Walter the Tadpole...

"Walter the tadpole lived in a big pool full of green weedy plants right behind the big school. Quite tiny he was but he heard children say....'he'll grow into a jumping green giant someday.' This worried poor Walter who liked being small and had no desire to grow big and tall, so down into the weeds he scurried where he waited and he worried and worried." Will this be the extent of my reading?? Am I destined to only learn children's books?? This particular one was Katie and Tim's favorite. I'm not sure why because at the end Walter gets into such a frenzy he scurries around until he tears apart into a ka-billion pieces. The last page is a puzzle where you have to piece Walter back together again. If you ask me, whoever wrote this book was a bit sick. Who writes children's books that end up w/the main character in pieces and it's the child's job to put him back together again? Interestingly enough, I tried to find a picture of the book so I could attach it to this blog. It is no longer in print. I found a used one on Amazon that was selling for 85.00. (Katie and Tim, check your memory boxes. Ole' Walter may pay off after all) The reason I am sharing this w/you is because so far my entry into college has been very frustrating and at times left me in tears. Will you let me share? (Uh....yeah Tami it's your blog) Thanks! O.K., so I last left you on my way out to school to go to a forum on being organized. I am dressed to the 'nines' (after all I am excited and proud of being a 49 yr old student). I hold my head up high among all the students who are old enough to be my children. I go to the class where the forum is to be held (Hazy Bldg. 242). I peer into the window and I don't see any adults my age, just a class full of Tim's and Kate's. Along w/that a male professor walks in who obviously is the teacher. I know for sure that is not where the forum is because my teacher is suppose to be a woman. I am starting to panic. I have a minute or two before it is to start. I make a call to the man who hooked me up w/this class and he isn't in. No one knows where he is and they can't seem to tell me where the class has been relocated at. She tries to tell me that it's in the Hazy bldg. room 242. "Yes, I was just there, it's not the class." "Well, are you sure? Why don't you walk in and ask?" AYKM!!! "Um, if you want me to interrupt the class, I can, but I'm pretty sure that's not the place." About 5 or 10 minutes later she gives me a different room number and finishes with "If it's not there, I don't know where it is." PARENTS......You are shelling out a lot of dough for your children only to have many behave rudely and w/out much sense. So, I march back up the stairs (peeps are staring, I am totally overdressed), and I walk into the room. The teacher is lecturing, everyone turns to look at this overdressed, late, older woman quietly tip-toeing up to the very tippy top where surely she will find obscurity and hopefully, with any luck, be forgotten. I barely notice a couple sitting next to one another at the end of my row. After I slip way, way, way, down into my chair, the gentlemen hands me a paper w/every one's name typewritten on it and you are to check your name off, except mines not on there!! No one told me I had to sign up, just show up. So I write my name down and hand it back to the man who I notice is the same 'criken' man who told me to come to this class and I have a piece of paper in my hand w/the location and time on it that HE GAVE ME!! Some of you may be saying at this moment "Tami, what's the big deal, so you were a bit late." Excuse me, did I tell you that I am 49 and it has been 31 years (not counting a year of business school) since I last entered a learning institution, not to mention my high school years are legendary...not because of my scholarly aptitude, but for my scandalous attitude! (If you are reading this Kim, I know you are smiling). I settle down, listen and enjoy the lecture. Afterward, I meet up w/the man and politely (with gritted teeth) ask ,while handing him the info. paper he gave me, "Is this where all the forums will be held, or will they be in there original destination (pointing to the sheet of paper). He apologizes and says no, that it was changed at the last minute and they would all be held in the new location. I wondered how everyone knew but me.....because I wasn't signed up, that's why! I walk to my car. This is the part where I start to cry. I know, I know...a bit pathetic. I call Cortny. I try to keep a stiff upper lip...but w/in minutes I am choking back a sob while telling her my story. "It's o.k. mom, it doesn't get any worse then that." Each of my children have distinct qualities that I appreciate, Cortny's is her ability to listen, wait...and give a reply that always seems to help me! I just love her (I love you to Katster :). I would write that for Tim, but 1) he never reads my blogs and 2) he knows. I return back to school that afternoon, turn in my application along w/my fees and receive a student i.d#. Today, I was to have another appointment w/the 'man'. I show up 15 minutes early, under dressed. I do mean under dressed. I didn't change after the gym and I'm slurping one of my favorite smoothies. I sit, I wait, I slurp, I swing my feet. More sitting, waiting, slurping, swinging....he's a no show. Seems he's sick and didn't call me to cancel. What a bozo! He's getting paid to do this job. His title is "Returning Adult Education." Don't you think w/that title he would know how daunting a task this is for most of us who have been out of school for years? Apparently, he lacks the quality Cortny so effortlessly displays....listening/application. This evening I tried to use my student i.d.# and log in so I can enroll in my first class. It won't accept my number. Says I'm invalid. I'm feeling like a 'invalid' alright! Help....what's a emptynester to do? I won't think about that right now. I'll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day. And frankly my man....(think Gone With The Wind)!