ray

thanks Karen, I'll certainly have a look

Rude?? am i missing something here?? 'S' just a picture of a rodent using the computer to do his accounts... i nicked it from the offices at 11 Downing Street It's all in the eye of the beholder, peeps.... Well HSBC think its rude too, because they wouldn't let me look at it! I can hear my P45 approaching.......

Hello, havent been here for a while. Just spotted this and am now just starting to get into who I need to work with to find a way into employment for my son who is 18 (AS) and in his last year at college. My early forays suggests there are lots of well meaning people, with lots of 'advice', but its very fragmented and i'm not really sure where to start. And I have a sneaky feeling the only thing thats really going to work is to find an employer who is willing to give him a chance and be patient enough to accept some of the difficulties he faces. I might be wrong, and the help available might be more pratical than that. Anyway, we'll see.

Had college review yesterday. Glowing reports from all son's lecturers, they say he's really popular, and sociable, and he's getting on really well at his work experience at woolworths this week. And they say that in September he'll be ready for his first proper qualifications and he''ll be doing a BTEC course in IT and Hospitality & Tourism. Chuffed to bits. Rock on Alex! Now if we can just get him over b****y laura brannigan, and find him some friends outside college....

I was discussing how awful James Blunt is with my wife the other day, as we were watching an old TOTP2, when on came Gilbert O'Sullivan, and we both thought that James (vroom vroom) Blunt/Hunt, and Jack (music for insomniacs) Johnson were todays equivalent of good old Gilbert. Dunno why I bothered with this, just soooo bored with work today

Hi Jonathan - you sound like just the sort of person I wish my son had as a friend. Ray

thanks guys, very useful comments. Baddad - great idea about the tapes cheers ray

Our son (AS, 17) is going through some withdrawal pain from one of his latest obsessions, which he wanted to drop, because of its all consuming nature. He asked me today if hypnotherapy might help him get over it. Just wondered if anyone out there has had any experience of this? I know it can be used to help with packing in smoking, but also helps with fears, phobias, anxieties etc. What do you think? I dont want to go down this road if there are any particular dangers. We would of course vet any hypnotist to make sure he had the right credentials etc etc. Thanks Ray

which was a cover of an old soul hit, by Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon. I saw Dexy's live in, must have been, early 1980, just before they went large with Geno, and they were superb - I was going to gigs every week then and its one that sticks in my mind. Only about 100 in the audience. However, I think I'd seen the Lambrettas the week before and my gran performing on the spoons would have looked good after that lot.

Well done Darky. I think, as much as anything, it gives a sort of direction to your efforts. Dont know if you know what I mean? Anyway, the others have said it, be prepared for a few mixed emotions and ups and downs, its a bit of strange time, arguably a transitional time when you start to shift your perceptions of life, the universe, and everything.

John Lee Hooker is the man. And, now dont laugh, Paul Weller has become a fine guitarist, saw him live just b4 xmas and he was pretty good

Dont know if anyone can help but I'm starting to get a bit worried about my son (AS, 17) becoming a bit socially isolated. We live in Hampshire, on border with Dorset, and was wondering if any of you out there are in the same area and have children of around the same age who may also need a bit of companionship from time to time? If so, please PM me and we can explore any options. Thanks

Suzi Quattro - Devil Gate Drive, which I'm now going to be singing throughout the afternoon much to the annoyance of my colleagues.. 'well at the age of five........

1. cry - Thick as Thieves - The Jam 2. dancer - You Know How to Love Me - Phylis Hyman 3. memories - I'm On My Way - Dean Parish 4. fave - This Ole Heart of Mine - Isley Brothers 5. hate to admit - Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs took me 2 minutes, will be completely different tomorrow, apart from 4. this is the non-obscure list by the way Ray

I'm a fairly level-headed, objective, just barely educated, sort of bloke and I know with every fibre of my being, on every instinctive level, that Alex was a different little boy days after he had the MMR in 1988, and I said this at the time to relatives, mentioned it to Doctors, and this was long before I heard about any link between MMR and autism, and obviously long before he was diagnosed. Anyway, I've long since held the view that those at the top of the tree absolutely do know that there is a link, but are willing to sacrifice the health of the minority for the benefit of the majority and I therefore regard most politicians with the utmost contempt. Similarly, the financial cost (and reputational damage) to a government to allow a link to be proven is enough, in their view, to merit suppression of evidence and debunking of theories. Anyway, rant over, thank you for listening, getting back in my box.......