Well, to answer your question: Yes, it is all I imagined and more…but that is not necessarily a good thing. Through every one of my classes this week I sat there playing tennis in my head with my thoughts. "Do I drop a class?…Or do I quit my job?…Do I drop a class?…Or quit my job?…I need all of these classes to graduate….But I need to work to pay for them…" And so on and so forth. I enjoy my new classes, but I do miss the clear conscience I had gotten used to when choosing to do something other than academic reading or writing. But I just keep telling myself: "You’re on the fast track. You have to work this hard in order to graduate quickly." I sit there listening to people who have been in the program for five years and shudder to myself; that will not be me. I need to finish quickly. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy it and I am glad to be in the program at all. But let’s just say there will be a break of several years before even thinking about Doctoral work.

Steve: Congrats on your new life of freedom from grad school. Oh, and by the way, Krista would beat anyone in a fist fight. You know that.
Gabe: Keep us posted on life as a father.
Anne: Your life sounds so much more interesting than mine!
Brad and Kurbis: I’ll see you tomorrow at the wedding!
Jas: Good luck on the job search., let us know what happens.
Folkstead: What's happening up North?