I done got myself in deep this time...

That may be an understatement.

This morning I finally went to Tarrant County College and filled out the admissions form for Spring 2007.

After checking their database they said I'm actually a "returning student" since I had a couple credits from 1991. I can still hear the words I told my mother when I quit school... "Mom I'm just taking a break, I can go back at any time!" I just didn't know it would be a 15 year break.

So I stepped onto the campus today unsure what to do to get started and feeling lost. Luckily the first thing I see on the sidewalk is one of those campus maps that said "You are HERE ------X" It seemed like just the sign I needed not just for campus navigation but for life. Before you can go in the right direction you have to know where you're AT, right? That's the point I've been at; all this time I've been trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up, and it's time to get this party started. Hubby wants me to wait, but I told him I've been waiting too long, I'm doing it and doing it now.

After the admissions was finished I went to the Financial Aid office. They simply gave me a booklet on how to do everything online. Boy times have changed! They told me to go fill in the forms on the website and they'll inform me of what aid I qualify for. That's the biggest deciding factor in this whole endeavor, is can I afford it. County college doesn't cost near as much as trade schools or universities, but it ain't free!

So in all, I left saying "Well THAT was easy!" It'll probably be the easiest step of the next 2 years.

By the way, I'm planning on getting an Associates Degree in Graphic Communication. But beyond that I need to figure out exactly which direction I want to go with it- illustration, graphic design, textile design... I'm not sure. I'm thinking either illustration or textile design, you know, designing patterns for wallpapers and rugs and bed sheets. When I was younger Mom would take me with her on her Interior Designing pursuits, I enjoyed thumbing through the oversized books of pattern samples, the designs all had their even, mathmatical regularity and yet were artistic. Plus I looked up the income of textile artists, the goverment site says the median income is $58,000 a year. I can live on that, haha.

So I took the first step. Now everybody PRAY FOR ME!