And she's off

 As I start writing this, it's Friday August 14, 2026.  (Here's the part where I insert the cliche "where has the summer gone?  But I know that answer.). And next Thursday, my Daughter goes off to college.  

My little girl, who it seems like only a few days ago was born, is going to college.  She's 18.  She attending a state school not far from where she lives.  We both agreed Penn State was not a good fit for her, as lots of people sometimes makes her uneasy.  

She'll be majoring in early childhood education.  She asked my opinion of the major/career.  I tried to talk her out of it, citing 80 hour weeks, demonization by the right wing, hatred from parents, criminally low pay, and so on.  She remained steadfast.  This is what she wants to do- she wants to help others.  I'm very proud of her.  

Wife and I talked about this a bit today.  The two of them spent the last week together on a cruise.  I wasn't invited, of course.  She knows she'll be a "basket case" that day.  I get it.  

Random Beaver Stadium pic I took the other day

How do I feel?  Numb.  In so many ways, it doesn't change a thing for me.  After all, I was thrown out when she was five.  I missed her entire childhood.  In so many ways I'm a stranger.  After all, I'm currently two and a half hours away. At this point, I rarely see her.  After all, gas costs money and I don't have any.  Hell, I had to beg on GoFundMe to pay medical bills so I could register for fall term.

Oh right- school.  I finally got past the IRB (Internal Review Board) so I can start research.  I've done just that.  I observed the first of hopefully four training classes, and started conducting interviews.  If all goes well, I'll be done research by December , finish the dissertation, and, hopefully, graduate in May 2027.  Then I can be an over-educated retail worker.  I'll come back to the school topic in a bit.

What this means that for the first time in thirteen years, it'll be just Wife and MIL in that house.  No daughter.  It's going to be awfully quiet, even with two cats.  I wonder how Wife will get along in that environment.  

Does anyone even read this blog?

Anyway.  School.  As of this moment, I am not going back for fall.  I don't have the money and the student loan people (PHEAA) turned me down as my credit is currently shit due to all my medical debt (thanks for nothing Keystone BCBS).  Maybe I'll figure out a way to make it happen, but as of now, the dream is over.

Sorry folks.  I just wasn't rich enough.  Or smart enough.