posted March 29, 2004 03:41 PM            

My first degree was a BA with a major in History and a strong minor in Psychology/Sociology (I only needed 3 or 4 Psych classes to make it a double major, but as we discussed earlier, I realized Psych was not for me). OK, this is going to sound kind of bad, but it only took me 2 years to get this degree. I know...it is supposed to take 4 or 5 years, but I do really well in school, so I doubled up on my course loads. The usual course load was 12 hours per semester and I usually took 21. (This required permission from the Dean, but it was surprisingly easy to get.) Plus I tested out of 21 hours because for some reason I just know a lot of stuff, even if I haven't had the class.

Next I got a BA in Archaeology. I went to a university that had an actual Archaeology Department, not just a section within their Anthropology Department. I didn't necessarily have to get another BA, but I was so interested in the field that I didn't want to skip the information provided by the undergrad courses. After that, I did my Masters in Archaeology. Once again, it only took me two years to do all this. It was much easier this time, however. I didn't have to take all the courses required for a normal BA since I had already taken them before. I only had to take the Archaeology classes. Also, on my Archaeology degrees things were so much easier due to computers. When I got my History degree, personal computers didn't exist yet, so I had to do all my research papers on a typewriter. That was just H*LL. Can you imagine doing a 20-page paper for each of 8 different classes on a typewriter? It was gross. When I went back for Archeology, I was in PC heaven. I thought seriously about getting my Ph.D., but I was really sick of living in a city after spending 2 years there to go to school. Plus, most universities strongly discourage students from getting a BA, Master's, and Ph.D. from the same school. I could have gone to the University of Calgary for my Ph.D., but I don't much care for Calgary. I was also discussing a spot in a doctorate program in New Zealand, but my family asked me to settle down and stay home for a while. They were worried about terrorism, etc. Also, my son was grown and couldn't leave his life to go with me and my Cappy man just has too many planets in earth signs to want to pick up and go along to the other side of the world for 2 years. So I took up writing and research for now.

posted March 29, 2004 05:19 PM              

I just don't feel passionate about a particular era of history. I like history in a general sense, but to be someone with a specialty in a particular region I don't know if it could maintain my interest. I just havnen't had any experience in the subject. Psychology is the safe route, I think I know what to expect which appeals to me.

I would like to take a bunch of courses, but I need a direction and a purpose since money is involved. I can't seem to discover a particular interest in Archeaology to keep me motivated as a longterm worker. My friend is in love with Egypt so right away he knows he wants to become an Egyptologist. But as for me I'm still clueless. If I become a psychologist I will have to become something along the lines of a clinical psychologist which will take years and years. I'm either confusing God's message, or I haven't been revealed the truth. I can't even do research since regular school work takes up all the time. I tried to do extra curricular activities by joining a little theatre production but only after two days I found myself lagging behind in school. It just chokes you and blocks you!