School vs. Education: If you don't work to build your dreams, you will work to build somebody else's!

Saying George Bush isn't saying much.

I had this argument handed to me when I was in high school.. I had signed up for a typing class, and some genius said that by taking such a class I was setting myself up to be someone's secretary, instead of being a president. I wound up dropping out, worked as a cook, dishwasher and bartender for 9 years before I met a young woman my age who had gone to the Culinary Institute of America, got a degree, got the job as a sues chef, didn't have any real experience, but got the paycheck.. and that's when I decided I needed to find a better way to be a chef than working 18 hours every holiday "for someone else". I got an apprenticeship, but was discouraged by a chef and advised I should become a nutritionist, go to college.. so I did. I began remedially, since I was a high school drop out (GED when I was 19).

I can't say it was easy.. I worked three jobs, Alumni bar manager, "Board Room", Student Aide for the craft shop, and various jobs around the community, bagging groceries, cheese girl, prep cook..

And I got involved on campus.. student government, union program council, speakers committee, entertainment committee, and I met a lot of neat people, and I really liked college.. I wound up getting a bachelor of Fine Arts degree.. which everyone asked me.. "What the hell are you going to do with that?" I didn't know.

I wound up getting a job as an assistant designer for a hotel casion, and that led to more, and then by accident, I busted my boss in Las Vegas for embezzeling, got back listed as a whistleblower, and had to remake my life, which I did a hell of a lot of consevation volunteer work..

So I went back to college and studied for a Culinary Arts degree.. I founded a non-profit, Les Amis de Saverin, for low income students to compete in culinary competitions with the American Culinary Federation.. I earned 8 scholarships and dozens of awards, and worked.. as a life guard, in the book store and as a student aide for my dean. I even got a trip to Hawai'i to represent CA in the national culinary competition.. plus, I began an apprenticeship with a Master Guard Manger/ fruit, vegetable and ice carving.. and that's when the BFA degree clicked in..

I think going to school because you don't know what you want to do is a mistake.. work. Get experience. If you can afford an education.. enjoy it. No matter where you go in life, there you are, so if you are someone who sees lessons everywhere, the world is your classroom, and a university can expand that in many ways.

Finally.. what this video is doing is elevating the uneducated who are RICH and FAMOUS, as if that is the goal of life. This is the dumbing down. Rich and famous happen.. or not.. they do not bring happiness.. strive to be happy. Follow your heart, use your head and find the guts to follow your heart.. and if your heart is telling you that to be happy you need to be rich or famous, you've been dumbed down.

I think the music was part of the dramatic effect - the thing left me a bit misty eyed. I'm serious.

I'm homeschooling my kids. Right now - this minute- one of them is making a book and the other is building a ten foot rocket ship. Some days I wonder if I'm doing the right thing by homeschooling. Today was one of those days. I am so happy to see this video. Thank you.

Just finishing up a class entitled "Intellectual Origins of the American Revolution" taught by a liberal Canadian who started the course off saying the revolution was unecessary because "look at the taxes we pay now." The philosophers chosen for discussion, at least in my estimation, had little to do with influencing the Revolution (such as Montesquieu)and the materials and lectures were so drab no one felt like engaging. I was so excited to start the course thinking there would be fiery discussion in which I could make a case for liberty, but the professor (a former Yalebot)directed the course in such a manner that it neutralized any potential curiosity or creativy. I really do think the class was purposely intended to distance students from our great Revolution and to think of it as useless ancient history. Just a small example of creative assasination that goes on in higher education.

well, that is not all true, there were men who taught me....
this is a curious subject for me....
a bump for a video that gave me chills.