My kid needed a graphing calc in 6th grade (algebra) and probably will need it again this year for geometry. But like you, I never used one in math (middle school, high school or college). But times, they are a-changin'.

Wish I could remember we moved off Communicator to something else and when we switched there was no longer the ability to save a transcript. I would guess it had to do with liability (minimizing records).

How is a calculator or compass a "consumable"?

Email is valuable as a CYA device, if you have that kind of dysfunctional workplace (I did). If someone IMs me on a touchy subject, I used to save the conversation until that ability was removed by our IT overlords. Thereafter, had to use snagit (the best application EVER) and take multiple images as I scrolled down.

I do a fair amount of costco shopping (only things I know we will use - canned diced tomatoes, coffee, pecans, strawberries, office supplies, frozen broccoli, batteries, ziplock and garbage bags), but because they don't carry my preferred paper products (to, paper towels), I buy those in bulk from amazon (had good…

So maybe in your case that works. Me, I'm often running errands or elsewhere when my kids are at practices, rehearsals, lessons, etc. and I'm not glued to my SO's hip so we wouldn't necessarily be in the same place.

Did you take the same stance for other required school supplies, like pencils, notebooks, a graphing calculator, compass, etc.?

$600?! Who on earth pays that for a phone? Answer: no one. And $80/month? Only if you don't have anyone else on the family using a phone/data. Alone, my phone is $130/month. With 2 additional phones, it's $150/month. The phones themselves (iPhones, but not the latest) cost me $100 for the two (one was new, one a…

I do, but my ex doesn't.

My kids' smartphones each cost me an extra $10/month. We share the data, and I got their phones for either nominal cost or free (by passing mine on when I upgraded). Not that expensive.

I have my children 1/2 time, so there are days when I don't see them, but I am ALWAYS their mom. They have phones so they can reach me by phone or text at any time - when someone's not there to pick them up, to ask me to take them done thing they forgot, to call me in the middle if the night if they can't sleep, or…

That looks pretty typical. Is rape defined as "actual" inter course, or does oral/digital sex fall under that legal definition in MO as well?

Well, no, because if she said "yes, yes," it wouldn't be an assault. Statutory rape, maybe, if that's what happened, but since the key point is consent, it is important she did not.

Or, channel your energy to working with kids local to you. You could impact far more.

I hope you also pound in his head that getting wasted at 11-16 is disgusting and wrong so he shouldn't do that, either.

I have one of those from her for holiday prep/planning. I tore the pages out of a magazine 15 years ago. Not once have I accomplished 1/3 of it on her timeframe. And yet, I still keep those pages, evidently to remind me of my failure in life.

On the bra point - precisely. When I was younger (always been a 32-34 C), I wore unpadded because I didn't want to look bustier than I was. As I got older (early/mid-30s) I came to appreciate the support, lift and shaping of a padded thing. And god, yes, the last time I made the mistake of wearing an unpadded one…

Certainly not for free, and never, ever on something on sale. You can spend the cost of the item again on alterations, which, given that women's clothes (and shoes) are not, like men's items, built to last, makes little sense.