25 Days Without Nicotine...on the wall?

I feel like singing. Singing something silly like "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall." Except I want to change the lyrics to go with "25 days without nicotine" to celebrate nearly three weeks smoke free. I still think about cigarettes, but not too much. Outside waiting for my ride today, everyone around me smoked and I got a heavy dose of second-hand smoke. It still wasn't too bad. I remember wondering if I would smell like cigarettes, and hoped I didn't. The cigarette smoke doesn't smell terrible to me like I figured it would by now. Been working on my novel most of the day while not in class. It's coming along, s-l-o-w-l-y but surely. Right now, I am doing a lot of write/revising as I go along. Instead of free flow, stream of consciousness writing, I am laboring over word placement, usage, diction, blah blah blah. I'm just trying to accept it (for now) as less work I'll need to do later.

Last night, my novel writing class professor likened what he's read of my novel so far as being written in the styles of Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller. I was touched, moved, tickled and honored. I admire both of them very much. I actually chatted with Joseph Heller online several years back. He was fun to talk to -- dark, sad, depressed but clever and kind. If I could only write half as well as he did, I'd be thrilled.

School After Twenty-Eight Years

I decided to return to college to work towards a degree in business management in order to help run a business my husband and I and a third partner are starting. After 29 years' hiatus, college was not the easiest project I ever attempted.

At first, I found I could not memorize anything. I studied over and over and the material just fell through holes in my brain. I despaired of being able to remember well enough to pass my classes.

My first score on the accounting test was a solid "D". My first business management test was a "B", for which I was ridiculously thankful. I still don't know what score I got on my communications quiz because the instructor is moving and was ill, and hasn't returned our quizes even after six weeks.

I received a "B" on my next accounting quiz, and last night I took another management test on three chapters, and I feel very confident about it. The studying I did paid off; I immediately recognized the words and questions from the backs of the chapters.

I'd encourage anyone to try and return to school even after nearly thirty years. It won't be easy at first -- in fact, you might be convinced it's all a huge mistake. But keep at it, don't give up. You've had a lifetime to gather coping skills, and in all likelihood, you will call on every single one of them. Persist. Endure. Believe.

I won't make the straight "A's" I made when I originally was in school, in fact, I'll be lucky if I get a "C" in accounting, but it's all worth it. I promise.