Robert Frost

I like reading Robert Frost poems.  He's got a writing style that is easy to understand and yet lyrical.  
This blog post might be titled 'The Road Not Taken':

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

My road has not been taken by many - Single Mom who got off of welfare, married a man older than she, took jobs working in male-dominated industries, consciously joined the Catholic Church at the age of 39 (or 38..it's been a few years).   

The road is diverging again, from a sedate, very cushy job of working at home to one of working in the real world.  There are two roads before me: One with schooling that would take one year and give me a decent salary, health benefits and retirement $ that I need, or another road that will take about 5 years to complete.  That one will give me much more salary, bennies and perhaps last longer due to it's lack of physical demands. 

Not that making knitting bags and selling them online is not great, but there's no bennies to it: No health insurance and no retirement.  As the reason for staying at home is leaving for the Air Force shortly, it is time to refocus on my future. Kinda odd to think about at my age, really. I'm not kidding when I say that!

I've talked to a counselor about registering at the Tech School for a year of training to get my Welder's Certificate.  I'd have to take night courses and that's not easy with one car and two people. One of which does not get home until 5 and I need to be in class by 4. There is always a demand for competent welders and I've done the work before as a Maintenance Mechanic.  I find welding oddly soothing.  It's solitary and challenging, but it is physical.  That is the downside to the career; I might not be able to last another 30 years doing it. 

I'll be talking to another counselor this week about finishing off my Bachelor's Degree.  What would it be in?  Electrical Engineering.  This is another male-dominated field, but one in which I'm actually pretty proficient. The Associate's degree in Robotics does help.  It's a field that has many roads to wander down once I have a degree.  

And hopefully I could get a job with my BS and work on my Master's at the same time.  That would lessen the burden on this family if I could earn money and get my post-grad work done at the same time. This is the one large problem I have with this road: The length of time it takes to get to my destination.  That and the uncertainty of actually getting a job afterwards. Will my age and gender work for me or against me? 

It's the time in my life where I look at both roads and discern which one would be the best for me.  Each has it's rewards and detractions.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Random Pic:

Dave, trying out his Christmas present from Alex: A sonic massager w/heat.  He likes it. I think it tries to pull my head off my neck.  Notice the cute picture of Alex in the back? He was like 12 at the time -pre-puberty.  He changed so much in one year. 

He's on his last big push to lose the last 8 pounds and get to MEPS. The last step before heading to Texas for Air Force Boot Camp.