Credit where credit is due.

So, as I stated in my return post, I spent the last year in school.

As much as I would have liked - I would have gone to Platt College or maybe the Art Institute, spent tens of thousands of dollars and 3 or more years of time.

That's not an easy thing to do, especially when you've not been in school for over a decade.

Oh and you have to pay bills.

Credit for my success has to go to Debbie, my wife. She made the suggestion that I register for this certification program.

The course is offered by San Diego’s community college district. It's not glamorous, but there are great instructors, who care and taught me a lot. Along with the program I enrolled in various other one-off and week-long classes taught by many of the same professors who teach at Platt, USCD, and other schools. Great classes. Great information. A great source for learning.

The best part? It's free. Of course you have to pay for supplies, and it helps to have a computer at home with all (or most) of the software.

Awesome. Free school. I'm in!

Right. Paying the bills.

That's why the credit has to go where it goes.

You see, the on the same day that my previous employer had to "restate its quarterly numbers" and lay-off something like a quarter of its staff--myself being one of them-- my wife was gleefully giving her notice at her account executive job. She had decided to take a pay cut, with my job supporting us for the most part, and pursue a career in interior Design full time. She had been doing interior design on the side for quite a few years, but wanted to make a complete transition.

A great idea. One I encouraged whole-heartedly.

We didn't count on my not having a paycheck.

So, I'm trying to get in touch with her all afternoon. She's not answering. Finally, late in the day, I get a call from her. She tells me that she had heard a rumor that there had been mass lay-offs at my company.

I said, "Yep, there have been."

"But you're ok, right?" she asks.

"Uuummm... I'm at home." I replied.

Silence.

Talk about a buzz kill for someone.

Later that night she made the suggestion that maybe now was a good time to go to school. Do what I really wanted to do.

While I spent the next 10 months going to class every day, she went to work. Supporting me.

Yes, there was government help, but they don't pay much. The burden was on Debbie, which she was glad to bear, as long as I was furthering my education.

We're trucking along. Things are tight and sometimes tense, but I'm loving school and she's loving interior design.

Then I get sick. I had hot and clod sweats, and this grapefruit-sized thing in my neck.

The flu? a bad cold? Mups. No. Couldn't be that easy.

You see, along with going to school for free, while unemployed--there's no medical insurance.

We waited a full two weeks, then I had to get it checked out.

A few primary cares, urgent care, and one specialist later, we are informed that it is a cyst. I need surgery. ASAP.

With no insurance, how would we pay for this?

She and her family rallied. We(She) negotiated with the surgeon and hospital to get the cost brought down tremendously, but it was still going to cost us thousands of dollars.

Well, the family was able to pull funds together. I had the surgery (which was very unpleasant). I'm better. Debbie nursed me through the post-op. Her family chipped in everywhere. Anywhere they could.

I finished school. I even got awards for my work and for helping my classmates get through.

I couldn't have done any of it if Debbie wasn't there. Every step of the way.

Now, I'm working again. We still have some of the medical bills to pay, but we're in the home stretch.

Now it's my turn.

Debbie has given her notice at her design firm.

She's going out on her own.

I'm the first one in line to help her succeed.

The credit goes to her. For where I am now.