[QUOTE]Originally posted by trident:
[b]Clif, you are . . . a snake tamer!!

I also think the kickboxing denial was only the spark...the fuel must be somewhere else.

Also, sometimes eldest kids are "forgotten" (not gettng enough attention) in favour of the youngest, and since you have many others, she had enough chances to be "forgotten".
. . .

Theodore
(only child, presumably spoiled rotten, though this is not the case at all)

Theodore, thanks for the support. I think you hit a few nails on the head there. As the eldest, she had her parents complete attention for two years. Then our son was born, which she found exciting (like a pet), but later probably felt usurped. Upon birth of the next girl, she announced "we don't need this baby", and I am sure she resents on some level her gradual removal from the center of her parent's universe. And, I suspect, therein lies some of the fuel you mentioned.

As far as punishment goes, I have thought of making her pay me back monetarily. But she would not be learning anything she doesn't already know. She did hurt me and I do relate to her differently now, but I am not trying to punish her. My feeling is that our relationship may be improving a little so I am taking a wait-and-see attitude.

In the meantime, your support is very much appreciated.

Clif

P.S. My A-50 is gone, I don't know if the General Music S3 Turbo that I won on ebay and paid for is coming. In the meantime, I bought an Ensoniq VFX for $200. The sounds are not at all realistic, but as a controller it does have polyphonic aftertouch, which is a feature I for some reason feel a need to explore.

[This message has been edited by Clif Anderson (edited 10-25-2005).]