Tag Archives: college

March 10, 2013 · 9:55 am

Full House Week

Friday all the kids returned to the nest for Spring Break. I’m pretty sure Divine Providence aligned Auburn and Michigan Tech’s academic calendars this year to enable all the kids to be home at once. And as much as I do appreciate having them home, it’s not lost on me that I have to cook for 5 again, have to endure the television being on at all hours again (I don’t like to turn the thing on unless there’s something specific that I’m going to watch. I like the quiet), and enjoy bantering and what not.

I know, I’m never happy.

I think the Universe collaborated on this because I’m pretty sure this is the last time we’ll have a break like this with all the kids home. The oldest kid is getting ready to head off to Grad School, at best will be several thousand miles away from Minnesota, read “not coming home except for big holidays” and at worst might be in foreign countries, read “not coming home for anything”. I think these family reunions are close to taking on the look and feel of a real reunion, meaning once or twice a decade and or when someone dies. And since I’m probably first on that list I won’t even get to enjoy the time.

Because nothing good ever comes without a price, there is a downside to having Auburn and Michigan Tech aligning their academic calendars- graduation. Both sons have finals the same week and for the young man at Auburn that includes a final on Friday. Which means we have a clusterfuck of a logistics problem trying to figure out how to get him packed up and out of the dorm in Alabama on Friday afternoon, and into a seat for Pomp and Circumstance in Houghton Michigan 18 hours later.

Houghton BTW, one of the most remote places in the contiguous 48 states. No one gets there easily.

Actually it’s not the lad that we’re all that worried about, its how we parents are going to be able to do this. One of us will have to go down to Alabama and facilitate the evacuation from Lupton Hall. The other one of us will have to pick p Grandma at the airport in MPLS and get her to Houghton, a 7 hour drive.

At this point I have no idea how all of this is going to come together, I keep thinking about the fable with the wolf, the sheep and the sack of grain and how many trips the farmer will have to make across the river to get everyone over safely before the scorpion stings him in the back and they both drown because it’s what scorpions do… It is a situation that is that confusing.

And when my wife needs me to think clearly and come up with a solution for something like that I like to retreat into my basement hidy hole and eat tater tots and watch MASH reruns until the feelings of confusion go away or I fall asleep and nap for a few hours. Problem is there is a kid living in the basement this week so I’m stymied once again my this “full house” thing.

And.. for the 1,395th time there is water in the basement.

Mrs S and I were off at the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters for a little Lodge event yesterday afternoon. More on that even later, suffice to say while I enjoy the shows, I don’t like spending 5 hours on a Saturday in one place and the food sucks. I digress.

Water problem in the basement.. There are 11 identified conditions which can cause water to appear in our basement. Among them:

  • Drain pipes not glued together- shitty contractor there, but was fixed in 2010. We think. 
  • High humidity- we’ve had enough condensation down there to create pretty good sized puddles that soak the carpet. Dehumidifier in stalled in 2009, re-installed (backward condenser) in 2011. Seems ok for now.
  • Power outages- In the spring or when it rains the sump pump down there runs about every 20 minutes. If the power goes out… Installed a battery system in 2011. Installed moisture alarm in 2012.
  • Tampon Tidal Wave- flush enough high absorbency items down the stool; hygiene products,  entire rolls of toilet paper, old mop heads, kittens etc… and the main sewer line clogs which causes the downstairs toilet to explode which causes us to have to bring in Service Master which causes me to have to look up words like “coliform”.. Solution- remove all trees and shrubs between the house and the city sewer line and get the line rotorooted every year. If nothing else works please G-d let this one never happen again.
  • Fast Snow Melt, frozen drain pipe. BINGO.

 OK no one gives a shit about my basement issues, price I pay for living in a hole. This time around it was the fast snow melt. Good news is, both boys were home, saw what was happening and fixed the problem on their own, bailing out a flooded window well AND bypassing a frozen drain pipe thereby limting the water in the basement to the cement floor in the mechanical room.  

And in that one instance making 22 and 18 years of care and feeding all worth it. I can now recommend having sons, which up until then I was on the fence about, about children in general actually. Actually the best part of this whole affair was coming home and watching the boys having a great time together solving this problem. Kidna cool, Mrs S did a great job parenting these kids.

But Sank, you have a daughter.. jury is still out on that, she’s a teenager at the moment and wouldn’t be fair to judge.

Yet.

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January 13, 2013 · 9:18 pm

Weekend Update

Weekend update. 

We’re sedate around the Casa-Del-Sankary these days. The four of us who were around this weekend are all suffering rather acute headaches due to sudden caffeine withdrawal. Nespresso machine busted. I know, it’s a first world problem clearly, but its a HUGE but so are ‘roids and gout and this is on par with those. The machine, rather than puncturing the crue cups and blowing steam through them to create the delicious espresso drinks. Instead the machine is crushing the crue cups like an aluminum cans in a recycler. 

We’re all suffering the DT’s. 

Good news is when you pay a quarter of a grand on a coffee maker you become a privy to an “experience” as opposed just owning a piece of shit. So, the fine folks at Nestle are sending us a new one, and a new subscription to crue cups.. more coffee, more hits, more caffeine. 

Last kid left for college today. House is back to quiet. Food bill down to $23.00 a week for the three of us. We’re back to clothing optional around the house. 

Which why it’s so quiet around here, the other two have left until I start wearing long pants again. Don’t blame them. 

Cold this weekend. Ass numbing. Can’t wait for the walk to the bus tomorrow. I’ll keep my drivers license handy in case I have to prove my gender at some point. -8 is the forecast, makes everyone an “it’.  

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September 4, 2012 · 6:04 am

Empty Nest Diary

We’re not quite to empty, but pretty darned close. Down to the daughter who officially started only child status this morning, her first day of high school. The quiet around here is quite profound. There’s something of what I can only describe as a lack of presence around here, the house feels a little bigger these days as there are fewer people to bump into in the kitchen, on the way to the can, in front of the TV. Things I leave in my assorted dumping spots; the kitchen counter, the valet deal in the hallway, the corner of the bar in the den, the deck in my office, those things remain where I left them.

I will get used to that part of the deal in a hurry I believe.

On the other hand there was the weekend, Labor Day weekend. By Monday I can honestly report that I was experiencing a relatively new sensation for me, boredom. It was so quiet and there was so little to do around here that I actually found myself bored. And when bored I start putzting around and before you knew it, the day was gone and while I had seemingly done a number of things, I had actually accomplished nothing, save watering the lawn.

The old saying that body in motion in stays in motion and one that is not, does not.

I get it.

I did manage a Skype session with the Alabama kid. He’s marvelous as I thought he would be. Has met a bunch of people, as I knew he would, and is talking about going on a road trip this weekend with the campus Jewish student group to Mississippi State for the weekends football game. He’ll be the first of our family to go the state of Mississippi. Neat I suppose.

I’m very pleased to report that he crossed the border successfully, met with a graduate studies advisor at the University of British Columbia, the program he wants takes 10-12 students a year and according to the professor the kids transcripts and work at Michigan Tech would put him near the top of their applicants, very encouraging for him. Furthermore the Prof said that the job outlook for his field was excellent especially if he decides to stay in Vancouver and work there. Which was awesome for the kid, he decided that he could be very happy living in Vancouver, “every view is like a postcard”. Indeed. Expensive though.. postcard views aren’t cheap as the San Francisco crowd well knows.

And so, the kids are where they’re supposed to be and we’re back here transition to a quieter lifestyle. Our food bill is cut by 2/3. Good news I’m now planning more trips to Treader Joes and Byerlys for groceries now that I don’t have to purchase in bulk to feed a couple bottomless pits.

This is going to take a little bit adjustments me thinks, having a only child and semi-empty house. I’m already dreading this time four years from now when the last kid is gone. That’s going to be really strange.

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November 14, 2011 · 6:39 pm

Dad’s a little out of touch

Skyped with the oldest son this week. I’m trying to be better about keeping in touch with children far from home. When, this weekend, it came out that the lad had received 9 stitches in his lip a few weeks ago and I knew nothing about it.. she asked the uncomfortable question, when did you last speak to your son… Ayeya.. uh… mmm.. no.. umm.. I texted him a few times back in October, no wait we talked at her Dad’s funeral, we travelled together after all. So not that long ago. Oct 15th or so. Just yesterday.

Fact is other than that I don’t really chat with him except when he’s home. He’s a Junior now, I’m used to his being gone, as they say “outta sight, outta mind”.

I’ve now been informed this is bad and I should call him. So I did. Skyped him.

We didn’t have Skype when I was in college. Good thing too. Wouldn’t have been good to have my parents looking in on my dorm room or my room in the Frat house, or anywhere else I’ve lived.

Call came up, there was my son staring back at me. I skipped “Hello” and went right to “What the hell happened to your lip?” See, you can tell me stuff all you want and I’m still not going to remember when push comes to shove, I kinda live in the moment thanks to my constant ADD and dedicated lack of interest in the affairs of others. Oh yeah.. Dude slipped in the shower and hit the spigot with his lip, split the thing open pretty darned good.

First question a father asks.. “Where you dunk?” “It was 9:00 am Dad” Well, you could have had an eye opener or two, I don’t really know what his drinking habits are, I don’t talk to him much.. or the more likely Saturday morning scenario, still drunk from the night before. Truth is I don’t think he really drinks much and that wasn’t my concern, but I had to ask.

“Did you damage the spigot?” next concern is my security deposit in the house he living in. It’s fine, thank goodness. Finally.. “That’s quite a mark you have there.”

Turns out, after the incident he got a ride to the ER in Hancock Michigan where the Doctor on duty stitched him up. By the time I’d talked to him a different doctor had removed the stitches and uh.. as the lad says “When he saw the cut and took out the stitches his first comment ‘oh no, that’s not good’”. What’s not good is the nasty scar he’s going to have.

“Did a plastic surgeon take a look at it when you came in?” Most of the times I’ve had stitches in my face I’ve had a plastic surgeon come offered.. “In UP (Upper Peninsula) on a Saturday morning? Dad.. where do you think I am?” Oooo “The don’t have plastic surgeons up here, I think this was done by a taxidermist moonlighting in the ER, there are a ton of those up here.” Ahh which explains the nasty scar. “Well” I said, “you may have disqualified yourself from the crème of mail order brides, I guess we’ll save some money on your marriage.” He didn’t get it, but had a good response “but they do have good ER docs up here who are used to stuff like this, especially on Weekend mornings.. lots of bar fights.” Hadn’t though to that. “Ok, so you’re in good hands.”

I did have to ask a leading question to outwit him some and try, for once, to get some more personal information from him. When he complained about how much it hurt last week, and how he had move an appointment with his advisor, this is the one where their prepping him for Grad School, because there was a “flap” of something hanging out the back of his lip that hurt when he talked.. ok so maybe he’s not in the best of hands. “Son” I asked “does it hurt when you’re making out with someone?”

At that point we lost the connection some how and I decided to make some tater tots and move on, the Fall Conversation was over. He’ll be home next week so I can grill him in more detail on the kissing thing.

I don’t know that I would have used a plastic surgeon if it were me, my first question would be “how much?” and realizing that when you’re as butt ugly as I am doesn’t really matter. I guess a guy who specializes in walleye mounts and deer heads is cheaper and just as qualified as long as we don’t go putting any marbles into my eye sockets.

 

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October 21, 2011 · 2:18 pm

War Eagle!

War Eagle everyone.

If you happen to see the middle kid it would be entirely appropriate that you greet him with War Eagle, the official greeting for members of the University of Auburn family, also happens to to be the rally call for the schools athletic teams.

All this means good news at the Casa this week, middle kid has been accepted to Auburn University. We thought we’d wait to see where else he got accepted before we commit, to make sure he selects the school that’s best for him. The kiddo however, was waiting to see if he got accepted to Auburn to see if he had to apply anywhere else. Not exactly my advice to be totally honest. But.. it worked out for him. He applied for early admission. The university web site said early admission kids would notified between October 15 and February 1st.

I explained to him that the letter would probably come later than sooner, that’s kinda how this stuff works, and that he should buckle down and work up the essay he needed for some of his other choices; Oregon, Cal, Minnesota, and St. Thomas. I think Illinois was on that list at one point as well. Write up the essay dude, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

The letter came October 17. Way to go Auburn, way to screwup my plans. Still you want to make sure dude, lets follow up on the other schools and make certain you have some choices, you want to make choices. He had me send in the deposit October 18th.

So, basically it’s a done deal. Auburn here we come, or rather “he” comes, I won’t be going down except to drop him off, and if it works out, maybe to catch a football game at some point. That’s a long drive. But to his credit there is a method to his madness, apparently he gets priority for housing based on how early you begin enrollment. I can’t imagine there is anyone earlier than our guy, I’m thinking he’ll get the penthouse room on the Quad.. something called the Quad being his choice.

So as of this time next year, we’ll have one kid in Michigan, one kid in Alabama and one kid upstairs on an iPad.

Before we look forward to reuniting the family here in St. Paul, oldest kid is starting to look at Grad Schools. Grad School!! Kid has good taste believe me, but he also has the grades to back up his dream, which at this point is Leland Sanford Junior University in Palo Alto California. That Stanford. Second choice BTW, The Colorado School of Mines in Golden Colorado followed by the University of California in Berkeley California.

Here’s what I’ve noticed about all these schools, The mean distance between Minneapolis Minnesota and all of these places, about 12oo miles. In other words, the long term prognosis for Sankary kids in Minnesota is poor. I don’t know what the future looks like, Mrs S and I staying here and Minnesota being the central point for family visits and summers at the lake? Will the kids wind up somewhere near each other and we go there, will Mrs S’s disdain for Winter finally predicate a move to warmer climes, will the lure of California and family draw us back, the future is not clear at the moment.

I’m seeing change in the wind folks, the future will be exciting, hopefully not too exciting, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Or something like that.

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August 24, 2009 · 5:43 pm

Home Again

The local fare by you.We made it back. The drive isn’t quite as long as I thought, then again it’s something you’d pick up and do because you didn’t have clean laundry. And yet again, in the winter, if there were a storm, it would really really really suck, no doubt. But we all survived and are home safely. Good news.

Before we left today we were planning on going to go to a departmental meeting this morning that was CLEARLY on the parents schedule. CLEARY as in I saw it, and so did Mrs S. There it was, plain as day, “The Department invites you to visit with your Son/Daughter  instructors and learn about the program blah blah” So we went. And there was Nate sitting with the other 12 freshmen Geology students.

What wasn’t there, were any other parents. Before Nate saw us, I pulled the Wife into a corner and talked her out of going. A) you don’t want to say good bye for the third F’n time B) if we’re the ONLY parents there.. well do the math. All I could think about was helicopter. That and the fact that I was dying for a cup of coffee, Houghton completely lacking a Starbucks or any other coffee shop.

About that time the Dept Head was on his way to the meeting, saw us, and chatted up for a bit.. It was then that Mrs S realized that really, we should be going. And so, with that last glance in to the room, her parting view of Nate’s back and we got into the elevator and left the building.

Unfortunately we were out of the meeting an hour and half ahead of schedule so my dream of a last Pasty for lunch wasn’t going to happen. We pulled out town and started the long drive home. It was a bit quiet the first hour or so. Until the two remaining kids started fighting over who got what pillow and who got to put their feet where, and on and on and on and on and.. Fighting the urge to turn around and leave the two of the there, it was nice that chaos had returned and it was clear we were going to be OK.

The bad news is, the house is just a wee bit quieter than it was on Thursday. I think this is were the new reality will start to hit me… even if it’s not having someone around to yell at, as I am prone to do. No, it’s definitely quieter. It’s going to hit me more later this week when we head up to the lake. Nate is my fishing guy. Eric, not so much. Lolo will be, but she’s not quite there yet, and can’t back the boat down for me or run it up the trailer.. Yeah it’s going to be tough, lots of ghosts around the house and the lake. Good news is he’s a phone call away, I just don’t want to be the dreaded helicopter parent who’s in way too much contact with the kids. I’m hoping that we get to Skype with him this weekend and see how things are going..

Eric on the other hand.. We were back about 10 minutes, I kid you not, and he was already moving shit into his brothers now former room. Wow. At least let his parents go in there and pine a bit, shees.

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August 23, 2009 · 7:42 pm

More College Observations-

image Mom lost it, as predicted. Happened at about 6:05 as we dropped him at his dorm for the final time, I said “bye”, she got out of the car and BOOM tears she’d been holding back on came’a flow’n. She got back in the car and we pulled away. Since we had some time to kill, a common occurrence in Houghton, she wanted to go a pep rally for parents and see the Dean of Students speak. As we got up to the even, her phone rang, it was the dude.. “ya got my sweatshirt?” yup we do. And we’ll bring it down and we’ll get to do this all over again. I did it alone. Not a worry, I have attachment disorder, according to my parents, so it wasn’t difficult.

At the kids day for siblings deal the University put on, my daughter made a care package for her brother with a note telling him to do well and that she loved him and to show she did, here’s some Top Ramen and some popcorn and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. She then proceeded to tell me that all the siblings were supposed to make their college siblings these little packages at one of the activities. When the kids got in the car, Lolo ratted Eric out in three seconds. “Eric did NOT make a care package because he said Nate hates him”. “no I didn’t” “Yes HE DID, HE SAID IT WAS POINTLESS BECAUSE NATE IS A JERK”. I believe her, Nate certainly can be a Jerk and I can see Eric not wanting to shit in a group of kids.

So we dumped the dude off and said goodbye again and dropped Mrs S off at her deal and we were free.

I left her at the rally thing and had some time with just the little kids to head over to the Lambda Chi Alpha House to check it out, in case he wanted to rush. I went to an orientation about Greek Life at Tech and learned all about how different it was from my years at school. Apparently the houses are dry now, they don’t haze and they live in a lasting environment of brotherhood and love. Walking into the house unannounced.. well lets just say I felt a bit like Dean Wormer in Animal House walking into the Delta House. Tomr

I introduced myself as a Lambda Chi Alum and looked around… the boys were casually stuffing glasses of beer under couches and behind chairs looking like deer in a spotlight. My comment was priceless.. “well, apparently the houses aren’t as dry as I was led to believe.” There were cups of beer everywhere, a couple full pitchers that indicated that somewhere in this house was a keg, and a narghilla in the corner that says “we have Turkish students here” or, we’re a bunch of beatniks. Nothing like an unknown old fat guy crawling into your house to scare the shit out of you. The house was an ancient old mansion that the lads were living in. It was exactly as I remember frat life. Squalor, miles of beer cans, cig butts, a kitchen that looked like a toxic waste dump and smelled exactly like I remember our kitchen smelling. It was nasty as can be. I hope he pledges.

Michigan Thing

Ok, does EVERYONE in this state hold up the their left hand, palm away, and then point to a spot on the back of their hand when you ask “where are you from?”  Everyone I met from the Lower Peninsula does that, or as they say up here;“under the bridge” a reference to the Mackinac Bridge that connects the Upper Peninsula to the Lower Peninsula. According to local postcards, only trolls live below bridges.

 

Tomorrow, the four of us get one last pasty and head home. It’s been a weekend no doubt about it.

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· 5:01 am

Notes from the end of the world

Houghton 019

There is a postcard you can buy here in Houghton that sort of says it all. It shows a road sign in the forest with the the following message:

End Of The World   4

Houghton                    6

That’s about it. Houghton 014

After we dropped the lad off at his room last night we found ourselves in Houghton Michigan, on a Saturday night, with nothing to do. How about a movie? Well, lucky me I got me one them fancy GPS things that tells you where the theatre is and as much as I detest going to movies, there wasn’t much to do as we’d  already seen the big mine in Hancock and all. (the town across the river) GPS has a FIND deal, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE.. the Lode is downtown we saw that one… cool old art deco house probably built in the 30’s. Lets the see, the next one is…. 89 miles away. Shit. Target? 123 miles away. Kmart? 89 miles away, probably next to the theatre. Liquor store? .1 miles, .2 miles, .4 miles, .4 miles, .8 miles… PAGE DOWN FOR MORE RESULTS.

At least there’s that.

Roommate.com

Last night we left the lad in his dorm room with his roommate “the Quiet One”. I’m not sure how they match kids up with roommates and dorm sections and all that sort’a stuff, but whom ever do the match.com algorithm my guess, started this way. When we were in the check in process I started to have the parental doubts about whether my kid was ready for school, ready to be on his own, ready to learn how to remember to pick up his mail.. things like that.

In all honesty my son is not the fastest socially on the block. He gets along, hangs with most kids, is smart enough to know who’s a dink and who isn’t and I get all that. But, he’s sort of loner (gee where’d that come from), kind of an introvert, has a few close friends but would rather hang out on his skateboard than go to prom. Which he did. As we were in there I kept seeing groups of kids who looked like they just walked out of the pages of GQ and who had that “we’re here to party and get laid” look that I can recognize a mile away thanks to the training I received when I was in school, some things never changing after all. These are kids I’m going to have to have a long talk with my daughter about one day in the hopefully not to near future.

But we were here and I fought the temptation to load everyone back in the car and just head home and built a moat around the house to keep out the world…

Last night, after a trip to Wal-Mart, the only store in town, for a few 12 packs of pop and snacks and either net cables and extension cords and what ever else the hell we needed I made it back to the dorm where I had a chance to see it populated with his neighbors and future friends.

Glad to report we’re going to be fine.

Walking through the dorms I’m happy to that Nate will find himself pleasantly amongst friends and kindred spirits. Glancing into rooms as we walked down the narrow hallway, a sport I hadn’t engaged in like 25 years, literally in every third room was a kid hooked up to a really nice big flat screen TV and a headset and a mic playing the network version of Gears of War or something like that. I had to check in with my 15 year old to know exactly what they were doing. We almost left him here too.

Not that Nate’s a big gamer but he is a bit of nerd and it made me happy to see that every other person on his floor is a nerd as well. Those other guys? Must be moving into the Delta Sigma Phi house if it’s anything like it was when I was in school. I still equate those three Greek letters with “dick”.

Lambda Chi Alpha

On the other hand, I was pleased to see that my own alma matter fraternity was here, dear old Lamda Chi. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it weren’t for the brotherhood and strong bonds I made as an undergrad there.. not. I suggested to the lad that he should check them out when he gets time.. Mrs S, sitting next to me in the car made the following statement. “No FUCKING WAY”, I pushed a bit. “NO FUCKING WAY. I don’t want him hanging out with a bunch of womanizing drunks like you did. NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENED AT THAT FRAT OF YOURS”.

Hmm, “I meet you there” was about all I could reply.

It’s a wonder I didn’t burst into flames the way she was looking at me. I think there was real anger in her heart.

So, today is more campus tours, meeting with instructors, parents learning about how to be the parents of college kids, Mrs S is so excited she’s beside herself I’m thinking I want do some caching up here instead. We’ll see. The younger kids are going to Michigan Tech Sibling Camp where Lolo will get to do Jr High science experiments in the lab and learn about biology in a 6th grade way. Eric, who’s been bitching about going for 4 weeks is in for a treat, if he’d just shut the F up and do it. They’re going to the Geology Dept (Nate’s major BTW) and will be descending into a mine to see demonstrations of how copper was mined. Then they’ll spend the afternoon in the Physics lab making kinetic racers for a competition in the afternoon. Shit, he can take my place at the two hours I get to spend learning how to “Partner for Success- Parents role in College Experience”. or talking about the book “Lay that Trumpet In Our Hands”. We were supposed to all; Cheryl, Nate and I, read it so we could have a discussion about it today. Mrs S snapped at me yesterday “you never read that book dear.. how’ya gonna talk about it in our thing today, it’s like you don’t even care”. “Dear”, was my response “I spent 4 years of my college career sounding intelligent about books I never read, I’m sure it’s just like riding a bike.”

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August 22, 2009 · 5:26 am

College Move-in day

Today is move into the dorms day. After a rough night in the hotel.. Really, once experience of child-rearing that I’m certainly not going to miss is cramming a family of five into a hotel room. S-U-C-K-S. For one thing the air in the typical hotel room will support 2 adults for 8 hours. When you cram in a family like ours about 2 am the oxygen you’re breathing has already been in at least three other peoples lungs. The windows are dripping with condensation and daddy gets grumpy. Not to mention the constant battle of the sexs we enjoy. “TOO HOT” “TOO COLD” “TOO HOT” TOO COLD” uhh. I remember enjoying all this when we were travelling the small towns of Minnesota during the lads hockey days.

Our hotel is nice. We’re in the Ashtray Sweet. I don’t even remember the dude asking me if I wanted a smoking room or not, but I got a one, and it’s bringing back memories of my boys room from my highschool days. And once the kids had all filed through the john that cherished memory was completed after they trashed the place.

Mrs S spent part of last night handing out shower allotments. She was assigning times for us to be able to take our showers, ostensibly because we can’t all compete for it when we’re in a big hurry to get out of the room at 8:30 the following morning. Because I chose to engage with my family my putting on headphones and watching episodes of the office on my laptop, (in my defense they were watching Mean Girls with post mega-boob job Lindsay Lohan, who probably didn’t have to study much to learn the roll) I missed the shower allotment and got the evening shift. “Dad you gotta take your shower tonight ‘cause Mom blah blah blah” Really? I’ll take mine in the morning, thanks anyway. “well I just don’t want you be scrambling when you get up…” We’ve been married 24 f’n years. You’d think in that time, she would have noticed that I haven’t slept past about 6:00 in the last 15 of those. I also noticed that you haven’t gotten up before that time in that time. And, as part of the transformation to old guy, or maybe older guy, these days it’s more likely that I’m getting up at 4:30 or 5:00. Blows but it is what it is.

As predicted- 6:02 I woke up. We crossed a time zone on the way over here so 5:02 was about right on schedule.

This hotel is absolutely packed to the gills with parents and kids getting ready to start school this week. This being a full service hotel, they must have known that we’re all going to the same place this morning so they were nice enough to set off the fire alarm at 6:30. That took care of my family.

One interesting observation.. yet another difference between boys and girls. We got all of Nate’s shit into one suitcase plus his skis, skateboard and bike, oh and the fridge. But, we’re all in one car. The mighty Durango. In the parking lot of this hotel there are no less than 10 cars with attached trailers. The common denominator.. everyone of those cars that I can tell, has a daughter in it. Once dude has two daughters, twins it looks like. I kid you not he’s got a 16 foot heavyduty loaded to the top. Must not be moving into the dorm.

The plan for today, we go to orientation, or as they say in prison, intake, and then move into the dorm. We then will have 8 short hours to kill in Houghton before we have something to do. I’m sure I’ll be able to squeeze in another posting. Stay tuned.

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July 1, 2008 · 6:15 am

A New Adventure

Team Sank is off on a new adventure these days; the placement of our oldest heir in an accredited institution of higher learning. I could wax on for a long time about “where did the time go” and ” seems like just yesterday…” Which it does seem like just the other day that the Jock came walking down the jet way when we first moved to Minnesota, 4 years old and pushing his brothers stroller with Mom.

sniff

yeah. Now were off looking at schools… I’m actually not all that melancholy to be honest, we do have two more on deck and don’t officially enter the empty nest phase for another 7 years or so. Next year we’ll still have one in elementary school after all, we do have a bit of a way to go.

I digress.

So the boy is off to the big world of college. As parents, we do get to make some decisions for the lad, since ultimately the finances flow through us.. and so far we’ve only put in a few.

1) Thou shall not attend any school within 100 miles of thy parents house. This rules out the University of Minnesota. Not a bad thing frankly. Mrs S and I both feel pretty strongly that the college experience includes leaving home and living on your own. The “U” would not afford that. The lad hates the Gophers hockey team so this wasn’t much of an issue anyway except with a few or neighbors who can’t believe we would eliminate such a grand institution.

2) Thou shall not attend any public university, college, trade school or vocational institute funded by the State of Minnesota. In other words no Mankato State, no U of M Duluth, Moorehead and Morris we can negotiate but no St. Cloud etc. In our research, corroborated with our friends and other parents also shopping schools.. not where we want the lad to go.

Seems to be the general consensus that Minnesota has OK state schools and some really great private schools. Wisconsin has some really great state school and, other than a few high profile (sports) schools like Marquette, smaller less known private schools.

We’re lucky, the dude can be picky at least a little. He should be coming out of high school with about a 3.8 GPA, not the best but good enough to select from several options, and hes got strong ACT scores. He’s also the Eagle Scout, the Varsity Letter in sports, the French club geek and so forth.

3) Thou shall not go to any school sponsored or run by a  fundamentalist religious institution. This won’t be a problem, but no school with “bible college” in the name.

That’s it. Three easy criteria.

There was a 4th but Mrs S and Grandpa struck it from the list against my wishes. If thou decideist to pursue a major in business, finance, accounting, or management, and if thou thinkist that thou wants to get an MBA.. I ain’t paying for it.. no business majors..

Bitter Dad syndrome but after 20 years in this gig.. do something rewarding.

Among the schools that are “good”, most of the State Universities in Wisconsin where we get reciprocity. Schools like UW Eau Claire and UW Lacrosse have really good academic reputations, fine faculty and small classes that make them comparable to many of the outstanding private schools in Minnesota.

So for those of you interested in making book on the lads decision, here’s the front runners…

1st of all know that they lad has sort of decided that he wants to go into geology. After listening to his father talk about his career (sic) in the world of business, he wants none of it. He’s decided the wants something where he can be out doors. A good choice for him.

So in his school search, here’s what we’ve come up with.

As of July 1, 2008 the front runner is..

The Colorado School of Mines.

Funny, 30 years ago I was in Colorado with my high school. We went to Golden to see the mountains and Coors and there on the hill was a sign for Mines. “School of Mines” I thought, “Who would go to a school of mines..” Well.. turns out it’s a top notch institution. Good luck getting in dude. One down note on my side.. I’m not sure I could get excited about being an “Oredigger” to be honest.

Close second… Michigan Tech

Houghten Michigan is a great environment for this kid and I’m hopeful for this one. While both schools are small, which I believe he needs, and both are in outdoor wonderlands, which this kid loves, and both are excellent, especially in his field of choice, Tech has a the ski hill on campus and is an 8 hour drive, not insurmountable. Go for Tech… BTW a Husky is much more approachable than an Oredigger.

The long shot school.. Cornell.

I’m not sure he has the grades or the activities for Cornell, but if should get in there how can you tell him no. He’s never visited the school so we’ll have to figure out that one..

Last on the current active list… Missouri School of Science and Technology. Formally known as Missouri School of Mines in Rolla Missouri. This one is comparable to Tech and Mines, only in Missouri. I’m not sure rural Missouri is where this kid would want to be.. but who knows. It is a good school and small and has all the other good things Tech and Mines have.. except it’s in… Missouri. No skiing, no mountains.. Ozarks? Who knows, we’re visiting in 4 weeks.

Other thoughts.. he believes he wants to live in Seattle for some reason. He’s never been there for heavens sake.. he likes rain and thinks that’s the bomb. Washington has come up as an option as well, but a loong shot as I think his other choices are better and his reasoning on that school isn’t so sound.

That’s it. The Future Sweepstakes for this kid are just getting started. You’ll be seeing more about this in this very space as the year goes on.

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