<p>Just a note to all my new cyber friends out there. Have a great Holiday Season and a great New Year!</p>
<p>You as well! I don't think I want to see one more piece of fudge, cake or candy today. Blah. Overkill... </p>
<p>Hope everyone is having a grand time with their Plebe, Mid and Cadet! I've left kiss marks on mine. But he's starting to run from me. And if his brother doesn't stop hitting him, I'm gonna lock him out of the house. Nothing broken yet. Just an overturned mattress & flying fists when he wouldn't get out of bed Xmas morning soon enough for his brother's liking. I WANT QUIET!</p>
<p>HA! Good report JM. Stay away from those goodiez! The kids are having fun and the nights are long and the sleeping is late. Fortunately for mine he only has sisters and they don't punch as hard! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!</p>
<p>On the kinder, gentler, thread. . .
We are happy to report a very successful Christmas.<br>
My best gift under the Christmas tree? Straight A's from our mid. I am in awe . . .</p>
<p>Then he reverted back to being a kid and played Mario party for several hours with his younger brother and sister.</p>
<p>Awe is THE word for A's, Bill. You must be vibrating all over the house with that news. How do these kids do that? Just amazes the heck out of me. Congrats to him! I checked out some of the new books for this tri-mester for my kid. Talk about feeling stupid. I can barely read the material let alone understand it. The navigation books seem to be the worst. Tidal height predictions, the Inmarsat system, verticle datum? Way over my head. I think my kid was dropped by a stork for sure. Funny how they turn back into their old selves again around video games. Its World of War Craft marathons here.</p>
<p>Kinder & gentler?.... Oh Bill. Tsk Tsk Tsk.... Stop fightng it. You know you're one of us now. We've sucked you into our verticle datum. :)</p>
<p>Boss - Its a cheeseburger tonight! I've had it with all the fussy fare. Yep, grilling in the 55 degree evening.</p>
<p>Congrats on the A's! That is awesome!</p>
<p>Bill,</p>
<p>Congrats to your son! That's awesome news indeed. My daughter has not received a single grade yet and likely won't until she goes back next week. Sure wish you could regift and ship that gift from your son to me. ;)</p>
<p>At the risk of sounding as if I am bragging [and I REALLY don't feel like I have done anything worth bragging about; it is all my son's performance.], I have to say that the feeling is indescribable.</p>
<p>We knew that academics would come easy to him but we expected the demands of plebe year [espeically the physical demands] would bring down the grades a bit. Then, when we considered that he is taking mostly second year courses, [The courses did present a challenge at first.], well the straight "A's" did seem a bit far fetched.</p>
<p>He and mom apparently knew of the grades for a few days. He wrapped up the printout and put it under the Christmas tree. </p>
<p>Interestingly, when asked when he would get the gold star for being on Supt. list, he answered: "I am not going to wear the star. [It's not required to wear the star and he considers wearing it as too self-promotional. I think this is a company-wide sentiment.] Everybody knows what each other has done. I don't need to promote myself to the others by wearing the star."</p>
<p>I guess I can understand that reasoning. [Even if I want him to wear that darn star around the house at least.]</p>
<p>May each of your children realize the success that they desire. I was at the all-academy ball last night and they ALL looked good and were having fun.</p>
<p>Interesting about not wearing his star. My son made the Supt. list at KP and not wearing the star was his first inclination as well, but it was suggested to him that he wear it so other's would know where to look to for help with classes. It seems that the star is recognized at KP as an open invitation for others to ask for help, and to be on the Supt. list and not wear it means you are too busy or not inclined to help out your fellow Mids.</p>
<p>I don't think I ever wore my star on my daily uniforms. All that meant was it was one more thing I had to take on and off my uniform when I washed it. I did leave them on my dress uniforms though because those rarely had to be worn/washed.</p>
<p>Everyone at the Academy knows who is doing well and who isn't, the classes are too small to hide that. Also easy to find by looking in the Pony locker to see what the people ahead of you got for grades, haha.</p>
<p>Congrat's on the good grades, in all honesty I don't think grades matter that much coming from KP unless you are trying to go on to graduate school / dental school / medical school. Everyone has a job that pays very, very well just waiting for them to graduate. To put it in perspective I was in the top ten percent of my graduating class and started with a job that paid right at 10 thousand a month sailing. Several of those in the bottom 10% of the class sailed as well and made just as much as me.</p>
<p>kp2001- Jamz wants me to ask you what you're doing now. Since he's a Plebe, he's super curious as to what he's going to do after (if) he graduates. Said he lurked around all the tables on KP's version of career day and liked what he saw. Is leaning towards an internship with the Coasites. I tired to get him on here to ask you but I'm afraid you just got second place over some girls that just called. :) I've never seen anyone shower, dress and jump into a car so fast in my entire life. I'm hoping some of the Alumni show up to this upcoming Ball to mess with the Mids. My kid lives on Ponies!</p>
<p>Oooops. Add-ons allowed:
Bill! Tell your son if he doesn't want to wear the star that you'll take it and get your ear pierced with it so atleast you can show it off! I want one! I love bling! I'm afraid the grades on this end were fab all but the one C that sunk my battle ship. He missed it by .02 points. It shoulda been a gimme I say! Bet you'll never forget opening up A's on Xmas morning! That was awesome of them to keep that a secret. Its probably framing material you know!</p>
<p>Thank you JM. You make me smile with the boundless energy you direct towards posting. </p>
<p>I am in awe [can you be IN awe of somebody when the word is a noun? Isn't it more proper to say that you POSSESS or HAVE awe for somebody?] of how supportive you are towards everybody [if I knew how to italicize instead of capitalize, I would do that] on this sight. Perhaps it is more proper to say that your energy and support for everybody on this sight is awesome.</p>
<p>awesome (adj): inspiring awe
awe (n): a mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might.</p>
<p>Happy new year and good luck to those awaiting appointment. [Believe it when you are told that MOST appointments have NOT been issued. Don't let the stories of some having received appointments discourage you.]</p>
<p>Jamzmom,</p>
<p>Well I guess I'll throw my anonymity out the window here by giving up what I'm currently doing. I am currently a third year medical student. I sailed for a few years following graduation while completing some more course work, and then matriculated to medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. It's an outstanding deal, I'm on active duty receiving full pay and benefits while in school.</p>
<p>The opportunities for those graduating from KP are amazing as I'm sure your son saw at career night. Although a difficult path, the medical fields are available to those who so desire. I am sure his mind will change many, many times while at KP, an internship is a great way to get a small view of what life would be like in that job. </p>
<p>As for the C, don't worry about it, I received more than a few of those in my day and even got an F for one of my sea projects, and somehow still managed to get accepted at multiple medical schools.</p>
<p>Bill, are you trying to say that I'm spastic? Its the vitamins & the turkish coffee I'll have you know. You're hired too! I needed a new editor. And you make me smile with that dictionary you keep close at hand. :) Could also be used in the noun form of admiration Mr.</p>
<p>Ok. Can I say, I'm awestruck instead? When you hang out with a kid that grew up up the Ninja Turtle era, "Awesome" takes on more of a slang meaning. I'll have to find a new word for the next awe-inspiring post. I'm using it too much I guess. Before I go make merry in the world today, one more thing:</p>
<p>I bow before thee..... Oh great awesome one! <em>giggle</em></p>
<p>Momof1 - help me</p>
<p>Ahhh KP2001. Didn't mean to "out" you. Sorry. Ok everyone, lets load up & get to Bethesda. KP is buying lunch today! Truly, I'm glad you've posted this as there were some questions earlier about kids going on to Med schools. You prove its a do-able thing. Great luck with your studies. Not too worried about the C I guess. We've been told several times that "D" stands for "done" at KP and some current Mids said they too had received F's on their sea projects. With hardly any humanities courses, its like being thrown into the lions den with what he's always been comfortable studying. These new books are wicked. The grading system is a bit different as well. What was an A in high shool, is now a B. Adjusting to the land of merchant mariner must be tough. Its still so early in the game and I am hardening myself to upcoming F's so I don't freak when it happens.</p>