I have recently started the process of applying to grad school to get a masters degree in an educational field.  As with any grad school application, I have to submit an essay or personal statement as to why I should be accepted to the program.  Any situation where you have to evaluate yourself or toot your horn is rather painful in my opinion, and I was having a hard time getting started.  I called up a teacher friend of mine to get some advice on things that I should include in this essay.  He remembered that when I was younger I tested for some learning disabilities and said that this was something that I should include.  He said the number of kids in special education had grown quite a bit, and schools want someone who is empathetic to these kids. 

Anyway, when I was younger I did test positive for some learning disabilities.  (I wish there was a better way to say that.  Saying I tested positive for something makes it sound more like an STD than a learning disability.)  When it is found that a child or teenager has one of these disabilities they are given some advantages to help them work around some of their natural disadvantages.  Me having one of these disabilities even helped the University of Arizona overlook my 860 SAT score and let me in to the school anyway.  They enrolled me in their program for students with learning disabilities.  Looking back, this program was more of a way to simply make things easier on me and get me out of having to do work than it was something to help me overcome these disabilities.  I was able to get out of having to take any math or foreign language.  I could take any test I had privately without a time limit.  They even had note takers.  I could totally skip out on going to class and then go to the office and pick up a set of notes that some smart kid with good handwriting took from each days lecture.  These were just a few of things that were given to the kids with learning issues.  I didn’t take advantage of all of these “perks” but many of the kids did, and of course I did use some of them. 

Now that I am ten years out of college and in the professional world, I wonder if these advantages while I was in school have turned in to disadvantages in real life.  If I’m interviewing for a job and the interviewer is looking at my resume and says that I am in no way qualified for that particular line of work; I can’t just tell him that I grew up with a learning disability so he should be able to overlook my lack of qualifications and expect him to give me the job.  The government isn’t sending me learning disability checks every month because the program I was a part of in college taught me that I didn’t necessarily need to have great work ethic therefore it will be difficult to get a higher paying job.  Imagine this scenario.   I am on a first date:

Me: Yeah, I don’t have a great job and my earning potential is pretty low.

My Date:  Oh, that’s a shame.  I actually should get going; I have to get up early tomorrow to re-lace my shoes.  Maybe we should get the check.

Me:  Well, my earning potential is low because I have a learning disability.  I grew up having things done for me.

My Date:  Ahhhh ok.  Actually let’s go back to your place and have some sex.  Then maybe we can start working on our wedding plans tomorrow.

Over the last ten years I have learned that unfortunately that’s now how life works.  That’s why I am applying to go back to school, work my ass off this time and do well without leaning on anyone else for help.  I just hope the school that I am applying to will overlook my poor undergrad GPA because I have a learning disability. 

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I was out with my sister and some friends this past weekend for dinner.  One of the people we were with went on a first date earlier in the day.  We talked about how painful and uncomfortable first dates can be, when I said how bad I am at them.  My sister went on to say that I am a really funny guy and would be a great catch for a lot of girls.  She said that I am probably a lot better at first dates than I think I am.  Then she was talking to our friend that went on the date that day and said he should do great because he has a great “dating resume”.  I asked her what that meant.  She said that because our friend owns a house, has a great job and makes good money; his dating resume is very strong.  These are qualities that women obviously think very highly of.  I couldn’t help but wonder then why she said I would be such a great catch.  My “dating resume” consists of a job with very little advancement opportunity, a small apartment with high rent, credit card debt and a future of paying off student loans. Oh, but yeah, I can occasionally be kinda funny and (in my opinion) quite charming. You’ve got to love my sis for trying, but this conversation didn’t do a whole lot to make me feel any better about first dates. 

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One of my favorite filmmakers, Wes Anderson released his first animated movie over the holiday weekend.   The film is called “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (view trailer) and  is based of the children’s book of the same name written by Roald Dahl.  Anderson used an old school approach to the animation using stop motion rather than the more commonly used animation styles used by Pixar and Disney these days.  He also used top notch actors to voice the characters; George Clooney, Bill Murray and Maryl Streep just to name a few.  The result?  Fantastic.  If you have seen Anderson’s work, it’s probably hard to imagine him making a movie geared for kids. While always funny, his movies usually have dark undertones and his characters are never happy people.  That’s not totally the case here.  While the characters are flawed and have their issues, they’re more upbeat than what you’ve come to expect from Anderson.  It succeeds where so many kids’ movies fail in that adults and parents will like it as much or more than their kids, but probably for different reasons.  Don’t get the wrong impression though; this is Wes Anderson through and through.  “Fox” oozes with his style of humor.  I am not usually in to animated movies, but I loved this one.  So quit cussing around and go see it.  (You’ll know what I mean by that after seeing the movie.)

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I will leave you with that.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and you’re first day back at work isn’t too painful.