Tuition exemption!

Good news: I can use the tuition exemption benefit this semester!

When I started working here in September, they said there was a six-month waiting period before I would be able to use the benefit. Since the six-month period would end in the middle of the spring semester, I would not be able to use the twelve credits until the following term, the summer term. Unfortunately, my program does not offer courses in the summer, so I would've had to use all my credits in the summer on electives in order to take advantage of them. But they recently changed the policy, so the waiting period is now only three months.

As always, the college could not give me good news except through bad news caused by bureaucratic issues. Last week I received an email from Financial Aid indicating that all my scholarships (covering four of my credits this term) had been retracted because of my status as a full-time employee at the college. I called to explain that I did not have tuition benefits, but they told me that in fact I did because of a recent change in policy.

Hooray! Happy day! All ten of my credits this semester are being paid for!

Too bad my classes aren't that exciting.

The not so good news: I kind of had a rough weekend. It seems that a lot of people I know did, too; I think it was the aftermath of Valentine's Day terror. Long story short: I should be happy and free, as mon père would say, because I'm not in a difficult relationship. Well, I'm no longer in a relationship at all anymore, and I guess I should be happy and free, but freedom can get pretty lonely sometimes. The unbearable lightness of being and all that. On the other hand, relief from the misery of too much uncertainty is, undeniably, a good thing. In the end, it's nice to feel like I can do whatever I want, once I find out what that is.

I had this running joke with Luis lately about how I am going to live on a ranch and own sheep so that I can make my own yarn and knit my own clothes. It's a nice dream to be self-sufficient; cut out the middleman and make all your own clothes and stuff, grow all your own food, treat the environment well. It's a joke because, seriously, can you imagine me farming? I can't even keep a potted plant alive for long.