Was that the Aaaaaaggghhh or did it went on like this? I hope it was the Aaaaagggghhh, because that's more than enough to take on one day.
Hope you still get a very good result!
There maybe more cake and alcohol on the bench of Session B exams.

I have decided not to go today. How galling would it be if DS was involved (he's boarding so I don't know if he is)?! No, of course he wouldn't be involved, how silly of me!

Oh and it is the same with sport. We have been told by a professional that DS has an amazing talent for a certain sport and should be in a higher team but if you're not in the 1st XI Rugby then they assume you can't be talented at any other sport!

I worked in the library of a public school. The sporting section of the library was divided into two sub sections - C and NC . When I asked what they meant, I was told - "Cricket" and "Not Cricket."

I think DS needs to go to that school!

Argghhhh, still fuming and can't stop fuming!!!!

Jod, people aren't thick. Its just you being thick-headed. There's a difference.

I am trying to do some work and am struggling. Lost my keys this morning- bad start to day.. still feel stressed about that.... and DD1 has been on a higher Ed conference and is now stressing about her future. She has rung me 8 times.... doesn't know what to do at university etc etc and as much as I love her and want to help, I can't decide for her....

...and I've lost my glasses so the little work I am doing will give me a headache later.
Was supposed to be going out for lunch- I cancelled so I could do some work... and guess what- I have written about 4 lines.....

It's not much in the grand scheme of things but I'm getting frustrated.... and now I'm on here wasting my time and not working.....

I give up....

post reported.

Sorry Jod but this is so funny! And has helped my fuming levels go down from 10 to 9!

Funnily enough MNW today I'm thinking very CLEARLY as for once I'm not battling Fibro-fog.

Just to be clear, I do not read all the threads. I tend to stick to parents, some teacher threads, the Arghh thread so if the above comments are relating to a prior thread then I haven't read it. I shouldn't read posts in isolation but I do. So I read your being surrounded by thicko's as quite offensive and the return comment by aesir22 as justified but I could be wrong.


BUT ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH TO THOSE THAT JUDGE A PERSON ON INTELLECTUAL ABILITY! It is unbecoming and rather....unintelligent!

Lol you reported that? You have the audacity to do that after callling me stupid, thick, inadequate and arrogant over a lot of different posts? Think yourself lucky I don't report you!

reported again. You don't know me from Eve.

....

Poor you Celeste. (gently) avoiding all tenderpoints.

And yet you seem to know me well enough to say I am intellectually your inferior. Report all you like, trust me when I say enough people on this forum are upset by your attitude and behaviour that I have nothing to worry about.

So now I have every right to scream and cry!

After school saying they felt they could not say yes or no to the RCM, we told them that we would accept the place then as there was a deadline of the 21st May. They have just got back to me today saying DS will be missing double science and double English and he is not allowed to join the RCM. Whatever happens we are now liable for a terms fees of RCM or school and if it is school then it is too late to find a school now for September. I'm really very unhappy.

You have told them about the RCM place?

Tell them DS is going to the RCM and that you believe they have been disingenuous, and that by timetabling core-subjects on a Saturday morning they are being prejudicial against Music. Also be prepared to name and shame the school around the media.

I wouldn't name and shame them. On the whole it is an excellent school and DS has been happy there which is what is bothering me so much. If he was unhappy then we would be saying goodbye and stomaching the fees in lou but I have to think of the social implications. I just can't believe this has happened on the last day of term!

I'd still negotiate like mad with the office. This really 'isn't cricket!'

Lots of sympathy! I was one of the student reps at our open day last week, and it was really irritating how many of the students stand back and let their parents ask questions, without putting a word in edgeways themselves! Sometimes you wonder who is making the application...

At least you're determined not be a helicopter parent, despite your daughters attempts to the contrary!

Oh yes....you are quite right. But they usually show themselves up for being complete social retards

I dunno, I have sympathy with all sides on this one. Academic snobbery is rather irritating, but so is (to give a personal example) trying to explain anything remotely technical to the scientifically illerterate majority. Can you image how frustrating it can become to constantly say "oh yes, I'm studying this subject" only to get "ooo, you must be clever" ('no, not especially so') or *blink-blink-I-clearly-have-no-idea-what-that-is-and-now-I'm-embaressed*.

I don't ever intend to make people feel inadequate, they do it to themselves, but it doesn't stop me feeling hurt (and occasionally very frustrated) with their (often overly defensive) reactions.

I imagine similar sentiments apply for other people with particular specialisms or levels of education. It can easily cause a few ARRGGHHHs now and then, however socially ept you try to be.

Well I never had that as a Civil Engineer Except in Germany where I delighted in being addressed as "Herr Ingenieur". I did like that.

fortunately as a geek, I am socially inept in such a way that means I am usually too clueless to recognise when I am in one of these situations

I think its basically the same as the next option (read it as "ooo, you must be clever": Because that's something I've never heard of and have no idea what it is but it has two scary words in it, so... "you must be clever").

I guess by contrast, people normally think they have some idea what a civil engineer does. Even if they don't really.

I shouldn't complain too much though, it might be the common reaction, but its a darnsight more flattering than "OhmyGOD, how boring!" and "Oh... oh, well I suppose girls do study subjects like that these days.", both of which I have also encountered.

(argh!)

Erm. Yeah. Had that one. Though to be fair it sprang from an entry that was infamous in Yellow Pages for some years. It read - "Civil Engineers - see Boring".

Some students won't ask any questions, so the parents have to. My daughter won't speak to people she doesn't know. (So if we go somewhere I have to be prepared to speak up) I have tried asking her in advance what she wants to find out, but it doesn't make any difference. I try to wait until the end at things like open days to give her every chance to ask questions, but rather than come home none the wiser I would ask the guide at the end if there were any points we hadn't resolved. Another thing to bear in mind is that the parents may have been through university themselves and know what questions to ask, but the students could be clueless.

I don't know what a chemical engineer does, but it sounds fun

Try telling people that you are researching calcium signalling. You get a lot of questions about osteoporosis and milk

Civil engineer....you're a really polite and civilised engineer? I admit to not knowing what a civil engineer is/does...please enlighten me as I have come across people who do the same and I wondered what it was....

I think they do bridges and stuff

Hubby is an electrical engineer, and people don't usually know what he does either

...So you are saying this is fine when you are 18! However by the time you are middle aged one should know better. What hypocracy!

I am forever frustrated by people who make assumptions as they see a tiny woman and assume a tiny mind. Well I'm not like that and I'm fed up by the people here who see fit to laugh at my expense. I'm not a civil engineer. I have trained as a musician who majored in musicology. I am well read. I have an extensive general knowledge and vocabulary. When I state I must remember how dense the average member of the population is it is because I am frequently reminded in everyday life and not just by comments here.

The people who have commented have not met me. They don't know whether I could apply to Mensa or whether I'm a fool. They judge by their own standards. It is no coincidence I married someone with a first-class degree and a doctorate; I'd be bored with anyone less able.

Sorry. I'm not sure what was hypocritical about what I said. I wasn't talking about anyone middle aged, just about my daughter. Have I offended you?

Completely baffled and worried that something I've said has been taken the wrong way.

Ok I really am going to try to be civil here. Please, please don't say the average member of the public is dense. None of us has the right to judge that. You are clearly well educated and take pride in your education...thats great. And while I understand there are certain members of the public who have no interest in bettering themselves and coasting through life, most just get on with life happy as they are. And if they are happy, it doesn't matter if they have a basic school education, a college education, or a PhD.

And yes, people are wrong to assume small stature means small mind. The smartest girl I know is only 5foot tall but she's now working for NASA!

No, not you Andante... just a few others. Your post just was a good one to attach it to as the example of your daughter was something I could really relate to... she was just somewhat younger than I am...

I think of it this way: I know how smart (or how stupid) I am. It doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks, because that is not going to change how smart (or how stupid) I actually am. People are welcome to judge me based on the quality of my language, length of hair, colour of trousers, choice of dessert or shoe size, it's all the same to me.

I've occasionally pretended not to speak English because it gets me out of sticky situations like being chatted up. But I'm a dodgy foreigner, so I can get away with it. I do get people shouting pidgin Chinese or Japanese at me sometimes though.

Edit: removed a stray "The"

That is as maybe. However, you have been communicating with someone who is very frustrated with you is not working for NASA is under 5 foot tall and is also extremely smart. You just have not realised this yet.

You don't have to be a scientist to be smart. You can excel in other fields...

You being frustrated with me is your issue and not mine. Enough people here have seen I have done nothing wrong. As to you being smart...you have shoved your education down our throats in almost every post you have made so I don't think anyone here doubts your intelligence. You just seem to be obsessed with everyone acknowledging it. Yes, you are intelligent. Does this make you better than anyone else? I'm pretty sure it doesn't, no

Stop treating every post like its a personal attack. I supported you on the small stature small mind issue, and you still turn it round on me!

YES!!! ME TOO!!! However I am English and unless I'm abroad where jumping into French, German, rudimentary Italian or really basic Portuguese is a cover, then I can't apologise for who I am and how I actually think and the frustrations I have with those who don't get it!



Not my education... you have presumed that... my degree is from a Polytechnic I am from Cambridge I never went to the University I've just mixed with the people who attended the University due to family ties and locality.

My daughter is a field engineer, but it's got nothing to do with my idea of what a field is.

Hmmm...
I am female, but have never been assumed to have a tiny mind because of it, nor would I tolerate it.
I am highly trained and skilled in some fields (but feel no need to ram it down peoples throats), and a complete dunce in others (and don't mind asking 'stupid' questions if I don't understand).
I don't understand snobbery or inverted snobbery and have no time for either.
I guess if you are secure enough with yourself you are less likely to feel the need to look down on others or feel threatened. But the main key to a more stress-free environment is tolerance.
I'm FAR from perfect, but I keep having another bash at it

I'm a Chemical Engineer - I don't honestly care whether people know what that is or not as long as the people I work with and for do.

I am quite happy for anyone to assume I'm intelligent because I have an engineering degree. If they don't know me,it doesn't matter, if they do, well, they will work out the truth for themselves eventually.

my general philosophy is that there are more important things in life to get cross about....

Oh, MusicalNitWit - I'm so sorry! Isn't there any way round it? Could you persuade the school to a term's trial to see if could keep up while missing Saturdays? You could offer to get him a tutor on an evening when he sleeps at home. I'm sure he can't be the first child they've had who's needed regular time off in order to cultivate a talent.

The rest of you - fight among yourselves until I've finished my tea and choccy biscuits. You're making me spit crumbs on my keyboard.

That has to be the best sentence of the whole day. Thank you

Hmm... I brought in the sciency example just because it was a personal case where I get frustrated with 'ignorance' (Unfortunately that word has such predjudicial overtones... I can't think of a suitable synonym. Obliviousness? Perfectly understandable lack of knowledge?). I cannot claim any expertise at all in anything other than my perculiar discipline (and I'm not sure I'd describe myself as particularly expert about that!)! I was not trying to get at anyone, let alone imply that only scientists are clever, just illustrate how understandable such frustrations are, and empathise with the feeling. Apparently I didn't make this very clear.

As for fighting, I consider that a bit of an overstatement. People can be sensitive enough on this forum, without reinforcing the impression of it all being personal attacks, rather than (interesting??) discussion.

I don't know if it has registered to 'dumb and dumber' but:

Today I took a grade 8 examination in an instrument that I enjoy playing but I had a bad experience with in the sixth form and the experience was not ideal.

I suffer from Fibromyalgia but manage to teach music and look after two children.

There has been a significant psychiatric event in the last six weeks.

I do have problems due to my intelligence and how I fit in.

Now you lot might think this is a huge joke. I don't. Please stop laughing at my expense.

Not your education?!?!?!

Jod, I could practically write your CV based on your recent posts. Not to mention your biography.

Chill!

Did they originally say why they felt they couldn't say yes or no to RCM? And have you got it in writing?? It seems an odd thing to say, after all, if they had said a definite 'no' for instance, you would have known where you stood and not wasted your money - either on the RCM or on the school. It seems a little odd also that they have two core subjects on a Saturday. Is it extra to the required weekly hours for these subjects? Might be worth checking.
I feel your frustration MNW - chin up!

What do you mean by required weekly hours? The school can set the hours it wants to for each subject. It's unusual for key subjects to be on a Saturday though surely?

When one of my schools did saturday, I had maths, double biology and english on saturdays when I was in year 11. So they definately do put key subjects on the weekend.

Sorry, I just wondered if there were a certain amount of hours that a school had to provide in core subjects, and therefore if these Saturday lessons were extra to this maybe MNW would have something to haggle with, that's all.
Just trying to help.