Is there swelling, aurelia? If there is swelling, then ice. Otherwise, heat.

And ibuprofen if you can take it. Up to 800mg, every 8 hours (esp if you have swelling).

So, I have a poll in my LJ about leaving kids alone. This was in the NYT and was interesting. But if you wanna answer, you can here: [link]

If there is swelling it is too internal to tell.

These are joints that were injured long ago (shoulder in my mid-20s and wrist in 5th grade). Both are screaming at me tonight. The shoulder has been bugging me for months.

Soliciting opinions... what is the best treatment for joint pain? Constant, crankymaking acheyness?

::ready to take notes::

I generally use ibuprofen if I feel some inflamation in the ligaments. Also, apparently it helps to take glucosamine. Which I haven't started doing but I should. I went ice skating today with Emmett and everything from my knees down is very sore. Shins are sore. Achilles tendon? Sore. Ankles, yes, sore.

So, I have a poll in my LJ about leaving kids alone. This was in the NYT and was interesting. But if you wanna answer, you can here:

I answered your poll, but the longer answer is that I started leaving him at home for short periods (corner store, moving the laundry at the laundromat to the dryer - about 10-15 minutes) when he was around 8 or 9. By the time he was 10 I was leaving him at home for half an hour.

About three-fourths through fifth grade he stopped going to aftercare. He just hung out with his friends after school. So he was alone for a couple hours in the afternoon, had keys to his mom's house, had a cell phone so we could keep track of him. Now he's 12 and has earned a fair amount of freedom as long as he keeps to the rules (which involves a lot of check in).

Olympic - gymnastics: Okay, so I can't be upset at Artemev for going for something with a higher difficulty. Ah well. Isn't it cool that we actually got to see some gymnasts on our tv who weren't American, Chinese or Japanese (men's) or American, Chinese and Romanian (women)? I'm glad that Nastia (I really thought that Stacia was the nick name for Anastacia - but maybe that's just Polish) has two more competitions. I would have thought that her floor exercise would have scored higher. But I think I just like her style better and don't know how much more difficult Shawn's or that Romanian woman's routines were.

There are people outside my apt singing Stormy Weather. Who knew Billie Holiday was hot with the kids these days?

Please don't tell me some pop star has recently covered that song.

Hivemind: Since DH has been placed as director of marketing in his last promotion he would like to know what people think of a keychain tag with your car insurance info on it or possibly with the phone numbers to call in case of an accident.

Not a bad idea, if you could keep it small.

he would like to know what people think of a keychain tag with your car insurance info on it or possibly with the phone numbers to call in case of an accident.

Speaking as someone who was in a fender-bender recently, this would have been helpful. I can see it being even more helpful in a more serious accident where I might not be thinking as clearly.

he would like to know what people think of a keychain tag with your car insurance info on it or possibly with the phone numbers to call in case of an accident.

I think it is a great idea-- perhaps if it were the same size/type as the grovery store card keytags? When I have gotten into even the most minor of accidents, I am completely without rational thought, so this would help tell me what to do, I think.

I read the NY times article about the kids left home alone, and the thing that bothered me was at the end the girl and her FIFTEEN YEAR OLD BROTHER could not figure out how to clean up the dog's diarrhea? Really? I think they just preferred not to. Of course, my mom gets dry heaves over any bodily fluid, so I had to clean up the dog vomit/diarrhea and my own vomit from a fairly young age.

I am way, way, way beyond gronk this morning. I'm so tired, I can't think of anything witty to say about how tired I am.