As I've mentioned before, I once made the mistake of praying for patience, and the omnipotent being in all of his wisdom has been teaching it to me ever since. Ok, I've got it. You can STOP now. No, really. Oh, pleeeease?
So, as usual, I haven't actually accomplished most of last years' goals, but have made teeny, tiny baby steps toward them. I got accepted to school. I must submit loan paperwork and then select courses, and write a letter to my student guide. I hate the waiting part, and all the bureaucratic BS steps. Let's get to the subjects all ready!
Previous to this I've subscribed to the Good Will Hunting philosophy of education, poring over library selections and delving into yard sale finds. I have started notes to accompany text books many times. I usually get through the third or fourth chapter before life rears its' head and screams "Pay attention to me!!". Don't get me wrong, I still think this is one of the best ways to learn, reading about a subject and then practicing it. The thing is, I have trouble maintaining the self discipline to get through to the more advanced, interesting parts of a subject. The one time in my life I was able to do this was in high school.
I know that sounds weird. For most people that is the time where school work is thought of least, but I enjoyed it. I was actually GOOD at it. There was this whole range of subjects, half of which I could pick, and learn from people whose purpose in being there was specifically to teach. I was surrounded by a group of people, one or two of which provided worthy competition. I actually got mad when Adele A. beat my physics score, 125% to my 115% (extra credit). How dare she get a better grade! Yeah, she could do the math, but she couldn't visualize how things worked. She didn't have that fundamental, physical understanding of it, which the math merely expressed. It took me years to realize, for her, the physical world expressed the math.
Anyway, it was realization of the above that made me start to reconsider a more structured approach to education. I wanted to go back to school. But how? I must work full time just to get the ends to come in proximity to one another, never mind meet. How would I pay for it? How would I have time for it? Online would be an option, if I didn't want to major in engineering. Finally, I found a an accredited, online engineering program, one that would produce a B.S. in engineering, and I could get both EE and ME. Yay!
Now comes the hard part, at least of the beginning. Do I really want to sign on for that much debt? Can I? Will I ever be able to pay it back? For me, that is a huge risk. I am going to start this. Once I do, I must complete it.
Don't get me wrong. I do not believe that a degree is the only way to get a professional position. My grandfather never actually graduated from MIT, even though he spent three and a half years of his life there. He was a working, patent holding, much sought after engineer most of his working life. He was a living Howard Roark of engineering. It can be done. But can I do it?
I will, whether I can or not.. I just have to have patience, and planning, and follow through, none of which I am good at.
YET.
Toodles!
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