Centurian

Keep your eye on the prize.

It's only about 6 weeks until graduation, and I'm losing focus. Rather keep my head in the here and now, I'm looking ahead to what I'll be able to do with my free time. This really isn't a minor point, as this marks the point in my life where I'll have a break from being in school. I don't know how my oldest sister does it, she's five years older than me and still going strong.

I know I'll get sucked into doing Ph.D. work however, she's setting a precedent, the benchmark, (are we competing?) and the temptation to be called doctor is too strong.

But really, what a lame complaint that is, to be able and willing to further your education. Brings me to something we (N. and I) were discussing last night. It's about your frame of reference. My complain maybe the hard work of a continuing education, but that's because I've had different (arguably better) opportunities and circumstances. Someone born in a different country, in a different situation has a different frame of reference, and therefore, different day to day complaints.

We were specifically talking about the teaching profession. (My parents were both teachers, so I have a pretty good understanding) They have off in the summers, all the major holidays, spring breaks, winter breaks and so on. And they get paid a full salary for the year (however it may be less than some other job) and as tough as the work may be it doesn't compare to the stresses of some other professions; for example blue collar shift work, or manual labor like landscaping or construction.

But once a person becomes settling in that teaching lifestyle, they get accustomed to their own realm of daily complaints, which, in our opinion, their complaints pale in comparison. Is their life really so hard?

Is my life really so hard I have time to think about it?