Class

Is it crazy to go back to college at 40? Is it crazy to think of complete career changes at 40? I get mixed reviews on such a difficult decision. If you have over 20 years left of working, is it ok to consider making drastic changes? I have been floating the idea of going back to college around in my brain, letting it soak and slosh in the waves. I am drawn to the idea of learning something new that I would greatly enjoy, then the cost slaps my dream back down to reality. Do I want to be in that much debt at such a late age? I am taking one class this fall, paying out-of-pocket of course. I already have a small amount of student loans from getting my AAS and worry about adding more. I attend a small community college that is affordable considering the cost of a university, but eventually I know I will have to move on for a continued education. This is where the dilemma steps in. I believe everyone is entitled to higher education. The problem is the cost of a higher education, is it worth the degree? That is the question, how much is a degree worth? Unfortunately, I am one of those people that doesn't qualify for financial aid, besides the loans of course. I made the choice of not having kids while out of wedlock and my husband and I work full time jobs. We don't make a lot of money, but apparently more than what qualifies for a few dollars thrown my way to continue my education. I will have plenty to weigh as I attempt to answer the question, to learn or not to learn. Education is a great thing, but at what cost?

The New Year

The New Year has begun and things are starting to look better already. We went to dinner and then spent a quiet night at home New Years Eve as hubby had to work the next day. This was perfectly acceptable by me.

I was looking at this New Year as a fresh start; I mean it has to get better than the last six months, right? The only really good thing I remember about 2009 was our wedding in Las Vegas, which was great. Otherwise the economy dumped, the winter lasted forever, the summer weather was cold and rainy, I was laid off and turned down by all the aid programs for school, and there was extra stress in my family.

But things are looking up. I was able to get a student loan at the last minute and squeeze into classes for the next semester. Our TV in the bedroom went kaput and by chance someone in his family had purchased a new one and we got the old one for free, timing is everything sometimes.

These are small things to get excited about, but when you have had some bad luck you take what you can get. My outlook for the coming year has brightened with newly resuscitated hope.

In a couple weeks I will be buried by schoolwork, which is a bit scary since I have been out of school for so long. But it is doing something that will hopefully help with our future, something useful. I am ready to do this now and it feels right at this point in my life, guess I really am a late bloomer.

So I make a toast to the New Year, this was an old friend’s favorite:
“Here’s to you, here’s to me, and if you would rather disagree, to hell with you and here’s to me.”

Life Series

So it is Friday evening and I have the house to myself, hubby is out helping a friend. The dvd player is loaded with 'Sex and the City' discs, a large bowl of warm popcorn awaits on the coffee table, and Samson is next to me on the couch. Ugh! When did I get so boring? I guess it is when I became to money challenged to go out, but that would not be entirely true. The bar scene generally bores me around here and I am to old to dress like a tramp and go clubbing, not that I would do that in the first place.

Having very little life of my own at the moment I shall relish in watching someone elses. I will cry when their heart breaks and laugh when they make a joke, wondering all along how they will solve their life's issues. Now if I could just figure out how to solve all of my life's issues in a couple hours that would be great.

And so it goes...

The day was beautiful and I accomplished many tasks. Ok, so I am lying a bit. The day was beautiful and I did manage to take Samson for a walk this morning, just after that it kind of fell apart. Frustration set in as I grudgingly wrote a check for property taxes, watching my checking account shrivel in despair. The insurance company said I don't have towing and would not repay the locksmith's bill from the weekend, but would be glad to add it on my policy. I told them no as I am already paying way too much.

Today was my day to call Unemployment, but lo and behold, you can do it online now. That took no time to set up and was done in a matter of minutes, rather than waiting 20 minutes on the phone. If you have an Internet connection I would highly recommend this alternative, unless you like grooving to hold music.

Writing class was also time consuming today. This was one of the hardest lessons yet for me and took a couple hours to complete it. I can't complain about that though as I am learning from it.

So now I must go whip up some fantastic meal for dinner. Hey, it can happen you know, they make some pretty good frozen dinners.

The first "No" arrives

I received an email today saying I did not qualify for a Federal Pell grant. I guess I am not suprised, but still a little disappointed. It is late in the year to be asking for money and with no kids our circumstances probably don't matter. I don't think it is right that they go by last years taxes, things can change a lot in a year. How can they take that income when it was stated that I was no longer working? I just don't get sometimes.

So I will just move on the next hurdle, dancing and pirouetting for them along the way, not to mention the paper work. Gladly will I walk their stage if it helps me move on to something better than where I have been. If only I had a rich ancestor to leave me millions in their will, then I could just travel and report from around the globe.

I leave you with a quote for the dog owners, "To err is human, but to forgive is canine."