Examination

Tonight I’m writing my CYA exam for the Costal Navigation course.

I took the course last November and December, but days after the last class the instructor went to the Caribbean for the winter.  Christmas followed, then New Years, then I was planning my own vacation in the Virgin Islands.  When I returned, I was hit with my mothers death, preparations for an artistic project that I’d committed to 6 months before, and moving to our new townhouse.  By the time we’d moved and I had rested for a couple of weeks, the sailing season was upon us and I spent every possible moment on the water.  218 hours, in fact.

Earlier this summer I also realized that I’d forgotten most of what I learned last fall, and redid the course on my own from the textbooks and charts.  A couple of weeks ago I looked at the “practice test” and blanked.  I couldn’t remember a good chunk of what I needed to know, so I went and redid some of the work.

On Sunday I rewrote the practice test and aced it.  I quickly picked up the phone and booked my exam for this evening.  No more procrastinating!

I think I’m ready.

And once I’ve passed and got my certificate, having it will likely mean absolutely nothing.  Perhaps a sidebar on my resume, but nothing more.  Just the satisfaction that I’m still learning new things as I near my 40^th birthday.

Wish me luck!