Sick Relatives, Classes, etc.

My mom just got back from seeing my grandmother who had a stroke. Apparently everyone of my aunts and uncles is getting some age-related illness. My dad was the first to go and he was, I think, lucky. They are all in their late sixties. I am not close to my family but but is sad that now instead of hearing about that cool home in Newport or someone's spiffy new car, I am hearing about people's illnesses. I wonder how old I will be when various things strike me. I am fortunate. Like my mother or not, she is healthy and I probably have her health. I am blessed because I have her looks and if her sharp mind at 70 (she has a boyfriend now, too) is inheritable, I will have that.

My Russian teacher is letting me retake the test. Steve made a profound impact on me the other day. Sometimes you need advice from the right people at the right time. I'd hated reciting dialogs in class-- they made no sense to me and the class wasn't into acting like they mattered. They'd use monotone voices as they recited and I just couldn't get into it. Steve told me how he studied for Peace Corps with dialogs and how the vocabulary came natural to him after that. I went to my text and everything is starting to fall into place. Of course when I take my test again and kick butt, my professor will want to know how the light went on and I will tell her that a fellow blogger told me what she'd been telling me all along. . . to study the dialogs and it would all come naturally. I made a high D in the class and I was relived that it wasn't an F. I worked hard for that D! Sunshine heard me squeal my joy and she asked what happened and I told her and she said, "What will Dad say? Do you think he'll ground you?" I laughed out loud!

I also have to tell you all something: I don't like Russian class. I adored my professor but in truth, I have the basics now and I am thinking of studying on my own because of some specific things that I am interested in, like Pushkin. I met a woman who is a nurse at the hospital and she hardly ever uses her Russian and would panic if called to interpret. If i do Russian, it will probably be in a self interest way.

There are two directions I am choosing between in two years. One is an interdisciplinary master's degree in creative writing and art. The other is a master's degree in medical arts where I can take my artistic and yogic ways into a hospital. Almost like an art therapist, but not. i have been doing yoga and massage for years and this leans in a medical arts direction. This in not being a doctor-- it's medical support where I keep the patients having something to live for while they recover.