We have not been to lakefair since 1998 and we lived at the top of tumwater hill for four years. Too many greeners. It makes my skin crawl, that is why I am trying to stear him away from evergreen.

 

Personally, I'm a bit biased toward WSU......by some twist of silliness, I managed to graduate from there three times.

There's more to it, though, than just collegiate loyalty. I liked WSU because it was a true college experience. It's a full sized state college, in an honest to goodness college town...not city...TOWN. Yes, a lot of kids complain that there isn't anything to do, but that's fertilizer, and they know it. It's a tighter knit sort of feeling that you don't recognize when you're there, but you remember it when you're gone.

I was lucky enough to be involved in what was probably the last campus wide snowball fight that occurred there. The resident hall kids versus the greeks....at one point in the evening there were over 3000 people involved in a snowball fight....At UW, they'd have called Seattle PD, and dispatched the riot police. Sure, there are plenty of weird things that go on at any college, but to be on an actual campus, that's not interspersed amongst other city elements, is a comforting thing.

With the exception of Evergreen, I'm not saying anything negative against any other school with regard to quality, as UW, Gonzaga, and others are good schools in their own right....I'm just saying that with regard to this state, I think WSU gives you the whole package...a good school, with the right environment.

For myself, eventually I'll get back to Spokane, and I'll be trying to get into Gonzaga so I can finish my doctorate, but that's only because it's an unspoken rule that you shouldn't get your PhD at the same place where you get your bachelors and masters degrees. I'd love to go back to WSU, but my plans of getting back there involve a professorship at some point in the distant future.

Anyway, not that you asked for it, but that's my $0.02

 

The wife went to Central and I went to OSU. We had a heck of a commute, but we made it. He said that any college east of the mountains is not an option because of the unpredictability of the passes. And he keeps saying that if he needs to come home in a hurry then he doesn't want to get stuck on the pass. When he gets home I can work with him some more and maybe "turn" him in a better direction. We'll see.

dj

 

Good morning.

 

What is his preoccupation with needing to be able to get home? If it's a matter of homesickness, he's going to need to get that out of his system...as it will not help him in the long run.

Case in point...I have a cousin that managed to get a full ride scholarship to the University of Hawaii, because of his pitching skills in baseball. The Chicago Cubs allegedly offered him a contract while he was there, and he decided he needed to finish school first. Now, I don't fault him for that decision, as an education is infinitely more important than a "maybe" in MLB, but what came next was the problem.

He became homesick...decided to drop out of UH, and come back to Washington to go to CWU instead. Now, I know CWU isn't a bad school, but dropping a full ride to be closer to home is nuts. Then, as luck would have it, he managed to throw his arm out, and the surgery didn't fix the problem...so, no more pitching. He ended up dropping out of school all together, the Cubs obviously walked away, and he ended up working in some sort of plastic manufacturing plant.

I'm not saying your boy is even suffering from the malady, but if homesickness is all that it is, he's going to need a serious "turn", like you said.

Besides, while it takes a while longer, there is always the freeway at the southern border of the state....I think it's I-84. It's an option when the passes are crapola. Anyway, here's hoping you can turn him toward something that's beneficial for him, and not just convenient. And no, I'm not still trying to sell WSU (although I'm wearing a WSU sweatshirt while i'm typing this)...

 

All input is good because I never know where I am going to pick up today what I use tomarrow.

He is not homesick per say. I think one of the two still at home slipped up and told him about the heart attacks in December and in January and the resulting surgery and surgeries to come and I think he wants to be there for us as we have always been there for him. He is actually my wifes little brother that we adopted when here parents decided they didn't want to be parents anymore. We took him in and fought legally to adopt him and won. We have treated him as our own child (because he is ours) from the age of twelve on. He has told us that he loves us and now truely appreciates how much we have been there and done for him and not had any strings attached. As with raising any child it has not always been fun but it has been worth it.

And as for WSU, I always wanted to go there because of their outstanding vet program but ended up moving to Oregon the day after I graduated from Yelm High and while working in southern Or. I started comuting to OSU the next best thing at the time.

If it isd money he is worried about, we can figure something out, the new truck can wait.

There is one draw back to his coming home........I lose my den, oh well. He is still comming home

 

Good Mornin' Phill

 

Morning DJ

 

Whitebenz.....I wasn't aware of the medical issues. I understand where he's coming from on that front, and can more easily dismiss the homesickness issue. Still, like I'm sure you probably tell him, he can't put his life in the closet on an assumption that there COULD be a problem. I understand his needs for reaction time, but we all have to adapt to what's put before us.

As for WSU's vet program, you're right, I've heard that it's outstanding. Myself, I spent the first two years there as an electrical engineering major, but then went to a completely different side of the scale, and ended up with a double major of sociology and criminal justice. I'm sure you know how many of my engineering classes crossed over into THAT area............zip, zilch, bupkis! It was like starting over. The only exception was when I had to take basic statistics as a sociology requirement, my prior history in the engineering department made that class painfully simple. I still remember taking the final exam for that class, and finishing in 20 minutes....I was afraid to get up to turn my test in, because i thought there was no way I could be the first to finish. So, I sat and rechecked everything, and couldn't find a problem. So, I figured I either did ok, or I failed miserably. I got up to turn in my test, the rest of the class stopped, and looked at me like I was out of my mind. I turned in the exam, and waited outside to see how long it would be before the next person finished. It was the most painful 25 minutes I thought I had ever experienced. I was certain that I had failed. The funny thing is that when I went to get my score, i had aced the exam, and the extra credit, and ended up with a 105. The instructor said that I had must of studied quite hard, and I was a bit embarrassed when I said that I hadn't really cracked the book with the exception of homework assignments. I told him of my prior major, and he just said, "ah, that would explain it".

Funny thing is, once I got into graduate school, and had to take advanced statistics, all that math didn't really help much. I swear, working out an ANOVA always drove me loopy, and I still don't think I understand those things fully. Eh, I'm sure I'll have another chance to drive myself crazy on them if and when I get back into school.

 

My point to him is that he doesn't need to be here at the drop of the hat for us. We know his prayers and thoughts are here if something happens and that is enough for us but not for him. But his mind is made up and I taught him to stand by his decisions. I will take him east to my grandmothers and let him know how good it would be for him to be on the east side just incase something happens to her. Maybe that will pull him away from evergreen. He says he just needs to finnish his math and I am trying to show him he can do that anywhere and to look at whether or not evergreen holds any weight when he goes for his law degree.

 

If he's going for his jurisdoctorate at some point in the future, I'm not thinking that Evergreen is going to help him with the admissions process. Law schools are picky about grades, and whatnot, and with Evergreen's relaxed attitude about them, I think he'd be in for some difficulty.

If he absolutely has to stay in the area, I'd suggest either St. Martin's or UW Tacoma branch. They're at least within commutable distance, and they're both reputable schools. (and yes, it pains me to support UW, but we're not talking about what I like, it's what may serve the purpose best.)

I know it's just my gut instinct, but something about coming from Evergreen, and applying to a law school makes me think that the first question they'll ask him is, "So, you're looking into practicing law in the area of natural conservation, or narcotics legalization?" I know, that's a bit harsh, but law schools are pretty stringent on their requirements.

 

You'll probably actually feel better when he sorts out the school stuff and settles in again. When my dad got so sick the last time he actually called me to come and help and I felt better about it and I do think he did to in the end. That and being along ways aways if the unthinkable does happen really does suck as I was in California when both my parents passed.

 

I understand why he wants to come home but, I need to explain to him that it is not neccessary. but I hope to be able to turn him in the right direction for college.

 

 

I miss Bill Clinton!




It doesn't matter what party you belong to - this is hilarious. From a show on Canadian TV, there was a black comedian who said he misses Bill Clinton

"Yep, that's right - I miss Bill Clinton! He was the closest thing w e ever got to having a black man as President.
Number 1 - He played the sax.
Number 2 - He smoked weed.
Number 3 - He had his way with ugly white women.

Even now? Look at him... his wife works, and he doesn't! And, he gets a check from the government every month.

Manufacturers announced today that they will be stocking America's shelves this week with " Clinton Soup," in honor of one of the nations' most distinguished men. It consists primarily of a weenie in hot water.

Chrysler Corporation is adding a new car to its line to honor Bill Clinton. The Dodge Drafter will be built in Canada .

When asked what he thought about foreign affairs, Clinton replied, "I don't know, I never had one."

The Clinton revised judicial oath: "I solemnly swear to tell the truth as I know it, the whole truth as I believe it to be, and nothing but what I think you need to know."

Clinton will be recorded in history as the only President to do Hanky Panky between Bushes." .... ya gotta love it