I had my appointment with the College of Notre Dame tonight to see about transferring credits. I am cautiously optimistic. We think, the counselor and I, that I should be able to cross off all but 18 units of lower division and enter with 15 units of upper division already met for a total of 70 transfered credits. They do not require math beyond the level I'm doing right now, and their science requirements have a really broad list of acceptable transfer courses from Wuthering Heights Community College. I could take Anthropology instead of Biology, for instance. That would suit me just fine.
If I finish those 18 courses at WHCC that leaves me to do my final 45 credits at CND. Of course, at a cost of roughly $400 a unit that's a mere $18K I need to save up, ahahaha. Can we say student loan? But you know, if it comes down to borrowing some money to finish my bachelor's degree at a small, private university where I get a good education and a lot of personal attention from the professors, then it's worth it to me. I can pay money back. I can't pay back the time it would take to get this the long, hard way via the California state system.
So, I'm going to look at the WHCC spring schedule next week and think about what two courses to take. I register at the end of the month. I'm pretty happy about the way this is turning out.
I'm exceptionally happy about Orycon coming up this weekend. Is this insanely boring, talking about a convention that most of you aren't going to attend? Do you actually know what goes on at these things? There's a fair amount of mileage variance, of course, depending on the focus of the con but in general a con experience includes the following:
- Running into people you haven't seen for a year.
- Trying to exchange a year's worth of news in five minutes.
- Making dinner plans for four and ending up at a table for sixteen.
- Buying too many books.
- Staying up so late your eyeballs start to vibrate.
- Talking so much you get hoarse by the second day.
- Getting into a heated argument over who is a better actor, Richard Hatch or one of the puppets in Thunderbirds Are Go!
- Visiting the dealers room and finding yourself wondering if you need a pewter dragon holding a crystal ball.
- Getting drunk and telling an author what you really thought about their last novel.
- Laughing at the horrible fan art in the art show.
- Getting into a heated argument over which film is the best ever science fiction movie , Star Wars or This Island Earth.
- Dropping your jaw at the outfits people construct for the Masquerade.
- Telling Harlan Ellison stories.
- Making new friends. Reaffirming old friendships. Feeling affinity with all sf fans everywhere.
- Next day, swearing off conventions in general and drinking boilermakers in particular.
- Signing up for the next year's con before leaving.
One of the special reasons I'm looking forward to Orycon this time is my good friend Tami Vining is going to go with me when I get my nose pierced at Annala. Yes, I'm doing it. I'm going to get a stud instead of a ring as a stud is far less distracting visually. I'm elated and terrified at the same time, a combination I tend to avoid but which inevitably accompanies any major change in my life. The sensation tells me I'm doing something right.
That, or something stupid. Either way, I think I'm going to enjoy the experience. Well, not the piercing part, but the being pierced. Such a small change for such a big dividend. I can't wait.
and
How do you feel about pierced body parts?
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