These days

I was just looking over my blog posts for the last couple of... months, and realized that based on the blog, it looks like I'm reading a little bit and taking exactly one picture per week, you know, keeping VERY busy. But besides all that, I've been doing a few other things.

First of all, I'm job hunting. Yes, I've heard the economy stinks. Yes, actually, that does make job-hunting sort of depressing. But two years ago when I applied to grad school, while the housing market was shaky, nobody knew yet that the financial markets were also going to blow up, and that together these things would cause the "Great Recession." Lovely, isn't it? To many others out there who are also job-hunting: I feel your pain.

When I'm not sending out resumes and looking at job boards, I've really gone crazy on a new hobby, digital scrapbooking. I've gone so completely crazy that I started another whole blog about it. You can check it out here. In fact, I was recently selected to be on the creative team at a scrapbooking website, which has been kind of fun. At least I'm good at something, even though apparently that something isn't job hunting or world peace.

It's St. Patrick's Day today, and although I'm not much of a beer drinker and will admit that green beer is even less appealing in general, I'm pretty sure margaritas are green, too. Oddly, my favorite margaritas are blue, and those are VERY appealing, but that's not important. Today's margarita will be green. Also, in honor of the holiday, I want you to know that if you are reading this....

Thanks for reading!

--

Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

52:9 Today's Mail

 
Now if you are (or someone you know is) hiring in this reportedly recovering economy and wants to talk to a brand new Master's graduate, please let me know.

--

Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

I stand corrected... but not for long, I need to go to the bank

My very last post was about making my last payment to San Diego State, only 10 days ago. A payment I deliberately waited to make until the due date, since I resented just a bit that this payment is what was responsible for the majority of the huge increase in college costs this semester.

Well, that increase estimate requires an adjustment, because I got a check BACK from the college today, a result of being awarded a grant specifically towards the extra costs. I feel blessed. And now I need to go to the bank. :)

--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Thank you for your payment

I made my last payment to San Diego State this morning. I think. I hope. I can't believe I'm going to be finished next month!! People keep saying, "Wow, that's fast!" to which I can only reply: "I know!" Trust me, it's gone by quickly. Why is it that when I thought about what 18 months was going to feel like at the beginning, it seemed like forever, but now it feels like that was yesterday?

So I've decided I'm not going to attend graduation. They don't hold a ceremony in December, so I'd have to wait until May. I'm realizing this is the second time I'm graduating in December, as I finished my Calvin degree then, too. Amidst all the holiday stuff, it's hard for it to not get lost in the other seasonal festivities. At Calvin, I actually walked in the May graduation before I finished, so getting my degree was sort of a non-event. Although I did get some cool presents, including a Calvin Alumni t-shirt I still have to this day. :)

Last week was "grad fest" at the bookstore, so I checked out all the (expensive) extras: graduation announcements, diploma frames, class rings. I've always wanted one of those super-fancy diploma frames, and Calvin has them, too. Now I need two of them. Maybe I'll wait until I actually have some wall space to hang them on, but wouldn't these look nice on that imaginary wall? (Links for the curious: Calvin frame here and SDSU frame here.)

I may eventually indulge in these, but I think I'm going to forgo the other extras. Instead, the money I'm saving is going towards the big party I'm having in January. Doesn't that sound like more fun than sitting through a long graduation ceremony?






--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Volunteer Needed

** Thanks everyone for reading this and for those who have considered it! A couple of you volunteered and those profiles are being reviewed by the professor for suitability... then on to the real work! Thanks again! **

Blog readers, this is not the kind of thing I normally post, but I need a volunteer for a project I'm doing for school and thought this would be a great way to get the word out. As many of you know, I'm working on a degree in Financial Planning, and this is my last semester (Yippee!!!) During this semester, I will be completing a final project that involves writing a Financial Plan for a real person or family. Only I need to find that volunteer first!

So here's what I'm looking for. I need someone who would like help with at least 2-3 of the following financial goals/assessments:
- Retirement savings
- Education/College savings for you or your child(ren), grandchild(ren), or someone else (niece, nephew, etc.)
- Saving for one or more financial goals of any size: vehicle purchase (car, minivan, boat, RV, etc.,) big vacation, first home, vacation home, private island, lear jet, etc. (If you can dream it, I will be happy to help you plan for it!)
- Insurance analysis & planning: auto/home/life/health/long-term care, etc.
- Analysis of current financial position and cash flow

Other requirements:
- Must live within or near the San Diego area (sorry, I know a couple of my out-of-town readers were already hoping they'd be picked!)
- Must not be a family member (sorry, Mom!)
- Will need to be available to meet with me a few times over the course of the semester

One further note: Sharing your financial information is something you should rightfully be cautious about, and I promise you and your information will be treated with utmost confidentiality, including the fact that no information about the identity of you or your family or information about your situation will be discussed in a public forum of any kind including this blog. However, since this is an educational project, it will be reviewed by faculty at SDSU (because you want me to graduate, right?)

If you are interested in considering this opportunity, please e-mail me at RJLRebo at gmail dot com . If you know of someone else who may be interested, please feel free to pass on this link!
If possible, please contact me by Wednesday September 16. I will update this post (at the top) when a volunteer is selected.

Thanks so much for taking time to read my request!
--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Hyperinflation

Today is the first day of classes for me. Only a year ago I went to my very first class, and today is the first day of my last semester. This seems like it's gone by really fast. Because it has. One of the reasons that I decided a year ago to attend classes full-time was because there were rumors of a notable fee increase for graduate business students. I figured I may as well get as many units as possible completed before the increase became effective, because it was going to be big.

How big? 97%

Almost double what it cost for the same semester last year. Yikes.

One small note is that I don't expect to spend nearly as much on books as I did a year ago. Of course I'm saying that without knowing how much books are going to be, but that's what I expect. Thank goodness for that!

--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

A Quick Update: Grad School

A lot of people have been asking how things are going with school, or maybe it's that I've been talking to a lot of people I don't see very often. :)

Either way, I thought I'd just write a short update on what's happening with school. I finished the Spring semester just before the Memorial Day weekend. I had exactly 6 scheduled days off before I was due to begin my summer class and a part-time intership for the summer. I enjoyed seeing my cousin Ashley and her husband Mike that weekend, doing some shopping and catching up (if only briefly) with friends Kim, Andrea & Randy up in Temecula (I don't get up that way very often anymore) and a day at D*sneyland, which probably surprises no one.

Highlights of the day at D*sney included spending most of the day dripping wet after a careless decision to get on the Grizzly River Run "because I didn't get that wet last time," ruining the attraction photo of the people sitting behind me on Hollywood's Tower of Terror because I kept my hands up and therefore in front of their faces the whole time (Who really wants to spend $14.95 on a 5x7 of you screaming and with bad hair, anyway?) and riding in the front of the Monorail. Yes, where the driver sits and you have a 180-degree view of the entire ride. Very cool, I highly recommend it!

I am taking a summer class for two reasons. I registered initially because I didn't want to overload on units in the fall, and in the process earn my degree at the expense of my sanity. After registration the fall schedule was published and as it turns out, taking a summer class become necessary because I couldn't have taken enough credits in the fall semester to graduate because certain classes overlapped. So, two nights a week for six weeks I'm studying Real Estate Appraisal. Actually, I should be studying right this minute because I have a test tomorrow, but well, obviously I decided that could wait a few minutes.

After my class ends this fall, I will continue working 3 days a week at my internship job, then I am taking 2 weeks off at the end of the summer before the fall semester begins. I'm also still doing some part time work from home for 5-10 hours a week. The first three days of the August vacation are going to be meeting up with some girlfriends in Chicago, the rest is still undecided. I have to say I'm looking forward to visiting the midwest in the summer... which I haven't done since 2004 for Beth's wedding.

The fall semester will be my last semester - already! I can't believe it, with two semesters done, and only a total of three, it feels like this has gone really fast. Probably because it has gone really fast. :) Then... the plan after that is to go back to work full-time in the financial planning field, study to take my CFP (Certified Financial Planner) exam in February, move to San Diego to be closer to where the jobs are... and dive in to a new chapter in life. Life is busy, but good, and I'm excited for the future!

--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday: First Day

I started another new job today. I was blessed with a paid summer internship at a financial advising firm, Waddell & Reed. The team I'm working with seem really great, and willing to let me dig in and learn some financial planning skills along with helping out with some of the usual internship stuff like... filing. Which I love. Not. But overall, it promises to be interesting. They have been very flexible, allowing me to schedule hours around my summer class and to avoid the worst commute times so I don't spend hours in traffic.

God is good, and I am grateful.

--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday: Time to Chill

Last weekend, I was ready to bang my head against the wall. It was Saturday, and I was trying my hardest to work ahead and study for a Tuesday test. Who knew it was possible to study before the last minute? So I'm diligently working my way through the review material and things are going fine until I meet problem number 4 in chapter 5. Solving this problem requires use of a concept I have seen before, so I quickly work the problem to arrive at ... the wrong answer. I think I know what went wrong, so I erase like crazy and try again. And again. And AGAIN. Seriously? Still wrong?!!?

I find myself in a resentful state of mind: if I'm going to spend my Saturday night doing homework, it would be nice if I at least accomplish something. Because I can think of a LOT of other things I would rather be doing.

After several failed attempts with no greater insight into the cause of the wrong answer, I give up. I turn to something that calms my mind and helps me relax: I spend time creating. This is a dangerous alternative, as anyone who creates anything knows, because creating something wonderful can be difficult. The desired effect can be elusive. But I risk it because I just can't deal with my calculator anymore. Luckily, odds were in favor of success in this pursuit: I decided to make some homemade greeting cards, and I was already in possession of some fabulous raw materials.

There is satisfaction in overcoming a challenge and arriving at that "aha" moment when everything comes together. There is intrinsic reward in working hard. But sometimes, I crave more immediate success. Sometimes I need to accomplish something without relying on the resources within every last brain cell. Sometimes, it's nice to start something you know you can finish well.

I didn't get any more homework done on Saturday night, but the cards I made became birthday gifts at our family party on Sunday. Best of all, I went to bed relaxed and satisfied with my accomplishments. Later, a friend from class was able to enlighten me and point out the very basic mistake in my calculations, thereby putting me back on track to being prepared for Tuesday. And the detour wasn't so bad either.






--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

The Dartboard Experiment - Revised

In my investments class, we were given an assignment to pick 5 stocks and put a fictional $2 million in each of them for a portfolio of $10 million. (Yeah, obviously fictional, right?) At the end of the semester, we have to see how our portfolio performed against the class-selected portfolio, which was chosen by the dartboard method.

I selected: Royal Dutch Shell, Pfizer*, Procter & Gamble, Netflix and TJX Inc.

As of today, I've lost $500,000. That's a lot of money! On the other hand, it's "only" 5%. I still have $9.6 million to buy my sweet party condo on the beach and lot of really great shoes.

*Update: I'd forgotten that I'd meant to include Pfizer in my list initially. My strategy was to pick companies I thought would do well in a crummy economy because people would still need their products, like Procter & Gamble, or switch to it to save money, like Netflix & TJX. Shell is on the list because at the time, gas/oil prices were stable and predicted to go up, and Shell also has interests in all kinds of energy, including green options like wind energy.

So why Pfizer? It was my dad's recommendation: they make a popular anti-anxiety medication, and he thought they might experience increased demand. (Hmm, wonder why?) They replaced Southwest Airlines which I'd selected mostly because I am a fan. Although I suspect travel in general isn't going to do well for a while, I thought they had the best shot since they've stayed profitable even when other airlines haven't. However, when I realized I left off Pfizer, I dropped them because they weren't as close a fit with my strategy.
-- Copyright Rebecca's Miscellanies ( http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/ )

Resolution Update

After going public with my New Year's resolutions this year, I decided to post an update every now and then, as a way to force myself to be honest about my progress. It's so easy to talk myself out of my goals, but in the end that only leaves me frustrated with my own laziness and lack of motivation. So... here's the update.

1. Read through the Bible chronologically.

I'm glad to say this resolution is going well. The schedule means reading 2-3 chapters a day, and I'm right on schedule. The early books of the Bible, Genesis and Exodus, are pretty easy reads. The stories are familiar, although reading through them reveals some subtle sub-plots and asides that I don't remember from my Sunday School days.

I admit that my personal devotion habit has not been consistent, and one of the things I hope to accomplish with this goal is to create a pattern of daily reading that becomes second nature. However, a group of us from church is doing this together and we met yesterday to talk about how it's going. There I learned that I need to challenge myself more to think critically about what I'm reading and ask myself more often some questions that can bring greater meaning to the process. For example,
~ What does a particular story teach me about God?
~ What am I learning about myself as I read through scripture?
Using these questions to dig a little deeper is going to influence my reading in the next couple of weeks until we meet again.

2. Finish grad school.

I'm showing up for class, I'm studying, and my head hurts occasionally from trying to absorb it all. So far, so good!

3. Lose 30 (+/-) pounds.

Ugh. I've only lost 2.4 pounds so far, and since I had gained 5 pounds over Christmas, it's hard not to think that I still haven't even overcome that little setback yet. But I just keep eating my veggies every day and trying to work at it. Speaking of which... time to wrap up this post and head for the gym!

--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday: Back to the Routine

Classes resumed today, and I was ready. I always freak out a little at reading all the lists of readings, projects, papers and exams that I'll be facing in the next few months. It always overwhelms me a little. At the same time, I didn't realize how much I had missed the routine of classes until I got in the car yesterday, loaded up my favorite podcast, and drove to school for the first day of the new semester. It felt comfortable and right. It felt good.

I'm not a newbie anymore. I got through the bookstore in about 20 minutes because I knew how to find the required books. I knew where to find my class. I know where to get cheap refills of coffee in my SDSU mug. I think I took more notes than anyone else in my class (what can I say, note-taking is a gift.)

Sometimes I'm tempted to say that my life is boring, usually at times when it feels routine and predictable. But it's good to remember that sometimes the routine is a blessing, too.

--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

To resolve or not?

Happy New Year!

*****

Yesterday, I had a discussion about whether or not to make New Year's Resolutions. In recent years, I've tried to make at least one resolution each year, more along the lines of "things I want to accomplish this year." For me, to say them out loud, or in this case blog them, gives me a self-imposed accountability. I don't ask anyone to hold me accountable, but I feel compelled to live up to my own expectations because I don't like to say I've failed. I also know that if I keep my goals to myself I'm really, really not very good at actually reaching them.

At the same time, I allow myself the grace to adapt expectations to accommodate real changes in my life that make adaptation necessary. Or sometimes, reconsidering a goal is prompted by a new discovery about myself, my motivations for the goal, or the effects of the process to achieve a goal.

For example, I attempted last year to read the entire Bible in chronological order. I tried to do it in 100 days, and I didn't make it. I got almost one-third of the way through the readings when I realized it had become a chore, a mere item to check off my list, and it was no longer meaningful. I decided to take a short break to regain perspective. And... I forgot to go back. I think my motivation for the break was good, and what I should have done was resume my readings at a slower pace so I didn't get burned out again. Lesson learned.

So this year... that's on my list again, but the 365-day version of the reading plan. It will be no less daily, but hopefully not so demanding. That said, I think it will be the hardest to complete... mostly because it will be the easiest to let slide.

So here's the list for 2009:
1. Read through the Bible chronologically.
2. Finish grad school.
3. Lose 30 (+/-) pounds.

This last item is the final stretch of a goal I started in in September of 2007. This one I've been semi-public about, keeping a ticker at the bottom of my blog page. The ticker currently says I need to lose 26.8 pounds, but, well, there were Christmas cookies, and pies, and cakes and so on. Now it's back to regular trips to the gym for me to burn off all those goodies and a few more.

So, are you making resolutions? Do you usually? Never? Just curious to know, not so much what your resolutions are, but if you bother making them at all. Regardless of what you resolve to do... or not to do... I wish you a wonderful 2009!
-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Christmas Letter 2008

Dear friends,

It’s Christmas afternoon and my family has just finished unwrapping gifts accompanied by warm coffee and holiday cookies. Turkey dinner is to follow in about an hour. It’s raining outside, and I’ve heard more than one person comment that they like the rain because it makes Christmas feel cozy. Normally, I’m in favor of sunny and 70 for Christmas, but my current state of reflection on the blessings in my life doesn’t allow any room for discontent with the weather.

This has been a year of changes for me, and I feel so blessed by the opportunities I’ve been given. At the beginning of the year, I was working at a job I really didn’t like much, but I was laid off in March, more of a relief than anything else. I was immediately freed up to focus on what I had already decided to do next: go back to school.

In May, I was accepted to San Diego State’s MSBA program in Finance and Tax Planning, and was also blessed with a part-time job opportunity that would be flexible with my school schedule. Through that opportunity, I made some connections that together have provided me with enough work to meet expenses while I’m in school, mostly working from home, which is great.

In September, life got busy as I nervously began classes, not really sure what to expect. This is the part where can’t help but be grateful for a very good undergraduate education, because after years out of school, I found my skills were up to the demands of grad school. As the semester continued, I found my studies rewarding and interesting, which was further confirmation for me that I am in the right place at the right time.

The end goal of this degree is to become a financial planner. If all goes well, I will finish the degree next December, and then take a certification test and look for work in the financial planning field. I’m very, very excited about working in this field, and I can’t help but feel that I finally have figured out what it is that I want to do when I grow up… and having wondered that for most of my life up until now, this feels nothing short of amazing.

Another gift this year has been the opportunity to renew old friendships and the blessing of new ones. I was able to visit friends in Iowa and Minnesota and also attend my cousin’s graduation from Dordt College in May. I also was able to spend a few days on the remote Northern California coast thanks to the generosity of friends, and also visit several friends and family on the way north. A few days of retreat on the coast, soaking up the beauty of God’s creation and relaxing was a wonderful gift.

I have learned the most this year in the process of making new friends. If left up to me, I may not have been smart enough to choose wisely, but God placed some wonderful people in my life this year that have challenged me and become good friends. I am thankful so much for friends who not only make life’s journey more fun, but teach me new things and always cheer me on when I struggle along the way.

I went to church this morning to worship the newborn king, to rejoice in the gift of God’s son. His gift is for everyone, and I hope this Christmas finds you blessed with the joy of this amazing gift.

Love,
Rebecca

P.S. For more on what I did this year, check out my post on the Highlights of 2008.

















--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday: Semester #1 is Over!

I had completely forgotten how crazy college is at the end of the semester. All you do is eat, breathe, sleep and study. And sometimes you don't sleep. I am SO glad this semester is over! I was able to persuade one of my professors to take his final on Monday instead of today, so I wrapped up one day early. Now to wait for the grades. I'm a little nervous about one of them, but the rest of my exams went very well.

I am grateful, not only to be finished and have the chance to enjoy the holidays without studying, but also because this semester has been really great. I've enjoyed learning, and I've become even more convinced that I'm on the right path for my life. I feel like I finally know what I want to do when I grow up, and that is a wonderful feeling.

I've been surprised to find that I'm so into numbers, which is a big part of what I'm going to be doing. I had one major project this semester that involved building some pretty interesting spreadsheets. Oddly enough, when I wasn't completely stressed by thinking that I was doing it all wrong, it was kind of fun.

I know. Weird. I used to do marketing.
--
Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Busted!

This actually happened in my night class yesterday. I was furiously writing notes, as usual, when I looked up because it had gotten very, very quiet in the classroom. The professor had paused his lecture, and instead was standing in the middle of the classroom staring at a fellow student... who was very busily sending text messages. She was appropriately embarrassed when he called the attention of the entire class to her lack of attention to the lecture, but I just can't find it in me to feel too sorry for her. The syllabus included a comment making it painfully clear that electronic communications during class were his biggest pet peeve. The "no texting/chatting" policy was reinforced by his ranting on the topic for several minutes during our first meeting.

Now, this class is boring. No insult to the professor here, he pretty much told us that upfront, on the first night of class. I personally would have been mortified if I'd been in her shoes. But if I had any notion that grad school would involve a more mature group of fellow students than the last time I was in the classroom, that has been swiftly dismissed.

Sadly, this was not the first evidence that dismantled my notion. On the first day of class (a different one,) I had my laptop fired up and ready, planning to put my speedy typing skills to good use taking notes during the lecture. Unfortunately, the first professor I encountered disallows laptop use in class except for homework. Why? Because he got tired of students chatting online and watching the World Series during class using the university's free wifi.

Seriously?

The problem with policies like this is that they encourage students to live down to them. With every ridiculous rule, a student is less motivated to behave responsibly. The people running my high school tried to legislate everything. When there's a published list of the 35 ways you can get detention, is it really any surprise that the students did everything possible not on the list... virtually ensuring that the next edition of the list has 38 things on it?

I know I'm probably too much of an idealist. I know that my perspective, developed over the years since I was last in school, gives me an appreciation for education that many of my fellow students don't have. But I wonder, if not now, when will people be motivated to take responsibility and pay attention?

Thankful Thursday: School Update

I've survived two midterms this week, and feel that with passing those milestones I've finally begun to settle into a school routine. My commute is feeling quite manageable, primarily because it's not the nightmare I anticipated. There are enough hours in the day to study. I think I did OK on this week's tests, and will now focus on the next one.

People keep asking me if I'm enjoying school, and I'm not quite sure how to answer that. Two of my professors admitted up front that their subject matter is boring, and I have to say I'm not inclined to argue with them! One can only memorize so much tax law minutia before realizing how maddeningly complicated it is, and wondering if there is any bit of tax code that is not plagued by exceptions and calculations. Now I know why people outsource their taxes.

My favorite class is the introductory class in financial planning, and I truthfully wish I had more time to digest the huge volume of information we are covering. This, after all, is why I went back to school. The other classes cover key information that is also necessary for this work, but it's those classes that are the majority of my time right now, and therefore determine my answer to the enjoyment question: "This is a means to an end, and I am enjoying this opportunity because it is going to get me where I want to go."

It is a privilege to be back in school, to be able to focus on it full-time for the next few semesters so I can earn my degree and at the same learn the skills to start a new career. That's exciting AND enjoyable.

Thankful Thursday: Cheerleaders

Classes just started last week, but in some sense, this grad school thing has been underway for six months already. In March, I started studying for the GMAT. In April I took the test and applied to SDSU... and no where else. In May, I found out I was accepted. In June and July I waited and prepared a little, and spent some time de-cluttering my life and my mind. In August, I worried.

All along, the cheerleaders were there, spurring me on, voicing their confidence in me when I doubted myself, and inspiring me to continue moving down this path one step at a time.

This week, the path got a bit trickier. I was expecting that last week. That my life would become completely insane overnight, and it didn't happen. But somehow I was completely surprised by a chaotic week this week instead. What, like it wasn't inevitable?

But the encouraging voices are still there, in e-mails and phone calls and in person. And when I've faltered this week, wondering what I've gotten myself into or questioning my abilities... I've heard a new voice over the chaos, confidently assuring me that I can do this. To my great surprise, it's my voice. The words are simply an echo of what the cheerleaders have been telling me all these months.

Thank you. Your encouraging words have been an extraordinary gift in my life. I am grateful.

Unplugged

I'm tired. I've actually been tired since the alarm went off at 5:45 this morning. I hadn't slept well on Sunday night, and a not-so-good night always catches up with me on the second day. So I'm very sleepy.

Today, I got all the way to campus with my notes for today's classes, my cell phone, my laptop... the parking permit even made it back into my car after I moved it to mom's car when I drove it last week. But for the first time ever, I managed to forget the power cord to my laptop. Ummm, hello? That's kind of essential. I only get about 2 hours of time before it shuts down to make sure all the important stuff is saved for the next restart.

Wouldn't be a big deal, but normally on Tuesdays I go to work in the afternoon and I definitely need the laptop then (I don't actually use it during classes.) So, an extra 40 miles and 40 minutes of driving today.

Reading I'd planned to do - needed to do - for tomorrow still isn't done. And nothing sounds as good as crawling into bed and passing out until morning. Not even ice cream.

That said, school is going fine. The pace is picking up after a slow start last week. I'm struggling to get back into a studying routine, mostly because of my procrastinating tendencies. But I am actually excited about some of the stuff I'm learning. In some cases not because the material is compelling... not one but two of my professors readily admitted their subject matter was boring... but because learning it will help me launch into a new phase in my career. And that's exciting.

Here's proof:

First Day

Today was great. I was expecting pure chaos, and instead was blessed with everything running as smoothly as possible, starting with my commute. SDSU is 50 miles from home, and the route is notoriously congested during commute hours. To allow for that, and time to find a parking place on a campus chronically short on parking capacity, I left at 6:45 for my 9:30 class. Words rarely fail me, but the only thing I could say as I pulled into a parking spot at 8:00 am was, "Thank you Lord!"

I immediately walked over to the main part of campus and started checking to-do's off my list, getting a jump start on what I'd anticipated would be an after class checklist. By 8:30 I was comfortably seated in the shade outside the bookstore, watching the campus mall get more and more crowded with students heading here and there. I wasn't brave enough to find out how long the line was at Starbucks. :)

By 11:30, I was finished for the day, having sailed through the first session of two of my four classes. Having expected to compete for a seat due to "crashers" (students who had not registered for particular classes, but hoping to add them) I was happy to find there were plenty of seats to go around. So far the work load seems manageable, and I was shocked to discover there are no papers expected in these two classes, only tests. Really?!? I think the last class I took without a paper or major project required was a 100-level math class.

So, tonight I have my other two classes. Carpooling looks like it's going to work out great, so that's lined up for today... everything seems to be going great.

I had been overly anxious about the beginning of things, as I just don't deal well with not knowing what to expect. I guess in the big picture, it's best to plan for the worst and be pleasantly surprised than to expect the best and miss a first class over not getting a parking place. In that regard, I don't regret the planning I did, I just wish I could have been a lot less anxious.

As I write, I'm reminded of Philippians 4:6-7...
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I studied this verse in the Grace Bible study just a few weeks ago, and yet I didn't do a good job of following it's instruction. Thankfully, God watches over us constantly and I feel blessed that my day went so well despite my anxiety.