Good God,
y'all!
I write from Denton, Texas, where my beloved Sam and I are slowly baking to death in some of the HOTTEST ever-lovin' heat I've ever experienced.
We're here because Sam was accepted to University of North Texas' doctoral program for mathematics a couple of weeks ago, and he has to go through orientation and we have to find an apartment and all manner of other things.
Of course, Sam's funding has yet to come through, and UNT requires payment up front for tuition and all that fun stuff. And registration is over on Friday, and we've yet to see the loan be approved or disapproved.
Sam was offered a teaching fellowship at the same time that he was accepted to UNT. It would have paid about $10K a year, and he would have been required to work twenty hours a week in the math lab, as well as having to grade two math courses each semester. He accepted the offer.
Then over this past weekend, UNT made him a better offer. He will be a 'doctoral fellow', which apparently carries more prestige, no math tutoring or class grading at all, just a twelve hour course load and excellent grades. And for doing what he already does so well, they'll pay him $20,000 a year in twelve monthly increments of about $1,600 each. Combined with our Social Security income of $840 a month and with three bedroom apartments to be found at less than $800 a month with all utilities included, we'll be sitting pretty for the first time in a year. Hell, we might even be able to afford to gas up the van!
Obviously he said "Thanks but no thanks!" to the original offer and gladly accepted the second offer.
Downside is that I have had to quit my brand new shiny job as it is in San Antonio and I am not. Ah well.
According to the University of Texas at San Antonio website, Sam isn't being allowed to graduate with his master's degree because he had to apply for graduation by end of May. How the hell does one apply for graduation by May 31 when one is still attending classes through the summer? There shall be bitching and moaning on the phone today, I tell you.
If we don't hear back from the student loan people by tomorrow, Sam's dickhead of a father will be lending Sam the money needed to register. This gives that old bastard another club to swing over Sam's head. Joy. But the loan is pretty much a given, so we can pay the old fuck back fairly quick.
In other news, I'm back. Did you miss me?