An Educational Renaissance

Going to hear an author speak. Doing logic puzzles for fun. Enrolling in a UC extension course. Where was this thirst for knowledge when I was in college?

Okay, so what brought this on? Check it out...

I'm pretty happy right now because I went to see one of my favorite authors - Sarah Vowell - speak earlier this evening at A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books. (All I can say is thank god for The Onion's event newsletter - I just found out about this yesterday!) But it got me thinking. I don't think five years ago I could have told you who my favorite author was... I doubt I had one (although I did become very fond of J.D. Salinger's short stories in college). And now I'm going to author readings? Hell, I even recently sought out a book club on craigslist - partly, I admit, to try to meet more people, but also because I figured it would expose me to more stuff to read. Right now (not including the book club book, which I've yet to get), I have four books (thanks to an Amazon.com gift certificate) on my bookshelf just begging to be read next. Actually, make that five, as I just picked up Sarah Vowell's latest in paperback today...

Okay, so I'm reading more. This is good. And I'm addicted to sudoku. Yep, that number placing logic game. I can be perfectly content sitting in a cafe, drinking coffee, listening to my ipod and doing sudoku puzzles. Or solving them on my computer. I've gotten pretty good at them. (And I'm not too shabby at cribbage or Scrabble either, if I do say so myself.)

Also, I'm currently enrolled in the UC Extension's professional sequence in editing. I'm currently in the first part the three-course sequence, at the end of which I will earn a certificate. I'm taking it online, and I'm excited - even about doing homework. Crazy. And this weekend I'm going to the Alliance Francaise's open house to possibly sign up for some French classes.

I think this is the first time in a long time -- or perhaps ever -- that I've actively sought out knowledge. Sure, I went to class in college, but I can't recall being really excited to learn at that time. But things have changed. Whether it's brain teasers or political essays (albeit with humorous slants) or trying to beef up my resume for a new career, I feel like I've been trying to jumpstart my brain. And it's a good feeling.