Melting Pot

This past week I have been printing out papers and collateral pieces that I have written in preparation for graduation. I have to assemble them into a "learning portfolio" that is turned into the Communications Department in which they use for accreditation purposes.

When I read over past papers that I have written, I think to myself , "This is quite good!" For some reason it shocks me that I had such control over the words in conveying a message. At the conclusion of a paper I wrote on "Diversity in the Media," during my first semester back at school, I still feel satisfied at these thoughts:

“Many refer to our nation as a melting pot of different people and nationalities.  Yet, the reality is that the majority of people have not “melted” or assimilated into one flavor, they have retained their sense of identity.  With truthful representation and active contributions to media content, minorities can honorably continue to enrich our country’s legacy. 

Rather than become a melting pot, why not empty our pockets of color into the pot, so that we can easily identify each diverse color and people, and appreciate how it flavors our nation.”

Today, I am writing two more papers on diversity - on how the Internet impacts cultures and individual identity and the benefits of diversity in the Public Relations industry. After all I have read, my conclusion in that first research paper three years ago is still true. 

Winter Semester Classes

This semester I have four classes; Print Publishing, International Communications, Accounting 200 and my Communications Capstone class.

Print Publishing is turning out to be my fun class. I get to be creative with Adobe CS5 InDesign. I had to learn it last semester for my Communications Writing and Production class. But here we are learning the principles of good design. OK, I will be a little snotty here - I already know the principles of good design, I am just learning to articulate and fine tune them better with this program. My instructor is only 22 yrs. old, and it is hard to keep up with her in class some days. Thank goodness for free tutoring sessions during her office times. Well worth it!

Anyway, the final assignment is a book project. My sister has written some history on my parents, so I will be using that text and pictures to put together something for my family. I thought of doing my cookbook, but having to reformat 150+ pages seems a little daunting to me at this time. That will be a project for over the summer - when I am through with school :)

For my International Comms. class we read this book consisting of academic papers on various international communication issues, and also have to read the NY Times about world news for our weekly quizzes. We have a group presentation once a week on different world problems, such as Emergence of China. Threat or promise?; International abuse of women; Propaganda, etc.. My week is coming up soon. I was assigned, "Illegal Immigration. What to do?" My classmate is from Japan. We decided to narrow our discussion because it is huge! I spoke with our professor yesterday about what we were planning, and he informed me that this was the hottest topic. He likes robust discussions!

I do like numbers, and I do like them to add up and balance. However, remembering what name to give a journal entry does confuse me most times. I thought this class would be a piece of cake. Not so. I am doing a little better in my quizzes - now it is a matter of remembering all that I have learned for my next exam. However, I do remember what a FIFO and LIFO are.

Then there is my capstone class. I love going to class. There are some students who have had the same teacher for four of the required classes for PR. She is an incredible teacher, and I am fortunate to have had her for one of them. But I like the variety of these instructors different teaching stylses. I think it adds balance to what you are learning. The client we have, Singular Humanitarian Experience is interesting. My group has a good idea as to how we are going to form and present our campaign. We have just finished our research, and now we will be working hard to finish up the campaign and collateral pieces - I can already tell it is going to be crunch work before the end of March.

I am phasing out of my job on campus these next few weeks. After 3 months, they finally were able to hire someone. It has been a bit stressful this past month, feeling guilty that I wasn't in the lab when I was needed. But they knew it would be a hit-and-a-miss with my schedule. I started doing some PR work with an agency this semester, to get experience, but because of my campus job I haven't been able to give the time needed to do the work they have for me. It has been frustrating. Next week will be better.

School Update

Spring term is under my belt, and Summer term has begun by racing out of the gate!

What I mean by racing - is that I am an official "news reporter." and have to "race" to finish my stories for the Daily Universe. The first two stories are complete, only to have two, three and more, looming on my mind waiting to be framed.

The professor whom I thought was going to be our instructor turned out not to be, but now is, due to the official instructor traveling to China. But you know what, I like this 'not to be' instructor!!! However, I may change my mind once he gets a hold of my articles - wondering if he will tear it apart!!!

In the meantime, I will be plugging along with Bio 100, a class that is filled with seniors, because it is the last G.E. that is needed (I am one of them!). Hoping my now improved, GPA, will not be tarnished because of failure to understand DNA, and other biological issues.

Good news today! Got a very kind note from my spring term instructor in Media Law. He wrote to tell me that I did well competing with a class full of 20-year old, and received one of the top grades of the class. Ended up with grades far better than I expected - and I am so grateful.

Summer Time and all the Implications

Who invented summer school? As a parent with LOTS of little children, summer school was a Godsend. It gave my kidlets something to do. At one time, summer school was free, and it consisted of "enrichment" classes. My children LOVED going to summer school - and I LOVED them going because that freed me up to tackle the jobs only a mother can do without multiple interruptions. You know, like wash diapers, toilets and eating bonbons.

Well, the children are gone, and I have gone and enrolled in my schools spring/summer terms. What am I thinking? Summer is supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy the grass growing between my toes and eating home-grown tomatoes. Also it is a time to CATCH-UP with life.

But then what am I thinking? Am I being selfish? I have had a long run where I have been able to do whatever I wanted during the summer months (let's imagine that is a true statement!) - while countless men and women each day, have to go to work - with no summer off to relax and enjoy green toes and rotten tomatoes.

OK - I admit it - I am whining because nine credits in seven weeks is more time consuming than I expected. I knew it and did it anyway - the reasoning was excellent. But doubts are finding a way into my mind and heart regarding this decision.

Why won't someone just give me a home-grown tomato and put me out of my misery? Heirloom preferably, please?

1st Grade and Beyond!

Tonight my grandson called me because he had to do a report on a relative about their experiences in 1^st grade. His mother told me that her children like to call me because I always give them good stuff! She was probably being kind with that statement.

The thing is, I remember a lot about my elementary school days, but 2^nd grade is a bit of a blur. I think it is because my mom made me go see Theda, to have my hair permed. My curls were so tight – and UGLY! I hated it and tried so hard to comb out my hair for school pictures. It is OK if your curls are natural – but to cause your hair to be unnatural is just wrong. As you can see, 1^st grade was just fine, don't have my 2nd grade photo scanned - then 3^rd grade came along, and it was a little more tamed down.

My daughter was surprised that the elementary school I attended had about 800 students! K-8, with 5 classes in each grade of 30+ kids – yep – it was that big. It was a great school, with lots of happy memories and of course a few not so pleasant! We had quite the diversity then; Mexican descent, Indian descent, African-American descent and Caucasian. I wouldn't be able to tell you what the percentages were because we were all friends! I am sure there was racism, but we never knew it. None of us knew our families were just getting by, because most all were in the same financial situation. There were a few girls that had store bought clothes, but the majority of us had mothers that made all our clothes. The girls wore dresses to school, the boys wore jeans and shirts. Nothing fancy. By the time you were in 5^th grade you had PE everyday and had to take showers! But then living in Yuma, AZ and playing outside, a shower was a good thing for stinky kids! I do remember the locker room smelling a little rank some days! We had choir programs and band, home economics, wood shop – but no organized sports. However, my grade had a great girls softball team, I played pitcher or shortstop. It was quite the competition with the older girls – we usually won!

We had an assembly every week, with Mrs. Price leading the singing. We learned so many great songs, of which I can't remember any now! Mrs. Price was a 3rd grade teacher. She was quite flamboyant. I had her for 3^rd grade, and for Easter we got to visit her home where she had peacocks roaming the yards. We would try to catch them, but only got a peacock feather for our efforts. I diverged…we also had the best Halloween carnivals in the whole city. The gymnasium was transformed as well as classrooms. The cafeteria served their famous homemade chili. All in all it was a great fund raiser for the school. Then in the spring we would have our annual BBQ event and talent show, where the students had to sell tickets. For several years I was the top girl ticket salesperson! Then for my 8^th grade year, Mrs. Price decided she wanted to teach 8^th grade. She got to produce a couple of shows, the Christmas program and a musical with the 8^th graders. Lucky me, I got leading parts in both shows! But she returned to 3^rd grade after that year – it wasn't the same.

Well, I could ramble on about my memories, but I will stop.

Thought I Knew what I was doing - Ha!

I have been going to school for the past year with plans to major in Public Relations. I applied for the major a few weeks ago. Sad to say, I did not make it in. I really thought I had a chance. But as the day goes by, I have plan B and plan C. So it is on to plan B - FACS major - Family and Consumer Science Education. But dang - if I just had done that in the beginning, I wouldn't have 47 more credits to finish up with!

But the bright side of this is that when I finish, I will not be using antiquated equipment and technology in my labs - that is if we still have public schools.

And the School Year is over!

Finished my last final today. Got a 94% on my final project for sewing - the little girl's dress. She didn't rip it, just percentages of this and that off. It is all good! Hopefully I did well on the written final.

Now WHAT? Relief is the first thing I feel! And now on to some new projects before I head to sweet California......

DAILY JOURNAL

It was on Cami's blog that I read about using your blog as a daily journal. Hmmm...most days that would be boring, as I don't have any little ones around to add humor to my days. And it would be very disrespectful of me to use Von as my story line each day, though he does give me something to talk about (nope - won't go there!).

So I have made up some acronyms to speed up my journaling process:

• SAD - Studied All Day
• OOPS - Officially Out of Perfume Scents
• BAG - Busted A Gut
• NC - Need Chocolate
• TGIF - Thank Goodness Its Food

I would love to hear from anyone that have some acronyms that would be appropriate for journaling--and show a lot more creativity then I can. Bring them on!

NEW SIZE FOR BIG BODS

I have to admit that one of my biggest fears about coming back to school were the desks. Whenever I would visit an open house for my high school age children, sitting in their school desks was tight. I am happy to report that at college, they have generously, oops, the desk are of a generous size that I and other big boys can fit in. I am most appreciatitive of this as well as my rolls of bodily girth that would overflow the countours of the chair. And I think those sitting around me are appreciatitive as well.

BOUGHT MY BOOKS!

I guess I am an official student now - I bought my books for school. But darn it all, I am still trying to decide what to wear on the first day of class.

Last Wednesday, Kimmy went with ME to buy my books! She also was with me when I dropped in to the NTOS - Non-Traditional/Older Student Assoc. meeting. We both learned some interesting tidbits. Kimmy thought the information on where there are beds on campus was very helpful - as she may use them from time to time to crash from her nocturnal habits.