Fish out of Water!

At 45 years old, I have decided to go for my degree that has alluded me my entire life.  I always wanted my degree, because I promised my dearly beloved Dad, that I would get it.  I just kept getting sidetrack.  I joined the Marines a week after graduating from High school.  I asked to be assigned on the West Coast after graduating because I wanted to get away from my parents while I partied Hard!  However, there were too many monkey wrenches thrown into my "party plans".

• First of all, my dad would come to California from Virginia, just like I lived across the street.  I could be out bowling with my mini, mini, mini skirt (don't judge me), and here he come, talking about he was just in the neighborhood and wanted to take me out for pie ala mode. 
• Then there was Mom, who somehow got a hold of  the Chaplains phone number on base and would call that man to humiliate me by pulling me out of class, just so that I would call her or write my Grandma a letter if I went a whole week without calling. 
• Then there were the curfews imposed on Marines going into Tijuana, Mexico (Party Central...should've been called Tequila, Mexico!).  I miss that place....Don't Judge Me!

I could go on and on about all of the obstacles I encountered while trying to get my party on, all you need to know is that I found a way to overcome them!

After the Marines, I worked at a Social Services in Virginia, and I realized that it comes naturally for me to help people and to stand up for the unethical treatment of people in the workplace.
I than worked for the Post Office for 19 years, of which, 18 years I was very heavily involved in the Union serving as a Steward, Vice-President, and then a President.

Point is, I never took the time to get my degree even though I yearned to get a Master's Degree in something that would allow me to help people on an astronomical scale.  As I see some of the young folk here throw such an opportunity away here at Richard Bland College, I wish I could just shake them and say "Wake Up!  You are a future leader of America. You are about to unfairly inherit a bunch of issues that society has created for you, and you better understand that you need to learn how to fix these problems FAST!"

I am grateful to my understanding and supportive husband who understands my desire to get my degree. So when you see me in the Library Monday-Thursday until 10:00pm, it is because I am on a mission!

I feel like a fish out of water walking around with all these young adults younger than my nieces and nephews. However, the plus about being older is that I am not preoccupied with what others think   I don't care about name brand clothing, I don't care about "Who is going with who".  I just want to show "My man" that his support and loyalty to me while I do this "college thing" is worth all the sacrifices that we both made to get me here!