Today is the first day of school for me. I'm a little anxious and excited because I haven't taken classes in a really long time and this is something I want to do. I like learning new things, but I have no desire to get a PhD. Doing research and writing papers is just not for me. Let me learn and teach, that's what I do best.

I'm taking Introduction to Topology. Don't ask me what it's about because I don't even understand the discription. All I know is it's a graduate level math class. It was my second choice behind Numerical Linear Algebra. Unfortunately that class only allowed 8 people and it filled up. Thankfully, the reviews on Amazon say the book being used in the class is the best introduction book for this particular topic. I hope the reviews are correct.

I need to get 18 hours of graduate credit in mathematics in order to be able to teach it in public universities. Once I leave Alabama, I should be able to teach computer science and math, although I will probably only be able to teach in one discipline. If I had to choose, I think I'd choose math. It makes me feel smart because I can teach algebra and calculus to people.

Last night, I got my first campus life experience of the semester. The Alabama/LSU game was on ESPN2 last night, so Coleman Coliseum was packed. So packed in fact that I was unable to get in. I was bummed not to be able to watch it in person, but it didn't ruin my evening. In fact, my evening was probably better since I got to chat with Em's husband Charlie (or Mr. Beagle). He seems to be a really nice, wise-cracking, computer guy like myself.

Anyway, as I'm walking back to my car to drive home, a scalper confronts me asking if I want tickets. I asked how much and he wanted $40. I told him that was pricey for me, so he offered a ticket for $30. To me $20 was pushing it. I didn't really want to spend the money for a ticket when I should have been able to get in free. He couldn't sell it for $20, so I walked on. I walked about 20 yards away before he started hollering at me to get my attention. I ignored him and picked up my pace. He followed me for another 30-40 yards before he caught up to me and offered me a ticket for $20. He said he had just gotten the ticket from someone since I mentioned I'd pay $20. I don't know how he could have bought a ticket in the time it took me to walk the 20 yards before he started hollering for me.

I reminded him that $20 was pushing it, and I would just go home and watch it on ESPN. He offered it to me for $15 at that point and I cut him to $10. He said he'd just sell it to someone else so I turned and began walking again. No sooner had I turned around that he agreed to $10. I walked back to where he was and took out a $20. I asked if he had change and he grumbled as he began rooting for a ten. As he was searching, he quipped that I should pay him $15 for having to chase me down. I calmly smacked it back to him by saying "I didn't ask you to chase me down." He handed over the ticket and it was a printout of a ticket he had bought online. I questioned its legitamacy and he said it was good, but I wasn't completely sold on it. He said if I was worried about it, he'd sell it to someone else. I said ok, handed it back and began to leave. He smarted off again as I was walking back to my car but I didn't catch what he said.

Had I been able to think a little quicker, I would have made a deal with him. If he had walked to the door with me and the ticket turned out to be legit, I would give him the $10. If the ticket was not legit, he should give me $10 for wasting my time. Unfortunately, that didn't pop into my head until I was on my way home.