You may have noticed some significant changes to my blog’s appearance this weekend. Well I have two questions for you; do you like the new look? And secondly, why are you even here reading this? Did you lose a bet? Okay, that’s three questions, sorry.
Anyway, it’s been a couple of months since I’ve posted anything new here so I thought maybe I should get to it. Also, the fact that I promised my New Media class professor I would post one in lieu of starting a new blog, so that made it kind of mandatory. Anyone who knows me well (okay that’s like 3 people) knows I am joking. I love posting on my blog. For me, these entries are like signposts on my journey. Or even better, they’re bread-crumbs. I use them to find my way back when I believe life is getting shitty.
So what’s this post about? I’m not too sure actually. Probably just another stream-of-consciousness. I realize that’s kind of a weak excuse to avoid focus. But as a current grad student I’ve been writing (and reading) quite a bit. My writing has had to be focused and tight. While adept at the former, I often fail miserably at the latter. Suffice to say I’ll take essay questions any day over multiple-choice.
As for my grad school experience thus far… Well let me contrast it with what I had heard for years about grad school. Basically it was some form of:
“Grad school is a ton of reading”.
“A boatload of research.”
“Grad school will bury you”.
So of course I wondered if I was up to the challenge.
What I found out, albeit only a couple of months into it is that they were right. But I like it. A lot. Granted I do not have the constitution, dedication or life-span to do it beyond 4 semesters (never saying never however). But I enjoy it much more than undergrad work. Of course if I had actually done my undergrad in my 20’s it likely would’ve been MUCH more enjoyable.
But that’s life. You live. You learn.
I think if I graduate with an MA in early May 2016, a couple of weeks before I turn 58, I will have reached far beyond the meager academic goals I envisioned in 2010 when I began this journey. Sure I’d love to earn a Ph.D. But I’d also like a life!
By “life” I mean happiness, a variety of experiences, the ability to contribute somehow. For me that means having the freedom to change course often and act spontaneously. Pursuing a Ph.D. is a tough life from what I know, and face it, I’d be at least 61 or 62. Not a lot of time to really do anything with it. I’d rather teach at a high school, community college or university. Or work as an advisor to those I can help. Possibly write a book as opposed to publishing academic papers that benefit academia. They’re doing just fine without me.
However, there might be environments where I can “have it all”. That is, an income and schedule which is enough to maintain my simple lifestyle and allow me the freedom to…well, to wander. Getting older has provided me with the insight and ability to not only know who I truly am, but who I want to be and how I want to feel at any given moment. And that’s my ticket to livin’ the dream.
From somewhere hot,
Michael Mufasa