Month: January 2009

No Matter What

I will achieve a degree.

Starting school again has become a mini-series of drama in itself.  My past has finally caught up with me to make it hard to go to school.

I started going to Ivy Tech State College in the fall of 1999.  Here it is the beginning of the spring 2009 semester and I have only attained 3 credits towards a degree.

The reasons why are various and run the gamut.  The main reason why is because of opportunity.  Whether it be a job, or just a reason to leave.  I was sure to find it, and find it quick.

This is the 4th and last time I am enrolling in a particular math course, MAT050 – Basic Algebra.  If memory serves me correctly, this course wasn’t hard – but engaging the last time I took it.  This time, it’s almost an insult to my intelligence.  Our first homework assignment – adding negative numbers.  This course is so easy that you have to want to fail, just to fail.

School was never a good time for me, but the good time that I did have was while in high school.  I took my math courses at IU, the county school systems did not offer calculus or finite yet.  But since I never used those tools, they have been lost just like an angel’s share of whiskey.

This is where the drama comes in.  Since I have enrolled and withdrawn as many times as I have, I am on what’s called Financial Aid Termination.  Meaning I cannot receive financial aid, and since our household income is above some imaginary number that only changes when you ask for help, the state will not help either.

So this time, it has to come out of our pockets directly.  But there are specifics, I must take at least 6 credit hours (2 classes) and get a grade of C or better in both courses.  If not, I will still be on “termination.”  If I achieve this I will be switched to Financial Aid Probation because I have shown the college that I am trying.

I am also appealing this decision regarding financial aid.  This process includes counseling with an academic advisor, a letter to the college explaining all withdrawals and F grades.  Also giving reasons as to why this should be appealed.

Even after through all of this, I still want to go.

No matter what I will attain a degree, and the sooner the better.

Another Mish-Mosh

There have been many things going on lately.  With the holiday season and new years over, I’m reflecting on all the activities we’ve been pre-occupied with.

Christmas, as always is a very complicated time for us.  We went to 3 family events, my grandma Lawmaster’s on the 23rd, my in-law’s on the 24th and my memma’s on Christmas day.  We then had “after” Christmas get togethers for my daughter, who spent her Christmas with her mother.

Rachel and I finally stopped schmoozing off of my mother for our cell phone service and got our own plan.  We decided to switch back to AT&T, due to a 12% IU discount, and cheaper plan.  I finally got a smart-phone, a Samsung Blackjack II while Rachel decided she liked a red LG Shine.  It was very interesting to go through this process again.  We haven’t been officially on a cell phone plan for 4 years.  While researching how much this would cost us upfront, the difference in how much and where was astounding.

On the AT&T Premier website (dedicated to business & enterprise):  For the mentioned phones, we were looking at about $325.00 in up front costs.  We would receive a $50 mail in rebate in the form of a debit card.

For the same phones at Best Buy, $50!  I’m not kidding.  I was blown away.  The only difference is that we had to set up our IU discount separately, which just took a phone call.

We painted our bedroom finally, it’s a nice yellow hue.  When mentioning it to people I tell them that the color is what you would get if you mixed yellow and brown mustard.  It looks real nice, now onto the curtains.  Hopefully they will be nice.

I will be starting school next week.  I am entering the CIT (computer information technology) program at Ivy Tech.  Within a few years, I should have a degree in a field I love, which can hopefully help me attain some real employment.