bits and bits

Nappo peed on the sofa today. We have no idea why he decided to do that. He was pacing, as he usually does when he needs to go out for a Whizbang (as we call it), but not for very long, then got right up on the sofa next to me while I was reading my dreadful but oh-so-entertaining Philippa Gregory book, and Boom. Niagara Falls.

I sponged down the sofa with soap but I need that special doggy pee remover.

In other news...A has received an acceptance from an art college on the West Coast. They also are offering a nice scholarship that amounts to half of the tuition. So, that's the first acceptance. Relief. If he gets rejected everywhere else, A, at least, has somewhere to go.

After years of figuring out A's strengths (is it biology? rowing? fencing? writing? what?), we approached the college application process with the angle that his photography talent was "the talent." I never pressured A to spread himself thin. Not join every single club at school and become president of each one. Not stay on the crew team if his heart wasn't in it (he dropped out). No. Although I know parents to push their kids to try to be Great in Everything, I think that approach is stupid. Focus on what you like/love/are incredibly good at. Use that as your showpiece. If it's one thing, let it be one thing. Just make sure that one thing is all over your frikkin' resume through the entirety of your high school career, if not before. Then make room for a couple of minor things so you look more human than humanoid. For A, it's DJing at the school radio station and playing Blues guitar. [Note: Even though I told him he might like joining Model UN, he vetoed my suggestion. He chose DJing at the radio station. As for his guitar, his dorm-mates swear to me that they believe they are living with the child of Son House and Jimi Hendrix.]

Every single university and college received a copy of A's photography portfolio. Some colleges have a portfolio/audition process, like two on the East Coast and one on the West to which A has applied. Some schools weigh the application 50/50, i.e., half weighted on portfolio, half weighted on grades/academics/scores. If your child has a talent, and still wants to go to university and not art school, because maybe he'll get sick of the "talent" and will want to study biology after all, this may be one advantageous route to take. But of course, with only one acceptance, we do not yet know how advantageous it is.

This week, A received a handwritten note from a university on the East Coast:

"Hi A,

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing your final portfolio for Our University. I was impressed by the maturity of your documentary style photography, and your successful conveyance of emotion. Composition and perspective are big strengths of yours and I was pleased to see so much experimentation within the series. Our University's Art Photography program could be a great fit, so I hope you are seriously keeping OU in mind! Please let me know if you have any questions. Best, Admissions Person."

A does not have an acceptance letter (yet) from "OU." But the note was indicative that they looked at A's portfolio. They get it. So I feel good that we chose to take this route.

In other other news, I may have a little announcement next week.

Now, back to figuring out how to completely wash doggy pee off of a sofa.