The Days are Just Packed

Hopefully this won't jinx us, but it is Thursday and I say with cautious optimism that we've almost made it through the first week back to school and regular life after a really long Christmas break.

The weather's been classic Maryland-style wintry (rain with whole newscasts devoted to the possibility of snow that never comes), but not wintry enough for a snow day, but it is just as well so things can return to some sort of normalcy. I fell while running on Monday and have very swollen knees, but I'm going to try to get back to it today. It is cold and windy, but at least it's not cold and wet.

...

I made it back from my run and what a run it was! I experienced my first dog attack (very dramatic-a white fluffy thing weighing maybe 8 ounces and standing approximately 6 inches tall at the shoulder viciously bit at my ankles), and there was so much ice on our usual path that we ended up gingerly walking a large part of the route so we didn't have any more falls. Sheesh-it took forever. We did survive and I know, I know, I should have stayed in my nice warm house and done an exercise video or something, but yet I did not, and now I can say I went for my run. It is a bit of a neurotic thing for a runner. Sort of like farmer nose blows. And skinned knees. Point of pride. You know. Well, maybe you don't.

I've had 5 photo shoots over the last couple of weeks and this week I will get the last of the proofing done. Every shoot is still a learning experience, and I love the proofing process, so that will be fun. I'm also doing tons of pro knitting for actual dollars, and that has been a great experience for me. There are moments, when I get a project done to spec, on time, get it packed up and sent out, that I feel like an actual organized person who could maybe make a living out in the real world someday.

Being, as I am, without a degree or any real work experience, I occasionally consider with a little trepidation the reality that I may have to be the breadwinner someday. But maybe my insatiable curiosity and willingness to try anything counts as education in some small way, and my odd hodgepodge of skills will be enough if the time ever comes. When I think about going back to school now, I'm not as excited about it as I once was, but sometimes I think I really should get some credentials. I've been looking into the photography certificate at the local community college. I'm also still interested in digital design and maybe web development, so I'm looking into that, too. Degrees are expensive though, even at the community college, so realistically, those options will have to wait.

The good thing about it is that I do consider myself educated, even though I don't have letters after my name, and I do believe that knowing how to learn is a valuable skill and that should the time come that I have to step up and contribute to my family's welfare in a different way than I contribute now, the way will open and I'll know what to do. For now, that belief will tide me over, and in the meantime I'll keep learning all I can , whether it leads to a degree or not.

Holy cow, can anyone get off on a tangent like me?? Well, thanks for reading anyway.