Wow! The last time I attended any college was Spring 1985. I attended Tarleton State University for one year and then decided to get married (one of my more stupid mistakes in life) and quit school (another stupid mistake). I divorced the more stupid mistake in 2008 after 22 years of marriage and continued living in the Austin area where we had settled and been for approx. 20 years.
I was born and raised in Alpine and my parents are still here. My mother is ill and in the nursing home. I made a bold move in June 2010. I quit my job, packed up everything and everyone, left my 1-1/2 year old house vacant and moved back home. I was fortunately hired by SR within a week of arriving here. This opened the door for me to continue my education and correct the other stupid mistake in my life. I began this education resurrection with a Mid-Winter online course. Oh boy! I was thinking that a two-week course would get some fast credits, which will help me get to my degree goal quicker. However, things are different now than in 1985. First, I was single and living in the dorms in 1985 and didn't have anyone but myself to look after. Now, I'm single again, but am working to make a living to support my three children, myself, my pets, and help my parents as I can. Second, I've never taken an online course and didn't know what to expect. I'm used to lectures, assignments given in class, several days to complete the assignment, and turning it in on PAPER (yes, believe it or not, I remember what a typewriter and ball point pen are-and I used them). The two-week course is turning out to be a whirlwind of assignments accessed by blackboard and email, short time frames to get work done, squeezing this in around my work hours, and my kids are hogging the computer. (I was finally successful in getting my internet connection working this past Tuesday at home and my kids are beside themselves that they can get online again after 7 months without it.) So, I have procrastinated with several assignments until I can get up on the weekend before they wake up to accomplish something in peace and quiet. However, the peace is shattered when my cats try to follow the cursor on the screen and block my view of the computer and then stand on the keyboard deleting what I just typed. I'm spending half of my time putting them down on the floor, just to have them jump up on the computer table again and in lightening speed step on the keyboard again. The other half of my time is spent stopping the new puppy (new in our household since New Year's Eve) from chewing through the computer cords.
I consider the completion of this blog a great accomplishment indeed! If I am successful in finally obtaining a bachelor's degree, it will be one of the most important days in my life and well worth the uphill climb. And it is going to be an uphill climb and the hill is very large and steep and looming in front of me.
