I got my official student loan bill. It's 72,000 but with interest it's like $87,000 as long as I pay $709.00 per month till 2016! That is so much money considering the top pay I could get as a non-tenured professor would be about $45,000 and there is about a 0.04% chance of that happening in Buffalo seeing as UB would never hire me as a I am a former student and Canisius didn't work out.
I guess it's time to start forgetting about everything I learned and begin something new. Or maybe it is time I make like (e:southernyankee), (e:ajay), (e:haikuster), (e:hodown), (e:codypomeray) or the other who I am forgetting that have moved away and found good jobs.
Considering I make $27,000 per year working two jobs, it might not work out so well to stay here. I really want some stability before I turn 30. Like health insurance and a job with longterm upwards mobility. I knew I should have stuck with biology or that I should have never gotten that MFA. That was the worst suggestion I ever followed. I really should have thought about the city more and what possible applications that type of training could offer me.
I don't want to work out at a bank! They seem to be the only people that consistently contact me about jobs. For christ's sake I worked at HSBC when I was much younger and I hated being in that corporate environment, that is why I went to college, so I wouldn't have to be there. At least I have this house to rent out.
I really should have gone to ECC for some sort of technical training instead of the useless liberal arts education I ended up with. For some reason I never even saw that as an option. I remember until I was in Germany studying Germanic Language and Literature, I had no concept of studying a trade. There I met lots of people that made that choice at around 6th grade. I wish it was at least presented to me as an option. Somehow, my teachers along the way always made it seem like that was failing, which now I see it is not. I guess it's not too late to switch but now I owe like $90,000.
Then I could just be a professional handy man and rent out houses. If you are 18 and reading this please learn from my error and think long and hard before you go in the direction of liberal arts.
Paul's Journal
My Podcast Link
08/09/2005 19:51 #32162
Student LoansCategory: school
08/09/2005 16:43 #32161
hello my name is mr. electricianCategory: renting
I was supposed to edit my thesis and once again a million things came up. I had to work on the electricity to set up the motion detector light for my tenants. It was a nice alternative to programming, although programming electricity is still my favorite. It also made me consider being an electrician or sommething similar that this blue collar city needs.
Bare Wires
It Works!
Bare Wires
It Works!
08/08/2005 17:38 #32160
Long Lost Cousin and Baby PeepsCategory: peeptalk
I was at my mother's today after her cousin's funeral and she had found this picture of one of her cousin's that resembles (e:matthew) when he was younger. He does kind of look like him.
I also found baby peeps. Has anyone else had baby peeps before? I think you all probably know how big a fan (e:twisted) and I are from journals gone past. I think the babies are even cuter than the grown peeps and I am sure they are even easier to manufacture.
I also found baby peeps. Has anyone else had baby peeps before? I think you all probably know how big a fan (e:twisted) and I are from journals gone past. I think the babies are even cuter than the grown peeps and I am sure they are even easier to manufacture.
08/08/2005 11:33 #32159
the car's breaksCategory: nfta
Our car is having some serious problem where it sounds like I am dragging Darth Vader underneith it. I assume it's the rotors because it happens when we break, yet at the same time it started all of a sudden and I feel like other times, in other car's I owned, that the breaks went slowly.
I took it to C and K Car Care on Amherst Street between Main and Colvin.
C & K Car Care
1600 Amherst Street, Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 837-7324
(MAP TO: 1600 AMHERST STREET) (Why does no one else us the google map, wikipedia, wiktionary, estrip, or google tags?)
It's a friend of my dad's place, so I trust them with the car. On the way back I had to take the subway.
I's totally empty down here and they have classical music playing loudly over the speakers. It's almost creepy without a lot of people.
I also get no cell phone service underground, which I remember from commuting back and forth from UB to Canisius. Thesis editing has been postponed again. First the car problem and then a funeral for a distant cousin. Then picking up the rent check. After today I am saying no to everybody for everything they ask till it is done.
After West Delevan a lot more people got on, maybe I was just in the dead zone.
I took it to C and K Car Care on Amherst Street between Main and Colvin.
C & K Car Care
1600 Amherst Street, Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 837-7324
(MAP TO: 1600 AMHERST STREET) (Why does no one else us the google map, wikipedia, wiktionary, estrip, or google tags?)
It's a friend of my dad's place, so I trust them with the car. On the way back I had to take the subway.
I's totally empty down here and they have classical music playing loudly over the speakers. It's almost creepy without a lot of people.
I also get no cell phone service underground, which I remember from commuting back and forth from UB to Canisius. Thesis editing has been postponed again. First the car problem and then a funeral for a distant cousin. Then picking up the rent check. After today I am saying no to everybody for everything they ask till it is done.
After West Delevan a lot more people got on, maybe I was just in the dead zone.
08/08/2005 09:09 #32158
devil's holeCategory: hiking
So after the long traffic jam we made it to Devil's Hole. You might ask, "What is the story behind Devil's Hole?" I found some info here
It was hot and we brought only a tiny bit of water but it was still fun. For anyone that hasn't been there I would suggest checking it out. It is off the 104 between the rainbow bridge and the Niagara Power project. There are two sets of stairs.
One set next to the parking lot and one further down the trail to come back. You can go right down to the water, close enough to touch it.
Right next to it is Whirlpool Gorge Park which is also pretty but much less rugged. I post some good links when I get back. Here are some images from that park.
I did declined some offers, It just that I went to school at 6 universities, two of which were in Europe. I am not like your traditional artist that expects to create aesthetic art for a living, I mean I have crazy computer skills, just matching them up with a a good job in buffalo is so hard.
um okay... I hate Mac laptops... anyhow continuing... thats why alot of Buffalo art students make their rotations as a barista. Some degrees come with a preset career situation. Bringing home the bacon is #1 these days, and people have to decide what the best money/job likeability factor they can deal with. Nobody I know loves their job... its just a way of making money so that you can do the things you enjoy for yourself.
Didn't you just decline an offer? Sheesh. In general I agree with you - if a new student is considering a liberal arts education because its "what they love" then they better be prepared to not have a career. Its incredibly cliche, but there is a reason why most art students in Buffalo
I can't speak for the educational system here in the US, but your neighbours to the "north" don't suggest trades for any student above a certain intelligence. If any student was eligible to take "advanced" anything in any course and not standard or basics, they were strongly DISCOURAGED to study a trade come high school age. We were all supposed to be University bound if we could get more than 50% in maths! So might i suggst you were encouraged to study a trade because everyone thought you could succeed elsewhere? Don't be discouraged! The right vocation witht he right pay and benefits WILL come your way!
I know this sounds like a crazzy Idea but you might want to look into it. As long as you are a full time student you don't have to pay your loans back. How many credit hours you need to have I don't know. But it might be cheeper to stay in school for the rest of your life. I know you really can't do that. Damm that is a lot in school loans that is about 3 times how much I pay a month. I wish you luck.
Paul Larry rented out houses in buffalo- dont go down that road!!!