A 38 Year Old College Student

I’m shocked at how much college has changed since I last when to it.  Of course, 1994 was 20 years ago, but still, I never thought it would change so much.  Part of me wonders if I just didn’t notice the things I love about school now because I was so blinded by trying to survive, but after talking to my friends, I don’t think that is the case….

It seems a million years ago when I stepped on the Austin campus of the University of Texas.  A million years and a day.  I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but I was giving some things a shot, and it just didn’t work out.  I was naïve.  I picked something and just decided to go with it, truly the wrong decision.  To this day I do not regret my decision to walk away from college, in fact it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. 

Explaining Nerdy Things

The hardest part about explaining anything to anyone is getting past their own preconceived notions on the topic.  Some people will always see the thing you are trying to explain as silly, and your attempts at explaining it only make it more silly.

You really get into a bind when something is preconceived as ‘nerdy.’  Once it has that connotation, you might as well just give up trying to explain anything.  LARPing is the best example I can come up with right now.

The Visible Effects of Hard Drugs on the Body

One of the ugliest parts of living in a small town is the ratio of people who use drugs.  What is really sad is how apparent it is.  Many drugs damage the body in many obvious ways.  Crystal Meth is one of the most obvious.

Lisa and I are close to the same age, yet there are people she graduated with that look well over double our age.  The scars, the sagging skin, the wrinkles, and the teeth are all huge indicators.  There are so many folks she’s introduced me to that look as old as Lisa’s mother (who has aged decently well) yet are either our age or younger.

Is a Bad Attitude a Clinical Condition?

Since when did having a bad attitude become a clinical condition?  Seems like a crazy question, huh?  But I see it so much in today’s youth.  Someone simply has a bad attitude, and they are labeled as having a learning disorder.

I know its kind of a joke to some people, but has society gotten to bad with the idea that everything is a clinical condition that something as simple as a bad attitude, which can easily be worked through, is terms to send someone to the therapist?  There are days I don’t want to wake up, for whatever reason, and there are days I don’t feel like paying attention.