Thank god.

I spent a good chunk of yesterday worrying about how I was going to pay the tuition for my last two classes. I'm supposed to get $300 for an article I wrote for a newspaper, but it's not payable until after the publication date, which is January 4, much too late to pay my tuition. Catherine has 500 Euros coming to her for an article she wrote for Marval , but it will take 6 weeks for the French check to clear, so we're not getting that until February. In this day of electronic banking, why does it take 6 weeks to cash a check--oh, excuse me, un cheque--from France?

Anyway, the good news is today I got a letter from the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association informing me that I had been awarded a scholarship to cover the tuition costs for two classes. This is probably the first time that being poor and living on the wrong side of the tracks has actually helped me out. I know me. If I had to stop taking classes, I probably just wouldn't finish, and I'm guessing it would probably be a good thing to actually have the degree on my resume, even if it's just an A.A.S. So, thank you, HAND and BUEA, this is a pretty good Christmas present.