And ... so it begins yet again!

As most of you who have been following my blog know ... I am a lifer! What does this mean? Well, it means that I am a professional student. I use to hear this term and never really understood that it was reserved for those that have this unchanging desire to continue their education through to completion, and then some.

As the title says, "And ... so it begins again" means that I am returning to school to complete my PhD in Education. My specialization will be in nursing education. This return to school represents the true completion of my formal education. I am scared, excited, dreading it and all the emotions you can experience. I know that the difference between those that have a PhD and those that don't is simply fortitude. I will continue until it is done.

I have also learned a new term that I did not know prior to starting this journey and that term is ABD. Now, most of you reading this blog are nurses, so we know an ABD is generally short for an abdominal pad. Nope, that is not what it is at all. ABD stands for All But Dissertation. This is when a PhD candidate has all the course work and comps completed, but has not completed the dissertation portion part of their graduation requirements. Interesting to note that many people are in the ABD category. Perhaps it stems from lacking motivation, overwhelming feelings that the dissertation is so involved that it will never be finished, or simply the student has just given up hope of completion. Not sure, but I know for me, this is a real issue. I will hold a PhD, not an ABD. SO - I will indeed have to stay motivated.

Will keep you all informed as the journey begins in April, 2010.

New Year Resolution???? Really?

Every year friends and family members ask me, "what are you going to resolve to do in the new year?" Every year (for me anyway) it is always the same two or three things that are my personal challenges. And every year they appear on my new year resolution list because I have either not stopped the activity or sometime during the new year failed to achieve the goal. Now, this is not true of every goal I have established, but for my New Year Resolutions - it is!

For 2010, I resolve to have no resolutions. I resolve to continue being the person I am and doing more for my growth and development. I resolve to work through the year as I always do and give over 100%. I resolve this year to help those in need more and to be more community oriented. I resolve to do a better job with staying connected with friends and family. Wow - for not having any resolutions - I sure listed a few. Oh yes, I almost forgot - for 2010 I resolve to become a millionaire. Why not - could happen! And, if it doesn't happen, guess what - I can put it on my next New Year resolution list.

I will admit that there is something exciting about a new year. Perhaps it feels like the slate from last year is clean, a new starting point for something that has meaning to you. So, I can see why millions of people do their best to set out some great goals for themselves. But I might suggest eliminating the pressure of New Year Resolutions, and just decide that perhaps a life change may be a larger challenge than expected. Instead of heaping the goals - start out small and slow and set a measurable goal that you can achieve. Smaller steps help to make larger steps in the new year.

I resolve to take smaller steps in my quest to achieve my goals! There ya go - together we just worked through a reasonable New Year Resolution. Have a great day!

Google Wave?

What in the hell is Google Wave? Every time I think I have learned the newest technology, someone goes and makes something new. Here is the interesting part ... all this new technology is really amazing. As a teacher and a nurse - this new technology has some wonderful application considerations for patient teaching as well as class room teaching.

I am going to investigate this phenomena and report back here and tell you all about it. Of course - any of the 5 people that read my blog may feel free to tell us more too.

Here we go again ....

For those of you that follow this blog - my many thanks and my many apologoies for being so tardy in keeping this blog updated. Today, I announce a new resolution, this blog will be kept up and going - I promise. I have a lot to say, but up until now, I have not had a lot of time to say it.

I have finally finished my MSN and cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful it is to have this accomplishment under my belt. I have also started working as a full time nursing instructor for a local private college and LOVE IT! I love working with the students. For those of you that don't know this - students are the most awesome people in the world and I love teaching them and helping them achieve their goals.

Anyway - back to my promise. I will be on this blog and will begin to catch up with all my blogging sites and friends once again. Please forgive, but more importantly - please keep reading!

Love you all in blogger world.

The End of a Long Journey

Today I enter the 2nd week of my last graduate level class. The journey is about to end and I will finally graduate with my MSN after three very long years. I am proud of myself, but also humbled by the education I have received. I have been in school for the last 13 years of my life. First to complete my associates degree in nursing, then my bachelor's degree and now the master's degree. My kids have really never known a time that their dad was not in school.

It was about 15 or 16 years ago that I decided I wanted to teach nursing. There were no road signs that led the way for me, rather, it was my pure determination to succeed that made my path. Every advisor I ever spoke to could never tell me what courses I needed or the best path to be able to teach. I relied on peer nurses and other nurses that taught to help me find the way through the classes I needed to take. During this journey, I moved from Florida to North Carolina. Just as I graduated with my BSN, I was told by the local colleges that I would need a master's to teach full time. I was totally disappointed that after finally finishing a bachelor's degree that I still could not teach.

Today, as I round the corner to a major life achievement for myself, I am once again being faced with an educational challenge. When I finally hold that MSNeD, will I be able to teach or will someone in an Ivory tower some where make a new rule that will send me back to school? In order to teach - everyone must have a doctorate. I am fearful that if that becomes the requirement - there will be one less teacher ... me! That does not mean that I will not go on for my doctorate eventually - what it means is that I am tired of the road blocks and lack of probable direction.

People want to know why there is a "shortage" of faculty in nursing - perhaps it is because there is no reasonable and time saving method to become degreed and credentialed. Every time you think you have reached where you need to be, the rules change.

Anyway - I digress from my original intent - to graduate! Can't beat that feeling of wonderful personal accomplishment - I guess I am a pretty smart guy after all.