Keep hurdling those obstacles

Monday morning....**blah** definitely had the Monday morning blues.....but I had one bright spot on my horizon....today I was finalizing my financial aid with Strayer!!! But, of course......here come a obstacle to slow the process!

This picture depicts exactly what I am going to accomplish......HURDLING that obstacle and overcoming it......it may delay the moment, but it will not the duration. I will find another away to achieve my goal and when I do, I can look back and smile and feel proud that I didn't give up.

I am doing it....I am going back to school!!

After a 9 year LONG procastination, I finally decided to go back to school and get my degree!!! I selected the University I wanted to go through to get my BA and it's Strayer University. I was really picky about what school I wanted to attend. There were 4 schools I was looking at for online classes:

Strayer University
Western Governor's University
Walden University
University of Phoenix

UoP was my first choice, but I wanted to hunt around to see what else was out there.......Walden was eliminated right away because of the online advisor I was dealing with. I am a questions person.....I can ask ALOT of questions, and that's just to make sure I understand fully want is being said. I felt like I was being rushed off the phone, she wasn't really interested in answering my questiosn and I didn't like that. So, I moved on to next one......WG, I thought, would be a great fit, but after reviewing the information sent to me, it wasn't. So, that left Strayer....I was still waiting on UoP, but I didn't hear anything.

Well Saturday, the Strayer advisor call me......and we hit it RIGHT off.....we were on the phone for about 1.5 hrs talking about my goals, my fears, my everything.......he let ask ALL the questions, promptly answered and if he didn't know the answer, he looked it up and sent the info to me. That sold me RIGHT there.....seriously. He was attentive and that's what I wanted and needed. Even after I got off the phone with him, I still was thinking "wait to hear from UofP, but something was telling me to go ahead with Strayer.

So, Monday, I called Jason and said "Let's do this..."..... right now, I am 3/4 of the way through my admission proces and it's been a little grueling!!! Just in the sense of time....it's very consuming. And waiting for my PIN to register...... Yea, that's was interesting, but it's registered and I am basically in.

I am set to start Winter Term as of Jan 11th and from there I am a student and future graduate of Strayer University!!! Whooo-hooooo!!!

Fear Factor

Fear is the stumbling block that leave alot of people paralyzed to advance in life, work and relationships. I had a conversation with one my aunts the other night about my move to North Carolina next year. And in her voice, I heard totally amazement that I would "quit" a job...well in her eyes, a good paying job, move to a whole other state with no family around and basically start ALL OVER. I do have family there, but I could tell she was just not believing that I would move so far away from family.

But the other thing I heard was the "fear" her voice. In her eyes, I was doing something so drastic and it doesn't make sense. I have a good job, near family and that should be enough. Well, it's not. My quality of life has suffered here in Seattle. With the combination of the weather, dating scene and high cost of living, I have unhappy and READY to leave for a long while. A year ago, I did "chicken" out, persay because of the economy tanking. I felt it wasn't the time for me to jump and go somewhere when the economy wasn't good. Even though in my gut, I wanted to go....badly, I still had to be smart about it.

Now is the time, but I find it so funny that people, certain family members in particular, won't think "outside of the box". They seem to think that Seattle is the measuring stick for every other place........Seattle, too me, is in the FAR REACHES and corner of the US!!! There is more to life than this little place on earth called Seattle.

HIGHWAY Robbery

The price of airline tickets are HORRIBLE and expensive!!!!!!! Even 30 days from flying out on my much needed vacation, I am looking at $350 or more for 3 people!!! How the hell can airlines get away with this and NOT to mention that they charge for baggage now.

I am at my computer, sweating bullets, with 3 screens up trying to get the right price. Last night as I complained to my father, he says in a matter of fact voice "Why didn't you get them eariler?" If I had a snowball, I would have thrown it through the phone at him. I didn't get them earlier because:

• Paying off my cruise (2 people on that bill)


• I still have rent and other core bills to pay


• I had to get passports for 3 people


• and I am the only income in the house

This also leads me into ~ when am I going to be able to drop or lose the "Struggling Single Mom" title? Part of my frustration is that I am still supporting my 21 yr old son. And I am to blame because I did not inforce him to "pay" when he was working. Now that he isn't, it's all on me. But that's another grumble. The dilemma at hand is the high cost of flying right now!!!!