Work, School, and Spring

Guess it is time for an update, though I have nothing in particular to say, so we'll just let the ramble begin.

I had my last official day at work last Wednesday, but I was in there again Friday to finish the books, and will probably be there again to do some training when they find a new person. That is good, because we'll need cash until I find a new job. I am looking for an evening or weekend job since that's pretty much the only time that works with school. Speaking of, today is my last day of break. Tomorrow begins another semester. This time I am going to "real school". I've found that in taking online classes, there is a decent stigma, and many people seemed to think that I wasn't really going to school, like I was just writing fake papers for fun or something. I tried to explain to people that I do the exact same work, just through a different venue. Group projects, homework, quizzes, papers, all the same, followed with a final test that was yes, in person. But, only about a quarter of the population seemed to understand that concept. So now Jesse and I joke that I am finally going to real school and I'll finally be writing real papers with real research, and yes, I'll even be making real grades! Since I have only ever been to the testing center at the university (whilst taking those fake finals), Jesse and I went over there on Wednesday to pick up my textbooks and make sure I know where I am going for my classes. Turns out, my classes are all on the top floor of a 3 story building that has no elevator, and no parking lot. This will be a good thing, as I'm trying to lose a couple pounds. But still, I have to question what exactly they were thinking in locating the art dept. there instead of something like English classes. Hm. Most students carry papers and a book or two. Art students carry canvas, clay, and a host of other over-sized objects. So it makes complete sense to put them on the top floor, far far far away from any parking because they will have no problems loading and unloading all their art crap, toting it across campus, and then up a few flights of stairs. (Actually, in their defense the ceramics studio is somewhere else.) Anyway, so this is the big shift happening around here. I'm pretty excited, but the nerves are there as well. I am trying to approach it with a different attitude than I had at KCAI and hopefully I am helping to set myself up for success this round. Worse case, I figure it will be awful, I won't like it, it will suck for 16 weeks, and then I'll just change my major back, go back to those fake classes, and graduate in Dec. as originally planned, (with the art classes filling in some of my electives). Best case, I will love it, wake up excited most days about what I am doing in life, and be so engulfed in the wonderful journey that I won't even care that I am delaying my graduation. By the end of tomorrow, and especially the end of this week, I think I will have a better idea of which way it is going to lean, and I'm rooting for #2. I am really learning that my outlook and attitude are going to be the #1 factor in which way it does go, and I hope that I am wise enough to choose happiness.

Anyway, enough of that. The stores are putting in their bikinis and clearing out their turtlenecks, which makes me very happy because it means spring is on the way! I was pleasantly shocked this week, as I walked out of work on Monday evening, and there was still daylight! I have big garden and landscape plans, which I am just itching to use my Lowe's gift cards on. Plus, I can't wait to see how my bulbs bloom. Jesse's mom got me some tulip and daffodil bulbs as an early birthday present when she was here last fall, then my grandma divided the jonquils that were at my great-grandma's house and gave me some, so we should have a nice show in a few months. Plus, Jesse got me a hummingbird feeder that I can't wait to hang. Excitement over gardens and bird watching...I sound like I should be retired.