Useless Conversation

[MrHat]

Took my 7 month old to the pool for the first time this weekend as well.

That story is terrifying.

[Samwise]

I had an experience in a pool when I was seven where I thought I was going to drown, and (ironically) it permanently put me off ever learning to swim.  Pools are scary places.  I've slowly started to get over it through sheer force of will as an adult, but my entire body still wants to clench up whenever I smell that chlorine smell.  Can't even imagine the impact of being present when someone actually drowned, rather than just having it as a looming potential threat.

[Ironwood]

So anyway, here's Elena with Cressida Cowell, the author of the Dragon books :



Yes, she has a Gronkle and a Dragon Mark on her arm.  She was telling Cressida about her Dad, who steals her books.

Ms Cowell was utterly fantastic, just so you know, though she can't resist giving spoilers, especially for HTTYD 3.

[Hawkbit]

When I was five or six, a bigger kid I didn't know pushed my head under water in a pool, held it for seconds but it felt like an eternity.  I never got over it and won't go more than chest-deep in a pool.

I have no issue swimming in the ocean with few people around, even with boogie boards.  The thought of being bit by a shark is less scary to me than what people can or might do.  I tend to like wetsuit swimming in the North Pacific; it's so cold nobody else wants to swim.  

[WayAbvPar]

When I was five or six, a bigger kid I didn't know pushed my head under water in a pool, held it for seconds but it felt like an eternity.  I never got over it and won't go more than chest-deep in a pool.

I have no issue swimming in the ocean with few people around, even with boogie boards.  The thought of being bit by a shark is less scary to me than what people can or might do.  I tend to like wetsuit swimming in the North Pacific; it's so cold nobody else wants to swim.  

I learned my boogie board lesson at Makapuʻu Beach in Oahu. We were having fun, playing the surf, body surfing and boogie boarding. I got on a bigger wave than I was used to, then went over it and got UNDER it. Wave drove me and my board through about 5 feet of water onto the sand below like a tent peg. Hit so hard I split my chin on my board, and suddenly I was done boogie boarding!

We found out later that Makapuʻu is notorious, and often leads in yearly lifeguard rescues in Oahu. Dumb haole tourists didn't know.

e- and I would rather talk about Elena and the nice author than kids drowning any day. Thanks IW. She is adorable.

[Yegolev]

More authors, fewer water-based disasters, please.

[Abagadro]

Sorry to bum everyone out.  I genuinely just don't know how to deal with the situation.

[Hawkbit]

I was going to share what I'd do, but Internet.  Every person is different.  It might be best to talk with a professional about how to approach the subject. 

What I will say is that I'm sorry your family has to go through this.  I hope you're able to find a way through.

[WayAbvPar]

Sorry to bum everyone out.  I genuinely just don't know how to deal with the situation.

As crappy as it made me feel, I am glad you mentioned it. It is a good reminder this time of year for parents (and non-parents), and talking about it, even with internet people, might help you through it a bit. I think my first question would be to your son's doctor to see if he had any recommendations. Very shitty situation for your family, and especially for the family that lost a child. I can't even begin to understand how anyone could ever get past that.  

[Nebu]

My kid got to witness a seven year old drown at the pool today.  Now he won't talk about it.  The world sucks sometimes.

Just give him time and space.  He will come to you when he wants to get it out of his system.  In the meantime, take a break from the pool and find something else to keep him active.   

I worked for years in pediatrics.  This seemed to work the most consistently for kids with PTSD.

[Abagadro]

Thanks for the thoughts and advice.  Luckily he started a week long day camp that should keep his mind pretty occupied. Swimming was one of his favorite activities so I think I will be able to gauge how he is handing it by how he approaches it over the next little while.  

[RhyssaFireheart]

Wow, sorry to hear that happened to your son, Ab. 

Ironwood - your daughter is adorable!  How'd she end up at the author meet?  It almost looks like it was a school event of some sort.

[Nebu]

Thanks for the thoughts and advice.  Luckily he started a week long day camp that should keep his mind pretty occupied. Swimming was one of his favorite activities so I think I will be able to gauge how he is handing it by how he approaches it over the next little while.  

I'm so very sorry Aba. 

My best advice is to watch for evidence of regressive behavior and try not to punish him for it.  You may want to ask his caregivers at the day camp if they notice he has acted out.  Support, love, and an open ear is the best thing you can do for now. 

[Soln]

That is terrifying, yes.  I'm very sorry Ab.  I wouldn't know how to help.

[Ironwood]

Wow, sorry to hear that happened to your son, Ab. 

Ironwood - your daughter is adorable!  How'd she end up at the author meet?  It almost looks like it was a school event of some sort.

No, it was a paid event at Glasgows Mitchell Library.  It was truly excellent though.  The line for the signing was hugely long and took ages, but you realized that once you got to the front, it was slow because Cressida really took time with all the children and was hugely giving of answers and encouragement.  Also, she's my age and rather more attractive than my shitty pic taking would indicate.  So there's that.  I was rather fetching myself in my Hiccup Horrendous Hat.   

Ab :  Don't worry, your kid will be just fine. 

[Cyrrex]

Thanks for the thoughts and advice.  Luckily he started a week long day camp that should keep his mind pretty occupied. Swimming was one of his favorite activities so I think I will be able to gauge how he is handing it by how he approaches it over the next little while.  

Sounds like he could use a great big hug.  Hope things go well for you.

[Paelos]

Abs story made me sad, ironwood pics made me happy. Duality of this thread.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Jury duty is ever so much boring.

Monday showed up at 9am as called.  Get dismissed for lunch about 11:30 and my group was one of the ones let go for the afternoon.  Cool!
Tuesday get called back, this time for 10am.  Get dismissed for the day at 11am.  Err..?
Wednesday - no clue yet, but my group could be called back again, but probably not.  They'll call back the groups that didn't get called in on Tuesday, probably.  I could get called though.

I'm really grateful they have wifi to use so I can at least do some work.  Wasn't too horrible, just boring is all.  At least I'm only 15 miles from the courthouse.  I'd hate to be someone who lived further away and had to drive in for a whole hour today.

[Yegolev]

IT LIMITS ITS CHILD'S PHONE'S DATA OR IT GETS THE HOSE

[RhyssaFireheart]

Uh oh.

[murdoc]

We had someone convince our Controller to wire them $460,000 today and it was only stopped when the person processing the transfer tried to contact someone for more information.

Fun story - someone buys domain that looks pretty similar to our domain, goes to company website and gets the name of the CEO, CFO and Controller.  Makes up fake email from CEO to CFO then using close but not quite domain and hosted email they send the Controller the forwarded email asking to process this wire "immediately". Controller reads email on mobile phone and authorizes it - contacts someone to process wire who then follows up with CFO about some address and the CFO responses 'I didn't send that'.

Messaging guy gets blamed for email account being hacked until I showed them it didn't even come from within. Hilarity and backpedalling ensue.

[Ironwood]

 

[WayAbvPar]

Jury duty is ever so much boring.

Monday showed up at 9am as called.  Get dismissed for lunch about 11:30 and my group was one of the ones let go for the afternoon.  Cool!
Tuesday get called back, this time for 10am.  Get dismissed for the day at 11am.  Err..?
Wednesday - no clue yet, but my group could be called back again, but probably not.  They'll call back the groups that didn't get called in on Tuesday, probably.  I could get called though.

I'm really grateful they have wifi to use so I can at least do some work.  Wasn't too horrible, just boring is all.  At least I'm only 15 miles from the courthouse.  I'd hate to be someone who lived further away and had to drive in for a whole hour today.

My one (knock on wood) experience with jury duty was generally positive. I got a lot of reading done, learned how the system worked, and the judge let me out of the pool for a month long trial when I asked for it in open court (rather than getting excluded from the questionaires) since I am the only person who does my job and missing a month of work would be impossible. As it was I was going home and working until midnight, which was lucrative. Won a cash award for service above and beyond on top of all the OT and the jury duty pay. Only downside was they let us out early one day and I went to see Thor, which sucked  

[IainC]

We had someone convince our Controller to wire them $460,000 today and it was only stopped when the person processing the transfer tried to contact someone for more information.

Fun story - someone buys domain that looks pretty similar to our domain, goes to company website and gets the name of the CEO, CFO and Controller.  Makes up fake email from CEO to CFO then using close but not quite domain and hosted email they send the Controller the forwarded email asking to process this wire "immediately". Controller reads email on mobile phone and authorizes it - contacts someone to process wire who then follows up with CFO about some address and the CFO responses 'I didn't send that'.

Messaging guy gets blamed for email account being hacked until I showed them it didn't even come from within. Hilarity and backpedalling ensue.

wat...

[Merusk]

Someone spoofed his company's e-mail address, sent a "SEND THIS MAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS" email that looked like it was from the CEO to Accounting. They would have gotten away with it if they'd bothered to give a billing address.

I suspect this would work to scam a lot of small to midsize businesses, because CEOs "can't be bothered" to follow procedures they've put in to place.  My experience is that Peons jump when the CEO actually bothers to send e-mails. Run your place like a feifdom, don't be surprised when someone else uses that against you. 

[Lantyssa]

It doesn't surprise me at all.

[Yegolev]

I'm visiting my parents for a few days.  I'm working from the dining table and my dad is actually sitting here watching Bonanza.  I didn't know that was still on the air, but I suppose it's still popular in Alabama.

[Numtini]

Bonanza's on MeTV. It runs on a subcarrier all over the place. We watch old MASH reruns on it.

In other news, my 15 year old car finally reached a point even we weren't willing to pour money into it. We test drove a Prius and Prius C yesterday fully expecting to drive out with one and absolutely hated it. There was a Kia dealership next door and we test drove a Soul on a lark and ended up loving it. Should get ours tomorrow.

[IainC]

No, I understand what happened, I am just aghast that it came so close to actually working.

[murdoc]

No, I understand what happened, I am just aghast that it came so close to actually working.

I knew it was going to be a super day when I have the CEO, CFO and CIO all in my office before 8am.

I honestly don't know how close it actually came, but it got WAY further than it ever should have.

[Merusk]

See my previous comment about CEOs who regularly treat policies as impediments and circumvent them.  Your employees get used to "just do it. CEO says so" and don't question.

Really, I'd expect it to work more regularly than "the naked man".

[Yegolev]

Now it's Walker: Texas Ranger.  I must have been outside during Trapper John, M.D.

[WayAbvPar]

What year is it in Alabama?

[Yegolev]

Believe me when I say that Walker: Texas Ranger was beamed from the future, because Alabama is fifty years behind.

I should have said: I must have missed Trapper John M.D. and Highway To Heaven.  Because Bonanza was actually a pretty good show.

My dad was watching WWE last night (I guess there was no rodeo on RFD TV).  I said "Hey, it's that guy that likes Fruity Pebbles!" and my son laughed.

[Yegolev]

Now it's Maury Povich.  Lorne Greene, where are you?!