I know, some of us need college. But the fact is less than 30 percent of us get a four-year college degree. I know, it sounds scary. NOT! Many people survive and thrive without a college degree and we have to start accepting that. You hear the elite among us out there? (I wrote a story about this a while back for MSNBC.com and got a great deal of mail telling me I was nuts.)
There’s a great story in my local paper that talks about all the opportunities available to people who get job training or an associate degree. Some jobs the article suggests: computer support specialists, radiology technicians, aircraft mechanics. All these jobs pay well and all these jobs are in high demand.
I know, we all want our kids to go to college. I do too. But we just don’t know what the future holds, and we can’t limit their horizons. A few years back when my daughter was born, I suggested to a friend that maybe she wouldn’t go to college…maybe she would become an artist or musician and decide to go it alone..without a four-year degree. My friend freaked out. She thought I had lost my mind. While I want my kids to get as much education as they can cram into their heads, was my suggestion so wacky?
Talking about following your bliss. Check out the story in the New York Times today about rotund dancer in Havana, part of a troupe called, and I love this, “Danza Voluminosa”. It proves you can really do whatever you want if you focus on your dreams.
July 31st, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Dear Eve:
Below please find a note I sent as an e-mail, in response to your wonderful article on msnbc.com (”Return To Work Not Easy For Stay-At-Home
Dads”). I share the experience you write about here, i.e., making a life (rich with blessings)
To listen online please visit: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=170140
Dear Ms. Tahmincioglu:
Since reading your wonderful story on MSNBC.com (subtitle: “Men can face societal sanctions if they chose to be full-time caregivers”), I thought you might enjoy my musical approach to addressing this critically important theme:
My song, “Househusband Macho!” addresses the self doubt, and not infrequent ridicule I experienced in this role (back in the 80’s), issues which, unfortunately, still seem current, as reported in the quote, copied below, from your article (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19977348/).**
To hear “H.H. Macho!”, please visit: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=170140 , and click on “hi fi” next to the song title (I wrote music and lyrics, and perform the lead and background vocals on this recording).
I would be very grateful if you would consider posting a link to the song for your readers, if you feel this would be appropriate.
Thanks!
Mike Nobel
Gorham, Maine
**”Nearly 160,000 men stay home with their kids today, almost three times the number that were staying at home just ten years ago, according to the U.S. Census. And many more men would take on the role, experts say, if there wasn’t so much macho baggage out there.”