The bush and I... what we have in common

This bush and I have a lot in common. We are both starting over. Again.

The situation for the bush:
We had a hard freeze here in Bowling Green a couple of weeks ago. Everything had already bloomed! The apple orchard had a total loss.

You can look all over town and see brown bushes in the front of people's homes. I thought these Rose of Sharon bushes in my yard had died for sure.

Then yesterday I went really close to them - and to my surprise I saw green coming out all over!

The situation for me:
I need to decide in the next 4 years whether or not to go back to college. Again.

My sister says that if I went back to school I could take Elementary Education instead of Secondary, and I might like it better. After all, she said, everybody likes their teacher when they are young enough.

The good part about this idea is that it would be a much nicer situation to be in a class with students that actually wanted to learn.

****I had to come back here and change this. First: it would be a total dream to imagine that there could be such a class - - and maybe a nightmare, because it would mean Stepford Children. But realistically, I think there will always be people in a class who really don't want to learn - - but it would be nice if most students in a class would be able to learn and enjoy it.

****I don't think that No Child Left Behind is working for all students. Some are indeed falling through the cracks. I hope that a law gets passed that helps these students. Oh -- and it's one thing to PASS a law, (Like NCLB) - - it's another to make sure it is FUNDED. 'Nuff said. I think most people agree that it all comes down to MONEY.

****Now we have the war in Iraq. It is costing SO MUCH MONEY. Besides which, it is a very unpopular war. I surely hope it ends soon. It would be nice to be able to dream again -- and to help the students here and everywhere.

Back to ME (haha) - - I think I should try other things first, and then decide.

It's not like there is a deadline. There isn't. Except for the 4-year one - when I'd have to take my Praxis exams over again if I didn't do another semester of teaching.

Right now, I am doing things I've been putting off for years. I have even started my own business - and am writing a lot!

Going back to school again would mean I would not be able to do those things. I would have to put them off, AGAIN.

Back to the picture here. Check out these bushes - they have taken a bad situation and turned it into a good one, just like I have. Who knows? They may come back greener than ever.

I am watering these bushes just in case -- to make sure they keep growing the green part.

I am doing constructive things to make sure I keep growing, too.

Doing the Non-Trad student website is part of that. I also hope that more people will join the discussion boards and will also send me their Non-Trad groups to put on the site. That is one project -- and there are so many more.

I think putting campus non-traditional student groups on the website, and emailing them is a good idea. I will do that after re-doing the site.