RBOC

nicoleandmaggie

Aug 8

DC2 has forgotten how to swim since the pandemic started. Zie can still float and stuff, but zie had gotten to a pretty decent ability level with strokes previously. DC1 doesn't seem to have been affected.
I am concerned about monkeypox once colleges start. I think it is insane that the US isn't moving heaven and earth to get more vaccine doses ready. And it's ridiculous that they haven't learned from the Aids epidemic about branding things "gay diseases." If something isn't done, college campuses are going to be hit really hard.
Talked to a former admissions officer from a top (but not top 10) SLAC and she said that yes, they are less likely to accept 16 year olds, but they do accept them if they're good enough otherwise, or at least that was the case when she was working (admittedly before she got a PhD!). I'm starting to be convinced that ED (early decision) to HMC (Harvey Mudd) is DC1's best option (not that I have any say in the matter, and I'm trying to keep out of hir decision-making processes, but for my own peace of mind).
Told everybody I met at a recent conference that I want to move and that DC1 is graduating from high school. One of them said, hey, I'd been thinking about you for this dream job because my dean wants more economists. And everything about the job sounds perfect for me-- lower teaching load, in one of my favorite cities, hard money but encourages grants, kicks back a large percentage of overhead as unrestricted research funds for the next year, lots of classes directly in my specialty (I haven't been able to teach any classes in my specialty), tons of people working in my area across the entire university. And it's a private school. I can't get my hopes up though-- I'm not sure I'm amazing enough for it. But I sent in my cv and my grants chart.
Retire By 40 mentioned that he tells his kids that minor setbacks build character. My mom used to say that a lot too. DH and I really don't say that much if at all. I'm not sure why. We both do a lot of solutions oriented stuff (though if it's something like a cut finger, there's sympathy, and an offer to kiss it and make it better which is invariably refused these days) and possibly some gentle teasing/reminders on how to avoid the situation next time.
In the end, the admissions office at our local university were awful and after giving us faulty or missing information several times, decided that DC1's application was not complete (there was a waiver not in the instructions that needed to be on official outside letterhead rather than the form they gave us, so we would think the application was complete when it wasn't and we got a lot of conflicting information from them), so DC1 will not be taking Calc 3 this coming semester.
The research teacher also basically said it was too late to do the research class, plus DC1 would need to find a lab and all the other students had started looking for a lab back Spring semester. The email was kind of mean, so we're thinking maybe a good idea to not get a rec letter from that particular teacher. After some prodding DC1, zie revealed that this particular teacher also strongly suggested that DC1 not do the research class when zie asked her about it last Spring. DC1 did get an A in her physics class, but the last six weeks grades were lower than the previous weeks. I'm not sure what happened.
So DC1 is taking a study hall. I can't say I'm not relieved. A little extra time will be helpful both with college apps and with DC1 being able to devote time to 5 AP classes, varsity orchestra, and who knows what else.
Hopefully DC1 can wow either the calc-based physics teacher or the AP chemistry teacher. People say great things about AP Chemistry. [Update: Calc-based physics is the same teacher... hopefully DC1 can redeem hirself in her eyes.]
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