Favorite student stories

My name is Beth Benoit, and I feel as though I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to have a job that she loves.  Teaching psychology at the college level has been my dream job, and teaching at Granite State College has been exciting, fun and fulfilling.  I live in Meredith, New Hampshire, on Lake Waukewan, with my first husband, Roger (just kidding about the "first husband" - he's also the only husband).  We just had our 41st anniversary, so conclude whatever you wish about my devotion, my strong standards, or maybe my high tolerance level and patience?  Anyhow, we have five kids and six grandchildren.  One of my students noted that those eleven are my "embedded research subjects" because their pictures and stories crop up in my PowerPoint presentations and in my classes.

I seem to have become a computer geek, thanks in part to the folks at Granite State College who talked me into investigating the teaching of adult online classes a few years ago, and now I'm hooked. So I'm excited about having a blog, and maybe becoming a "cool kid."  Ha ha...fat chance.  I love the folks I work with at Granite State College, and have loved working with adult learners who have so many stories.  Lots of them are lifelong learners.  That used to be Granite State College's name!

I love to travel (see above about how much I love online courses) and so far have visited every country in western and northern Europe.  I can go on and on about the best of every favorite city, so maybe not a good idea to ask me about that unless you have a lot of time or maybe need something to help you sleep.  I'm a voracious reader, especially fiction.  I guess that makes me "book rich" but maybe (or as a result!)  "cash poor."

Born in Ohio (a great place to be "from") with a twin sister (not identical) and with a lot of music around us, I used to sing professionally, and I play several instruments.  Last year I decided to learn to play the harp (it's really hard, but surprisingly, doesn't sound too bad even if you make a mistake because the strings are so angelic-sounding).  Then in November I decided to try my hand at the violin after becoming enamored with the Irish music at our daughter's wedding (he made it look so easy!!), and got a hundred-year-old violin for Christmas.  The violin, however, is an instrument that doesn't sound good if you make a mistake.  As a matter of fact, it doesn't even sound all that good when you're not making mistakes, but I'm nothing if not determined.  I'm also hoping that maybe learning new skills will help ward off Alzheimer's, but based on my questionable memory skills, it doesn't seem to be working.  I also love to cook, though I don't recall that I had much enthusiasm for it back when I was feeding five kids under the age of nine. 

We just bought a Prius yesterday, and are feeling very virtuous that we've made an official effort to be "green," but may be kind of defeating the purpose since of course all I want to do is drive around in it like a16-year-old who just got her license.  We also have an Arabian mare (how much more "green" can you get?) and we're kind of animal nuts.

We're thrilled that four of our children and their spouses, and four of our six grandchildren live fairly close, and we have our fingers crossed that the others will be moving back here from Kansas soon.  My husband has been retired for over ten years, but I don't see myself retiring as long as that violin and harp can keep my brain from rotting...