What Struck Me

Andy’s still getting lots of email from various colleges around the country. I’ve noticed a trend - a number of schools have sent emails with special “early decision” deadlines, some including waiving the application fee, no essay required, etc. Fine, good deal for the organized kid.

But now emails are starting to come that say “Deadline extended!” So, kids have been rushing to get their apps in - and then find out heh, no rush afterall. As if this time of year isn’t stressful enough, now we see all the unnecessary stress. I know the competition is getting fiercer and fiercer among the colleges to even bring in the applications- maybe by the time Nick is applying they’ll let the kids apply and get acceptance letters in junior year??

That said, Andy is taking advantage of this- he had decided not to try to get his application in to Rider for their early decision deadline (which was 11/15) but they extended it to 12/1, so he’s wrapping that up to submit now. This way he’ll know where he stands with them by Christmas.

And may I just say that college application essays are a JOKE- and the questions are often inane- how can they get any idea about these kids from a 150 word essay? That’s about the length of this post…

Had a nice mellow Thanksgiving- probably because it was just a small group of us. How mellow? Well, the highlight of the evening was a rousing round of alphabetical actors, and no one even bothered to argue politics (much).

Our friends Keri & Jim are coming over later tonight to hang out. Our house is about three steps above ground level, and Jim uses a chair. Now, Jim could get in, he’s a resourceful guy and I’m sure we would have figured it out. But Pat’s geek engineer eyes lit up and he said “I’m going to build a ramp in the garage! Tee hee!”

So he did.

It looks sturdy, but of course it hasn’t been tested yet. Not sure how long it will remain- it’s not likely Pat will give up his parking space with the winter weather coming. Maybe everytime Keri & Jim come over he can build a new one?

I spent the whole day in the kitchen. First I cleaned it, while watching bad tv (Entertainment Tonight… but it was this morning… and it was the show from last night, so it was Entertainment Last Night… and then Guiding Light- oh no Tammy girlfriend, don’t do it! Don’t marry Sandy! Ha- I haven’t watched a soap regularly in 10 years- but I recognized half the characters, I’d probably fall right back in to the CBS soaps if I took the time!)

Then I cooked. Fortunately I’m not hosting this year- but we’re sharing the cooking duty so I was assigned corn pudding (made it a few years ago and it’s been a request every Thanksgiving since), two veggies of my choice and a dessert. So I made the corn pudding, and creamed onions. I don’t think I ever had real creamed onions before- they came out goooood. Also I steamed some broccoli. All will be reheaded reheated (not putting the heads back on…) in the microwave tomorrow- stove and oven real estate is hard to come by.

For dessert I made a chocolate pecan pie… YUM!

My weather bug is chirping that we should get some snow, an inch or two. It was cold today- I spotted the first icicle of the season hanging from a leak in the gutter. I miss summer. I am so going to move south when I’m an old lonely lady with cats.

We raked and cleaned up the yard yesterday, and I’d like to think we’re done.

But the oak trees are just not cooperating, once again.

A few other trees have leaves, but it’s these oak leaves that clog up the gutters and get stuck in the bushes, and just look ugly all winter if we don’t get rid of them. I’d just love to have it all cleaned up before we start putting out the Christmas decorations.

/got nuthin’, obviously

Overall, the concert was great last night- very glad I went!

The crowd was overall amazing. Such a different experience from seeing the band! There was the guy next to me (a few seats over thank goodness- the seats between us were empty) who spent the first two songs on his cellphone then left and didn’t come back. A screeching woman a few rows in front of us “Bruuuuuceeeeeeeeee! We looooooove yooooooooou!” thankfully stopped and actually spent half the show elsewhere (but of course, when she came back she was on her cellphone.) She did have one last “One more for Jersey Bruuuuceeeeee!” after the lights had come up. Lots and lots of people left early, don’t know if it was the music or the rules that scared them away (no food or alcohol in the seats, concessions closed 10 minutes before show time, no returning to your seat during a song.) Maybe both. At least it made for a quick exit at the end of the show, we were home a half hour after the last notes of Dream Baby Dream on the pump organ faded away.

The rest of this post is probably for Springsteen fans only :wink:.
(more…)

I just want to publicly thank my husband Pat for going to the Springsteen concert with me later tonight. He likes Springsteen, but I know he wouldn’t be going to see him on his own- he’s only going because I really want to go to the show.

And there’s no one I’d rather be there with. He “gets” my Bruce obsession. He doesn’t mock or judge me. He even finds bootlegs for me :cool:.

And best of all, in the moment, he’s right there with me when a song that touches my heart gets played. He can tell when it matters.

Oh come take my hand, we’re gonna ride all the way to the promised land
We’ll dance all the way…

Got a phone call Monday from a friend- she had a spare pair of tickets for this Thursday’s Springsteen concert- was I interested?

Duh.

Not as easily said as done, however. Pat had a meeting scheduled. I asked a number of friends- it was just too last minute for any of them. Then Tuesday morning I got an email from one friend- she could make it afterall. Great! So I tried to call Friend With Tickets- phone was busy. Then Friend Who Can Make It Afterall called back- nope, her roof is coming off (getting a second story addition) and while that might seem a great reason to NOT be home- her three kids kinda need her there. So now she’s back to One Of The Friends Who Can’t Make It.

Called Friend With Tickets and told her that I just couldn’t swing it, she should try to find another buyer. Boohoo.

This morning Husband With Meeting called and said guess what? I’m now Husband Who’s Meeting’s Been Cancelled! Called Friend With Tickets and why yes, the tickets are still available.

So I guess I’m going to see Bruce tomorrow night!

Never saw him perform without the E Street Band so I’m really looking forward to this. I’m just hoping it’s not an arena full of people who think it’s ok to talk through all the “quiet songs”. This being an acoustic solo tour- they’re all quiet songs! In NJ you get a lot of fans who “get it”. And you get just as many who “don’t”.