A Brief Synopsis

fu·ture (fychr)
n.
1. The indefinite time yet to come
2. Something that will happen in time to come
3. A prospective or expected condition, especially one considered with regard to growth, advancement, or development: a business with no future.
4. futures Business Commodities or stocks bought or sold upon agreement of delivery in time to come.
5. Grammar
a. The form of a verb used in speaking of action that has not yet occurred or of states not yet in existence.
b. A verb form in the future tense.
adj.
That is to be or to come; of or existing in later time.

I'm 30 years old, married, a six year Army veteran and a college freshman. Thanks to my former Senator Jim Webb; the US Government and taxpayers are paying my way in full to go to college. I am attending the University of Houston under the AAOP. The AAOP is defined as the Adult Admission Option Program. Basically it is a program for folks who haven't been in high school for some time and have no business having to take the SATs, ACTs, and the like all over again.

You are entered into the University automatically and it truly is a great program. The downsides are that you are not eligible for financial aid and this is due to the main downside of the program; you are listed as non-degree seeking until you have completed 18 credits. Luckily for me I am still able to use my GI Bill, but I cannot declare a major.

This simple fact brings us to the crux of this entire blog. Since I am listed as non-degree seeking/undeclared and I am being forced to take CORE 1101, which is listed as a Freshman Seminar Scholars Community. No clue, neither did I when I was told I HAD to take this ONE credit course. I thought well maybe it's a course on how to study, scheduling classes, and determining on what you will eventually wish to major in. Not bad for most 18 year olds, but it appears only undeclared students get this and that thrusts me into a class with lost teenagers who have no clue what they want to do with their life...so in a sense every kid should have to take this. I however am not one of these, and taking it makes my credits all kind of screwy.

Oh, did I mention that the class is at the break of dawn on Tuesday morning? Yes, "class" starts at 8:30, but here's the good news, we really only meet every other week, so it has that going for it. Now we're probably coming to the point of this blog, and more importantly its title.

During the last we received an email about the class Blackboard account and I logged my rather large posterior into it. I was in no shape, way, form or spiritual alignment ready for what I was about see. I notice, unlike my History blackboard, my CORE blackboard is FILLED with goodies. First up was the ebook, and clicking on Chapter one let me know the HORROR I was about to be in store for.


So...apparently this class will be taught by the Junior Senator from Minnesota, Stuart Smalley. I am taking a one credit course which in turn is a self-help/esteem/motivator seminar to tell me that I'm smart enough, I'm good enough, and darn it, people like me. This is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this ebook and other resources. There are Support Resources (with good things like calculating your GPA, financial aid, etc) and then there is a section called Understanding My Future. This is the text that is below that link...

Here students will find information to help them understand their role in the development of the future. Students will learn things like:
"Where does the future come from?"
"How do I plan for the future?"
"What jobs will be available in the future"

...just to mention a few. Students are encouraged to explore the information in this folder so they can be prepared to make the decisions necessary for "the future."

As you see, the title for this blog comes directly from the above. Where Does The Future Come From? Now if this was a theoretical class on time and string theory I would be really excited. Sadly this is likely not the case, probably something more like Bill McGrane and less like having a conversation with Einstein.

So what you can expect in the coming days, weeks, months is a review of what happens in this class. What a 30 year old experiences when he's stuck into a self-motivation seminar with a bunch of teenagers who are still naive to life, the universe and everything and the ridiculousness that this "course" may actually bring, but hopefully some hilarity at the same time. In the end though, hopefully we may actually learn where the future comes from...other than tomorrow.