I'm in an interesting situation with my job. Everything is okay, it's just that because of hiring and contract rules, when a school has to "downsize" (aka, population decreases thereby causing staffing needs to decrease) the most recently hired gets the boot. Luckily, in my case, "the boot" just means I get reassigned to another school somewhere in the county, teaching something. Presently, I still do not know where I will be assigned. You can imagine (I would think), that after a while this uncertainty leaves me stressed. I have good days and bad ones. Since I don't know where I am going, I don't feel like there's any finality or closure to the situation, which can eat away at me. Especially considering for 2 months I've known I have to transfer, and for 2 months I have heard no news in regards to my new placement. And, the last week of school is coming up, and I'm really sad to leave. I love my school & my wonderful friends there.
In any case, during this time of uncertainty, I've heard every consolation in the book. Everything from maybe the new job will be better, to it is all about how I handle it, even to the good old everything happens for a reason. And you know what? That's all accurate in my book. I am blessed to have a job. I know this, and I thank God for this. But at some point, the cliches can turn to guilt trips for me, for my lack of thankfulness for the blessings that I do have.
So, coming to the point of this post (which is way too wordy... are you still reading?)... I heard an interview with Jason Mraz on the radio in regards to his song "I Won't Give Up." You can read about it/watch it here: http://music-mix.ew.com/2012/05/30/jason-mraz-gets-emotional-on-vh1-storytellers-watch-the-sneak-peek-here-exclusive/. Essentially he said he wrote it at a time in his life where was really bummed out. And he got choked up and said, "I hate it when I am bummed out, because everything I've ever needed I've gotten..." And he goes on to talk about a relationship that he chose not to give up on. After hearing this, and mulling it over a bit, I though, "Dang, Jason! You just took this girl to CHURCH!" But in all righteous honesty, I too have been given everything I ever needed. I don't always get what I want, but I cannot look back on my life and think of a need that wasn't met. As a child, I needed the chance to explore many activities (helloooo attention deficit), and my parents provided that, knowing full well some of these things I'd abandon as fast as I started (tennis, lacrosse), and some would become major sanity savers (skating, music, theatre). As a teen in a high school (full of kids I did not go to middle school with), I needed friends. I found a group of girlfriends, God bless them, who were amazing. We gave each other flowers on valentines day because none of us had boyfriends, we drank Starbucks as soon as we could drive there, and we made sure none of us ever had to sit alone at lunch. I had to wait for these friends, because nothing happens right away, but eventually (before I lost my mind, and before the end of 9th grade) that need was met. Not in my time, but met nonetheless. I needed a stable family. In the mix of the fun we put in dysfunctional, that need was also met, thanks to good honest communication, and a strong shot of reality--mixed with laugh-till-you-pee humor. In college, I needed a good therapist. My parents found me one and funded that as well. When I finished college, I needed a job. I got hired where I student taught. Again, it took time (I was a little worried when August 1st rolled around, but the job happened). I stopped working (first baby) right before the economy went to heck, causing husband's job to bring in about $400 under what we needed to live monthly. Our family helped us, and I got a job within a couple of months. Not because I wanted to return to work, but because I needed to (which turned out to be a blessing anyway... yes, cliche I know). There are so many things in my life I have needed, and all of these things have been given to me. And when I heard Jason Mraz saying that very thing, my first thought was, "psht. privilege." But then I thought it over more and realized he didn't say he got what he wanted. He said his needs were met.
I am so grateful to be able to come to that realization. I feel like it throws all the cliches away and just gets real. I also know that to some, this is a soap boxy, my-life-is-so-perfect-I-am-so-blessed" kind of post. But truth be told, it was like a 2 by 4 whammed me in the nugget and said "GET OFF OF IT WOMAN! Your needs will be met." And they will. Amen?
Friday, June 1, 2012
Saturday, May 5, 2012
A Working Mother's Rant
I love it that moms can stay at home. I do. I love it that they love it. I also appreciate that staying at home is a really, really, hard job. I know this. But the thing I don't appreciate, is the subtle remarks in blogs, editorials, etc., that indicate somehow that those of us that have to go to work, or choose to, in addition to raising children, somehow aren't REALLY the ones raising them.
Excuuuuuusssseeee me. I can't count how many times I've read things like, "We make sacrifices so that I can raise my children." If this is naked insecurity, then forgive me or look away. I've done it both ways, and circumstances say I have to be a working mother. And for anyone to say that it means I'm not really raising my kids reeks of ignorance. Somehow, I go to work, and also raise my kids. When I was staying home with my son, I really couldn't even wrap my head around how people worked and raised kids. I thought he'd be in diapers till kindergarten because I would not be able to potty train him ever. But then I had to work, and guess what happened... he ditched the diapers around age 3 with no struggle, and little bribery. I waited longer to train him, yes, but I was glad because it really wasn't that hard.
I have written before about how I relinquish some of my mothering duties to the caregiver. This is true, because she sees my cherubs for more waking hours during the week. But it doesn't give me a free pass on child rearing. I think people need to respect choices, and realize that those of us who work, come home and still do everything else too. I mean, maybe some working moms have housekeepers, but not this one.
Everyone does the best with what they have, for what they have. I really believe this. I want the rest of the universe to believe it too... we should all be patting ourselves on the back for doing our best. And stop saying one is better than the other. We all have to do what we all have to do.
Excuuuuuusssseeee me. I can't count how many times I've read things like, "We make sacrifices so that I can raise my children." If this is naked insecurity, then forgive me or look away. I've done it both ways, and circumstances say I have to be a working mother. And for anyone to say that it means I'm not really raising my kids reeks of ignorance. Somehow, I go to work, and also raise my kids. When I was staying home with my son, I really couldn't even wrap my head around how people worked and raised kids. I thought he'd be in diapers till kindergarten because I would not be able to potty train him ever. But then I had to work, and guess what happened... he ditched the diapers around age 3 with no struggle, and little bribery. I waited longer to train him, yes, but I was glad because it really wasn't that hard.
I have written before about how I relinquish some of my mothering duties to the caregiver. This is true, because she sees my cherubs for more waking hours during the week. But it doesn't give me a free pass on child rearing. I think people need to respect choices, and realize that those of us who work, come home and still do everything else too. I mean, maybe some working moms have housekeepers, but not this one.
Everyone does the best with what they have, for what they have. I really believe this. I want the rest of the universe to believe it too... we should all be patting ourselves on the back for doing our best. And stop saying one is better than the other. We all have to do what we all have to do.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
look what I just done did...
Well, I'll be darned. Remember that assignment that I was worried about? The one where I design my next four courses? Done.
Check it off the list! How it works really, is I submit it, and then the dean responds with anything I need to fix (another phone conversation), and then I fix it. Then I hand in the fixed copy. And know what happens after that? After that, I will have successfully completed the first 4 credits of the 60-62 on the doctoral to-do list. Sweet!
I thought these courses were my very next 4, but it turns out that I have eight required courses in education before I get to these 4 I designed. After those eight required courses, I can choose to edit these four, or leave them alone and complete them.
I'm not sure if this is an accurate conclusion to draw, but I believe that perhaps this first course was one of those "are you cut out for this kind of academics" sort of course. I'm happy to say that I loved it, and I believe I have done extremely well. My transcript will tell the truth, but all signs point to 'A'! I was really elated when I finished this template. Don't get me wrong though, I had coffee (with caffeine) at dinner time... Zzzzzing! So that helped.
We shall see if the dean approves of my work. In the meantime, I have to get back to my middle school work (lesson plans), and equally important, sleep.
Goodnight.
Check it off the list! How it works really, is I submit it, and then the dean responds with anything I need to fix (another phone conversation), and then I fix it. Then I hand in the fixed copy. And know what happens after that? After that, I will have successfully completed the first 4 credits of the 60-62 on the doctoral to-do list. Sweet!
I thought these courses were my very next 4, but it turns out that I have eight required courses in education before I get to these 4 I designed. After those eight required courses, I can choose to edit these four, or leave them alone and complete them.
I'm not sure if this is an accurate conclusion to draw, but I believe that perhaps this first course was one of those "are you cut out for this kind of academics" sort of course. I'm happy to say that I loved it, and I believe I have done extremely well. My transcript will tell the truth, but all signs point to 'A'! I was really elated when I finished this template. Don't get me wrong though, I had coffee (with caffeine) at dinner time... Zzzzzing! So that helped.
We shall see if the dean approves of my work. In the meantime, I have to get back to my middle school work (lesson plans), and equally important, sleep.
Goodnight.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
working mother survival
disclaimer: these are things that help me survive... I'm not playing the Holy One here or anything like that....
Ten Helpful Survival Hints for a Working Mother (of young, not school-aged children):
1. Accept that your caregiver will not do everything just like you do it.
2. Accept that your children will likely behave better for the caregiver than they do for you. Then, think forward a few years to when they are in school, and be grateful that they behave better for their teachers than they do for you. Think minimal parent-teacher conferences here.
3. Understand that you will never feel 100% caught up in any area of your life (and if you are 100% caught up in all areas of life, see my supermom post, and unfriend me on facebook immediately :)
4. Pack all lunches the night before, or better yet, get your spouse to pack all lunches the night before.
5. Do not feel guilty for eating lunch at your desk... after all, you leave one job, and you're "on" automatically at the next one (family), which is the most important. If you need to work through lunch to feel more grounded when you get home, go ahead. I cannot tell you the number of lunches I have spent in front of my doctoral work. It helps me feel more present at home, instead of anxious over all I have to do when my cherubs are in bed.
6. Allow the caregiver to take over some of your parenting roles. My kids get phonics and sight words at daycare. I certainly do not go home and repeat the process. I happily allow the daycare to fill that role, so that I can then fill the mothering role and hopefully "plate up" less frozen pizza (again, see supermom post) as well as spend more time just playing with my children before they go to bed.
7. Realize that what works for you may not work for others. Like in #5, eating at my desk to work makes me feel better. For some people, they would go nuts without adult conversation over lunch. Know what you need, and do that. Everyone is different.
8. Look good. Really, it helps if you are somewhat satisfied with how you look when you go to work. Even if you jump straight into pajamas after work!!!
9. Limit screen time and sleep. Screen time can eat up hours of what could be sleep time. This perpetuates the exhausted to coffee cycle for so many.
10. Exercise... I know that to some people, working is already too much time away. It is for me too, honestly. But I have learned that going to the gym increases my patience in the evening, and helps me fall right to sleep after I put my kids to bed (sometimes WHILE I am putting them to bed. Exercise is good for me, and my kids have no idea I pick them up 45 mins later three times per week. Take care of yourself.
Just my thoughts... :)
Ten Helpful Survival Hints for a Working Mother (of young, not school-aged children):
1. Accept that your caregiver will not do everything just like you do it.
2. Accept that your children will likely behave better for the caregiver than they do for you. Then, think forward a few years to when they are in school, and be grateful that they behave better for their teachers than they do for you. Think minimal parent-teacher conferences here.
3. Understand that you will never feel 100% caught up in any area of your life (and if you are 100% caught up in all areas of life, see my supermom post, and unfriend me on facebook immediately :)
4. Pack all lunches the night before, or better yet, get your spouse to pack all lunches the night before.
5. Do not feel guilty for eating lunch at your desk... after all, you leave one job, and you're "on" automatically at the next one (family), which is the most important. If you need to work through lunch to feel more grounded when you get home, go ahead. I cannot tell you the number of lunches I have spent in front of my doctoral work. It helps me feel more present at home, instead of anxious over all I have to do when my cherubs are in bed.
6. Allow the caregiver to take over some of your parenting roles. My kids get phonics and sight words at daycare. I certainly do not go home and repeat the process. I happily allow the daycare to fill that role, so that I can then fill the mothering role and hopefully "plate up" less frozen pizza (again, see supermom post) as well as spend more time just playing with my children before they go to bed.
7. Realize that what works for you may not work for others. Like in #5, eating at my desk to work makes me feel better. For some people, they would go nuts without adult conversation over lunch. Know what you need, and do that. Everyone is different.
8. Look good. Really, it helps if you are somewhat satisfied with how you look when you go to work. Even if you jump straight into pajamas after work!!!
9. Limit screen time and sleep. Screen time can eat up hours of what could be sleep time. This perpetuates the exhausted to coffee cycle for so many.
10. Exercise... I know that to some people, working is already too much time away. It is for me too, honestly. But I have learned that going to the gym increases my patience in the evening, and helps me fall right to sleep after I put my kids to bed (sometimes WHILE I am putting them to bed. Exercise is good for me, and my kids have no idea I pick them up 45 mins later three times per week. Take care of yourself.
Just my thoughts... :)
Saturday, April 7, 2012
not. super. mom.
What is a super mom? Is it she who revels in every little detail of baby/child rearing? Is it she who has the patience of a saint? Is it she who always has a clean house, nice bod, and perfect children? Or maybe, is it she who never seems stressed and never yells? Maybe it is she who has no gray hair (or covers it well), never requires more than four hours of sleep, and always makes home-cooked organic meals.
I don't know who super mom is. But I can tell you, that it isn't me. And if she exists, I do not want to be her friend. Why? Because I would feel like the worst person ever every time I was in her serene, perfect presence. And that, friends, would really make me mad. I'm not saying that there aren't some moments (although they are few and far between) that I do have a clean house. And I'm not saying I'm not patient. For the most part, I am pretty patient. But far be it for me to say that I never lose that patience. That'd be a lie. I also enjoy organic food as much as the next girl. But some nights, I'm "plating up" some frozen pizza for dinner (yes, I do cook it first). And you know what? That just has to be okay sometimes.
I've been called supermom, and superwoman before. And don't get me wrong, I'll take the compliment anytime. But the truth is, I do not know that woman. I love my children, and most days, seriously, I could eat them because they are so sweet and cute. But then there are other days that all I wish for is bedtime. Is that wrong to say? Somewhere between work, mothering, being a wife, and then throwing a doctoral student load in there (just for fun!), oh, and my husband working two jobs, I've just realized that our "normal" is somewhere in the madness. My house can be a mess, my kids can eat pizza sometimes, and I can just leave the two feet of dirty clothes on the laundry room floor. Because honestly, what does it matter if we aren't totally caught up all the time? Usually, not much as long as we get to it eventually. But sometimes it DOES matter, and gets the best of me, and those are the times that I start absolutely freaking out about everything. But hey, I'm not supermom, so I don't really have a reputation to uphold, now do I?
So how do I take it all "in stride" you ask? I don't, really. I'm not supermom, remember? :)
But seriously, stay tuned for a post on the survival of the working mother... I have a few ideas, trivial as they may be.
I don't know who super mom is. But I can tell you, that it isn't me. And if she exists, I do not want to be her friend. Why? Because I would feel like the worst person ever every time I was in her serene, perfect presence. And that, friends, would really make me mad. I'm not saying that there aren't some moments (although they are few and far between) that I do have a clean house. And I'm not saying I'm not patient. For the most part, I am pretty patient. But far be it for me to say that I never lose that patience. That'd be a lie. I also enjoy organic food as much as the next girl. But some nights, I'm "plating up" some frozen pizza for dinner (yes, I do cook it first). And you know what? That just has to be okay sometimes.
I've been called supermom, and superwoman before. And don't get me wrong, I'll take the compliment anytime. But the truth is, I do not know that woman. I love my children, and most days, seriously, I could eat them because they are so sweet and cute. But then there are other days that all I wish for is bedtime. Is that wrong to say? Somewhere between work, mothering, being a wife, and then throwing a doctoral student load in there (just for fun!), oh, and my husband working two jobs, I've just realized that our "normal" is somewhere in the madness. My house can be a mess, my kids can eat pizza sometimes, and I can just leave the two feet of dirty clothes on the laundry room floor. Because honestly, what does it matter if we aren't totally caught up all the time? Usually, not much as long as we get to it eventually. But sometimes it DOES matter, and gets the best of me, and those are the times that I start absolutely freaking out about everything. But hey, I'm not supermom, so I don't really have a reputation to uphold, now do I?
So how do I take it all "in stride" you ask? I don't, really. I'm not supermom, remember? :)
But seriously, stay tuned for a post on the survival of the working mother... I have a few ideas, trivial as they may be.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Rules of the blogging universe...
Since giving up Facebook for Lent, I've found some other blogs to take up my time (I know, not such a great "sacrifice" now that I put it that way). Lucky thing, many of the blogs I found actually repulsed me and frightened me, rather than cause me to have a certain stuck-to-the-screen-ness. I stumbled upon one particular blog that was really something. One of the posts contained some rules for blogging. As I read these rules, I realized that I am not following many of them. For example, one rule was to maintain complete anonymity. Well, while I don't state my first and last name, social, and family member's names, I still post my blogs to Facebook (when it is not Lent) and share it with friends. In fact, the purpose of the blog was to share about my doctoral course load. But by doing this, I have to mention work and family, and then it becomes hard to maintain whatever anonymity I had left. Another one of her rules was to share everything. She praised over-sharing, calling it a way to get readers (or whatever it is called when you have a lot of people go to your blog). And while I can appreciate transparency and openness, I can't go so far as to "tell all." Transparency, while enticing, is just not my thing. (If you want me to be transparent, sit down to a meal with me!! haha!)
So what's new? And what's acceptable to post? Last week, I had my final discussion about the readings required for this cornerstone course. Now, as I have mentioned, I am on to designing the next two years or so of coursework. So, the only discussion I have left is the one where the university tells me whether or not my proposed design is any good, and what changes I have still to make. My first course ends May 4. I am so excited that I have made it through this with minimal meltdowns (I have had plenty of meltdowns, to be clear, but fairly unrelated to the doctoral program). So now, I get to finish the course, and get a tuition reimbursement. These last three months have been financially quite tighter than usual because we have to make tuition payments without the help of a reimbursement check. Once I mail my transcript to my county of employment, I get a check, which will cover about 3/4 of the tuition payments for my next course... thank God! This doctoral endeavor has a hefty price tag. My husband has been a saint for putting up with this... I mean, we both work, but he balances the checkbook, so he has to look at reality a bit more closely than I.
This week I am on spring break. I'm using some of the days to organize my house while I can still use daycare. Call me a mean mom, or whatever you want, but when husband has two jobs, and I'm in school as well as teaching it, and I have pretty much two toddlers... my house is a wreck (in fact, I could do an entire post about that alone!)... so we snapped into survival mode about mid-March, and I promised I'd make a dent in this pit of a house over the break. So, here I am... blogging.... haha... and having a cup of decaf starbucks.
And on that note (and almost the end of my coffee), I'm out. I'll probably write more this week. But hey, let's be honest, if I'm not over-sharing, making my audience uncomfortable, or being totally anonymous, who's gonna read it? :)
So what's new? And what's acceptable to post? Last week, I had my final discussion about the readings required for this cornerstone course. Now, as I have mentioned, I am on to designing the next two years or so of coursework. So, the only discussion I have left is the one where the university tells me whether or not my proposed design is any good, and what changes I have still to make. My first course ends May 4. I am so excited that I have made it through this with minimal meltdowns (I have had plenty of meltdowns, to be clear, but fairly unrelated to the doctoral program). So now, I get to finish the course, and get a tuition reimbursement. These last three months have been financially quite tighter than usual because we have to make tuition payments without the help of a reimbursement check. Once I mail my transcript to my county of employment, I get a check, which will cover about 3/4 of the tuition payments for my next course... thank God! This doctoral endeavor has a hefty price tag. My husband has been a saint for putting up with this... I mean, we both work, but he balances the checkbook, so he has to look at reality a bit more closely than I.
This week I am on spring break. I'm using some of the days to organize my house while I can still use daycare. Call me a mean mom, or whatever you want, but when husband has two jobs, and I'm in school as well as teaching it, and I have pretty much two toddlers... my house is a wreck (in fact, I could do an entire post about that alone!)... so we snapped into survival mode about mid-March, and I promised I'd make a dent in this pit of a house over the break. So, here I am... blogging.... haha... and having a cup of decaf starbucks.
And on that note (and almost the end of my coffee), I'm out. I'll probably write more this week. But hey, let's be honest, if I'm not over-sharing, making my audience uncomfortable, or being totally anonymous, who's gonna read it? :)
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Facebook vs. EdD
I heard on the radio one day, that Facebook actually depresses people. According to this study, people tend to only publish happy moments of their lives to Facebook. And who is to blame? After all, no one wishes to publish his or her entire life to Facebook, and no one wants to read a facebook page that is a 24/7 complaint publication. But there must be something in the middle there... In any case, I find it to be a pretty accurate description. People have a few minutes before bed, or in the middle of the day, and they hop on Facebook. They look at pictures, read the news feed, and suddenly, feel less "great" than they did before logging on. Often, according to this study, it is because people internalize all of these happy posts, and begin to think that the rest of the world is happier than they are. And aren't we all guilty of this? After all, if I have a rough day at work, of if my kids are throwing tantrums and wiping their snotty little noses all over my clothes, am I going to update my status with this? Unlikely. I don't want to look "unprofessional," and I also don't want to gripe. When my daughter took her first steps, did I post that to my wall? Absolutely. Nobody likes to read complaints, but nobody likes to think that their life is inherently less happy than someone else's either. Solution? Quit facebook.
No, I'm kidding. But in all honestly, that stuff has to be taken with a grain of salt. I gave up Facebook for Lent, and I have to say that it was a pretty selfishly-motivated sacrifice. I was tired of the person I was becoming when I wasted my last few minutes of the day on there, when I could have been reading, or even grabbing a few extra minutes of sleep. My other Lenten sacrifice (because I know you are so interested) is giving up swearing. That one is a little tougher.
So why title a post Facebook vs. EdD? Well, the doctoral degree I am pursuing is not a PhD, it is an EdD (or Educational Doctorate). The big difference is, instead of a dissertation, I get to write a giant legal publication. This is much later, however, considering I am in about week 8 of the entire 6-10 year process. In any case, here's what I'm finding: Yesterday, I had a terrible day at work. Whatever, it happens to all of us, and far be it for me to pretend that my life is perfect, or that I respond perfectly to all situations... I don't. So I get home, I'm frustrated, I'm just about in tears, and I'm mad about that, too, because it has nothing to do with my family, but for some reason I can't let it go. Thus perpetuating my vicious cycle of annoyed-with-myself-ness. Anyway, the kids and I get to playing, we have a nice night, I put them to bed, and then, as per usual, I am asleep within minutes. I wake up today, and I have one hour to get work done before the husband leaves for his job. (Obviously, much was accomplished or I would not be writing this presently). I got to work on my next assignment for the Doctoral program. And do you know how I felt? I felt great. I felt accomplished. Was it challenging? Yes. Was it tedious? At times, yes. But it was mine. It is mine. I am in control of it, and the only thing happening to me as I work, is that I am learning. I'm making connections, and this is all because I chose this. I'm not going to pretend that I love this all the time, because I do not. When I have to stay after school until 4:30 so that I can have an uninterrupted 90-minute phone conversation every week, or every other week, I am not thrilled, because I hate picking up my kids that late. But overall, no one is worse for the wear, and I am (slowly.. ha ha) getting smarter.
So- I guess a doctoral program trumps my old pal Facebook. Not to say that I won't be all over Facebook when Lent ends, but at least now I know where I stand. Fulfillment takes some effort. And while I get annoyed, greatly, with this effort, the end result is satisfaction.
Hate to be cliche... but I have to close with this quote:
“Education is about the only thing lying around loose in the world, and it's about the only thing a fellow can have as much of as he's willing to haul away."
-George Horace Lorimer,
American journalist and author
No, I'm kidding. But in all honestly, that stuff has to be taken with a grain of salt. I gave up Facebook for Lent, and I have to say that it was a pretty selfishly-motivated sacrifice. I was tired of the person I was becoming when I wasted my last few minutes of the day on there, when I could have been reading, or even grabbing a few extra minutes of sleep. My other Lenten sacrifice (because I know you are so interested) is giving up swearing. That one is a little tougher.
So why title a post Facebook vs. EdD? Well, the doctoral degree I am pursuing is not a PhD, it is an EdD (or Educational Doctorate). The big difference is, instead of a dissertation, I get to write a giant legal publication. This is much later, however, considering I am in about week 8 of the entire 6-10 year process. In any case, here's what I'm finding: Yesterday, I had a terrible day at work. Whatever, it happens to all of us, and far be it for me to pretend that my life is perfect, or that I respond perfectly to all situations... I don't. So I get home, I'm frustrated, I'm just about in tears, and I'm mad about that, too, because it has nothing to do with my family, but for some reason I can't let it go. Thus perpetuating my vicious cycle of annoyed-with-myself-ness. Anyway, the kids and I get to playing, we have a nice night, I put them to bed, and then, as per usual, I am asleep within minutes. I wake up today, and I have one hour to get work done before the husband leaves for his job. (Obviously, much was accomplished or I would not be writing this presently). I got to work on my next assignment for the Doctoral program. And do you know how I felt? I felt great. I felt accomplished. Was it challenging? Yes. Was it tedious? At times, yes. But it was mine. It is mine. I am in control of it, and the only thing happening to me as I work, is that I am learning. I'm making connections, and this is all because I chose this. I'm not going to pretend that I love this all the time, because I do not. When I have to stay after school until 4:30 so that I can have an uninterrupted 90-minute phone conversation every week, or every other week, I am not thrilled, because I hate picking up my kids that late. But overall, no one is worse for the wear, and I am (slowly.. ha ha) getting smarter.
So- I guess a doctoral program trumps my old pal Facebook. Not to say that I won't be all over Facebook when Lent ends, but at least now I know where I stand. Fulfillment takes some effort. And while I get annoyed, greatly, with this effort, the end result is satisfaction.
Hate to be cliche... but I have to close with this quote:
“Education is about the only thing lying around loose in the world, and it's about the only thing a fellow can have as much of as he's willing to haul away."
-George Horace Lorimer,
American journalist and author
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