I Guess Some Prayers Were Answered

I took this photo last fall, when I visited Oswego, New York.

It is the old Student Center, Hewitt Union. It is hardly used anymore and I thought it looked really lovely, even without all the comings and goings of students. I figured this was going to be the absolute last time I spent a moment of fall in Oswego.

It looks like I spoke too soon.

Remember a post I wrote about a summer course I was thinking of taking? Well, my work world turned upside down right after that post and it looks like we are training a staff member to learn how to help us with Traffic. He won't be full time, but we hope that he can take some of the pressure off of my boss and myself.

What that means for me, is that I am suddenly feeling more confident in taking a bit of time off. Not 2 weeks, mind you, but 5 months.

I decided that instead of taking just that one course, why don't I try to somehow clear my life to spend an entire semester at my college in Oswego, taking 4 courses. Work my tail off, pay the bucks in one shot and get within 1 class of the Graduate Certificate I am currently attempting to get. If I am correct, I believe the last class I will need is an independent study class that I (hopefully) can do from Los Angeles. A New Media project using KCET's website. That is still up in the air, as are many of the parts of the puzzle, like getting accepted into the Grad Program. :-)

I am working on that and I am in touch with my teacher (who is in charge of the Integrated Media Certificate Program) and with the Dean who I talked to at the beginning of the process. They are both on board and happy to hear I will be spending some time with them in Oswego...if I am accepted.

One of the things that I was worried about, was money. That is where I think prayer may have entered into the equation. :-)

My tax return paid me double the fee I am currently paying for this semester, giving me a good chunk of money to make the Fall Semester happen. We are also hoping for more money, from FAFSA, since both my son and I are students. That would be gravy. I am also hoping for a small amount of money from a non-traditional student scholarship. Not a lot of money, but I fully intend to apply. As they say, what can I lose?

So, even though the fees are steep, I believe it is a doable thing and so I am proceeding. My current plan is to work part time, remotely to KCET and to take vacation time for the remainder of the hours. I have vacation time up the wazoo, that I am never able to take, so this will bring those numbers down nicely. Still lots of things to put into place, but I am excited.

Wish me luck and keep those prayers coming.