as promised...
Okay, so this is me trying to eke out my bigass RL update before we move offices. Or at least, it seems like we're moving offices today - otherwise, half our phone lines have stopped working for absolutely no reason. (Alas, mine still works.)
I think I need to start with the bad stuff, because it's more urgent. On the bright side, there is good stuff, and it's pretty damn cool too. This, I think, is why I'm pretty zen despite what I'm facing. No complaints there.
So. Bottom line is that in less than two weeks, I'm out of a job, without a college degree.
I saw this coming the moment financial aid started stonewalling me about extending my aid to cover the fall. I have 11 credits left -- not even enough for a full-time semester. I've taken eight semesters at NYU now, and it seems that they're quite adamant that poor kids finish in that amount of time. Never mind the fact that most people finish in five years; unless you've got $40K/year to spend, you're expected to magically keep shit from happening to you.
Of course, nobody mentioned this to me when I decided to retake my spring classes instead of withdrawing from them. Oh, it'd be no problem to extend my aid; my academic record is pretty good considering what's happened to me, they said. Now, though, half the Gallatin administration is holding meetings to decide that regardless of how many breakups, family deaths, and catastrophes I've pulled myself through, I don't deserve a few thousand dollars to finish my degree.
On its own, that's shitty, but survivable. The pisser is that since my job is work-study, I'll be let go when the new academic year starts. And it doesn't matter how many times people tell me the job market is better than two years ago, that this situation isn't even my fault, that I'm smart and responsible and I'll pull through this somehow... I have some serious fucking doubts about whether I'll be able to find a job that doesn't involve a kelly green apron and cryptically-sized coffee cups. I look at my resume and I don't see years of programming experience, or seniority at my current job, or a reasonably selective scholarship at a prestigious school. I see the hole where the words "Bachelor of Arts" should be, and I alternately want to cry or punch something because it isn't goddamn motherfucking fair for this to be the way it ends.
So, I've touched up my resume to send to temp agencies. No holds barred now. I'm out of a job in a week and a half, and in my paycheck-to-paycheck life, that's a big problem. I just paid my rent, at least, but my bills are $300/month before I even think of eating or knitting (gotta love that that's my second priority) or buying new furniture when I have to move in mid-October. So if anyone knows a good temp agency (general, technical, creative, I'll take anything) or has a job opening in their department, by all means, let me know. I've got dress pants and classy shirts and a navy suit that fits beautifully, and I'm not afraid to wear them.
That's about it for the badness - really just one big clump of it, which I guess is preferable to little stormclouds over every part of my life. Was just given more HTMLy busiwork, so the listing of Good Stuff will be quickish:
1. I have two weeks of fucking awesomeness lined up in early October. The 4th-11th is the Witching Hour, since I'm going early and staying late. The 12th and 13th, the New Pornographers are playing at Webster; then the 14th-17th, ursamajr and I are following Franz on tour to Philly, Boston, and back to NYC. Better yet, the NYC dates are partially GA, so it'll be a big friggin' slacken_ties/DYWT shoot reunion. Day off after that (probably for moving, although Liz Phair is playing Irving that night and I'm oh so tempted), then Death Cab at Hammerstein on the 19th, and Erik wants us to drive to another of the DCFC shows in New England once Stars joins the tour. Dear god.
2. Even before that, I'll have seen Maxïmo Park, Sigur Rós, Sons & Daughters, Interpol, the Killers twice, the Ordinary Boys, and a weekend of CMJ that includes (but is not limited to) more New Porn, the Dandy Warhols, Ambulance LTD, CYHSY, and the Wrens.
3. It would seem that some of my pics from the Killers show at Bowery last August are going to be published. It's been days since I was emailed about it, and it still makes me giddy to think about. It's unpaid, but a photo credit is a photo credit is a photo credit.
4. I'm doing some sample knitting for String, courtesy of ivete. First up is a poncho based on Colinette's Ab Fab throw kit. It's paid, which doesn't hurt matters, but the fact that I get to knit a $185 project without paying for it pwns all on its own.
5. Momma is paying for my camera LCD to be repaired, since I haven't got $176 to spare in the foreseeable future. Knitting picspam and concert pr0n is once again forthcoming.
6. Judging by the way my clothes fit, I've lost like 10 pounds in the last week. I bought these pants not two weeks ago and already they've got serious potato butt and will fall off without a belt. Said belt went from being between two notches to the next two nearly overnight. My suit, which is two years old and has never quite fit (I had to South Beach vigorously for three weeks before the PoA premiere to get the pants to zip at all), is on the verge of being too big. I'm maybe an inch or two from fitting into my favorite skirt from the Skinny Summer of 2001. It's a 13. I was a borderline 18 at New Year's.
7. I've thought about it, and I think I have a crush on Colin Meloy of the Decemberists. No lie, it started because he wore jeans that *ahem* fit well at the Summerstage show last week. Am now a hopeless butt-starer, which is all nicks_ass' fault. Lest you think I only appreciate Colin's nether regions, I also ♥ that he always seems so damn thrilled to be performing, and that he wore Torq's (of Stars) jacket onstage despite having several inches on him in both directions. vejgurl, nasturtium, notasecretagent, we really have to find a way into Boston during TWH to see them at Avalon. omgzzzzzz.
8. The DYWT video, and MTV2's making of, premiere today in the US. Jon wins the prize for Best Ex Evars by a) TiVoing, b) dumping to tape, and c) converting the DVD I'll burn at work tonight into an AVI for Franz fandom to squee over.
Oh, and Nick? Please don't stop touching Alex's chest. You're killing all the fangirls.
I think I need to start with the bad stuff, because it's more urgent. On the bright side, there is good stuff, and it's pretty damn cool too. This, I think, is why I'm pretty zen despite what I'm facing. No complaints there.
So. Bottom line is that in less than two weeks, I'm out of a job, without a college degree.
I saw this coming the moment financial aid started stonewalling me about extending my aid to cover the fall. I have 11 credits left -- not even enough for a full-time semester. I've taken eight semesters at NYU now, and it seems that they're quite adamant that poor kids finish in that amount of time. Never mind the fact that most people finish in five years; unless you've got $40K/year to spend, you're expected to magically keep shit from happening to you.
Of course, nobody mentioned this to me when I decided to retake my spring classes instead of withdrawing from them. Oh, it'd be no problem to extend my aid; my academic record is pretty good considering what's happened to me, they said. Now, though, half the Gallatin administration is holding meetings to decide that regardless of how many breakups, family deaths, and catastrophes I've pulled myself through, I don't deserve a few thousand dollars to finish my degree.
On its own, that's shitty, but survivable. The pisser is that since my job is work-study, I'll be let go when the new academic year starts. And it doesn't matter how many times people tell me the job market is better than two years ago, that this situation isn't even my fault, that I'm smart and responsible and I'll pull through this somehow... I have some serious fucking doubts about whether I'll be able to find a job that doesn't involve a kelly green apron and cryptically-sized coffee cups. I look at my resume and I don't see years of programming experience, or seniority at my current job, or a reasonably selective scholarship at a prestigious school. I see the hole where the words "Bachelor of Arts" should be, and I alternately want to cry or punch something because it isn't goddamn motherfucking fair for this to be the way it ends.
So, I've touched up my resume to send to temp agencies. No holds barred now. I'm out of a job in a week and a half, and in my paycheck-to-paycheck life, that's a big problem. I just paid my rent, at least, but my bills are $300/month before I even think of eating or knitting (gotta love that that's my second priority) or buying new furniture when I have to move in mid-October. So if anyone knows a good temp agency (general, technical, creative, I'll take anything) or has a job opening in their department, by all means, let me know. I've got dress pants and classy shirts and a navy suit that fits beautifully, and I'm not afraid to wear them.
That's about it for the badness - really just one big clump of it, which I guess is preferable to little stormclouds over every part of my life. Was just given more HTMLy busiwork, so the listing of Good Stuff will be quickish:
1. I have two weeks of fucking awesomeness lined up in early October. The 4th-11th is the Witching Hour, since I'm going early and staying late. The 12th and 13th, the New Pornographers are playing at Webster; then the 14th-17th, ursamajr and I are following Franz on tour to Philly, Boston, and back to NYC. Better yet, the NYC dates are partially GA, so it'll be a big friggin' slacken_ties/DYWT shoot reunion. Day off after that (probably for moving, although Liz Phair is playing Irving that night and I'm oh so tempted), then Death Cab at Hammerstein on the 19th, and Erik wants us to drive to another of the DCFC shows in New England once Stars joins the tour. Dear god.
2. Even before that, I'll have seen Maxïmo Park, Sigur Rós, Sons & Daughters, Interpol, the Killers twice, the Ordinary Boys, and a weekend of CMJ that includes (but is not limited to) more New Porn, the Dandy Warhols, Ambulance LTD, CYHSY, and the Wrens.
3. It would seem that some of my pics from the Killers show at Bowery last August are going to be published. It's been days since I was emailed about it, and it still makes me giddy to think about. It's unpaid, but a photo credit is a photo credit is a photo credit.
4. I'm doing some sample knitting for String, courtesy of ivete. First up is a poncho based on Colinette's Ab Fab throw kit. It's paid, which doesn't hurt matters, but the fact that I get to knit a $185 project without paying for it pwns all on its own.
5. Momma is paying for my camera LCD to be repaired, since I haven't got $176 to spare in the foreseeable future. Knitting picspam and concert pr0n is once again forthcoming.
6. Judging by the way my clothes fit, I've lost like 10 pounds in the last week. I bought these pants not two weeks ago and already they've got serious potato butt and will fall off without a belt. Said belt went from being between two notches to the next two nearly overnight. My suit, which is two years old and has never quite fit (I had to South Beach vigorously for three weeks before the PoA premiere to get the pants to zip at all), is on the verge of being too big. I'm maybe an inch or two from fitting into my favorite skirt from the Skinny Summer of 2001. It's a 13. I was a borderline 18 at New Year's.
7. I've thought about it, and I think I have a crush on Colin Meloy of the Decemberists. No lie, it started because he wore jeans that *ahem* fit well at the Summerstage show last week. Am now a hopeless butt-starer, which is all nicks_ass' fault. Lest you think I only appreciate Colin's nether regions, I also ♥ that he always seems so damn thrilled to be performing, and that he wore Torq's (of Stars) jacket onstage despite having several inches on him in both directions. vejgurl, nasturtium, notasecretagent, we really have to find a way into Boston during TWH to see them at Avalon. omgzzzzzz.
8. The DYWT video, and MTV2's making of, premiere today in the US. Jon wins the prize for Best Ex Evars by a) TiVoing, b) dumping to tape, and c) converting the DVD I'll burn at work tonight into an AVI for Franz fandom to squee over.
Oh, and Nick? Please don't stop touching Alex's chest. You're killing all the fangirls.