Road to Relaxation

When I typed in the word "relaxation" in google images, this picture came up entitled "Road to Relaxation". I liked it, so here it is.

In case you were all wondering why I would do a search on this topic, my class session has come to a close tonight and I am pretty happy about that. The last five weeks have been a little bit more hectic in the school department because I was taking two classes. Now I know that taking two classes really doesn't sound like all that much, but when you are in a program that crams a three hour college course into five weeks - doubling that is well, crazy stuff. Why would I do that? Because last session my wonderful husband Dan and I were celebrating 25 years of marriage in a wonderful place that was incredibly beautiful (and wonderful) and relaxing and I wasn't about to ruin or interfere with our time together by worrying about homework. That would have seemed really crazy!

So, back to my classes. The one I had on Tuesday evenings was in Organizational Behavior. This class was incredibly interesting and I felt like it had so many applications to life that even if I never use it on some professional level, it was worth the time because it had good, personal relevance. Unless a person lives under a rock, which although tempting at times is not very practical or comfortable, we all have to deal with groups of people. It is interesting how many principles apply whether you are talking about work groups, church groups, family groups or whatever group you belong to. Our teacher is actually a full-time instructor at the Pendleton Correctional Facility and he had great illustrations for our topics. I am hoping to get an "A" in the class, but the final was pretty tough and I had an eight page paper to turn in about the communication process where I work. I probably could have written a book - but that is another story that will probably not be told until I work somewhere else. Dan and I were able to have some really good discussions on leadership and group dynamics which made it even more worthwhile to me.

Then there was marketing on Thursday nights. Although I'm sure this subject matter is interesting and could even be fun, I really didn't like this class. I'm not going to use this cyber space to completely be negative about an instructor that so many people in the class seemed to like, but there you have it. I guess I just didn't connect very well to his style of teaching. I'll just leave it at that.

So, I have now completed six classes. The decision will need to be made about where to go from here. I like going to school in general, but my goals after completion of this degree are pretty hazy. It will probably not come as a huge shock to anyone that the prospect of working at a pizza place for the rest of my natural life is not really all that exciting to me. The problem is, I don't want to just get another job to replace this one, I want it to mean something...anything. Now don't get me wrong, I believe one can have a positive influence and even a definite purpose no matter where their particular job is located. I do believe that everything we do should be done "as unto the Lord" or however that is worded. Right now, I'm not thinking the Lord is overly pleased with what I'm doing unto Him (no disrespect intended or implied). I actually do believe that I had somewhat of a purpose when I began working there --gulp--almost eight years ago. But, I'm just not feeling it anymore. Now don't get me wrong, I believe we are witnesses wherever we go, but being a negative one probably wasn't the whole idea. When I began there I actually felt like I stood for something - now I feel like just another employee who is critical and impatient. I don't like myself too much in this regard and sometimes I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and wonder who slipped a lemon into my mouth when I wasn't looking.

So, I ask myself if I could do anything...yeah that great question...what would I do? I think the thing I enjoy most is teaching. My only experience with it has been more in a church setting, but I really do like it. I don't know that one has to have the title "teacher" to teach, but if I could somehow have that role, I would like that. There, all of this rambling in my mind and on this blog and it has finally come out. I still have no idea what to do with it, but it's out there.

Well, my mind is tired and I think I am done for today. I stayed up late last night working on a marketing plan that was a group project. It was supposed to be 25 pages long - five pages per person. Another classmate and I basically rewrote the whole thing yesterday and last night and today. I believe it was graded in less than five minutes. We did get an "A" but somehow it seemed like I should have at least gotten a sticker or something. Of course my five page, five essay question final was graded during my trip to the bathroom. I got an "A" on that, too, no sticker. The one saving thing of the night was that he actually read the marketing interview I did - thanks Joan - and said it was really good and the most unique one he had been given. I'm assuming I got an "A" on that, too, although he didn't give it back to me. Okay, I didn't just leave it at that. Such is life.

Keep that hope alive -
JAH