Well, I decided that since I'm not really doing anything overly important at the moment, due to a break from school and all, I thought I'd start blogging again. It's been quite a while since I last had one that actually had more than one post a year (we're talking like since Freshmen year at RU). The side benefit of this being able to update everyone who I don't get to talk to as much anymore on what's going on in my life.
Well, first of all as most of my Facebook friends will know, I've been having a bit of a school dilemma for a while now. I started the Graduate program at American Public University back in June for a Master's Degree in Political Science concentrating in Comparative Government and Development. While I enjoyed my first two classes massively along the way, I had many technology issues and communication issues with the Professors since APU is an online school.
The next two classes I had with that major were part of the main cause in me changing to the new degree path I'm hoping to continue here in March, possibly. The new program is still a Master of Arts, but in International Relations and Conflict Resolution with a concentration in Comparative and Security Issues. While I know this is a program I'm going to enjoy massively after having talked and expressed my concerns to a few of the professors in this program, I still find myself a little worried.
I've been exploring my other options school wise as well. I found out recently (early January) that Radford University (RU) has the program I was truly interested in at the Undergrad level was approved as a major, that being the Geospatial Science major. I only just found out though here in the last day/two that I can't easily do a 2nd Bachelor's degree even if I wanted to, without some other means (minus Student Loans) to help pay for it.
Anyway, I've been searching almost non-stop, for a real full-time job as well, that will work with either my Undergrad degree in Political Science or my new field in IR at the Masters level, but so far I've only had a few nibbles, but nothing worth really writing about or at least, nothing in the general locations Courtney and I would prefer/want to live. So far, the best one I've had nibble-wise, has been a job based in Baltimore, MD which would also require me to live in Texas for 5 months while I do training and what not, but it'd be paid at least.
'Sides that the other key option which Courtney and I have discussed in depth is my going back into the military. Mainly the Army Reserves since that seems to be the best option at the moment with everything else since I'd still be able to have a civilian career of some sort while having the support of having a mild military income and background which would be a lot better than the one I currently have.
This is actually the option I'm currently leaning towards more than anything. While I would be gone for a few months (actually at least as long as I would for the job nibble in Baltimore). There's a much better option of being able to pick where we want to live, since it'd be easier to just travel to drill once a month, from wherever we live.
Other factors with the military are the fact that with my degree from RU now, I go in at the minimum as a E-4 or Specialist, which is pretty decent pay and all. Plus, there's a chance that I could actually go to OCS by chance, though it might not be the case in another sense. No matter what though, I've found that this is the best option for me right now. When I last went through basic for the Reserves and what not, I let myself be talked into getting kicked out, by the Ex, Ellie.
As Adam, may he rest in peace, one of my best friends, knew I always blamed myself for letting myself be talked into that. While I'll be the first to admit that I'm massively out of shape at the moment, I know that with the support structure and the confidence I have in myself compared to what I did, well I'm pretty confident as to the fact I can accomplish what I didn't then.
Anyway, that's enough at this point, I'll post another one of these here in the next few days hopefully, given I remember, so keep on the look out.
Josh
