I made a huge change last year, in that I went back to college. (After many years away form school, and being an ‘older student’ I got an ‘A’ in a difficult class!) This next Semester I will be taking three more difficult classes, and have plans for others the following Semester to round out 2010.  The first result will be a change in what I do with my “free” time, as I will have a lot less of it. As my current job skills are not valued in todays economy, I am actively getting new and variable ones for the future. Yea, there are the customary reselotions for the New Year, deal with  my weight, find a companion and such, but those come second to the long term plans to reclame my life.

What about you? Have you decided how you are going to direct your life in this next year? To borrow a phrase, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail”.  As we look at what we need in our life’s, look at those around you. A lot of us are struggling to hold on.  We share this world with billions of other people for a reason, to act together as both student and teacher. If we act alone we will fail, together we are strong.

In Peace and Love,
Robin

Halloween needs to be moved to the beginning of October, by the 31st the stores have moved on. Thanksgiving is just a place holder. in a vast conspiracy, it has been decided that the official beginning of ‘Shopping Season‘ starts the next day. The American tradition of gathering around the family table has been replaced by camping in parking lots for a few days so you can get in on the “Black Friday” sales. Tis the season that we honer the birth of the young Master, Card.  ‘Ho Ho Ho’ has been translated to ‘Spend Spend Spend’.  Welcome to … Christmas!

I remember one friend obsessing in July on what she would get her sister for Christmas, while complaining that the sister never got her anything she wanted.  The endless commercials have convenced us to get the latest gadgets for our friends, and gage just how much they value us by the value of what they give in return. The only ones this really brings joy to are the merchants who sell us all this stuff and the banks who collect the interest year round from the charge cards.  It doesn’t matter if you are Christian or not, A tree must be brought inside the house and decorated with fake snow, lights and other shinny objects as an alter, a place to put the presents. We must all listen to, if not sing, terrible songs about Snowmen, Jingling bells, Raindear and every once in a while something about that Christ person. Why do they keep bringing him up?

The whole Tree thing, “Father Winter”, and the rich giving presents to the poor, is all part of a ‘Winter Festival‘ established before Christianity. Again, in the name of conspiracy, it was decided that since people were used to this winter celebration it would just be given a different name. It would become the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, never mind he was not born on December 25th. Father Winter would become Father Christmas, and then Santa. We would still decorate trees, but in the confort of our homes, and we would give until we were poor. Than put it all away and not having  to care about anyone until the next ‘Winter Festival’.  Wrong!

Lets separate our spirituality from the commercialism that this holy day has become. Use this occasion to reflect on whatever your beliefs are, than embrase those beliefs and act on them throughout the year. Lets also separate our expression of love for those around us. Everybody should buy presents for those who’s name starts with A or B in January. C & D in February, E & F in March and so on…. Or just express your love and friendship year round. When I give a gift, it is because I think that person can use it, or that I am moved to share as I am able, not out of ‘obligation’ .  I value spending time and the occasional breaking of bread with loved ones more than any gift purchased because of the date on a calendar.

In Peace and Love,
Robin

Janet Chismar
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Tell the average guy on the street – one who actually realizes there is a connection between Christ and Christmas – that some Christians don’t celebrate the holiday and you’ll likely get a pointed question or two. “Isn’t that the biggest church-going day of the year? Not to mention that Christmas is as American as apple pie! Why wouldn’t a Christian celebrate the birth of Christ?” In actuality, the reasons are varied and the legacy long, going back to the Puritans and up to present day groups such as Advent Conspiracy.  MORE.

Abby and I work on a volenter television program that has been in production for over Twenty years, as key technical people.  Abby does the job of at least five people in the control room, and evan more outside the studio for the show, and depends on me to do some of the other key tasks that are critical to the production. Nothing that she could not do, except she is only one over worked person, who despite being ‘Wonder Woman’ just can not do the work of 9 or 10 people. Not only am I her “goto person” on the production, I also give her a ride to and from the tv studio.  How do I tell this woman that I love, who depends on me, that I have to stop working on this television program that is so important to her?

This past Semester I took an Introductory Electronics class at American River College, as prerequisite for  Solar Electric classes I will be taking. In the process I was amazed at how much I learned and the level of math I was able to do (thanks to a TI Scientific Calculator, and a teacher who showed me how to use it). I have been given guidance that it would be in my best interest as someone coming into the field as an “older worker” that I take a few more Electronic classes. I am not a math person, as Abby can attest to, she has more than once tried to help me understand what I was doing. (Did I mention that she is a genius?) So the further I go into Electronics, the more math I will have to deal with. What I have learned this past Semester, and what I will have to in future classes, why not get credit for the smoked brain cells.? ARC offers a class geared to mathematics for Electronics. Not only will the class help me with my other classes, it also fills the General Education requirement for math at the college.  The math department doesn’t like this however, they don’t think this is a “real math class” and are in the process of making it go away. This next Semester could be the last one that it is offered.  I know I will need it for my Electronics classes, and if I ever hope to get a degree I would be foolish not to have taken it. As my current instructor said. don’t say you weren’t warned. There is no way that I could get through a “real” college level math class. And as I said, thus the problem. This class is only offered as a night class at the same time that Ann and I do the television production.

So Abby, I apologies. When I started selecting classes for the next semester, I skipped over this class because of the scheduling. When I first registered for classes, I did not select this class. But then on the pleading of my current instructor, guidance I received from others, and just plain logic, I had to go into registration a second time and add this class to my insane schedule. It is tearing me up having to disappoint you this way, but in the interest of my future, I have no choice. It is my hope that after all this is done, not only will I be better off, but that it makes us better off. And, if there is still a place for me, I will be back working on the production after the semester is over in May.

In Peace and Love,
Robin.

*Name changed to fool the innocent.

American River College has a class (actually it is in two parts 310 Math for DC Electronics and 311 Math for AC Electronics. 8wks each) that teaches math as used in Electronics.  This is good because it is not just “theory” but practical use that can be seen.  I figure if I have to learn to use this stuff in my other Electronics classes, I might as well get credit for it. And the other way around, this will help me with the Electronics classes. AND… This will fill the math requirement if I choose the ultimate foolishness and go for a degree in Electronics at ARC.

I am being encouraged to take this math class because there is an argument between the departments saying that this should not count, we should be tortured with all that theory stuff that everyone else has to suffer through.  So unless I want to take the boring math classes that I know I have no hope of passing, I need to take the Electronics math class now!

I am surprised how well I did (thanks to a TI Calculator) with the math needed for Basic Electronics (ET302). If I can use what I learned and add to it, with the help of friends I hope I can make it through it.  So as of today, next semester will be Second Semester Electronics, Solar Energy and Electronics math. 12 Units.   Its been nice knowing all of you, starting mid January I will be practicing self abuse.

In Peace and Love,
Robin

I was talked out of getting a HP, and was looking at getting a DELL. (Studio 15). When I started shopping the price was low, but I did not have the money. After I was able to save up the money, the price of the DELL was about $180. OUCH! So on the recommendations of a Sales Droid, I again looked at a HP and ended up getting the DV4. (Better Processer, Better RAM. Not as good of a screen and smaller Hard Drive) The price was lower that that of the DELL when I started looking, and in my budjet.

Then the add ons… Extended Warntee with Accidental damage coverage. Almost $300! Just about half again what the Laptop cost. WTF! I know that they don’t make things the way they used to, and one repair will cost more than that. But why not just build a quality machine and charge $900 or more for it? (and they say Macs are over priced, at least I know they are well built.)  I hope I don’t regret this, but I passed on this added insurance, er..warrantee. See budjet and no money.

I need this computer for school, next semester starts mid January so the Christmass madness sales were the best time to get one.  it’s all about the choices we have to make and the timing of our needs. I hope I can get used to the Windows OS again and don’t regret buying cheep and skipping the extended warrantee.

I found out that Energy 140 (Introduction to Solar) had a Prerequisite of ET 302 (Basic Electronics), ACK! The last thing I wanted to take was an Electronics class. This Dyslexic brain of mine dosen’t deal with numbers well. Skipping forward quickly, after buying a “Scientific Calculator” and learning how to use a few of those ‘Extra buttons’ I found out I could actually do this stuff. If only I had this calculator and a good teacher that allowed me to use it when I was in High School, my life would have been a LOT different. I have taken my ET302 Basic Electronics class and am ready for the Solar Energy class.

Funny thing is my lab partner put this idea into my brain that by taking further Electronics classes, leading to Bio Medical Technology classes, there should be more jobs suited for us “older workers”. My friend made since. but I really did not want to give up the Solar classes. I did not like that I had to wait through this semester to take the class, I did not want to let more semesters pass.

So today, I registered for ET322 (Electronics) Monday and Wednesday 5 Units, and Energy 140 (Solar) Tuesday and Thursday 4 Units. I may be over extending my self, but I think I need to take both of these classes to hedge my bets.  Stay tuned to share in my victories, or watch the last of my brain cells go up in smoke. The madness starts mid January.

We are Students & Teachers.
This University is not a correspondence school with just a textbook and a test at the end. We attend classes with a lot of other people at different levels of learning and differing lifestyles. Each of us is also a teacher to our fellow students, and every situation is a test of how well we are learning. As we master a subject, we are expected to share that knowledge with others so that they may also learn it. Sometimes we are asked to teach advanced lessons, other times just how we live our lives, or a kind word and a smile is all that someone needs.  As students, we are expected to teach. As teachers, we are always learning.

Who are you?
This blog is about my life and the lessons I am learning from it. But once I have learned, I turn around and teach those lessons to any who also need of that lesson. As you learn more about who I am, I hope you learn more about yourself as well.

In Peace and Love,
Robin Scott

New Years is the hope for new beginnings and Thanksgiving is not only looking back, but a time to take stock of what we are grateful for in this lifetime. Like many, this has been a shty year, but I have a lot to be thankful for. I am most grateful for the people in my life, my Family (birth, and chosen), true friends,  those I associate with on a regular basis, the people who are kind and greet me with a smile, or just those whose inner or outer beauty make me pause and take notice.

It is obvious that I honor the people in my life most of all, but I am also grateful for events that have shaped this year. The biggest of them is that I have gone back to College. Rather than grumble about how my current skills are not being appreciated in the form of employment, I am strengthening and gaining new skills. While it has not been easy for me, I am taking joy in how well I am doing and am grateful for the opportunity. I am grateful for the technology and teachers available to me allowing me to learn what I was unable to in my younger years. And of course, the acquaintances and new friends I am meeting. (Also that inner and outer beauty thing!)

It is important not to use perceived lives of those around you as a standard of measure of you life, but notice what in your life, no matter how large or how small, brings you joy. For all those big and little things in my life, I am truly grateful.

In Peace and Love,
Robin Scott