by Julia Mcconnell

Created on: January 23, 2010

I never finished high school.  Not a very good student, I took some classes and left before others.  I was as dependable as the weather regarding my attendance.  In the end, two months before graduation I was asked to leave. My picture was in the book of graduating students but I would not be receiving a diploma.  The request to leave did not bother me in the least.  College was never in my future and most jobs were easy to come by without a degree.    Besides my generation, especially the women, were never expected to do anything but marry, and raise a family.   And in fact, that is exactly what I did, twice.

My first marriage was to a wonderful young man.  Sweet, caring, loving, but after five years and no children my wandering, irresponsible demons came forward.  Staying home with nothing to do but polish a three room apartment was not what I saw as a fulfilling endeavor.  Instead, I walked into one of the big department stores in New York City and was immediately hired for the personnel department.   Simply explained to me: the job entailed figuring out how many full time and part time employees the store would need during holidays and normal everyday business for the coming year.  It was all mathematics, something I was always afraid of but I loved this job!

Once I felt the power of financial freedom, I was able to leave the marriage and play bachelorette lady for a number of years until I met Mr. Wonderful #2.

I’m not going to bother you with the details of the next ten years.  Only believe it had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It was all there, private planes, visits to Harry Winston, clothes made in Paris and summers in Monte Carlo. Ten years was all I could take.    I took: two daughters, ages six and four, a New York apartment and a generous settlement. 

Well, here I was again.  Nothing to do except polish a twelve room apartment and tell the cook what we would have for dinner, plus arrange the children’s day with their nanny.  After a year or two with ‘the ladies who lunch group’, I was again, ready for a change. I don’t remember how it came about, perhaps an article in the newspaper, but before I knew it I was at Fordham University taking an entrance examination.  Would you believe I passed, with, I like to think, flying colors and here I was, back in school again.

It was wonderful. 

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