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<p>Hmmm…that would be Cleveland! But yes, I’m planning to have a GREAT time visiting my family and some friends.</p>
<p>Sorry! Cleveland it is! I reaaaaly need to retire. I hope I can hang on.</p>
<p>D won a campus-wide essay contest. :)</p>
<p>I got a job interview for Sears! </p>
<p>It’s really not that much of a brag because it came at the end of the online job application, but it’s peculiar because I have applied there in previous summers and never had the schedule interview option come up at the end. Must be that I have work experience now. </p>
<p>I am almost certainly not getting the job because I have no experience in retail, but it feels a lot better than sending out apps and hearing nothing. :)</p>
<p>hyperJulio–Congrats on your job interview! Let us know how it goes. If nothing else, it is good practice.
My brag is that our S got a letter inviting him to Awards night at his h.s. He is thrilled and very cuirous about what award he will be getting. He is a Frosh, and hasn’t experienced this before.</p>
<p>My daughter won another outside scholarship! That makes four and we are now approaching what it would cost for her to go to state U for her expensive private. I am so grateful for these outside scholarships, they will really make a difference for us, coming right off our out of pocket. </p>
<p>And my son just finished the second week at his internship. And got his first paycheck! He is paying his own car payment next month, haha.</p>
<p>S has been working for almost a year, and last night he called to let us know that he was number 2 in sales this month at his branch. #1 has been there for 15 years. He’s happy and so are we.</p>
<p>D1 paid off her car loan 18 months early (she’s been making double payments). She’s careful with her money and abhors debt. Can’t believe she’s the fruit of my loins.</p>
<p>DS played three pops concerts with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.</p>
<p>I love this thread. It’s so nice to hear about young people who are accomplishing great things. The news media never reports on any of this, they only report on delinquents and selfish troublemakers.</p>
<p>My oldest son has been nursing his grandma and doing tasks her own daughter refuses to do. He’s a little Aspie, dropped out of college and delivers pizza for a job, but we did something right to have him willing to change his grandma’s Depends when he is 21 years old. Also, he is very kind to his girlfriend and they model a healthy relationship for my younger boys.</p>
<p>My D was an indifferent student in HS. As a result, she ended up in a less than top college. She is now an Honors student and was named volunteer of the year last year for her efforts to help others. Just this week, she brought home a girl from school who is an international student from Africa who had nowhere to go for 2 weeks. She didn’t ask, just knew it would be ok.</p>
<p>My current junior doesn’t like to do his HW so his grades are only so so, BUT if you ask him to do a chore or help out with something, he is the first one there. He’s been a camp counselor for a couple of years and kids ask for him by name.</p>
<p>As for me, I have finally managed to get my finances in enough order that I can pay the mortgage before the late fee kicks in!</p>
<p>Joan–
In my eyes, you have accomplished the greatest goal of a parent–raised kids with fine, good hearts. You should be proud.</p>
<p>D1 graduated today. The math department was so small, they gave each graduate the diploma and also allowed them to give a speech. D1 spoke very well. This was a good weekend.</p>
<p>I finally got around to selling my car, which I hadn’t used for almost five months, and for which I’d been paying $340 per month in garage fees, not even counting the car insurance. It’s kind of strange not to own a car anymore (jointly or individually) after almost 25 years, but I simply have no need for one here in Manhattan.</p>
<p>I sold it to a friend, who bought it for her daughter (who’s my son’s age and whom I’ve known since she was born) as her daughter’s first car. (It’s a 2007 Corolla with just under 50,000 miles.) And I gave a generous friendship discount, since I was so relieved to be finally rid of the damn thing, without having to do all the work of trying to sell it. Plus, my friend took care of all the necessary minor repairs, including getting the brakes fixed and getting all new tires, before giving the car to her daughter.</p>
<p>Being such a procrastinator and carrying an entirely unnecessary expense for so long is certainly nothing to brag about, but I’m very happy to be rid of that car!</p>
<p>S1 graduated last weekend – a great weekend all around. We got to meet his friends, his professors, see him as a real adult in his new world. But the best thing was, we got to the graduation ceremony, opened the program and saw listed Student Speaker - S1!!! He had been elected by his classmates to speak for them at graduation. He had known for a couple months, but never said a word to us. He did a great job.</p>
<p>Lololu-</p>
<p>How fun!!! Congratulations!!!</p>
<p>I am so glad my kids love each other enough to go on a roadtrip together–they start today. They’ll be going from LA to Tahoe & then across to the east coast. D grumbles but they both recognize it as important bonding time and know they’re creating more lasting memories! 
S will thereafter be starting his NEW JOB!</p>
<p>S was the only one of 8 roommates to live in-state. He brought home a <em>trailer</em> of furniture–double bed, huge corner desk, endstands, tables, 52" projection heavy tv, huge leather couch, grill and a carbon diox. tank and kegerator. His plan A was to put it somewhere here. No-go. His plan B was to put it in his brother’s basement. Umm, no. I own that house and I knew who would be dealing w/ it when his brother moved out.</p>
<p>I am really glad I went to town later and saw him pulling into Goodwill! They took everything but the tv and kegerator. Recycling center should take tv and kegerator will be easy to give away. Now if I can get him to go through
the plastic bins he took to his room :)</p>
<p>HI Mom–that is great about your kids. What every parent wants: their kids to be close and connected without you.</p>
<p>Both my kids (D who will be a senior in college next year and S who will be a freshman) have full-time jobs for the whole summer; both jobs are very well paid. whooo hoooo!!!</p>