<p>FallGirl, I wouldn’t even dream of posting on other threads anymore. I am particularly sick of seeing comments that kids can find jobs if only they would go to North Dakota or take an entry-level position. My S would gladly work in North Dakota. He has applied for jobs in North Dakota. There was a posting on a Work Force West Virginia web site for a Field Engineer I position that required a bachelors degree in engineering. The pay was $7.64 per hour. That’s disgusting but S has applied just to get experience. He will work for FREE to get experience. In fact, the Australia option is essentially him PAYING to get experience. He has a 3.20 GPA in engineering. He has internship experience. He is a hard worker. He is reliable. He is trying. </p>
<p>I’m happy for all those people whose kids landed jobs, but I think it is na</p>
<p>TA, he sounds like a great kid but maybe not a self-promoter. I’m sure once he gets the first job, he will be on his way because he wii deliver at his job. </p>
<p>I occasionally post on other threads where someone posts an article or asks a question. Except for the LD threads where people are nice, what surprises me is how deficient people seem to be in two things: 1) thinking probabalistically (e.g. Going to an elite school doesn’t advantage you because they know someone who went to Harvard and now has a menial job or the CEO of their company went to TAMU); and 2) reasoning from premises to conclusions.</p>
<p>Did anyone watch Glee this week? They tackled the subject of school shootings and the emotions during and after. I thought it was well done.</p>
<p>I did, nm. At first I thought, wow, how will they pull this off – but it actually worked out pretty well!</p>
<p>TA, great news on the screening – will send s2 the light!</p>
<p>Shaw, as usual, your observations are incisive ;)</p>
<p>So, mcson’s crunch time is in full swing and it feels a little contagious. We head down for his last classical performance tomorrow. Next weekend is the big play that mcgf is directing and for which he did sound design. He has two other experimental performances between now and then, is still in the recording studio (I personally think five songs was a bit ambitious for his sr. Thesis in terms of full production when he barely clocks that in a full year) and of course the editing room for the interactive and his final animation. All this leaves me with one weekend to get this house in order for the grad party, and I have a few major launch projects for work. I will be going to the office today for sure ;)</p>
<p>Those of you going must be excited about your upcoming meet up! While I had the prescience to realize I could not do it, I should have instead invited y’all here and begged for help getting ready for the grad party 
</p>
<p>For reasons that are long and involved but that center around how much I love my kid, my ex will be staying with us for the duration, sans wife. That will be a little weird for mch, who has really done 90% of his job and considers him something of a deadbeat ( for excellent reasons, I might add, up to and including no help for college.) The man is having some hard times, and while mcson is very aware of his father’s shortcomings, he did really really want to see him. So it will be an interesting weekend :)</p>
<p>kmc, that is nice of you to host him.</p>
<p>Up early to fix yet another pre-ACT breakfast. (This is my 6th pre-SAT/ACT breakfast if I’m recalling correctly.)</p>
<p>Worked a bit late last night, both kids were gone, the house was quiet and it was dark outside. Didn’t know where H was, so I got something to eat and watched What Not to Wear. At some point, H came in from the hot tub angry, because he was postive that I knew he was out there and didn’t go out on purpose. ??? He was sitting out there in the dark. I guess it irritated me all the more because I heard from my colleague that her 26 year old’s cancer has not gone away, despite chemo and lots of radiation. Facing a stem cell transplant. Bothered me that H was getting angry over such a tiny thing when other people are facing life and death issues.</p>
<p>kmc, it makes me tired just to read about all of that, but so exciting as well. Enjoy.</p>
<p>H left early this morning for his Boston marathon, along with my mother who is going along for the ride. The weather should be cool and he feels strong, so hoping for a PR. He comes home Tuesday night so I have a four day week-end to myself with absolutely nothing planned, which I am going to thoroughly enjoy.</p>
<p>S1 got to go to a reception and meet the US Ambassador to Australia last week as well as a lot of other local business executives, so that was neat.</p>
<p>S said he thought his interview went well, knew the science, made his interviewers all laugh at some point and there was one other goal, but I don’t recall what it was right now. Said the timing might be the hard part because of summer position. But also said the summer position could lock him in either there or obviously open the door somewhere else. He said he won’t really start to worry until July. So he’s got that going for him.</p>
<p>D is not inviting my ex (her birth father - H adopted her when S was born) but has invited his brother and his parents (who are divorced but I think maybe remarried). She did not however buy them grandparent flowers etc. I think it was a nice compromise seeing as I was pretty much not convinced to invite them at all. And I can guarantee you none of them would be staying with me. I do however wonder if the ex is ticked to not be invited at all but you reap what you sow and he sowed nothing.</p>
<p>This cold I have will not leave my body and leaves me just exhausted,which when you have a lot to do, is worse. Going to have dinner with my SIL tonight. She was supposed to come here apparently but because of the wet and the snow I was REALLY not wanting her to bring her dog - which is so weird to me regardless that so many people insist on bringing their dogs everywhere they go. She seemed slightly offended according to H, but geez… our house is on the market (not that I want the dog here regardless)… It’s not a little dog either… it’s like a border collie mix so long hair, wet and shedding. No thanks. </p>
<p>Send the good vibes to older D that she gets a phone interview at the school she applied to. My sister actually was a teacher to the guy who is now head of school but he doesn’t actually hire. But I was pretty impressed by her recommendations from her cooperating teachers and my sister says her life experience actually works in her favor (vs being 21). So cross your fingers. i have no idea how long they go before they narrow down the list and start making phone calls.</p>
<p>Wow. You guys have complicated lives. Do we invite the ex’s brother to graduation. We just invited the grandmas, ShawD, the cousin who has been ShawSon’s coach and guide and tutor and recorder of articles, etc. He didn’t invite the GF, interestingly enough. He said, he really wouldn’t be able to spend time with her while everyone was there and wanted her to come another weekend. Our big complication is rain: If it rains, we can’t have tickets for everyone indoors.</p>
<p>We do have a good friend with ALS. He’s an extremely talented painter and so it is scary to him and to us as he loses each new bit of functioning. We just bought one of his paintings. Makes you realize how fragile our hold on things is, which it sounds like Missypie was observing as well.</p>
<p>Good for TA’s S1 and H. </p>
<p>I helped ShawD complete her application for the accelerated BSN/MSN program. She had to write an essay. The essay prompt was essentially inarticulate. She said, “Dad. You should never ask nurses to write. They only write short sentences in short hand (TRK is Totally Reconstructed Knee).” Given the prompt, she didn’t know what to say so she came home for Dad’s help. I just said, “Tell your story and weave in the characteristics they mention in the prompt.” Who knows if that is what they wanted? She was told she was guaranteed admission if her grades were above 3.33 and she is at 3.95. So, I think all should be well. She still wants either a dog or a tall, very handsome, nice, mature, Jewish guy – well, maybe both.</p>
<p>^shaw, I think Moda was referring to her eldest d’s wedding re: family of x
But indeed, exs do complicate major family celebrations! So can adoptive vs. birth parents, for that matter. Each of my sisters have had wedding invite issues relating to my mother’s adoptive vs natural parents, believe it or not.
In my case, last time round, I invited everyone still alive and made it known I’d had enough of that crap </p>
<p>TA, I was thinking about you this weekend because a friend’s h was also off to Boston for the marathon. Enjoy your quiet weekend and good luck to your H!</p>
<p>Moda, sending your S and D good job mojo! Sounds promising!</p>
<p>Missy, tell your h next time you might notice him if there’s a candle lit, a bouquet, and an inticing cocktail awaiting you beside the hot tub ;)</p>
<p>Finally got the official grad ceremony info for D2. If it isn’t raining everyone can come to the festivities. If it is raining there are only 2 tickets to get in to see it live and the rest get ushered to other indoor viewing areas to watch a live feed.</p>
<p>Forgot to say H’s nephew is also graduating in May. No tickets for family so they hope to celebrate with family the week before D2 graduates. I think we should combine and celebrate at one time so everyone doesn’t have to travel two weekends in a row. We shall see if they agree.</p>
<p>Same bad weather policy at my son’s graduation except it’s three tickets. Since there will be four of us I guess we’ll draw straws. ;)</p>
<p>Analyst and moda I’m sending the good vibes. And analyst enjoy your time alone! H and I just took D and her BF to the bus back to the city, my in-laws are here for the week and S has a friend over. Am enjoying all of the company, but I do love those rare weekends alone!</p>
<p>rentof2, did your son take a year off? I thought he was graduating a year ago (two?). Or is this a second son? Or is my memory just faulty. It is hard to keep track of anonymous people.</p>
<p>I guess I should feel grateful that mcson gets 8 tickets to the big house. Technically, he couldn’t cover his “parents” with three!</p>
<p>I managed not to get teared up at the concert, though since its no longer his principal instrument, I’m pretty sure that was the last time mcson will be playing trumpet in a venue like Hill Auditorium 
I have many fond memories of watching that kid play trumpet! By attrition, I’m missing two other (digital ensemble) performances and his sr. Thesis presentation during the week before the play opens Saturday. He has a really unbelievable week ahead, despite being here now to shoot this video today. I said we should have rescheduled but he said no, paying the rent was a significant priority.</p>
<p>Apparently, he also told his gf this when she was concerned he would be back to set up tech until midnight (they’re moving into the performance space for tech week today.) I don’t know how that went over, frankly, but it is nice to see emerging practicality. From his perspective, though he received token payment, he has now done the sound design, composed new material, made the poster and created a nice video promo for the play – so it’s not like they haven’t gotten a big chunk of time and attention. I just hope it all goes smoothly once he’s back and she doesn’t feel let down about his choice.</p>
<p>Good morning all. It’s fun being in Chicago but chilly and rain the forecast (I’ll be gone before there’s a chance of snow.) I took a walking tour related to the conference yesterday…it was quite cold for much of it. I will spend most of the next few days in windowless ballrooms. But it is very nice to attend a conference where the speakers are not all lawyers! Had dinner with older D yesterday. My sole shopping experience was buying a couple of cardigans at Nordstrom Rack that I probably could have bought at home-but the prices and colors were rights. Off to learn about digital billboards.</p>
<p>kmc, your S is just amazing.</p>
<p>There is a tracking icon for H’s race that shows a little blue man icon with the legs moving in a running motion along the course. Cute, although his splits aren’t going to mean anything to me. S1 finished his mini-triathlon (about 10% of an ironman on the swim, bike, run) in under an hour. I have no idea what’s good or bad for that but he was happy with his time.</p>
<p>I had a good chat with S2 yesterday. He has his cap and gown and seems to be in a good mood, although still very busy as he finishes up projects and papers.</p>
<p>kmc, it does sound like mcson is moving in the right direction. TA, very impressed with the effort of the little blue man and your sons.</p>
<p>KMC - I was just thinking how fabulous a trumpet player would be at D’s wedding to play the processional with the strings… Not going to happen, of course (to say nothing of not knowing too many trumpet players in the middle of nookville - aka nowhere).</p>
<p>The suit I ordered for D’s wedding had arrived a week or so ago and I was on the fence since it was kinda big. Knew I would like the jacket smaller but was worried about a smaller dress. Ordered both one size down regardless. Yesterday I put the larger on for H and he was reservedly complimentary. Shaw, I am sure you know the drill, but saying something looks “fine” is so not what women want to hear. However, it was a little big (thus boxy) and I wouldn’t suggest the guy has “vision.” </p>
<p>anyway… the smaller size arrived today and I love it. L.O.V.E it. Granted, it’s likely considered a winter dress but it was only carried in california, Texas and Az by both Neiman’s and Nordstrom. ANYWAY… the reason I am so psyched was that when I went to take a screen shot today to send a picture to the mother of the groom, the dress was even further on sale!! Of course, they had only one size left and the jacket was gone completely but I called Nordstrom and they gave me the newest sale price! While I never even saw this dress/suit until it was already on sale in San Diego and I would NEVER have spent this kind of money on a dress - wedding or not… but the color is perfect. And NOW I think it will be the perfect for a June wedding on a lake (it definitely cools down considerably when the sun goes down). I ended up SAVING over $1500. Like I said, I would have never considered it at full price and was choking slightly when I bought it originally. NOW, however, I feel pretty pleased with myself. Sending the original to my sister in AZ to return directly to the store since there is not longer one here and I hesitate to just mail it back. And too… had I known the store here had closed, not sure I would have bought it when I did. </p>
<p>Now, I will just have the sleeves of the jacket taken up to 3/4 length, but the dress itself only needs a slight hem (as it hits a tad long at the knee when it should be just above) and of course, will need to invest some awesome undergarments to lift, tuck and whatever else I might get it to do! Shoes will hopefully be easy. SO glad that’s over as today marks the two month countdown! D says invites are going in the mail this week… and I sure hope so!</p>
<p>Analyst - just saw the news about explosions in Boston at the finish line!! Please please please check in to let us know if your H is good… not sure of the origination of the explosion but it looks HORRIFIC…</p>