Ask Joe Column #9

Hello fellow members, I am starting something new called the, "Ask Joe Column" you can ask me any questions pertaining to myself, to you, advice seeking, love, friendship, etc. Ask me about almost anything at all, as long as it applies to the rules and regulations of the site.

I guess that means I've been here as long as you, then :) You've just written a whole lot more than I have since then.. :P

Woohoo for members from 05. ;)

JOE--
Is there any way to help a chesty cough when you have no way of getting cough medicine?

ASPHYXIATED: Drink lots of liquid, prefferablly something like ginger ale (de-fizzed, you don't want to drink it with the fizz). And chicken soup, that always seems to do the trick. Also avoid smoke, dust, etc.

Thanks Joe. :D

I might make some soup when I get the energy.
Would vegtable be okay? (:

ASPHYXIATED: Yeah it should be okay, I've always made chicken, so I really wouldn't be able to tell you. But it sounds okay considering they are both a type of brothy soup with vegtables and nutrients. :]

James: We actually have discussed doing this several times...and that's all I'll say on that subject.

Joe,
My mother seems to think it's inappropriate for kids of my age (14 and a half) to be kissing, making out, and those sucht things. What's your opinion on that?

InvisibleInsanity: To be quiet honest, I agree with your mother. I don't think at that age it is appropriate for kids to be engaging in those sorts of activities. However, I do think it is any persons right to express themselves and experiment - but not at that age, not in that manor at least.

I feel it is appropriate once you reach the age of 17 or 18 (considered an adult in the legal system at age of 18). Now, kissing family and friends I feel is fine, but engaging romantically at a young age such as 14, I feel is inappropriate.

Of course I'm not saying kids can't have feelings, because they can, infact they are very emotional for the most part. I'm simply stating that I find it inappropriate as your mother also "seems to think."

In your opinion Joe, when do you think teen girls should go dating, and have a boyfriend? At my age of 14 I find it way too young, though all my friends have had boyfriends for years.

Abortion Stops A Beating Heart: I'm going to say pretty much the samething I said above. I think 17 or 18 is a reasonable age, however even though I find young people to be very immature, they still need a life and I think those ages are pretty reasonable, usually junior/seniors in high school by that age.

To be honest, I didn't start dating till I was 18 and now I'm 23 and still a virgin. Just don't make a mistake and just sleep with anyone, make it special. Sex is important in a realationship, however it is not that important, you can do without it for quiet sometime.

You're a great role model, Joe. (:

He is indeed :)

"Of course I'm not saying kids can't have feelings, because they can, infact they are very emotional for the most part"

Thought I'd just add to that (again, hope you don't mind!): Because children are given that allowance "she's just a kid, kids have these feelings", it's a route to the self-fulfilling prophecy. Children as young as 14 will start engaging in romantic/sexual activities because they hang on to the belief that they are 'allowed' to or are 'expected' to be very emotional. Some children just mistake that as an opportunity to go wildly off the rails and produce/help to produce babies at an inappropriate age. So yeah, have feelings - but just don't go crazy thinking it's love, because chances are, it isn't, won't be, and you probably won't *truly* comprehend it's definition until you've reached the, as Joey put it, "responsible" age.

Nicely said though, Joe :)

Joe,

I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your thoughts with me on my questions, and you too, Fluffy. ^-^

I took your advice about trying more to hang out with him and call him but I also tried to be happy for him and wasn't being sad and I feel things are a lot better between us now. He actually told me he knows we'll be together again, he's just not quite ready yet.

Anywho, you probably don't care about all of that, but I just wanted to say thanks. :)

CHYNAdoll: You are very welcome. :]

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Anyone else have any questions?

Joe.
My friend passed away on Saturday after she went in for an emergency liver transplant. Her liver failed, which put her in a coma and she passed away soon after..She was only 17.
I just cant get it through my head that shes gone. I've written a poem for her, and talked about it, but I just can't come to terms with her death. I haven't been able to cry yet either...Idk what to do...help? :/

Joe, and well, anyone it applies to

What's being in Beyond A Poet's Mind like? The last club I was in kinda failed and now I'm looking for a new club, but I was wondering what it's like as there's lots of people. Or has anyone got ideas for any others? They all look good lol :)

Any help appreciated, thank youu :D

I was in beyond a poets mind for awhile. I left recently...nothing to do with the club, just personal reasons. It's a great club full of great people. They have contests and all sorts of stuff. There's usually always someone there. I think Joe is still the manager, unless things have changed...
I highly reccommend that you join. You'd love it there. :)

LifesALovePoem: When loosing that special someone, there comes a strong feeling, that part of our emotional world has changed forever and can never be retrieved or made good, well your wrong...

Loss is central to our lives. We cannot avoid it. And besides, it is often through brokenness and loss that we truly grow into our humanity and develop the compassion that connects us to others.

I'm not going to tell you what to do, why? Because I've been at this state of mind before, and you just don't want to hear it. Yes, it's not easy, but we have to accept it and move on, it something we all call grieving.

Don't sell yourself short In life, it is very easy to take a shortcut or the easy road out. DON'T DO IT! Give 110% and you will never be disappointed. Stand up for what you believe in, fight for it, don't sit and ponder or sulk, just don't, it makes matters worse. Stand up tall, and tell yourself, I can do this, I can handle it, I am strong, and no one can push me down, because when I get knocked down I get up again...and when I get up again, I am strong and more knowledgeable than before, so don't get in my way this time...

Keep a positive mind, and positive things will come from it, keep a negative mind set, and well negative things will produce from it...It's like the old saying, "you hang around a dog, you'll become one." Well you hang around negative thoughts, negative things will happen, and if you hang around positive thoughts, positive things will happen...

Stand up, think strongly about stuff, and be positive in every way, shape or form, and you'll be happy, and nothing can get in your way.

XToBeWithYoux: Krista summed it up pretty well. But to be honest, there are a lot of members, but aprox. 50-60 are really active. We hold contests weekly, challenges, chat threads, give advice, workshop thread, etc...

Good luck in your search, I'm sure you'll fit right in where ever you decide to apply ;]

I'm babysitting this saturday. This won't be my first time babysitting, but it'll be my first time babysitting an actual baby. I am TERRIFIED, and I'm not much of a baby person. Any tips? Lol

Forevertobeart: Were you trainned in basic first aid and CPR? If so, that is great, accidents do happen so be prepared. If not, I advice that you do some basic research on the topics just incase something is to happen.

There really isn't anything to be terrified about, just be yourself, and watch the baby and I'm sure it will be just fine.

Babys like to play games, they love to laugh, so if you play peek-a-boo, they usually love that...

Good Luck!

How do you get used to living in the country when you're from the city?
I've lived here for 6 years now.
and I still can't stand it.
I adore the view, its beautiful.
But I just can't stand not being walking distance from absolutly everything. ;/

ASPHYXIATED: With time, time will reveal. It's almost impossible to adapt quickly, it takes time to get used to your new surroundings. It's like anything in life, how do you get used to having a lifetime partner or bf/gf? I mean it's all pretty much the samething. It takes time to adapt. Give it time, and you'll find reasons to love it.

Yes, I have been trained. Everyone says that this baby is really happy and laughs a lot and that I should be fine, but I'm still scared. Do you think watching a baby would be easier than watching two ADD children when they haven't taken their medicine? Because I used to deal with that on a regular basis.

Forevertobeart: lol yes, I think watching a baby would be much easier. Older children expecially with ADD don't listen, but babies need to be cared for and can't really think or say NO to you. So to a degree watching a baby is easier. Although you have to change their dipper, feed them, watch their every step, etc.

I'm sure you'll do just fine. ;]

Lol well alright. But if I don't do fine, you're in trouble! :P

I'm gonna a little spin on this.

Joe, how do YOU make the perfect omelette?

:D

Fluffy: Well, I'm going to tell you how to make an asparagus omelette.

Depending on how big you want to make the omelette, you'll need more or less eggs. I usually will make around 8 eggs for the omelette. Crack open aprox. 5 eggs with yoke and all into a bowl, crack the remaining 3 eggs open, but only use the egg whites. Add aprox. 3/4 cups of 2% milk. Beat by hand with a wisk till well mixed and fluffy. Set bowl aside.

Take an onion and chop it very fine, use a processer if it is easier. Get a saucepan and add extra virgin olive oil to it, not too much, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and cook till carmelized. Take aprox. 10-12 asparagus and chop into small pieces, throw out the ends since it is hard. Add the asparagus to the onion and saute until soft.

Add your eggs to the asparagus and onion, mix around a little to mix the egg with the asparagus and onion. Let sit and cook until egg becomes firm and can slide, then flip and cook other side. Once other side is cooked, put on plate and serve.

And there is your 'perfect' asparagus omelette, compliments of me...haha

Okay i'm right handed but am teaching a left handed person to play the guitar. chord charts will be different right? any other tips? i can teach right handed people just fine but this in challenging

January friend: yes the chord charts will be different, but only because s/he will be using different fingers than you. I mean it should be fairly easy to teach a left handed person, are they using a left handed guitar? If not I would advice re-stringing the guitar so the strings are opposite of a right handed guitar, that way when it is flipped to use lefty, the chords will pretty much be the same as when you play using your left hand, except it will be played with his/her right hand since it was re-stringed to basically be a lefty guitar. I don't really know what else to tell you, so if you run into problems down the road and need help, you can always come back and ask. :]

Soso: You know, day-to-day people make mistakes, obviously since nobody is perfect, yet 'sorry seems to be the hardest word.' And my reasoning behind this is because people don't want to give in and say it was them whom made that mistake, people want to be 'perfect' or maybe they are just afraid of the outcome, I'm not totally sure, but 'sorry seems to be the hardest word.'

Another thought on this, is simply because of the way the person was raised. I mean, the newer generations (no offence to anyone) aren't disiplined like the older generations used to be. Kids can go and do as they please, they are exposed to more stuff such as profain language, sex, drugs, etc. at a much younger age via the internet, tv, magazines, newspapers and so on. The disipline just isn't there anymore and it's really sad.

Joe
I need your suggestion...
My sister has a 13yr old girl and she has been having problems with her since she was 11 on BOYS! Of course my sister doesnt allow her to have a boyfriend, she grounds her and then does it AGAIN! A few days ago she got caught talking to the same boy she got in trouble for last time and my sister doesnt know what else to do....
What should I tell her? She feels so bad... she told me she didnt see any other options... her real father is not in her life... but she does have a stepdad... but still wont listen to them...
My sister wants to throw in the towel and give up on her... but I told her not to, she has to keep trying... what do you think?
Thanks!

ShatteredNRebuilt: Whatever she does, she should not ridicule her kid - no matter how unrealistic the crush or inappropriate the relationship. Her child's feelings are real and should be respected.

Communication is key. A punishment perhaps works for a while, but only makes the child that more likely to want to go behind the parents back to continue doing what she is doing, which in this case is dating. Personally, I think your sister should sit down with her and have a daughter mother conversation about what is happening, without all the yelling. Your sister has to remember, that her daughter is human and does have feelings, so she has to engage in nice conversation otherwise she will not get anywhere with her kid.

She must explain that a relationship at that age is not all that it is cut out to be, how break-ups do occur and her heart will most likely be broken.

If her child still disagrees, then I suggest that your sister considers letting her daughter experiment a little, experience the pain (but with guided hand - where, who, when, why, they are meeting and set a curfew or even go with them on the so called date.) basically it is reverse psychology, give them what they want and in return get what you want by them realizing how crappy a relationship may be.

I mean, I don't know how much of a help I am really being, but I am trying my best, I don't have kids so this was a tough question for me. Hope I was somewhat of a help.

I have one, and it's been bugging me for quite some time, but I just haven't been able to find the right way to say it...

Joe...we've known each other for some time now, and, I think.. it's time we take this friendship to the next level...

MARRY ME JOE!

I'm dead serious.
lmao.

Fluffy: We've indeed known eachother for sometime now, however that isn't enough of a merit to get married...lol, Silly girl.

Joe,
I have been trying to upload my picture on here... but it wont let me... ive tried resizing it and everything but it wont work! I really want to put my picture up...
What should I do?
You think you can help me with that?

ShatteredNRebuilt: Email me the picture you want posted at: joe@poems-and-quotes.com and I will resize it for you.

:(

fine. go clean a toilet, then.

Anyone else have a question?