Today is my son's first day of class for spring semester as a DE student at the local university. He just sent me the syllabus for the Comp II class and it seems odd to me. 45% of the grade will be based off a group project term paper. Am I old and outdated? It sounds weird to me to do a group project in a 1000 level writing class. He took Comp I in the fall. There were also group projects in that class but they were graded as homework. Are group projects the norm in a a writing class such as Comp II?

Toss. Not worth it. Fish is so delicate and spoils so easily.

@footballmomI really do like the idea of a capsule wardrobe. It would be great to simplify the whole getting dressed process. I put Project 333 on hold at the library for some inspiration. I’m more of a pack rat than I’d like to admit and it will be hard to toss some things. Even though I h haven’t worn some items in years.

@Tap nope, we don’t have Sierra Trading. Looks nice though.

@mmascthose are cute pants! I think I need to try to stay in one store if possible. Not only am I terrible about buying clothes-I also am rather inept at figuring out how to piece things together.

@mmasc here are some items I like. I need to be comfortable but not look as sloppy as I do now. I also need to start wearing color again. I looked in my closet yesterday and everything is grey or dull blue. Not sure how I let that happen. https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-heritage-cowl-neck-tunic-80550.html?color=BMM https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-flexpedition-bootcut-pants-95704.html?color=DGY https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-duluthflex-daily-denim-bootcut-jeans-40711.html?color=DPI https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-plus-longtail-t-elbow-sleeve-scoopneck-37329.html?color=RYO https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-plus-lightweight-longtail-t-scoopneck-73803.html?color=UWS

I need to buy new clothes. Everything needs to be replaced from bras & underwear to every day pants & tops. I work in a very casual retail environment. I wear yoga pants and t-shirts 99% of the time. I’ve been putting off buying new clothes for a long time. I keep saying oh when I lose that extra 10 lbs then I’ll go shopping. That’s been my mantra for about 9 years 😬 I also absolutely hate clothes shopping. I’d rather buy new kitchen equipment. I just recently stopped by Duluth Trading Company. They seem to carry the aesthetic I’m looking for. How good is the quality? Since I rarely purchase new clothes, I really need the new ones to last. I very rarely need anything dressy. I just would like to look a little more put together yet be comfortable and not have to clothes shop again for a while.

I did serve the food from that fridge and as far as I know, we are all fine. I do have an alarm on that fridge that will sound if the door is open for more than a minute but my 16 yo keeps turning it off! I had just noticed it was off a few days before Christmas and had turned it back on, but apparently he turned it off after that. This is an ongoing battle. He likes to hold the doors open while he's deciding what to eat and doesn't want it beeping it at him. Grrrrrrrr.....Luckily, most of what I was serving was in the "beer fridge" in the garage but there was still a good bit up food up here like the breakfast casserole. So glad I wasn't doing a turkey dinner or something like that.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! Help! I have a French door refrigerator-one of the doors was left cracked open overnight. I’m hosting Christmas brunch today and a game night tonight with the boys friends. I took the temperature of the spinach dip I made-it was 38 degrees. The half & half that’s in the fridge door registered at 42 degrees. I’m drinking it in my coffee right now. i know food should be kept at 40 or below. Think I’m safe? I feel like I’m teetering on the edge here.

I take Calm: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Vitality-Magnesium-Citrate-Powder/dp/B093WD7JBF/ref=sr_1_7?crid=BNQOS7IUVY8&keywords=calm+magnesium+powder&qid=1702304556&sprefix=calm+mag%2Caps%2C692&sr=8-7 Originally, I had been taking magnesium pills (I don't remember which ones, they were green pills made by Nature Made). They gave me horrific gas. I mean, horribly embarrassing, clear out a room gas. I switched to Calm and things are, well, calmer ;). It helps me sleep at night and I do think it helps with headaches but I will say too that once I got on blood pressure medication that is where I saw huge improvement in my headaches. I take two heaping scoops every night at 8pm mixed into about 6 ounces of water.

We saw it in a movie theater this weekend. Heartbreaking but as some have said, unrealistic. My grandmother who had dementia would've never had such a breakthrough like the one portrayed. Still had me choked up though.

I like them but they stick in my teeth after eating a few so I can't keep chowing down. I do like them as a crunchy, salty alternative to chips.

@SStride I never followed up on this post back when I originally posted. Or maybe I did and it's on a different thread. Anyway. We decided to have our son tested for a learning disability. We got a referral from his pediatrician for a psychologist who could perform a neuropsychological evaluation. It was rather costly ($1500ish) but I think worth it. Turns out he has ADHD. He is now on medication and the difference is night and day. I know some don't agree with medication but in this instance when we'd tried everything else, it was the help he needed. He is now away at college, majoring in Biology, making the Dean's list every semester and thriving in every sense of the word. He does still take his ADHD medication, and I guess he always will need it. Getting the diagnosis helped us understand how his brain works and how he views and interacts with the world. Best of luck to you! This might not be your answer but it's what we needed to do. I believe if I am not mistaken, a pediatrician can issue a 504.

I just finished Horse by Geraldine Brooks. It was excellent. Historical fiction based on a racing thoroughbred in the 1850's but with connections to modern time. It is a book about race relations in America as much as it is about this amazing horse. I had a hard time putting it down. Little bit of everything in this book-drama, suspense, and a little romance. Before that I read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Also an excellent book. It just won the Pulitzer. Overall summary is it's about a boy growing up in rural Virginia and the pain killer abuse that is rampant in some rural communities. So wonderfully well written and really made the OxyContin news reports I see all the time real. Also addresses the foster care system.

This hurts. So many of us came of age watching Friends back in the day. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy who had some serious battles. I haven't read his book yet but his body just had to be worn out from the addictions. I'm reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and it's really opened my eyes and heart to painkiller addiction.

@cintinative oh yes, this ds is becoming quite the cynic. He as already well on his way but this class has pushed him further into cynicism. In a way, a little bit of cynicism is good in the he knows everything isn't going to be perfect in life and a healthy does of cynicism can help lead to realistic expectations. But as with anything, too much isn't good at all. Not every class will be unicorns and rainbows. This class being a great example of that! 🙂

So, he finally received a grade over the weekend for the first paper. I think I can rest easy in terms of grade as he made a 96. So she seems to be grading fairly just really, really slowly. His second paper is due Friday. He just found out today (Monday) that along with the paper, he has to make that paper into a blog entry, formatted as a blog. He knew something like that was coming up concerning a blog assignment but she literally posted the details today. I get it that different teachers have different styles. It's a college class therefore more rigorous and all that. I'm just surprised at the slow feedback, the often cancelled classes, the lack of instruction, etc, etc. More annoyed than anything. Many life lessons to be learned but ugh.

YES.^^^^^^^^^THIS. While I am a huge fan of DE, you must know if those DE credits will transfer. We did the homework for my oldest son. He had a total of 31 DE credits when I graduated him. They all transferred easily to his university EXCEPT Comp II. I could never get a straight answer when we'd ask his university about it, it was always, oh we'll discuss it during class registration. Turns out they don't accept any school's DE for Comp II. They want every student to take Comp II. Wasn't a hill worth dying on. But I was irritated in that I knew it wasn't a clear easy transfer but couldn't tell what it why or what the deal was. My younger DS (the one who is dealing with the Comp I issue) might end up attending this university for his degree. All his DE credits would obviously transfer. He's not totally sold on yet, but financially it's his top pick.

He goes to the writing center to get his work reviewed and no negative comments or major rewriting have occurred. I mentioned to him about the office hours and his response was "what's the point?". When she has looked over his work in class and he's asked her if there is anything to change, her standard reply is "well, what do you think?". There has been no constructive feedback at all. I know it would benefit him in terms of him showing her that he cares about his work in her class just by showing up to office hours. I have to wonder if she'd even show up for office hours. After my original post, he received two grades for homework without any feedback. Grades were an 80 and 98. Writing is something he's always excelled in, we are just concerned that she's not being objective. She cancelled class AGAIN yesterday. I really do think she is going through something personal and I feel for her but I just hope the students grades aren't affected by this. There are about 30 kids in the class, I have no idea how many classes she has overall. I hesitate to tell him to drop the class as 1) he has no idea of his grade and 2) Comp I is a pre req for so many classes. It's just epically frustrating.

All good points. I’d mentioned to him that maybe she’s going through some stuff. Which I do have sympathy for but looking at it from a student’s point of view-he does need to know where he stands in the class. I do realize she’s got more than one class and it surely can’t be easy grading countless papers but she also made a big fuss in the beginning of the semester she takes two weeks to grade. It’s been a month now. It’s frustrating from my point of view as my oldest didn’t have this experience at all while participating in dual enrollment. Dropping the class really isn’t an option. I’m not concerned at all about the quality of his writing, it’s what he excels in. He made A’s in all his writing classes in a rigorous co-op and has tutored others in writing composition. The concern he has is that she seems so volatile-is she grading fairly? Rushing through due to personal issues?

DS is taking Comp I at the local university for dual enrollment. He's turned in countless homework assignments and one paper so far. He's been on time for all the assignments and paper. He's received no feedback whatsoever. The paper was turned in one month ago. Today, after class was over, he and another student went up to ask the instructor when they could expect their grades. She replied before the next paper is due. That is next week. He has no idea if he's failing this class or passing it. This sounds dumb, but she had rave reviews on ratemyprofessor.com. The first week of class, DS came home saying he hated her and she was a horrible teacher. I told him to give her time and it's only gotten worse. She cancels class about every other week, usually at the last minute. No one in the class has received feedback or grades from her. I know my hands are tied, but is there anything he can do?

People using the speaker phone option on their cell phones in public. Watching videos on your phone without headphones. Particularly in waiting rooms. Just, why? Why do you think we want to hear the video you are watching?

Got my flu shot last Friday. Got COVID shot yesterday (October 6). My arm is so sore. Woke up with a headache and just kind of achy all over but I didn’t sleep well last night. It’s mild enough I could just feel off from not sleeping well or it could be side effects. Who knows. DH & DS are getting their COVID shots Monday. We all wanted to get flu & covid shots together but they both weren’t available last week. Glad it’s taken care of. I had fever/chills with my second booster but that’s been it.

Doing some due diligence today. My son is eligible for Zell based on his test scores and his GPA (currently he's a junior). I'm looking at the Academic Rigor Course List linked on the GA Futures website. Some of these classes are just regular HS requirements - ex Chemistry, Spanish, Physics, etc. GA Futures says he has to have at least 4 rigor classes. He's currently taking DE classes at KSU. I'd assume anything DE would also count as rigor, correct? He's already completed most of what I'd call core classes (Bio, Phys.Science, Chemistry, currently in Physics, taking 3rd year of Spanish, has met and exceeded math requirements, etc) so according to this list he certainly meets the requirements. I think that as usual, I'm overthinking this. This seems more simple than I thought. Summary: minimum GPA of 3.7 and 1200 or better on SAT along with the minimum of 4 rigor classes? That's it for Zell?

I have an undermount stainless steel single bowl and I absolutely love it. Corners are rounded for easy cleaning. The previous sink was a standard double bowl which I hated. I love the giant single sink. On busy days I can just keep adding dishes to it and they don't clutter up the kitchen. Being an undermount means when I clean the counters, I just swipe them the crumbs into the sink, easy peasy.