Yes, there is nothing quite like going back to school and finishing up what I decided was not quite worthy of my attention a few decades ago.  I know that really it’s such a great privilege and I’m very grateful for the opportunity and love learning something new every week…. still though…. I am collecting the calories from the big ole humble pie that I get to keep taking slices of every week.

Take today for instance.  I have the opportunity to work a contract gig AND learn from the master about PR and Writing (thank you NH) and so this morning I had to get up early enough so that I could feed the cats, get ready, eat breakfast and talk with four people (15 minutes each) who I sponsor and then be in San Marcos (about 42 miles from my casa) by 9:00am.  I pretty much looked like a bag lady leaving my house this morning with my back pack (with laptop and books), my architecture project that was due today plus all the supplies I will need over the semester and my lunch packed up and ready to go.  For some reason I always feel like a Carol Burnett character when I begin tossing this bag over that shoulder and another bag over the other one and then trying to figure out how to carry an awkward sized poster board in a trash bag that could break at any minute.  I did remember all my clothes and toiletries that I needed for after my mid-morning walk and was grateful that my hair is long enough now to fold up into a French bun and call it good.

The piece of humble pie today (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdXjm8pZMws) came when I had to make the fateful decision to park in the commuters’ parking lot away from the University instead of the parking lot that I prefer to go to which is nestled up close to the campus. Turns out that is also every other student’s favorite parking lot and most of them have good parking karma too so it’s not out of the question to sit there for 45 minutes watching and following innocent victims to their cars only to discover that they are using the parking lot to cut through to their apartment or class and not to return to their car.

I had to call the Parking Office (again) and this time got a really helpful gal (Heather) who was very patient explaining to me where to park so that I could take the Bobcat Shuttle from the lot to the campus. I’ve always been scared to do that because it would be just my luck to miss one very important part of instructions/directions only to discover that I had ended up somehow on an express bus bound for the panhandle (not that there’s anything the matter with that Tricia!).  I wish they handed out gold pins that we could affix to our backpack for those of us who take the Bobcat Shuttle challenge!  Even more humbling was the getting off the bus with everything that I was trying to carry from Point A to Point B.  That and when I get nervous, well, let’s just say I’m not a fun person to sit within 10 feet of for any length of time.  I think I accidentally hit a couple of students while exiting the bus and managed to figure out how to strap on my backpack, hang my lunch cooler, hold my poster board assignment and navigate the hills and stairs to finally land in the classroom.

As simple and silly as this may all sound to you, trust me, this would have been a deal breaker not so long ago in the world of Lynn.  I just would not have been able to stand not knowing so many things and taking my best shot based on the information I had and following through with action.  That and walking through campus like a one-woman show (lunch? here you go! Need some information? Let me Google that for you.  Architecture project? No problem, I can show you some photos that I took and mounted showing examples of how color was used to accentuate for this commercial structure!)!  Luckily, the hot sweats didn’t start up until I’d reached my final destination…. thank you God for cooler weather!

I guess if I had to choose between the two, I’d prefer a big ole slice of Humble Pie to eating Crow. But that’s just me, how about you?