I’ve changed my mind over the years about how important an education is.  When I was younger, I didn’t think it was that important — I went right to work after high school, and worked full time for four years.  During this time, I worked minimum-wage child care teacher jobs and dealt with a lot of uneducated folks before realizing how much of a difference education makes — not the least in the type of people you work with and befriend.

So I went back to school, got my degree, and got my first professional job.  After about a year there, I went into business for myself, which I’ve been doing ever since.  Getting an education changed my life — not the least because it changed the type of people that I befriended.  I’m still friends with some of my old friends, but we have less in common anymore, and from an outsider’s perspective I can see how their lives get harder every year.

This is why I believe in emphasizing your educational achievements.  Whether that means just putting your degree and other achievements (such as GPA, associations, etc.) on your resume, or buying a nice university diploma frame and prominently displaying your diploma, indulge yourself and show off a little.  You’ve earned it, and that’s why I think diploma framing is such a great idea!

Though I have never attended summer school in the past, I decided that it was going to be something that I would do this year.  Since I am almost done my degree, after taking two classes this summer, I can be done in December – four months earlier than I am supposed to be.

So, I decided to take two electives this summer – one of them being English, and the other being Physics.  Truth be told, neither of these sounded too interesting, but I needed them to graduate, so I had no choice.

The English class went by without a hitch, and I ended up with a good mark in it.  I would like to say that it added some value to my life, but truth be told, I could have lived without taking it.  I guess if I was a little bit more of a reader, then I might have appreciated it, but ever since I was a child reading gave me a headache, so I was very happy when I was done this class.

The second class was a lot more interesting that I had thought.  In fact, I love what we are studying now: the difference between different types of light bulbs.  It is interesting to learn how the particle interactions differ inside a Metal Halide bulb compared to a Fulham Ballast.  Truth be told, I had no idea that there were so many different types of lights out there.

Needless to say, this summer has been great and I am looking forward to this being my last fall in school – seems like I have been here forever.

Before I even moved into my house I did a lot of independent research to make sure that this was a safe neighborhood. I looked up whether or not there were sex offenders near by. Of course what I found out about that is only the ones who have been caught are registered, but I digress. I also looked at crime stats because I didn’t want to live in an area with high crime.

But recently there have been a few break-ins in my area. People are getting their jewelry stolen mostly. Probably by meth heads who sell the gold jewelry for cash. And I am a little worried about my own personal safety now when I am at home. Of course I always lock my doors and windows. But if somebody wants in bad enough they can probably get in. So I decided it was time to buy a gun.

I went to the sporting goods store and started looking at handguns. Do you realize just how expensive firearms are? I guess some of it has to do with Obama getting elected and the ensuing fear that the right to bear arms will be taken away. Anyway, I did find a cheaper way to get a gun (legally too). I went to a pawn shop and picked up a used Colt 1911 .45 for a fraction of the price which I would have paid for a new one.