Discussion Thread
I’ve decided to (slowly but surely) go back to school to try and finish and get a degree. It might take me years, but I’m going to spend the time anyway, I might as well be pursuing something along the way. I thought it would be best to start with baby steps, so I enrolled in one online class… Internet Literacy. (I know what you thinking… Isn’t it a bit silly to take a class about the Internet when you have to use the Internet to access it?) Although I’m familiar with the Internet and computers, I know there is still a lot to learn… and since this class was one of the only classes with openings, I thought I’d give it a whirl.
Well… today is the first day and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. I logged on today to find all sorts of information regarding assignments, discussing groups, reading, text books, due dates and assessments. There was nothing yesterday, and this morning… a ton of information to sort through.
One of our first assignments was to post a statement about ourselves on the discussion board introducing ourselves to the rest of the students in class. We also had to respond to at least one other post. I was quite relieved to discover that I’m not the only rookie in the class. As a matter of fact, there were several of us “older” adults who are returning to school and for many of them, it was their first “online” class as well. It really made me feel better knowing that I wasn’t the only one.
I spent quite a bit of time going around the website and even started on some of the assignments. I’m not sure this is the best way for me to learn, but I’m going to follow through and see it to the end.
Noon Mass
We usually try and attend the 5:00 vigil mass on Saturday nights, but sometimes our plans get diverted at the last minute and it’s a blessing to have a back up plan. One of the great things about being Catholic is that you can pick which mass you choose and even though you belong to an official parish, it’s perfectly OK to go to another mass at a different parish once in a while.
We had planned to go last night, but when Steel made plans to have company, we decided to stay home and cook. (See 8/29 entry.) A good decision and since we knew we could go to mass the next day, we had plenty of options.
I went to noon mass at St. Stanislaus and saw many old friends that I have not seen in a long time. Since we are mostly creatures of habit, you usually see the same faces at the mass you attend. It’s nice to go at a different time to visit with friends you haven’t seen in a while.
UFC Fight
I am not a fan of mixed martial arts. I don’t think I’ve ever watched a full round of action and I certainly could not stomach watching a full bout, but today it was a blessing in our house because it brought together a bunch of teenage boys and one beautiful girl and for that, I’ll be forever thankful.
I love having kids here. I don’t care what they’re doing as long as they are under my roof, I treasure the moments. Steel invited over a few friends to watch the fights on TV. Leroy and I fixed a ton of food and kept it in front of them all night long. Craig and Kim (my brother and sister-in-law) stopped in for a visit and were able to meet all of the kids as they arrived and even joined us for dinner. Craig and Kim were very complimentary of how polite Steel’s friends are and how respectful each one of them had been. I completely agreed and told them what blessings they were to us.
State Fair
I love fairs… and a second chance to go to one in a summer is really a treat. Today I traveled to Sacramento to watch Brandon show his “pink” heifer at the California State Fair. I was a bit late because I took senior buddy shots at school before I left, but I walked in just in time to see the beginning of his class.
After the show, we ate lunch and walked around the buildings, checking out the booths. We stopped at one cooking demonstration where the guy was giving away citrus juicers. (A little plastic gadget you stick inside a lemon.) He was asking simple questions, like “When was The War of 1812?” or “What color is the White House.” The first person to answer correctly got a gadget. When he asked “What do cows drink?” everyone else said “milk” except for me who said “water.” Guess who won?
Compliment
As you well know from following this blog, I’m trying to grow out my hair. It’s been a long and difficult process and will continue to be so for quite some time. Today, however, something happened that might make the whole situation bearable. I actually received a compliment.
I took Daisy in for a nail trim (something we do every 6 weeks) and the receptionist at the vet asked if I was growing out my hair. I said (somewhat regretfully) that I was and that it was driving me crazy and she said… she really liked it. I was a bit shocked. No one (who didn’t know I was growing it out) has complimented my hair since I started this process. A lot of my friends say kind things, but this was a completely unsolicited compliment.
Pride and Prejudice
I hate to admit it, but I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice, but I consider the movie one of my favorites. I’m on chapter 12 of the book right now, but I did pop the movie into the DVD player this afternoon. I don’t know that I would be able to follow the story as easily if I did not already know the story. The language Jane Austen uses is a bit difficult for me to follow and with so many Miss Bennett’s it’s hard to keep track.
The Constant Princess
I’ve been reading a lot lately. I finished the Twilight Series (again) last week so I was looking for something new. I’ve been catching up on past episodes of Showtime’s series “The Tudors” and found a book written by Phillipa Gregory called The Constant Princess which is a novel about Catherine of Aragon who was Henry VIII’s first wife.
There is so much history behind the story and I find it all so fascinating. I’ve always thought that Henry VIII was not completely to blame for all of the chaos he caused. He was surrounded by so many people who were trying to advance their own status that most of his advisors could not really be trusted to attend to his best interest. I thought Catherine a saint for her diligence (actually, I just found out she is not a recognized saint for the Catholic church) and her insistence on adhering to her faith, but after reading this book, I have to think that perhaps she too was only looking out for her own good and that she held on to “the great lie” as a way of political advancement.
I guess I’ll never know the real story, but it’s still fascinating. The book is great and anything that offers a different perspective and causes us to think for ourselves is always a good thing.
Taco Truck
I have to admit something… I am 41 years old and I have never eaten at a taco truck… that is until today. Taco trucks are a pretty common sight around here and there are lots of people who enjoy them. My problem is that I’ve never known which ones are the good ones and which ones I should avoid.
I asked a couple of friends of mine to take me to their favorite truck. We met this evening and they took me to one on the corner of Carpenter and Woodland. (Modesto, CA) We all ordered different things and even took some back to some other friends. It was suggested I order the carne asada tacos and they were delicious.
Six of us ate for $23… and when I mean eat, we really ate well. The food was cooked fresh, right there on the spot and was delicious. I am so glad to have found this place and have it come so highly recommended. I will return.
Family Visitors
We have a guest room in our home and usually it’s occupied by a teenager or two but today, we are privileged to have my brother and his wife as visitors. This is pretty rare. I don’t get to see my family as often as I’d like and when I do, it’s usually only for a few hours at some form of organized function.
Craig and Kim are in the area looking for a home and while they come and go in the process, they stayed here for the night. We went to dinner last night and this morning, we made breakfast for them before they left. I hope they do find a place nearby and then maybe we’ll get to see them more often.
Football Pictures
As incredible as it sounds, every year at this time I get to witness teenage boys willingly pose for me and my camera. I know it sounds inconceivable, but it’s true. After we take team pictures and individuals, the kids are invited to do “buddy shots” and they always come up with something entertaining. I am always surprised by how candid they are and how creative they are with their poses. I’m really going to miss these days.
