Random Stuff
Posted by Karoli in Education, News, Parenting January 18th, 2007
I don’t like everything on this blog, but I do confess that about 80% of the time it’s a secret pleasure. I just don’t much care for the directed personal attacks. When she blogs about just about anything else, though, it’s great.
Sticks received his final acceptance today — he’s 3 for 3 — Indiana University, Bloomington, University of North Texas, and Cal State Northridge. Next is the round of music applications and auditions. The first audition is in 3 weeks, in Texas, followed by the other two in weekly succession.
For Sticks, college is the right answer. But why is trade school considered to be a bad thing? (Thanks, EdWonks for the link). There was a recent article in our local paper about a shortage of trained electricians, carpenters, plumbers and mechanics. Maybe we’re too quick to dismiss a viable possibility?
In case you thought that only radio stations could behave stupidly, don’t miss this gem about getting Al Gore out of the schools. A parent with an utterly ridiculous name argued before the school board that An Inconvenient Truth shouldn’t be a part of the curriculum stating in part,
“Condoms don’t belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He’s not a schoolteacher,” said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old.”
Go read the whole article before you choke on your next Frosty. Then get a stiff drink before you read the school board’s response.
Just in case you haven’t had enough ignorance and meanness yet, here’s one that’ll make you think twice about supporting anything Fox puts out there, including 24 (which had some horribly blatant product placement in it…we’re being nuked and Washington’s got Fox News on? I don’t think so). Anyway, Bill O’Reilly really transcends his very worst when he blames the victims; specifically Shawn Hornbeck because he didn’t attempt an escape. He actually has the nerve to attribute it to Hornbeck’s dislike of school. Someone please tell me that Bill O’Reilly doesn’t have kids. Please.
To calm down after wondering how people can be quite so ignorant and stupid, try making one of these. (Make Magazine). Or perhaps a paper turkey would be in order, instead. Dancergirl is the origami queen in this house…I’ve printed this one for her.
Technorati Tags: random, roundup, origami, Fox, Bill O’Reily, Edwonks,
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…living life in 19/7 time 
Hey, JumperGirl pushed the magic button on Jan 12 — (all 5 colleges accepted the Common App online; 3 of 5 waived the app fee for online apps, so I was only out about $120) but she won’t hear for weeks. Did Sticks do Early Decision for all?
JG decided in November not to go for Early Decision, because she wanted to take her time over the essays.
Now we are in the Decision Tree phase, as in, “So, JG, suppose you are accepted by all five. How are you going to decide which college to attend?”
Ah, another insomniac.
Sticks had to go for Early Decision because the music department auditions are in Feb/March and he has to receive university acceptance before applying for an audition date. Interestingly, his essays are connected to the music apps rather than the university apps, so he just put the finishing touches on those last weekend. He has exactly three weeks to memorize a snare and marimba solo before the first audition next month. What a process!
Nice to hear you got some of the fees waived. We only applied to three, but the fees were around $60 each, and then the music apps are another $50 each.
All I can say is that I’m looking forward to the day when he’s making lots of $$$$ and can keep us in our old age. (snicker)
The decision phase is going to be the tough part. It may be decided for us if scholarships don’t come our way to the out-of-state campuses. If they do, it will be much harder.
Even though it’s a long way from home, he can’t go wrong at Indiana. I know of a couple people who graduated from its fine arts programs and landed their dream jobs, one of which is with a major city ballet company.
I do realize Frosty has traditionally been a snowman’s name. But, for the human species, I would have thought it would be a female name. Sorry.
I have yet to see 24.
In other ramdomness, since having made a couple comments on your Flickr photos and since this is my 2nd comment here, I should ask, Karoli, do you remember me?
Hi Marie,
When you left your first comment, I said to myself, “I know that person”. And then I shrugged it off, thinking “Yeah, right. The Internet is a big, wide place. You don’t bump into people from the past on the Internet; you bump into them at the grocery store.”
Actually, in thinking through this response, it would make an excellent blog post.
But the short answer to your question is, Yes, I do remember you. 
Karoli
I wasn’t quite sure if you were you when I first saw your comment on another blog. So, I followed you here, just in case. It only took a very short while to be sure. It’s so nice to see you, again.