I sure have a lot to catch up on. I haven’t had a minute of “free time” (whatever that is) to write about how my opening went, how the panel event panned out, or even to talk about how I’ve already started school!

I’ve made many new decisions about my employment/educational path, so I registered for the summer session to get started ASAP. I’m only taking 3 units to start for the summer. Therefore, I’m doing a crammed US history class (Reconstruction to the present). It’s a General Ed class I need to do anyway. So far, it’s difficult, but I wanted to get it out of the way now.

The plan is to get an AA in Sociology at CMC (Copper Mountain College), a BA in Social Work at San Bernardino on the Palm Desert Campus (a hybrid program), and then a Master’s in Museum Studies at CUNY, which is online. I’m not sure how I’ll finagle all that to align with what I want to do, but I would love to help artists with disabilities and mentor young/beginning artists in their careers. Perhaps I can create programs at art centers, while also aiding those who have recently left high-control groups. Obviously, I foresee these as two different part-time jobs. At least one is very possibly freelance. I’m also looking into getting certification with the Lalich Center to work with cult survivors like myself, and am waiting to hear back to see if that route is possible.

In the meantime, I began school the morning after we got back from LA on the 7th. I received the textbook the day before we left, but had zero time to look it over. I’ve been obsessively reading it since Sunday night. There’s already been two quizzes, and I got another one done early this morning. I’m not ahead of schedule. I’m still deciding what topic my class synthesis will cover. I have to choose one of these four:

• American industrialization through the lens of the Founding Principles.
• Equal rights and the Founding Principles.
• The New Deal, fascism, and the Founding Principles.
• The Bill of Rights and techno-surveillance.

My preliminary choice is techno-surveillance, meaning I may change my mind. But I feel like it might speak most to my sociology interests. These topics are also changed, or maybe pared down from the original syllabus. I have a little bit of time to make a final decision. I’d only like to incorporate the psychological tactics, and, more specifically, the effects of living in a surveillance state. This aspect will help me create a case for brainwashing and coercive control. We’ll see.

Okay, so my opening at Craig Krull went very well. The panel event went even better. I was more nervous about moderating this discussion than I was about the opening. I think I did okay, because everyone was deeply engaged, and it was a full house. You can see the whole thing on Instagram. I haven’t watched it back yet, but I’m about to—right after I read one last chapter for today.