By Beauty Damned

Take an SAT class first. It helps. Particularly when you've been away from schooling for awhile.

Yeah, that's what I've heard. I'm definitely going to look into it.

I am so excited for you. I need to go back to school too. I just don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Thanks Darc! I am really excited too. I have some idea, but it's not fully formed yet. I am thinking it would be fun to go to "The New School" downtown. Art, literature, film...I want to learn languages too. I think once I get started, I will begin to get a better idea of what I want to do with it. I suddenly feel ready to start trying to be something "other than what I've been tryin' to be lately...". (Damn, I can't get that song out of my head.)

I plan to go back to school next Winter (I was planning on this Fall but we need 2 weeks off in October for wedding stuff that won't work) and frankly, it scares the hell out of me. I struggled in college a hell of a lot due to the large classes and my complete inability to concentrate on anything. now that I'm drugged (ADD. ahem. I typed ASS at first. no comments from the peanut gallery!), I think it'll be a lot easier for me though, especially since I plan to attend a small college for upperclassmen where it's much easier to have a one on one conversation with your professor instead of your damn TA. if all of my credits transfer from Michigan, it'll hopefully be pretty easy to get my degree soonish (though the college I want to go to requires that a certain number of your credits be from them, not transferred, so that could screw me up if they don't make an exception).

The thought scares me a great deal in one way. For me, it holds the one thing that I have tried to avoid my entire life, the burden of expectation.

It's cliche, but it is applicable: Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Plus - you've got nothing to lose by going back to school and everything to gain.

Shit, life is some scary shit and change will invert your nipples if you think too much about 'change'. There was a time my nipples inverted and then, when I adjusted to the change they popped right out again, imagine!!! LOL.

I jest, as usual, but yanno, life is short, might as well milk the bitch for all she's worth. To be honest, I thort you were a degree'd wench by you impeccable writing skills. If I were you, I'd go for it, it may take some time, but I have a feeling you'll succeed beyond your wildest dreams. Good Luck!

What a wonderful gift Maria. I will be curious to see if you stick with law. And if you do, whether you go on to law school. Good luck.

.
Having attended half the schools in NYC, and having had friends at most all the others, I can safely say you're in for a rich and rewarding experience, if you choose to go to college in the City.

Columbia's the best, of course: But only if you know EXACTLY what you want out of it. It's more expensive than Harvard (or it used to be). The graduate schools are better for some people: Can't beat their Law or Journalism, International Affairs or East Asian Studies (or whatever they call it now). Great places to meet the movers & shakers of yesterday, today & tomorrow.

Then there's NYU, if you're interested in film, especially. Also a bit pricey, and may be better as a grad school.

What I found was that undergrad courses tend to be similar at most decent schools: A certain amount of dull drudgery, a lot of dumb over-achievers just there to get their tickets punched, a lot of grad-students teaching courses, instead of Prof's.

I think my experiences at night school at CCNY and Hunter were better than full-time at Columbia, as far as the teachers and the students at the undergrad level: They were more serious, dedicated, and intent on the subjects. Check out CUNY and SUNY: They're cheaper, and some of the schools are excellent, in certain disciplines. I hear Brooklyn College is good, and close to you.

I had fun at the New School. Unless it's changed a lot, the more creative subjects tended to revolve around certain personalities,and not do you as much good as say, a direct involvement with someone or something in the field, hands-on: HB studios for acting, say, or scut-work at any NY newspaper, for writing.

Then there's Juilliard, Manhattan, Mannes, et al, for music. Pratt, Parsons, Cooper Union, etc, for Art. Union & Jewish Theological Seminaries for Gawd. John Jay at Fordham if ya wanna be a smart cop. Columbia, NYU, Rockefeller University for medicine. Baruch, NYU or Columbia for bidness. F.I.T. for fashion & design.

The opportunities for internships now are incredible. Media, fashion, finance, art, publishing, theater, law, advertizing, architecture, yadda-yadda-yadda, you're in the heart of the Universe for everything! Now, all you have to do is choose!

I envy you your intellectual adventure. Endless possibilities! Make LOTS of good contacts, and start networking your way into your chosen field on Day One. Don't forget to get a degree, though. Unless you're Bill Gates it REALLY matters, these days. Unfortunately, most people are more impressed by your credentials than your knowledge. But once you get that door-opener, sister, I expect we'll be seeing a lot more of you. The liberal alternative to FoxNews could use a young Nina Totenberg, for example. And there ain't THAT many real smart girls that are also telegenic, so yer a shoe-in! See you on TV!

Drop me an email if I've missed anything.
.

Some other helpful hints that I can pass along as a mature student in school:

1. Don't even contemplate having a child while you're in school; it's better to wait until you're done.

2. Don't think about getting married. Marriage is great, but it will complicate your life as far as school is concerned.

3. If you're uncertain that you really want to dedicate years of your life to getting an education, seriously consider 'warming up' at a community college. It's cheaper and you can take one or two classes to ramp up to being a full-time student.

4. If you're serious, you really have to remember that YOU are the reason for returning to school - especially when you're dragging-ass and feeling crappy. It won't be like high school where you were complelled to attend; the only person that will openly interfer with you getting your education is YOU if you allow it.

Thanks for the tips.

I've already been married. Don't need any advice about that. You make a massive generalization in the mere mention of marriage as a factor.

I also have to say that my parents, who have been married for 30 years, have been together throughout all of their schooling. There were times it was not easy, but what marriage is?

It won't be like high school where you were complelled to attend; the only person that will openly interfer with you getting your education is YOU if you allow it.

I was never compelled to attend high school. That was the problem. The only person who ever HAS interfered with my education has been ME. What's new about that? Hahaa.

Any idea what you want to study? It's awesome that your parents are willing and able to pay. It says a lot about them that they feel your worth it, too many people don't have that. You are lucky to have them and they are lucky to have you.

My husband has gone back to school to get his degree, it isn't easy. Nothing worth it ever is though. My one suggestion would be to check out the online colleges, they are geared towards working adults and the good ones are accredited. The beauty of online schooling is that you can schedule school around work and not the other way around. Dean still has deadlines for assignments but he can attend the lectures as his schedule permits because they are archived and there are no hours wasted commuting and sitting in a classroom. It's really cool.

Also, they give you credit for life/work experience.

I, too, disagree with the marriage thing. marriage is different for everyone and like you said, what marriage is easy? I'll be married when I go back to school next year but I'm practically married right now as it is. I've lived with my fiancé for nearly 2 years and we do everything like a married couple. we just don't have the piece of paper yet.

... Maria you look like your giving him a hand job in that picture.

Bleech.

wow. that was terribly inappropriate. you're one sick fuck.

Not only inappropriate but just plain stupid. It doesn't even look like that in the least based on how he's sitting.

How ironic that the people who most disagree with Maria have the most intelligent, helpful and insightful comments to make and the one who claims to know and be her friend makes the most off the wall, idiotic statement.

Good luck with your plans, Maria.

You act surprised.

vickie,

#1 - do you honestly think richard REALLy wrote that?

#2 - the people who most disagree with er (the ones I am sure you are referring to) who you claim are insightful, intelligent, etc. have called her sister a whore and a porn star. Called her father a communist, and have not only degraded her family, and her personally, but sontinue to do so publicly on their own blogs.

Why is everyone's priorities all fucked up?

No doubt Richard wrote it. Directly after he threw a flaming fit via email last night. It's amazing when a person's true personality comes into focus and you realize that you prefer those who are assholes and come out and admit it over those who claim to be friends but use manipulation and psychotic episodes to achieve their desired result, which ultimately is to have control over things that are not his to control and to generally act a fool. Unfortunately for him, I'm not stupid enough to play his games. Thus, we have the above comment which truly does reveal the character that he's tried to hide from me for so long. Nunya, since it's become quite clear to me that you ARE Richard and always have been, as is "Karen," and that he uses both pseudonyms to create the appearance that someone on this godforsaken earth agrees with him, I give you as much credit as I give him: zero.

Oh I love it. I am "Richard" now. This just gets better and better. You are getting to be as nuerotic as Geoff and Gordon, if not more. Even THEY know we are two different people.

Gordon and I are the same person, remember?

What would it really matter if you were or not, Geoff? You are both freggin' jokes in the context of society. You know hwy you don't matter? Because you don't stand up for anything nor do you believe in anything.
While I do not agree with many conservatives, at least I respect them because many of them do believe and stand up for something. That is why I do not go around posting on their blogs. I only post on conservative blogs of those who make jokes about these very serious issues because they only thing those types of folks really believe in are their own self deluded interests.

they only thing those types of folks really believe in are their own self deluded interests.

NEWSFLASH! Pot calls kettle black!!!

belive what you want maria, your credibility with me went way the fuck out the door with your claims that I am richard. but unlike your little buddies here, I will not lower myself to degrading your family. that is the big difference between me and those scum balls. remember that.

Yeah - nunya will take his ball and go home. You won't have him to kick around anymore!! [/bullshit]

yeah mikey, just like you ban anyone who dares oppose you on your blog. takes a real man to do that.

Not those that 'dare oppose me' - just those that come around and are beligerent dorks.

Nunya, there is less of a difference between you and those scumballs than you think. Whatever credibility I've lost with you has been more than compensated for by the fact that your opinion means less than zero to me.

As I've said before, people can say whatever they want about me and my family. If I've learned ONE THING over the years from blogging, it's not to put any stock whatsoever into what other net-tards and keyboard warriors have to say about me. I'm not bulletproof yet, but I gotta tell ya, this skin is getting pretty fuckin thick.

So.....what are you really trying to say Maria...?

Nothing. It's all been said.

"vickie,

#1 - do you honestly think richard REALLy wrote that?
#2 - the people who most disagree with er (the ones I am sure you are referring to) who you claim are insightful, intelligent, etc. have called her sister a whore and a porn star. Called her father a communist, and have not only degraded her family, and her personally, but sontinue to do so publicly on their own blogs.
Why is everyone's priorities all fucked up?" - NUNYA

Ok, well, uhhhhh.....
A) Yes.
B) Don't be completely stupid. OBVIOUSLY I was referring to the fact that those who disagree with her the most were making the most insightful, thoughtful comments ABOUT HER EDUCATION PLANS, compared to Richard's pretty fucked-up comment.
C)(It's "Why ARE everyone's priorities all fucked up?")

Vickie,

You horrible Rethuglican! Stop confusing poor Nunya with good grammar. Don't you know that all of this is a conspiracy and ultimately everything that isn't Bush's fault is the fault of Gordon and Geoffrey?

Ria..you'll do great in school and I know Rob will be supportive of you. I can't imagine you failing at anything you put your mind to...You'll do GREAT.

"...ultimately everything that isn't Bush's fault is the fault of Gordon and Geoffrey?"

THAT was priceless!

...ultimately everything that isn't Bush's fault is the fault of Gordon and Geoffrey?

geesh! don't tell me you two are just figuring this out?!

My secret is out!

Thanks Sandy. I think Rob's jealous. He wants to go to school too. :o( So yeah, I think he'll be supportive and maybe it will motivate him too!

Talk to you soon.

It's awesome that your parents are willing and able to pay. It says a lot about them that they feel your worth it, too many people don't have that. You are lucky to have them and they are lucky to have you.

Thank you Rosemary. I feel really greatful that my dad offered me this opportunity. I can't believe how much it has me thinking. It's an exciting feeling just to contemplate possibilities. I know that most other people went through this right after high school, but for me the desire to go to school has laid dormant for ten years. I'm really enjoying the surge of motivation that my dad's words gave to me.

My gratitude to everyone here who gave suggestions and advice. Every bit has lent me extra confidence. Unfortunately, I'm plagued by trolls, and half of the people who lent me encouragement are those who disagree with me about 98% of the time. Cest la vie. It's a strange life. Thanks again.

M.

You're welcome.

Weird irony, huh?? The people that disagree with you are the ones that offer IMHO insightful advice.

Just cause we might disagree with you about most things political doesn't mean we're dorks. Well, maybe sometimes we are but it doesn't mean that we are malicious.

Hope you take advantage of getting ed-jew-ma-kated. Like I said: you got nothing to lose.

Go forth and kick ass & take names!!

Really good work. I found a lot of profound information which can help me to go on. Thanks for all this input.

Maria - you are going to be an excellent student. You are well read and well spoken and I am SO EXCITED for you to go back to school. I'll bet your Dad has been thinking about this for a while and he sounds like a great parent.

Ever think of being an attorney working for the ACLU? *wink*

This is all very interesting, but I feel as though I'd come in at about page 300 in a 500 page book. Richard seems to be the villain, but the rest of you bounce all over the place.

Geoffrey, occasionally you give evidence of decency. I even think we could get along, even if we do speak different languages. I first voted in 1944 and learned politics in a very different way from you. We felt as though there was a degree of order possible in the political universe and still think so. We also believed in a social code that accepted some responsibility for the welfare of out fellow man.

Would somebody please tell me what a moonbat is? I'm new to the world in which the term is used.
RGE

I feel I'm a decent person. I just have different beliefs than you, I think. You rarely seem to get into them. I have FAR different beliefs than Maria.

I believe in responsibility for our fellow man. I think that belief has brought us to being care takers for the lazy. Many people aren't getting a hand up anymore, they are getting supported. I think that's wrong and removes personal responsibility from the equation.

Moonbat
Moonbat
Moonbat
Moonbat

Geoffrey, why did you give with one hand and take away with the other? I never call names and have a sincere wish to understand those used by others. I don't even write "Rethuglicans" since I feel cheapened when I use such terms.

I still wish to know what, in your mind, is the meaning of moonbats. There are nutty liberals just as there nutty conservatives. I'd like to hear your defintion of moonbats so I could tell you my meaning of wingnuts, a term which I do not use, by the way.
RGE

I didn't give with one hand and take away with the other. You asked for a definition of moonbat, so I googled it and posted a few of the pages that popped up that I felt more closely represented my definition. Maybe you're just always looking for the evil in what I write.

Moonbat ala Geoffrey: The lunatic fringe of the left. Not the left that my brother and father sit in, but the left my mother and maria sit in.

Here's a good one:

4. Not liberals, but leftists. Whereas liberals are patriotic, leftists seek to undermine their national strength. Anti-war protestors, likely to call the US military "nazis," apt to blame the 9-11 attacks on a US government and Zionist conspiracy, are moonbats. Liberals who oppose the war, are not.

Geoffrey, I didn't realize what you were doing. I am not in the slightest Internet sophisticated. Now that I know, I want to thank you for the realization that I, an honest-to-God FDR liberal, am in no way a moonbat. I am annoyed by these people in the samae way that you are possibly annoyed by the extreme right-wingers. I truly thank you for your response.
Please, let's continue to respect each other.
RGE

Deal.

~it's never too late to learn, and I have no doubt that with persistence and the motivation you have that you will excell and graduate...great pic of you 2 by the way~

I'm a Moonbat, through and through. And damn proud of it.

As for that spew about liberals being patriotic, leftists not. That's idiotic. Truly. The problem Geoffrey, is that you define patriotism by how much respect a person has for their GOVERNMENT, not for their COUNTRY. I have a great deal of respect for this country and its history. Very little respect for its government. I am a patriot. I am also a "moonbat." I absolutely believe that our government leans more and more towards totalitarianism everyday and as has already been well publicized, or so I hear, I absolutely believe that our government had a hand in 9/11.

Of course you do. Hence, moonbat. Fortunately, you're not only the minority, your the EXTREME minority.

That's okay Geoffrey, because unlike you, I do not need to feel that I am a part of a sheeply majority in order to have faith that my own conclusions are valid and meaningful. I'm okay, even if I were the only one to hold those beliefs. The majority of the majority that you speak of aren't very smart. In fact, smart people aren't all that common. Definitely not a majority. Wouldn't it be sad if all the smart people decided they didn't like being a part of a minority and just decided to get stupid so they could be part of a majority? Luckily, when you're smart, being a sheep doesn't look quite as appealing as it might to someone of a lesser intellect.

Who said anything about needing or wanting? I just said it was fortunate that there are only a few other head cases out there that think that. Otherwise, it could actually have an affect.

Luckily, most head cases don't realize they are head cases. They think they're normal.