top shelf anyway.

A lot of us are glad you're still here ya big oaf

I like that word... oaf. It's so... oafy.

[evcake]

What they said, BnB.

[Linda]

Hey BnB, I think you are a person who is much loved by many people.

[CX]

I don't think I'd take it as far as "love", but I am rather fond of him.

[Distracted]

Ditto.

[Linda]

Okay, it is BRAG time. Nothing I did, its my grandson Dylan. Kids surprise you with good things as well as bad. Dylan has wanted to be an actor for years and we all thought we were going to have to support this kid for the rest of our lives, but since he is only 13, we thought he still had time to change his mind and not be one of the thousands pushing burgers in Hollywood someday.

There are now signs that he might be able to do a 'real' job someday and that he is an observant and compassionate human. This is what he did: he designed a gripping glove for his grandmother's (other grandmother not me) boy friend who is a stroke victim...and it works! It is his project for a science fair at his school. With materials that cost under ten dollars, including some fishing line (he and his dad are avid fishermen) he modified a glove and added a cuff that goes on the upper arm. He took out the finger tips of the glove and put in some rubberized material that is good for gripping and he attached the fishing line from glove to cuff in a way the helps close fingers around an object. Now he may have reinvented something which already is in existence but his is an independent invention WHICH WORKS. Ernie (who has extreme difficulty speaking and picking up objects with his hand after his stroke) can actually pick up things with the glove that he is unable to with his bare hand.

Ernie lives a hundred and fifty miles from Dylan, so Dylan's dad drove him there for a visit and to video Ernie trying out the glove. The science fair at Indian Community school is this week, so we are all eagerly waiting to see if Dylan gets recognized in any way for his invention at the fair. I didn't know the kid had any mechanical design ability, let along enough compassion to observe Ernie's physical difficulties and care enough to try to do something about it! So I am proud of him and shamelessly bragging here!

[evcake]

Go Dylan. (And maybe take a peek at the Patent Office?)

[Bether6074]

That's great, Linda! I can see why you're so proud of him. Not only for being very intelligent with his invention, but also because he was so thoughtful of another person. That's really touching. Hope he does well at the science fair.

[Emberchyld]

That's wonderful for Dylan (and you, Linda!) I hope this sparks for him a love of design and development-- we need more creative, artistic, compassionate, and intelligent people like him!