I can't tell you how many times I changed my major in college, so I totally understand what my DD is thinking. I told her she's too young to know what she wants for the rest of her life--I just want to support her in any decision she makes. But I don't think she's being realistic. Thankfully my next door neighbor is both military and a policeman (he's served 3 tours in Iran/Iraq/Afghanistan and is right now on police patrol for our city although before his last tour he worked in the courthouse). I'm hoping they can have a nice conversation about what his job is like, etc. so she can get a better perspective. IMO, the only reason she wants to do this is because she likes guns. Not a good reason in my opinion. And she's not the most coordinated person, so I'm wondering if she'd even make it through the physical requirements (for both police academy and the military's boot camp). I don't think she can do it. When she tried my treadmill last year, she couldn't go any faster than 3.0 MPH. I can't go slower than 3.5 for a good walk. I could go on....
Shannon, that salad does sound great!
Jessica~I wouldn't worry about Carter trying to escape! My old dog used to chew her way through screens to get back inside, but she never took off, even when the fence blew down. Dogs want to be home in their "dens."
Shannon, Carter always barks and growls at people who come to the door -- he is a mix of guard dog breeds. I don't know if he would actually attack if he was confronted with them and not inside/on a leash/with us standing there to tell him the person was okay. I do kind of feel like if a burglar broke into our house and was threatening us he would attack to protect us, but luckily we have never been in that situation!
Allison, you are probably right. He's never tried to get OUT of the house before, just to get IN. He's been home with open windows when the neighbor's lawn service came a million times and while he always barks his head off, he's never tried to get out.
Allison Your daughter will probably change her mind (and career) several times in her working life. People don't go straight from college to the 30 year career in one industry any more. She has a gift for music yes? Maybe she just wants to look at some other options before she commits?
I found my calling when I was 38 years old. I was "artsy" in high school, studied journalism in college, worked in photography and graphic arts for 17 years, then did crafts and housecleaning, went back to school for corporate communications, and then became a commercial dog walker (my true calling).
How's that for a crooked career path? Looking at it onscreen I seem quite
Carter did okay with the painters after all. They were still there cleaning up when we got home, and they said he barked at them for about five minutes then gave up. I took him out on his leash and he made friends with them right away, no barking or anything, he walked right up to them and begged to be petted, so I guess over the course of the afternoon he decided they were his new friends!
In the ongoing saga of my daughter...last night she decided to finish her education degree, but not pursue her teaching credentials, apply to and go to the police academy and then when she turns 23 apply to the FBI.
As for me, I've done three days straight on the elliptical in the mornings!!!
And our CPA called yesterday. We're getting a refund!!! And we don't have to pay quarterly estimated taxes this year! I guess having a rough year last year was a bonus for us. We've recovered, business is going very well, so next year we'll probably be right back where we were with paying estimated taxes and getting hit at tax time. But at least this year is good!
Good morning! Well, afternoon I guess... Just about lunchtime for me... Good day yesterday with food and exercise, planning another good day today. Woo hoo.
Allison - glad you guys are getting a return! And, your daughter's current plan sounds exactly like what my brother wanted to do at one point. He ended up in computer science instead.
Shannon~how I wish she had stuck with computer science!!! She dropped it last fall thinking that she'd be able to graduate faster with only a single major (well, that much is true!). She found it extremely boring (which I figured would be true) and she hated the instructors (another thing to add to boring). So I was looking at the requirements for the police academy. I told her she should look into taking an exercise boot camp to get herself ready. She just started going to the gym and has worked out 8 of 11 days (which is wonderful) but I really wonder how much she really puts into it...
Meanwhile, a new sales rep came in to see DH today and he brought a thank you card from the old rep--with a $150 gift card to Ruth's Chris steak house!!! Looks like we'll be going out to dinner soon!
LOL Allison, computer science isn't all it's cracked up to be! If your DD was bored in the intro-level classes, she would probably be even more bored by the time she graduated and would hate being stuck doing it all day in a job. It sounds to me like she is looking for something that will *not* be a desk job.
It's so funny you say that Jessica! My kids both prefer sitting in front of their computers all day as opposed to going outside and doing anything remotely fun (read exercise). DS complained of a sore shoulder to get out of golf last Sunday. DD actually has a "job" doing some game maintenance for an online "shoot 'em up" game called Counter Strike. They're both naturals at computer related stuff, DD just got bored with learning the code. DS on the other hand loves the coding and has taught himself several languages. He does want to do something in computers but he's not sure what yet (his desire is to go to MIT--I'm hoping he'll stay closer to home and maybe go to CalTech).
Okay, Allison, sounds like it's time for me to sell you on my alma mater, Harvey Mudd College! It's like CalTech, and actually near CalTech, but also different because it's one of the Claremont colleges. You can look it up, your son might be interested. I don't remember how old your DS is but let me know if you ever want info on it.
I thought I wanted to sit in front of a computer all day for a living, but now that I actually do it I find myself wishing I was outside more. Then again, when I was 16-21 I was a fat lazy slug who never wanted to do anything but sit, so hey, people change!
I have a friend who went to Harvey Mudd! My son is just 15--spring break right now and taking his online driver's ed course. YIKES! He can take the test for his permit in June. I'll have him take a look at it. Thankfully his counselors at school are very proactive in getting the kids to look toward colleges. I won't let him settle on just one--DD applied to about 6 and was accepted into 5 of those early in her senior year of high school. Hopefully he'll be as lucky.
When I was younger, I liked being out and about with my friends until dinner time then I wanted to hang out with my parents. We didn't have computers back then, but TV took a lot of my time (still does). I can't say we did anything remotely physical, but at least I had more face to face conversations! My kids are more accustomed to skype and chat conversations.
My DH always said that he was born so late to his parents (first bio kid--they were in their mid40s) so that 1) he'd meet me and 2) computers would be invented. He got an electronics associates degree and worked in that, then got a BS in CS followed by an MS in CS. His interest in computers started with a programmable HP calculator. Seems fitting since he now works for HP.
Does anyone ever wonder if in the next decade people won't know how to communicate face-to-face? Written thank you notes have become a lost art--maybe FTF communication will, too. I feel like an old fogey saying that. It's almost as bad as "kids today. . ." Now that I try never to say.
Had a really good session with my trainer on Monday, but today was really hard. I felt slightly whiny, too. I realized that on Monday, I only did cardio for 45 minutes plus I ate some protein before meeting with the trainer. Today I did 60 minutes of cardio and ate only a couple of baby carrots. I really ran out of juice today. Plus I got a cramp kind of in my hamstring, then in my calf.
My second son actually sent me a present for my birthday yesterday along with a touching card. He's never done either since he's been on his own (he's 31) so it was kind of wonderful. He's been sober for at least six months now, which I think made the difference. Sadly, he told me a couple of months ago that he started drinking at 13, which was quite a shock. I had no idea whatsoever.
Sunny and warming up--I should be outside instead of on the computer! Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday.
wow sheila that's kind of shocking about your son! Nice about the BD card, but shocking about the drinking from 13 in such a way that is was not noticed!. I admit it is one of my fears..the kids drinking or doing drugs without me noticing. They can be so secretice and it can be the natural run of things in the teenage years, or not, and I for one am not sure that I would see the difference.
Sigh. DH's new plan lasted all of 2 days. I found an empty box of cookies in the recycling.
It's getting really depressing living with him. He's this huge ball of negativity and I can't seem to shake him out of it.
He also refuses to seek any medical/psychological help. That would mean changing. And he doesn't want to change. Sad. He's 48 years old and has given up on life.
I guess we wait for the health crisis and hope he does something then.
Allison, when did your friend go? (I'm guessing well before my time, but hey, you never know!) I had actually never heard of HMC until I got a summons to the college office when I was in AP Chem class my junior year. I guess they had me on some list of people they wanted to recruit? In any case, I was like, I've never heard of this place, but I will go to anything that gets me out of chem class! I ended up going and touring and loving it, and enjoying the tour there much more than the one at CalTech (which had been my first choice up until then). My dad, for some reason, still gives me crap about choosing HMC over CalTech (I got into CalTech off the wait list after I had decided to go to Mudd). Then again, I think my parents still wish I had finished my PhD instead of dropping out of grad school too, but they are too polite to talk about that since they know how much I hated grad school!
Sheila, funny about your husband and computers! I do wonder sometimes about the future of communication. I used to talk to friends on the phone all the time -- nowadays I hesitate to call people and usually email or chat instead. I'm always afraid a phone call will be interrupting them, whereas an email is something they'll get to when they already have free time.
That is pretty shocking about your son! Good to hear that he is now sober and sending you bday presents though. Also, happy birthday!
Rabbit, it is pretty weird about how teenagers hide things. My sister was much more of a rebel than I was and I'm sure she was hiding far more than I ever did, but the only things I remember lying to my parents about because I knew they wouldn't approve were talking on the phone with someone I met on the internet (I told them it was a friend from school), and the summer after high school graduation when I went to an 18+ club with my friends for a friend's 18th birthday even though I was still 17 (the bouncers totally knew, but let me in anyway), and told my parents it was an all-ages club. I guess I also never really talked to my parents about what I did on the internet (mostly reading and writing fanfiction that they probably wouldn't have approved of) but it was pretty harmless.
Dagmar, sorry to hear your DH caved. Could you force him to go to the doctor? Like, make an appointment for him, tell him you're taking him to somewhere else, then bring him straight there?
It's like CalTech, and actually near CalTech, but also different because it's one of the Claremont colleges. You can look it up, your son might be interested. I don't remember how old your DS is but let me know if you ever want info on it.
