There are so many emotions occurring within me at the moment. Why is that, I hear you ask? Well...let us start with something that always comes to mind for me this time of year, and on this day especially.
47 years ago - December 18th, 1968 - I was struck by a car. I was a slender little eight year old. According to those who saw it, I flew diagonally over the car, from the right front bumper to the left rear. In the family car on the way to the hospital - this was out on a farm and well before 911 and paramedics - I stopped breathing several times. When I reached the ER I had no blood pressure. No pulse.
I was in hospitals - both in Lake County, IL and down in Chicago - from that morning till early in February, 1969. As for my injuries, the simple list includes: a pelvis broken in multiple places, fractured ribs whose jagged ends tore at my left lung, misc internal hemorrhages, and my left kidney being torn off from the main artery. When I left the hospital, I was minus the lower portion of my left lung, as well as my left kidney. My physical therapy at home consisted - mainly - of "crab walking" from where my bed was to various other rooms in the house to get items, or to do things. And I learned how to be pretty quick on my crutches.
I have some other stories about that adventure. But I shan't fill this entry up with them. That really isn't the point of today.
The point is: I was given, through whatever means you might choose to attribute it to, 47 years more than I might have had. So on December 18th, I tend to get reflective. And grateful.
Every day is a gift.
And, on top of all of those sorts of reflections....Yesterday I took what was - if all things work as I have planned - my last final examination at the undergraduate level. Yep. Physics 175 - Introduction to Astronomy. The second of two science courses (with labs) that are part of the core degree requirements here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Which leaves just 3 credits in performance to complete my concentration within my major. And for that, I submitted - and have received departmental approval of - a credit for prior learning portfolio in substitution for Theatre 221 - Acting II. That paperwork is at the deans office. And once it gets signed there, it moves on to the academic advising office, then the business office/registrar. And then....well, as long as the dean and the academic advising office sign off, I will have all my credit hours. Actually, with the 3 hours from the CPL portfolio included, I will have 168 hours. 120 hours are required for the BA. Shrug.
So. While there are still some i's to cross and some t's to dot, it looks as if I am done with my undergraduate scholastic career. I won't get my degree till graduation in the spring. And I still have projects here on campus - eg: the scenic design for the mainstage production of Closer, my poster presentation for Antigone at Research Day in April, etc. But no classes. Sigh. I admit, I will - in some ways - miss such things. Especially the various studio classes. Lord, I do love those.
I started undergraduate classes at a community college in January, 1979. And now, ~36 years later, I have come to an end of that portion of my education.
Even so...I intend that this blog will remain active, as I head towards new adventures. And I think that, even though those adventures will (hopefully) be grad school ones, I shall stick with the name: Not Quite The Worlds Oldest Undergrad.
Well...that is all for the moment. More soon.
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Semi-Random Shavings
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