It All Started Here

This photo is one section inside the Quad at what is now called Riverside City College.

When I first became a student there in January of 1985, it was the only campus and was titled a "community" college. Now there are three campuses, which are soon to become three community colleges in one district. As well as Riverside, there is a campus in Moreno Valley and the one in Norco where I teach. The Quad was recently renovated and retro-fitted for earthquakes, but the original architectural design was kept.

Today the atmosphere was full of peace and tranquility. When I was a student there it did not always feel so peaceful. I often was stressed as a re-entry student wondering if I could pass the next exam, write the next term paper, and end the semester successfully. In fall of 1990, while I was still working on earning my master's degree, I returned there to teach as adjunct faculty. As a brand new teacher many moments were often stressful and the stress intensified at the end of that school year when I was competing with approximately 370 other applicants for six fulltime positions in the English department--three of them tenure positions and three of them one-year temporary.

This morning after working with a group of English faculty on an assessment project for the Basic Writing courses, I stood on the second floor corridor looking at all the beauty of the Quad feeling very thankful and very blessed. I'm completeing my 18th year as a member of the fulltime faculty for this district and can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing for employment.

It's been a beautiful day here in Southern California with big puffy clouds of black, gray, and white suspended in the sky. On the drive to and from Riverside I had the opportunity to view the splendor of it.

This evening we had dinner at Cyndi's home with 14 friends. Once a month Cyndi invites a group to dine. It was a deliciously lovely evening.

Here's to a great weekend. Good night,
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol