OT choosing one's fears ... USA political rant

rw wrote:

Jeff Miller wrote:

rw wrote:

Jeff Miller wrote:

i did see one of my former students last year. while here, she was
a quiet, violin-playing, conservatively-dressed, high school
republican. after 6 months at yale, she returned home for a holiday
break sporting a nose-piercing, rasta-like hair, bell-bottom-hippie
attire. it was an encouraging experience. g




Was her name Charlotte Simmons? :-)

i haven't read that one yet. but, she was very, very smart...


Charlotte was from NC, too.


wolfe's daughter is at chappy college...and he spent time at duke and
carolina doing background research...

"Jeff Miller" wrote


artists, thrive in nearly any educational environment because the unique
driving force comes from within....let him find it. he's got enough
experience now to make the decision, eh?

jeff


Jeff, I find that to be sincere, quality, advice

and I thank you for that.

On 2/2/06 6:30 PM, in article
, "Larry L"
wrote:

Left to his own choices, this guy would be reading or writing and it's
impossible for me to clearly envision him in any future role except some
sort of life long academic.

Nooooooooooooo! Anything but that!

:-)

Do you happen to know of a 'local' school
known for being a great place for aspiring creative writers?

Don't know how local it is for you, but he could have a look at Reed. I
mean, if he really wants to go off the deep end of the left side of the
pool.

Bill

On 2/2/06 7:19 PM, in article ukxEf.707$8D6.574@dukeread11, "Jeff Miller"
wrote:

iowa... damn, that word looks funny. that is a state somewhere out your
way, isn't it? g for creative writing, iowa is supposed to offer the
best opportunity and has a superlative reputation. doubt he'll find the
money-driven student population there.

Big sis got her doctorate there, but ended up in rhetoric rather than
creative writing. But she knows a lot of the folks at the Writer's Workshop.
I didn't mention it to Larry 'cause I figure it doesn't fit the "local"
definition for him.

creative writers, like most
artists, thrive in nearly any educational environment because the unique
driving force comes from within....let him find it. he's got enough
experience now to make the decision, eh?

We've even had a few good ones come out of Case.

Or look at a little place like Kenyon.

Very good point, Jeff!

Bill

William Claspy wrote in news:C008C406.D72F%
:


We've even had a few good ones come out of Case.


Yeah-

My favorite creative writer at Case was the undergrad who cut himself a
huge check in the Bursar's office. When one of his coconspirators tried to
turn himself into the Dean, the Dean didn't believe him, until the books
didn't seem quite right months later.


--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 08:25:42 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/2/06 7:19 PM, in article ukxEf.707$8D6.574@dukeread11, "Jeff Miller"
wrote:

iowa... damn, that word looks funny. that is a state somewhere out your
way, isn't it? g for creative writing, iowa is supposed to offer the
best opportunity and has a superlative reputation. doubt he'll find the
money-driven student population there.

Big sis got her doctorate there, but ended up in rhetoric rather than
creative writing. But she knows a lot of the folks at the Writer's Workshop.
I didn't mention it to Larry 'cause I figure it doesn't fit the "local"
definition for him.

Interesting. Just shows how mere words on ROFF can be misunderstood -
since he had "local" in quotes, I took it that he meant the "flavor" of
the school rather than his proximity to it, based on the assumption that
he'd probably already know about those literally _local_ (close) to him.

TC,
R

On 2/3/06 8:32 AM, in article
, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

William Claspy wrote in news:C008C406.D72F%
:


We've even had a few good ones come out of Case.


Yeah-

My favorite creative writer at Case was the undergrad who cut himself a
huge check in the Bursar's office. When one of his coconspirators tried to
turn himself into the Dean, the Dean didn't believe him, until the books
didn't seem quite right months later.

Case students are creative in many ways:

http://www.collegehumor.com/movies/1647759/

Bill

William Claspy wrote in
:

On 2/3/06 8:32 AM, in article
, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

William Claspy wrote in news:C008C406.D72F%
:


We've even had a few good ones come out of Case.


Yeah-

My favorite creative writer at Case was the undergrad who cut himself
a huge check in the Bursar's office. When one of his coconspirators
tried to turn himself into the Dean, the Dean didn't believe him,
until the books didn't seem quite right months later.

Case students are creative in many ways:

http://www.collegehumor.com/movies/1647759/

Bill



Would you believe the UR Med Ctr blocks that site??
--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

On 2/3/06 11:10 AM, in article
, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

William Claspy wrote in
:

On 2/3/06 8:32 AM, in article
, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

William Claspy wrote in news:C008C406.D72F%
:


We've even had a few good ones come out of Case.


Yeah-

My favorite creative writer at Case was the undergrad who cut himself
a huge check in the Bursar's office. When one of his coconspirators
tried to turn himself into the Dean, the Dean didn't believe him,
until the books didn't seem quite right months later.

Case students are creative in many ways:

http://www.collegehumor.com/movies/1647759/

Bill



Would you believe the UR Med Ctr blocks that site??

Yes I would. :-)

Google up "dancing chalkboards". It's on a few other sites as well.

Happened a couple of years ago, April Fool's Day, Schmidt lecture hall.

Bill

"Larry L" wrote in message
...

"Tom Nakashima" wrote

My son got accepted to both Berkeley and Stanford, so I asked him why he
decided on the later?


The kid's girlfriend is going to Stanford.

Berkeley was interested in the kid straight out of HS ... they even called
him here at the house to ask if he was interested in attending, but at
that
time he was "sure" of what he wanted. At this point, it will be uphill
for
him to get into Berkeley. Being a public school they place priority on
transferring juniors from the state JCs and we hear it's hard to get
accepted as a transfer from a private school, regardless of your academic
merit, until graduate work.

If Berkeley called your son at the house, it means he has something they
want.
One of my wife's friends daughter was a soccer player, had poor grades, but
Berkeley wanted her.
Offered her a great scholarship, but she had to go to summer school to bring
her grades to at least a "C"


He mentioned Stanford, but we simply do not have that kind of money,
although I think he'd likely be accepted. He got well over 20K/year in
scholarships where he's at, or we couldn't afford that either.

Stanford is even harder to get in. They are the most selective in all the
schools on the West Coast.
It's not for everybody, but the ones who do get selected are brilliant
according to my son.
My son happens to be a cellist, and they wanted him pretty bad, but he's
also good academically, as h'll double major in med. I asked him what is
daily schedule is like? Up at 7:00am and he's booked all the way to 9:00pm
with only one 1/2 hr break when orchestra rehearsals let out, then he goes
to the library until midnight studying for chem.
I'm only 10 min. away, but when I drop off his laundry, he looks pretty
spent.
Once he told me he was the only one in the basement part of the music
library studying till 2:00 in the morning. I asked him how he knew he was
the only one in the library. He said the lights work on motion sensors and
he accidentally dosed off.
Yes, we're proud of him, but I have a daughter who is a complete opposite,
guess life balances out pretty well.


Left to his own choices, this guy would be reading or writing and it's
impossible for me to clearly envision him in any future role except some
sort of life long academic. Do you happen to know of a 'local' school
known for being a great place for aspiring creative writers? He may
never
be one, but it's what he mentions in hushed serious tones, and I FIRMLY
believe that if you do what you are really called to do, 'enough' buck$
will
come along for the ride to keep you fed and covered. As his dad I'd
choose a life of doing what he would really like over a more
'secure' one any time and every time ... it's what I'd choose for myself,
too.


On writing schools, like everyone else you have to do your research.
A lot of kids today are smart, everyone who applies to a major university
have high SAT scores and Straight A's, but the key is the college entrance
essay. If a child can't write, you can kiss those grades good-bye. They
weight those essay's heavily on entrance. I was told the univ hire
professional readers who weed through them. They even have a trash-can
labeled: "DDI" (Daddy did It).
-tom