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Born and raised in Southern Indiana, this Hoosier transplanted herself to the Windy City after graduate school. Her passion is teaching, with writing come a close second and gaining momentum. She currently teaches College of DuPage as an adjunct professor in the physical education department and runs a martial arts studio in Naperville, IL. She holds the rank of 3rd Dan in the United States Hapkido Federation.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

It's Back to School Time!

As part of Allison Cassatta's 'Back to School Blog Hop' I hereby present my blog. It's pessimistic and gritty, but I'm not in a funny, happy mood. If you want to enter the raffle of a $100 Amazon give card we're holding at the end of the hop, see the Rafflecopter link at the end of this blog. If you would like to win an ebook of my latest novel 'Last of the Summer Tomatoes,' leave a comment on this blog and I'll do a random number generator for the winner on the 31st.



Back To School


Wow, where did the summer go? Well, being that I'm no longer in school, it really doesn't matter. Being a grown-up sucks; there is no summer break anymore, only those precious few days off we call a 'vacation' sometime during the summer ... if we're lucky.

I remember those 'back to school' days. As I lived on a farm, I didn't see many of my classmates over any given summer when in grade/high school. Each summer I would hope and pray I'd lose weight before I went back to school ... show those popular kids that I could be pretty and popular too. Unfortunately, it never happened. I was born roly-poly, I was roly-poly as a kid and now as an adult - well, you get the idea. I would look into the mirror each August with disgust ... I was still the fat, four-eyed kid with flat, straight hair and crooked smile. I guess it was a good thing I liked to learn; only way I made it through school was because I would learn something new ... not every day mind you (sometimes it seemed I knew more than my teachers), but at least I'd learn something new eventually.

Now I'm an adult. And I want to go back to school. Not to win any popularity contests, not to fit in, but to learn. I feel so stagnant these days, drudgery day in and day out, hoping I can keep the creditors at bay. Plastering on a smiley face and telling everyone I'm okay. I want to lose myself in books, in learning, and never come up for air. I want to put all my troubles behind me and just learn. Anything. Hell, I'd even take a math class if it was offered to me and I HATE math.

So kids, enjoy the 'back to school' days. Soon enough you'll join the adult world where there is no such thing as 'breaks,' where you'll find yourself clocking in and out day after day until you die at your desk. Because face it, there isn't going to be anything even remotely close to a 'retirement' plan when you get old. You MIGHT get to work only part-time after you pay off your mortgage and that's if you manage your fiances right and the stock market doesn't crash ... again.

Sorry to the be bearer of bad news, but face it. Life sucks. The only certainties in life are taxes and death and after the government gets done reaming you ... you'll welcome death.

Happy Back To School Everyone! 


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14 comments:

  1. CorneliaAugust 23, 2013 at 11:27 AM

    Thanks for the hop.
    cvsimpkins@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. V.L. LoceyAugust 23, 2013 at 12:41 PM

    Just hopping through! =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. UrbAugust 23, 2013 at 2:09 PM

    You're right; what's the point of even trying? I was working on a PhD, but got too sick too finish it. On the bright side mayhap I'll win a book. Thank you!
    Urb
    brendurbanist@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousAugust 23, 2013 at 3:08 PM

    Thanks for doing the hop

    mfierydrgn@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fat Girl RunnerAugust 23, 2013 at 7:43 PM

    Thanks for participating in the hop!

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownAugust 24, 2013 at 12:50 AM

    Never said things weren't worth trying. I DO want to go back to school, but alas, no money. I'm stuck in the rut of work - home - sleep - work - home - sleep ... etc. Working to just survive is not living but unfortunately, in this economy, I don't see a way out. Thus the pessimism. I really do need a vacation, but when I can only afford gas to go back and forth to work, going anywhere outside of a 10-mile radius is just not feasible. Maybe I'll win the lottery ... guess I should play it, huh?

    ReplyDelete
  7. YvetteAugust 24, 2013 at 8:48 AM

    I am a huge fan of school and always love the first day.
    Yvette
    yratpatrol@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. ShirleyAnnAugust 25, 2013 at 4:52 PM

    I did enjoy school but each year after the summer holiday I would always wish for a better year than the one before, the last year at high school was the best year of my school life.

    ShirleyAnn@speakman40.freeserve.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  9. kaisquaredAugust 25, 2013 at 6:00 PM

    Thank you for doing the hop, and I hope you win that lottery!


    emmasmom AT wi DOT rr DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousAugust 30, 2013 at 4:07 AM

    Sherrie, this post makes me want to wrap you up in a big ol' hug, but being the third-degree black belt you are, you'd probably have some mean moves for strangers who come up and hug you. I'm safely on the other side of the screen, though, so I'm going to chance some major virtual hugs. I have an annoying tendency to be optimistic (Please, accept me as I am, I was just born this way.), and I know, Know, KNOW great things will happen. (Too bad I wasn't born psychic, or this would have a lot more punch, and I could give you those lottery numbers.) I TOTALLY get the stagnant thing, but that won't last because you won't let it last. You're way too awesome to not use your beautiful brain and heart to make things start to go in the direction you want them to. Take care of yourself, and I can't wait to read more of your work!

    Just a few last hugs,
    Carolyn
    caroaz [at] ymail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownAugust 30, 2013 at 9:28 AM

    Thanks for participating! I'm going back to school. At least there's some joys in that.

    schan26.wisc@gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. wulfAugust 30, 2013 at 9:16 PM

    Thanks for participating! :)

    penumbrareads(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. PD SingerAugust 30, 2013 at 11:30 PM

    I always liked school because the goals were so nicely defined. Do this, get an A, do that, get a C. The rest of life is a lot more vague.

    ReplyDelete
  14. JulianaAugust 30, 2013 at 11:50 PM

    Thanks for being in the hop! And thank you for your post!
    OceanAkers @ aol.com

    ReplyDelete

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