Learning

I remember when I finished high school thinking that I was finished learning.  Mr. Van Hoff, the senior English teacher assured us that we would read more as adults than we ever did as students, I thought he was delusional.  I was.   

Three or four years later I figured out that if I didn't get more education, I was going to be stuck at the bottom of the employment ranks, and started taking college classes in the evenings. I really couldn't afford to stop working full time and go to college.  

I also, at the urging of a professor, addressed my challenges with spelling and proofreading.  Without going into the gorey details, I owe that young professor and a specialist in the library a huge thank you. Spell check finds spelling errors that my brain would never see, and years of spotting and correcting spelling errors has vastly improved my spelling.  Editing remains a work in progress, my brain reads over missing words, and creates weird, but grammatically correct sentence structures. There is a huge difference between my quick drafts, and final edits. Understanding how my brain works, changed me.  

After a couple of years, I moved onto Rollins College.  I continued to take a couple of classes a semester. I was working full time, going to school part time.  One semester I took time off from work and took on a full class load.  I found a connection between what I was studying and the life I was living and the work I was doing.  In essence, I spent 10 years earning and paying for a four-year college degree.  It can be done, it has been done by many people.  A university degree does not have to mean taking on huge debt, or coming from a rich family.  It does require a lot of sacrifice, I put in a lot of 70-80 hour weeks between work and school, I paid for it as I went, diverting money from travel and cars, and a nicer home. It is about setting priorities. 

When I was in my middle 30's I decided I really wanted to move into the "professional class." Medical school was not a viable option for a couple of reasons, but Law School, a Juris Doctor degree was an option.  I started studying and scheduled myself to take the law school admissions test (LSAT.)  Then Jay got a job offer from the University of Kentucky.  We agreed, he said yes,  I sold the house in Orlando, moving out of it on a Friday, taking the LSAT on Saturday and left for Kentucky on Monday.  

I applied to four law schools, and three said yes.  I picked the one that was the best fit for me, and went.  I was concerned, I would be 40 when I finished.  I commented on this, and someone asked me, "do you want to be 40 with the degree, or 40 without the degree?"  An easy decision.  Law school was hard work, but I have never spent so much time with so many bright people.  And for me it was the first time when learning for the sake of learning was my full time occupation.  

And learning continues.  I read, a lot. I read on subjects that interest me, and on things I know nothing about.  To renew my license I need to complete continuing education each year, I usually do at least twice the required amount.  I have taught a lot of continuing education over the past 20 years, I learn so much from preparing and from teaching.  

Zig Ziglar was fond of saying that as long as you are green you are growing, the moment you are ripe you start to rot.  I am still green - still learning.   

From April 28th, to about May 12th , I will be on a great adventure and on a digital detox, a couple of weeks without access to the internet. I have been told internet access may be available, but it will be very slow and expensive. So, I am going to try to take a couple of weeks off. I have not been without internet access in a couple of in couple of decades, I hope it goes well.  After that, until about May 30th, I will have intermittent internet access. 

I have scheduled posts to keep you all entertained.  These are not my usual posts, that is either a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on your point of view.  As I have opportunity, I will post updates.  I look forward to reading your comments when I have the opportunity. 

Regular service will resume about the 1st of June, with tales from the adventure.