Monday, October 12, 2009

Further Thoughts

So I looked some more into the Book Arts degree. It sounds very cool... but oh my lord, expensive. Each year (at part time) is $13,000. At four years part-time study, that equals about $52,000. I'm not sure I'm cut out for that sort of student loan. At least, not at this time in my life.

So I just looked around some more. Just for fun. San Francisco State offers a straight-up MA in English Lit. Part time for that program is about $3500 per year. That sounds a little more do-able.

I don't know if I'm going to pursue any of this, but I do know that it sounds a whole lot more fun than doing something extremely practical like social work. Don't get me wrong -- I think I'd like the MSW program, and it would be VERY practical. But I'm getting a little tired of being so practical all the time.

I'm just wondering if it might be worth the investment in myself to get a degree that I really have fun with. Like English Lit. Or Art History (SFSU has an art history degree, too). It's relatively affordable. I could do it part time. And who knows where it might lead? I like book editing. I like writing. If I look at it from the writing angle, it's possibly even applicable to my current job, where I do write, and will probably be doing a lot more writing in the future.

So there's my little dose of practicality.

All I know is that whenever I try to look at graduate programs that are "practical," I get a little tight-chest feeling. And when I look at programs that are (in my boring, practical mind) "not practical," I get this happy, confident feeling. So maybe that's what I ought to pay attention to.

I don't know. I like looking around at degrees. I know I said I wasn't going to look into school, but I LIKE school. Clearly I do want to get a graduate degree... I just don't, apparently, want to be practical about it.

Sigh.

Well, the plumber is here. He's been here since 10:30. It's now 12:50. Also, we were supposed to have the cable people out yesterday. They never showed. It was highly annoying. I'm not feeling too warm and fuzzy towards the service industry right now.

However, we ARE supposed to get a big wind and rainstorm tomorrow, which I'm very excited about. I hope it blows in tonight, when I can enjoy it. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and put on a sweater. It's the little things, right?

Oh. The plumber just said that something broke deep in the pipe, so he can't fix the sink today. He'll have to come back later. Again. Sigh.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

ugh. plumbing issues. good luck with that.

$52000 is crazy money. wow

Daphne said...

I know, right? That is just WAY too much money to pay to learn how to make a book.

Stefanie said...

Ouch, that book arts program is crazy expensive. Maybe there are classes and workshops you can take to learn how to make books that are cheaper but don't lead to a degree? As for the MA in English Lit, while you will do a lot of writing the program is not generally about learning how to write but instead on studying and thinking about literature (but be warned it is not a jovial everyone sitting around chatting about books sort of thing). An MFA will be all about writing. I'd love to do a program in art history sometime. What about that mythology degree? There's a library degree too ;) Have fun considering the possibilities and don't worry about practical, do something for yourself that you will enjoy.

Lara Starr said...

I work a show on KGO sometimes with a career counselor and one of his techniques is to have his client look at a list of jobs, and see which ones make their heart flutter - I think you just did that :)

Daphne said...

Stef: Yeah, I think that's a little too expensive for me. I'm not sure I'm into the book art thing anyway -- I'd like to do book cover design, however. I'm totally into studying and learning to think about literature. I absolutely love it. Mythology would be awesome but it's another crazy-expensive one!! At any rate, I might have to go over to SFSU and talk to some people. Actually I work with someone who is doing the Creative Writing MFA there now; I will quiz him. I think I'd do the Lit, not writing, actually. Or Art History. I have to take a closer look. It's fun to dream.

Lara: yep, pretty much.