<p>PVCs to G#'s D2! And to Alice’s DS with his cross-country adventure!</p>
<p>My mom and S2 are on their way home from Italy. From what little I have heard they had a great time, but are exhausted from non-stop activity. </p>
<p>PVC to G# D2, rockin’ the interviews. Hope it turns out for a good result whether or NOT she gets it. If she doesn’t like NYC maybe something better is around the corner.
Yay-ish sort of on closing on the house. Sad but good to finish. Hope your Mom is holding up OK. </p>
<p>tx5, Did they post pics or save them for the end?</p>
<p>Alice, safe travels to your biker boy. </p>
<p>I’d put it in the brag thread, but like it better here… DS home for summer between UG and Grad school and working 3 days a week (I think I already said so). But the better thing is that he has already been to two dance events pus a summer dance class. Tonight he is going to carpool . I am so glad he is active!
DD is going to go to the east coast and drive part way back with her BF. So she will be gone for her birthday. She’ll be 24! ??? what the heck happened to 12! That is what she should be! She also cut (and donated) her hair; so cut shorter than she wanted and shorter than it has been since she was about 8. Made her look simultaneously older and younger… how does THAT work?</p>
<p>Happy Fourth!</p>
<p>Yes, I know I’m late. D2 and I made a last minute trip to DC yesterday to see the fireworks. We also walked Embassy Row in the afternoon. The weather was gorgeous and no crowds there.</p>
<p>Artloversplus – So, you don’t think that I should just ride off into the proverbial 2014 sunset?</p>
<p>Aliceinw – How’s your S’s cross-country trek coming after he dipped his “rear wheel” (a euphemism, I’m sure) in the Pacific? I bet he can’t wait to dip his “front spoke” in the Atlantic. ;)</p>
<p>YDS – Hope you are enjoying your DS (for now). ;)</p>
<p>Esobay – I would offer condolences, but I guess DS intentionally attended dance events and classes. 
</p>
<p>Unfortunately, while D2 is trying to “rock it,” one of her friends from school (also a 2014 graduate) is “steppin’ in it.” He is interning at the NY Times this summer and was sent to Mississippi to cover the Republican Senate race, which was all good and well until someone discovered that D2’s friend was a speech writer for President Obama’s 2012 campaign and is now describing this “kid’s” work as some kind of “liberal media hit job” less than 1 month after graduation. He clearly thinks that his piece was truthful and that he was doing his job. What a way to get started, ugh!
<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/new-york-times-takes-heat-for-hiring-intern-who-worked-in-democratic-politics/2014/06/23/348fdc5c-fb18-11e3-932c-0a55b81f48ce_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/new-york-times-takes-heat-for-hiring-intern-who-worked-in-democratic-politics/2014/06/23/348fdc5c-fb18-11e3-932c-0a55b81f48ce_story.html</a></p>
<p>In post-college news, D2 had her interview in DC on Monday which included 1 HR interview, 1 interview with the CEO, and 2 different panel interviews. They did tell her, “You just graduated, why are you looking for a job already?” She didn’t say it, but thought, “Clearly you have not been stuck at home in a town smaller than your graduating class.” They also told her that she was the only candidate so far to get past the initial phone interview and asked her for references a couple of days later… fingers crossed. In the meantime, she will be in NYC interviewing this week and has a phone interview with a company in Austin, TX also. Any spare PVC is appreciated!</p>
<p>Since she was in DC, she had lunch with her internship supervisor from last year who invited her to their July 4th party… hence the last minute trip to DC yesterday. While I watched the fireworks with a few thousand of my closest hotdog eating friends, D2 watched from a rooftop somewhere in DC with hors d’oeuvres, BBQ station, Ice Cream Float station, candy station, etc. I left the hotel in t-shirt and shorts, she left in dress and heels (and retuned with party favors). She has been talking with them off and on, but they currently do not have any open positions. But, at the party, her other supervisor told D2 to call her on Monday and she will “see what they can do.” They told her that she was one of their best interns and use her as an example in intern orientation now. Another person at the party asked her to send him a resume for his organization which has an open position and a new Director who came from the office at which D2 is interviewing in NYC this week… small world, huh?</p>
<p>I didn’t hear a thing you said after “Austin”! Come see me!</p>
<p>YDS - All I know so far is that the company is near the Convention Center, a park with a Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, and appears to have a metro station nearby (public transportation is a must for D2 who hates to drive). ;)</p>
<p>Well, she should know that public transit in Austin stinks. If you live close in, there are plenty of buses and a light rail system, but it’s expensive to live close in. I’m sure she can make it work. I would always advise having a car though. Austin is a great city for young hipsters. I’m sure she’d love it. And lots of live music for you.</p>
<p>Continuing to send positive vibes for G#'s S2 with interviews, etc. And to her friend, who seems to be getting skewered for nothing. </p>
<p>S is probably about to enter Montana today, with some serious uphill planned. He says he discovered that his 27 speed bike actually has a 28th speed - “get off and push”. And then the real desperation gear where you carry your bike on a hiking trail that has too many fallen trees to ride. I did see a picture of him with all his biking gear at the waters’ edge - YDS may have seen it too. </p>
<p>Hope everyone is enjoying a long weekend. </p>
<p>Happy 5th of July! </p>
<p>DH and I went to a block party. “Safe and Sane” fireworks are legal in our neighborhood, and our neighbors seem to like to sneak in a few illegal fireworks as well, so our neighborhood was a war zone last night. </p>
<p>G# your D2s 4th sounds like it was a great networking event! Good luck to her! I feel so sorry for her classmate! </p>
<p>S2 and my mom had a great time in Italy and were exhausted when they got home from non-stop activity. Due to spotty wi-fi they only posted one picture while they were gone. He was home 2 days and then left to spend the weekend at his girlfriends house. We are having a graduation party for him next weekend and will meet the GFs parents. Wish us luck!</p>
<p>Alice - your S is making some real progress! Very Impressive! Keeping him in my thoughts.</p>
<p>tx5athome - wishing you luck with your S2’s graduation party and with the GF’s parents.</p>
<p>GSharp - it sounds like your D2 had a great experience on the 4th! Wishing her luck with all her interviews and hoping her networking leads to something more. </p>
<p>Coffee’s fresh this AM if anyone is around. S is still making progress, and D seems to be alive and well in SE Asia. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. </p>
<p>Wishing good luck to tx5athome on the party/GF’s parents, and to G#'s D2 on finding just the right first job in just the right place. And happy Tuesday to all. </p>
<p>Hi all… </p>
<p>Thought it was about time I checked in… </p>
<p>First of all, does it make me an old fogey that I was perfectly happy not to see or hear a single firework on July 4th. California is bone dry right now, just a spark away from a major blaze, so not seeing or hearing anything made me extremely happy (not to mention the dog)</p>
<p>DS is interning away in Nashville at a equity research firm, having moved on from his airline job and preparing to enter grad school at Vanderbilt in August. Seems quite happy with the decision - and I am very supportive as I think the airline job was going to be somewhat of a dead end. </p>
<p>DD continues on her path towards a beyond graduation in May. She’s attending summer school this summer, getting a couple of last general education requirements out of the way. </p>
<p>As for DW and I, the house is in chaos as we await the arrival of </p>
<p>1) the hardwood guys inside (we are ripping out the carpet in the bedrooms and going with red oak) and </p>
<p>2) the concrete guys outside (we have ripped out our lawn and are replacing it with an outdoor kitchen and drought tolerant plants). Living in the dust bowl for the last month has made me wish things were a little more coordinated between the bull dozer guy and the concrete guy).</p>
<p>Belated PVC’s to G#'s dd–I’ve been out of town on vacation. Sounds like she is doing well with lots of interviews and contacts. Here’s hoping she has to decide between several great opportunities!</p>
<p>scualum–the dust will be worth it after it is all done. I love my hardwood we had installed last year. Don’t miss the carpet at all!!!</p>
<p>DS turned 21 yesterday and went out to celebrate with friends. He had a great time, but spent the day recovering! 
His med school applications have been processed and he’s received several secondary applications. Now he’s stressing since he leaves on Sunday for ROTC summer training and really should have those essays done before he leaves!</p>
<p>Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. It seems to be flying by. Good luck to all the grads with their job searches!</p>
<p>Not much news here. My nephew got married last weekend and S2 and I went out early to help with cooking, decorating, etc. He has one more year of school and then is interested in going to Russia/Ukraine with an NGO or multinational corporation – anything where he can improve his fluency. He has promised not to take up arms. </p>
<p>CountingDown–even working for an NGO can be dangerous in a war zone. Has he considered going to Brighton Beach instead? ;)</p>
<p>We survived our annual 4th of July bash! This year’s only casualty appears to be S2’s cell phone, which took a dive into a tub of ice water while everyone was dancing on the patio. (Last year’s casualty was our wood patio table when a guest decided to dance on it.) This year’s theme was “Gringos, Dingos, & Pink Flamingos.” I am still finding pink feathers from flamingo wannabes all over my house. S2 was in charge of filling 600+ water balloons, which started out as part of a water balloon toss and ended in all-out warfare - no one escaped unscathed. We also had a 50-foot slip-n-slide and lots of food. The community fireworks were an hour late due to “technical difficulties,” but one of S2’s friends, who is headed to medical school in August, entertained us by twirling flaming gas lamps. (He later admitted that he caught his shirt on fire but managed to discreetly extinguish it.) Someday we will be calling him Dr. Flame Twirler. Everyone had a great time and I have finally managed to recharge from both the party AND the 10 houseguests (including 2 toddlers & 2 6-yr olds) … </p>
<p>Just in time to help S2 move to RVA on Saturday to begin his job next week. I’ve reserved a U-Haul trailer. It seems like graduation was only yesterday. The summer has flown by so quickly! I have mixed feelings about him moving away: on the one hand, this is the end of an era & my baby is leaving home. That makes me melancholy. OTOH, RVA isn’t too far away.</p>
<p>Momannoyed, yes, he knows there is an element of danger in NGOs. He is feeling the need to do something morally acceptable for the innocent civilians in all the mess. Scares the ^%$# out of me.</p>
<p>G# – in the local paper today:
<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/fake-blood-and-real-meat-gwarbar-gets-ready-to-open-in-richmond/2014/07/09/562c8e90-f30d-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/fake-blood-and-real-meat-gwarbar-gets-ready-to-open-in-richmond/2014/07/09/562c8e90-f30d-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html</a></p>
<p>It is technically still Friday, right? ;)</p>
<p>YDS – Thanx for the Austin info (inc. public transport), it is still on the radar.</p>
<p>Aliceinw – I trust that your S has survived Montana reasonably intact? At least he hasn’t had to use 29th gear… leave your bike by the side of the road and stick out your thumb. ;)</p>
<p>Tx5 – Glad to see that you survived the “Sane and Safe” warzone. S2 must really like you to wait 2 whole days before heading off to the GF’s house… good luck this weekend!</p>
<p>Scualum – Hey! Old Fogey! The secret is to be out of town when the hardwood and concrete guys show up. </p>
<p>VAMom2015 – Happy Belated 21st B-Day to your DS! Does he remember it? How are those essays coming? ;)</p>
<p>CD – I gotta go with momannoyed on the whole Brighton Beach vs. Ukraine thing. Regardless, it should be safer than going into the GWARbar… thanx for the link. ;)</p>
<p>12rmh18 – Dang, I shoulda stopped by your place for the 4th instead of hanging out on the Arlington bridge. Best of luck on the move to RVA (home of the Parking Ticket). If D2 goes to DC, maybe we could swap youngin’s?</p>
<p>It has been a frustrating, up-and-down post-college week. It started with D2 getting a “No” from the DC company after having 5 interviews with them. Supposedly, they gave the job to someone with experience. She went to NYC this week for her interview there and they told her that it is down to her and 2 other candidates who have experience in the industry and they don’t normally hire candidates w/o experience, but they liked D2’s sample research paper that she had to write as part of the interview process the best… she’s not very hopeful and feels like she will “always be the bridesmaid.” In the meantime, she did make it past interview round 1 with the Austin company (hear that YDS?) and has phone interview round 2 next week. She also had phone interviews with 2 companies in DC this week and is waiting to find out if either of them wants a follow up interview. In the meantime, she is already going back to DC next week because one of her 4th of July contacts to whom she sent a resume on Monday has called her in for an interview. My child is starting to spend more time in planes, trains, and hotels than me!</p>
<p>Rhetorical question… can anyone explain to me why when in NYC my supposedly grown, graduated child wanted to go to the “American Girl” store? That place was always creepy to me that you could make an appointment to have your doll’s hair washed! It’s OK. She hasn’t totally regressed. She also visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral.</p>
<p>Namaste. I am in Vermont for my long weekend yoga retreat. Hope all are enjoying the weekend. </p>
<p>G# - S says 29th gear is carrying the bike over fallen trees when Google puts you on a hiking trail instead of a biking trail. And yes, he has also used the stick out your thumb gear, though has not abandoned the bike. He and his bike got a ride in a pickup truck across the desert part of Washington. </p>