Same here – gut course = very easy. This was a small LAC in Maine. </p>
<p>Delivered S back to school yesterday. He went with all his “winter toys” – hockey stuff for playing on the pond, snowboard for the nearby ski area, snowshoes for just walking around in the snow … I did remind him of the real reason he’s at school. On the plus side, his roommate is 1 term ahead of him in math, so S has a built-in tutor for Diff Equations, aka DiffyQ.</p>
<p>We’re back to the empty nest here. At the moment H is traveling, so it’s just me and the dog. It might hit 40 degrees in the next day or so – a regular heat wave.</p>
<p>I assumed gut meant hard, like digging down into your gut. I have learned that “sick” means good. </p>
<p>We had to mail S2 his toothbrush yesterday and the stocking cap he forgot. He also forgot his shampoo but we told him to buy some more since the weight of shampoo to mail would be ridiculous.</p>
<p>S1 comes home one week from today. I was hoping he could put some sort of positive spin on returning, but not the case. He is going through a very hard time saying good-bye and is dreading his last semester at college. I just hope he doesn’t sink into a real depression. His plan is to become a gym rat and just count off the days until he goes back.</p>
<p>hey CBB - Same here: kids are back at school, H is travelling AND I live in CT! Perhaps we should meet for dinner?? How sick is that? (Insert winking smiley face here…)</p>
<p>^ This would be like the directions on the shampoo bottle for me. just say and repeat. I’d never have to say anything else! Of course, once said a few times, it’d be nearly impossible to say anything else.</p>
<p>eggmom - now that’s the kind of foreign language lesson I like. </p>
<p>Back in my day, “gut” classes were the easy ones. When I saw the post about Physics (my personal academic downfall) and Calc referred to as “gut” courses, I figured that the meaning has changed. My kids catch me using the wrong word all of the time.</p>
<p>Our last trip to Spain didn’t go all that well. We were staying on the coast and mapquest clearly said to drive south, then west (two legs to a triangle). H insisted on driving the “short-cut” through the mountains. After flying to Kennedy, to London, to Madrid, I really didn’t need to be lost in a rental car on dirt roads at midnight in the mountains. Also didn’t enjoy the bull fights (ended up walking out and just waiting in front of the stadium). At one meal, S1 ordered something called “little birds” and it looked like a bunch of sparrows on a dinner plate, complete with beaks in place (he ate it). I am just not a good traveler anymore so I will stay here at my computer and wish you all bon voyage.</p>
<p>TheAnalyst, you have to come to Spain with us. No road trips. If we go on a side trip to Montserrat, we can deposit you at a lovely tappas bar near the museums and you can have a very civilized time.</p>
<p>I think of “gut” classes as something you either do well in or you don’t. It’s like you have a gut feel or youre pretty sick to your stomach!!</p>
<p>For those for whom physics and math are a strength, perhaps those first survey classes go well, for others like me who often struggled with Math, they’d be weeders. S will take chemistry and the second in the series of Bio intro classes this spring and a third in the humanities. If he makes the team, his schedule will likely stay at this level (helped by his AP credits which keep him on track towards graduation - As H says, he has four years to get it done). Pre-season practices don’t even start until after 9pm because all spring teams are doing captain’s practices and there is but one indoor turf field making for some late nights. Apparently he’s also playing intramural basketball and soccer. Footwork, footwork, footwork I suppose. </p>
<p>At first I was kind of like… what’s with all this “free time” of J-term? But hearing about some tough transitions to getting back to the grind, I do think it’s a good formula. I think being on campus and just taking one class (intensive as it may be) is a great segue, especially for freshman students (and honestly, just sounds like a really really fun way to spend the month of January). Of course, the proof will be if he kicks it into high gear once second semester starts.</p>
<p>Sidenote: I saw some pictures on facebook and I really wish son would cut his hair and shave. He is such a good looking young guy, but the long hair and pale face of winter? Not such a good look from my perspective. And oh… he’s already gotten another cold and is of the belief that if Daycare is working there isn’t any real reason to think he needs MORE sleep. So frustrating because if it turns into an ear infection, he is going to be one miserable boy. I feel like he’s been battling a cold since he left for school in August! He was finally looking and feeling better when we sent him back after New Year, but here we are again. I feel like I did back when he started preschool and caught every single bug that came down the pike! Fortunately, he feels he has already had “The Swine” and so hopefully any other flu’s will spare him!</p>
<p>Now, a museum I would like. Maybe my problem isn’t travel per se, but travel with my boys! Their idea of fun is just a tad more wild than my idea of fun. I don’t consider near death experiences to be crucial to having a good time.</p>
<p>My fav part of travel is people watching - which is why the drinking of the wine is right up my alley. H takes kids parasailing and all kinds of wild adventures while I prefer the spa thank you very much.</p>
<p>That’s the beauty of Barcelona…there are historical sights to see, there is shopping to do, but the best part is just sitting in a tapas bar or restaurant and drinking wine and taking it all in.</p>
<p>Taller de Tapas is just a few steps away from the Picasso Museum.</p>
<p>TheAnalyst – It sounds like you may have ended up in Ronda??? If so, I can see why you’d be a little “off” Spain. Try that evil vertical mountain road in blinding rain with no guardrails – in a little stick shift not unlike one I drove when I was 16 (drive a Land Rover now, kind of spoiled) and after a prior evening of mucho vino. Nowhere near the fun to be had lounging around at Marabella. But we lounged so much when I was there that I grew too lazy (read: inebriated) to drive up to Barcelona for a day/night. We did make it over to Tangier, but only b/c someone drove us to the hydroferry.
At any rate, don’t judge Spain by those crazy mountains. There’s much more fun to be had on the Mediterranean shores ; )</p>
<p>What is the term y’all use? Is it evidence of emerging maturity? I don’t know if Son actually has displayed it, but he HAS figured out the add/drop process. Except for choir, he’s now changed every class but one (and choir). Of course, he won’t always be able to bail when a class seems impossible, but I don’t have any problem with him doing it this semster when he needs to show “substantial progress.”</p>
<p>He’s been worried sick about French II so he just called to ask if he could drop it. Once again, I think his academic advising has been lacking. The way the conversation went last summer was, “You placed out of French I, so you can take French II second semster.” I think what should have been said was, “You placed out of French I. When did you last take French? Sophomore year of HS? How about taking French I again?”</p>
<p>I’d be inclined to recommend French I next fall, instead of summer school. It takes a lot less time to get to the language lab at his little school than to drive there at the CC. Or are all those things online now? More research to do. Aspies are notoriously bad at foreign languages, so getting in four semesters worth will be a challenge.</p>
<p>Missy… is there anyway he can forgo that requirement due to his diagnosis? I know there are lots of kids who manage to replace the language part although I think some take sign language but perhaps this is due to a language processing deficit. Worth an inquiry. </p>
<p>Older D who is very bad at Math (was passed through the fundamentals and therefore doesn’t have the foundation) is taking Math during summer school when she can concentrate solely on something that has proven her nemesis throughout her times in academics. And… I have actually found the old flash cards of multiplication and division facts for her to practice to at least have that going for her. As she said yesterday, it’s hard to believe there’s a level BELOW what she placed in, but even though her advisor said she could probably handle the higher class it has been so long since she’s taken a math course, it’s probably better to review, review, review.</p>
<p>I’m going to have to research the language issue. (The funny thing is that since he’s a singer and has a good ear, his pronounciation is really good!) The school doesn’t teach sign which is a pity since his GF and I both sign. </p>
<p>His friend who is a more severe Aspie had Spanish II last period of the day - the poor guy was so frustrated that he’d go straight outside after class and scream - literally scream with frustration. </p>
<p>Son got Bs in HS because most of the grade was homework or short tests. His finals were HORRIBLE but by 10th grade he could exempt a final and he chose that one. </p>
<p>I think that Son would enjoy Latin as a subject, but at such a small school there is only one Latin teacher and we’re told he’s really tough. </p>
<p>Oh well, I’m always in need of something to research, so that can be my project!</p>
On the plus side, his roommate is 1 term ahead of him in math, so S has a built-in tutor for Diff Equations, aka DiffyQ.</p>