The longest thread ever

[Bostondevil]

Have I mentioned that both of my middle 2 sons are applying to colleges this year? Number 3 son is a senior in high school. Number 2 son is applying as a transfer student. Both are giving Duke a shot. Number 3 wants to study classics and historical linguistics. Number 2 is all about economics.

[duke79]

The Winter Solstice.

I'm not actually joking. We have Winter Solstice party every year. It's an open house and we only have dessert. OK, we also have a fruit plate and some cheese and crackers, but everything else is dessert. I bake 5 or 6 myself. The invitation always reads "Yes, you may bring a dessert. No, you don't have to." People who don't bring dessert tend to bring bottles of wine.

You are all welcome to come. The party is on December 22nd this year.

I like the thought of this party ! The Winter Solstice is a good reason to throw a party, especially in the northern latitudes. I always look forward to the beginning of longer days, although it seems to take a long time in late December and into January for the daylight hours to get appreciably longer. It doesn't help that it is in the middle of what can sometimes be a harsh winter in New England.

[duke79]

Have I mentioned that both of my middle 2 sons are applying to colleges this year? Number 3 son is a senior in high school. Number 2 son is applying as a transfer student. Both are giving Duke a shot. Number 3 wants to study classics and historical linguistics. Number 2 is all about economics.

Good luck to them !! I'm sure it would be nice to have more kids at Duke.

[Bostondevil]

I like the thought of this party ! The Winter Solstice is a good reason to throw a party, especially in the northern latitudes. I always look forward to the beginning of longer days, although it seems to take a long time in late December and into January for the daylight hours to get appreciably longer. It doesn't help that it is in the middle of what can sometimes be a harsh winter in New England.

Our family's first ever Winter Solstice Dessert Open House was either the 12/21 or 12/22 in 2007 - I don't remember if we did a Friday night or a Saturday night that first year. It is either one or two days younger that the LTE. We have through the years found that Friday night works better for us and we have it on the Friday closest to the Winter Solstice unless that Friday is either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Then we have it the weekend before.

[Bostondevil]

Good luck to them !! I'm sure it would be nice to have more kids at Duke.

It would be but, pains me to say it, but I think William & Mary is a better fit for Number 3. I'll be honest, I'll be more disappointed if he doesn't get into W&M than I will be about Duke. Given what he wants to study, classics AND historical linguistics, it's harder to find schools to apply to. He's only applying to schools that have both classics and linguistics but many linguistics departments focus on the computational part of the field and not the historical (Duke being one of them). The other thing, he's a good student, but he's not a straight A student. Places that have both fields he wants to study tend to have their pick of students. I've told him to throw his hat in every ring, he only has to get into one. I've also told him to wait to fall in love with a school after he finds out where he gets in. Still, he's one of only 1800 or so kids in the whole world who did as well as he did on the AP Latin exam. And he actually wants to keep studying classics. It's going to be interesting to see where he gets in.

[weezie]

...He's only applying to schools that have both classics and linguistics but many linguistics departments focus on the computational part of the field and not the historical...he's one of only 1800 or so kids in the whole world who did as well as he did on the AP Latin exam...

Well, you can color me completely boggled. Understanding very little of what you are talking about but immensely impressed with the young man!

[Bostondevil]

Well, you can color me completely boggled. Understanding very little of what you are talking about but immensely impressed with the young man!

I tell him, in a world of kids trying to seem unique, he's the only trombone playing Latin scholar I know. He's already taken a year of Classical Greek as an independent study and a good portion of his essay is about the language he invented, for fun, as a way to play with grammatical structure and syntax.

[CathyCA]

Welcome back!

Thank you! It's good to be back.

[weezie]

I tell him, in a world of kids trying to seem unique, he's the only trombone playing Latin scholar I know. He's already taken a year of Classical Greek as an independent study and a good portion of his essay is about the language he invented, for fun, as a way to play with grammatical structure and syntax.

That means I am utterly flabbergasted. My son is really good at parallel parking.

[duke79]

It would be but, pains me to say it, but I think William & Mary is a better fit for Number 3. I'll be honest, I'll be more disappointed if he doesn't get into W&M than I will be about Duke. Given what he wants to study, classics AND historical linguistics, it's harder to find schools to apply to. He's only applying to schools that have both classics and linguistics but many linguistics departments focus on the computational part of the field and not the historical (Duke being one of them). The other thing, he's a good student, but he's not a straight A student. Places that have both fields he wants to study tend to have their pick of students. I've told him to throw his hat in every ring, he only has to get into one. I've also told him to wait to fall in love with a school after he finds out where he gets in. Still, he's one of only 1800 or so kids in the whole world who did as well as he did on the AP Latin exam. And he actually wants to keep studying classics. It's going to be interesting to see where he gets in.

W&M is a very good school and sounds like it would be a better fit for your son, in terms of what he wants to study. A beautiful campus in a nice location too. Good luck to him. I know the whole college admissions process is somewhat of a crapshoot.

I took 3 years of Latin in high school. I wish I had continued for a longer period of time.

[weezie]

Trader Joe's radio ad pushing "Thanksgiving in a Chip" potato chips flavored to taste like turkey, gravy and dressing.

How do we feel about that? Aside from preferring to eat the meal, of course, has this chip stepped over the line of decency?

[DukieInKansas]

Trader Joe's radio ad pushing "Thanksgiving in a Chip" potato chips flavored to taste like turkey, gravy and dressing.

How do we feel about that? Aside from preferring to eat the meal, of course, has this chip stepped over the line of decency?

I wouldn't spend the money to try them but would be interested in a report should any one try them. I'm not sure the taste and texture combination would work for me.

[YmoBeThere]

I feel horrible that I posted in that thread. 8 posts a day here with a couple extra here and there and we will hit our 20k goal.

[luburch]

Trader Joe's radio ad pushing "Thanksgiving in a Chip" potato chips flavored to taste like turkey, gravy and dressing.

How do we feel about that? Aside from preferring to eat the meal, of course, has this chip stepped over the line of decency?

I would definitely give them a try.

Believe I saw somewhere that Pringles released a Thanksgiving holiday pack..

[weezie]

I would definitely give them a try...

You, sir, (or madam) are a true DBR hero. When others run away, you run towards!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

You, sir, (or madam) are a true DBR hero. When others run away, you run towards!

The hero we need, not the hero we deserve.

[CathyCA]

Good morning!

(Or should this go on another thread somewhere else?)

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Good morning!

(Or should this go on another thread somewhere else?)

Only if you have the audacity to mention a school down the road.

[Bostondevil]

That means I am utterly flabbergasted. My son is really good at parallel parking.

And mine doesn't have his license yet. Different strengths.

I've told my son that I'm the perfect mother for a kid who wants to study classics and linguistics because I'm never going to ask him, "What are you going to do with that major?". He responded, "Yeah, but what am I going to do with that major?" We've talked about it and I successfully pointed out that he doesn't work very hard in the classes the don't light a fire in him. I told him, "You love it. Do it." I'm convinced and I've managed to convince him that educated people are employable, even if we don't know what the job will be yet. I don't see him as a financial services type.

I forgot - mainly cause I'm not having to push him - but Oldest Son is applying to graduate school this year too - meteorologic and atmospheric science programs. He's hoping for UCLA. Florida State, Colorado State, and University of Washington are also on the list.

[Turk]

The youngest Turk "Sunshine" just got her license this week. She has absolutely no idea about colleges yet, and this sounds more genuine right now than the typical "I don't know," which really means "go away dad, I got this and I don't want to talk about it right now" response I got from the other young Turks.