About 3 months ago, after a year of teaching, I decided that I was accustomed enough to my schedule to be able to incorporate some graduate school classes. My dream is to one day have a PhD and teach college classes.  However, I'm not going to make my life miserable by trying to make that happen on a rigorous schedule.  I'm starting with graduate school for a Masters degree and I'll see how I feel about the doctorate degree after that.

I take classes two nights a week at a university that is pretty far away.  I go as soon as I get off work, and if there is no traffic, I am still perpetually five minutes late. You can probably imagine that the traffic situation at this time (rush hour) is less than ideal, so it's pretty stressful to attend these classes.  It is right under my mental-breakdown-limit though, so for now all is well.

I briefly entertained the idea of becoming a TA at the university, to eliminate the distractions and horrific commutes involved in my current situation.  That job would require me moving to a less-cool city, in a more expensive apartment, farther from my friends, and oh yeah, a $35,000 pay cut.  On second thought... I'll stay with the current situation.

That being said, I will be taking summer classes for credit.  One of them is a 4 week session in Strasbourg, France.  I've been to Europe twice, but have always stayed in Paris with a brief weekend in Barcelona.  This time I swear to get more out of that expensive plane ticket, leave early, and visit London and Dublin, two places I often daydream of visiting.  The starring roll in my dream is usually male accents, but I'm sure I'll be equally excited to broaden my cultural horizons.  I'd quite fancy that!

Of course, none of my friends can afford (or are able to take off work) to go with me.  So I'll be completely alone.  AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!  I hope I can handle this.