Gardening and Greenhouse

Planning a Garden

By Green Thumb on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 | 54 Comments

It sounds like is should be easy to plan a backyard vegetable garden. Yet, every year it’s the same thing. I pull out the plan from the past year, think about what worked and what didn’t, and start the whole process over again. Sometimes it starts on a napkin at the coffee shop. Other times I actually pull out a sheet of paper and start sketching it out.

I try to remember the actual dimension of the gardens themselves and then the sizes of the raised beds in the garden. I have to remember to set aside space for the pole beans because they seem to grow best on three poles set up in a triangle pattern at their base and then tied together at the top. Pole beans also seem to work well on a trellis. Then I have to figure out where to put the squash, tomatoes and everything else.

I usually get a bunch of ideas down and then start to think about things like what will grow best in that specific bed or how much sunlight does that vegetable really need? Are there complimentary vegetables that I can add to my garden design planning? Should any of the plants I’m thinking about be done as a part of a container garden plan? Should I be rotating crops from one bed to another? When should I plant what?

So much for easy! This year I decided to go online to see if I could find some better tools to help with the planning. I’d used Microsoft Visio in the past but never really could find a good garden template with good icons for the vegetables and enough information about each one. Visio is also pretty expensive, particularly if this is all you plan to do with it.

Better Homes and Gardens seemed promising. They offer a free garden planning tool. I entered my first name and an email address in the form and unchecked all of the “FREE” newsletter offers (I don’t want my mailbox filled with more stuff that slows down my PC), and then entered a password. Next came another screen that asked for a whole lot more specific information than I wanted to give out and a bunch of additional offers. I quickly realized that FREE really isn’t FREE if it means signing up for a bunch of other stuff.

In the end, I did finally manage to get into the BHG product itself but was disappointed. The user interface looks slick and pretty and it should have been easy to use, but it didn’t give me the information about the vegetables and plants that I was looking for, nor did it give any spacing information or rotational data. There weren’t even suggestions about what to plant where and why. In the end, it just makes pretty garden pictures.

I was looking for more…

Fortunately, I found a cool software package that you can try for 30 days at NO Cost. If you like it the cost is $25 to sign up. If you don’t it won’t have cost you anything to try.

Click Go To The Garden Planner to get started. You’ll be up and running in 4 EASY steps.

On the garden planner website, click on the either the Free Trial link or click on the Start Garden Planner button in the upper right corner of the screen.
Click on the “Create An Account” button, put in your email address and your password, then click on the OK button
Check your email inbox for the account activation, then click on the OK button
Check out the Learn to Use videos and have fun!

In no time at all I put together my garden and am now ready to go and plant my plan.

Answers To Your Questions About It Is Recommended That

By Green Thumb on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 | No Comments

Mark asks…

smoking weed after wisdom teeth removal?

i just had my wisdom teeth pulled this morning.i have no pain what so ever and my gums are still bleeding. that is why they gave me gauze to stop it.

so here is my question. i know that it is not recommended to smoke weed after getting this surgery done, but i looooove to smoke marijuana(judge me if you must, but it makes me happy) and i know that you are not supposed to inhale at all. but if i have gauze in my mouth and have it covering all four of the sockets while i smoke, would the smoke still irritate the sockets and make them dry?

Green Thumb answers:

Chances are, if the doctor told you you shouldn’t inhale, you shouldn’t inhale! If you MUST do drugs wait until you recover from surgery.

Maria asks…

Why is it when i run one of those free virus scans online, it shows all kinds of viruses?

but when i run a scan with my own antivirus, which is Norton antivirus, it shows none?
Also I’m thinking about using a different antivirus, either a free one, or buy one. Any recommended antiviruses for free, or for sale?

Green Thumb answers:

Norton AV has been known to miss alot of infections…the only way to convince you that Norton is Junk…download and install these 2 programs….when downloading malwarebytes…it will ask you for a free trial to the paid pro version…just click on “no thanks”…..both programs are free.

Http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html

PS: Both of these programs are the real deal and they are both ranked #1 and #3 in the world for detection of Malware/Adware and Spyware…if you have infections on the computer…they will catch em……and after they catch em and you destroy them….get another AV product and ditch Norton…I did years ago………..

Lizzie asks…

What is the best med to take to easily wake up early in the morning?

I work multiple shifts and have been diagnosed with shift work sleep disorder. My energy during the day is pretty good actually, my problem is waking up. I am late to work or miss appointments entirely often. Once I’ve been up for a bit, I’m good to go.

Basically, what I want is a drug that I can take BEFORE I go to bed, so that it is much easier to wake up in the morning. I’ve looked into Provigil and many people claim this drug makes it easier to wake in the morning. However, I usually get 6-9 hours of sleep and I feel like Provigil’s waking effects would only work if I were to sleep a short period of time, like 3-4 hours. I don’t want to hear any solutions that do not involve meds, I’ve heard and tried them all.

What medications do you know about or recommend that may help me with this problem?

Green Thumb answers:

Actually you need meditation and yoga. Sudharsan Kriya is a very powerful breathing technique. You can follow it. It will actually help you. Also to wake up early in the morning or at any time you can use your subconscious mind. This can help you to wake up at time in the morning. The process to wake up early in the morning is here, just follow the link below;

http://themnemonicworld.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-wake-up-early-in-morning-without.html

Thomas asks…

What is a light non-heavy foundation that you would recommend?

I’m currently using Revlon ColorStay but it‘s too heavy for my taste. It feels like wall paint on my face. I want something light, like water on my face that dries up and you can’t feel. Recommendations?

Green Thumb answers:

Use powder foundation. Its weightless. You might have to reapply around midday, but it is much healthier for your skin. I personally love MAC studio fix and Almay truly lasting color

Ruth asks…

Islamic colonization of Europe. How do we stop it?

There are huge populations of muslims in Europe, and flowing into Europe as we speak. These immigrants do not and will not accept the values here, or culture, and demand their own way, even if it means destroying our culture and life. They create muslim no go zones, and soon they’re gonna demand their own little independent islamic country within Europe, needless to say taken away out of our land. A muslim no go zone is a place where the police and people cant go in there cuz its a ‘muslim area’. In those areas they establish Sharia law. Islam is a stone aged, barbaric, caveman minded ideology that brainwashes its followers and eliminates its enemies. Once it gets into power its practically impossible to get it out of there. A long time ago an American president said “islam is 1000 years of darkness”. Its not even a question that wherever islam goes, the life standard falls incredibly and the muslims are determined to take Europe back to the stone age. Nobody can tell me that its the religion of peace, Ive spent years with this and I tried to look at the good side of it, of what it would be like to live in an Islamic Europe, guess what, there is no good side of it. Its like thinking about “hmmm, do I wanna become a brainwashed zombie slave, or not… hmmmm…” the choice is obvious. Anyway the muslims are out breeding everybody in Europe, and if we don’t do something about this right NOW, not later or years from now, NOW, then we can wave free Europe goodbye, we’ll lose our freedoms aka our identity. I think one solution could be that we stop ALL muslim immigration into Europe, and make a law like in China that a muslim family can only have 1 or maximum 2 children. Or we can deport all of them. Now before anybody calls me racist, let me ask you, since when is Islam or muslims a race? So how am I racist? Its for saving the European civilization, and I also recommend North America to pay attention to whats happening in Europe, I love the US and Canada and Australia(yes I know its a different continent) and I don’t wanna see them destroyed or ruined. Currently our politicians are not doing anything about this, instead they’re bowing down to islam. I know it sounds stupid but maybe they want us, the European people to take this into our own hands, and get rid of the problem ourselves, they want us to actually see our freedoms taken away and they know we will stand up as one and take care of this problem, but its not gonna be pretty. So before a revolution starts here in Europe, we might wanna take care of this in a voting/legal way while we still can. I love Europe the way it is, free, full of history, anybody who is European knows what Im talking about. Again Im not racist and I dont wanna start a genocide against anybody, I just want to help save the European civilization

Green Thumb answers:

You are white. You are european. You are a racist. Its a good think there will be less white people in this world-less problems for colored people.

IMO, the white man is the most barbaric and evil race. You give colored people syphilis, inject people with AIDS/HIV in Africa, spread smallpox to kill thousands of people. O yah, a holocaust to kill millions of Jews and Gypsies! Yet you complain about Muslims in Europe? To be honest three thousand people on 9/11 is really not that much. When white terrorists bombed Japan in Hiroshmia/ Nagasaki-they killed 50,000 people. But i forgot, the “white” person is so much more important then a non-white person.

Stop complaining and accept the fate of your race. It is the consequences of your people’s actions of the past-colonization, etc. You took away freedom of many colored people-include millions of Muslims in THEIR lands (example algeria) -so stfu and deal with karma! They say Karma’s a b itch so deal with it!

Linda asks…

Good websites to purchase clothing and merchandise?

I am looking for a good, reliable website – other then Amazon – where I can purchase clothing and merchandise, specifically from the TV show NCIS. It is for my sister’s birthday, and she wants a hoodie, but the ones on Amazon are average at best. If I cannot find a hoodie that she likes, then any other NCIS merchandise will do!

If you could recommend a website that you have personally used and trust, that would be very much appreciated.

Many Thanks

Green Thumb answers:

Http://cbs.seenon.com/ncis/index.php?v=cbs-ncis

This is all you need

Richard asks…

Would it be recommended that I wear panties under pantyhose or should I go commando?

I would like to know the best way of wearing pantyhose. Should I wear panties underneath, should I go commando or does it not matter?

Green Thumb answers:

Technically, they are PANTY hose, therefore panties are not required. However, for your own comfort, you may want to wear underwear.

Answers To Your Questions About 21.5 Imac Wall Mount

By Green Thumb on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 | No Comments

Lizzie asks…

Adjustable Height Stand for Imac?

Hi,

I have the new 21.5” imac I purchased 2 months ago. The imacs come with a stand that can only adjust in terms of tilt, but not height. I am looking for stand that is compatible with Imac monitors that allows you to adjust the height – I am looking to bring it down lower than the current position b/c I am short. I know that there are many adjustable monitor stands out there, but please only answer if you know of one that works with mac- the attachment bracket is totally different than the PC monitors. (and please note that I am NOT looking for wall mounts. my imac is on my desk) Thanks!

Green Thumb answers:

Thats why its a Mac and not a PC

Remember; you buy what uncle Steve sells you and you don’t complain.

Answers To Your Questions About Growing Tomatoes Under Watering

By Green Thumb on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 | No Comments

Robert asks…

Two groups of tomatoes were grown under laboratory conditions, one with humus added … BIO QUEST!!?

Two groups of tomatoes were grown under laboratory conditions, one with humus added to the soil and one a control without the humus. The leaves of the plants grown without humus were yellowish (less green) compared with those of the plants grown in humus-enriched soil. The best explanation for this difference is that

A)the humus made the soil more loosely packed, so water penetrated more easily to the roots.
B)the heat released by the decomposing leaves of the humus caused more rapid growth and chlorophyll synthesis.
C)the humus contained minerals such as magnesium and iron, needed for the synthesis of chlorophyll.
D)the healthy plants absorbed chlorophyll from the humus.
E)the healthy plants used the food in the decomposing leaves of the humus for energy to make chlorophyll.

Which of the following letters!?!?! Thanks.

Green Thumb answers:

C) humus contained minerals such as magnesium and iron.

Helen asks…

Hi folks, this question is about tomatoes,?

one of the kids is growing tomato plants on their balcony, she has green ones growing but the problem is all of the tomatoes have black on the bottoms, like they are rotting, any ideas ?? Thank You so much !!! We wonder if the pots they are in are too small,? Or over watering or under watering ? Also should she be pruning them ? Thanks alot !!!

Green Thumb answers:

Lack of Calcium. Called black Bottom Rot. You can add calcium to the pots soil, but the ones that currently have it are ruined.

Susan asks…

Growing veg and salad, what next!?

So I wanted to grow some veg and salad in the garden with my toddler as we live in the city, so I wanted her to know where food comes from, not just asda lol. We planted the seeds in large pots some on the patio, some in the greenhouse. They plants have all started growing and we have been watering them every day. The trouble is, I dont have a clue what Im doing! I mean, what veg grow under the soil and which grow on top? Should I be feeding the plants or is watering enough? If I pick things like the salad leaves will they grow back? The cucumber plants leaves are going a bit brown on the edges, but still no cucumbers, why are they going brown? Here is a list of what we have planted, all have got plants, the only ones Im sure about where the fruit/veg grows are the chillis, tomatoes and potatoes. The salad leaves are tiny but already going brown on the edges, what am I doing wrong? thanks

mini gem lettuce

salad leaves

cucumbers

tomatoes

spring onion

red and white onion

potatoes

aubergine

peppers

sweetcorn

thanks for your help xx
lol I have the sweetcorn in a pot boris, oh dear!!

Green Thumb answers:

You need to grow your sweetcorn in the garden in rows. These grow overground.
Your potatoes grow underground,you can grow these in the garden or in deep tubs/pots.
Cucumbers and aubergines grow overground, best grown in a greenhouse.
You can grow peppers in pots on the windowsill,these grow from the top of the plant.
The onion bulbs grow around the base of the plant underground but as they ripen you need to lift them up a little for the bulbs to catch the sun.
Spring onions can be left to grow till ready,the onions will be at the base of the plant.
Young salad/herb leaves can be sown and picked at regular intervals,every few weeks, either in pots or rows in the garden,pick when young.
You can grow tomatoes in large pots or growbags,they need plenty of light,as do the cucumbers and grow from the stems overground.
Do not overwater,water when dry making sure there is enough water to soak down to the roots. Tomatoes need a little more water than the other plants.

Maria asks…

Help – the leaves on my tomato plants are turning yellow at the bottom ….?

…. after they go wizened first. They are cherry tomatoes and are growing outdoors (SW UK) Is this down to over/under watering? Too cold at night still? The flowers are forming okay and the tops of the plants are fine. Suggestions please.

I’ve fed them.

Green Thumb answers:

Since you’ve been careful when you watered & fed your plants, and because the top leaves are healthy & flowers are forming, it’s most likely that your plants are just going through the natural process of the older leaves on the bottom turning from green to yellow, plus the shock to the plants of going from the heat of the day to the sudden coldness at night.

When this happens to my plants, I just remove the yellowed leaves.

Hopefully, the article below should help reassure you that it’s just nature doing it’s thing, & not anything that you have done that’s causing the yellowing of the bottom leaves of your plant.
[For future reference, I've included this site which lists several reasons why leaves on plants will turn yellow. While it's true that too much water will choke roots and very often causes leaf yellowing, ... Too little water, or a sudden unexpected cold or ongoing excess heat can also cause the plant's leaves to turn yellow . Also, moving a plant to a new location, overfertilizing or plants lacking certain nutrients, etc.]:

http://mgonline.com/articles/yellow_leaves.aspx

Good luck!!! Hope this helps.

Mandy asks…

Question about growing Bell Peppers?

Im looking for help, I planted 2 tomato plants, 1 cucumber plant, and one green bell pepper plant about 3 weeks ago.

I have seen the tomato plants grow nearly double the size, and the cucumber plant seems to be doing well also.

The pepper plant however has not grown much (if at all) But I noticed that it is (A) growing more leaves and (B) quite green, so until today I just assumed it was healthy and perhaps that is how they grow.

But when watering this morning I decided to inspect it up close, and I noticed when I looked under the leaves, that the places where a stem breaks into 2 stems as you look from the bottom up (sorry I don’t know the terminology because I am new to this) there is a black patch where it splits up.

Is this normal or is it some kind of parasite?

If it helps any, I live in southeastern Ontario.

Green Thumb answers:

First, understand that bell pepper plants do not grow as quickly or as large as tomato plants. They stay relatively small. Without seeing a photo of the “black patch,” it is hard to determine if anything is wrong. My pepper plants often have a black area where shoots form and it is perfectly normal. My guess is that your plants are perfectly normal and only need a little bit of time to grown.

Answers To Your Questions About 21.5 Imac

By Green Thumb on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 | No Comments

Chris asks…

Is there going to be an imac coming out to replace the 21.5 and 27 anytime soon?

I just ordered the apple imac 21.5 and I hope I did not just invest 1400 dollars to get an outdated device. How long until the next gen comes out?

Green Thumb answers:

Knowing Apple’s record of not updating its systems, probably at least a year; the newest ones just came out a month or two ago.

Michael asks…

Is there any possible way to hook up my xbox 360 slim to my Imac 21.5?

Hi i have an Imac 21.5 with a 3.06 core 2 duo processor and i also have an xbox 360 250gb. I read online that only the 27 inch can support it. If that is true why is that and is there anyway to do it. I don’t care how good or bad the quality is i just want to be able to play it on my imac.

Green Thumb answers:

Having a windows computer avoids many compatibility issues.

Robert asks…

What is the best screen to use as a secondary monitor with a 21.5″ iMac?

I am looking at purchasing a new iMac in the next few weeks, however as a web developer I think I will benefit from having a dual screen set-up. I have looked on the apple store and there is a 24″ screen you can get on there but I am looking at getting a 21.5” screen so it goes with my Mac.
Does anyone have any recommendations of the best screen for the job??

Green Thumb answers:

Just like Apple’s computers, Apple’s monitors are very high quality….but also pretty steeply priced. You can find a whole bunch of 24″ from other vendors for a LOT less, but the quality will be less too.

You can get comparable quality for a little less money as well, if you do a little shopping. The Dell TrueColor series come highly rated, for example, and while you can’t get a 24″ for $150 or anything, they are less than Apple’s screens.

As far as what’s “best” it depends on your personal taste and needs. I’m looking at getting a 2nd monitor bigger than 27″ but I also use my computer as my TV/DVD player. A 27″ or bigger wouldn’t fit well on my desk, but it will hang on my wall in my media room just fine. Take a look at your budget, your size needs, and your placement options. That will help you decide which monitor to buy.

Good luck!

Answers To Your Questions About It Is Recommended That Grammar

By Green Thumb on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 | No Comments

Linda asks…

Recommended Spelling/Grammar Check Software?

I know, I know. MS Word, etc., have one built in. But it will not flag obvious errors in grammar like “There are may problems” where the writer meant to say “many” (althought it would suggest that may be capitalized). I’m looking for something which could flag something like that.
Suggestions?

Green Thumb answers:

This software is the best and its free i will give you the link.

Http://pages.prodigy.net/daleharris/speller.htm

Michael asks…

Why is it that everytime a question is written with bad grammar the recommended forum is “Rap & Hip Hop”?

: )

Green Thumb answers:

LOL

how come everytime you mention ANYTHING you get recommended to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered group?

Richard asks…

Learning Vietnamese .. Pimsleur?

Hi guys. I’ve decided to commit myself to learning Vietnamese from scratch with no background at all (it‘s part of my ethnicity and as a long term goal, I want to be able to be proficiently fluent in it in both writing and speaking).

So I was wondering if there was a good place to start. I’ve already ordered a highly recommended grammar book that is being shipped this very moment but I want to look into a resource that‘ll help with my speaking since there’s no way I’m going to make heads or tails of what the accent markings will sound like if I just read the grammar book.

I’ve heard good things from Pimsleur’s language courses. The only problem I have is that it is completely audio, isn’t it? Sure I can repeat whatever they tell me to say but how am I supposed to relate that to what’s written? It‘s not like I’ll be able to figure out that a certain sound will correspond to a certain accented letter without actually having a script to follow a long.

Maybe my understanding of how Pimsleur isn’t quite right.. But anyway, any advice for resources to learn Vietnamese both spoken and written? It‘d be nice to find something that can match audio to something written. Not sure if Pimsleur does that or not .. Any comments would be appreciated!

Green Thumb answers:

A library would be a good place to start. Some of the accent marks are easy. The accent agu / (pronounced yow sac in Vietnamese) just means you pronounce the word in a high note (like how it’s going upwards). Words with with accent grave (yow nga) you use a lower tone..if you live in northern or southern California there’s some programs where you can learn Vietnamese. Good luck.

Mary asks…

What is a good program to learn Spanish vocab AND grammar?

I was looking into Rosetta Stone and was dismayed not only by the price, but the reviews I saw that said it focused only on the spoken language, not grammar. Can anyone recommend something that teaches both?

Green Thumb answers:

Some great links provided above

i would suggest to work with flashcards regarding vocab. Building.

Now for grammar, i suggest the fsi Spanish basic course (its free but a bit boring)

Jenny asks…

I have the terrible English grammar?

Hi everyone. I am an Asian American who just immigrate to this country about three years ago. I am currently a high school freshman and I try my best to learn English as my second language. So I can speak English fluently to native English speakers now (but I have accent). I can handle quite well when I listen to the TV, speak to the other English speakers and read the English information(news, stories and anything that is written by native speakers). However, when my teachers in school told me to write an essay or a summary, I really get stuck. I can write a good essay(I am a good writer), but my grammar errors in my essay really hurts and ruin my essay grade. I usually check my grammar when I finished one essay. For me, I just seems like I wrote in the way as other native English speakers, but there are a ton of grammar errors that can be found when my English teacher checking my paper. I really need your guys’ help. Does anyone have any idea of what can I do to improve my English grammar? Don’t tell me to read the English contexts or whatever the native speakers wrote, it really does not work for me. My grammar errors just emerged when I am writing. You guys can give me any advise or recommend some good grammar improving books to me. If you don’t mind, can you please check my grammar of this description that I am writing right now. I will thank you so much if you would like to help me and not mock at me…

Green Thumb answers:

I was raised speaking English, so I can’t help you much with recommending things. But I was an editor, so I’ll check the description for you.

Hi everyone. I am an Asian American who just immigrate[d] to this country about three years ago. I am currently a high school freshman[,] and I [am trying] my best to learn English as my second language. I can speak English fluently to native English speakers now (but I have [an] accent). I can [understand] quite well when I listen to the TV, speak to other English speakers and read English information (news, stories and anything that is written by native speakers). However, when my teachers in school [tell] me to write an essay or a summary, I really get stuck. I can write a good essay (I am a good writer[,]) but my grammar errors in my essay really hurt and ruin my essay grade. I usually check my grammar when I [have] finished one essay. For me, [it] just seems like I wrote in the [same] way as other native English speakers, but there are a ton of grammar errors that can be found when my English teacher check[s] my paper. I really need [your] help. Does anyone have any idea of what can I do to improve my English grammar? Don’t tell me to read the English contexts or whatever the native speakers wrote[;] it really does not work for me. My grammar errors just [emerge] when I am writing. You guys can give me any advi[c]e or recommend some good [grammar-improving] books to me. If you don’t mind, can you please check my grammar of this description that I am writing right now[?] I will thank you so much if you [would help] me and not [mock me].
You didn’t have too many errors. Maybe it seems to you that you’re writing the same way as others because a lot of Americans don’t have good grammar either.. Trust me, I’ve seen countless papers as a newspaper editor from native speakers. So don’t feel like it’s only you.

William asks…

Can you recommend a good Hebrew Grammar workbook?

I’m studying hebrew in one of the ulpanim in Israel and realised that there are alot of special rules that the dictionary can’t help.

Please recommend a good grammar workbook, preferably high school standard, no need for english translated help. I just want to learn it properly when I get back to my country. Can’t wait for my teacher to teach me one special rule per week..ein li harbeh zeman…

Thanks…I can read hebrew so titles and authors in hebrew fonts are ok for me.. ^_^

Green Thumb answers:

It’s not a workbook, it’s a computer program. I’d highly recommend Rosetta Stone’s hebrew program on the computer. I’ve learned a lot from the program.

Maria asks…

what is the best way to learn grammar?

hello. English is my second language. however, I’m not FOB. (Fresh Off the Boat). I have been living in USA for over 20 years but I’m very very very bad on grammar and writing. i got 1100 on SAT 700 on math but only 400 on english. now, i need to take GMAT, (Graduate Business Exam) and again, my english section is horrendous. its so horrible that i squirm in agony. no need to know how bad it is but its bad and with this, i cannot go to any decent graduate school. I need to improve my grammar fast. do you guys recommend anything to improve english grammar? any books you recommend? i believe i’m very weak on basic english. I’m looking at grade school grammar books but its not really helpful. I had been reading kaplan grammer books and princeton review grammar books but it really didnt improve my grammar. i need help. i’m going tot ake the exam on februrary. that means i have 4 months to study or my future goes down the drain….

Green Thumb answers:

Actually your writing is good. That tells me you understand the language very well…

1) You can listen to spoken words-http://www.wordsplural.com/common-wordlist1.php
2) Take Free Lesons-http://www.englishgrammarconnection.com/lessonstart.php
3) Read through Wiki-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_grammar

English is the most difficult language to learn because of slang, variations, synonymous words, etc. Don’t worry about it so much and try to have fun with learning.

Your future is not down the drain if you possess natural intelligence. In the US it is a very multicultural country and maybe you want to try and capitalize on your multi-language skill-set?

Good luck and please…
Have fun and make the best of what you have, I wish I could speak more than 1 language fluently

George asks…

How does one prepare for the SAT Subject Test in German?

I want to take the one without listening. Are there any mainstream prep books or perhaps recommended vocabulary lists or grammar guides? I’d be interested to hear what people thought of it. Furthermore, is it true that the test without listening is only offered in June?!

Green Thumb answers:

Go to http://www.amazon.com/SAT-Subject-Test-German-Best/dp/0738601608 to get a review book– even people who know the language well need to get used to the test format. However, i believe the german subject tests are actually offered several times a year, for more info, go to www.collegeboard.com

Donald asks…

What’s the best way to learn grammar?

What is the best way to learn English grammar? Could you recommend me any good book/books? I have already tried the English grammar in use though so far I haven’t been satisfied with it. I’ve done first 3 units up to this point, but there is just too few exercises in it, and sometimes authors seems to be explaining it very vaguely. I think that I have the most problems with complex sentences, I have almost no problems understanding advanced texts, but I tend to struggle with creating complex and neat sentences.
Thanks in advance.

PS. How is my grammar in the upper text?
Thank you a lot. I really appreciate it. How do I select best answer?:)
Also, if that‘s not a problem, please correct those sentences. I am now confused as I can’t see the mistakes.
Thank you.
Thank you very much Gretchen S.
I can see the mistakes now. When I read your quotations, I wasn’t able to find errors and now I know why.
I really appreciate your help.

Green Thumb answers:

Grammar in Use is a good text for review and practice, but it’s at a lower intermediate level, and it doesn’t present new concepts; it reminds you of what you’ve already learned.

You have only a few errors in your question. The first: “…recommend a book to me…” instead of …”recommend me a book…”

“the first three units” “there are too few exercises” “sometimes the authors seem” “with complex sentences.”

My favorite grammar books are those by Betty Schrampfer Azar. They’re available in three levels. I recommend the most advanced, Understanging and Using English Grammar. ISBN 0-13-943614-6. They’re published by Prentice Hall Regents.

I think you have to wait four hours to select a best answer. Wait and see who else answers you.

By the way, those books teach American English grammar. There are only a few differences, and Azar always gives the British English version in a footnote. There won’t be any differences in complex sentence structure–things like the American “gotten” vs. British English “got.”

One more thing: I especially like the section on articles in Grammar in Use. Skip to the units on “the” and see how you do on those.

I corrected the mistakes in my original answer. “Recommend a book to me” not “recommend me a book.”

Correct: “the first three units” ( it needs “the”) “there are too few exercises” (you used “is”) “sometimes the authors seem” (you left out “the” again) “with complex sentences.” (that sentence needs to end after “sentences.” The way you have it, with a comma, is a run-on sentence and a comma splice.)

Answers To Your Questions About Where Can I Use My Green Dot Card

By Green Thumb on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 | No Comments

Helen asks…

Dish Network? (20 characters)?

I want to get service with dish network & they said that I have to have a debit or credit card because they have to do a $25 hold for 3 days. I don’t have a bank account, can I use my green dot prepaid debit card? It says that it is accepted every where that master card is accepted.

Green Thumb answers:

Prepaid will not work, the card is also used as collateral to ensure you keep the 24 mo agreement, any fees or penalties for early termination will be charged to that card. The $25.00 hold is how they check that the card is valid. Any credit/ debit card will work as long as the last name matches yours but cancel early and you will burn the card holder

Linda asks…

What stationary to use for DIY Vow cards?

Here’s a link to what I‘m talking about:

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/h2omelon19/Vows/

Our colors are Pool and Jade accenting with Light Green and Light Orange.

First off, I am unsure what color to use for these… And also, what kind of pattern? I love Damask and Polka Dots (Both would be one of the colors listed above with WHITE). Our wedding is to be viewed as fun and laid back with some creative twists.

Where can I find such stationary for my request? Thanks!!

Green Thumb answers:

Go to www.123print.com its where I went for my wedding stationary… I used damask too Also if thas too pricey for you, try a.c. Moore or hobby lobby or michaels…. Also walmart has invitation kits for like $15… Jus take 1 invitation out like the 1 sheet ones and print it out yourself at home & add the polka dots urself… For added fun walmart also has scrapbook stuff tha has polka dots for like $0.89. You can take those polkadots meant for scrapbookin & decorate it & trust me it’ll look amazin

Answers To Your Questions About Can I Use My 401k To Buy A Home

By Green Thumb on Saturday, January 21st, 2012 | No Comments

Laura asks…

Can I use my 401k to buy a investment home.?

I want to buy an investment home to use as a rental or to resale when the market gets better. Can i use my 401k to buy an investment home? In effect, using a second home as a retirement option?

Green Thumb answers:

Maybe but you would have to leave the job and roll the money into a IRA. A IRA can own real estate but the rules are very strict like you can’t do any management yourself. Your IRA can’t get into debt so you would have to have enough to pay cash and the management company.

Sharon asks…

can i roll my 401k to an Ira then use it to buy a home?

I have a vested 401k from my previous employer. Im in the progress of rolling it over to a IRA. My goal is to contribute for another year and use that to buy a house. I heard you can do this as a first time home buyer. anything i should be aware of? how bad am i going to get taxed? any recommendation?

Green Thumb answers:

Your first answer is almost correct. There is an exception to an early distribution and one of them is a first time home buyer so there is no 10% penalty. But your distribution will be taxable income.

Joseph asks…

I want to use my $10k of my 401K to buy my first home. How can I minimize my tax liability?

Is there a way to minimize or defer my taxes when using money from my 401k to buy my first home?

Green Thumb answers:

If you take a loan rather than a withdrawal, and pay it back on schedule, you won’t incur any tax liability. Otherwise, even if your plan allows a withdrawal for buying the house, you’ll pay income tax on the withdrawal, plus a 10 pct penalty on the amount withdrawn if you are under 59-1/2. The$10K withdrawal with no penalty applies to an IRA, not a 401k – and even then, you still pay the income tax.

Donna asks…

CAN I USE A 401K LIKE A 403B AND BUY A HOME OUTRIGHT WITHOUT PENALTIES FROM IRS?

MY COMPANY IS GOING TO CHANGE OUR PLANS FROM 403B TO 401K…PLAN…AS A 403B PLAN I CAN USE 100% TO BUY A HOME..CAN I DO THIS WITH A 401K..IN MICHIGAN?>???..WILL I HAVE PENALTIES/??..FROM IRS?/..I WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOW..LOW HOME PRICES..IN MI!..I CANT GET A MORTGAGE SECONDARY FROM DIVORCE..FINANCIAL BACKLASH..BUT I DO HAVE A NEST EGG BUILT UP IN 403B…I AM YOUNG AND CAN REPLINISH IT IN SHORT TIME…UNDER 26K…BUT WANT TO JUST OUTRIGHT BUY ACHEAP HOME TO GET STARTED…SERIOUS ..LEGITIMIATE ANSWERS PLEASE..AND THANK YOU!!!

Green Thumb answers:

Just what I found on Google, you can search yourself also. Sounds complicated…

Linda asks…

Can I use my 401K to purchase my home?

My company was sold so we have to move our 401Ks into IRA’s ,since we won’t be eligiable to get on the new company’s until Jan 2009. I‘m a first time home buyer and someone told me if I moved my money to my financial institutuion for the purpose of buying my first home I wouldn’t be hit with so many penalties and interest. Is that true?

Green Thumb answers:

The last time that I checked, you could use up to $10,000 for a down payment on a house for first time home buyers. Any more than this and penalties will accrue. You still will have to pay taxes but not the 10% penalty.

Donald asks…

I’m buying my first home & want to use some of my 401k/IRA $ as down payment. Can I do this without penalty?

I‘ve heard there are programs for borrowing or using IRA money towards a purchase of a home that does NOT get taxed.

Green Thumb answers:

Accessing Your Retirement Money
The purpose of your 401k retirement plan is to provide for your golden years. There are times, however, when you need cash and there are no viable options other than to tap your nest egg. For this reason, the government allows plan administrators to offer 401k loans to participants (be aware that the government doesn’t require this and therefore it is not always available.)
The primary benefit of 401k loans is that the proceeds are not subject to taxes or the ten-percent penalty fee except in the event of default. The government does not set guidelines or restrictions on the uses for 401k loans. Many employers, however, do; these can include minimum loan balances (usually $1,000) and the number of loans outstanding at any time in order to reduce administrative costs.

Additionally, some employers require that married employees get the consent of their spouse before taking out a loan, the theory being that both are affected by the decision.

401k Loan Limits
In most cases, an employee can borrow up to fifty-percent of their vested account balance up to a maximum of $50,000. If the employee has taken out a 401k loan in the previous twelve months, they will only be able to borrow fifty-percent of their vested account balance up to $50,000, less the outstanding balance on the previous loan. The 401k loan must be paid back over the subsequent five years with the exception of home purchases, which are eligible for a longer time horizon.

401k Loan Interest Expense
Even though you’re borrowing from yourself, you still have to pay interest! Most plans set the standard interest rate at prime plus an additional one or two percent. The benefit is two-fold: 1.) unlike interest paid to a bank, you will eventually get this money back in the form of qualified disbursements at or near retirement, and 2.) the interest you pay back into your 401k plan is tax-sheltered.

The Drawbacks of 401k Loans
The biggest danger of taking out a 401k loan is that it will disrupt the dollar cost averaging process. This has the potential to significantly lower long-term results. Another consideration is employment stability; if an employee quits or is terminated, the 401k loan must be repaid in full, normally within sixty days. Should the plan participant fail to meet the deadline, a default would be declared and penalty-fees and taxes assessed.

401k Hardship Withdrawal
What if your employer doesn’t offer 401k loans or you are not eligible? It may still be possible for you to access cash if the following four conditions are met (note that the government does not require employers to provide 401k hardship withdrawals, so you must check with your plan administrator):

The withdrawal is necessary due to an immediate and severe financial need
The withdrawal is necessary to satisfy that need (i.e., you can’t get the money elsewhere)
The amount of the loan does not exceed the amount of the need
You have already obtained all distributable or non-taxable loans available under your 401k plan
If these conditions are met, the funds can be withdrawn and used for one of the following five purposes:

A primary home purchase
Higher education tuition, room and board and fees for the next twelve months for you, your spouse, your dependents or children (even if they are no longer dependent upon you)
To prevent eviction from your home or foreclosure on your primary residence
Severe financial hardship
Tax-deductible medical expenses that are not reimbursed for you, your spouse or your dependents
All 401k hardship withdrawals are subject to taxes and the ten-percent penalty. This means that a $10,000 withdrawal can result in not only significantly less cash in your pocket (possibly as little as $6,500 or $7,500), but causes you to forgo forever the tax-deferred growth that could have been generated by those assets. 401k hardship withdrawal proceeds cannot be returned to the account once the disbursement has been made.

Non-Financial Hardship 401k Withdrawal
Although the investor must still pay taxes on non-financial hardship withdrawals, the ten-percent penalty fee is waived. There are five ways to qualify:

You become totally and permanently disabled
Your medical debts exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income
A court of law has ordered you to give the funds to your divorced spouse, a child, or a dependent
You are permanently laid off, terminated, quit, or retire early in the same year you turn 55 or later
You are permanently laid off, terminated, quit, or retired and have established a payment schedule of regular withdrawals in equal amounts of the rest of your expected natural life. Once the first withdrawal has been made, the investor is required to continue taking them for five years or until he/she reaches the age of 59 1/2, whichever is longer.
A 401k hardship withdrawal should be a last resort. An IRA, for example, has a lifetime withdrawal exemption of $10,000 for a house with no strings attached.

401k Plan Loans – An Overview

Allowing loans within a 401k plan is allowed by law, but an employer is not required to do so. Many small business just can’t afford the high cost of adding this feature to their plan. Even so, loans are a feature of most 401k plans. If offered, an employer must adhere to some very strict and detailed guidelines on making and administering them.

The statutes governing plan loans place no specific restrictions on what the need or use will be for loans, except that the loans must be reasonably available to all participants. But an employer can restrict the reasons for loans. Many only allow them for the following reasons: (1) to pay education expenses for yourself, spouse, or child; (2) to prevent eviction from your home; (3) to pay un-reimbursed medical expenses; or (4) to buy a first-time residence. The loan must be paid back over five years, although this can be extended for a home purchase.

If a participant has had no other plan loan in the 12 month period ending on the day before you apply for a loan, they are usually allowed to borrow up to 50% of their vested account balance to a maximum of $50,000. If the participant had another plan loan in the last 12 month period, they will be limited to 50% of their vested account balance, or $50,000, minus the outstanding loan balance in the preceding 12-month period, whichever is less.

Because of the cost, many plans will also set a minimum amount (often $1,000) and restrict the number of loans any participant may have outstanding at any one time.

Loan payments are generally be deducted from payroll checks and, if the participant is married, they may need their spouse to consent to the loan.

While interest rates vary by plan, the rate most often used is what is termed the “prime rate” plus one percent. The current “prime rate” can be found in the business section of your local newspaper or the Wall Street Journal.

Funds obtains from a loan are not subject to income tax or the 10% early withdrawal penalty (unless the loan defaults). If the participant should terminate employment, often any unpaid loan will be distributed to them as income. The amount will then be subject to income tax and may also be subject to 10% withdrawal penalty. A loan can’t be rolled over to an IRA.

Just because you can obtain a loan from your plan doesn’t mean it is always the best idea. So before sticking your hand in the cookie jar, you should consider the “pros and cons,” some of which may surprise you. And remember, the purpose of a 401k plan is to fund your retirement, so don’t shortchange your golden years by treating it as a checking account.

The Pros:

It’s convenient. There is no credit check or long credit application form. Some plans only require you to make a phone call, while others require a short loan form.
There is a low interest rate. You pay the rate set by the plan, usually one or two percentage points above the prime rate.
There usually are no restrictions. Most plans allow you to borrow for any reason.
You are paying the interest to yourself, not to the bank or credit card company.
The interest is tax-sheltered. You don’t have to pay taxes on the interest until retirement, when you take money out of the plan.
You choose where the money comes from. The advantage of being able to choose which investment option you will sell in order to obtain the funds for your loan is that you can leave untouched those investments with the best performance.
The Cons:

There are “opportunity” costs. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, the interest rate paid on a plan loan is often less than the rate the plan funds would have otherwise earned.
Smaller contributions. Because you now have a loan payment, you may be tempted to reduce the amount you are contributing to the plan and thus reduce your long-term retirement account balance.
Loan defaults can be harmful to your financial health. If you quit working or change employers, the loan must be paid back right away. It’s not uncommon for plans to require full repayment of a loan within 60 days of termination of employment. If you can’t repay the loan, it is considered defaulted, and you will be taxed on the outstanding balance, including an early withdrawal penalty if you are not at least age 59 ½.
There may be fees involved.
Interest on the loan is not tax deductible, even if you borrow to purchase your primary home.
You have no flexibility in changing the payment terms of your loan.
When You Probably Shouldn’t Borrow From Your Plan

It is probably not wise to take out a 401k plan loan when:

You are planning to leave your job within the next couple of years.
There is a chance you will lose your job due to a company restructuring.
You are nearing retirement.
You can obtain the funds from other sources.
You can’t continue to make regular contributions to your plan.
You can’t pay off the loan right away if you are laid off or change jobs.
You need the loan to meet everyday living expenses.
You want the money to purchase some luxury item or pay for a vacation.

Betty asks…

Would it be a financially sound decision to cash out our 401K to buy a second home?

My husband and I want to move to Wisconsin within the next 2-3 years when he’s done with his Masters Degree and after we sell our current home.

My brother (who is much better off financially that we are) is taking money out of his 401K to buy a vacation property in Florida. With the market the way it is, he was able to buy a resort condo for a great price. His rationale is that the stock market is so volatile right now that it makes more sense to take the money out of his 401K and spend it on something that he and his family can enjoy, and that he can use as his retirement home.

That got me thinking that maybe it would be a good idea to buy a place in Wisconsin now so we can take advantage of the slump in the real estate market. We could use it as a vacation home until we move there, or rent it out for a few years until we get jobs up there.

I found a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house in a great location (2 blocks from a park with lake access) that is only $150,000. We have almost 2/3 of that in our 401K, so if took every penny out for the down payment, we’d only have a $50,000 mortgage. At current rates, the monthly payments would be about $300 a month + taxes & insurance, which we could afford, but would put us in a position where we would not be able to do much more than work and pay the bills.

Whether it’s this house or any other, is it a good financial decision to take everything out of a 401K right now to invest in real estate?

What are the tax ramifications of using retirement money before retirement?

Green Thumb answers:

Not for buying a second home should you drain the retirement fund. Buying a first home provides certains breaks from taxes in this but you always need to assume you’re going to get hit with 20-30% cut from an early 401(k) withdrawal. If you plan to sell your existing home, you should analyze the expected return you get from your current invesment with the costs associated with the loss of 20-30% of your savings in the 401(k). Tax accountants can help with this, so can a real estate agent, but I would consult an accountant before a salesperson.

From the sale of your existing home you should target an amount that allows you to pay “cash” for the new one (eliminate mortgage) and provide you with enough to cover any tax penalty incurred by the early 401(k) withdrawal. You do not want to owe, and you seem to be in a position to make it so. Otherwise, you would have more complicated factors to deal with such as living paycheck to paycheck, which is fun, but not necessarily financially sound. Getting the lake house is a priority, but you need to try to ensure retirement funds are not depleted in a housing choice.

Renting is complicated and kicking a bad tenant out is really complicated. These are problems you should not create for yourself.

Once the matter is settled, figuring time value of money is important so that savings continues to work hard even if it takes a big hit. That’s how the move and transactions within the savings accounts relate among each other.

Consult professionals.

Robert asks…

Hi, how can I retroactively use my 401k to pay for my first house?

I‘ve heard that there’s a penalty for early withdrawl, so I didn’t use my 4091k to buy my first house. Now that I‘ve borrowed the first payments to buy my house and my friends need the money back. Are there ways I can cash out on the 401k without penalty and still have the advantage of a first time home buyer?
thanks
sincerely
Joe

Green Thumb answers:

No… You can’t cash out your 401k without a penalty unless you can prove a hardship.

You can take a loan out of your 401k without penalty… You will have to pay it back with interest…. The good thing is that you are basically paying yourself because all the money, interest included, will go back into your account as you pay it back.

If you default and fail to pay it back you will be hit with taxes and penalties.

Ken asks…

Should I withdraw my 401K to pay part of my home loan?

I bought my first house in may, I was thinking about using my 401k money to reduce my home loan. I understand that since it is my first home I can do that without penalty. ALso I ahve a 30 years fixed but every time I make a payment 98% of the payment goes to interests, it is not motivating whatsoever.

What do you recommend?

Green Thumb answers:

Money in your 401 has not been taxed. If you take it out and repay it to the 401 you are paying with monies that has already been taxed, instead make an occasional house payment. This will all be taken off the principal. If you do this once or twice a year, you can reduce your mortgage by 10 yrs.
Good luck and try not to rob peter to pay paul!

Answers To Your Questions About Growing Tomatoes Under Glass

By Green Thumb on Saturday, January 21st, 2012 | No Comments

Michael asks…

Humour of the day 4 U?

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptise cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time. You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
3) Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.
4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 17 success is . . having a drivers licence.
At age 35 success is . . . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . .. . having a drivers licence.
At age 75 success is . . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.

Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.

Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.

Have a wonderful day with many *smiles*

Take the time to live!!!
Life is too short. Dance naked

Green Thumb answers:

Ha ha. That would put a smile on anyones face!!

Thomas asks…

Great Truths !!!?

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . Not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . Having friends.
At age 17 success is . . Having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . . Making money.
At age 50 success is . . Having money.
At age 70 success is . . Having a drivers licence.
At age 75 success is . . Having friends.
At age 80 success is . . Not piddling in your pants.

Take the time to live!!!
Life is too short. Dance naked!

Green Thumb answers:

Very funny. I liked them all…

William asks…

Stages of life?

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

Green Thumb answers:

Wow thats the most humorous and the most truthful stages of life
i give u a thumbs up, i wish i could give u 10 points

Mark asks…

Are these them real, life truths?????????

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

Green Thumb answers:

Sure as rain that theses are true!!!

Mandy asks…

This Is Really Cute!!!?

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time. You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
3) Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.
4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is having friends.
At age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . having friends.
At age 80 success is . not peeing in your pants.

Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.

Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.
Have a wonderful day with many *smiles*

Take the time to live!!!
Life is too short

Green Thumb answers:

OMG!! I loved that!! Thanks for sharing.

Susan asks…

funny stuff?

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED
No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptise cats.
When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.
Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.
You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

Green Thumb answers:

You learn things everyday..in this case 13 things.

John asks…

the summary of life………?

>The Summary of Life
>
>
>
>
>GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
>
>1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.
>2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
>3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the
>second person.
>4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
>5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
>6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
>7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
>8) You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
>9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
>10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.
>
>
>GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
>
>1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
>2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
>3) Families are like fudge..mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
>4) Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
>5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
>6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.
>
>
>
>
>
>GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
>
>1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
>2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
>3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down
>there.
>4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking
>chair that you
>once got from a roller coaster.
>5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to
>ask you the questions.
>6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.
>7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.
>
>
>
>
>THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
>
>1) You believe in Santa Claus.
>2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
>3) You are Santa Claus.
>4) You look like Santa Claus.
>
>
>
>SUCCESS:
>
>At age 4 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.
>At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
>At age 17 success is . . having a drivers license.
>At age 35 success is . . having money.
>At age 50 success is . . . having money.
>At age 70 success is . .. . having a drivers license.
>At age 75 success is . . . having friends.
>At age 80 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.

Green Thumb answers:

LLOOLL! *Hands star over* XD!!! OMGOSH!!! SOOO LOL!!!!

Robert asks…

LIFE Great Philosophy… Read this.?

>Philosophy
>
>GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
>1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.
>2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
>3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the
>second person.
>4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
>5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
>6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
>7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
>8) You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
>9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
>10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.
>
>
>
>GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
>1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.
>2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
>3) Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
>4) Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
>5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
>6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the
toy.
>
>
>
>GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
>1) Growing up is mandatory; growing old is optional.
>2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
>3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re
down
>there.
>4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking
>chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
>5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers
to
>ask you the questions.
>6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.
>7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.
>
>
>THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
>
>1) You believe in Santa Claus.
>2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
>3) You are Santa Claus.
>4) You look like Santa Claus.
>
>
>
>SUCCESS:
>
>At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants.
>At age 12 success is . having friends.
>At age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license.
>At age 35 success is . having money.
>At age 50 success is . . . having money.
>At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license.
>At age 75 success is . having friends.
>At age 80 success is . not peeing in your pants.
>
>Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.
>
>Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER
>forget the blessings that come each day.
>Have a wonderful day with many *smiles*
>
>
>Take the time to live!!!
>Life is too short
>

Green Thumb answers:

Someone sent me this a long time ago. Very cute (:

Answers To Your Questions About Amy Has A Baby

By Green Thumb on Friday, January 20th, 2012 | No Comments

Mark asks…

where can i get a cardigan like this one amy has?

http://community.abcfamily.go.com/images/secret-life-american-teenager/sneak-peek-amy-ashley-and-baby-john?num=1

Green Thumb answers:

Try wet seal or forever21

Ken asks…

I need some help finding some good Baby Shower Music?

I am planning a baby shower for my sister in law on 4/19 and I was going to make a cd of music playing in the background and I was needing some suggestions for music that are baby themed. Please keep in mind it will be taking place at my church fellowship building

The only Ones I have so far are

Baby Baby by Amy Grant
Watchin You
Angels Watching Over Me
Child Of Mine by Chris Tomlin

Green Thumb answers:

Is it a boy or girl?
Be My Baby, the Ronettes
Sweet Baby, James Taylor
Lullabye, Good Night My Angel, Billy Joel
Tiny Dancer, Elton John
Arms Wide Open, Creed
I hope you Dance, Leanne Womack
My Wish, Rascal Flats
The first time ever I saw your face, Roberta Flack

If it is a Girl…well there are tons of songs if it is a girl…think father daughter wedding songs…butterfly kisses etc.
Isn’t she Lovely, Stevie Wonder
My Girl, The temptations

Chris asks…

Amy’s baby is the Doctor?

The Doctor did not have time to regenerate.
Did he become Amy‘s baby?

I really really would appreciate a spoiler.

Green Thumb answers:

Hmmm maybe. It’d be a good way to get rid of the pregnancy. Have the Dr. Pop-out, then Amy would stop hitting up on him cause he’d be her baby. Ew

Maria asks…

ahhhh amy had her baby omg this is too funny?

so amy had her baby and named him john and do u wanna hear something funny i was 15 when i had my son and named him john omg i was freaking out lolz

i cant wait for next season
what do u think will happen
are u happy with the way it ended i was i cried

oh and that baby was not a newborn
i dont know how she had the baby all i know is it came outta her
4 all of u saying i spoiled it atleast i didnt say
ashley named him
her mom dad and ashley were in the room
ben and ricky are friends
jack and grace are thinking of getting together
adriennes brother is not going to military school
her dad broke up with his wife and is thinking about getting back with adriennes mom and him and adrienne went out to eat
grace talked to ricky and basically said him and adrienne loved eachother
and adrienne almost said it to ricky
henry and alice are back together
grace may not wait until mariage
george moved next door
nd ann nd her new bf are talking bout kids nd had sex the night they met nd amy is going to breastfeed

oh wait i just did
sorry
it starts in june
nd i didnt know i was going to ‘spoil it’
but when ppl were being rude i got b1tchy
good but putting it on its tummy is the worst thing she can do it increases its risk for sids
thats not right
good but putting it on its tummy is the worst thing she can do it increases its risk for sids
thats not right

Green Thumb answers:

I know that baby was REALLY big
I was like DANG

and did she do a C section? I missed it

Answers To Your Questions About Amy Has A Crush On Sonic

By Green Thumb on Friday, January 20th, 2012 | No Comments

Lisa asks…

Cartoon Crushes List?

Has anyone had any Crushes on a Cartoon Character?

Here’s my List:
Caitlin-6teen
Hayley-American Dad (Don’t ask).
Lydia-Beetlejuice
Rukia-Bleach
Beauty-Bo Bo Bo
Coco Bandicoot-Crash Bandicoot games
Dee Dee-Dexter’s Laboratory
Nazz-Ed,Edd n’Eddy
Malina-The Emperor’s New School
Trixie-The Fairly Oddparents
Lois-Family Guy
Meg-Family Guy
Tohru-Fruits Basket
Winry-Full Metal Alchemist
Ursula-George of the Jungle
Magnolia-George of the Jungle
Eris-The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
Ami-Hi Hi Puffy Amiyumi
Kagome-Inuyasha
Sango-Inuyasha
Kikyo-Inuyasha
Jade Chan-Jackie Chan Adventures
Juniper Lee
Kim Possible
Shego-Kim Possible
Luanne-King of the Hill
Maya-Maya and Miguel
Sakura-Naruto
Ino-(the same)
Temri-(the same)
Nami-One Piece
Misty-Poke’mon
Jessie-(the same)
Dawn-(the same)
The Powerpuff Girls (When I was younger)
Angelica-Rugrats (When I was younger)
Sailor Moon,Mercury,Mars,Jupiter,and Venus-Sailor Moon
Amy-Sonic x
Rouge the Bat-(the same)
Starfire-Teen Titans
Raven-(the same)
Alex-Totally Spies
Bloom-Winx Club
Stella-(the same)
Musa-(the same)
Flora-(the same)
Kimiko-Xiaolin Showdown
Wuya-Xiaolin Showdown (In her human form)
Tea Gardner-Yu- gi- oh!
Alexis Rhodes-Yu-gi-oh!GX

Green Thumb answers:

Wow, long list.

Sai- Naruto Shippuuden
Madarame Ikakku- Bleach
Ulquiorra- Bleach
Death the Kid- Soul Eater
Android #17- Dragonball Z
Greg (the gay newscaster)- American Dad