Okay, so maybe thinking I would not be here soon was a little early, but I'm sure the day will come.

I started reviewing the syllabus for the ESL class and apparently the professor will return your paper if there are more than three punctuation or grammar mistakes. He does not tolerate tardiness of any kind. If you are late by 15 minutes to his class, he will count that against you and it is part of your grade. Of course, he was not there on the first day of class for an emergency, so I think he's liable to be graded himself. I thought I might drop his class because he seemed like a bit of a nazi, but then I started checking things through and the class is required for an ESL endorsement. I'm not likely to make tons of diction or punctuation mistakes, but I supposed it's possible. I was late to his first class to discover that indeed class was cancelled, though. I just had had problems getting out the door. I need to leave no later than noon for that class, just in case.

I figure, if I am going to get the ESL endorsement here, then I am stuck taking some of my coursework from him, so I better get used to him. *sigh*

I am so excited to do this. I am worried about the coursework I blew off indiscriminately at the UC 12 years ago. I had expected I would be dropped from all my classes and instead, they expected me to drop all my classes, my damned self. So I definitely have less than a 3.0 average. Yikes! The Uni here said I shouldn't worry, but of course, me being me, I am worrying profusely about it.

Of course, midway through all this, I am applying for scholarships. I keep reviewing the tax return and my finances and there is no doubt about it, we made way too much money last year and I am seriously doubting I am going to get any money given to me if financial need is a criterion. We could just really use the extra boost because we want to buy our house this summer. I could instead take some of Mike's stock option money and pay for grad school that way, but I'd rather buy a house! If I have to make that monthly payment regardless, it would be nice to be able to get credit for it!

On the house buying front, the houses are starting to look very Californian in prices around here. There's a town about a 45 minute drive from Mike's job that has cheap housing, but then it would be a 45 minute drive for him. We really want to live here, but the challenge is going to be a house large enough for our interests that is cheap enough for our budget. I saw an icky manufactured house with all of 1100 sq. feet on 1.3 acres that was $170K. For the same amount in this other town, we could get a brand new 1700 sq. foot house on an acre with really nice fixtures. I saw a slightly run down ranch house on just shy of an acre and they wanted $205K, just down the road from us. It was pretty damned depressing. I talked to the bank and they said that we shouldn't plan to buy anything over $200K and we need to have at least 5%. Mike may have a commute if we buy, that's all.

On the plus (maybe minus) front, I'm starting to lose weight again. I had put some of that winter poundage on, but I've been walking more and eating carefully and I can feel the difference. And in 10 short days, I start the Iditawalk again! Oh, to fit back in my clothes.

And I am giving up the illusion that I will be in a size 10, so I'm selling or donating all the clothes I have, which I have used to berate myself for gaining weight over the years. I'm sick of feeling lousy about myself for no good reason, and lord knows I could use the space. I will lose the weight I am supposed to in God's time and in the interim, I can give myself a damned break.