<p>Hi Everyone - Nice to catch up as we have been without power for the past 48 hours. They even canceled school so I had a day off! That’s good because i was trying to figure out how I would dry and hot roller my hair before school. I was going to go in early and do my styling in the back office. Thankfully I don’t have to now!
D had a couple of HS friends visit her over the weekend. Not the best reunion as far as she was concerned…Just last week, D was saying how happy she was about the drama-less tone her life has had at college. Well, that ended very quickly this weekend. Between emotional confessions, a sobbing breakdown at a frat party, all sorts of substance abuse with attempts at coercion and a one-night stand (with a friend of my D’s) thrown in for good measure, D was happy to see them go. I’m one of the recipients of too much information sometimes.
On a lighter note, D was initiated into her sorority last evening and is very happy about that. She also asked a prof for a rec for a summer internship. D attached a copy of her resume for reference and prof revised the resume for her with some excellent additions! (BRAG ALERT - BRAG ALERT) No one would recognize the painfully shy girl she was just a few years ago and the self-assured young woman we know - and love - today.</p>
<p>Woody - there are times when it is so rewarding to see them grow up. ALMOST makes up for some of those OTHER days. Congrats on your lovely D. :)</p>
<h1>ts made it back to school (I stayed up until 1am to give him his wake up call - not trusting the hotel ) for his 4:50 shuttle to the airport.</h1>
<p>He called later to say he checked his grades and passed everything. After last quarter this is GREAT news. He even got an A in Discrete Math (the area I really think he will end up going in)</p>
<p>I could tell he was relieved. He missed classes today, too tired to go with 3 hours sleep and the horrendous yesterday, but it was the first day of the new quarter so hopefully he will not have missed much.</p>
<p>Have not had time to check in much here, so will go back and read what’s been up with everyone.</p>
<p>That is fantasic news, #TM. An “A” in Discrete Math! Hopefully today will be a better day for him- I’m sure he’s not the only student impacted by travel.</p>
<h1>TM, now you can get some sleep. Big congrats on the good report card. Woody, your D sounds like a gem. Missypie, how is your S doing?</h1>
<p>Our S1 and S2 enjoyed their visit together last week-end. The highlight was being around all the craziness that went with the school winning the Big East basketball tournament. They got to experience a couch burning together. Very wild school on game days, which they both adore. </p>
<p>S2 comes home for spring break next Friday and wants to just “chill” with his friends and eat my home cooking. (My diet is still recovering from cooking the week his brother was home.) His birthday is next week and his Dad plans to let him know he will take him to one of the away basketball tournament games for his school. I know they will love that. </p>
<p>His physics class is challenging, but overall schoolwork appears to be going well this semester now that the CS crisis is behind him. Registration for summer school is in April. Once he knows his schedule he needs to start pounding the pavement to get a job to fit around the edges.</p>
<h1>theory that is fabulous news! Did you call wake him or was he already up? Is there some EDM here? 
Is he planning to pick up the syllibi for the courses he missed yesterday? That is something one of my DDs might neglect to do as it might involve talking to the prof AND drawing attention to herself.</h1>
<p>Woody I loved hearing about your D. All that drama was w/ her high school friends right? So nice to see that another shy girl has come into her own. Pleased for both of you. </p>
<p>The Analyst you must be a great cook. My kids want to go OUT when they get home.
DD is on her way to the airport where she will board a plane headed to NCAA action across the country! Yesterday she called me in tears…very unlike her… to say that she hadn’t been excused yet by her chem lab prof and that if she didn’t get excused she could go to the tourney because she might fail chem lab (you aren’t allowed to miss w/o making up and she will be gone for all the make ups) and that would mean she would fail chem as well even though she currently has a B. I talked her into getting off her fanny and waiting for the email, heading across the street…literally she is steps from the science building… and looking for the guy or someone who could get in touch with him. She has always been another one of those who is loathe to talk to people but she agreed. 10 minutes later she called me back all set and all smiles. Prof was there and gave her his blessing.</p>
<p>Those of you inclined to say a prayer and or keep a good thought for all those traveling basketball players and support folk, today is a big travel day. </p>
<p>Personally I will be on edge till I know she and the others are all safely where they are going. It’s her first time flying w/o us and I know she is an adult and all but you know how it is. I guess she is safer than she was driving across the deserts of CA and NV in the middle of the night.</p>
<p>Thanks h-mom. yes, they were all HS friends… oh well.
So glad to hear that HistoryD got the OK to go! How cool to be there!!</p>
<p>This is such a chatty thread that it almost makes it hard to go on a vacation with no computer access! (Notice I said "almost.) Got back Sunday from FL; we were lucky that both D & S had the same week off. Spent a little time with H’s parents and then hopped over to North Captiva Island. What a fun place, even though we had to bring all our groceries. It was about a 45 minute boat ride – fortunately the weather cooperated both arriving and departing. Once on the island, the only mode of transportation is golf cart. Of course that was highly entertaining for S, who managed to get the cart stuck in the sand near the beach at 11:30 PM. He texted us, but said “I’ll handle it.” He did, found his way home, and didn’t ruin the cart. Overall it wasn’t as consistently warm as it has been other years when we’ve been in FL at this time of year, but it was certainly LOTS better than here in CT. </p>
<p>Arrived home to hear about the wicked storms, especially down in Fairfield County, where we lived until 3 1/2 years ago. Sounds pretty bad.</p>
<p>S’s grades for C term were quite good; still no NR’s, thank goodness. D got in to all 3 grad schools she applied to, so now she’s sorting through financial aid/scholarships/assistantships. It’s nice she has options.</p>
<p>missypie, hugs and support – hope things work out for your S. I, too, like to be “in control,” so understand your frustration.</p>
<p>Hi all… </p>
<p>D called me yesterday and was thrilled to have gotten some grant and scholarship money for school. This is one of the upsides of her being 25 and having lived on her own for several years. We will help her with loans but can’t help too much until “it’s over.” The only thing I want her to avoid is unsubsidized loans where interest starts immediately. Although… I suppose one has to consider the rates she is paying vs the rates we’d be earning to see who would come out ahead. Seriously, I don’t get this stuff and thankfully, H does. She is taking the info out to her dad when they’ll have an opportunity to sit down and discuss it. Of course, her school expenses are about 1/4 of her brothers.</p>
<p>S texted me to say he got an A on his Chem midterm, but other than that he hasn’t said much. He got an 87 or something like that on his Bio midterm, but felt he could offset it with a really great grade on some major lab report (it was like a 50.50 split or something). He is really missing the whole team sport thing and I really don’t have any words to offer him except that I have great faith in him and that he should look for the open window… which he then jokingly said, “are you suggesting I jump?” So, in light of the cornell crap, just about freaked me out. But I too managed to laugh it off and said, “no no… you know… the closed door, open window?” Sheesh. This kid. I miss him so much some days. He can always and forever make me laugh, even when I am ticked at him. Seriously, I still don’t think he’s picked up his new ID card.</p>
<p>Just a reminder to the WPI moms here - financial aid applications are due on Friday.</p>
<p>CBBB - your vacation sounds like a lovely break from the New England weather!</p>
<p>Moda - congratulations to your D on the $$.</p>
<h1>theory - glad your son made it back. I checked, and you can take the train from Philadelphia to Worcester. (Amtrak is such a foreign concept to me - it has such a minimal presence in Texas.)</h1>
<p>good to know on the train thing for future use, firefly. Actually I am thinking the train across the country might not be a bad idea after this fiasco (and the last one when his plane could not land here and was sent back from whence it came!)
Thanks for the finaid reminder</p>
<p>Moda, I know the feeling.</p>
<p>Hmom, I mentioned the syllabus thing, as well you know our kiddos are something alike with not wanting to draw attention. I hope he has picked the stuff up. He also has to get it in gear and decide on ext year’s classes - he does not want my help on that - still I am likely to check out the classes and make some suggestions (after all, I told him he should take the Discrete Math and now he is glad he did)</p>
<p>Missy - hope things are straightening out on your curvy road of life.</p>
<p>DTE always good to hear your <em>voice</em></p>
<p>Everyone who is returning from trips and/or heading out on them, or getting your kids home or back to school - safe travels. Air travel sure ain’t what it used to be. Remember the days when if they cancelled your flight they would put you up in a hotel? I am probably dating myself, that was probably a LONG time ago.</p>
<p>:eek: We’ve fallen to page 3?! We can’t have that!</p>
<p>So sorry for all the kiddos with travel issues - some of them sounded really hairy! Never crossed my mind that spring break travel could be so difficult. D’s break doesn’t start until the end of next week - she is meeting us in Phoenix to celebrate Passover with my in-laws. This may be the last year that both Ds’ spring breaks and Passover all fall at the same time so we are taking advantage!</p>
<p>DTE - always good to hear from you :)</p>
<p>Missypie - I hope you and S are making progress - I think about you frequently, as do others, I am sure. </p>
<p>I got the dreaded “fine” in response to my question about midterms and grades yesterday. Unlike so many of you, I have no idea when she has exams or papers due - she’s never been one to share that kind of stuff. But at least in HS I could check her on-line grades. Now I have no idea.</p>
<p>Good news is that she has a room for next year, in the dorm and on the floor that she wanted, near several friends. They tried for a suite but no one had a lottery number high enough, apparently.</p>
<p>I usually have no clue when what is due or when tests are with S unless he’s already gotten them back or he’s actually on his way from the library or similar. His break starts this weekend and he’s off to inlaws with some friends. I asked him if he needed to work out any travel arrangements to get to his grandparents and his response was “we’ll figure it out.” So… we’ll see if he does that. :)</p>
<p>S posted the following message on his Facebook “I just lost a roommate…I can’t think of anything else to say about the subject”. Frantic with worry, I called him (midnight his time). Turns out his forced triple is being untripled, and the roommate who was never there will be moving to another room.</p>
<p>FFScout, sometimes FB is really TMI when they share such little info!</p>
<p>Had a great phone call with S who is in Ohio with friends for spring break. He has the HIGHEST gpa on his midterm grades than he EVER has! Woooo hooooo! He said, “it just took until college, I guess,” although I kept my mouth shut that it really took until 2nd semester. </p>
<p>He has three roommies lined up for a quad dorm next year, is excited about watching his school tomorrow in the Tourney (H and I will be there in person rooting the team on since they’re playing in San Jose), and is having a great time at his friend’s house with his two current roommates.</p>
<p>He and I had a really tough time the last year or two of HS as I was on constant nag patrol and he was on full-time procrastination mode, and I feared it would be a permanent thing. He had an interesting comment about his friend and the mom - “friendX is always pushing his mom and she’s always mad or hurt.” My jaw dropped, as that’s exactly how I would explain OUR relationship, and I seriously thought my son was joking. After a few beats, I made a comment that it sounded familiar, and he said, “no way mom, we’re nothing like that.” Perception is everything.</p>
<p>Seriously, that call with him sounding so happy, doing so well, feeling so positive about next year, has me floating on air. That old saying that a mom is only as happy as her most unhappy kid certainly has a converse meaning as well.</p>
<p>Can’t wait to see him over Easter break (they get spring AND Easter)!</p>
<p>Firefly, we had a similar panic moment last Friday. S1 was driving six hours to see his brother and left looking exhausted, having stayed up all night the night before. It was raining. Anyway, we were ready to go to bed but couldn’t stand not knowing if he had made it (should have been there by then), so called his cell phone and got no answer. We called his brother’s cell phone and got no answer. About a minute later our phone rings. H picks up thinking one or the other of the boys is returning our call. Instead a man introduces himself as officer x with the state police and asks if he is speaking to Mr. Analyst. H was sure it was the dreaded, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but …” news. It turned out the guy was fundraising for the police department. We were both so upset we got up and couldn’t go back to bed until we got through to the boys, which was about an hour later. S had made it with no problem, they were having a great time, and hadn’t heard the phone because of the noise, supposedly.</p>
<p>Analyst… my heart was dropping through that entire retelling! Geez o man.</p>
<p>And Cpeltz… I actually laughed out loud
I love those moments when we keep our mouths shut, but well… don’t. 
</p>
<p>I totally get that converse feeling… Sometimes I am both as sad as the saddest and happy as the happiest! It’s still a rollercoaster!</p>
<p>^^ Rollercoaster. D is home for spring break, and just basically kicking back – hanging out with friends, sleeping late, playing video games. It’s nice to have her here.</p>
<p>But she needs to complete a form to renew a scholarship she has. All she has to do is go on line and do it (by the 24th). I don’t think she’s done it; but having told her once she needs to do it, I don’t want to nag. BUT I DO WANT HER TO DO IT!</p>
<p>It’s easier in some ways when she’s not here and I don’t have to see what doesn’t happen on my schedule. If kids could just get the point that they’d make their parents (or moms at least) SO happy by doing things when they’re supposed to do them (i.e., when we think they should be done) …</p>
<p>Great to hear all your fun stories.
D is coming home on friday night with 3-4 friends including new BF. It’s been a tough week for them with 2 student suicides one after another last week and thier own midterms…
I planning to make tons of comfort food for them as well as some great dinners out. Hope it helps!</p>
<p>
Oh ffs, that certainly would have given me a scare! I guess someone won’t be returning for D term :(.</p>