ask TheOldOne



read advice get advice make favorite read feedback advicenators



I am no longer giving advice on Advicenators, and have requested that my account be deleted.

I am now giving advice on Askville as ->Peter

If you're looking for good advice here, I suggest you ask YoungGrandma. She's the best.

I don't expect to be checking in on this site again, so if you want to ask me something, see you on Askville!

Good luck!
Website: The Diary of An Invisble Man
E-mail: pmaranci@gmail.com
Gender: Male
Location: Rhode Island, USA
Occupation: Network Analyst
Member Since: July 22, 2005
Answers: 659
Last Update: May 14, 2006
Visitors: 67571

Main Categories:
Health
Spirituality
Random Weirdos
View All

Favorite Columnists
DangerNerd
Erinn_the_bamf
selectopaque
Siren_Cytherea
durgahelps
rainbowcherrie
S_C
jean_nicole
cailoisa
K2204
lucretia
more...
OK i need to download some good punk rock, emo, music
Will everyone give me 1 of your favorite song.. Just 1 please... your favorite one???????
(link)
"What A Way To End It All" by Deaf School. Good luck finding it, though!


A male friend of mine that I've been hoping that one day will become more than friends with me was having a conversation with me one day. We were watching a Dr. Phil show about dead beat parents. I started telling my friend how I would raise my kids if I ever had them one day. My friend was listening intently and seemed to be really interested in what I had to say. Well after this he said to me "so when are you having these kids"? I got a little embarrassed and then told him that I hadn't thought about it (although I had, with HIM being the father) and said that I just knew I would be a great father. Then he said in a really quiet but sweet voice "yes, you would make a great mother some day".
Do you think this may mean he's interested in me as more than a friend, and may be contemplating having a family with me someday? He would make a great father, he's so good with kids.
Oh yeah, I am 28 and he is 45. We've both never had children.
I will rate high! (link)
It's quite possible. The odds are good that a straight 45-year-old man would be interested in a 28-year-old woman, as long as she was reasonably attractive. That doesn't necessarily mean marriage and children, but it does sound as if you two are friends...which is a good first step.

But as a man who became a father at an older age, let me say this: it's really a good idea not to wait. Personally, I wish that I'd started having kids at age 30 or earlier.

In any case, may I suggest that you think about talking to him directly about this? If he's made it to 45 without getting married, it's possible that he's very shy. If you wait for him to get up his nerve and approach you, romantically, you may BOTH be past childbearing years. So why not think of romantic-type events that you could invite him to? Ask him to a concert, some sort of music that you both like. Ask him to go with you to a mildly romantic movie, if he's willing.

It's also a good idea to consider just outright asking him if he'd like to go on a date! The worst he can say is "no", after all, and if he's really not interested in you that way, it would be much better for you to learn that as quickly as possible. That way you can give yourself the time you'll need to get over him, and move on - so that you, at least, can have children.

And of course, there's a good chance that he'll say "yes".

Some men aren't good at expressing romantic interest. He may just need your help.

(By the way, having children is more wonderful than you can imagine.)


say it was 3 thin layers of clothing. He did ejaculate and I noticed that there was a wet spot on my shorts around the top of my private area, I am not sure if it went through my underwear or not, but my underwear was also wet, but that was probably my stuff. I am really scared that I will get pregnant. I will get my period approximately around Feb 9 so that is where I stand. I am really worried, what can I do? (link)
You're not pregnant. It would take a miracle.

But if you're doing things like that, the odds are REALLY good that you're both going to lose control, and sooner or later you'll end up pregnant.

So be smart, and talk to your OB/GYN as soon as possible about your birth control options. Believe me, you don't want to suffer through an unplanned pregnancy!


Does coffee make you lose weight or gain weight? Does it have any effect at all? (link)
Black unsweetened coffee has virtually no calories (the same goes for tea). Cream and sugar add a lot of calories, depending on how much you use.

The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, which will give you more energy and might help you to lose a little more weight. But if you want to lose weight (or gain it), it's a much better idea to talk to your doctor and get some solid information that's tailored for your health needs.

Good luck!


Hi, I downloaded Grisoft Virus control yesterday, and ran a scan. It said I had two viruses, and I can't delete either of them. For one of them, under result it says "Virus identified Java/OpenStream", and under result for that one it says "Infected, embedded file". When I click it, it says "Selected object is in the archive and cannot be healed..."


Basically, my question is what am I going to do about this? (link)
I'm not familiar with Grisoft, but if you get desperate, you might want to uninstall it and install AntiVir instead. It's free, is updated frequently, and everyone I know who has it is very pleased with it. I've been using it for more than a year.

http://www.free-av.com/

I'd also recommend against McAfee; quite a few people have had serious problems with it (including me, until I switched). And I've been hearing bad things about Norton recently, too.

It's also a good idea to install other programs such as Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and SpywareBlaster. All of those are free, too; you can Google for them.

And don't forget to update ALL of your security software at least once a week!


im 15 and me and my boyfriend have been going out for over 5 months..we had unprotected sex but he pulled out before he came..im really worried that i am pregnant, and i could never tell my parents..i have been gettin pains in my stomach, but it could jsut be me worrying..or my period is coming..what should i do..i cant keep the baby..and im jsut really worried..is there ways i could get an abortion with out my parents knowing?..like the morning after pill

please give me some adivce what to do before i go insane (link)
You probably know this by now, but the "pull out" method is completely unsafe. If you're going to do that sort of thing (and I really think that you're much too young), you need to speak to your OB/GYN first and find out what the best birth control option is for you. Otherwise, I guarantee that you'll almost certainly end up pregnant, even if you aren't now.

Believe me, I know.

As for what to do if you ARE pregnant, start here:

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/

They don't just provide abortion services, by the way; they also help women who want to keep their babies. That choice is up to you, at least for now. But if you ARE pregnant, no matter WHAT you decide, you need to see an OB/GYN as soon as possible. Planned Parenthood can help you find a doctor or clinic.

As others have said, you can take the morning-after pill. It's effective for up to 72 hours after unprotected sex (that's three days), but you need to get it from a doctor - so if three days haven't passed, you'd better call your doctor or OB/GYN immediately.

Here's some more information about the morning-after pill:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/sex_relationships/facts/morningafterpill.htm

Good luck.


You know when people write PS: on messages or notes? Well what does PS stand for and what's it for? Thank you. (link)
It literally means "after writing", from the Latin "post scriptum". A postscript is normally placed after the signature on a letter, and is itself followed by the writer's initials or nickname.

It dates back to the ancient days when letters were written by hand, with ink, on paper (or parchment). If the author thought of something to add after he'd finished, he had no choice but to write it in at the bottom of the letter.

The Old One

PS: Like this. -Oldie


is hydrogen peroxide(sp?) ok to use to whiten your teeth? and if so, how do you do it, whats the best way to put it on, how long to you keep it on, etc....

also, would it be better to use before or after baces come off(i obiously have braces)

thanksss (link)
Overuse of hydrogen peroxide can lead to problems. It's fine to kill infection once in a while, but in the concentrations that are available in drug stores, you're more likely to develop pretty serious oral problems long before you see any whitening effect.

http://www.dental--health.com/teethwhitening6.html

Most professional whitening systems that dentists use contain hyrdrogen peroxide, but it's in a much higher concentration than the kind you can buy. And it's usually in a gel or some sort of containment system to keep the peroxide on your teeth, and NOT on your gums where it can do damage.

I've used hydrogen peroxide to deal with canker sores and minor gum infections, and it's great for that. But it's just not a good idea to try to whiten your teeth with it at home. Have a dentist do it professionally, or if you can't afford that, get one of the commercial whitening products that are being sold in most stores. They're less than $30.


why is it that most, almost all men, like lesbian action?

serious question. please answer. (link)
It could be that some men find the presence of a male in their fantasies to be threatening. Some may be turned off by the sight of male genitalia. Or maybe it's just that in lesbian pornography, there are more women to look at.


I just got my car serviced and they told me that I needed to replace my brakes, front and back. I asked them how much it would cost and they told me about 450 dollars. Well that is a lot of money for me because I only work part time and I rent an appartment. Does anyone know if they are trying to rip me off or is this the normal price that they charge to replace brakes? (link)
If they're replacing the drums and/or rotors (whatever applies), $500 or so is the usual price, at least here in New England.

If they're just replacing the pads, the cost should be MUCH less, and they're ripping you off.

But if the drums or rotors are damaged, you would probably have been hearing a rumbling or grinding noise when you applied the brakes. In the future, make sure to change your brake pads on schedule, and you'll be able to avoid this expensive repair.

Incidentally, my car is probably going to need the same repair - it's booked for Monday morning. :(

only search advicenators.com


Word of warning: DON'T go to Sears for car repairs. I did, once, a long time ago, and they actually left my brakes in a non-working condition - I was nearly killed on the drive home. They'd left air in the brake fluid system, which is (I'm told) a really stupid mistake, and takes only seconds to fix. Then when I brought the car back to have them fix it, they actually disconnected my muffler and exhaust pipe and left them LYING ON THE GROUND under my car in the parking lot. When I protested, they claimed that I must have driven the car IN that way - said I was trying to get a free repair.

Good luck!

PS (added Monday evening) - I ended up needing to have my front rotors replaced. It came to just under $350, but that was with some extra work - for the rotors only, the total was about $200. If I'd had my brake pads replaced on schedule, I'd have saved $140 at least.


i'm sick, but i have to go to school.
how can i keep from throwing up?
(link)
Drinking mint tea may help. So may sucking on a mint, preferably a strong one. But the most effective remedy I know is Pepto-Bismol. It may not work for everyone, or in every case, but there are times that it works like magic for nausea.

Drinking de-fizzed coke or ginger ale sometimes helps, too - stir it until most of the bubbles are gone. I don't know if sugar-free sodas will work as well.

If you start feeling extra sick, try to keep breathing. Holding your breath is a natural response, but it's the first step in vomiting. Try to take long, slow, deep breaths from your belly.

Try to stay hydrated; drink as much water as you're comfortable with. And go to the bathroom often.

Good luck!


Okay i have a dell computer,and for some reason i moved the toolbar at the bottom,and it got bigger and moved up.Does anyone know how to make the toolbar its regular size? thank you! (link)
The other answers are right - you can resize or move the taskbar very easily. But I can add one more tip.

To recap, you can resize the taskbar by moving the cursor to the edge of the bar until it (the cursor) turns into a vertical black double-headed arrow, then click and drag.

To move the taskbar, click on a blank area of it and drag it to where you want it to be. It might not move until the cursor actually gets to a different border area; then it will snap into place.

Here's how to avoid having it move or resize unexpectedly in the future: right-click on the taskbar and click on "Lock the Taskbar". A checkmark will appear next to that option, and you won't be able to move or change the taskbar until you right-click and uncheck that option.


what's better:
running for 15 minutes,
or walking for a half hour?
(link)
Half an hour of moderate exercise will elevate your metabolism for at least a day. That means that your body will burn fat at a higher rate for all that time, even when you're sleeping. And you'll have more energy.

The sad truth is that our bodies tend to resist increasing the rate of metabolism, so fifteen minutes of running will NOT give you the same effect.

If your intention is to lose weight or increase your energy level, you need to spend at least half an hour every other day doing cardiovascular exercise. That means a brisk walk, at the very least.

More time would be better, of course. Just don't overdo it; it's better to an easier workout that you can keep up with, than to do a painful workout that you just can't stand.

Good luck!


okay so tonight my bf and i were in the hott tub.. kinda fooling around. no we didnt have sex. But i did end up getting alittttleee excited and i think he did too. But it was all touching n stuff. ANYWAY.. its pretty silly buttt is there anyway i could possibly get pregnant if he did ejaculate? i mean theres cylorine.. and stuff. but idk. just wanted to see if theres a possible chance.
dont be lame with your answers. its not a joke. An honest answer would be greatly appreciated.

5 for whoever can tell me. (link)
You can't get pregnant that way.

But if you're going to do that sort of thing, there's a good chance that you'll both get too excited and do something that WILL lead to pregnancy. So it would be a very good idea to ask your OB/GYN about your options for birth control.

There's no reason to take a chance. Be safe!


is it gay for a guy to go on a diet? (link)
No, it's not gay.

But most diets aren't a good way to lose weight or get healthy. You'd be smart to talk to your doctor about this.


I've been in love with a man for the last 3 years. I've never felt such strong feelings for a guy in my life. I believe that he loves me too. The problem is that he's married. I've never crossed the line with him. We've never even kissed but have exchanged loving glances. He knows how I feel and that I've been suffering in silence. We have so much in common and have similiar values.
He has a very rocky marriage. Everyone knows he and his wife arent happy. They work together at a cafe and they fight like cats and dogs. They have nothing in common and I've heard that she has several addictions, including drugs and gambling. They have no kids together but she has two grown children from her first marriage. They don't respect my friend and steal from him. She is abusive to him and takes his money to gamble or spend on cigaretes.
He is a gentleman and a christian and would never ask me to have an affair. I've already told him I don't believe in extra marital affairs because my dad cheated on my mom. But he has never indicated that he wanted to leave her for me. He is very shy and reserved, and sometimes I think he's in denial of his feelings for me, or scared of his feelings for me.
I am young (mid 20's) and have lots of guys after me. But I don't want to date any one because I am in love with my married friend. I don't want to have an affair either. I feel a lot of guilt because after my dad cheated on my mom I vowed to never do what my dad did. What should I do? (link)
Your beliefs, and his beliefs, seem to make this a pretty clear-cut question. If you want to be true to what you believe in, you can't date him. If the time comes that he decides to divorce, things may change, of course. But it would be an enormous mistake to spend your life waiting and hoping that he will divorce.

Because in no time at all you will be thirty, and then forty, wondering what happened to your life and cursing your mid-20's self for making an enormous and irrevocable mistake.

Here's a secret: as you get older, time speeds up. A LOT. No matter how well you think you understand that, the reality is always an unpleasant surprise.

So I recommend that you try and distance yourself from him. I realize that you love him, and that the thought of being with anyone else is sickening. So for now, don't look for anyone else. You need time to yourself, time to search your own feelings, time to get over him - as much as is possible, that is.

In time, you'll probably find someone closer to your own age who shares many of the qualities that you found loveable in that married man. Or, who knows? He may get divorced and come looking for you. But for your own sake, for now, you need to move on and try to get past him.

It will probably be easier if you try not to see him or talk to him. I'd strongly suggest getting heavily involved in some outside projects; spend time with your friends, volunteer at some worthwhile activity, take a class in something new and interesting, etc. Keep yourself as busy as possible. Although it will take time, in the end you will find yourself able to look back on him with nostalgia - but with little or no pain. And by then you'll be able to be open to the possibility of being with someone else.

Believe it or not, you may well end up happier than you would be with that married man! And you'll know that you stayed true to what you believe, which is a very precious thing indeed.

Good luck.


I'm turning 14 and for my birthday I'm having a dance. I've been going out with guy for a while now but we don't go to the same school so we haven't had any dances together. What are some good love songs that would be good for a first dance. I need as many as you can give me. This would mean a lot to me. This dance is really important. Thank you so much! I'LL RATE YOU!!!♥ (link)
Here are a couple of my favorites:

At Last - Etta James
Into Your Arms - Lemonheads


What can you do when you have a boss that gives everyone else fun and simple tasks, but gives you the dirty work that no one else wants, PLUS doesnt appreciate your hard work?
I work in retail at a superstore in the clothing department. Because it's january, all of our hours have been cut, Well anyways my boss told me today that she wanted me take down everything from the shelves and windex the shelves, plus our display tables. I had to take off all the nicely folded clothing and then spray our tables, wipe them, then put all the clothes back on. I worked my ass off, and all the other girls working got to do fun jobs, like setting up displays and customer service. After my shift was over (and covered in dirt) I said goodbye to my boss and another girl. The other girl said bye, but my boss never said anything or even acknowledged all my hard work.
Should I be upset? Because I almost felt like quitting after today. (link)
Transfer, or look for a new job. To be honest, if your boss doesn't like you, you can't count on your job being there; when (if) the time comes to cut staff, your name will probably be highest on the list of people to go.

I'm sorry to tell you that. I've been there myself, and it's never pleasant.

Obviously you're not in a union job, or you'd have the option of making a grievance. And it doesn't sound as if your boss has done anything that's obviously discriminatory, even if there was some basis on which to make that accusation. It sounds as if s/he simply doesn't like you, and there's not much you can do about it.

Of course, you could go to your boss's boss, but that's pretty much a recipe for disaster. First of all, it almost certainly won't work; he or she will be more likely to believe your boss over you. Second of all, even if it DID work, your boss would hate you for it. Your life at work would become even worse than before.

All I can suggest is to update your resume, brush up on your skills if you need to, and start looking for a transfer or a new job. I wish you the best of luck.


I haven't been to many funerals, but I am young and expect I'll be attending quite a few over the course of my life. I need advice on two issues that have come up at the funerals I have been to:

1. What do you say when someone asks how you are? To say that you're "doing great" or even "fine" seems disrespectful to the dead person and their family.
2. I am an atheist. What am I to say when someone brings up the afterlife? I feel like a liar when I nod and agree that yes, So-and-so is in a better place, but I can't very well tell the bereaved family members that their loved one is now worm food. (link)
1. Smiling sadly, raising your eyebrows, and shrugging is a good nonvocal way of saying "As well as can be expected, and thank you for asking". Or you could just SAY that, or something like it. Don't worry about it too much; no one is going to grade you, or (to be brutally honest) remember what you said. As long as it's not hideously inappropriate, that is - and you sound intelligent enough to avoid that.

2. The sad-smile-and-shrug (or nod) are always useful. Certainly it's not an appropriate time to bring up your beliefs (and I'm an atheist too, by the way). It's always safe to say something like, "At least s/he isn't suffering any more", although of course that's not appropriate if someone died unexpectedly and quickly. Or just bite the bullet and feel like a liar. But say as little as possible; it's certainly not appropriate to go into a lengthy sermon about Heaven, or anything like that.


Hi
Im currently in a psychaitric institution, this is my 5th month now.

I am being evaluated for asperger syndrom , can anyone give me any hints on what this is; the _symptoms_, the prognosises etc.?

Thanks for all replys. (link)
It's always a good idea to start with Google.

Unfortunately the Google Link function seems to have a problem with apostrophes, so just search for "Asperger's Syndrome" (and use the quotation marks).

To put it simply, Asperger's Syndrome can be considered to be related to autism, but is much milder. It has varying symptoms and severity, and the cause is still unknown. Many highly successful people have Asperger's, by the way; I don't know if it has been confirmed, but Bill Gates is often cited as an example. Certainly it's possible to lead a happy, succesful life with Asperger's.

Basically, Asperger's Syndrome is associated with difficulty in understanding social cues. It's a stereotype to call it a "geek disease", but there's some accuracy to it. Asperger's has been associated with high intelligence. There are treatments which can help.

Google will lead you to much more information. Good luck!




read advice get advice make favorite read feedback advicenators

<<< Previous Advice Column
Next Advice Column >>>

eXTReMe Tracker