I'd say this girl in your class is toady, trying to impress teachers by using big words. Personally, I prefer someone using words that everyone can understand over someone who uses big words to impress others.

I agree with Frances, Kaitlyn. This girl is out to impress her 'betters' and trample on anyone who gets in the way, to achieve it. It's difficult, but the only way to combat this behaviour is to either 'fight fire with fire' and become very informed about the topics under discussion (which you may not be all that interested in) or to refuse to play the game. Your teacher is at fault here - no teacher should show preference (for a viewpoint maybe, but not a pupil) and he was simply not doing his job when he allowed you to be constantly interrupted. When this happens to me, I find it beneficial to say firmly "Are you going to let me finish?" and to keep saying it until I'm heard. Or maybe cooly and calmly to the teacher. "I see no point in having a debate if one side is constantly shouted down by the other." Refusing to participate (passive resistance) may cause the teacher to ask why and you tell him. If not, speak to him after the lesson about his fairness. He'll probably answer with some guff about trying to help you experience the complexity of real issues :roll: .But stick with it. Of course, you could always point out that this girl is trampling all over your right to free speech.......

I'm feeling a bit sad today. A neighbour - whose youngest son was a close friend of my youngest brother - suddenly died at 62 last night (possibly a stroke or a heart attack).

I'm sorry to hear this, Frances. A sudden, unexpected death is so hard to accept, isn't it? My thoughts are with his family.

Yep, in spite of all the talking about how good it is to die suddenly and unexpectedly for those who leave, a sudden death is hard to accept for those who stay. Though you are never ready to lose someone you love, when you lose them unexpectedly, you can't help thinking of all the things you would have like to do with them or tell them. Think that yesterday night, that neighbour asked his son, my brother and another couple of their friends if they wanted him to drive them to a party they had to participate in (perhaps not trusting boys who have just gotten their driving licence to drive at night) and they said "no, thanks". It is very hard to imagine what his son felt when he got home only to discover his father had died.

Frances, Im sorry to hear about your friend. My condolences to his family, GinaP

Frances, Sorry to hear about that loss. It is very difficult when it is that sudden. My heart goes out to your brother's friend, his family and all those affected by this man's death. :hug

Hello Frances, I'm sorry to hear of your friend's passing. It truly is sad when someone is taken so suddenly. Love, Ship

Thanks, ladies, for the support shown to my friend's family. I have to say that they are proving to be very strong in this sad situation, though I guess it won't be till after the funeral that this family will become really aware of the emptiness left in his the passing of my brother's friend's father and it will be then that they will need all the support they can get.

I know when my friend died a few years ago under similar circumstance and it took quite a long time for her daughter to deal with it. She didn't cry at the funeral and finally in the last year or so it has really hit her. Her life stood still for most of the first year. She felt she lost her creativity, couldn't get into reading or music. She would escape to the movies or shopping or call me to go out to eat and sometimes just talk. I'm sure it will be awhile before the full force of the death is felt by the family.

I think people are kept busy while planning the funeral, and forced to think practically. My husband's father died very suddenly of a heart attack (many years ago) at home, at the age of 59. My husband was still living at home and cried for three days, speaking to no-one. His mother however, after almost 40 years of marriage could not cry until the funeral was well over. She was so busy organising everyone else. When reality finally hit her, she became agoraphobic and couldn't go out alone for more than two years - until she finally had some belated bereavement couselling and felt she could get on with life. One of our roles at work, is to give parents time to come to some kind of acceptance of their child's passing. I think a sudden death is often more painful for those left behind.

Yes, so many times a person doesn't get to say good-bye the way they would have liked to.

Marian, I am so sorry to hear this. I do hope the counseling works and you will be able to pass your exam. You should know that many people would have given up long ago and I applaud your persistence. Best wishes, GinaP

Yes, I truly admire your grit and determination, Marian. My ex-husband suffered drastically from panic attacks for years (no, not through being married to me!)and tried everything including medication. Counselling really helped him in the end, teaching him how to breathe properly and overcome his thoughts - I hope it does the same for you, Marian. BTW, he also swears by a little bottle called 'Rescue Remedy' which is a tincture of flower extracts (rock rose, impatiens, clematis, star of Bethlehem and cherry plum in a grape oil solution). I was previously sceptical about this, until I saw it's effect when I was trying to get him on a plane to Turkey for a family holiday; I was sure he was going to keel over on me through panic,but the Remedy calmed him down enough to think straight and board the plane. Of course, it may not work for others, but it's worth a try :cool: