Factotum5leaf

Howdy!

Got a lot going on.  Not even sure who reads this but here we go:

– Started studying Drafting and Design at my local community college.  Specifically learning AutoCAD at the moment.  What an amazing piece of software!  My mind is exploding with ideas of application of my new skills.  Got to say, one of the most valuable parts of re-joining the academic community is having free access to student-versions of software that can often be very expensive otherwise.  I am also taking a course on Mechanical drafting and design.  Learning lots of valuable information about industry standards and practices.

– I am working on my 2019 Fractals calendar.  Got a late start on it because I’ve been so busy with school.  But it’s getting there.  I’m not going to do a GoFundMe campaign this year.  I am just going to sell it on my FractalsBy5leaf site and try to get word out about it using Instagram and Facebook.

– The plan is to take on the Colorado Trail with Rogue, starting in June ’19 (specifically the first day of summer, the day after my brother’s 30th birthday… seems prophetic or poetic or something).  To help prepare for this, I also plan to do a week-long hike thru trip in March for spring break, though I haven’t yet decided where.  It is very important to me that I take on this adventure with my most loyal companion.  And she turned 8 years old this year (in human years).  She may not have that many more years to take on such an ambitious adventure.  We used to explore a lot and go on all kinds of silly adventures.  Life and circumstances have made it harder to do such activities in the last couple years.  This is something I need to change.

Being back in school is both exhilarating and exhausting.  It feels great to be learning so much and making progress in projects.  Tangible steps forward, skill-sets that are acquired through practice practice practice.  Something about a college campus just gives a buzz in the air that I’ve missed.  Everyone is learning, everyone has goals and ambitions and reasons to be there.  I’m probably biased because I’ve always done better in academic environments than out in “the real world”.  I’m also probably biased because I’ve studied at colleges with aesthetic, well-maintained campuses.  But I do love being a student again.