<p>How about the thread which will launch a Kid’s Cafe on CC? On it, dismayed youngsters will ask each other for advice about how to re-direct their parents who are wasting too much time arguing with each other on the internet instead of helping them get into elite colleges!</p>
<p>Oh, I am glad mootmom has started a thread. I know this is a daunting decision for her family. Touches upon a lot of the valuable - yes valuable - stuff that has happened here, cur. And made interesting in a different way because it does not involve elites at all. But does involve choices of different levels of name recognition, ranking, $$ vs. no money, special treatment possibilities.</p>
<p>Cur, I wish there were a way to distill the truly valuable stuff so that folks won’t take a sharp turn out of here when they check out this thread and hit the crazy lanes. Don’t know if it’s possible.</p>
<p>CollegeMom tried to re-create the lost Record Breaking thread. Don’t know what came of that effort. Possible someone would want to make the effort to cut-and-paste the substantive stuff here, leaving out the playground antics. Like I say, I don’t know.</p>
<p>Well, I can’t find mootie’s thread. No problema. I’ll head over to the Mellow thread and tell her she should!</p>
<p>
<em>ROFL!!!</em> Whoda thunk it!? 
Hey, don’t knock bartending! <em>I</em> was a bartender after I finished college!! At least for a short time. 
I made a legendary Pina Colada, btw, that people came from afar to try… :D</p>
<p>~b.</p>
<p>actually, the few times people posted their decisions in terms of the list was very valuable.wish those posts could be extracted.
I wont dare post how my kids made their merit decisions b/c they dont fit into the parameters originally intended.One was conservatory vs top ranked music school at big public 3rd tier U with NMF full ride, the other was major driven decision,no elite offers the major (literally…we researched, the highest ranked school with the major is Rice and he wasnt interested…too small, not sports oriented enough) his choice was higher ranked Public U vs lower ranked Public U who really really wanted him,with major ranked as one of top programs in the US.
So far, both decisions have been terrific for MY KIDS.YMMV.</p>
<p>Popping in to jiggle the handle…</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, I promise not to continue any beatdown. Remember, I did say I don’t think your intentions were bad. I’m just very mindful of patronizing or disrespectful attitudes toward military men & women. Your back story proves that you know first hand how much of a struggle & sacrifice the military choice is, & you were not trying to mock marines. </p>
<p>Padad: I’m kind of confused about Larry Flynt. Are you a fan or something? I used him as an alternative to juxtaposing the military wife with the continuing on to med school option. Substitute guest booker for the Jerry Springer show if that’s less offensive. Or housekeeper to Naomi Campbell.</p>
<p>And I’m NOT going to vote for the cockroaches hissing, as I never have, and never would, live anyplace so non-elite as to be cohabited by roaches. I can easily afford to live places that do not have cockroaches and I have never had to settle for a cheaper place across town with roaches. And I’ve worked really hard so I never have to live with roaches. Besides, there are no roaches in my very excellent city. And, anyway, if I did have roaches, I have SO much money I could just tear the building down and build a magnificent building in its place, sans roaches. (But I might miss those hissing roaches harmonizing with that concert pianist in the background.)</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>StickerShock, Yes, I do object to your mean-spirited post.</p>
<p>
Yup. That’s exactly what my daughter did – and she didn’t waste any time about it. She’s a proud graduate of “Barnard Bartending School”… which has turned out to be a rather lucrative endeavor for her. Tips are good in the Big Apple. Pays a lot better than the work-study job.</p>
<p>TheGFG-
How about if we just start a thread where people hurl insults at each other? There doesn’t have to be a reason-- just a free-for-all verbal cyber food fight. Target practice. Then there will be no need to do it in the threads-- we can all take it “outside” to that thread. Just a thought.</p>
<p>Just to put my vote in-- I thought 'mudges comment about a marine was funny. Clearly not meant to slight anyone. Everyone is quite touchy in here. Really. My h was active duty army when we met/married. Was in the military 13 yrs. I didnt find mudges comment at all insulting. C’mon people. really. Now… as for picking on Larry Flint and the poor physically handicapped-- thats in poor taste : (JUST KIDDING!!))</p>
<p>Last attempt to lighten things up-- here are a few thoughts to ponder 1. DON’T SWEAT THE PETTY THINGS AND DON’T PET THE SWEATY THINGS.
2. ONE TEQUILA, TWO TEQUILA, THREE TEQUILA, FLOOR…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>ATHEISM IS A NON-PROPHET ORGANIZATION.</p></li>
<li><p>IF MAN EVOLVED FROM MONKEYS AND APES, WHY DO WE STILL HAVE MONKEYS AND APES?</p></li>
<li><p>THE MAIN REASON SANTA IS SO JOLLY IS BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE ALL THE BAD GIRLS LIVE.</p></li>
<li><p>I WENT TO A BOOKSTORE AND ASKED THE SALESWOMAN, “WHERE’S THE SELF-HELP SECTION?” SHE SAID IF SHE TOLD ME, IT WOULD DEFEAT THE PURPOSE.</p></li>
<li><p>WHAT IF THERE WERE NO HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS?</p></li>
<li><p>IF A DEAF PERSON SWEARS, DOES HIS MOTHER WASH HIS HANDS WITH SOAP? </p></li>
<li><p>IF SOMEONE WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES THREATENS TO KILL HIMSELF, IS IT CONSIDERED A HOSTAGE SITUATION?</p></li>
<li><p>IS THERE ANOTHER WORD FOR SYNONYM?</p></li>
<li><p>WHERE DO FOREST RANGERS GO TO “GET AWAY FROM IT ALL?”</p></li>
<li><p>WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE AN ENDANGERED ANIMAL EATING AN ENDANGERED PLANT?</p></li>
<li><p>IF A PARSLEY FARMER IS SUED, CAN THEY GARNISH HIS WAGES?</p></li>
<li><p>WOULD A FLY WITHOUT WINGS BE CALLED A WALK?</p></li>
<li><p>WHY DO THEY LOCK GAS STATION BATHROOMS? ARE THEY AFRAID SOMEONE WILL CLEAN THEM?</p></li>
<li><p>IF A TURTLE DOESN’T HAVE A SHELL, IS HE HOMELESS OR NAKED?</p></li>
<li><p>CAN VEGETARIANS EAT ANIMAL CRACKERS?</p></li>
<li><p>IF THE POLICE ARREST A MIME, DO THEY TELL HIM HE HAS THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT?</p></li>
<li><p>WHY DO THEY PUT BRAILLE ON THE DRIVE-THROUGH BANK MACHINES?</p></li>
<li><p>HOW DO THEY GET DEER TO CROSS THE ROAD ONLY AT THOSE YELLOW ROAD SIGNS?</p></li>
<li><p>WHAT WAS THE BEST THING BEFORE SLICED BREAD?</p></li>
<li><p>ONE NICE THING ABOUT EGOTISTS: THEY DON’T TALK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.</p></li>
<li><p>DOES THE LITTLE MERMAID WEAR AN ALGEBRA?</p></li>
<li><p>DO INFANTS ENJOY INFANCY AS MUCH AS ADULTS ENJOY ADULTERY?</p></li>
<li><p>HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CIVIL WAR?</p></li>
<li><p>IF ONE SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMER DROWNS, DO THE REST DROWN TOO?</p></li>
<li><p>IF YOU ATE BOTH PASTA AND ANTIPASTO, WOULD YOU STILL BE HUNGRY?</p></li>
<li><p>IF YOU TRY TO FAIL, AND SUCCEED, WHICH HAVE YOU DONE?</p></li>
<li><p>WHOSE CRUEL IDEA WAS IT FOR THE WORD “LISP” TO HAVE “S” IN IT?</p></li>
<li><p>WHY ARE HEMORRHOIDS CALLED “HEMORRHOIDS” INSTEAD OF “A-S-S-TEROIDS”?</p></li>
<li><p>WHY IS IT CALLED TOURIST SEASON IF WE CAN’T SHOOT AT THEM?</p></li>
<li><p>WHY IS THERE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON SOUR CREAM?</p></li>
<li><p>IF YOU SPIN AN ORIENTAL MAN IN A CIRCLE THREE TIMES DOES HE BECOME DISORIENTED?</p></li>
<li><p>CAN AN ATHEIST GET INSURANCE AGAINST ACTS OF GOD?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>
Well, it’s got <em>my</em> vote…sucks to be me, I guess. When I was preggo with #2, we lived in this rented house in west Ft. Worth. Darling house in a decent neighborhood, but it had a cracked foundation and thus served as the Trump Towers for conventions of water roaches (palmetto bugs to you Floridians and Gulf Coasters <em>lol</em>) YEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOW!!! :eek: When we’d come in from being out and turn on the light, about 20 of them would scatter at once, and they were hard to keep in the sights for target practice running at lightning speed on a floor of matching color to their ucky brown. </p>
<p>Being in the latter stages of pregnancy with a claustrophobic babe–one whose maneuvers stretched my belly so tight that I thought she was gonna literally tear my skin open–I’d anxiously (and tentatively) take the hourly walk down the hall to the bathroom in the middle of the night, shoe in hand, ready to aim for the inevitable scurrying target. Dh wanted to cave and spray the house for the little nasties, but I’d hear none of it…NO SPRAY around my little boy or my babe-in-utero!!! One night, months later, when I found one of the abominable creatures sitting atop the freshly tossed salad I’d been craving all day, I CAVED…but moved out of the house for 24 hours, preferring to live in a hotel for a day than to risk the least exposure of my kids. Found out from the exterminator guy that our zip code was the worst in the city for palmetto bugs <em>ROFL</em>. I cudda told him THAT! </p>
<p>When we bought a home, it was WAAAAAY far away in Arlington. 
I’ve never seen a palmetto bug since… one of the higher points of living in KS…they don’t have those here! :D</p>
<p>~berurah</p>
<p>Having also lived with roaches, I was shocked to learn that the ivy surrounding Mansions throughout CA attracted rats. Who’s safe?.</p>
<p>My friend from northern California had a big problem with “roof rats” a few years ago. It was horrible!</p>
<p>^^ugh, kirmum…not sure which is worse. I’ve never lived in a place with cockroaches—only water roaches as I’ve lived in either TX or FL for the majority of my life. Rats?? No can handle!! :eek:</p>
<p>Berurah, I can TOTALLY relate. I was 8 months pregnant, on 80% bedrest with DS2, and I started hearing things in the roof of the townhouse we were renting. (We moved there when I was 33 weeks pregnant. Talk about fun.) Scratching noises, movement, and only at certain times of the day – chiefly early AM after DH had left for work or after he’d fallen asleep at night. He swore he never heard the noise. Thought I was a nutso preggo. Called the complex office. They said, “Oh, there’s nothing in the attic – must be a tree branch brushing against the shingles.” Thought I was a nutso preggo.</p>
<p>Heard the noise the day after DS1 came home from the hospital. I wasn’t a nutso preggo any more. Called the office again. Maintenance guy comes and has to crawl into the attic through my sleeping babe’s closet. Turns out there was a squirrel who had chewed through the siding and was squatting in the attic. Explained the acorns rolling across the ceiling and the scratching. The squirrel was humanely relocated and both DH and the complex manager apologized.</p>
<p>JYM, I nominate you for the best post of the year! I’m going to copy and paste this into an email to everyone I know. By the way, I might even take credit for it!</p>
<p>“20. HOW DO THEY GET DEER TO CROSS THE ROAD ONLY AT THOSE YELLOW ROAD SIGNS?”</p>
<p>JYM, I loved the jokes! A vast improvement over all the junior high sniping.</p>
<h1>20 reminds me of my favorite story about my ditziest niece. When she was 16 she collided with a deer and badly damaged the little car her indulgent mom and dad had just bought her. Mom chided her for driving too fast in the dark, not watching her surroundings, etc., so niece defended herself by declaring “but Mom, it wasn’t even crossing in a deer crossing spot.”</h1>
<p>1sokkermom-</p>
<p>The hardest decision my younger son (DS#2) made last year was on April 30th. He had received his P’ton acceptance around April 1st and his West Point appointment earlier in the year. He had already visited/been accepted to MIT and had been offered a full NROTC scholarship to MIT. After his visit MIT was not his “best” fit but walking away from the NROTC was difficult.</p>
<p>So on April 30th he had his top 2, WP and Pton. He spoke at length with his ALO (academy liason officer) and they and admissions at WP talked and talked. After much discussion they all agreed on p’ton. I talked to ALO for a while but when he go too choked up to talk anymore I couldn’t continue the conversation.</p>
<p>They said they will be waiting.</p>
<p>I soo wanted him to pick what he wanted and I influenced to decision by being so fearful of his service academy appointments.</p>
<p>Want the real kicker?</p>
<p>Older bro (DS#1) decided to transfer and has also been accepted at the service academies. He signed the paperwork yesterday, he leaves in June, I think.</p>
<p>I am again so fearful but so very proud at the same time. He signed them with his brother while they were here on spring break together.</p>
<p>So I do truly understand.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Jym
Lofl!!! I Am Sending Those Jokes To Friends! They Are Priceless!!! Thank You For A Good Laugh After A Long Week!</p>
<p>Ummmm… I’m confused. I read about 15 pages of posts about lower-tier schools that offer big scholarships vs upper tier schools with no merit money. Then I skipped to the last page and there’s a discussion on roaches?</p>
<p>I was hoping for some insight, as this is exactly the situation we’re facing (the scholarship, not the roaches!)</p>
<p>DS is still waiting to hear from his top 3 choices, all top 40 LAC’s. But he was just accepted as an Honors Scholar at Stonehill, which came with $72k in scholarship money. Stonehill is #1 for Northern Colleges on USNews, but I realize that’s a completely different category and tier than the National LAC’s. I expect him to be accepted to at least 2 of the 3 LAC’s. (And yes, I know USNWR isn’t the be-all-and-end-all, and I wish their rankings didn’t matter to me. I wonder if they matter to employers.)</p>
<p>We won’t qualify for Financial Aid. We could afford the full boat at an LAC but we’d end up with a large home equity loan to pay back.</p>
<p>I don’t want to throw away $100k (the difference between Stonehill with merit $$ and LAC with none), but I don’t want DS to have regrets about where he goes to college.</p>
<p>Oh gosh kat. Why did he decide to transfer? I thought he loved UWisc (is that right?)</p>
<p>Interesting. I don’t believe we’ve seen these kinds of mid-college career decisions on CC. Is it something about the ‘surge’ that is inspiring them at this particular point in the war?</p>
<p>Laf–we’ve been naughty and we’re taking a breather but tell us which LACs you feel poitive about? What is his major? Pros and Cons for him at Stonehill?</p>