Grades

I got my grades for the past semester. Somehow there were another five As, sitting all in a row there on the page. I have worried about grades in the past. I've worried that an A- (or God forbid, a B!) would mar the record. I would not feel this way if the first two college classes I took resulted in an A and an A+. Chalk it up to easy classes, but it was the beginning of a little obsession. Sometimes I tell myself I really don't care, and I just want to make it through. But then when I think about the reality of the 3-point-something rather than the big 4.0, I just don't want to think about it.

This is a testament to my parent's homeschooling, for one. It was not particularly demanding, as far as book-work goes. But we did get all kinds of education that cannot be taught out of books. I often think to myself - I know that word because Dad used it or I know about that phenomenon because we were exposed to it casually on family outings or work adventures. I finished 12th grade at 16, failing miserably at math and just wanting to finish the official school work. The reason finishing early was possible was because everything but math was well above average. Though my parents didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up, they somehow bought a library from a private school that was closing. We had a whole room, plus more, full of books, and the purchase also included a nice microscope. We also had lots and lots of tools at our disposal. My oldest (younger) brother was welding by the time he was 12 or so, and he rebuilt a bus engine under my dad's supervision when he was 14. We had access to handtools, sanders, saws, airtools, welders, etc.

What a good education I've gotten. Thanks Mom and Dad :)