Educational level

[Anita]

I quit college in junior year, to go out and become a rock star. You'll have to take my word for it that I could clearly see how that was to be done. If it had happened, I wouldn't be on this forum, of course--I'd have too much to lose.

Now I've got hundreds of installed and/or refinished hardwood floors behind me, and I have to figure out, "What's next?" Going back to school is a daunting thing to look at, after 30 years of being my own boss. No matter what field I choose, there's age discrimination, a new learning curve, and the usual competition with established people in the chosen field.

I do know that experience with life in general counts for something in switching over. I learned to play the trumpet as a kid, and it took forever to get good at it. When I switched to bass guitar, I thought it would also take forever, but it didn't--the initial efforts on the trumpet paid off, and it wasn't so hard to make the jump.

When I then switched to six-string guitar, I knew that it wouldn't be such a big deal, and it wasn't. The two previous instruments made it easier.

So I'm trying to psyche myself up for making THIS jump.

[Edyta_C]

It is interesting to see the diversity in careers and education levels on the forum. Still it does seem like technical careers especially computers, and music might have some relationship with CDing. I have a BSEE and an MSEE. I worked until recently in semiconductor chip design. Then the economy got me (and others). I took a new career turn with new training. Always trying to learn is part of what makes work less of a chore. There must be some connection though between CD/TG persons and their intelligence/education. My therapist has commented that most of her patients (CD/TG) are quite smart and or well educated. It would very interesting to know if there was any relationship.

Hugs Edy

[CJ]

Hi all,

It's been mentioned before that technical training and education seem to be a common point with those TG folks who've had the opportunity to gain access to a higher education. Is engineering still a man's world? Don't know much about that, I have to say.

I guess I might be an exception as my own field of study in university was quite, uh, "soft": Religious Studies, with a Specialization in Asian Traditions (and a Minor in Western Philosophy). I've always been a seeker, I guess, and I can relate that directly to my long-standing (and painful) awareness of my own difference. Funny how, when I used to tell this to people (that I was a Religious Studies Major), the inevitable reaction was, "so, you wanna become a priest?" Uh, no. It was always a drag having to establish for them the difference between the social study of religion, philosophy, and mythology and the theological training of those destined for the seminary. I chose my field of study because I wanted to familiarize myself with all the "live" options at my disposal for making sense of, or for discovering meaning in, my life. I thought it a nice touch to balance the study of the overwhelming religiosity of most cultures around the globe with the hard-nosed rationalism (and skepticism) of the Western philosophical tradition.

Oddly enough, today I realize that my time spent at university was but a way station in my intellectual development. I was fascinated by these subjects way before uni and have continued to actively learn about them long after the end of my formal studies.

Has a higher education helped me get what I want out of life? No, not formally. But it's done this: through contact with so many different people from so many different cultures (embodying so many different viewpoints on the ultimate significance of life itself), I've come to appreciate that I'm not an island in the stream but, rather, a part of the stream itself. Whether I look at the world through the eyes of philosophy, religion, art, science, history, or literature, I see more clearly what connects us all rather than what divides us. And it's a wonder to behold.

And here's the catch: holding a piece of paper certifying that you've managed to pile something higher and deeper won't guarantee that you've learned to look at the world with the wonder that is its due. Conversely, you can learn to come to appreciate "all that is" (yourself included) without ever having finished high school. Ultimately, higher education isn't about the facts or techniques you learn--which may, in themselves be quite instrumental and useful--but about the people you meet and the healthy and humane relationship you develop with the world around you and of which you're a part. This is priceless.

Okay, "blabber mode" off.

Love,
CJ

[Wesley]

Just for the record, I have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing . . .

[Leeza]

Guess I must be one of the less educated ones. 1 year college then army were I was an instructor for 8 months, a little more college after I got out.
Life experience I have modified tools tobe used in applications they were not designed for and on a number of occasions desinged tools for special applications.

Music wise lessions on the piano, accordian, guitar (a few) and steel (even fewer). Taught accordian and a little guitar (recuantly) for a couple of years.

When I tested to go into the army I scored high on the GT. Someone said that the score on that test was close to the IQ score. Either they lied or I had a good test day. Or maybe it was a little of both. I know that years later I took some tests to try to see what I might be good at and the results were what do you want to do. Didn't help at all.

Enough of my ramblings. I need to find something better to do than ramble on. lol

Leeza

[Aeryn]

BA in psych
MS in human services

[Absaroka]

BA in psych and later in architecture.

The forum of course has it's own selection process. People who have access to computers, are comfortable with them and with English, and have the time to participate. That means certain age groups maybe get more representation.

From what I read being transgendered happens in every culture. Just like schizophrenia. Different cultures respond to each in a different way. In ours it is to marginalize transgendered folks into invisiblity. Of course simple CDing is different and we need to be wary of lumping the two together. However because to the general public they appear the same our internal response may be similar. I've read that CDs are over represented in the military and among conservative politicians and a form of over compensation and denial, and I have no doubt that childhood doubts of my masculinity due to my liking of clothes pushed me in two directions at once, trying to be both more traditionally masculine when I was younger and also towards being more open minded and accepting of feminine characteristics also.

But I don't really think we are that much smarter than anyone else.

Recovering drug addicts tend to be of above average intelligence. It's because stupid drug addicts don't live that long. Likewise people in prison tend to test out at below average intelligence. It's because the stupid criminals are more likely to get caught. Which is all kind of strange since many drug addicts go to jail and many people in jail have drug problems.

Absaroka

[Wendae]

From what I read being transgendered happens in every culture.

As I think about it crossdressing has been around a long time and is prevelent in locations and cultures where higher education is not available or not affordable. Some of the responses here show that this was not really a valid question on my part. I guess we are just all above average intelligence.

[Wendae]

Obviously the quote was for the first line. I'll figure it out yet

[Azurielle]

High school graduate here. Starting my second year of college in Mechanical Engineering. Hopefully I'll get a room to myself and not an open 2-bed dorm this time.

[Anne Bonny]

Does anyone conside experience in life? I have a BA in Government, and AA, BSN, MSN, and a certification. Many millionaires achieved their status with barely a high school education. Education can sometimes hender, but it can also broaden what we are exposed to, different ideas but so can life.

[CynthiaD]

I have a BA, MS, and PhD in Computer Science, but in retrospect, I think that the most important thing I've learned in life is to accept myself for what I am and live my life accordingly. It's a lesson that took a long time to learn, and formal education didn't help much.

The accomplishments I'm most proud of are the way I raised my children and the way I've treated other people. Formal education can help open doors, but ultimately it's what you do with what you've got that counts.

Cynthia

[Rikki]

I second that emotion, totally!!!!!! Here, here.

It ain't what you remember, it's how you are remembered.

Rikki

[Dalindra]

Two years of junior college here then was offered a position with higher pay and it was one or the other so I took it and dropped out. Worst decision of my life from a finance standpoint but the several other jobs I went through were a real learning experiance for me. I tried to go back to school after 10 years out but computer sience really changed in that time! ohh well....

[DeniseL]

It is great to see the varying degree of Education, and it is so good to see how many of the ladies, have a good Post Secondary education.

For me I graduated from High School, however due to family circumstances, i then had to go out into the work force, but I was one of the fortunate ones, that i was not out of work one day, from the day I graduated till i fully retired

Denise