Wow, I haven’t posted in a week. Let’s see, what’s going on?

I had a great WWKIP Day on Saturday! I met Tasha (and now want to knit a Pi Shawl because of her) and Laura at Starbucks and we knitted and chatted for a couple hours. I hadn’t seen either of them in months, ever since I started working nights, so that was really nice! I started a sock in Trekking and knit more in those few hours than I had in weeks. Of course, I haven’t worked on it since Saturday, but maybe I can do more knitting once we close on the house.

Speaking of which, it is 11 days and counting till M and I officially own it! eek! The bank is doing its appraisal this afternoon–we don’t have to be present for that–and of course our last financial review is this Friday at 5. We are starting to window shop for furniture–yesterday we went couch hunting and sat on several comfy ones, but nothing really caught our eyes. We need to look around more.

School is kicking my butt just a little. I’m kind of bummed because I had gotten a 100/100 on the Week 1 conference and then I checked yesterday and I got a 77/100 on the Week 2 conference. I emailed my instructor to ask for details on why I didn’t get a very high score. I posted my Week 3 response last night, and now I’m worried that it wasn’t up to par. Plus, our first writing assignment is due on the 23rd and it needs to be 1,500 words in length and I haven’t even started it yet, ugh. Why did I want to go back to college again?

I hope I can find a better job after we move into our new place so that I don’t have to work two jobs anymore. I miss having free time. And knitting time. I really miss knitting time.

Posted: June 16th, 2008 under Knitting, Miss Education, My So-Called Life.
Comments: 1

Today in the mail, I received my financial award letter from my university. I’ve been awarded a UMUC President’s Grant (yay!), which was totally unexpected! Though, the grant won’t even pay for half of one course, but it will still make a nice dent in the tuition fees. Also, I’m eligible for a federal subsidized OR unsubsidized loan, both in amounts way higher than I will need. So I accepted the subsidized loan to save on interest and accepted an amount that is only what I need.

I am one step closer to paying for college–sensibly!–and getting that darn degree once and for all! The sooner that happens, the sooner (cross your fingers) I can get a better job and quit working two of them. Hopefully. That’s the plan, anyway!

Posted: March 26th, 2008 under Miss Education.
Comments: 3

This confirms that I am, in fact, crazy

I did it–registered for Summer 2008 at UMUC. This is one of four (online) classes I have left till I graduate. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to manage school + full time job + second job, but I can do it. I am Superwoman!

(Any good luck, well wishes, prayers, random gifts of yarn are always welcome I kid, I kid. Well, about the gifts part, anyway.)

Posted: March 10th, 2008 under Miss Education.
Comments: 6

So, on a whim today, I decided to log in to my (former) college account and pull up my unofficial academic transcript. Just to see how many credits I would need to finish my B.A. in English.

Total credits required for a B.A.: 120

My total credits earned: 109

DUDE. I am only 11 credits away from getting that stinking degree! Look how close!!

See, back in fall/winter of 2006 when the whole divorce thing was hitting the fan, I finished that semester of college and went on indefinite hiatus. I moved back to Virginia in March of 2007 (almost one year ago–can you believe I’ve been back for one year already?!). Then I started my full-time job in April 2007 and my part-time/second job in November 2007.

And now I’m thinking. ok, I’m no Superwoman–but what if, once I pay off my credit card and pay down the second card–what if, instead of jumping into saving up for my first house, I finish those 11 credits and earn my degree first? I thought about it…and thought about it…and started to get really, really excited. Motivated, even. In that scary kind of way, sort of like when I first contemplated looking for a second job but didn’t know if I would be able to pull it off.

Well, I’ve been pulling it off for four months now. And that state of the credit card debt in the sidebar over there? It goes down by $800 every month. I’m totally doing it! Never mind the fact that I am a walking zombie most days, alternately frazzled/depressed the other days, and frighteningly gaining weight at a steady pace the rest of the days. Point is, I am ticking off my goals, both small and large, one goal at a time.

So…who’s to say that I can’t take one class per semester and check off those credits, one by one? 11 credits are, what, 4 classes? So close!

It’s become yet another big reality check for me since moving back–employers kind of, well, pay more when you have a Bachelor’s degree. So it would appear, anyway. Case in point: I have an Associate’s degree. Actually, I have two! ha! (One is in Liberal Arts, the other is in Information Systems.) And um, yeah, despite that fact–I have two jobs. You figure out the logic in that one!

There is, of course, the constant issue in my life, the ever-present freakin thorn in my paw: money. I’ve applied for financial aid in the past, only to be offered nothing more than student loans. And I really, really don’t want to go that route. I’m in enough debt as it is! And getting out! I don’t want to accrue more. But it’s worth a try to apply for financial aid and see what happens. Maybe a fall 2008 start date isn’t completely unrealistic, if I can coax all the stars and planets into alignment to see this happen.

This line of thinking completely puts a damper on my Plan A, which was 1) pay off the credit card debt, 2) save up money for the down payment on a house, and 3) buy a house and finally get away from Le Chateau de Parents INSANE. sigh. But I think it makes more sense to finish college first, and then try to buy a house…right? That would be the smarter thing to do?

And I really am trying to make smart choices from now on. I can’t tell you enough how many regrets I have about the past. I know, I know. People say you shouldn’t live with regrets. But I do! I have them. In plenty. Things like not finishing college before getting married, getting married in the first place, etc. etc…but what can you do? Can’t go backward. All I want to do now, though, is try to be smarter. And maybe in doing so, I can make my future better and I, in turn, will be happier. Maybe. I hope.

So cross your fingers that I will either be eligible for financial aid, or will miraculously (summoning those aforementioned stars and planets) win the lottery tomorrow night. By the way, did you hear about the Mega Millions winners in Georgia? $275 million. Millions! Of dollars! Even in the lump sum, it was well over $160 million, or something. I should only be so lucky.

In the meantime, I’m off to sprinkle fairy dust in the general direction of those pesky stars and planets. (And shaking some at the federal student aid people can’t hurt either.)

Posted: February 28th, 2008 under Miss Education, My So-Called Life.
Comments: 7

Remember the long-delayed final exam I’ve been waiting to take for my communications class? (Canceled date, weather delays, make-up exam, blah.) Well, my make-up exam arrived yesterday at my testing center, and I took today off from work, so I am FINALLY taking this blasted test! I woke up early this morning to do a final review, and I’m hoping that I don’t brain dump all this info before I actually sit down to take said test.

And of course I’m sitting here blogging about it, as I have a few spare minutes before I need to get ready to leave.

I have some knitting photos to post very soon, as this blog and my Flickr have been severely lacking knitting content lately. I’m currently working on the Monkey socks from the latest Knitty, and these knit up (just like Hedera) really fast. Fast socks = happy me. Correction: Socks that Rock + fast socks = very happy me.

Must go prepare for the exam now, i.e. take a shower and get dressed! Wish me luck!

Posted: December 28th, 2006 under Knitting, Miss Education.
Comments: 3

Happy birthday to my sister A, who will probably never see this but who I love anyway.

I heard from my communications instructor! She said that I could request an extension (makeup exam) since I missed taking my final on Tuesday due to the snow and my testing center’s closure. They’re still closed today, and might be closed tomorrow, so I’m hoping that they will be open again by next Tuesday or, at the latest, Thursday. On the plus side, this gives me a few extra days to study for the exam. phew.

We had a couple inches of snow last night after some hail (which I erroneously referred to as “raining ice” to someone who laughed at me), but we still had to go to work today. Even though the base shut down, we at a retail store still had to come to work. The jets of the US Air Force were not flying, but darnit, retail lives on. Or something. Some people didn’t come in, but we, the troopers, went to work. It was bloody cold, though.

I have no clue what to do about Christmas. I’m thinking I might throw a frozen pizza in the oven and call it good, seriously. (It doesn’t help that I don’t like to cook on a normal day, much less on a holiday in an emotionally turbulent state.) I know I’m the hugest Scrooge, but I’m ready for that day to be over. I’m ready for 2006 to be over, for that matter! Which, btw, is insane–it’s going to be 2007. In 2007, I will have been graduated from high school for 10 years. I am definitely feeling my age.

Now that I have rambled sufficiently, I am ready for a nap. Dealing with pre-winter cold/girly cramps/lack of sleep at work today was not fun. And as much as I’d love to sit back and knit a sock right now, I’m so tired that I don’t think I could manage it. boohoo, lost knitting time.

Send sleep and happy sheep for me to count.

Posted: December 20th, 2006 under Miss Education, My So-Called Life, Working Girl.
Comments: 4

I just spent $55 at The Loopy Ewe. But wait! I got two skeins of yarn–enough to make two pairs of socks–and those cute sheepy notecards I’ve been wanting. And I got free shipping. And I’m trying to justify spending $55 at The Loopy Ewe. Retail therapy! Happy Christmas to me. I’m actually thinking about trotting on over to Knit Picks or Etsy RIGHT NOW and buying more yarn. darnit. But I probably won’t…probably…haha…

Yeah, that exam I was supposed to take today? Did not occur. We got not snow, but ice overnight and nearly everything on base shut down, including the education office. So I emailed my instructor to say, hey, I haven’t taken the final yet…um help please? Haven’t heard from her yet. eek. yikes.

Work today was ok, especially since we came in later (7 AM as opposed to 5) and I got to leave early (12:30 as opposed to 2:30), because of the weather. At first, though, I wondered if everyone just forgot to come to work because I showed up in the parking lot around 6:50 and there were NO other cars in the parking lot at all. Then people began trickling in, so I felt better…though the weather was still wacky, as I tried washing my windshield this morning because it was spotty and the fluid froze on my windshield as soon as it made contact. Now that’s cold. Then when I left at 12:30, I had to scrape my windows! I don’t think I’ve ever had to scrape my windows since I lived in Virginia. It’s such a weird winter (even though I think it’s technically not winter till the 21st? 22nd? something).

Tomorrow is one of my sisters’ birthday. The day after tomorrow is my 5-year wedding anniversary. I want to commemorate the day by taking something like my wedding photos into the backyard and LIGHTING THEM ON FIRE.

ahem.

I’m gonna be ok, really. I promise.

Posted: December 19th, 2006 under Knitting, Miss Education, My So-Called Life.
Comments: 1