Hey Demetz!

I don't know how things work in the US so this is just vapour but...

Can't you take a Masters while you work? In the UK there are lots of institutions that offer two year part-time Masters programs for people in full time work.

If you were working in the public sector - government or education for example - isn't it possible to negotiate help with graduate study with your employer? Again, that's common in the UK - public sector employers often offer assistance with fees for employees and give study leave and so on to help them complete their studies.

Finally, scholarships. Again, the US and the UK are different but I know at least one student of my dad's who couldn't afford graduate study. She looked for scholarships and eventually made two things work. She targeted small scholarship funds that had specific aims - in her case she found a small private trust set up to help women complete their graduate studies. But she also wrote directly to people and just straight out explained her situation, the research she was doing and why needed money. She got all her personal expenses paid by people she approached that way! Write to the guys who just endowed that big law school in California: swallow your pride and tell them that you are a gay man who wants to work in public administration where you can do some good. You have nothing to lose!

Jakob

Sorry to hear about all the stress. When doors close, others open.

I guess all I can say is keep your mind and yourself open to any options that make sense, and don't be willing to settle for something less than what will move you forward toward your goals. You may have to change your whole idea of what it is you want to do in life, in order to do what you need to do, and that is to be successful.

If you give up and settle for working in a 7-11, then all those years in school did you no good. Go after what you want and need, it will not come looking for you.

I spent 25 years making airplanes fly, with two major airlines, and the military. The job was my major goal, the money was secondary. When the jobs dried up, then reappeared at less money, my secondary goal became my primary one as it should have been all along. I now work for myself, I'm not doing what I love, but I'm doing what I need to do.........make money.

I guess all I'm trying to say is don't handcuff yourself to one thing, then throw the key away.

Sometimes a little 80 prof alignment fluid helps to get things back into perspective.

Hope the hangover wasn't bad.

Best wishes to you and Silven.

Ex.