Whining

Without a doubt, I have the urge to return to graduate school. I said as much once I graduated because I was really green back then; a kid in a new city with no job experience, working alongside scores of longtime educators. I know I could do a much better job. I worked at some campus jobs but the hours were so limited that I was essentially unemployed. However, I was in a graduate program schedule for working teachers. So, you know, classes typically once per week, just a coupla hours in the evening. For sure, I was in great shape back then since I didn’t have a car and spent so much time touring Seattle neighborhoods, walking around the U-District and playing basketball. The other times I was chatting with Raquel on MSN Messenger or otherwise wasting time. Hell, I started my blog while I was up in Washington! But the urge is back. It could be in education again or in some other field, I haven’t decided. I have plenty of intellectual curiosity but, at the moment, there’s no type of research that comes to mind meaningful enough that I’m ready to commit years and dollars to it.

Yet, in what may be an indictment of me more than anything else, I want to return largely for the social aspect, too. To be a legitimate part of a college campus again. I’m writing this at Happy Donut now and I recognize a few of the people here…guys who play basketball at the gym that I drive 30 miles to play at every week. They’re here in a business school study group, though…I’m just killing time. My telephone contacts list is full of numbers for people I don’t feel I can call just to chill. I guess things have become really sparse since I stopped contacting Brian and it fizzled out with Captain L. Not going crazy, but intensely aware that my weekdays are spent at work with the Dark Side and home with Mom (sweet as she is) followed by weekends entertaining myself.

So, I guess I’m saying I want a redo of all of it, the academic and social sides of school.  Manage my time better, do less introspection and more…hanging out.  Yup.  Okay, thanks for bearing with another whining column by WhatUpThen!