Um, WHAT?
Is anyone else having a difficult time wrapping their heads around this $700 billion bailout? It's my understanding that the US is under huge debt right now and this would be putting us that much more ($700 billion, to be exact) in debt. I don't know about you but I'm having a hard enough time wrapping my head around how I'll deal with my student loans on a social worker's salary and I've also got a credit card to pay off. I lived at home for a little over a year and know better than anyone else that there's no excuse for my current financial situation (though my parents are being really nice about it), but I learned quickly. The only things I've spent money on here that I didn't actually need are the occasional McDonald's iced coffee and an occasional Wendy's frosty. Both of those are under $2. I still need window coverings and a space heater because my basement room is freezing, but I'm making do with my uberwarm robe for now and changing in a corner where I don't think the neighbors can see me. The point is that I know I'm in debt and am doing what I can to help, and I know that maxing out my credit card rather than paying it down won't help matters any. It seems like that's exactly what we're doing. I don't know that much about the economy, so if you know more, please inform me. I'd appreciate it.
Other than my lack of funding, things are good. I finally got a hold of financial aid to ask them why my loans weren't going through. The good news is we fixed it (I think), the bad news is that it will take up to 3 weeks so I'll still be getting those fun angry letters from the bursar threatening to put a hold on my account.
My internship's going well and I really like Phyllis, my supervisor. I went to a meeting yesterday to pitch an idea to people for funding (I watched rather than participated) and went along on an interview. I felt important. And I'm definitely getting to know the ins and outs of running a nonprofit, which I like. Supposedly I'll kick ass in my Community classes.
I took the GREs today to apply to the dual International Studies program. They weren't as excruciating as I expected, but my scores were only 10 points higher than my SAT scores, which were mediocre. I emailed the IS program's admissions people and I think my scores are somewhere around the average, so I'm hoping that'll be enough. If I get in, great, and if not, I'm still determining whether it will give me enough of an advantage to justify the extra year of student loans. If I get in I'll probably do it because I'd probably end up kicking myself if I didn't. I'd definitely be more marketable for the areas I want to get in. Anyway, I'm relieved the GREs are over and I can focus on other things.
I spent the evening on a 2-hour conference call for the fancy ethnographer job I have. Luckily it sounds like they'll be calling relatively frequently and I'll have some cash flow soon. That will be fantastic. It was the longest conference call I've ever been on (and the only one I've ever been on, but still) but I'm glad I'll be getting some money soon.
Speaking of money ... I babysat on Sunday for this family who had the most gigantic house I'd ever seen/been in. It's insane. It should have had 2 addresses. No kidding. They paid me well and the kids were pretty good, so I'll take it. I'm babysitting for them again on Friday and I'm taking care of someone else's 3-year-old on Tuesday, so hooray for that. Perhaps some of that money can go to either some curtains or a space heater. I've got to get something together before my mom comes on November 6. Erin also said she wants to come in the fall, so I'm sure both of them would appreciate it if they didn't turn into popsicles while they're here. It would also be nice not to have to get under the covers every time I'm in my room - it means I fall asleep much more often than I get anything done.
Other than that ... that's about it. I'm trying to force exercise into my routine and have figured out what classes are when and when I can get to them. I went to cycling yesterday and my ass is sore today. I meant to go to yoga today but it turned out that the conference call was 7:30pm Eastern time, so that was out. There's another vinyasa yoga class tomorrow right smack in the middle of my 3-hr break between classes, so I can read a little, go to yoga, shower and get back in class. I figure if I force it into my schedule it'll be easier to go. I always feel better once I go regularly; it's just getting to it regularly that's the problem. I should probably stop laying off the Frostys and mac and cheese. Eh.
Other than my lack of funding, things are good. I finally got a hold of financial aid to ask them why my loans weren't going through. The good news is we fixed it (I think), the bad news is that it will take up to 3 weeks so I'll still be getting those fun angry letters from the bursar threatening to put a hold on my account.
My internship's going well and I really like Phyllis, my supervisor. I went to a meeting yesterday to pitch an idea to people for funding (I watched rather than participated) and went along on an interview. I felt important. And I'm definitely getting to know the ins and outs of running a nonprofit, which I like. Supposedly I'll kick ass in my Community classes.
I took the GREs today to apply to the dual International Studies program. They weren't as excruciating as I expected, but my scores were only 10 points higher than my SAT scores, which were mediocre. I emailed the IS program's admissions people and I think my scores are somewhere around the average, so I'm hoping that'll be enough. If I get in, great, and if not, I'm still determining whether it will give me enough of an advantage to justify the extra year of student loans. If I get in I'll probably do it because I'd probably end up kicking myself if I didn't. I'd definitely be more marketable for the areas I want to get in. Anyway, I'm relieved the GREs are over and I can focus on other things.
I spent the evening on a 2-hour conference call for the fancy ethnographer job I have. Luckily it sounds like they'll be calling relatively frequently and I'll have some cash flow soon. That will be fantastic. It was the longest conference call I've ever been on (and the only one I've ever been on, but still) but I'm glad I'll be getting some money soon.
Speaking of money ... I babysat on Sunday for this family who had the most gigantic house I'd ever seen/been in. It's insane. It should have had 2 addresses. No kidding. They paid me well and the kids were pretty good, so I'll take it. I'm babysitting for them again on Friday and I'm taking care of someone else's 3-year-old on Tuesday, so hooray for that. Perhaps some of that money can go to either some curtains or a space heater. I've got to get something together before my mom comes on November 6. Erin also said she wants to come in the fall, so I'm sure both of them would appreciate it if they didn't turn into popsicles while they're here. It would also be nice not to have to get under the covers every time I'm in my room - it means I fall asleep much more often than I get anything done.
Other than that ... that's about it. I'm trying to force exercise into my routine and have figured out what classes are when and when I can get to them. I went to cycling yesterday and my ass is sore today. I meant to go to yoga today but it turned out that the conference call was 7:30pm Eastern time, so that was out. There's another vinyasa yoga class tomorrow right smack in the middle of my 3-hr break between classes, so I can read a little, go to yoga, shower and get back in class. I figure if I force it into my schedule it'll be easier to go. I always feel better once I go regularly; it's just getting to it regularly that's the problem. I should probably stop laying off the Frostys and mac and cheese. Eh.