Last semester was my most horrid semester in college. Because of that experience, I’ve decided not to pursue any more degrees. I was sick and tired of not doing things I liked. So I promised myself that as soon I was done with those damn classes, I would do the things I had been putting off for several years. Here is what I’ve done so far.

My accounting degree is for the most part useless. Yes, it allows me to get my foot in the door. But every single skill I use in my job has been self taught. I learned *nothing* in college. Except that I hated the experience and maybe…how to read accounting standards. I wanted to get some proper knowledge that will be useful so I enrolled in a construction class. I am learning how to use power tools of all sorts such as a circular saw, how to put roofing shingles on, what a joist is, and so on. It is for this class I purchased my expensive pair of sneakers because my old pair of sneakers had too many holes and would have given me frost bite seeing as many of our activites are taking place in unheated conditions. I figured with my current salary trends I will be able to afford a shell of a house in the ghetto. So I may as well learn how to make this future home a home.

I enrolled in an art class. I have not done any drawing or painting in many, many years. I love drawing and think I am pretty good at it. I didn’t pursue it because I didn’t have the confidence that I could make a living from it. Now I am working on it because..I like it and it makes me happy.

I began writing fiction again. Specifically science fiction. I am going to try to sell some of my work and see what comes of it. For any sf fans…my favorite author is Alfred Bester. My current story is the weirdest I’ve ever written and I happen to think its pretty original. Its been very challenging because the world I’ve created is very alien..basically an extrapolation of all the bad peak oil theories. For some reason I can never write cheery stories.

I’ve been attending meditation classes. I couldn’t attend classes the last few years because I often had classes at night. Meditation classes that are led by a spiritual leader are alot like reading personal finance articles/blogs - its the same content repeated over and over. But its that repetition that reenforces the material. My temper doesn’t flare up so much. Yesterday I shocked myself when my reaction to someone cutting in front of me was laughter.

*an aside: last week we were told to imagine the Buddha and to not force any image into our head. I closed my eyes and saw….a scruffy looking brown shoe and a clothes hanger - the cheap kind that comes from the dry cleaner. Is the Buddha now a well worn shoe who symbolizes an abortion? I don’t know. I thought the image was quite funny. I didn’t share the image with the spiritual leader.