ask karenR



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I have gone from younggrandma to just yg. Now,
I am using my real name.
I don't think anyone who knows me will have trouble figuring out who that is!


I have been gone a while dealing with things in my own life. I am back now to help once again. Do not expect answers from me that just tell you what you want to hear. Life is to short for nonsense. :)
Website: advicenators forum
E-mail: karenrickel@gmail.com
Gender: Female
Location: KANSAS
Occupation: Homemaker,EMT, ER worker, Medical assistant
Member Since: March 4, 2005
Answers: 10132
Last Update: July 29, 2022
Visitors: 576946


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I want to make ice cream by putting the small coffee can in the big coffee can(for people who know this recipe)but i dont have any coffee cans so what else can i use that i might have in my house? (link)
Just about any 2 containers with lids would work.
I think they can might hold the cold in better and help it to freeze though.

You could try using popcorn tins or something like that (if you have some smaller ones).

I'd say try plastic bowls but I am just not sure if it would work. You could try it though.

Let me know if you do and it works out. I love homemade ice cream. :)


I have really bad strep throat and there's puss pockets all over my tonsils and stuff.. will I have to have my tonsils taken out? or is it only for when people get sick ALL the time? I'm so scared of surgery so give details on what they look for if they consider taking tonsils out. Thanks so much! (link)
They used to take tonsils out a lot. They really don't do that much anymore.

My son had tonsils that were swollen all the time. I mean the kid would sound like he was snoring just sitting there watching TV. If he ate a cracker or something sharp like that, they would actually bleed.

I had to request that they be taken out. They weren't going to do it.

That being said, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Unless you have a problem with them all the time, they won't take them out. :)


I asked a girl to the winter formal dance a few days ago. She got really excited and was taken totally surprised and started bragging to all of her friends. Her actual words were "Let me check my schedule to be sure that I don't have something, but it sounds like a lot of fun." Oh my goodness thank you for asking me. Hug. Here I am thinking SCORE!
Well, aparrently not. The next day she pulls me aside and says that she's really sorry but she has something that night that she absolutely cannot get out of (independly confirmed, she really does have something that she can't get out of). Oh my goodness, she's so sorry, she was so excited to get asked that she told all of her friends. I'm a really nice guy. If there was another dance ("You're a Junior, right?" read: PROM) she'd be honored to go. She feels so sorry and she's really bad at this because she's never been asked to anything before and she's so sorry she doesn't know what she's doing. I made her day/week/month. Etc. Etc. So I mention that maybe there's something else she might want to do another night. She says "Well, there's plenty of time to think about that." Bounds off.
I am really confused. Do I cut my losses and move on or is she interested? How do I approach the situation when I run into her tomorrow? If she's interested will she come after me now or what? I don't want to be the guy that can't take the hint, but at the same time... I really don't understand what just happened. (link)
She won't come after you. You'll have to ask yet again.

I would ask her to a movie or something like that. If she can't go. Find someone who isn't so busy.

Your guess that she may have been angling for a prom date could be true. If she won't go out with you any other time...no prom for her.

Tell her to bring her appointment book in so you can pick a day to go to the movies.

Good luck with it. If the dance hasn't been held yet, ask someone else. Let her know you aren't going to wait around for her. :)


If you had a choice would you get a BMW or Corvette? (link)
Corvette...though they are very uncomfortable. :)


Are there any suggestions on how I should tell my parents i'm bisexual? I've wanted to for a while but didn't know how to bring it up. I have a girlfriend named Madison too. 16/F (link)
Honestly, I see no reason to tell your parents.
If you were a homosexual, then I'd say something but bi....why?


What can you get from giving blowjobs? (link)
( STD, 101 about http://www.teensource.org/RunScript.asp?page=133&Poll_ID=4&p=ASP\Pg133.asp STDs about http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=243&np=292&id=2302 STDs about http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/stds/std.html )

these sites will give you all the STD info you could want. :)


I have a friend we can call him john well john smokes and we're only 13 i dont think thats right i told him what i think and he agrees and hes tried to quit but it NEVER seems to work is there anything i can do to help john because hes my best friend and he could getin in alot of trouble for smoking around school and hes damanging his body (link)
About all you can do is offer encouragement.

Just be careful not to nag...he'll be cranky and you don't want to give him an excuse to lash out at you!

Quitting is something he has to do on his own. If he doesn't want to quit it will be very difficult. :)


The first time you make out, is it 'scary'? I know that sounds weird, but I would imagine it would be that way. How do you know when someone's about to kiss you? Can they usually tell if you've never made out before? Help! :) (link)
It isn't scary if you care for the other person.
Might make you a little nervous the first time, which is normal, but not scary! :)


hey everyone, i have a really huge problem and i need to know if theres anything i can do to help or fix anything.. my best friend is being forced to go to a different school by her parents.. the reason is because of her grades and how she isnt 'responsible' randomly friday they got rid of her cell phone, and grounded her all thanksgiving break and told her she was going to a differnet school... the school is a christian school and its about 30 minutes away. anyways, they got rid of most of her clothes and replaced them with 'christian apropriate clothes' she'll be starting at the christian school the monday after this next one. i know we'll still talk and stuff but its just not going to be the same having her gone... i need to know some ways i can help or make things change.. or some excuses shes already threatend she would kill herself or turn lesbian (no effence) but theyre just like 'i dont care' please help.. (link)
There really isn't a whole lot you can do I don't think.

One thing you might want to do is dress the way they expect HER do dress when you go visit her. The reason being if they are becoming that fanatical about her lifestyle, you could be the next thing they go after. So, regardless of how you feel about them...do as they would expect in order to keep your friendship.

As far as your friend goes just be there to listen. Hopefully she will be 18 before to many more years and can leave. Encourage her any way you can. So long as she can get out once in a while with her friends, she will just have to tolerate it as best she can. :)


I am a 16 year old girl. i have never had sex or anything..so what could it mean if i have this pain rite about my "private part" on the left side. and i have been peeing a lot more at nite lately than i usually do. the pain isn't CONSTANT. it comes and goes, it feels kinda like a muscle pain, like it's not a very sharp pain, and it doesn't hurt that bad.. but i'm scared. if you can help me out, but need any more information, please let me know. i don't wanna have to tell anyone about this if i don't have to! (link)
You really should tell your mom about it and have her take you to a doctor for a checkup.

It may be nothing at all but, better to now that for sure. :)


I want to put a photo of me on my website, but it's really big, and my mom said I should make it smaller so no one can see my face up close (for safety reasons). I tried to resize it, but I don't know how to. I don't have Paint on my computer either, so I don't know how I can make it smaller. Please give me some advice on how to do it, or some websites I can go to that will help me with this kind of stuff.
Five for everyone that helps! (link)
If you are concerned for saftey reasons put another kind of picture there. It doesn't have to be a photo of you. I don't use mine...I want to remain a mystery! :)


I am concerned for my Grandson's emotional well-being. He is a step-child at both his parents homes - they share him on a weekly - weekend basis, and have good communication- and good relationship with one another. The boy is 8. He is getting into trouble at school: being sassy and not following instructions. At his mom's he is very sassy to her, and gets in trouble with his step-dad for this behavior. Lots of time-outs and missed activities. He has a 2yr. old half brother and an infant half-sister at his mom's house. At his father's he is the only child, although his step-mom is pregnant (he doesn't know yet).

This school year he began a "new" habit of not putting on underware when he gets himself dressed for school. On Friday's I picked him up after school, and asked him to change before his dad came to pick him up from my home, after getting off work. He made an excuse about playing in the school yard and falling, which got his underware wet from the grass. I collected his school clothes to wash them and asked for his soiled underware. He said he left them in his desk. I do not think this is so. I believe he did not wear any to school, again.

He spends a lot of time with me and his grandad and he weas all his clothing items here - also at his dad's house. Could his not wearing his underware signal han attempt to get help for whatever is frustrating him at his mom's and at school? (link)
I think he is trying to get someones attention. Most likely moms. The siblings may be the main reason.

I think he should be taken to his doctor to rule out any medical reason for his behavior. His doctor can then recommend further help for him if they think it is necessary.

I am sure bouncing from one household to the other is hard on kids. 2 different sets of rules and all that.

I do think he needs to see a doctor though. His behavior is definitely not as it should be. The little guy is unhappy about something. :)


does puting ice on cold sore really work and will they go away faster?


*K (link)
I don't know why ice would help.

I use alum on mine. it is sour but they are gone by next day. It is a spice used for pickles. Found in spice aisle at grocery. :)


Well I'm a 16 year old girl.

Ok. To be blunt, ever since I was about 6 I have been praying that my parents or someone would abuse me or give me a reason to run away and never come back. I am trying to end this cycle but nothing has helped so far. I guess ever since I was little I never felt good enough for someone to love me. When I was younger I was always causing trouble in order for them to get sick of me and tell me what I already believed was true. Is there something I can do to end this cycle? (link)
It sounds like you need to talk to a professional about your problem. You have had it a long time. It may be the only way to make it stop.

Is your relationship with your mom a good enough one that you can talk to her about it? If so then do it. Tell her you want to see a doctor about it.

If you have a regular family doctor, they should be able to refer you to someone who can help you. :)


By the way I'm a 16 year old girl.


Well I have a friend named Adam who is really big into Dungeons and Dragons and well he wants me to join his D&D group. I don't want to join because it kind of goes a little bit against my religion and it is filled with all sorts of dark imagery that I would prefer not to get involved with. I know that I have to tell him but I think that if I straight up tell him that I don't want to participate then he'll get mad at me. I'm a bit confused. He's a great friend except for when it comes to just begging me and telling me that he'll do almost anything to get me to join. (link)
You tell him the truth.

Explain why and let him know you have nothing against his playing it, you just aren't going to participate.

He needs to grow up and learn that you won't always like the same things. The grown up part is not to get mad about it or continue to beg you to participate. :)


in like sex related questions everyone asks about like popping a cherry what is that i rate? (link)
They are reffering to the hymen.

Check this website for more info on the subject.

www.coolnurse.com


i need very sound advice on this. My ex and i ended because of something really stupid, and he was so hurt that he just jumped right into another relationship. After months of being with his gf he was telling me he still had feelings for me, but i was so angry and hurt still that i didnt let him know how i really felt!

My ex and i had a long history. Weve been broken up for a year now. Him and his ex broke up just recently.(they break up alot, but always get back together) This is their longest break though.(theyve been together for a year now) Him and i talked the other night for 1 1/2 hrs. During the convo it came out that i still had feelings for him. (he thought i hated him) His first question that he always wants to know is, if i have done shit with any guys. I told him yes, just 1. Hes always been very respectful of me when it came to sexual stuff. (We kinda did it, but i never let him go in all the way). He asked me if i have wanted to, and he said that he has! Then he said "Bad?" He also asked if i had any questions about us wanting each other, and i said, "How do you feel?" and he said he really doesnt know.

Im not gonna sleep with him so you dont have to comment on that. Anyways, i saw him kiss his ex on the cheek today, and him and i have plans to hang out tomorrow. Theres so many ugly thoughts running through my head that i dont know what to think.

He would never take advantage of me like that (because he never has before) But why is he thinking about doing it with me? Is it because maybe he hasnt gotten in awhile and hes horny? (thats 1 of my ugly thoughts)

I dont want to really talk about her when we hang out, and i dont know if hed be 100% honest with me if we did. He talks better to me in person than online, since we havent been together, but im the 1 that IMs him all the time.

I was really hoping we could work through things, and someday get back together.

My biggest question is, Do you think he just wants sex from me, and why??

Any other feelings or comments about this i would greatly appreciate!

Thanks! (link)
It is possible that he only wants sex. Not necessarily true but definitely something to keep in the back of your mind.

If he cares he will wait until you have re established your relationship. Let him know you don't take having sex lightly and are not going to do it just for the heck of it.

If you didn't have sex when you dated him before, the biggest why would probably be curiosity. Don't let him find out unless your relationship seems like its going to last a while.

You probably will need to talk about his ex some. It shouldn't be a big thing but, you need to know where you stand with him and where she fits in to it all. If he is still harboring feelings for her, you may want to let him get over it before jumping into a relationship. Last thing you want is to be the "rebound girl".

Hang out, get to know each other again. People do change in short periods of time when they are young! Don't jump into doing anything you may regret if things don't work out the way you'd like. :)

Good luck.


i'm 15 (sophomore) and my boyfriend is 17 (junior). we've been dating for around a year and four months. lately, i've been getting SO annoyed of him. everything he does just pisses me off now? i see him almost everyday, except the days he doesn't work. he always asks me questions... he always thinks i'm going to break up with him.. i don't know what to do.. but i need to figure it out soon. he told me he wants to buy me a promise ring and i think it kind of scared me. i don't know if it's time to take a break or call it quits. but i know if i do break it off, i'll regret it.. someone help me.. i rate high! (link)
If he is pissing you off all the time it may be time to look for someone new.

Here is a website that may help you with your decision. Best of luck. :)

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/advice/breakup/content.shtml?ART=whenitsover


I have a friend that i like alot more than just friends, but the problem is, Ive told her about this and she ignores me most of the time. I just that, the least she could do is "i just want to be friends" or something, not just ignore me. Another thing is that her boyfriends[or exs, depends on the month] know about it and talk to me about it. Help me out please.

Josh (link)
Josh...you might try backing off a little.

You may become more attractive to her if you kind of ignore her for a while. She may then wonder what happened to you and start looking a little closer at you.

Might not too, but worth a shot at this point. If she doesn't, then look for someone who will.

Good luck :)


ok so i liked this guy and now im over him and when we get back from thanksgiving break i intend to make that clear so he doesnt have to worry im not quite sure what im gonna say tho do yall have any ideas? i dont wanna sound mean but i want to sound like im not kidding...thanks! (link)
I have a website that will hopefully help you out.

Good luck. :)

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/advice/breakup/content.shtml?ART=howtobreakup




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