Yep, that's right. These two classes are really getting under my skin, and I'm having to do a lot of venting to deal with the anger and frustration. Keeping it inside is not a good option in this case, as I've already been given warning pings by my shingles' nerve (read: feels like someone stabbing me in the back with a knife). So I'm trying to balance necessary venting with godly conduct and caution about saying too much online, and it's not been easy. (I'm afraid I've failed quite a bit in this regard!)
So I'll try to keep it a little vaguer here. In any case, I'm reminded again that God led me into something tangible to equate with this academic journey--those crazy half-marathons I've done! I have 13 required classes and 2 electives to complete my degree. There are 13.1 miles in a half-marathon. Coincidence? I doubt it. Especially when you realize that I always say after the marathon, "We've walked over 15 miles today when you add in the mile to and from the start/finish line." So 15 miles for my marathons and 15 classes for my degree. Pretty weird, huh?
Well, that puts me at miles 5 and 6 right now, and I am considering quitting out of mere frustration. And that's about right for either college or the marathon. It's at mile 5 or 6 where you start realizing how difficult this journey is going to be, and it's pretty darn depressing to think about how much farther you have to go still.
I'd say this is encouraging me somehow, but it's not. Why? I know that it gets worse before it gets better. Miles 7-10 are very hard. It's not till you get past mile 10 that you start to see the end in sight, and you get a second wind.
So can I make it through the next few miles/classes? That means making it through spring semester (January through May) and those next 4 classes. Right now, I'd say I have the equivalent of some serious blisters on my feet and chafing from my shirt or something. I'd appreciate some Vaseline, Gatorade, a Clif bar, and maybe even Elvis.
