icemink

Yeah, I'm kind of worn out, it's been a long week, and the next one is looking kind of long too. On tuesday night my mom went into the hospital because of her appendix. They took it out that night. It all went really smoothly and she was out of the hospital in about 24 hours. Still exhausting. Especially cause I had to take over directing her play for two nights.

And I hate my graduate work. It's not challenging, just tedious.

So, I'm about to start my second graduate class, and I finally get to start studying the stuff I'm interested in, namely computer networks. So the whole reason I started this degree is because I want to learn network administration, so when I was researching the school I was very clear with them about the fact that I am on Mac and I didn't want that to be a problem. They promised me it wasn't, that everything is online, etc. etc. Guess what. I finally got a chance to look at the syllabus for my new class today and it says I have to be running some form of Windows. Grrr. I've e-mailed the professor about that to find out if it's really true, because no where does it list any software we have to have (except to say that we need some sort of word processor). The truth is, I'm not really as interested in the degree as I used to be, but I kind of can't afford to not take any classes (at least for the next month or two) until I have more hours of work. I'm kind of dependent on my GI bill to pay my bills for the next month or so. Of course I also don't want to drop out because what I really want to do is go to graduate school for Anthropology, but I figure dropping out of another graduate program isn't going to increase my odds of getting into an Anthropology program. Sigh, just when I thought I had my life mostly under control again.

So over the last several months I've been considering selling a ring I inherited from my grandmother. I checked around with my family and everyone agreed it didn't have any sentimental value and it was okay if I sold it. So here's what I've discovered. Diamonds really aren't worth that much, in fact they have to be one of the most ridiculously overpriced things out there. My 8 year old car has retained more of it's value than this ring has. Sure when I got it appraised it was worth a lot, but that's only if you get it insured and it's stolen. Then they give you the replacement value. But to actually sell diamonds you're lucky to get half of what you've paid for it. (Of course I didn't pay anything for it. . . ) Basically half of what you're paying when you by a piece of diamond jewelry is all the middle men it's been though and all th 10% price increases they tacked onto it to make a profit. So just remember, if you ever need to turn you cash into a small portable form because you're running from the law, don't go diamonds. They are impossible to sell and get your money's worth.

In other news, I just enrolled in a Masters program. It's one of those online technology schools. Specifically Capella University. Of course I still haven't heard from UCLA so who knows, I may end up leaving this degree program, but I figure if I don't get into UCLA, pursuing my education through some other route can only be good. Plus my end goal with the particular degree is to eventually apply to the FBI. I'm not sure if that's what I want to do, but I figure it will take me two years to finish the program, so I might as well get started now so that if it is what I want I'll be ready.