Path to the Ph.D.

Dear readers,

I am totally psyched to start my doctoral program this fall, but the cost of rent, books, supplies and such is starting to add up. Check out my fundraising page and forward it along to those who'd like to donate. Help me reach my goals!

http://www.edulender.com/college-tuition-fundraising/Susan.Schmitt/

or consider helping me buy some of the books I will need for school:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/SHP0Y28CEWF4/ref=lst_llp_wl-head

(http://www.marriedtothesea.com/041311/)

Jumping back on the Gap ® Bandwagon

I'm gainfully employed for the summer, which means I'll be able to save up some money for the move in July. Whew! I know that I said I would never go back to retail, but there is literally NOTHING out here. I can't wait to move to some place new with more opportunities. The employee discount will definitely come in handy when I need to buy clothes for teaching!

Happy Cancer-versary!

Take a peek at my new shoulder tattoo celebrating my year of being cancer remission!

Post-Defense Updates

Hi all! I successfully passed my defense and am now finished with my M.A.!! YAYY!! I'm pretty happy about being finished, but I have a long way to go until I get to Texas. David and I have been crunching some numbers and with his new job, once he starts, we will be living much more comfortably than we ever have. I am so happy and relieved to hear this because honestly, folks. I am tired of scraping and scavenging.

So far, I'm feeling pretty good health-wise. The radiation that was done to my neck/jaw area has, unfortunately, has helped decay back back molars. I will need dental work done before I leave for Texas. I'm a little worried about being able to afford more dental work (it was over 2k last time) and I'm just hoping and praying on that summer job I so desperately need.

Sometimes, I wish that someone would come and wave a magic wand over my life and make all of these problems go away. I don't want to be sick anymore and I think I deserve at least A FEW WEEKS without a medical problem cropping up.

ARRGGHHHH I hate you, cancer.

My medical insurance covers "injury to sound, natural teeth". I'm wondering if my teeth issues can be covered if it is categorized as radiation-induced? I sure as heck hope so, because it would be too much for me to pay right now. *sigh* FALL CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH. David and I will be both gainfully employed full time and I will have decent health and dental insurance; not this crap student insurance.

I've heard of this new phenomenon called "cyber begging"; where you post your financial woes and people donate funds to you. I'm seriously considering it at this point, because I don't think I can cough up the extra cash to get dental work done.

False Alarm

AW HELL.
Apparently, the committee needs to reschedule my defense. I've been scrambling to prepare, but it's being put off again.
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UPDATE: Defense is officially April 8th at 1:00pm

Procrastinating

I defend on the 23rd and I've been working on my defense notes and arguments. They'll tell me immediately after the defense if I have passed or not. I am just SO ready to get this over with...
It's not that I'm not ready or anything like that; if anything, I think I am much more prepared than 95% of the students who are defending at this point in time.

Over-prepared? probably.
Nervous? yes.