I hate reality television, with the exception of a few cooking and home design shows. When people (mostly women) talk about how OMG they can't miss an episode of The Bachelor or any of the stupid shows on Bravo glamorizing conspicuous consumption, I automatically put them in the "we have nothing in common" category.
Then I'm definitely in that category. I was so happy LO napped well do I could watch Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in peace. I just love them all. I don't watch the bachelor though...Maybe there's hope?
There are many "artisan" beers that many non beer drinkers would probably like. Fruity ones. To me beer and wine are acquired tastes. When I was in college beer was cheeper, so there you go.
I agree with President Obama that two years of community college should be free.
However, not everyone should go to college.
I do not agree with this. It actually makes me very angry.
I worked my way through college. I took out student loans, I did workstudy, and I was even an RA, largely so that I could get a free room. I also spent tons of time and effort applying for scholarships and I had enough scholarships to pay for quite a bit of my schooling. I think there are ways to work for it. I would not be opposed to some program that offered avenues to make it easier, maybe interest free loans (I don't remember all the details of financial aid, I'm thinking there are some of those available), or other things that would make it easier, but not just free.
That said, I haven't read up on the plan and whether it is limited to certain majors or schools or whatever, but I'm still very opposed to it.
College tuition has probably gone up a lot since you graduated. I know in the Ca State system it's almost tripled and I graduated 7 years ago. I also paid my own way through school, but I was fortunate enough to have my tuition paid for through state and federal grants. I still consider myself as paying my way since I paid for books and board, although I recognize that I could have been saddled with far more. Because of the grants and working three jobs, I was able to graduate with no loans, which was especially nicw since I was going into a field that would ever make me rich (teaching).
It's very rare now to get a job at a top company without an advanced degree. There are also less entry level positions now because a lot is automated. Not having a degree severely limits your options and we're going to have a much bigger problem if we have a large chunk of people who are unemployment or have a degree but hundreds of thousands in debt. Education should not be forced, but it shouldn't be unattainable.
Most degrees at community colleges are technical type things that give them specialized skills (dental hygienist, etc) that wouldn't be offered at universities. And they can get into the job market much quicker.
I agree with President Obama that two years of community college should be free.
However, not everyone should go to college.
I do not agree with this. It actually makes me very angry.
I worked my way through college. I took out student loans, I did workstudy, and I was even an RA, largely so that I could get a free room. I also spent tons of time and effort applying for scholarships and I had enough scholarships to pay for quite a bit of my schooling. I think there are ways to work for it. I would not be opposed to some program that offered avenues to make it easier, maybe interest free loans (I don't remember all the details of financial aid, I'm thinking there are some of those available), or other things that would make it easier, but not just free.
That said, I haven't read up on the plan and whether it is limited to certain majors or schools or whatever, but I'm still very opposed to it.
But even if you take the whole personal responsibility angle, pragmatically there is a social cost to society when people are unable to get education and live in poverty as a result. Then children are raised in poverty and we as a society end up paying for that in terms of lowered economic growth and in terms of higher crime levels and the other costs associated with having a larger percentage of people living in poverty. The more people who can become educated, the better off we all are. And President Obama did not say that it should all be free, period. They want to set up a requirement such as requiring you to graduate within a certain time and I believe, actually passing classes and such. If people want to work hard to get a degree when they may have many fewer advantages than I had at 18 (and I got Pell grants) I don't mind paying the junior college tuition to make that happen. It benefits us all.
Related to the college discussion, I may have a legit UO. I don't understand why people want to set up college savings for their child at a level that will ensure that they can go to any college in the country and pay full tuition. As a parent, I feel like if you want to go to a private college you should have worked hard enough in high school to get scholarships. I went to a small private liberal arts school in Iowa and I was only able to go there because I got good grades in high school and got good test scores and had more than half of my tuition covered by scholarships. I never in a million years could have gone to a (then) 23K/year school if I or my parents had been footing the full bill. And most of the students who were there and were having their full tuition paid were not serous students in my experience, with the exception of international students. I have college savings accounts for both of my girls. I want them to go to college, any college they want, and to be able to do so without having tons of loans but if they do not earn scholarships they will attending community college and then finishing at a state school. I plan to have the money saved to cover that, or to cover private school with scholarships, but not four years at an insanely expensive private college at sticker price. Even if I had the money to do so (I don't) I would not choose to do that. If they value their education it needs to be something they work for, not just me.
Totally agree mrsnorris. Give them enough to not starve to death and get them going, but I was very invested in my higher education because I was in control of it. I'm definitely against giving your kids everything. H got everything paid for and his parents lorded it over him and he was basically their slave. Every time he came home there was a list of chores his dad didn't want to do and if he said anything he got the "well I pay for your tuition" lecture.
Ok I may have a real one. I realize that if your child is in DC then you are usually paying for it if they are there or not, but I find it annoying when moms who work complain about missing their babies when they are working, yet send them to DC if they have a day off so that they can have some "me" time. My SIL always did that and I side-eyed her hard for it. She always would say she wished she could SAH but every single week she sent her kids to DC on her day off so she could go to the grocery store, take a nap, or come to my house to get her hair done.
YESSSS!
I'm coming back to edit this after I get off work. But this is not UO with me. My SIL drive me nuts with this. Only she doesn't do productive things.
ETA: SIL will whine about how she wishes she were SAHM but then won't stop buying all the things and throws her kids in day care when her BFF visits and SIL is off work or just because . I totally understand needing "me" time but if you SAH, you have to know you don't have that luxury of dropping them off at day care; Maybe a Mother's Day Out but even then, you don't know what your finances will afford you.
Someone finally put her in her place a few months ago when she dreamily posted, "Great day- Pilates, lunch at some fancy restaurant, and shopping at JCrew; Why can't I be a SAHM?" I'd love to say it was tongue in cheek but she was 100% serious. She apologized really fast to her SAHM friend.
I don't agree with the free community college thing. If you want something, you should work hard and earn it- not expect a hand out.
I don't consider education a hand out. It's a means to better oneself. An investment in education will pay off greatly once the knowledge/skills are obtained. If we don't educate our society, then I think that means you are comfortable with hand outs of other kinds. Personally, I'd rather help someone in the form of education than in food stamps. It's the whole teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime thing. If we provide free education, we have a more employable work force that will be less likely to receive assistance in other forms. Plus, its not a freebie. It's two years at a community college. If they want a bachelor's they're still going to have to go to a university and foot the bill there.
Totally opposed to the free community college. And now they are going to start taxing college savings fund to foot the free community college. No, just no. I'm saving money for my children. I should not have to pay for someone else's college that is not my child. Granted, I have not read all into taxing the college savings. I just saw that it was going to happen.
DH was fortunate that his parents paid entirely for his tuition. They were able to save up for it. My parents were not able, but they would cover whatever financial aid didn't cover. Even though DH had his way paid, he never once took it for granted. While I do agree to help the kids out some with college, but let them have some responsibility in it is good for motivation for the kid. I also think that some of that has to do with kid's personality.
I don't agree with the free community college thing. If you want something, you should work hard and earn it- not expect a hand out.
Should we have to pay for high school then? Middle and Elementary school? Mind you, I don't know enough about the proposal to launch a full argument in either direction, but I think if a student can keep like a B average than that should qualify as "hard" work. But I can say if the cost of going to college continues to rise the way it has been, I am very very concerned about being able to afford college for my one child, let alone any others I might have.
I don't agree with the free community college thing. If you want something, you should work hard and earn it- not expect a hand out.
Should we have to pay for high school then? Middle and Elementary school? Mind you, I don't know enough about the proposal to launch a full argument in either direction, but I think if a student can keep like a B average than that should qualify as "hard" work. But I can say if the cost of going to college continues to rise the way it has been, I am very very concerned about being able to afford college for my one child, let alone any others I might have.
I agree with everything you're saying. I just want to add, though, that at the most expensive schools relatively few people pay full tuition so it's slightly less dire.
I fail to see how it's a free ride when you have to keep up a grade point average. You are basically investing in hard workers and good students. Sounds good to me.
In AR we have the Arkansas Acedemic Challenge. Basically the state will give you a scholarship that equals the tuition for the lowest cost state school if you make a certain score on your ACT and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher. The higher your scores the more it will pay. You can use the scholarship money at any school private or public. I made over a 32 on my ACT and had my undergrad paid for by the state.
Also, 2 years of community colleges means someone can get a liberal arts degree and how is that going to actually translate to helping them with employment?
As someone with a liberal arts degree I personally believe that there are lots of non employment-based benefits to having educated citizens in our society. That said, a person who went that route would probably continue for their BS/BA, I'd think.
Should we have to pay for high school then? Middle and Elementary school? Mind you, I don't know enough about the proposal to launch a full argument in either direction, but I think if a student can keep like a B average than that should qualify as "hard" work. But I can say if the cost of going to college continues to rise the way it has been, I am very very concerned about being able to afford college for my one child, let alone any others I might have.
some people are hard workers can just can't pull a B average, they just aren't good at tests or whatever. It happens, so it's hard to define what is hard work.
additional thoughts on the college thing:
I think there would be more benefit from setting up some programs for learning skills and getting training for specfic jobs that we need across the country. There are programs for learning these skills, but making those affordable and more widely available would seem like a better way to go. I'm not disagreeing that education can be expensive, I just don't think giving away 2 years of college for free is the answer.
Also, 2 years of community colleges means someone can get a liberal arts degree and how is that going to actually translate to helping them with employment?
This is exactly what community colleges are designed to do. I am not well versed in the proposed plan by any means, but I would bet the farm this is what it's designed to do.
True Blood was the most ridiculous fucking show ever and I'm sooooo glad it's gone.
I watched the first 5 minutes and was like:
My best friend made me watch all of the first season once. She kept telling me the next episode was better. By the end I was like, "Never speak to me of True Blood again!"
Expediency is key. They get major points over my local Subways, where you can watch someone take twenty minutes to make your sandwich, right in front of you! Woo!
My husband is that person on his phone at dinner. I've threatened to shove it in every orifice he has if he doesn't put it away.
Do men have some sort of predisposition to screen addiction? I swear there are times when I say to H "you realize you have three screens open around you, right?". Laptop on his lap, iPad to the left and phone in hand.
Post by weeklyplanner on Jan 29, 2015 19:19:33 GMT -5
UO: people who take advantage of their parents (LO grandparents) for daycare. Exceptions: LO is an infant (say less than 12-16 mo old) or the parents genuinely cannot afford daycare.
I know so many people who act like it's basically the grandparents job to be their full time nanny and use them for 5 years until Kindergarten. These are families with dual incomes and I know they are living a comfortable life. II get so annoyed when they are like "but my mom loves it." That's great, but your mom is also pulling a 50 hour week being your nanny after finally retiring from her career. I just think people get greedy and feel entitled to this type of situation. Especially when they keep popping out kids and handing them over to grandma all week.
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