No More Pencils, No More Books…

Well folks.  I believe I’m finished.  God has carried me through many years of reading, writing, classes, notes, research, essays, journals, lectures, study groups, accounting, marketing, management, computers, history, etc. and now I’m finished.  I wish I could say I’m in the running for a doctorate but alas, no, or should I say, not yet!   With all the extra education I’ve received in addition to my degree, I could certainly be an Honorary something or other…?

I appreciate everyone who reads my blog, “likes”, “comments” and has given me encouragement.  You’ve taught me more than you know.  I feel very blessed.

 THANK YOU!

Without further ado, I’ll be prancing around in the privacy of my home office doing a “HAPPY DANCE”  but you won’t be able to see me.  Hee Hee.  Just picture me clicking my heels and singing along with the following – one of my childhood favorites! 

I’m taking the rest of the evening off since I have bigger mountains to climb tomorrow!

Grazie & Buona notte!

Burning the Midnight Oil (and a cookie too!)

The semester ends December 15^th.  I see my Professor for the final time on the 12^th.  If I don’t complete the class, I can’t graduate.  Am I ready???

 Hell, yeah.  At this stage of the game, I feel I did my best.  Did I procrastinate?  Yes, well, sort of.  Did you ever get an idea for something you REALLY wanted to write about and once you began, decided you didn’t like the topic after all?  Hence the procrastination.

 I have books and magazines and copies and notes all over my desk.  Organized chaos!  I’ve been sitting at this desk for weeks amidst numerous interruptions. 

 I needed a break…just a little one to clear my mind.  All I could see was the clock winding down…tick…tick…tick… What to do???  Bake some cookies, of course!

 Baking always inspires me!

 I did something I normally don’t do, but in an effort to save time, I put two batches into the oven at once.  Halfway through I rotated them, top and bottom, so they would bake more evenly.  Big mistake.  The older pan on the bottom baked the cookies too fast.  So much for inspiration.

 When I removed the pans from the oven, I noticed a third of the cookies on the bottom tray were burned.  I don’t remember the last time I burned a cookie, it’s been THAT long.  And we know who always gets to eat the burned ones, don’t we??  It didn’t matter though because even the burned ones, albeit a little hard, tasted scrumptious.

 With that feat accomplished I was able to get back to the task at hand – finishing my assignments.  Dinner will take care of itself, meaning if my husband is really nice (and hungry), he’ll get take-out for us.  Steamed vegetables sound delightful!

 I’m getting sidetracked.  I have few more paragraphs to write, lots of editing and by midnight (nothing like pushing the envelope) I’m in the home stretch.  My fate will lie in my Professors’ hands.  Here we go!

 “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” ~ John Quincy Adams

Why Not Brains, Beauty and Maturity?

In a few weeks, I will have met all the requirements to be awarded a Bachelor’s Degree.  I am very proud of that accomplishment as it was not an easy endeavor.  That may mean nothing to many, but it means a great deal to me.  After years of working and obtaining professional certificates in Business, Office Management, Retirement and Pension Planning and Insurance, to name a few, I decided to go back to school to get an official “degree.”  However, people continually ask me “why did I bother, at my age?”

The reasons are as endless as questions a toddler asks.  My primary objective was to break a familial mindset where “men should go to college and become professionals” and “women should have a job then raise a family.”  That thinking was so archaic and I resented it.

What I find comical are the responses by young people when questioned why older adults would want to go back to school. Here are some of the answers I found online (please excuse my laughter in the background…):

“Why do really old people go to college?”  (BTW, what do they consider “old?”)

 Answer 1:  “There is this lady in my science class who is at least 60 something.  Honestly, why do they waste their time in college, because all she does is ask stupid questions and make dumb comments that are normally racist.  Maybe its a goal of hers, I dunno, it just bothers me because all she does is disturb the class.”

Answer 2:  “Stupidity knows no age…”

Answer 3:  “Because they can for free.. and it gives them something to do.”

Answer 4:  “My mom is over 50 and went back to school about 4 years ago. She’s working towards a bacheler’s in history and should be done a year from May. Why did she go? She had never gone to college, but has worked at the University of Oklahoma for 10 years now. She was curious. She knew that there was a lot she didn’t know. She tried it out for a few semesters and she’s a great student. Doesn’t interrupt the class and doesn’t ask many questions. In my college career, there were a few older students that were annoying, but most were like us once they got into the classroom. They just knew more about life than we did, even though we though we knew everything. It becomes more humbling in retrospect.”

 I’ll be nice and not criticize the grammar, although it kills me.  These were some of the first comments I found in the search engines and although it was difficult to believe myself, they were found on a Subaru Impreza Owners Club Forum from 2004: (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=488822).  Whatever.  I wonder what type of positions these individuals found after graduation.

Here is another response from Answers.com:  “Older people go to college usually to get more experience. Maybe they need a certain skill to get a position at a job, or they need more experience if they want to get a promotion. Especially after the recession people who got layed off need to go a different way and a different way usually means a different education.”   Besides the other comments, “LAYED OFF”…really?  Holy crap!  I’m tired of reading posts from college students who cannot write properly!  SPELL CHECK DOES NOT CHECK FOR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.  $30k+ a year and they still can’t spell or write a coherent sentence.

 I wonder if my comments would have been that much different when I was younger.  What I do know is that I worked harder than most college students today.  I also have the benefit of having life experience.  I still have to come to grips that many employers might not want to hire an older individual in today’s marketplace for a number of reasons.  I’m not worried though.

 There isn’t anyone on the face of the earth who can halt my goals and aspirations.  I’ll know how to secure suitable employment if and when I seek it.  Wisdom of the ages is something you cannot purchase; it has to be experienced.  That is what I have going for me.  And soon, I can add a diploma to that; I earned it.

 “It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.” ~ Robert Green Ingersoll

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

Another day in Greensboro, NC although rain put a damper on what could have been a more pleasant day outdoors.  The temperature was noticeably cooler than it had been in previous days.  That didn’t stop us, however, from partaking in several college-sponsored events with our daughter and a few of her lively friends.  We had the opportunity to feast on some delicious freshly harvested produce directly from the college farm.  Being environmentally-friendly; even the utensils were biodegradable, made from plant starch as were the plates and napkins.  Sustainability is extremely high on the college’s list of priorities.  The homegrown bok choy, beans and salad greens were fresh, crisp and had just the right bite. Paired with tender grilled chicken breasts, the luncheon was thoroughly satisfying.

Next we ventured into the campus radio station where we got a glimpse of where our daughter is training for her 1-2 hour segment featuring primarily indie rock.  WQFS at 90.9 FM is a student-run radio station, recently rated the 11th best college radio station in the country by the Princeton Review.  It sounds like this will be a rewarding adventure and I’m looking forward to hearing our daughter live on the air in the near future. 

Strolling from the radio station to the residence hall, we passed one of my most favorite sculptures on campus unofficially labeled “Stickhenge” made by renowned local artist, Patrick Doughtery.  The structure is fashioned from saplings found in nearby neighborhoods.  The materials came from nature’s surplus and volunteers spent several weeks helping Patrick construct these stick silo-looking forms which are expected to break down over a period of one to three years.  This fascinating sculpture was so intriguing, I decided to check out Patrick’s website where I saw the extent of his environmentally-friendly and painstaking creativity.  He is extremely talented and his natural sculptures are simply amazing.  http://www.stickwork.net/ 

Since this was Homecoming/Parents Weekend, we couldn’t miss the pre-game tailgating cookout and the game.  We only stayed for the first half, but it was fun to watch a collegiate game, including the antics of the mascot.  All in all, with the exception of a 1-1/2 hour detour at AT&T to check out a problem with my cell phone, the day turned out to be better than expected.  We’re heading back home tomorrow with a couple of stops along the way.  I guess the old saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder” is true because I truly miss having my daughter at home yet couldn’t be prouder of how she’s handling herself at college.  

Now that I know I have nothing to worry about, for the time being at least, I can return with a sense of relief and satisfaction.  I’m able to get back to my own work with peace of mind.  I have to say that visiting the campus encouraged me to consider attending graduate school.  But that’s a matter for another day! 

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” ~ John Wooden

Frustration, Fun and Fulfillment

This morning, instead of being excited about the events planned for Homecoming Weekend with my daughter, I was reminded how badly I felt when I unintentionally let a friend down many years ago.  The situations were completely different; the emotions were almost identical.  I had been diligent about writing daily, expressing my thoughts on a myriad of subjects, eager to put pen to paper yet yesterday vanished without a single sentence.  I feel I let not only let myself down but disappointed those who are gracious enough to peruse my daily musings.  “Get over it, I’m not that important” I said to myself.  But you know what, if I don’t think I’m important, how can I expect anyone else to take notice? 

Luckily I was able to get a grip and get back to business.  I’ve read of the importance of writing daily and I can attest to that.  On any given day, no matter where I am, I have a jillion thoughts swirling around my head like a gyroscope.  It’s essential for me to put them down somewhere, paper, computer, anywhere, just be sure to note it for if not, I may regret not remembering the pertinent details of my thoughts.  And we all know where thoughts lead.  The imagination is a beautiful gift if nature, meant to be indulged.

The fact is that our long trip was emotionally tiring, I suppose from monotony.  Arriving at our hotel room at 3am, I was physically ready for bed but my mind was not.  After checking my emails, my eyes started to close and off to bed I went.  I woke in time to get dressed, grab a bite at the hotel breakfast bar and on to campus to finally see my daughter for the first time in a month.  We had a wonderful time, culminating with a nice dinner out with her and her roommate.  By the time I got back to the hotel last evening, I was emotionally tired but decided to check my emails before starting some serious writing.  Reading emails, checking FB, Twitter, and all the other media I’m subscribed to was like wading through quicksand.  I couldn’t even finish reading everything; I was so tired I just went to bed, waking frustrated. 

No pity pots for me. Today is another day.  It will be full of pleasant and exciting things.  We’ll visit our daughter, run some errands, maybe do a little shopping, watch a ball game and have a nice meal.  This evening, we’ll attend a Star Gazing activity planned at the Observatory.  I have my trusty pen and pad by my side as well as camera to capture all the noteworthy moments.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.  Now that disillusionment with my own abilities has quieted, I can look forward to a wonderful day.  No more regrets or excuses.  I know what I have to do, what I want to do and what I need to do.  Andiamo!

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.”  ~ Jim Rohn

Homecoming Weekend in the South :D

We’re heading out to spend what I know will be a wonderful weekend visiting my daughter at college in North Carolina.  Funny how she sends me texts with subtle hints, trying not to show her enthusiasm for us coming down.  After all, she’s a young woman away at college for the first time, spreading her wings and is happy to be independent.  The  tone of her texts however, holds a tinge of trepidation.  “I’m great, love my classes and teachers, have tons of new friends, blah, blah, blah.”  Then comes the 11pm text:  “Can you glance at my paper and tell me if you like it?  It’s due tomorrow morning.”  I text back, “Sure, email it to me” knowing well that, although I really want to, I MUST NOT attempt to rewrite her paper!

My daughter is actually a very good writer and I’m a very poor critic.  She’s not in high school anymore and I have to learn, all over again, that she will do just fine WITHOUT my interference.  I brought her up properly and she’s proven to be the most trustworthy person I know.  I’m very blessed she turned out the way she did in spite of me 😀  So far, her grades are very good, she’s current on all assignments, gets to every class and is actually having fun without getting crazy.  Prayers work wonders!

Hopefully I’ll get to see her play Disc Golf, a game I’ve never heard of before.  Apparently it’s quite popular in North Carolina.  It’s sort of a technical frisbee game and the courses are specially designed.  There are Disc Golf tournaments and everything.  Who would have thought?

My daughter is also DJing at the college radio station.  I’ll get to hear how she entertains the audience and spins records. (Do they still use that term??? Oh God, I suddenly feel so old…)  She wants to get into the entertainment industry by way of singing, writing music and/or playing guitar but has some other interests for Plan B.  Thankfully, she’ll have something to fall back on which will more likely lead to employment after college.  I’ll stand behind her no matter what.  She’s her own person.

So off we go.  The next few days will be exciting.  I’ve been asked to bring down some homemade baked cookies, cupcakes or brownies.  That’s how I knew my daughter was a little homesick.  Rather than go through that trouble since I won’t be seeing her for an entire day, I’m bringing the ingredients and baking pans and will bake them fresh in the efficiency we’re staying in.  There’s a full kitchen and maybe we can bake them together.  Here’s to a very long road trip (10 hours at least), rest and on to Homecoming Weekend!  Now if only gas wasn’t so expensive…