Another Wasted Night

(At the recommendation of IanBauer)

So, I've decided to pursue becoming an R.N.


The decision seems to have come out of a vacuum, but it didn't really. I have worked as a personal care attendant for about six years, and it is a pretty logical step to take since I may soon hit a point where I need to be able to raise a family or buy a yacht or something. Plus my grandfather, who is a retired physician told me I should, and he's a smart guy.

(yes I am listening to Rhianna right now, so?)

I have a lot to learn still about how the different programs work. I have learned that there is only a slight time difference between a bachelor's and an associate's which makes a bachelor's look like a logical choice, so I went to UMass yesterday for specially scheduled information session, however I was an hour late and so begins the story that I am trying to tell:

First, I wanted to park in the lot across from the campus center, where I had parked many many times as a student, but to my surprise a large building now occupied this space. No problem, but it took almost five minutes to go another 400 yards because of the larger smarter body of beings who chose to walk everywhere had just gotten out of classes, or just got the urge to try to stop my ancient looking boxcar from moving too quickly down North Pleasant Street.

I ended up joining them, having parked a lot further away from my destination than I had intended.

Destination: somewhere in Skinner Hall.
Time of arrival: I don't know like 5:30
Who was there to greet me: nobody man, the building was a cubist nightmare, completey sweet with glass doors and colorful walls, but no people anywhere.
Strike that, I passed a classroom that was full of actual students and a professor lecturing at a steady pace.

The building consisted of one hallway going all the way around the building. One staff member was closing her office. She suggested I look upstairs in 201 for "Ginnie" allright.

I tried that, and was surprised to actually find people in 201. They were equally surprised to see me and I was quickly waved out by the professor sitting by the projection screen.

Final attempt, I go to the third floor, and find a classroom of black women. Pretty sure that that they are not engaged in a "second-bachelor's" info session, I passed by the open door and met the custodian. "I just got here 5 minutes ago," he said in response to my inquiry of his expertise of the goings on of the building. Feeling pretty defeated, but acting pretty much on curiosity, I opened the door to the room full of black women and ask if they know where Ginnie is. The woman closest to the door got up and came out to the hallway. "How did you get in here?" She asked. "The front door," trying to discern if I had that was indeed what they referred to the aquarium-like cavern entrance as. "That's supposed to be locked," she said. "Well, I was hoping to get info on the second bachelor's program tonight," I told her. She told me to check the first floor. Ok.
Back on the first floor, I found another woman who looked like the first one who sent me upstairs, but it wasn't her. "Are you--?" "Yes!" she said.... "What? I mean you here about the info session?" "Yes, she said, this is bulls--t right?"

We walked around together for awhile. This building was so cool... the walls looked like they were designed to be climbed or something, little holes half an inch deep all over. In the middle of the building there was a courtyard and I could see up to the second floor the classroom that hadn't welcomed me, the students with their backs to the windows.

"Jill" and I walked all over and I found out that she is an engineer who is bored with it. Ok. She was just at army base that day, and left work early for the same meeting I was hoping to attend. I found a cell number on one of the office doors and it's someone I had spoken to about the session. "Helen" picks up and apologizes profusely and says I should see if the meeting is being held in the campus center." I knew it wouldn't be, but I wanted to go for a walk anyways. Helen came, and we talked about how she graduated a loong time ago, and how I knew where the events schedule was in the campus center. There was no meeting there.

We walked back to the same parking lot and said goodnight. Oh well.


Oh, the top picture is Paul... not related at all to the post, but it's a pretty cool pic using a technique that Sandu showed me... and it was taken near UMass.