Diary of a mature student - Chapter 9

Dec 5 - No more pencils, no more books

All done!  I handed in my final exam today, and am now officially finished with Moral Problems in Contemporary Society. 

It was an amazing experience.  I had a great professor, and friendly classmates.  My project team was awesome.  I learned stuff I never knew before, firmed up my beliefs on some topics, and changed my thinking on others. 

So ...

I really should be a vegetarian.

Robert Latimer made the right choice.

Abortion and euthanasia .... there are no easy answers.

The Inter-Cultural Association of Victoria does amazing work.

I can no longer eat pineapple with a clear conscience.  

The land has moral value.  

Colonialism has taken on a whole new meaning for me.

First Nations got a raw deal.

Stop nuclear power NOW!


Next semester - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam!

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 8

Dec 1 - The Group Presentation

I had a dream last night:  I slept in, rode my bike (?) to UVic and got lost on the way.  Forgot my notes and cell phone so had to go home to retrieve them.  Arrived at class in my night clothes.  Colin didn't show and Chris left.  We waited and waited and waited.  Finally, Purolator arrived with Colin's notes and Franzi and I had to hustle to put together the presentation.

I'm not the slightest bit anxious.

What really happened:  I slept in (a little), probably because of my earlier disrupted sleep.  I caught the same bus as always and arrived well in advance of class, notes and cell phone in hand.  Colin and Chris also arrived early, as did Franzi, all well-prepared (though Colin did admit to over-sleeping himself, ack!).  Colin and Chris rocked the presentation. 

The prof said it was great!

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 7

Oct 31 - Side effects

I expected there to be some adjustments related to my student status, but there are some things I didn't anticipate.  For example:

Multi-gender washrooms - I have been advocating for unisex washrooms for years (after all, how many times have I been in a huge lineups for the women's washroom while the men move immediately into and out of theirs?) but, let me tell you, it's quite unexpected to exit the stall to find a man washing his hands at the sink.

Cafeteria food - I seem to have lost my taste for cafeteria food.  Not a single french fry or plate of chicken pot pie has crossed my lips these seven weeks.  My go-to lunch is now fruit and cheese.  How the mighty have fallen. 

Backpacks - My backpack is heavy.  And on the days when I take my laptop to school to do my assignments, I feel like I'm carrying another person on my back.  Backpacks are not the answer.  Carrying fewer items is the answer.

Environmental activism - There are recycling stations everywhere on campus and we are expected to separate our waste and put it in the appropriate bins.  We are encouraged to forgo one-use paper cups and bring our own re-usable cups (see overloaded backpack).  They even give discounts if you bring your own ...

 

And ... I love the early mornings on campus.

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 6

Oct 10 - Talk to me

Mine was the first name the prof learned and remembered.  That's because I talk all the time.   I actually have to force myself not to say anything to give others in the class a chance to speak.   Sometimes I wish I was the only one in the class so the prof would answer all of the questions that run through my mind during the 50-minute period.

Oct 11 - First test

I can't believe I'm saying this:  I actually enjoyed writing  today's test.  Not to say that I was actually looking forward to the test, you understand, but writing it helped me realize that I've been learning and understanding a lot of stuff these last six weeks.  And I could write about it ...  And make sense of it ...  Cool.

Aphorismic journey

I wish I was a glowworm, 'cause a glowworm's never glum.  For how can you be sad when the sun shines out your bum?  - McLennan's Island Meat & Seafood


People who think the glass is half empty, or half full, are missing the point.  The glass is refillable.  - The Irish Times Pub


It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.  - Bilbo Baggins


Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.  - Suzanne McMinn


Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain.  - Kathryn Janeway


Because it's 2015.  - Justin Trudeau


"Do it yourself" doesn’t mean do it alone.  - Home Hardware


More wag, less bark.  - bumper sticker


Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.  - Philo of Alexandria  

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 5

Sept 27 - Group work

Met with some of my Group this afternoon to plan our attack on The Project.  I must admit that the whole thing felt kind of woolly to me, ill-defined.  Chris, who as it turns out is a 4th year PoliSci major, sorted the whole thing out in a manner that made sense to me.  So I sent our attack plan on to the prof to see if it made sense to him, too ...  O. M G.  He said it looked great; there was no need to check with him; it was clear that we were doing this well.  Then, he added, would we be willing to share our model with the rest of the class?  I am in heaven!!!

Tom and I were talking tonight about how the whole university experience has so exceeded my expectations.  The class subject matter is so thought-provoking that it makes my head spin (explode?) at times.  I am really enjoying being on campus, despite having said, many times, that I wish I had one 3-hour class a week, rather than three 1-hour classes.  And the relationships that I'm developing with my classmates is totally unexpected.  Now, if I could only work it around the rest of my life ...

Oct 4 - A Helen Keller moment 

When I registered for this class, I kind of thought we would sit around and debate the various positions on controversial issues and come up with the right answer. Not happening.  

Today it finally made sense to me: There is no definitively right answer.  What there is, is an informed argument that you make to support your position on an issue.  "That", said the prof, "is education."

Wow.

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 4

Sept 19 - The Group

Today I met with my group to discuss possible topics for our experiential project.

Colin brought me and Chris into the group and I brought Franzi and Angela. Interestingly, four out of the five of us are mature students: Colin is coming back to school after taking a break and changing his program; Franzi is a social work student from Germany; Angela has got as many credits as she can from North Island College and is coming to UVic to finish her degree.  And then, of course, there's me.  Don't know much about Chris yet ...

We're thinking of doing a project with refugees as a focus.  Colin has a contact with a refugee support group; I'm taking notes and organizing our progress (surprise, surprise).

And I used my new backpack.  Now, if only I could figure out where to put my phone so I can reach it when I need it.

Sept 22 - I am so pumped!

Got my first assignment back this morning.  Not only did I get a tick mark (which means I passed), but I also got a Good (which means I did better than just a pass).  Whoohoo!

And, I realized today that I actually no longer have to think about how to get from the classroom to the bus stop across campus.

And, pockets are the answer to the phone.

I am a student!

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 3

Sept 8 - O. M. G.

Today we actually started discussing ethics.  I found myself grinning in class as the ideas starting bursting in my brain like the bubbles in champagne.

When I got home, I told Tom that I felt like I had drunk six cups of coffee.  I was so excited!

Sept 15 - Settling in

Five classes now.  I'm beginning to recognize some of the people in the class; we say hello and even talk to each other about the material!  I have found a third person for my 5-person group project.  I'm beginning to understand some of the ethical theories.  And ... I finally got my coursepack.

The last two weeks I've been wandering about the campus trying to find the best place to study.  I think I've finally settled on the Quiet Floor in the library. 

I have underestimated the time it will take to do my weekly assignments.  Plan was to spend a couple of extra hours on campus after class on Fridays, read the texts, and do the work.  Tried that today and took all that time just for the readings!  Reset ...

Tried to use the computers on campus for my assignments, but they're just not right.  The tech in the C.A.L.L. Facility told me that if my own computer was set up perfectly, I might want to use it instead of the university computers.  When I asked what perfectly meant, he said, perfectly set up for me.  Exactly.

They make good chili at the Student Union Building.

I need to buy a backpack.

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 2

Sept 6 - First day of class.

Well, I did it.

Looks as if the class is going to be as interesting as I hoped.  It felt pretty comfortable to be in the classroom and to participate in the discussion.  And, after the class, one of the other students came over to ask if I would be in his experiential group later on in the semester!

Afterwards I wandered down to the computer Help Desk to ask a question related to email.  Never did talk to them.  Instead, the tech in charge of the C.A.L.L. (computer assisted language lab) Facility gave me an orientation on the student system, answered all of my questions (including some I hadn't even known to ask), and sent me on my way with a much better understanding of how to navigate the system.

Checked in with the bookstore - the coursepack is still not available for my course.  And I have homework already!

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 1

Aug 10 - I'm finding that taking one UVic class in each of the next two semesters is complicating my life.

Already I have arranged our winter vacation around Reading Week so as not to miss any more classes than are absolutely necessary.  Instead of a longer cruise, it's a quick trip to LA and a 7 day cruise into Mexico.

I've had to decline September shifts with Victoria Tourism so as not to fill every day of the week with appointments (see Busy, busy).

And now I need to call the Arts Club in Vancouver to rearrange dates on some of our season's tickets, and I'm still going to have to miss some classes in order to get to the shows. 

Maybe I'm overthinking this ...

Maybe I'm just nervous about this new experience ...

Aug 16 - Paid my first semester tuition on Monday.

Yesterday the book lists for first semester classes were released by the Bookstore.  With a sense of deja vu,  I learned that the coursepack required for PHIL 232 was submitted late by the prof so won't be available for purchase until the first week of classes.  Shades of Loyalist College ...

Went to the campus anyway with my friend.  She picked up her books.  We went to the kiosk in the University Centre and activated our OneCards.  Yay!  After Aug 20th I can travel on the bus for "free" because my tuition includes $81 for the bus pass.

Checked out a couple of the buildings where we'll have classes, and toured the library.

Everyone was so nice to us!  And so patient with our never-ending questions: the Bookstore staff; the folks at the OneCard wicket; the computer guy in the Clearihue Building who helped me set up my UVic WiFi. 

Sept 1 - Orientation Day for Mature and Transfer Students. 

I made it to the bus stop up the street just as the (earlier) bus was pulling away, which meant waiting another 15 minutes for the bus I had planned to catch.  Something about that wait brought all the anxiety I didn't know I was feeling to the surface.  I got butterflies in my stomach; I needed to pee; I worried that I had demagnetized my bus pass by holding it too close to my phone; did I have any money if the card didn't work? Finally the bus arrived, and with it, my anxiety started to wane.  Then my friend texted me:  I'll meet you at the Quad.  And again:  Oh, I think we're supposed to meet at the University Centre.  And again:  No, I misread - it is the Quad.  Maybe nerves are the norm ...

My friend (who is in her 40's) and I decided that we were old enough to be the parents (grandparents?) of all the other mature students in our group. We also both agreed that it's way less complicated to go to university as a mature adult with a sense of who you are, than to go as an 18 year old who is entering university at the same time as leaving home and leaving the protected environment of high school.  I actually heard much of what was said by the various university reps. 

And I got swag!

And guess who I ran into on campus?

The Grad and the Undergrad.

 Classes start Wednesday ...

A matter of perspective

I'm watching The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on Netflix, and it got me to thinking ....

When the Russians make movies (Do the Russians make movies?), are the Bad Guys always American?  And do they speak Russian with an American accent?

Regarding the Life Cycle of a Paper Hat

Back in 2014, when Tom and I were in Majorca, I bought a paper hat:

100% paper

I'm not a big fan of hats (they don't fit me well and seriously mess up my hair), but it was a blisteringly hot day and there was a guy selling them as we stepped off the bus.  And they were cute. 

That hat served me well on that trip, and even survived the flight home:

100% paper - Part 2

Sad to say, that hat has languished in my closet ever since.  Until yesterday ....

The paper hat has found a new home with Emily!

Emily in her new hat

Home ...

Canada Day in Victoria

The beginning of the crowds

Emily knows this woman!

Tattoos

Steamship Bar and Grill

Churros!  Well, they call them donuts, but ...

... when you dip them in chocolate, they're churros.

Home ...

Another perfect day in Victoria

1.  Go to Senior Cardio
2.  Meet Tom and Rick for lunch at Glen's Fabulous Sandwiches.  Eat said lunch out on the Food Court patio.
3.  Buy new bed linens.
4.  Stop for martinis on the way home.

Rick plonked Tom's hat on my head just as the picture was taken.

Excellent olives.  The martinis were pretty good, too!

School Daze

A friend of mine was interested in going back to university for a second degree and asked if I would go with her to talk to the recruiter at UVic.  What I heard in that meeting was so exciting and so stimulating, and there were so many great courses being offered, that I decided to go back to school myself!

You have no idea how difficult a process it is to document one's earlier studies when one is a "mature" student.

UVic wants a copy of my high school marks!  I graduated from high school almost 50 years ago!  The school that I graduated from no longer exists; neither does the school board.  Luckily, the Quebec Ministry of Education keeps an updated register and database on the secondary school studies of anglophone students dating back to 1898.  Online Request ... doesn't work ... call the Quebec Ministry ... transferred ... transferred .... transferred .... advised to submit Online Request .... You get the idea.  Finally I reached a person who, while indicating that the Online Request was the only way to go, gave me the name of a person to whose attention it should be sent.  Success!!

McGill, similar problem.  The transcript of my studies from 1968 to 1971 are also archived.  They did send UVic a copy, but the Admissions folks didn't like it because, though it was date stamped 2017, the document itself was dated 1972.  I call McGill ... press 2 ... press 4 .... press 3 ... explain my problem .... transferred .... Sound familiar?

I reached the most wonderful woman in the Transcript Dept named Alby (short for Albertine, she told me).  "Of course we can't provide a copy dated 2017.  It's not in the system; it's archived!" she told me.  "Give me their phone number and I'll set them straight.  This is as Official a Transcript as they'll ever get!"  Success!!  (Thanks, Alby.)

So here I am, on my way back to university in the fall, joining said friend and Bryan.  I've got my registration date and time, and I'm ready to go!  I'm thinking, Moral Problems in Contemporary Society ...  Or, maybe, Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam ...  Or, How English Grammar Works ...  Who knows, maybe I'll finally finish that degree after all!

See you on campus in September.

Go Vikes!

My first successful selfie.  The UVic rep thought I must be a Graduate student (given my age?)

It's all about the photo op.  Bought a UVic sweatshirt to make it work.

Had to make a stop at the student pub ...  When I first went to McGill, I was too young to drink.

Flashback

I have spent the last two weeks in Beloeil (with a brief visit to Toronto).  Beloeil is where I grew up and where my mother still lives.  Though I can't imagine ever living there again, I do remember many good things about that younger time.  For instance ...

Aside from my Mum, I saw four of my siblings this trip ....

Mum, me and Pat 

Robbie

Lis

(I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of Ian!)

I saw two old school friends and neighbours ...

Mum, Cynthia, and Norm 

I went to McGill and visited the Arts Building cafeteria, where I spent much of my class time making friends and learning how to play bridge, to the detriment of my studies ...

In those days it was microwaved smoked meat sandwiches with soggy lettuce.

I found the quintessential Quebec desserts in the grocery store ...

... and I had haute cuisine (All Dressed pizza and St Hubert BBQ ) for dinner  ...

Aaaaahhhhhh  .... memories ....

Socialized medicine

I scratched my eye yesterday when I was out shopping.  By evening it was clear that I had a pretty substantial infection in it.  I went to the drugstore for some antibiotic eye drops and the druggist recommended that I go to Emerg instead.  After dithering for a couple of hours, I finally did just that.

At the hospital I was processed within 5 minutes and sent to the Ambulatory Waiting Room.  There was a TV in the waiting room showing the election results - just like home!  I waited there for just over an hour before seeing a nurse.  He did some preliminary diagnostics and sent me back to the waiting room until it was my turn to see a doc.  After a few minutes he was back, telling me that I might as well wait in the treatment room since I was the only person there with an eye infection.

I waited in the treatment room again for just over an hour.  Absent the TV, I eavesdropped on the doctor/nurse/patient interactions in the other treatment rooms.  How nice those medical professionals were to their sick and hurting patients!

When the doc finally arrived, he checked me out, told me I had conjunctivitis, put (better) antibiotic drops in my eye, gave me the rest of the bottle, and told me what to do and watch out for.

And the cost of this to me - $25 ... for the cab ride to and from the hospital.

 I'll not begrudge paying my Canadian taxes, thank you very much.

The cost of aging

Yikes!  I just renewed my annual travel insurance plan and it cost me me 40% more this year for exactly the same coverage.  It would appear that, since I passed my 65th birthday, I am more of a medical risk.

Good thing I now get a senior discount on one Tuesday a month at The Bay ...

It's all relative

A couple of weeks ago, Chuck and Jacquie were golfing at Lookout Mountain in Phoenix AZ.  They met a guy at the canteen who remarked on the Meagher name on Chuck's golf cart.

"I'm reading a book about a guy with that same name," he says.

"That would be The Immortal Irishman," says Chuck.  "Thomas Francis Meagher is my great-great-great-great uncle!"

Two days later, on another golf course in Phoenix, they meet a guy from Butte MT.  Chuck says, "I have a relative who used to be Governor of Montana."

"That must be Thomas Francis Meagher," the guy says.  "My cousin, Paul Wylie, wrote a book about him called The Irish General."

And Chuck bought Tom the book for his birthday!

They even dress alike.

4-20

4-20 may be the day when all and sundry get together to smoke pot in defiance of the laws, but .... it's also the birthday of the Sweet One, who is 92 today!

Yay!

Bryan, Emily and Tom, the Birthday Boy!

Change of season

Today it is Spring.

Not because the blossoms on the tree outside our front window are ready to POP.  Not because the daylight is stretching more and more into the evening.  And not because I've stopped wearing a sweater under my fleece.

Today it is Spring because, when I took my black jeans out of the dryer today, I put them in the back of the closet, never to see the light of day again until October.

Today it is Spring!

Christmas in July - Part 2

Well .... April ...

The good news is that I didn't lose a single stitch over 357 rows, and only had to tink a half dozen times, and only for three or four stitches at a time ...

The bad news is that I'm a little behind schedule (you think?).

But Easter Sunday, the McNeills finally get their 2016 Christmas present!

The Beagle has landed

We had a great party tonight to celebrate my brother's birthday ...

Too bad he wasn't here to enjoy it with us!

Next year?

Invasive species

Emily arrived in Victoria a week ago and has already settled in.  She starts her new job with the BC Auditor General on Monday, and moves into her new apartment at the beginning of the month.  Until then, she's staying with her sister, Allison.

Gwyn, Rick, Tom, Emily, Penny

 Bryan has guests, too.  His older brother, Tom, and his twin, Rich, have come from Ontario to celebrate the twins' 27th birthday.  I have been told that there was beer involved.

Tom, Gwyn, Rich, Bryan

And if there's beer, their dad, Rick, must be here, too.  He came out at the beginning of the month to experience Victoria's Beer Week, and stayed to spend more time with us (and the boys at The Beagle Pub).

Rick, Tom, Bryan, Rich

Sadly, Rick, Tom and Rich all return to snowy Ontario next week.  They'll be back!

And we get to keep Emily.

I can't believe I ate the whole thing

The weather has cooled since we left Puerto Vallarta.   Today it's only 18C, and a bit cool for lounging on the deck in shorts.  Forecast for tomorrow in LA is 15C.  Getting us ready for Victoria weather ...

Had our last breakfast in Sabatini's this morning.   After 14 days,  the staff automatically bring my mimosa and Tom's V8; my grapefruit and Tom's cottage cheese and prunes; and my cappuccino and Tom's coffee.   All we have to do is choose our main course.

I had a second mimosa this morning ...  just because ...

Last dinner on the cruise tonight.   Said thanks and goodbye to Christopher (from the Philippines) and Alexy (from Serbia), not to mention Herman the German (also from the Philippines).  Had to finish the bottle of wine that we started the other night.  Tom Turkey on the menu, Tom's favourite,  provided that it comes with LOTS of cranberry sauce.  Pineapple salsa with my salmon!  Baked Alaska on Parade for dessert.

Christopher presented Tom with a special fork for squeezing lemons, one he has been coveting ever since he saw it the first night.

Suitcases are packed and in the hallway waiting for pickup.  Boarding passes are printed.  Next stop .... Victoria!

Bubbles up my nose

I'm going to miss mimosas at breakfast  ...

Puerto Vallarta

We wore sweaters with our shorts this morning as we went ashore in Puerto Vallarta.  (A taste of things to come?)  A Mexican band met us at the bottom of the gangway.

We took a pass on the Walmart and went to the artisans booths instead.

We got our disembarkation instructions this morning,  sigh ....

Two new ports

Years ago, on a bus tour in Ireland, we stopped at a small town (Cobh, I think) where we were taken to the local pub.  The whole town came out to entertain us with Guinness, song and dance.  It was a little like that in San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua on Friday, minus the Guinness though.  The locals were very alert to Tom's mobility problems and were quick to point out hazards that might trip him up.

Today we are in Huatulco, Mexico.  It's a small and pretty town with a similar feel to San Juan del Sur - gentle and friendly.  It reminds me of Spain.

Did I mention that it's hot?