cornerofmadness

I don't post all that often about my family or disagreements with them. I figure a) this is more message board than diary to me and b) I doubt anyone cares all that much. Today was interesting. Dad retired today. He liked the fishing book I sent him (mom bought them after I bought a Hodag hat for him) He had a great retirement party and they gave him a 400$ watch with sapphire appointments. AM I the only one who finds the watch for retirement a strange thing? I mean, now that he doesn't need to mind the time nor have work functions to wear a fancy time piece they give him one.

Anyhow that was the weird part of the conversation. He asked me about the school I'm interviewing at and how they could call themselves a university (hell if I know I thought that you ahd to have over X # of students to do that and anything under that number was a college). Which turned to talk about universities vs colleges and I said if you want to be ambitious especially in science go to a university then added I should have done that. That's when he comes up with well I wanted you to take the 6 year undergrad to med school accelerated program at Penn. State. ANd I kinda lost it. He said that once either this christmas or the one before and my brother and I were too stunned to respond. My brother said 'what the hell is he talking about. He and mom wouldn't let you go to a big school.' My parents have always remembered it that THEY wanted me to go to the university and me wanting to go to a small school. I've always remembered it the other way around and thought until my brother spoke up that I must have made it up to convince myself that I didn't tank my career before it began (because really as much fun as I had in college I needed to be in a big school to match my ambitions).

TOnight I'm like Dad, NO I wanted to go to Penn State or Pitt and you and mom wouldn't go for that (and when I was 17 I was a good kid, usually wasn't a problem and did what my parents wanted). He started aruging with me and finally hung up on me. He thinks me and John made this up (like why the hell would we) I even have distinct memories of Mom taking me to a branch campus of Penn State in a small town and at the time branch campuses were for remedial students to warm them up for the big time. THey told us there was nothing there for me. They don't remember this. Odd.

Things work for a reason I suppose. I had fun at Waynesburg, met some life long friends, did so much, things I probably wouldn't have done at a big school. certainly if I had been in the other program I would have been in medical school at age 19 which is probably why I don't have patience for some of my online friends when they're whining about being 21 and being a kid. I'm thinking, no, at 21 I WAS in medical school. Then again I was always a strangely responsible kid, getting two degrees in 4 years and if I had gone to summer school would have had 5 degrees (well 4 I doubt I would ever have finished my math degree). I have no patience for academic sloth which I think it's good that I'm a teacher now later in life. I'm much more jaded and don't take it personally when they don't pass. Back then I would have.

And I'll sign off there since I'm sure I'm boring everyone.

ETA - Go read this post by Evil_Little_dog and this wonderful speech denouncing the surgence of hatred against gay marriage and homosexuals in general and masking it in religion.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/evil_little_dog/67528.html?view=896712#t896712