Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

hjd

Doozergirl wrote: »

Doozer didn't take an offer from someone just because he thought they were weird. He may well have turned down your offer too!

I have to confess that if we put anything on freecycle and there are several requests I rule out anyone with what I consider a "dodgy" name/handle/email address.

SingleSue

Doozergirl wrote: »

DS has had a dream of skydiving for his 16th birthday.

I don't know how many parents are keen to chucking their kids out of a plane, but I am becoming resigned to it. His friend's parents have said yes, my friends' son is a skydiving instructor and he managed to tell them so they've encouraged it, having done it themselves, and we've been indoor skydiving a few times now. Doozer is not very happy but despite not being keen to do it myself, the reality is that it is quite safe and I'd rather him practice being an adrenaline junkie within boundaries.

I don't think afternoon tea at Claridges is going to cut it, somehow.

That makes my boys sounds so boring :rotfl:

James wanted a laptop, Josh wanted a drum kit and youngest wanted parts for a computer!

Only one had a party, James, and he used the opportunity to ask for money as presents from everyone so he could get the laptop (my present was the party). Josh didn't want a party instead he wanted what I would have spent on one to put towards the drum kit and asked for money off everyone else to make up the difference. Youngest just asked for money from everyone and then went out and got what he wanted.

I would love an afternoon tea at Claridges.....but then I am scared of heights so sky diving would be the last thing I would contemplate!

michaels

Did I mention, the latest interest rate cuts mean we are now 3.5k net worse off this year than last. Why did fixing the mortgage at 2.49% for 5 years 3 years ago seem like a no brainer

No wonder people are still buying btls yielding 3.5%, beats the returns you can get anywhere else.

Pyxis

Doozergirl wrote: »

DS has had a dream of skydiving for his 16th birthday.

I don't know how many parents are keen to chucking their kids out of a plane, but I am becoming resigned to it. His friend's parents have said yes, my friends' son is a skydiving instructor and he managed to tell them so they've encouraged it, having done it themselves, and we've been indoor skydiving a few times now. Doozer is not very happy but despite not being keen to do it myself, the reality is that it is quite safe and I'd rather him practice being an adrenaline junkie within boundaries.

I don't think afternoon tea at Claridges is going to cut it, somehow.

I've done 26 parachute jumps over one year in the 70s, and that was well before the days of tandem jumps!

Actually, I'd like to do a tandem jump so that I can experience free-falling. When I did it, you jumped alone, with a static line to open the chute, and you weren't very high up, just high enough to count to 5 before the chute opened.
(I did manage to do 3 jumps on my own without a static line, though! Had to deploy the chute myself).

Still got my parachute suit and boots somewhere!

hjd

I don't think we had anything too special for 16th birthdays.
For DD's 18th she wanted a cello.
When she was at primary school and looking to start an instrument she went for the flute, but had already expressed an interest in the cello. We dissuaded her, as selfishly we just didn't want to have to lug a cello around...
She never stopped wanting to learn the cello, so for her 18th I started to rent a cello and found a teacher. We paid for lessons. Plenty of the teachers weren't keen on having an 18 year old to start lessons but I found one who thought it was a wonderful idea. They got on very well.
After renting the cello for a while I bought it.
That was probably her best present ever!

Pyxis

hjd wrote: »

I don't think we had anything too special for 16th birthdays.
For DD's 18th she wanted a cello.
When she was at primary school and looking to start an instrument she went for the flute, but had already expressed an interest in the cello. We dissuaded her, as selfishly we just didn't want to have to lug a cello around...
She never stopped wanting to learn the cello, so for her 18th I started to rent a cello and found a teacher. We paid for lessons. Plenty of the teachers weren't keen on having an 18 year old to start lessons but I found one who thought it was a wonderful idea. They got on very well.
After renting the cello for a while I bought it.
That was probably her best present ever!

Why on earth was having an 18-year old as a pupil not a good idea? How strange!

GDB2222

zagubov wrote: »

I've never parachuted (I've worn a parachute when going up in a glider). I've been a secretary for a parachute society, to help some friends get the club started.

It's very much safer than gliding I believe. I just don't get it though.:o

Parachuting and sky-diving is safer than gliding? How do you measure that? A parachute jump lasts around a minute, whereas gliding can last hours - as long as your bladder holds out AFAICS.

I'm going on a gliding course in September.

zagubov

I got gliding lessons for my birthday many moons ago. It was very pleasant. It's solo gliding that carries the risk I believe. Plus hang-gliding seems to have a bit of a safety problem I think.
http://www.besthealthdegrees.com/health-risks/ has some stats for the US.

If anybody wants to take up base jumping, could they make their will out in favour of me, please?

silvercar

zagubov wrote: »

I've always wanted to visit Scandinavia. But I'd always imagined that Copenhagen was lot like Amsterdam (ie full of bicycles). Or electric cars or trams or stuff like that.

Full of bicycles, quite a lot of electric cars, no trams.

michaels wrote: »

Did I mention, the latest interest rate cuts mean we are now 3.5k net worse off this year than last. Why did fixing the mortgage at 2.49% for 5 years 3 years ago seem like a no brainer

No wonder people are still buying btls yielding 3.5%, beats the returns you can get anywhere else.

If you fixed for 5 years, 3 years ago, your payments should be unchanged.

SingleSue

hjd wrote: »

I don't think we had anything too special for 16th birthdays.
For DD's 18th she wanted a cello.
When she was at primary school and looking to start an instrument she went for the flute, but had already expressed an interest in the cello. We dissuaded her, as selfishly we just didn't want to have to lug a cello around...
She never stopped wanting to learn the cello, so for her 18th I started to rent a cello and found a teacher. We paid for lessons. Plenty of the teachers weren't keen on having an 18 year old to start lessons but I found one who thought it was a wonderful idea. They got on very well.
After renting the cello for a while I bought it.
That was probably her best present ever!

Josh took up the cello last year as the uni offered free lessons in any instrument of their choice. Think he got on ok with the playing but he struggled with the formal nature of the lessons, he's a freestyler and it felt too restrictive.