A Radical Sabbatical

WOW! 2008.  I just remember the big hoopla over 2000 and suddenly, its eight years later.  Don’t tell me I must be having fun if time is flying by.  Everything appears to be going by faster, since the kids were in High School, everything in life seems to be going at a faster pace.

Now with one out of college and one getting ready to finish, it seems like only yesterday that I graduated with my masters and was trying to get it all together. It’s amazing! It’s life!  I guess I’m just feeling a big difference between being in my 40’s and being in my 50’s. 

I really want to shed the extra weight on me and be more physically flexible in order to be more able to do the things I feel I’m having a tough time doing.  I hate when my father is right…lol  He always said, the body is like a car.  It needs maintenance, care and occassionally u need new parts as they break down…lol.

Yesterday, my father was telling me, there comes a time when you can’t replace the parts or grease them up to make them work better.  My father is 87.  He also said, his mind is like a 21 year old but his body feels all of 87.  Sort of scary.

Anyway, I’m excited. I’m going on a cruise, leaving this week for 11 days for the Carribean.  I plan on staying away from computers and just relaxing and catching up on reading.  I plan to exercise daily and eat right (I hope).

Here’s wishing all of you, a Happy and Healthy New Year.  A year of love, a year of health and a year of prosperity.  Remember, life is an education.  Love should not just happen.  It should be something special that warms your heart.   Treat each other special.

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Uhmm! uhmm!  I guess life is kind of quiet when I’m not attending classes and on a break.  Its so different than when I work full time and have a week off.  Hmmm, I guess no news is good news. 

Still waiting for my Spanish grade and still waiting to register for next semester. The college cannot find my transcript from NYU, which I handed to them two weeks ago.  I had to apply as a non-matriculated graduate student in order to take the courses for next semester.

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I am so sad this afternoon.  I just found out that someone who has been thru more physical challenges than anyone can imagine is going back into the hospital to have surgery, and on the eve of Christmas.  It certainly cannot be a good thing if she has to go in today and the Doctors couldn’t wait till Wednesday.

I am just taken aback by this woman’s spirit.  She is so up and has such a positive view of all that has been dumped at her feet.  To say she is special would not be appropriate.  She’s more like an angel and it manifests in her emails.   I’ve never physically met her.  I just know of her through our online contacts in our club.  Her emails have the presence of a message being delivered to all who read it.  An aura.

I recently asked her to write about herself for the SWC newsletter and I am so happy she took me up on the offer.  She told me that it gave her the opportunity to go back and be with her grandmother again.  I feel, she gave us the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with an angel.  http://www.saywhatclub.com/newsletter/dec07/heartsoul.html

Though I rarely pray and try not to make a habit of it, I hope she will be okay.  Actually, I hope she will be more than okay.  She certainly deserves an opportunity at having a life, a life that doesn’t involve being in bed and in hospitals the majority of her days. 

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How do I say this? but …..I…..got……an…..((((((((((((  A  )))))))))   in my Disorders of Speech, Language and Hearing CLASS…..((((((((((  A  )))))))))give me an A …a….give me an  AY…..ay……give me a double AA….aa and what have u got?    a big fat………..((((((((((( A )))))))))

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While sitting on the computer today, suddenly an email popped up and the subject line read:  “YOUR E-GRADE HAS ARRIVED”  I thought at first it was spam but giving it a second look, it was my grade from Anatomy. 

My heart pounded like a steel drum against my chest and upon opening that email, I felt the tears well up in my eyes.  I felt so relieved to see the grade of C.  Normally, I would be disappointed if my kids brought that grade home, but this class was my class, my grade, and it was memorization, it was gruelling and I absolutely enjoyed the professor in spite of how difficult the course was.

I really did well!  Drum roll please……….high five baby!

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What a day!  Had my spanish and disorders final and they were difficult. Spanish was enormously hard and I am just drained.  The first semester is finally over and done with.  I’m glad I’m not a full-time student.  I’d be praying for the fat lady to sing all the time.

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OMG, went to a Neil Young Concert tonite in upper Manhattan.  He was just phenomenal.  The man can still play the guitars (of which he has many), pianos (of which he had two on stage) harmonicas and he can still carry a tune.  He’s still tall and sexy looking as well.

Though I could not make out the songs initially, some of them hit my heart and the tears started flowing.  A few of his songs took me back to a time when we’d listen to Neil Young in someones basement, sit on the floor smoking cigarettes, drinking scotch straight out of the bottle.  Those were the days.

Looking around the theatre at the audience, you can’t help but wonder whether someone u might know from college was there.  Several people did appear to be surprised when they ran into old friends.  All in all, the concert was exciting but left me feeling with one big question.  Why the heck were there so many old people at this concert? Jeesh! Some had kids with them though thinking back, maybe it was grandkids they had with them.  All in all,  it was a real great party.

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OMG…………..I now understand why we use to get bombed after a final.  This has been an unbelievable anatomically, psychologically and physically challenging week…..lol  Had my Anatomy final today.  We had two hours to complete the test.  It took me 45 minutes and a once over.  I could have stayed and continued to run through the answers I thought were doubtful, but after going over it, my mind was a blur.  Unless I could cheat there was no way for me to come up with different answers. And there is no way for me to cheat as I can’t see the papers to my right or to my left…lol   I would have needed binoculars even though the students were pretty close. 

I sincerely understand the angst of being a student during finals week.  The anxiety and tension that builds up to the five minutes before the exam begins, the cramming of information into the brain until your Professor states, “papers and books under your desk please,” and the relief that comes with turning that test paper in. 

  Thank god its Friday! Spanish and the Disorders final are going to be a breeze compared to Anatomy.  Time to open a bottle of Pinot.  Better yet, a martini sounds more in tune.  Cheers!

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I know, I know, its not over till its over.  I still have finals left, but in my head, this first semester is over baby.  I registered for next semester and obtained the approval I needed from my workplace.  Next semester is all graduate courses but I’ll only be in classes one day a week….YAY!  In the meantime, when finals are done, I have six weeks off to play.  Now is this a life or is this a life?

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Hard to believe I only have one more week of classes left then finals week.  I’m not sure whether to be thrilled that this semester is almost over or to be sad that I’m edging closer to returning to work.   At least I have one more semester after this one.

The only exam I’m concerned about is Anatomy as it’s all memorization from day one.  This is the only class where we have to go back to the beginning and refresh our brains with all the information.   Hope no one asks me to remember anything else, my brain is full, closed to the public.   I can’t even remember all my nieces and nephews names to label their Chanukah gifts.  I have to get their attention by saying “ay you, this is yours.”  

Spanish, you either got it or you don’t.  My Spanish professor informed me that she’ll give me the listening part in writing so that I can follow along with the rest of the class.This weekend I plan to do a great deal of studying, I just don’t know what I plan to study first. 

It’s Chanukah but it doesn’t feel like a holiday without my kids here.  I miss them terribly but hopefully, they will be here for the next holiday. 

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