It has been a long time

Between the pneumonia, the week I spent in bed, and making up that week at work; I have been busy. Isn’t it always the case that it is exponential for making up work that you have missed? That is it takes two days to make up one missed day. So a week off was a killer to catch up. Plus it wasn’t like I was well when I got back to the office; I was just able to sit up for an 8 hour day.

Then last week I had a four day short course at the University of Minnesota; An Introduction to Food Science. That was more work missed, but at least this time I knew it was coming. By the way that course was really a misnomer. I went to school to become a therapist (double major in Psychology and Family Science) and then went on and got a masters in Organizational Management (yes, I am a degreed MOM). This job working with food was one I took at the time to make money after spending so much time in school (I was on the 9 year bachelor’s program). Well that was fifteen years ago and besides Food Allergies, my actual detailed food knowledge is severely lacking.

So I signed up for this course thinking it might give me the basics to get started. Instead it was more like “So you really know your Chemistry, so let us talk about the specialty of FOOD Chemistry.” I really liked how to make it “easier” the teacher would draw chemical compound diagrams on the board. It wasn’t a total loss because I learned quite a few superficial things, even a couple of really neat things, but ultimately I did get one truly important lesson.

I learned how much I didn’t know, especially since I work in R&D. As a 40 year old with 14 years into a 30 year career I realized I am not just doing this job to earn money before my “real” job. This is my life right now, this is my real job and I shouldn’t really be wasting anymore time. To that end I have decided to take advantage of my local community college and all the online courses now available and learn Chemistry and Food Science.

I am reminded of a brilliant woman from my mission, Sister Pass of Runcorn England. She earned her college degree in Art when she was 90 years old. She was interviewed on National TV at the time and the presenter asked her “Why get a degree at 90?” Her reply has always stuck with me. She said she figure she could have a degree at 90 or not, so either way she would still be 90. Why not have the degree.

So in ten years I will be 50, still stumbling along blindly in my career waiting for my life to begin or I can actually start living it today and get something done. As my secretary used to have as her screen saver, “Life is what happens while you make other plans.”

Maybe it is my midlife crisis, but I really want to start making changes to my life. Get ‘er done before I miss it. I do have a few nagging goals and desires that I will post later, but unlike Lisa I don’t think that will include skydiving.