My Graduation, December 2011

“It’s official. I’ve graduated.” That’s what I wrote on December 16, 2011.

During the months of December 2010 into spring 2011,  I had worked out my final courses and I knew the rest of the game plan that would take me through fall to graduation. I was no longer planning what classes to take next. It was all laid out, and the end was in sight. It was so hard to grasp that I was really done!

Throughout the fall semester, I was asked many times by coworkers, “Are you going to walk for graduation?” Another person asked me, “Why do you want to walk for graduation?” I didn’t have a great answer for that at first. I had never considered missing it. I just assumed it was the final step in the process. Practically, I think that because I knew I would not be jumping into some great new job but staying where I was, walking for graduation is the only thing that acknowledged and celebrated the accomplishment. Also, since I work at the university, I wanted to walk before my colleagues at the university, with the students (many of whom I helped in my work). Commencement recognizes the value of the work required to get a degree. It is the capstone for all the hard work. Yes, I walked!


This spring, my son will be graduating. How cool is that!

Master’s or No Master’s

I had completed two years of college when I decided to get married. For some reason, it never occurred to me to complete my degree. It wasn’t even discussed. Looking back, I can see that I was never encouraged by my high school, my family, or my friends. And I myself had no thought for my/our future. I went to college for two years, but it simply to not even cross my mind to continue my schooling. I don’t even know why.

In 2009, I decided to complete my degree, and I graduated in December 2011. The options were limited for online classes, so I chose Human Services as the major. I considered going for my master’s (in an education area), and I was actually signed up and ready to start the first class when the impact of what it would require made me stop short. By this time I was listening to Dave Ramsey, EntreLeadership, and Dan Miller via podcasts. And dreams began to build up again.

I questioned the whole idea of getting the master’s, wondering:

How long it will take to earn the degree?
What will a master’s do for me as a career?
Is the degree going to allow me to work in a field I want to work in?
Is this what I want to be doing while my son is finishing his final year of college and living at home? Even if I can teach, will I still need to work full time anyway to keep benefits?
What else will continue to be left undone in my home business?
Is it better to work on improving the business Web site?
Is it better to work toward editing jobs, work that I love?

I chose to postpone the pursuit of a master’s and then backed out entirely by midsummer. Instead, I decided to purchase books to create my own “master’s program,” to allow me to shoot for entrepreneuerial goals. I created a small but growing library and became excited about turning some dreams in to reality. Hope had come back and I thought I could take a year to prepare and then be a great place to even consider quitting my day job. Well, the summer brought a lateral job change to a new area, with potential for promotion, or so I thought.

Sad to say, I have yet to read any of the books.

So reading books is becoming one area for goals for the coming year.