I didn't realize how smart I was, because I never struggled with anything

Never struggling with anything had the opposite effect on me. I think I would've been better off in a larger public school or a selective private school, where I would've been a smart kid, one of several competing for honors and admission to good colleges, instead of The Smart Kid, not just in my year but in the school as a whole. Between all the attention I got from teachers and my mom's loving but ill-advised way of consoling me about not fitting in (basically, "you're better than them"), I ended up way too full of myself and vain about having drawn lucky cards from the genetic lottery. My instinct is still to be intellectually arrogant, though now I realize it's wrong and try to fight it, and I still expect things to come easily for me, giving up too quickly or losing my temper when they don't.

t flyby

I've skipped a host of posts, so hugs and hairpats to those that need 'em. I do love you guys vastly, despite the fact that I'm internetically challenged just now. Had to snaffle flatmate's laptop to come tell you about my moment of AtS-ishness, though.

I went out to the movies with a coworker who's a big fan of horror movies (she missed the Buffy phenomenon 'cause she was working overseas much of the time, but I plan to bring her up to speed), and with her fella. First time I've met him, and when I tell you that he looks remarkably like J August Richards, boy howdy, I am SO understating the case. He could be JAR's brother. He does not, afaik, kill vampires or work for demon lawyers; however, he runs Safaris in Tanzanier (which I can't even spell), and so he does have anecdotes involving ravenous beasties with big sharp pointy teeth. Which is still pretty impressive, imho. I'm totally awed by coworker, who is ten years older than me and several dress sizes larger. Go team her, with the SMOKIN' hot younger man!

t /flyby

(Oh, the movie? Sucked beyond the telling of it. The Wisher. That's an hour and a half of my life that I'll never get back. Happily, though, I was able to come home and watch 13 Going On 30 on DVD, and eat delicious home-made panini sandwiches cooked in our new panini toaster grill thingy. Yay for that!)

I still expect things to come easily for me, giving up too quickly or losing my temper when they don't.

Eh, even if you'd been just one of many Smart Kids (I say, as the slacker in my group of Sooper Genius Smartasses), that's a hard habit to get out of, especially once you're no longer in school and there's less motivation to do something about it.

I'm very proud of my high school friends who wound up doing great things and applying themselves, but that's just not who or what I am. I'm bone-lazy, unless it's something that actually holds my interest, good enough to get kudos while sliding, and selfish enough to resent things that take away from what I want.

Sadly, I don't have the eccentric billionare relative who died and made that a viable lifestyle choice.

It is a good thing that the kids are in a huge public school system in many ways. The gifted and magnet programs are awesome, as are the teachers. Although Brendon is Mr. Smartypants he does have plenty of kids around him that are as smart and often smarter. He enjoys the company and is competitive by nature.

When my schedule burden eases some I will happily go back to school and embrace the homework. Granted, when I was in college I suffered over my grades and was a maniac with the studying. Still, I prefer the effort/reward ratio in school over the "real" life ratio.

I did most of my homework - just less of the boreing stuff.

My friend M had a daughter and a son. the daughter she could motivate by putting homework and social things as a do your homework or stay home. She never found a motivation for her son.

I was thinking about the difference between school and college. Dh was another that did not do well ( high school) , but hit the ground running in college. The over structured part of high school - and the unwillingness of anyone ( in this case I am includeing his parents) to notice that 1) he was really smart and 2) really in need of a challange just killed his desire to do well. Honestly, the structured super rules school goes on too long.

one of my friends here is a teacher. Her daughter didi well, but her son had a lot of problems in high school. as in flunking english( when he liked the class) - as well as others - a lot of it haveing to do with the way classes were in high school. Insead of haveing him take the very lame summer school class - she sent him to the local community college to see what a class was like. ( she actually made him register himself - and when he forgot - he had the choice of talking himself into the class or...) He loved it. So she was able to convince him that he only had a year left to play the high school game and get to the point where he could have some control of what he learned - and when.

Eh, even if you'd been just one of many Smart Kids (I say, as the slacker in my group of Sooper Genius Smartasses), that's a hard habit to get out of, especially once you're no longer in school and there's less motivation to do something about it.

Probably true. And while it's easy to second-guess my childhood and think, "If only I'd had X everything would've been so much better," I kept coasting academically when I got to college, even though I enjoyed having a whole crowd of Super Genius Smartasses to hang out with and getting to take interesting classes.

I do wish I'd imbibed a little less arrogance along the way, though. It's not a pleasant trait, to say the least, and I think it clouds my judgment. F'rinstance, I'm having a hard time judging my level of writing skill and how much attention I should pay to all the writing advice that's out there, because while I think I have a strong voice that I shouldn't muck with by paying too much attention to all the latest fads for How To Sell Your Romance Novel, what if that's just the arrogance talking, and I'd be published if I'd just stop being so damned stubborn and embrace deep POV and the Goal-Motivation-Conflict system for structuring a novel?

I never learned good study habits. I learned how to learn things quickly; I learned how to write exceptionally well; I learned how to use those two abilities to coast at every opportunity. And it's been a bitch of a thing.

I do wish I'd imbibed a little less arrogance along the way, though. It's not a pleasant trait, to say the least, and I think it clouds my judgment.

I know it can cloud mine when allowed full flower. Which is why I should talk to my father more often. He has a way of deflating any over-inflation of my ego with one or two pointed questions and/or musing on high level math stuff that's light years beyond me.

Hey! I should loan him to Emily. She's having a horrible week, and Dad could talk math at her and make things all better! Plus he'd have someone to talk to who understands what he's talking about!

Hey! I should loan him to Emily. She's having a horrible week, and Dad could talk math at her and make things all better! Plus he'd have someone to talk to who understands what he's talking about!

Heh. Nothing like living with a very smart, mathy person to keep things in perspective!

He has a way of deflating any over-inflation of my ego with one or two pointed questions and/or musing on high level math stuff that's light years beyond me.

That'd certainly deflate me nicely. t Barbie Math is hard! t /Barbie