Back to school.....

A classic 80's movie starting the late great Rodney Dangerfield and also what I'll be doing come September 23rd. After a 9 year hiatus I'm heading back to school to collect me some more knowledge and a piece (or two) of paper. I'll be going to a local community college near where we live. Focusing on web development, which too some degree is what I do now. I've wanted to get back to school for a while now and for several reasons.

For one, I've always been disappointed in myself for ever leaving school in the first place. Don't get me wrong, it's worked out remarkably well for me and I would not change a thing. Without leaving school I would have never met Missy, which of course would mean Jayden would not even exist, plus not having a host of my current friends and family. That still doesn't change fact that I never finished what I started and that bothers me.

Second, I want to learn a bunch of new stuff! One of the great things about my chosen field is that I get to constantly create new things and solve new problems in interesting ways. In order to do that effectively, I have to constantly try to teach myself what new and old methods are available to me. In many ways I'm lacking in "old school" web skillz that the "new school" web stuff is built on. I need to get those skillz ASAP, but teaching myself has proven difficult and not be an effective way to learn. If I NEED to know something for my job, I can and will learn it. But if I don't HAVE to know it, I don't have the focus to stay with it. I'm hoping the structure of classes and paying for them help in this regard.

Last but not least, my work is willing to let me have some what of a flexible schedule and is picking up the tab for at least part of it (maybe all of it)! Yippy!

None of this would be possible without the support of my wonderful wife. Even though it will drastically cut the time I get to spend with both her and Jayden, especially during the week. She has been very supportive and encouraging about the whole thing. We'll be getting creative in scheduling "family time" and I plan on becoming much more of a morning person (not a 4am Wayne person though, not yet). She's continues to be the best wife and mother anyone could ask for.

On a lighter note, I went to orientation today after work and damn I feel old. 3/4 of the people where "kids" and a few even with their parents. That was weird. Coming from work where even at 30 I'm the youngest, to school where I was definitely one of the oldest.

It's going to be great, and I'm really excited.

"An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." ~Benjamin Franklin

"Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it." ~William Haley