Welcome 2009!

Welcome 2009! I'm back to the blog and feeling so good! And, really all fired up for '09! I keep thinking of cats this year even thought it's the year of the ox. There's a saying that cats have nine lives. Of course, human beings only have ONE life to live. But, nine lives sounds pretty awesome and 'energizing.' Nine lives could also mean the various possibilities and transformations in ourselves, thus 2,5,7 or 9 times over in our lives. So, living up to 2009 is my vision.

The structure and content of 2009 pretty much planned its way into my path. It didn't take as much thought on my part as it usually does with each new year. I'm not truly a planner, but just someone who needs a map of what and where to go.
2009 choices were completely guided by pure desires. So, it's true that the older we get, we MUST listen to our own hearts. I have at times ignored it in the past, but now I let it speak to me at moments of silence. It is speaking to us all the time.

What's happening with 2009?

I will start my Graduate Studies on January 26, 2009. I will be driving ME to school TUE, THUR, FRI, and 4 SATs will also be occupied with classes. I'll be taking 18 units, a full load. I anticipate LOTS of homework! OMG! The following are my Spring semester courses & their titles:

Leadership and Policy for Community and Non-formal Education
Critical and Postmodern Pedagogies
Education & Community Education: Equity & Diversity
Culture, Language, and Society in Education
Race, Labor & Class
Women, Poverty & Globalization

They are very interesting to me!

These days, I am contemplating on my 40+page Thesis Paper which will be due at the end of the year. It's rather daunting, overwhelming and challenging but I'm sure it'll be worth all the effort especially getting my frontal lobes in full use again. ;-)

Another perspective I have gained on my return to school is that I am NOT aiming for good grades this time. Of course good grades would be nice. I used to be quite obsessed with grades, results, academic performance during my previous schooling. My current University GPA is.......3.75! Not bad, but lots of sacrifices, stresses & sickness! Since this will be my last, very last time halting my work life for school, I threw the importance of grades out the window! I don't intend to proceed onwards to a PhD. It would be testing myself too much. Of course, to all my former students who are reading this blog, please keep your grades up! It is, however, important for only 2 reasons: to move forward with job goals & to motivate you to build confidence within a subject area in academic life! ;-) Different stages in life calls for different perspectives that at the most could make us grow into who we are meant to be. So, at this point in my own academic life, I just want to pass, finish all my homework, begin and finish the THESIS PAPER and learn all that I will and MUST. Hopefully, the good grades will come in the process.

And, I will start the San Francisco Marathon Training on January 24, 2009 here at San Francisco. It's a 26-week training 'camp' for novice runners, like myself. Cost is $350 USD/person. It's a fully accredited training program with experienced marathon coaches. There'll be 2 evening runs at Kezar Stadium, and one 'boot camp' style training per week, and strength training, and an 8:00am long run on Saturday mornings in the Golden Gate area. The first event we are expected to do, even before the marathon is the Emerald 12K Run on March 15, benefitting Edgewood, a group home for the mentally challenged young adults in the Bay Area. And, all the final running will take place at the San Francisco Marathon on July 26, 2009! Am I scared? YES. Do I feel excited? YES. What is my target finish time? I don't know yet, maybe just aim to go through the finish line before they re-open the roads to traffic again. ;-) I wish to do the best that I can. Hopefully, in the process, I will get fit and even fitter, de-stress from academia, and fulfill my hope for good physical health.

Those are the 2 major agendas for 2009! I would like to add a few short travels into the year, perhaps locally in the U.S. like Seattle, New York City & New Orleans, depending on the course load. I do have Japan & Borneo in my radar too, maybe after the studies.....

So, have a slice of cake, like the one above! It is in celebration of a New Year!Thanks for reading and have a great one! Keep on going! Do better than your very best. I will too. ;-)