Reflections upon an ending summer

Well, it's two classes down, six more to go before I am done with the academic portion of the M.A. I'm scheduled for two classes so far in the fall, and am trying to beg my way into a third. Nothing like waiting to the last minute, but I've been pretty swamped, you know, with all of this blogging and stuff.

The problem isn't getting into class, the problem is getting classes to fit around my other duties. I am very excited about the opportunities to get some experience on the teaching side of all of this, but I'm trying to shoehorn one more class into my schedule. I'll find a way. If I can't get in, I'll just show up anyway.

The summer on campus has been very relaxed. I went to the bookstore the other day to buy some polo shirts (you recall, I buy my books on amazon) but other than that, I haven't ventured too far off of the quad - or whatever they call that area where the academic buildings are. I really should find that out. As for my classes, they were challenging to say the least. I have managed to keep up with all of the required readings, even skimming ahead. When you are committed from day one, it's not so hard (geesh, Mom was right after all!) I spent my only trip to the beach this summer (four terrific days at Toms River) reading legal briefs and chapters in my law text, while trying to get ahead of myself so I'd have time to write a 5 page paper on media shield laws when I returned. By the time I had to remember the material in class a week later, all I kept thinking about was the hot sand between my toes.

In many ways, a semester over the summer is like a day in a television newsroom. You spend the entire time (6 weeks, or 9 hours) working on a goal (surviving the class, or surviving East Baltimore) and at the end of the term/work day, you finish, look back and say "oh, wow that's over. Now what?" It's a bit of a let down. You spend the entire time focused on something, and then it's over. On to the next problem space*.

Those of you who know me pretty well, know that I have always enjoyed learning (even if my apparent effort in high school or undergraduate education would suggest otherwise). These papers, the readings, the exams, have really been a lot of fun. I am actually excited to get started on my thesis! I feel bad, because I am really enjoying this now, really working hard to get good grades, and I keep thinking to myself, "gee, if I had only paid attention and actually read my assignments as an undergrad, instead of watching Billy Madison 400 times with Jason, Kris and Tully, maybe I would be an lawyer right now- or even a vice-presidential candidate!"

Ah, but it is those life experiences that we look back upon, that have put us exactly where we are today. Perhaps if I had done that, I wouldn't have spent three days on an aircraft carrier, or have a chance to shoot on the red carpet at American Idol for four years. I wouldn't have made so many great friends, and of course, I wouldn't have met my wife. Instead, I would be still selling advertising for a now-defunct minor league hockey team in Dayton Ohio. Wow, I was lousy at sales.

I guess I'm glad I blew off that class after all.
But I won't do it again.



* Problem Space: That's from 601, the Theory course I took first. Hey, I recall the information.