Articles written by Jen Thorpe

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About me - Jen Thorpe

I have a B.S. in Education. I started my teaching career as a Substitute Teacher (K-12), was recently a paraeducator (in Special Education). I've also been a day care teacher, and spent many years working in retail.

Chronically allergic person. Too many severe

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Jobs & Careers > Managing Your Career (Other) Do you hate your job?: 1 of 35
Yes, I hate my job! I work in retail sales for a nationwide corporate owned company. The countless hours I spend working at this job allows me to (usually) pay my bills, and (often) buy groceries, but not on it's own. If my husband did not work, I would be homeless, and yet, I am a full time employee! I hate that the amount o... More..
Relationships & Family > Romance & Sexuality First time sex: Losing virginity: 1 of 28
My "first time" was not my choice. I lost my virginity when my boyfriend at the time raped me. Now, whenever people wax nostalgic about how wonderful, or how funny, or how special their "first time" was, I cringe, and try to get out of the conversation. I'll give you the PG-13 version of what happened. I was eighteen years ol... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Recommended reading: Books that won't put you to sleep: 1 of 24
Looking for a book that won't put you to sleep?Here are a few books that will keep you turning pages, aching to know what crazy thing is going to happen next.(1) The Husband by Dean KoontzGenre: Horror/ThrillerDon't let the tame sounding title decieve you! This book is a non stop thrill ride you will not want to put down. Mit... More..
Relationships & Family > Married Life Reasons people choose not to have children: 1 of 23
"When are you going to have some children?" Since I got married, I have been asked this question more times than I can calculate. I don't understand why coworkers, relatives, and even complete strangers feel that it is perfectly acceptable to ask me what amounts to an intensely personal question. Frequently, people who want t... More..
Relationships & Family > Crisis Support (Other) Can you prevent yourself from being a rape victim?: 2 of 41
Rape is a crime of violence and opportunity. While no one can entirely prevent this horrible crime from occurring 100% of the time, there are some things you can do to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of rape.(1)Don't separate from the herd.Walk with another person, or a group of people. If you need to go somewhere by ... More..
Education > Early Childhood Ed Kindergarten readiness: Should I hold my child back?: 1 of 18
Should I hold my child back from starting Kindergarten? This is not an easy question for any parent to answer. It can be a very emotional time when your "baby" is suddenly ready to start school. Every parent hopes that their child will do well in school, will make friends, will have a wonderful time, and will develop a love o... More..
Relationships & Family > Couple Communication How to deal with a controlling partner: 1 of 15
It is not easy to deal with a controlling partner. Most controlling people have been that way for a very long time, and are extremely resistant to any kind of change that they themselves did not initiate. The controlling partner is going to insist that things are done his way, and his way only. Challenging that can make an un... More..
Jobs & Careers > Employment Law Unfair treatment at work: 1 of 15
Unfair treatment at work can destroy morale. Sometimes the unfair treatment is done accidentally, but, most of the time, the unfair treatment is a very deliberate act on the part of the management (or corporation). In some cases, the unfair treatment can actually be illegal. What is always true is that unfair treatment at wor... More..
Pets & Animals > Aquarium Fish Do fish make good pets: 1 of 15
When most people think about fish as pets, the first word that comes to mind is the word "boring". People tend to argue that fish are not good pets because you cannot play with them, or because they "do nothing" for their owners. These are myths! Fish really do make good pets. Let me show you the ways.(1) Fish can play.When I... More..
Relationships & Family > Marriage & Intimacy A marriage without sex: 1 of 14
A marriage without sex is a sign that something is seriously wrong with the marriage. This is a more common problem than you might think, because this isn't something that most people want to talk about to coworkers, or even to very close friends. How common is this problem? Type "sexless marriage" into your search engine, an... More..