@YunHarlot: Maybe you could quietly give the money she sends to a favorite charity—ease your guilt, and not offend Mom!

@SmillaSnow: Good grief. How sad for that girl.

My parents aren't hoverers (much) but the most poignant goodbye was when I was teaching in England for a year. I was 26 when I left in August, and I bawled like a baby saying goodbye to them at the airport. They smiled and said, "We're so proud of you! Knock 'em dead!" No tears from them, only pride, love and total…

@Ulookinatmyjunk: IS a star: Your mom sounds very, very wise. I'm sure she's very proud of you!

@wtfox?!: This perfectly describes what I had with my parents, though they did finance my education and living expenses. I talked to them every day on the phone—and still do, now that I'm 32, even—but that had more to do with wanting them involved in my life—the emotional connection you mentioned. It's not like I…

Bless my parents. They left me, sobbing and terrified, with smiles on their faces. But later I learned that Mom cried the whole way home—she just wouldn't do it in front of me.

@ResolveToEvolve: Oh, how sad. How hard it must be for you to watch. : (

@RantyNerd (aka JustSmileandNod): Oh, goodness. My heart breaks as I watch children at younger and younger ages being measured against standards that are too high for their development.

Leo's attacker needs to show some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

@DonnaPirana: WIN!!!

I kind of like #2, but I won't spend $45 on them. Still, I love Payless for being leather-free and inexpensive. I've had shoes from them last ages and ages and a ton of abuse.

[jezebel.com]

@BetteD: UterUS Magazine.

@Rote Zora: I agree—I think that Hermione has been dumbed down a lot from the books, really. The crying at the end of the Yule Ball? I nearly choked on my Sour Patch Kids.

I keep a very old, very distressed-looking Snoopy on my nightstand. He's never been packed away. He moved to England with me, and he did not go in my suitcase—nope. Only the carry on bag would do for Snoopy.

It can also be a response to stress. I laughed a couple months ago when my mom fell down (she's in her sixties). I felt like a monster. Honestly, NOTHING about watching Mom fall (thank goodness, she wasn't hurt, just embarassed) was funny. But I laughed. Not out loud, but I had to battle a bubble of laughter.

@Hannapdx: Itty Bitty Titty Committee?

@Denver: I love this!

@brontebrat: Thanks for the link!

@brontebrat: The wailing breaks my heart. They are intelligent creatures who work in close-knit pods.