<p>LOL critter - definitely geographically challenged here. In my defense, I knew there were mountains in Montana, just not what they were named… :D</p>
<p>Okay, Critter, I have to defend my honor as a Westerner. 
I did know that the Rockies went through Montana, but I am not sure I could have specified that they begin in BC and end in NM (or vice versa, depending on your perspective!). I certainly don’t blame Laurendog for not knowing. After all, the Midwest is flat indeed. One year when we were vacationing in the Beautiful Upper Peninsula, we went to a pool with an in-state discount. The charming girl was so eager to give us a discount that when she asked us where we were from and we named a very western city, she replied, “Oh, but that’s in Michigan, isn’t it?” You see, we’re all Wolverines at some level.</p>
<p>Funny, confetti! That’s another quote of yours I will have to remember to share with DH and DS. (They loved the ‘gut feeling’ one, as did I!) You would think they would have come up with something more memorable than ‘Rocky Mountains’, right?! But hey, if you can navigate Chicago, you are doing ok, as far as I’m concerned.</p>
<p>Sorry Eastgrad, I forget at times how strange my crew is… my kids have been across and up and down the Rockies from BC to NM and many points in between. My two youngest are both boys and are geography hounds. They had a beach ball of the world when they were small and would toss it back and forth and have to come up with the name of the place where their index finger landed. Then they moved on to maps. They have been road-tripped across most of the 50 states, many repeatedly, especially in the West where they have seen most of the prime geological sites (many per their request). </p>
<p>Last summer S’13 discovered that he and his summer program roommate were very ‘disadvantaged’. They were the only kids that had not been off of this continent! S did say that he did figure that he had seen way more of this country, though. Most of those kids just jet off to some other exclusive enclave overseas from one coast or the other. One was headed off to the Olympics as soon as they finished. (Probably they refer to the Midwest as ‘flyover states’. Wonderful term, don’t ya think?)</p>
<p>You are right about the Midwest. The kids were fascinated by how many 90 degree angles the road intersections make. My aunt would always remind me to drive carefully if we headed to the Ozarks and I would say, ‘ha, do you remember where we are from’?! There are no mountains East of the Rockies, you know. Only foothills. That’s what we always told my BIL-he’s from NY and impressed with the Appalachians.</p>
<p>Loved the Michigan reference. S’13 came back from MI one summer and was so fascinated by the hand thing-you know, where you show where you are from by pointing to a spot on your hand (er, Michigan, of course). </p>
<p>Sorry Laurendog, no offense intended. Both of my kids loved their time in Michigan. D’10 had a great summer at UMich @ Telluride.</p>
<p>Yes–I have definitely opened up a chair on the Lido deck and DH has always referred to those MT/ID mountains as the Bitterroots–which I only learned after this discussion is what that section of the Rockies is called. (Not sure about my early education but I have always been soft on geography and history.)</p>
<p>EastGrad - Thanks so much for defending our honor! (ha) You are 100% right about the flatness of the Midwest. Every Spring Break we vacationed in Aspen to ski (dad’s interest) and to visit John Denver and his foundation (mom’s interest.) One day, my school in MN had a ski-trip organized. You should have seen my face when we arrived and I saw the 'ski-hill." :eek: It was quite a shock! And yes, you said it well…We are all Wolverines…
(except for dadotwo who is somehow now a Dukie and a 'Cuse fan!! lol 
) </p>
<p>Critter - Love the story about your geography fans. Reminds me of an older cousin I have. He came to the US to go to school and stayed with us for a while. One day, he came home from the Mall of America and announced…“I have found the greatest store in the world! It’s called Rand McNally!!” ha ha ha And, no offense taken on the ‘hand’ trick. Michiganders use this all of the time. I still use it when I meet people from Michigan if I’m not entirely sure where they’re from ;)</p>
<p>Critter, not leaving the continent makes the kids disadvantaged? Sweet. I’ll be sure S14 uses that angle on his apps! Just kidding. Firstworldproblems, as the kids say?</p>
<p>The hand trick works for Wisconsin, too, and we don’t have that pesky UP problem!</p>
<p>Goooooooooood morning, USS Indecision!</p>
<p>As we start heading off to admitted students events, crank up today’s theme music and let your kids look at you like you’re crazy.</p>
<p>[Clash</a> - Should I Stay or Should I Go?](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>Awesome theme music SomeOldGuy. Are you available for graduation parties?</p>
<p>Ummm, sure, but I doubt your kids will get my taste in music, which leads me to do things like associate the current direction of the infamous “WSJ Girl” thread with this song:</p>
<p>[William</a> Shatners Common People lego animation - YouTube](<a href=“William Shatners Common People lego animation - YouTube”>William Shatners Common People lego animation - YouTube)</p>
<p>(Bonus points to you old school alt-rockers who recognize the “backing” vocalist on this one.)</p>
<p>So there are five seniors in out neighborhood, four of whom have been together all the way through school. We are planning a cook-out “block party” type thing with burgers and such. They want a moon bounce. One of the moms knows a DJ, but I am not convinced that the other neighbors will love that. What are you all doing for grad parties?</p>
<p>Still on board…who is serving today ? ;)</p>
<p>DS is flying to yet another scholarship weekend, and most likely he will not find out about the last one until over a week from today, which will make it pretty much middle of the month. And then if he gets that scholarship he will probably want to visit the school before deciding…ughh…</p>
<p>Over the weekend I checked last year’s graduating class thread and there was a parent from my state whose son got got a phone call about substantial scholarship on 4/30 or so…how is that even possible, if the decision needs to be in by May 1 
</p>
<p>S’13 has been close friends with two other boys since Kindegarten. So, we are holding a joint party at a local country club (one of the parents is a member). It’s a very in town country club just blocks from the high school and really within 10 minutes of anybody who would go to the party except family. Just a drop-by kind of party, but I’m not 100% sure (yeah - my W is in the lead on this one). I think we are doing it in the afternoon before graduation which isn’t until 8 pm I think. All the schools in the area have graduation at a single location in the county and rotate through over the course of a few days. S’13s HS is going last on this particular day.</p>
<p>As usual, we’re behind and have no earthly idea what we’re doing for a party. I guess that will be a good topic for discussion on the drive down to admitted students day.</p>
<p>Good morning! The Lido Deck is hopping this morning with our DJ SomeOldGuy! Woo hoo!!</p>
<p>Grad party: This is a problem. For #1 and #2 they graduated in the afternoon, we had a party in the backyard for relatives and friends shortly afterward, then they went to Grad night about 9pm. But #3 graduates at 6pm and then has to be at the Grad night bus at 8pm, which leaves little to no time in between. After returning home from Grad night at 4AM, he has training for his summer sailing instructor job Friday 8-5 and Saturday 8-5, then Sunday the job starts in the afternoon with a Regatta and a “meet the instructors” dessert, followed by 40 hours Monday through Thursday. Thursday night we jump on a plane to a 2 day college orientation. So I think my only real window of opportunity will be Saturday evening. I thought about the weekend before, but it is Father’s Day weekend and #1 is going through graduation ceremonies for her masters (which she technically doesn’t finish until August). Ugh.</p>
<p>Someoldguy - Ah! The backing vocalist question (on that Shatner song) is killing me! Voice so familiar but I can’t pull the name out of my brain! I hope someone knows. </p>
<p>tx5 - Wow. That is a jammed packed schedule! Maybe you could do the party 2 weekends before? I know that people have parties all throughout the graduation season.</p>
<p>89Wahoo- I’m in your hood (well, I’m in your state! lol.) I’ll be by at 6 for some burgers and brats. Def. get the DJ! I’ll need to be entertained…and I’m sure your neighbors won’t mind if I relive my college days of listening to Snoop Dog and Public Enemy. </p>
<p>No party for Step-D. (well none put on by us.) Have no clue if her mom is having anything. I asked her if she wanted me to organize a party or, if she wanted to skip a party and go to Europe. She chose Europe. We leave the day after she graduates.</p>
<p>Someoldguy - all I could figure out is that is is a Brit. I googled it out of curiosity, never would have guessed!</p>
<p>Not planning a big grad party. May have some of my far-flung siblings over some time during the summer. No one will be here for the graduation except older D (S will fly out the morning of graduation for his study abroad in Japan). Grandparents are too old to sit in bleachers for hours.</p>
<p>We told grandparents not to bother coming for graduation. They are coming for his recital instead. That will be much more enjoyable than sitting in the stands trying to pick S2 out of the sea of purple robes and waiting for his 3 second walk across the stage. He is singing the national anthem - but they get a whole hour of singing at his recital, and all the desserts you can eat!</p>
<p>All the desserts you can eat!! ** megpmom ** I’ll be there! 
:p</p>
<p>Public Enemy? Do we take requests? Ohhhhhhhh, yeah!</p>
<p>[Public</a> Enemy - Fight The Power - YouTube](<a href=“Public Enemy - Fight The Power - YouTube”>Public Enemy - Fight The Power - YouTube)</p>