Back to School: Masters Degree

Prompt: Going back to school
Word count: 922

Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into these fixes. Looking back over the Back to School situation, I realize that was a combination of reasons. It was one of those situations where I jumped into the deep end of the pool without checking to see if there was water in the pool or a lifeguard on duty.

At 50 something I decided to go back to school for my master degree. In this case, I chose to take the classes online rather then going to a regular classroom. The reason for this seem quite logical, the only place in Las Vegas to take master class is UNLV and finding parking there either during the day or at night is next impossible. Actually, doing the impossible is a lot easier then finding parking at the University of Nevada Las Vegas Campus.

There were only two problems with this idea; first, I didn’t have a computer at home, and second, I didn’t have an Internet connection. Since I worked at the Community College of Southern Nevada, having neither a computer nor Internet connection at home wasn’t an issue.

At that time, the Administration didn’t care what you did in the computer lab on your time as long as you did your job when you were on the clock. However, just to be on the safe side, I discussed with lab manager and he had no problem with me doing my class work in the lab.

I enrolled in the University of Phoenix. I received my books through the mail. I then began the courses. Every thing went well until after I receive a check from the check from my student loan. I used the check to buy a computer and then paid the first year’s fee to my Internet provider. That’s when my world fell apart for the first time.

My car stopped running. I went out to start it and it wouldn’t start. I popped the hood and looked under it. Everything looked like it was there and operating properly, I still had a battery and the motor was in place. I called into work and told them I would be late because I had to catch Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus.

There are three bus stops within walking distance from my house. Two of those routes require me to transfer two or three times, the other one requires one transfer. I walk a mile to Boulder Highway and catch the 107, which requires only one transfer when I’m going to work or coming home.

I get to work. I work my shift without any problems. I go home. I didn’t get home until 9:00 PM that night. The next day my shift started at 7:00 AM. In order to get to work on time, I had to catch the bus no later then 4:30 AM and I had a mile to walk to the bus stop.

I decided to sit on the couch and read the paper. I sit on the couch, take my shoes and socks off and put my bare feet on the carpet. I know something was wrong when I found the carpet wet. I’m not talking about damp here. The carpet was cold on my bare feet wet and getting wetter all the time. The computer was in the living room opposite the where the water was coming from, but the water was creeping toward the computer.

I unplugged the computer. Then I got a small wooden side stand to set the surge protector on. After placing the surge protector on the little stand, I plugged the computer back in. Now I had to find out where the water was coming from. If I learned nothing else from this experience, I learned where my priorities lie. I found the leak.

The facet to the washing machine leaked. The water dripped down between the walls and eventually seeped into the living room where the carpet soaked it up. I turned off the facet, but that didn’t stop the leak so I called the water department and had them turn the water off to the house. I have to admit, that might have been a mistake. I went to work the next day anyway.

After several days and some investigation, I found that it wasn’t the facet that was leaking. The hose to the washing machine itself was leaking. I unscrewed the hose to the washing machine and then dragged the machine out of the house. I then called the water distract and had the water turned back on to the house.

I now have water in the house, so Mom and I can take baths again. I have no washing machine and we’re going to the laundromat to wash cloths, but we don’t have a running car. I also have leaky facet to the tub in the guest bathroom, the bathroom we both use to take showers.

Actually, the facet in the bathroom wasn’t leaking it was running and it was cold water that was running. I get the facet fixed. I failed my master’s classes miserably because of the stress. I also lost my job, but that had to do with one of the people I was working with. I don’t know what he (I’m sure I know which one cause me to get fired) told the manger. I don’t care what he told the manager. After meditating on the entire situation, I think I should have sent him a thank you note for getting me fired.