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End of Summer, Start of School

It is again that season, the time of year many of us will always consider the "new year" instead of some date in Winter. Yes, back-to-school.

For me, this is the end of a busy five-class summer as an MFA student in Film and Digital Technology. I promise (sort of) that this will be the last of my graduate degrees unless I stumble into a FREE degree in economics. I'll have only three classes remaining in a 12-course MFA program. This degree has been a lot work and I am exhausted.

I start teaching again the week of August 22. Summer ends and school starts. Not much of a pause between the two. My studies resume, officially, the next week, but I'll be completing MFA paperwork and thesis outlines in the meantime.

My wife and I have had a lot going on this year, including health adventures. We've each had a night in the hospital; she had the far more complex and serious medical journey this year. I'm glad she's okay, because she's everything to me and our household.

The stress of medical emergencies, school overload, and family things has been a bit much for me. I'm surprised we've done as well as we have.

School works for me. It's a routine, and my wife and I both like routines. We like clear assignments, deadlines, and criteria for success. At the same time, like everyone else, we're glad when a course ends. The end of a semester is no fun, either, but we tend to be super organized through the year.

As the new year begins, I'm glad to continue teaching and studying for another year.

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