Veteran Event

It's been over a month since I've posted anything. I have been up to my eyebrows in classwork. In one of my classes at Northern Arizona University my group is planning an event. Here is the brief paper I wrote:

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to quantify running an event where NAU-Yavapai allows area veterans to use the campus computer lab to apply for FAFSA grants. Current students who are also veterans who can relate to and assist these veterans in filling out the application should staff this event.

Instead on pleading a case for why this event should be run, I will instead tell a personal story...

I was discharged from the US Navy in 1997 three months prior to moving to Arizona. I found in the Prescott area my skills learned in the Navy was of no practical value. I held several moderately paid jobs, but none of them excited me. None of them fulfilled me. It wasn’t until 2008 (more than a decade after I moved to Arizona) that I met a Yavapai College professor by the name of Dr. Terry Lovell. Dr. Lovell is the economics professor and one of the most tenured instructors in the BUCs division at Yavapai College. He basically harassed me for a solid six months saying things like “Why don’t you apply for a FAFSA and get yourself a degree?” He was pretty relentless. I heard from him at least once a week for those six months. Finally, I got off my duff and filled out the FAFSA. I was approved for the maximum amount and I immediately registered at Yavapai College.

I found the majority of my coursework colorfully influenced by my veteran status. I brought clarity and an understanding most of my classmates lacked. The more I dedicated myself to my studies, the more I wanted to learn. I found working towards my degree to be empowering. As I moved closer to graduation, I started to for the first time since I was on active duty, to have a purpose.

Since graduating with my AAS, I knew I could not stop there. A bachelor’s degree made so much sense, not doing so could only be wrong.

Being a member of a protected group such as Veteran, was of limited value. I was afforded protections and my veteran status often worked in my favor. Now that I am only four semesters from my Bachelor’s degree, I look towards my Master’s degree.

I am fortunate Dr. Lovell harassed me so. Prior to my returning to education, the best I could have hoped for was a middle road job I may not enjoy. Now, my future looks good with potential titles such as “community developer” or “behavioral health therapist.” I even look to a Master’s degree and see titles like “educator” or even “professor.”

This journey I have been on for the last five years has not been an easy one. Pratfalls and obstacles have littered my path. I now call myself “graduate” as well as “veteran.” It all started with me filling out the FAFSA form.

As I move through the education process I look back to who I was before. I see veterans in the same position I was in. Languishing in jobs they dislike. I see the same potential in them Dr. Lovell saw in me. I want them to succeed like I am. Setting up this project and event will help countless individuals.

I am a veteran. I am a graduate. With this project others can too.

Of Dragons

My week of playing Skyrim was fun. I started playing it on a borrowed disc for the PS3. I played through Act 1 and dragons kept kicking my butt. I returned the PS3 disc, and was given the windows PC disc. I had to install windows7 on my MacBook just to play, but it runs just fine with all the low graphics settings selected. I ended up playing through Act 1 again, but I took the advice from my friends who had played it previously. This time I focused on one handed combat and got my smithing skill to 100 as soon as I could (about four hours of smithing iron daggers.) Now I have to go looking for dragons to defeat.

Unbeknownst to me, my wife saw I was enjoying Skyrim, and purchased a used PS3 copy from Amazon for me. I was feeling guilty about not wanting to play it on the PS3 (the windows version loads so much faster, especially when entering a cave or town.) My son had been asking to play Skyrim. He has played games like Runescape, Minecraft and Little Big Planet in the past, so I figured he would like it. He started playing on the PS3 while I continued to play on Windows.

After talking to another friend about the awesomeness of playing a thief/assassin, I started another campaign on the PS3. My son had accidentally saved over my PS3 save, so my “weak” character on the PS3 is now gone. I have finished over half the thieves’ guild quests.

I use UESP for tips since the elderscrolls wiki page is poopy on my iPad. I want to get the official paper strategy guide, but at $30 it is too much for me to spend.

Spring Break

I had my session one finals yesterday. I managed to squeak by in my Human Behavior class with a 90%. I haven't gotten the semester results for my Project Management class. I'm hoping for an 'A' but expect a 'B.'

My plans for next week are to play Skyrim and work on a few chapters. Body Rentals is still on track for a summer release.

The latest

Every week I think I should update the blog, but life just keeps happening. Between classes, work and family, I never seem to have time to update. My wife is off to volunteer at he local Humane Society and the kids are still asleep. So I find myself with a moment or two to spare. This is just a post to let you all know nothing is amiss, just doing my thing.