Annual Private School Dinner/Auctions

[Anonymous]

18:54, you're so funny. I myself work, but the most insecure social climbers at my daughter's school are the women who work but aren't all that attractive, have just a bachelor's degree from an indifferent sort of school, and managed to get lucky at work in one particular niche but would be hard-pressed to replicate that success if something happened to their current job. They're hilarious and pathetic at the same time. But the social climbing is far, far more pronounced among these women than among the SAHMs, at least at the school we're familiar with.

[Anonymous]

Actually I am a SAHM and would help out if not for these crazy, witchy women. They really are horrible, juvenile and passive-aggressive--kinda like HS.

I just try to stay out of their way, I guess this is what I did in HS too, but I didn't think I would be doing the same thing 20 years later. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

We had a wonderful time at our child's school's auction (first one we have attended). Attire was quite varied - we erred on the side of dressing up but stopped short of full ball regalia. For sake of clarity, that meant in my case black slacks, patent leather black heels, a silk portrait neckline blouse and my "fancy" jewelry.

We were not involved in the production of the event, and the enjoyment for us came in the sense of community that we experienced there. It certainly didn't come from the food which was your standard high ticket dinner plating

We spent $50 on one item, $80 on another, made another donation and bid and won a big ticket item ($2500). So, including tickets and auction items, the whole thing set us back a little over $3K. Which is about the offset between tuition and actual cost per student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beauvoir mom here. The "volunteer moms" go nuts - check out Washington Life Magazine to give you an idea of what cocktail passes for. Beauvoir Auction Night is basically prom night on steroids.

Another Beauvoir mom here....don't know what you are talking about. My impression (last year was my first Auction) was basic cocktail attire - certainly not "prom night" . I mean basic black cocktail dresses, simple slacks and silky tops, a few pretty dresses.....but certainly not over the top. As a matter of fact - it was a very subdued event, in my opinion. It's a nice reception and dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:18:54, you're so funny. I myself work, but the most insecure social climbers at my daughter's school are the women who work but aren't all that attractive, have just a bachelor's degree from an indifferent sort of school, and managed to get lucky at work in one particular niche but would be hard-pressed to replicate that success if something happened to their current job. They're hilarious and pathetic at the same time. But the social climbing is far, far more pronounced among these women than among the SAHMs, at least at the school we're familiar with.

I don't find that true at all about the moms who work outside of the home at my children's school. They have no time to be social climbing. They are too busy working their you know what's off so that they can pay the hefty tuition.

By the way, you sound mean and catty to me. Insecure, in fact.

[Anonymous]

Whatever you say, 19:55! As I said, I too am a working mom. But many of the working moms at my children's school are not exactly working their you-know-whats off. Unless you count working a 4-day week and still having a nanny 50 hours a week. I'm certainly mean and catty - no doubt. But at least I actually, you know, WORK when the nanny is caring for my children. If you think working moms are immune to social climbing, you need to get out more. At least at our school, social climbing is pretty evenly distributed regardless of work status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:18:54, you're so funny. I myself work, but the most insecure social climbers at my daughter's school are the women who work but aren't all that attractive, have just a bachelor's degree from an indifferent sort of school, and managed to get lucky at work in one particular niche but would be hard-pressed to replicate that success if something happened to their current job. They're hilarious and pathetic at the same time. But the social climbing is far, far more pronounced among these women than among the SAHMs, at least at the school we're familiar with.

Wow! This post is up there as one of the meanest I have read on DCUM. I very rarely post on here any more and am reading less and less because of posters like this. You may have a higher degree from a great school and have a high profile job but give me Jane Normal with a mere BA anyday thank you very much!

[Anonymous]

But Jane Normal thinks she's hot stuff, honey. Just ask her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But Jane Normal thinks she's hot stuff, honey. Just ask her.

So that makes you Jane Normal.

[Anonymous]

I'm the bitchy poster and just wanted to apologize for that. . . . I didn't express myself well, and certainly not politely. What I was trying to say is that as a working mother in academe and now government, I don't find the SAHMs at our kids' school to be social climbers or high-school-cliquish or anything else. I appreciate what they do to make the auctions and other things happen. This is just my experience, of course, but I don't see the SAHMs who work so hard on these functions in a negative light at all. Frankly, most of them don't need to climb socially. Again, just in my opinion, in DC the real social climbers are rather different types. They're certainly not the SAHMs who are putting together these functions. Of course I'm entitled to my opinion, but I shouldn't have expressed it so rudely.

[Anonymous]

We have truly reached a new low with this one:

"...women who work but aren't all that attractive...."

Please, please, don't let your kid befriend mine. Or maybe it won't be a problem since your kid might not find my kid sufficiently attractive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the bitchy poster and just wanted to apologize for that. . . . I didn't express myself well, and certainly not politely. What I was trying to say is that as a working mother in academe and now government, I don't find the SAHMs at our kids' school to be social climbers or high-school-cliquish or anything else. I appreciate what they do to make the auctions and other things happen. This is just my experience, of course, but I don't see the SAHMs who work so hard on these functions in a negative light at all. Frankly, most of them don't need to climb socially. Again, just in my opinion, in DC the real social climbers are rather different types. They're certainly not the SAHMs who are putting together these functions. Of course I'm entitled to my opinion, but I shouldn't have expressed it so rudely.

OMG. I dont know whether to laugh my a$$ off or swear off these boards forever (I SHOULD have done the latter long ago actually so maybe now I really will). Your posts are amazing. I know exactly what you are saying and "who" you are but I don't think most of the posters on this thread, or even the entire P/I-S forum will even begin to get it. I have a feeling I may actually know you but didn't realize you were quite so witty. I expect you do know what you are doing and how you are sending up the entire P/I-S forum and I guess its about time. I always wondered why it had not happened before but thought you all thought it wasn't worth your time. Oh joy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the bitchy poster and just wanted to apologize for that. . . . I didn't express myself well, and certainly not politely. What I was trying to say is that as a working mother in academe and now government, I don't find the SAHMs at our kids' school to be social climbers or high-school-cliquish or anything else. I appreciate what they do to make the auctions and other things happen. This is just my experience, of course, but I don't see the SAHMs who work so hard on these functions in a negative light at all. Frankly, most of them don't need to climb socially. Again, just in my opinion, in DC the real social climbers are rather different types. They're certainly not the SAHMs who are putting together these functions. Of course I'm entitled to my opinion, but I shouldn't have expressed it so rudely.

OMG. I dont know whether to laugh my a$$ off or swear off these boards forever (I SHOULD have done the latter long ago actually so maybe now I really will). Your posts are amazing. I know exactly what you are saying and "who" you are but I don't think most of the posters on this thread, or even the entire P/I-S forum will even begin to get it. I have a feeling I may actually know you but didn't realize you were quite so witty. I expect you do know what you are doing and how you are sending up the entire P/I-S forum and I guess its about time. I always wondered why it had not happened before but thought you all thought it wasn't worth your time. Oh joy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how much do live items generally sell for?

I am a Beauvoir DCUM and have attended for the last 4 years. It really depends. The vacation packages go for 2-3 times what they're worth. The unique gifts (private tour of museum, lunch with a senator, or hanging with a famous for DC celeb) can fetch some eye-popping amounts. The class projects/donations go for thousands and thousands of dollars. But those are truly priceless.

Or "worthless," depending on yhour point of view!

[Anonymous]

Gosh now I know what the difference is between "top tier" and the rest of the schools. At our lowly private school, copies of the class project (a poster) were sold for $50. The class's artwork may be priceless, but oh wait, they were able to price them reasonably enough so that most could get afford to buy something meaningful and contribute to the school too. Not everyone was able to bid on the box tickets, beach houses, or ski trips this year.