Several months back - like in October or November - I came out to my mom, handed her PFLAG’s glb-mychild.pdf information package and had like a 3 hour conversation with her about it to try and get her to accept it/have things go well. During the conversation, she obviously was bothered by it, and kept doubting that I was gay. At the end of it, though, it seemed like she was ready to look over the bible again and investigate the possibility that being gay is natural and OK or that the way Christianity is practiced today it is unjust to reject gay people while many other rules are not followed. Now it’s February and we haven’t said A WORD about it ever again - I still don’t have a girlfriend (duh) after a smashing 5 years of not expressing a lick of interest in such, though I think she still thinks I’m just confused/affected by a social justice group I’m in and I’ll suddenly realize I’ve been confused the whole time or something.

As you might suspect, my parents are VERY non-confrontational - it would help a lot if they constantly asked questions so I didn’t have to go through trying to work this out myself. I’m also very unbrave and don’t have a lot of willpower to just go up to their face right now and work it out, so I was thinking of mediation. Is it expensive? Is there services by nonprofit groups or societies that give out mediation services to people who fit certain criteria? What I’m hoping to get from mediation is to reach an outcome where my parents are supportive and accepting or will be set on the road to a positive attitude.

Opinions/comments of the non-homophobic variety would be much appreciated

Technorati Tags: bible, christianity, duh, girlfriend, glb, google, homophobic, information package, mediation services, mom, mychild, nonprofit groups, parents, pflag, positive attitude, script type, social justice group, text javascript, whole time, willpower

A hospital filed a summon against me for 65 + their attny’s fees. I think that bill is way too excessive and unreasonable. I represented myself in court a couple of months ago for a hearing, and now the case is set for trial. I planned to stipulate with the plaintiff’s attorney (hospital) for mediation, but I don’t think I have time. I contacted a couple of debt negotiation service. One company said they may be able to settle the case by contacting the provider directly and hopefully reduced the charges claimed by 30-40%. Then my fees to the company is 30% of what is saved. Does anyone have any suggestion regarding this. I’m looking to make payments but not sure if that is possible. Please advise. Thank you.

Technorati Tags: debt negotiation service, google, mediation, plaintiff, script type, suggestion, text javascript

I was diagnosed with major depression in 2000 and borderline personality disorder but several therapists have said they don’t think I have this disorder. Therapy has been sporadic due to therapists moving on or not being able to afford it privately. Late last yr I was given public funding to see a private psychologist & just as I am making progress they are cutting that too possibly due to a crisis nurse who had forced me to go to public hospital to be rehydrated and told a nurse private information about me and defamated my character in front of other nurses and the public. They are now withholding my notes so i dont have proof and are treating me with ongoing disrepsect. In dec I became suicidal and rang up a crisis hotline asking for help, the police came, spoke to my local crisis team and then mocked me, leaving with the knowledge I was highly suicidal and consequently acted, waking up in ED they just chucked me in a wheelchair as my left foot was totally numb and left me in the ed waiting area. I called an ambulance then next night and was left for over 6hrs b4 being discharged to my GP. They ordered me off the premises while I was trying to organise a lift home, then up at the top hospital a security guard came up and asked me to leave. I was not doing anything dispruptive, just waiting for the duty manager who had said she would be down to see me and didn’t bother phoning me to tell me she wasn’t coming down then asked again to my humiliation to leave by a security officer. I now get really shaky, sweaty and on edge every time I have an appointment I have to go to at that hospital. Last time I took a health advocate with me. I’m wondering if I am suffering PTSD as just the thought of an upcoming appointment there is bringing on the same symptoms. I have no support from my community mental health team except a ph call from the keyworker I was assigned once a week which never lasts more than 2mins max. I feel like I am living on the edge all the time, and that my father got away with physically, verbally emotionally and psychologically abusing me and one of my brothers as well as violently abusing my Mum throughout my childhood and young adulthood. I just feel soooo lost and am always on the verge of tears, and feel like no-one really cares.:O( I also have a history of being bullied by my family, then my workmates now my mental health team and they are telling me I have had heaps of mental health input over the years which is not true, and was totally invalidated when in my latest crisis the crisis nurse totally negated my physical injuries got a 2nd degree burn to my foot in hospital (DRS fault!), and other foot totally numb from 4th dec, 2009 (which were only recent ones) citing that others cope…..and that all I do is complain….. because when I was new to the service I made a complaint about the psychologist from the local mental health team as she called me a coward, told me all her own problems and told me I was stupid for crying over having to put my 16yr old cat down, and did not tell me I had borderline personality disorder which was told to me during a mediation…….I have had enough of feeling like I am worthless and walking around and round in circles………..HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Technorati Tags: ambulance, b4, borderline personality disorder, crisis hotline, crisis team, duty manager, google, health advocate, humiliation, left foot, major depression, nurses, premises, psychologist, script type, security guard, security officer, text javascript, waiting area, wheelchair

Here are the last few lines of our custody case record:

11/20/2009 SOCIAL STUDY
11/23/2009 CPS REPORT FAMILY CT SERVICES
12/04/2009 PRETRIAL (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer LOPEZ, DAVID)
12/04/2009 ORDER - MEDIATION
01/12/2010 CANCELED DISMISSAL FOR WANT OF PROSECUTION (9:00 AM)
02/05/2010 PRETRIAL (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer LOPEZ, DAVID)
03/16/2010 DISMISSAL FOR WANT OF PROSECUTION (9:00 AM)

There is a pretrial scheduled after we’ve been ordered for mediation which we have not done yet nor have a date for. Is this just a common thing for the court to do or does this mean we are not going to mediation and straight to court, or maybe something else entirely?
The DWOP is not from our side, it is from the mother’s side. Our lawyer has been taking care of that. She has been trying to get the case dismissed for several months but our lawyer has gotten them all canceled. The DWOP is not an issue. I am asking about the mediation because it is possible she is refusing to go. Her lawyer also tries her best to drag things out as long as possible and has gone missing a few times which may also be part of the mediation issue.

Technorati Tags: case record, cps, custody case, dismissal for want of prosecution, dwop, google, judicial officer, lawyer, mediation, officer lopez, script type, text javascript

Im divorced and have a 6 yo son with my ex. I currently paid child support and half of child care. I however, only get my son every other weekend and from 10 am sat to 5pm on sunday. I recently filed papers in family law court Order to show Cause to pick my son up on friday evenings and to split holidays and end the child care since he doesn’t go anymore. I even filed my proof of service and mailed both of them to her. I haven’t received her response to my emails. We are ordered to go to mediation on the 22 and court on the 28 if mediation isnt successful. IF SHE DOESNT SHOW FOR BOTH…the mediation and court date…Does it automatically go in my favor?? Or is there a courts attempt for them to try to contact her? Thanks

Technorati Tags: child care, child support, evenings, family law court, google, holidays, mediation, proof of service, script type, text javascript

Very long story short - my childminder broke terms of our contract by not providing back up care as promised; cancelled at very short notice; refused to communicate when we wished to discuss welfare of our child and when she finally did it was by text; withheld asthma equipment & medication; changed her version of events several times to suit herself and discussed our child and his recurring health problems with non-professional bodies.
We were left out pocket as had to pay for additional care, taking time off work resulting in loss of earnings for ourselves and company so had to arrange alternate childminding facilities. Offered her 2 weeks worth of wages in lieu of notice after all attempts at reaching a compromise were thrown back in our faces. Ignored offer and via a solicitor, took us to a small claims court over the fees and costs.
It got to the stage where mediation services were called and having spoke to them, I feel I was pressurised into agreeing to pay her her fees as mediator made out that taking it to court would be worse for us in the long run.
I am so angry that we have to pay her, she broke the terms of contract too yet the law will favour her the mediator said because it was a legal issue. But what rights do we have? We had put in a counterclaim for loss of earnings and additional costs incurred yet won’t be able to claim any of that because the mediator said although he understood where we were coming from the courts wouldn’t. She has done this with the child she had before us and has now profited again, makes me scream!!

Technorati Tags: childminder, compromise, counterclaim, favour, google, health problems, lieu of notice, loss of earnings, mediation services, mediator, professional bodies, script type, several times, small claims court, solicitor, taking time, terms of contract, text javascript, time off, wages

My Daughter has not quit her job because she fears a bad reference.. which would hinder her in finding another job.. and what do she say why she left her old job she has talk with the right dept heads to deal with the the "you should be on a syrup bottle comments, that she should check with the human resources dept if she is going to ware her hair natural. because she decided not to put chemicals in her hair to straighten it any longer.. when planning a board meeting her boss was asked who is the new person.. she was introduced as. The new and I quote " this is my new slave" me at her age there would have been a beat down.. this company did a mediation meeting of all parties concerned with some one that the supervisor and her supervisors boss choose….. my child enjoys the work she is doing in social service field.

Technorati Tags: boss, chemicals, google, human resources dept, mediation, old job, quot, script type, social service field, supervisor, text javascript

5 months ago I hired an attorney and filed for a divorce. I gave my attorney ,000 up front (on a credit card) thinking that the divorce would be complicated and therefore expensive. Eight weeks after I filed, my husband finally got the divorce papers. During that eight weeks I made five phone calls to my attorney, each lasting approximately five minutes, asking for advice due to my husband being hostile. During the period that my husband had to respond to the divorce papers, we had reconciled.

I told my attorney that we were going to put mediation on hold and see if we could work out our marriage. Fortunately we were able to. I have left three messages with my attorney’s secretary about a credit to my account for service that we’re never rendered. He will not respond, and she states that there is nothing she can do.

In the meantime I am paying 25% APR on ,000. I’m not sure what his retainer fee was, but the only work he did for me was a financial affidavit and filing divorce papers, and of course the five phone calls.

What should I do. He did give me very good advice through out my hardships and I don’t want to be rude, but this is becoming very upsetting. What do I do?
It has been 3/12 weeks since my first phone call.
I mean 3 1/2 weeks.

Technorati Tags: 5 months, credit card, divorce papers, financial affidavit, five minutes, good advice, google, hardships, marriage, mediation, retainer fee, script type, text javascript

I live in an Section 8 apartment complex. New owners bought the complex because the pervious owners cancelled their contract. The new owners are renovating the apts. and trying to make the tenants "go green" which I feel is a great idea and I have no problem with that. My problem is that I live in Washington, DC. The new owners are making the tenants lie and ignore DC rights and laws which can hurt us and may give us jail time for lying if we recieve DC Medicaid, DC TANF, SSI, children attends DC schools and etc. The new owners are pushing the tenants to the state of Maryland to relocate until the apartments renovated. THey promised it will take 12 weeks but it actually took almost a year. Relocting "temporary" to the state of Maryland is against the LAW if you recieve DC bebifits or your if children attends DC schools. The ownwers threated tenants by saying that if they don’t follow their rules or they would be evicted, they pass out flyers not letters that are not addressed to tenants, they want people to be seen and not heard, they allow the so called "tenant association president" that was not voted in to dictate changes and she did not informed tenents about the changes. She only tells us what they new owners tell her what to say, to make it sound good to the tenants and some of them fell for their lies. These new owners are treated us like "NOBODIES" and I’m not going to let anyone violate my rights as a tenant. The new owners are totally unprofessional and sneaky. I’ve been to the Legal Aid Society lawyers to gain advice and they can’t help me. In other words, it’s nothing they could do for me and they can represent me. In other words I’m screwed. And I should just contact the new owners lawyer and the housing counseling service that are on the new owners side. My building is relocting, what should I do? Relocating to Maryland can hurt me and lying can get me into trouble by breaking DC laws. I was thinking about going into mediation with the owners to be heard and recieve my letter as proof that I will not be railroaded. What can I do? PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

Technorati Tags: apartment, apartments, association president, dc medicaid, dc schools, flyers, google, jail time, lawyers, legal aid society, medicaid, script type, section 8, ssi, state of maryland, tanf, tenant association, tenents, text javascript, washington dc

My Daughter has not quit her job because she fears a bad reference.. which would hinder her in finding another job.. and what do she say why she left her old job she has talk with the right dept heads to deal with the the "you should be on a syrup bottle comments, that she should check with the human resources dept if she is going to ware her hair natural. because she decided not to put chemicals in her hair to straighten it any longer.. when planning a board meeting her boss was asked who is the new person.. she was introduced as. The new and I quote " this is my new slave" me at her age there would have been a beat down.. this company did a mediation meeting of all parties concerned with some one that the supervisor and her supervisors boss choose….. my child enjoys the work she is doing in social service field.

Technorati Tags: boss, chemicals, google, human resources dept, mediation, old job, quot, script type, social service field, supervisor, text javascript