Author: darthjedi

Can you afford an education?

I received notification that my graduation was approved: 4.0 GPA – I finished in just about 4 years, while working a full time job, adopting 2 children, running two businesses and juggling many other responsibilities including life.

Almost immediately after receiving notification I received an email saying that it was time to start talking about paying back the school loans. I knew it was going to be tough to pay back the loans I had to take to go to school, I just didn’t realize it would be this tough. Almost 7% interest, the payments for 10 years are going to be close to $600 a month.  WHAT?!?  I haven’t seen any tangible income earning potential as a result of this new found degree, and I certainly won’t see $600 dollars a month worth – probably EVER.  So what am I supposed to do, where am I supposed to find this new found income?

Even worse, is that I know I received my degree with about 40% less debt than most college students, first, I didn’t stay on campus, second after 17+ years in the field of Information Technology, I was able to petition out of a lot of courses, showing a mastery of expertise in many various and sundry topics, while saving almost 1/4 the price of many of the classes.

So, I spent 4 years paying the university to approve my learning as I was teaching myself; and for it, I no better job, no better job opportunities, no more income coming in; but somehow, I have to come up with another $600 a month.  Where?  It’s not there…  It’s going to be like squeezing blood from a stone.

 

Surviving Winter

Here is the first composite I have taken with my d7000 – it looks like an illustrious career for me, right?  🙂

 

I call this:  Surviving Winter!

 

Surviving winter

Two days till Graduation

I am two days away from stepping into a position as the first of my immediate family to have completed a Bachelor’s degree.

I have loved learning since the first moment I came into my awareness as a sentient being. I seek understanding; I court knowledge as a lover, and exalt wisdom as a best friend. I live to the maxim of Socrates understanding, that the unexamined life is indeed not worth living.

This university, Capella University, and my professors over the last four years have brought and laid before my feet the gift of knowledge; but laying in there, and not handing it to me. Acting, more properly in description as a road sign, standing and pointing the way, but never offering what I would not myself take. And so I have taken hold of the direction, I have mothered it, I have caressed and succored it, allowed it to germinate inside of me, with enthusiasm, with determination, with distinction.

Every class I have digested, every person I have met, are now entwined into my experiences of life; my soul – if you will. From the amazement of the exterior world as far reaching as astronomy can unveil, to the wonderment of the internal world full of philosophical debate and psychological prose.

I have sat on the deathbed with Ivan Ilyich, and have peered into the mind of hallucinogenic madness working with discrete math, I have been pulled, and I have stretched like taffy in the maker’s hands. I am new.

I have learned, as penultimate in my undertaking of life, that it is within me and of myself to accomplish anything I am willing to work for – and the same for you! Time is my only enemy.

 

Photo on 1 31 12 at 8 49 AM

Happy Birthday Jesus

Sitting in church tonight, I was thinking that the advent means so much more than I’ve ever thought of before. Our King and Creator came in such a strange way, to be born as a servant, to die, not a hero’s death as most Kings of renown, but to die a death most often of slaves, only then to triumph and be triumphant in His death… But, His advent was for my children, and my children’s children… He opened the door of salvation for them – and as a parent, I could never have asked or expected for anything more amazing than that. To know that the light of the world came in to overcome the darkness, to infiltrate and win back the hearts of his rebellious creation and in so doing, He gave me hope in that whatever life brings, there is hope for my children that goes beyond the hardships of this life alone. Regardless of the time of year Christ was really born: Happy Birthday Jesus, and thank you for such a wonderful gift – the gift of life for my children.