[rightwingintelligentsia]

[WFTR]

For me, most of what happened prior to college is a dim memory. I think I was more the type who missed the carefree days of summer and not the type who looked forward to meeting new people and learning new things. That attitude is amusing considering that I ended up with three engineering degrees and spent about five to ten years longer in school than most people do.

When I think of back-to-school memories, I always think of starting a new quarter or semester in college. As an engineering student, I almost never knew the feeling of being completely free on a college campus. I can remember the first few days of classes every term. I'd go to the first class, come home, and do my homework. Afterwards, I felt as if I were still "caught up" with my work. I could maintain that condition for a day or two at most. Beyond that time, I always had some assignment weighing on my mind. I was always thinking about what I needed to do. One of the neatest feelings about the beginning of a term was looking around and thinking, "Here I am on a college campus, and there's nothing that I absolutely have to do right now." I didn't have money to burn finding things to do, but I could afford to take a walk or do some photography.

When I moved into the dorms at Virginia Tech in 1981 (when it was called Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), I remember getting all of my boxes of junk into my room. I went downstairs with my folks. We might have even gone out to eat. I hugged them good-bye and returned to my room. I piddled around through the afternoon and early evening. I remember going to take a shower that night and thinking, "I really live here. I can't just drive home and take a shower when I get home. For the time being, this is my home."

Strangely enough, I don't completely remember moving into my first apartment at Penn State in 1986. I had sub-leased a few times as an undergraduate, but as a co-op student, I generally found it easier to live in the dorms. Moving to Penn State for grad school meant getting my first apartment with my name on the lease. I'm almost certain that my folks came to Pennsylvania to help me move stuff, but the drive to Penn State was ten hours. I don't remember where we stayed for the night. I'm certain that we weren't able to go there in one day, get the key, and move my stuff into the apartment. I mostly remember that by mid-August, autumn is starting to come to State College, Pennsylvania. That first week may not have been gorgeous, but many subsequent weeks were very nice.

I made my final run through school from 1996 through 1999 when I went to Tennessee Tech to get a second master's degree. I was leaving a very bad job that I hated. I was changing my major from metallurgy and materials to chemical engineering. I thought that I would be permanently changing fields within engineering. In many ways, this move was a tough back-to-school. I realized that at age 33, I was starting in a program where I had less prestige and was making less money than I had as new graduate starting at Penn State at age 23. For a guy to realize that he's in a lower position at 33 than he was at 23 is a tough pill to swallow. Knowing that I had given up my middle-class income to be a student again also hurt. I remember some dean gathering us into a room trying to give us a pep talk about getting things done. I remember thinking, "I don't need this stupid pep talk. I need you to let us go so that I can start doing these things."

Bill

[Gordongekko909]

This August, I'm starting my third and final year of law school. Huttah!

[RosieCotton]

Considering I was homeschooled for a good part of my life, my back-to-school memories aren't of the same sort. No new clothes...no fears of what the teachers would be like this year, no thoughts as to popularity.

I remember getting my stack-o'-supplies, for sure, though! I soooo love new notebooks and pens and pencils and all that. I still tend to hoard such things. And usually I'd get new or new-to-me textbooks a few weeks before we really dived in. Most years Mom would have a new idea for organizing said textbooks and supplies, so we'd get all that set up, too.

And there were always lots of activities for getting together with other homeschoolers during the year, so there was that. And giving up most time with my few friends who went to public school - I was always amazed at how little free time they really had during the year, what with homework and sports and long days. In comparison, we were pretty free to come and go, so long as we scrambled to get our work done early.

I'm such a spoiled brat...

[pcottraux]

School. *Shudder*

Okay, the stores don't have Christmas decorations up yet, but complaining about how early holiday decorating starts is everyone's pet peeve.

We're already starting to get 'em in!

[BigTex5]

Yep still single. Trying to find a NASCAR loving women who can put up with me on race days ;) So hard to find!!!!

[knarf]

Barbara Anderson .. a tall and drop-dead gorgeous nordic blonde .. Well ... she was in third grade anyway ... and I couldn't wait for fourth grade to begin so I could day-dream and lust after her (I didn't know none of this stuff then .. I was in love .. only after adulthood did I realize my innocence was really perversion ...siggghhhhh )

And the day arrived !

I was going to see Barbara Anderson again .. after all those weeks of waiting.

I was assigned my seat, and .. my last name beginning with Arch ... I knew I would once again sit behind Barbara Anderson .. with the long blonde hair ....
except
I was seated in the first seat, first row.

The unthinkable had happened .. the impossible .. Barbara had moved and would never again bless my eyeballs with her beauty.

I was crushed.

To this day I am affected by that third grade introduction to my heart and emotions .. to this day I am influenced by Barbara Anderson's blonde beauty ..

I married a red-head.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Howdy all.

Lost access to both operating systems on my computer--so I'll be on only for a bit. Running off a live CD trying to rescue items from both partitions...

In any case, the answers to your questions:

a.) Does back-to-school this year have any special meaning to you?

No. 'Nuff said.

Are you taking any kind of classes in the fall semester or quarter? If so, what are you taking and why are you taking it?

Yep. 15 credits--classes in History; Meteorology; Music; amd Political Science

How do you think you'll do?

No idea. Depends on the classes and its characteristics--and what is happening over the course of the semester.

How close are you finishing whatever schooling you're doing?

Depends. I'm supposed to be a junior, but 10 credits I took at a previous college didn't even transfer in. As a result, I'm still technically a sophomore for classes and finaid this semester--off by three damned credits.

Do you have children in school?

Good Lord--I hope not. I'm only 20.

When you think of going back to school, do you think of experiences you had as a child, as a teenager, or as a college student?

I try not to dwell upon it.

Were you one of those people who looked forward to new friends and new challenges or were you one of those people who hated to lose the carefree days of summer?

I had no opinion. School's a fact of life, and I just pretty much dealt with it.

What did you wear to school? Were you a jeans and T-shirt kind of person or did you wear the trendiest fashions?

I wore what I had. And it was good enough. Trendy clothes still annoy the heck oot of me and I see them as completely unnecessary.

When you started back to school in the fall, were cool, crisp days just ahead or was the weather going to continue to be hot for a few more months?

Well, it depended on when we started school. When I was younger, the schools started in August, and it was warm for a few weeks before it began to cool off. However, a few years ago, the state tourism industry bought the Legislature and got a pet law that prohibits schools from starting before Sept. 1st unless they go through a veritable set of bureaucratic hoops and then have the community pass a referendum authorizing the change. So now it's cool when the younger kids go to school. Of course, colleges in the state start at different times, with most of the state universities starting the Tuesday after Labor Day.

Whom did you hang out with? The jocks? The artsy crowd? The nerds?

Nobody. The cliques in high school didn't want me, and I sure as heck didn't want them either.

Did you go to football games in the fall? basketball games in the winter?

Played football--was a lineman. Went to other sports when I felt like it. Which wasn't that often.

Did you go to your prom or formal dance? If you didn't go to these kinds of events, what did you do instead?

Define "formal dance." I went to homecoming and the Sadie's dances junior/senior year, but I was usually involved in some sort of behind-the-scenes stuff (unofficially junior year--mainly social; was on the student council committee that planned the dumb things senior year).

Never went to prom. Never saw a reason to. Still don't give a, er, rip about it. After Baccalaureate, the senior board planned a dinner and dance just for the seniors. I showed up after my relatives and a few of my peers nagged me to go...

What was the most popular song in the year that you graduated?

Er, no comment.

What was your favorite subject and why? Who were your favorite teachers and why?

Really didn't have a favorite subject or teachers. Though Graphics was kinda cool--especially junior and senior years (Graphics III & IV). There, we pretty much printed shirts or football stuff. Occasionally, we'd slack for a day and pig out on food. Every March we'd fill out brackets for the Final Four. Our teacher was the kind of guy who pretty much let us do what we wanted (within reason). Half the hour, he'd be talking with the head coach over football stuff...

Of course, web design was also fun. A couple of us were managing ways on how to bypass the school's Bess filter--at the time we used a site in Chinese called eopledaily.

[DollyCali]

great job you two!!!!!

I just got in & am super bushed!!!!! great night etc. Was at game at ProFootball Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.. Awesome..I think one of the finest athletic stadiums I have experienced

will add my comments for what they are worth tomorrow. It seems I am often gone in PM & then in morning talk to myself for about an hour or so

lol.

good to see familiar faces drop in to say hi & some new ones adding their two cents.

It is amazing how so MANY of the regular threads are down in summer.

I must rest a bit & let my back recoup.. if I dont doze off, I will be back in a bit

[Kate of Spice Island]

It looks like I may not be around for a while on any of the threads as there has been a death in the family and my family needs me right now. My 10-year-old nephew died of leukemia yesterday and I am just too tired to deal with much besides that.

I will see all y'all in a few weeks.

[A knight without armor]

Does back-to-school this year have any special meaning to you? ------ Just that notebooks, etc. are on sale. I don't mean to be a downer but for some reason I always feel remorseful for homeless children who have to face school and be mistreated by the other kids. I always think how difficult and awkward certain things in school would be for a kid with no underpinnings.

Do you have children in school? ------ No. If I had a kid I'd be strongly inclined to homeschool him or her. I certainly wish my parents had homeschooled me but that would not have been possible.

When you think of going back to school, do you think of experiences you had as a child, as a teenager, or as a college student? ------ Child. Some kindergarten but mostly first through 8th grade.

Were you one of those people who looked forward to new friends and new challenges or were you one of those people who hated to lose the carefree days of summer? ------ I loved having and smelling the brand new school supplies. At the same time I hated getting up before daylight and dealing with horror! - math and then beginning with jr. high - gym.

What did you wear to school? ------ Made the best of what I had. It was never "right" never. In the winter snowboots that were fuzzy on the inside and I'd carry my shoes in a sack. In grade school my winter coat zipper would get off track and stuck and I'd have to stand while the one and only janitor pulled it loose with a pair of pliers. This frequently happened to kids with zipper coats.

When you started back to school in the fall, were cool, crisp days just ahead or was the weather going to continue to be hot for a few more months? ------ It would soon be cool. I remember cold, dewy grass making my feet slippery in my sandals on the way out to the school bus.

Whom did you hang out with? The jocks? The artsy crowd? The nerds? ------ The quiet kids. The outcasts, actually.

Did you go to football games in the fall? basketball games in the winter? ------ No. Didn't care for sports. Plus I lived clear out in the country and my parents were too tired to haul me back and forth to town.

Did you go to your prom or formal dance? --- No.

If you didn't go to these kinds of events, what did you do instead? ------ Talked to my friend on the telephone and occasionally would go to town to spend a Friday or Saturday night sleepover with her.

What was the most popular song in the year that you graduated? ------ I graduated high school in only 3 years because I had extra credits. In 1973 the nonstop songs on the radio were Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree by Toni Orlando and Dawn and Big, Bad LeRoy Brown by Jim Croce.

What was your favorite subject and why? ------ Geography. I liked maps and cultures.

Who were your favorite teachers and why? ------ My geography teachers, both men, in jr. high and high school. They were both quite strict and I liked the orderly classroom atmosphere.

By the way, I'm probably the only person who really loved the school lunches. In the first grade my mother would make me my favorite (to this day) sack lunch consisting of an egg salad sandwich with the crust cut off of course, a little bag of Fritos, and a Hostess Suzy Q. I loved the hot lunches the rest of the time. I was introduced to those fudgy-coca oatmeal drop cookies. I don't know their name. I don't think they are baked. I raved about them so much my mother told me to ask the cook for the recipe! Gosh! I was so scared! But I got it and enjoyed them at home from then on.

[Nowhere Man]

I just want to post a quick message to all that I lost Pansy today. B-( She passed away less than two hours ago at the vets. I'd write more but I'm still collecting my thoughts plus I have to get ready and go to work, it is first quarter close and I'm needed there.



Pansy - 1987



Pansy: b. 8-19-1987 - d. 8-27-2006 (Picture taken 1-01-2006)



Corky: b. 5-12-1989 (She is my oldest cat and queen of the roost now)



Pansy, I'll miss you very much. B-(