At this time of year I have an admission to make.  I am tired and ready to be finished with school for the year.  This semester has been difficult.  It is the first semester in a few years that I was not able to complete online.  And the added time pressures of tryin to make it to class (something that I have failed at on occasion), running to work directly after for a full shift, and then trying to maintain a house (don't forget trying to move now), and making sure that I spend quality time with my wife and puppy is trying.  And frankly, my Give A Damn needs a boost to complete the year. Here is a sample of where my mind currently is hovering...Hey teachers...

I was pleasantly surprised when I received my Mid-term back in astronomy.  It was a C, and not a strong C.  But with my lack of mathematical acumen I will quite happily take a C in the class if that is where I finish.  I love the topic, ask as many (hopefully) intelligent questions as anyone in lecture, but just cannot beat the science of it. 

My other classes are going well enough.  Carrying an A and a B+ so far which I will not argue with.  For an older guy whose memory is lacking from his teenage years...  I am content for now.  Thanks and see you all later.

Other perspectiveshttp://courtneyking23.blogspot.com/

Okay, so for this post I am supposed to find something I want to share on a weekly basis (this blog is a school assignment for those that did not know).  I work hard at my job and at school.  So I also want to laugh hard.   So I am going to start doing Friday Funnies!  I will link some things that I really find amusing from the Funny Pages.  To start with...

Dilbert....http://dilbert.com/

Then,   Foxtrot math comics...  Because I hate math.  http://www.gocomics.com/foxtrot/2009/04/19

Finally, I have always loved Calvin and Hobbes....  And his issues with school ring true to an aged adult.   http://calvin-and-hobbes-comic-strips.blogspot.com/

I am also supposed to reference these to the theme of this blog....  I just finished a Mid-Term in Astronomy, some of the math involved is light trig...  I have never had a single lesson in trig in my life.  Foxtrot take me away.

For anyone who may like this blog, here is another that you may be interested in.     http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/

That is it for this time folks.  I am half way through with the semester.  One class may become easier (Astronomy) One more difficult (Writing for Multimedia), and while I enjoy learning I will be glad for summer, and the lack of homework that will allow me to enjoy my great passion, my bike.

Astronomy.  I love the class, but I am also terrible at it so far.  I am having nightmares about the Mid-Term coming this week.  Open book, open note, and I am still worried about how well I can do.

So, here I am.  Still trying to work towards my goal of a degree.  This semester I have three classes, am working, and fun times,,,  I will be moving out of the house I have been living in for 22 years and into a new place the week before finals.  Excitement and challenges continue.

I returned to school almost 7 years ago.  Yes, it is taking me forever going to school half time.  Between that and starting out with remedial classes (I graduated high school in 1987 and things have changed or been forgotten), I expect to finish in about 18 more months. 

I restarted school for one purpose.  I wanted to go into nursing.  I was ill, very ill just before starting school again.  The nurses were brilliant in helping me to recover, and I wanted to pay the treatment forward.  Unfortunately, I had to later admit that due to leftover physical limitation from my illness I was never going to be able to assist patients 12 or more hours per day.  So that goal was changed. 

My current profession is Licensed Massage Therapist.  So I already help people to feel better and improve their health.  Not at the level of a nurse, but I can still help.  I love my job, but it has its drawbacks.  Massage Therapy is an occupation that offers good pay, but few benefits.  The only way to gain benefits in my line of work is to perform massage therapy at a hospital working with patients.

This is my goal but it has obstacles before I can make it there.  I need a college degree to work with hospital patients.  So this means that my college career continues, but in a different direction than I had originally planned.

To Be continued....

Hello.  My Name is Jerry and this is my new blog.  I am almost 50 years old, and trying to attain my first degree at college.  This blog will mostly be about the trials and tribulations of trying to work, maintain a home, go to school, and still find time to spend with my loving wife.and little puppy dog.  These are the two beings on this planet that mean everything to me and I refuse to abandon them to academics.  Seeing as I need two more posts for homework tomorrow morning...  I will continue on the next post!