Unless SergioL is the new name for LaughingTravels or blacktie or whatever he wants to call himself this week.

I care about posters who have children who post alot instead of spending that time with children.

I declare&quot I always learn something new just reading Fodor's posts..
Never knew that the 24th was the most depressing day of the year..
"Is never too late to learn" this is my favourite's motto..

Damn, now I'm depressed because I missed the most depressing day of the year!

peeky, yes, but I get over it.
(111op, my sentiments exactly!)

Patrick -
Get over it! Get a grip! Make an itinerary! Make a martini!

You are right Patrick, we missed a big day! I would have been so justified in staying in bed all day , being depressed, eating bonbons and drinking something alchoholic ( I am blank right now as to what would go well with Bonbons)
We will just have to have a delayed Day of Depression!
There, that cheers me right up!

Scarlett,
LBV Port, lol!
M

Oh, mike honey, I should have known you would know the answer to that LOL
Mmmm, sounds good! We have Wares here, will that do in a pinch?

Ooooh, Cigalechanta, talk about initiating a catfight!

As a stay at home parent of older children, however, I can say it is a nice outlet and antidote to isolation.

Personally, it's my "avoidance" crutch. Dishes in the sink? Paperwork to file? Bills to pay? ... Hmmm, wonder what's happening at Fodors?

But I have to say, I enjoy sharing my experiences and knowledge of my local area. I love when someone is looking for something I found, and hope it's just the right thing for them!

Patrick. Psychotherapy does not work. I have tried it. Save your money for more travel.

Mimi - We just ship the kiddies off to Boston to see if they can survive a major snowstorm! Her plane landed at Logan Saturday at 5pm just as it was starting and it's snowing again.

As my sister always says "Everyone needs to be therapped".

This thread is really depressing....

Here's a link to the most depressing day of the year article:

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6847012/

Rehabilitation is only 12 little steps away...

I sometimes think that I start repeating myself when I am giving out my "sage" information. I think that the person reading it will yell back at me...who cares! I skip replying to alot of posts because of this.

So, I have thought of it but in the different direction.

Nope peeky, I never quit caring. Part of Fodors is definitely an addiction. Sometimes it stems from boredom. But there are several parts of the world I love dearly and am thrilled to help new folks discover with insider tips. A few times I've even gotten help here myself!

The only time I have to make myself PUT the mouse down and WALK AWAY from the keyboard is when I can't make myself stop arguing a silly point on a pointless thread.

And I will *never* tire of answering questions about packing or first trips to Europe, much to the chagrin of some regular posters.

Well look at that! SergioL or should we still call him Blacktie/TravelsLaughter is here again!
And so full of sage advice and CARE!

Hi Kay, I was referring to High school and below kids. Your daughter is in University and very adult all she needs now is a pair of UGGS, the only boot that's warm enough for this cold weather here.

I seriously doubt anyone is addicted enough to Fodors to ignore their kids. Gambling, alcohol, carousing... definitely. But Fodors?

High school kids don't need much more than a parent to make them a nice dinner and share it with them and a pat on the back to go do their homework, and a reminder to send their SAT scores to the colleges of their choice. They're in school from 8-6, at least mine are, so daytime is not their concern.
To answer the question, there are days when I read a question that has been posed a thousand times and I just can't bear to deal with it again. And there are days when my mood is more generous and I do answer, even if it's something I've already answered dozens and dozens of times, It depends on a lot of factors - my mood, the weather, what's going on at work, etc. But what I don't do is give a negative answer to something just because I'm tired and the question has been posed a lot of times before. I just pass. That's not to say I won't get into it with some posters about certain issues. I think healthy debate is just that - healthy.
But if I sign on and my sense is that I'm going to be really impatient with most of the posts, I tend to sign off and go do something else - read, garden, catch up on work, spend time with the kids, whatever. With newbies, I don't think it's ever worth the time to get into a fracas. With trolls, I rarely am interested. With regulars, I'm up for a spar if it's a topic that genuinely interests me (witness the Driving in the Dordogne thread currently underway), but I try to be honest and direct when I'm opposed to someone's point of view. It's tempting sometimes to be sarcastic or down-putting, and sometimes the temptation is simply too great to avoid that, but in the long run, that doesn't work to anyone's advantage.
So yeah, I do care. And if I'm feeling too impatient or put-upon or whatever, I just sign off and go do something else. When I go on vacation, I don't even sign on to Fodor's normally. If I do, it's once in two weeks or something. I think I'd consider myself seriously addicted if I went on vacation and felt compelled to sign onto Fodor's and answer travel questions while I myself was traveling.