It seems a bit presumptious, this going off to college before one has even completed High School. But what can I say? Ours are exceptional children. Smart, witty, trained in the Fine Arts, able to quote Monty Python at a moment's notice, practical, confident, and comfortable in the knowledge that They Know Everything (and its corollary, We Know Nothing).
Deb is taking a couple college-level classes this year because there just aren't any more Advanced Placement courses of interest remaining in the High School catalog. She's already taken the ones which addressed her particular talents; now it's time to give the big ol' college a chance to keep her challenged and growing.
She and her sister took the bus downtown to GRCC and then, while Deb sat in the classroom for an hour and a half, absorbing all the instructors words with rapt attention, her sister wandered through the Library and dreamt of all the books she longed to read. Or played on her iPod. One of the two.
And when the class was done, they scooted on out the door and down to the bus stop and home again, home again, jiggity-jig, to share a wonderful dinnertime conversation with the rest of the family before heading off once again, only this time to the High School Open House, wherein they met with teachers and friends and lockers to prepare for the beginning of the real school year.
Deb is taking a couple college-level classes this year because there just aren't any more Advanced Placement courses of interest remaining in the High School catalog. She's already taken the ones which addressed her particular talents; now it's time to give the big ol' college a chance to keep her challenged and growing.
She and her sister took the bus downtown to GRCC and then, while Deb sat in the classroom for an hour and a half, absorbing all the instructors words with rapt attention, her sister wandered through the Library and dreamt of all the books she longed to read. Or played on her iPod. One of the two.
And when the class was done, they scooted on out the door and down to the bus stop and home again, home again, jiggity-jig, to share a wonderful dinnertime conversation with the rest of the family before heading off once again, only this time to the High School Open House, wherein they met with teachers and friends and lockers to prepare for the beginning of the real school year.
2 comments:
Yay for concurrent enrollment! Super way to stay challenged and get a head start on college... saving both time and money. :-) What is she taking?
Funny thing struck me: you say "dreamt" where I would have said "dreamed" ... both are correct, but they sound and look completely different. "Dreamt" is quick and efficient and yet classy and poetic. "Dreamed" is softer, seems to take twice as long to say (dreeeeeeamed) and has a bit more of a plebeian feel. Unless, of course, you're a Les Mis fan. I'm wondering when/where we developed such different vocabulary? Is it the books we've read, the places we've lived, the people we've known? It's only been what, 34 years since we've lived in the same state, let alone the same house...
Hmm.
When in doubt, go with Shakespeare.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
Language has a rhythm and a beat and a flavor. Each word must be chosen with care so that it engenders the desired reaction from the reader, so that not only the vision of the writer is transmitted to the audience, but also the accompanying music.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy."
You are right. It sounds softer. And the sentence is meant to sound harsh, a reprimand of sorts to a befuddled friend. Of what subtleties is this language made!
Debra wishes to study it more, to write, to read, to edit. She is taking courses in Writing. So I have two writers (Adam & Deb) and two artists (James & Mary). Nary an engineer in the lot!
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