I Really Just Wanted a Hat

Well, technically, it all started with me wanting a hat. Not just any hat -- this hat specifically:

The date was May, 10, 2008. I was graduated from Northern Arizona University with my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. From the moment I saw the hat, I knew I needed one! However, while this hat (technically, an English Tudor cap or Tam) can be purchased, it must be earned first. But in order to earn it, I would have to get a doctorate. Um .. yeah no thanks I had just finished 3 years of classes in the evening while working graveyard full time and managing my family with 2 tweenage children.

Fast forward 3 weeks, I find myself enrolled in Master's classes. Going to school must be like having a baby, clearly as soon as you finish you forget the pain, anguish, blood, sweat, and tears. In May, 2010, I again found myself at graduation at Northern Arizona University, this time with my Master's in Elementary Education, and again I was enthralled by the hats.

Just a short few weeks later, June 23, 2010 to be exact, I found myself on my own journey to earn my own hat.  It was supposed to be a 36 month program and you don't even want to know how much it was supposed to cost. It was about a 51 month journey and about 3 times as much money as it was supposed to be.

But guess what?

Last week, I earned my own hat!

I have been in school continuously for 9 years and 1 month.  That equals give or take 3,315 days.  My trusty computer (well, truthfully I think I went through 3 laptops during that time) has been on every family vacation from camping, to Hawaii, to Florida, to Texas (a couple of times), to California (too many times to count) and, before the age of free wireless internet in hotels (although lately I have stayed in some that are reverting to making people pay -- cheapskates!!), I even had to have my family drop my off at a Kinko's in Huntington Beach, CA, to pay to use their computers in order to get my assignments turned in on time while they went to the beach.

I am ready for a laptop free vacation! 

Or am I really? 

Now that I have earned the hat, the question is what now?

So it all started with a silly hat ......