I'm sporty and academic!

[gridlore]

Since it looks like I'm going to be on blood thinners for a very long time, there are a few changes coming in my life.

First of all, I've accepted that my life as a red-neck, blue-collar, truck-driving man is over. Even if my lungs came back 100% (which their not going to do) I cannot do my job and worry about bruising or cutting myself. That happens daily, and any driving job I get would hold the same risk. So, moving on with my life.

Because of my myriad medical problems, we're getting me a MedicAlert tag. A really cool one. I thought about the dog-tag style, especially because it's black and red, but decided that since I normally wear a couple of layers of clothes, it would be better to go with the wrist band.

The next big decision is I'm going back to school once my health permits it. I'm going to take some "basics" courses at first.. math, English, and the like, simply because I haven't been in a class room for 25 years and the last time I did it I was a terrible student. I can't afford that now. Once back in class, I have to be the All-American Student. Current thought is working to become a paralegal. I love the intricacies of law, and this looks like an office type career that would challenge me. Looks like West Valley College is going to be my best bet. I'll have to call Mission College (which is much closer to us) to see if they even have a paralegal program.. their website is unclear on the subject.

But right now, the focus is on me breathing. and the first Spring Training game of the season. Go Giants!

Comments

[ciarhwyfar.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to see you have a plan. Unless things have changed considerably, Mission is only really good for GE, nursing, and fire science. De Anza used to have a pretty good paralegal program, that is where my mom went for hers.

[guppiecat]

You may wish to take advantage of MIT's open courseware to help fill in some gaps before you start school again. If you watch lectures while healing, you will be in a better place to succeed for when it starts to really matter.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

What guppiecat said, and you might want to explore doing some of the basic basics over the web until his health is stabilized for a few months.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

er, your health, not his.

[valkyrwench.livejournal.com]

Go, you! Paralegal is fun. I wish there had been a market for paralegals where I lived when I got my certificate.

[odanu.livejournal.com]

This post makes me happy. Good to see you planning a happy future.

I was kjnd of hoping you'd write a novel

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Your truck driving/slice of life stories are good enough to make me want more -- R

[caraig.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Here's wishing the best of luck for you!

They're both good campuses. I worked for the West Valley-Mission Community College District and worked at both or good chunks of time. WVC seems to be in better shape all in all -- and kind of sprawling -- but Mission is pretty solid (and has a cool central building where everything seems to take place.) I think you will do well with either one!

[caerbannogbunny.livejournal.com]

Academic Earth (http://academicearth.org/) is another source for some online "review" type info. Although, some of it is more along the lines of upper division bachelors type-courses.

Additionally, if you're looking for filling a few elective credits for cheap, you can request a transcript for your Army courses here: (http://aarts.army.mil/). I got 28 elective hours that really didn't do much for what I wanted to do, but might fill in the (elective) blanks with an associate's. Most of the credits were... well... sort of odd on the transcript.

Also, college is a world apart from high school and military/vocational type classes. I had a 1.97 GPA in high school and a 3.53 on my Associate's. College is more "self-inflicted" as in--outside of some of the very basic courses like English 101 and 102--you have a choice in what class, when you take it (depending on availability), etc.

Additionally, many schools have free or low-cost tutoring for the basics. For at least the first few semesters, it's probably a good idea to avoid online courses because of it. That way, you interact with and can seek help from the instructor and other students as well as putting you on campus where the tutoring usually is.

There are advantages and disadvantages to being an older student. The advantage is you usually have a better work/study ethic. The disadvantages are more disconnection with other students and--for some--less of a focus on the "gamesmenship" of getting grades.

Most instructors provide you a syllabus which lays out what the requirements for each grade is and how you get them. If it doesn't make sense or it isn't on the syllabus, ask questions and get answers. Even for the same courses, there can be radical differences in what you are expected to do in terms of performance and quantity and the instructors often make that decision (instead of the school or department). It gets some people in real trouble.

Good luck, eh?

[claidheamhmor]

I bet paralegal training would be interesting! I think getting back into studying will be easier than you think; at the age you're at, you have a lot more motivation and experience than back then.