Gap year(s)

[Trek420]

Only one in my family NOT to have a college degree is my sister. I think she was overwhelmed with all the "fly papers" on the wall.

I'm that person; the only one without a degree. Mom's got a masters, Dad a bachelors in chem, siblings are tenured, published college professors, Knott has 2 bachelors degrees and various and sundry medical certifications, sKnott's on his way, MIL's an author, aunts, uncles and cousins include UN translators, school administrators etc etc ...

In my second year of college my parents asked some questions. In hindsight I should have smiled and shut up but I said "Yes, I'm gay". Since they were supporting me and paying my way through school that ended. I remember clearly thinking that would not stop me and it did not. I found full time work first as a dishwasher, moved up, eventually was a souse chef in some hoity toity places. And while doing that went back to school. So working nights and weekend at hard physical work full time and during the day in school full time. But i got my grades up (some of the college work was pass/fail and I needed grades), the stuff outa the way in the community college (cheap! ) and transfered into a private art school.

And of course all that time repaired/built bridges with my parents, my biggest concern.

I was 3 classes shy of graduating when a disastrous break up (aren't they all so much fun?) happened. I was tired, and tired of the full time night and weekend work plus full time school and I was beginning to get design jobs. So I thought "I have the portfolio, I can quit school and go to work".

Big mistake. I never got that momentum back. I went on to get a really good job if you can ignore that the stress and inactivity nearly killed me but really good job. So that can be done without a degree. Tough, but it can be done. But now the lack of any degree feels like a great big, gaping hole in me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pWSwfVDiq8

So back to school. I'll probably be the oldest person on any graduating stage but back to school somehow.