So I made a few calls and talked to a few people, and it's looking like - no final estimates received just yet - I'll be able to ship my piano, the loveseat and all the boxes home for significantly less than what it would have cost me to install a hitch on my car, rent the trailer and pay to have the piano moved.

This is good news on so many levels, not the least of which is the fact that I don't have to part with my wonderful loveseat! Hooray! I will still be selling the piano, but there is good news there too: I'll get about 60% of what I paid for it by selling it back to the place where I bought it. Not ideal, obviously, but much better than the way things were looking just a few weeks ago.

In other news...
I finally had a bit of time yesterday to do some digging through the course catalog from the University I graduated from lo, these many years ago. The unfortunate part of my education the last time around is that I didn't fully explore the other fields I was interested in. Because I was in the University Honors Program, I was able to take a reduced number of 'university requirement' classes and finish my degree more quickly. This may seem like a good thing and in many ways it was, but when it all comes down to it, the classes I took through the Honors department weren't really of great interest to me and I stayed in the program to make it easier for me to focus on my music degree. At the time, I wasn't interested in taking other classes, really, and now I'm living to regret that.

So my plan now is to take the next year or so to explore a couple different areas of study, figure out what I'm interested in and determine the direction I want to go. I've looked into degrees in Information Systems (through the School of Business Administration), Computer Science and web design, and will be taking classes in those arenas. In addition, the school offers a minor and two masters degree programs in writing and I plan to take a number of those classes as well.

Unfortunately, though, before I can take some of the IS classes I'm really interested in I'll be mired in pre-requisites for a couple terms. This stinks, especially because I'm going to end up taking courses like, "Business Communications Using Technology." The description:

Provides students with the tools that are needed to collect, organize and present information in a business environment. Students will learn how to use the library and Internet resources to collect information. Word processing, spreadsheet and graphics applications will be used to organize and present business information. Students will be introduced to business report writing, developing and delivering a persuasive presentation, and electronic mail methods for team-based communication.

Um, yeah. Cuz I don't know how to do any of those things. My 6+ years experience in the business world has taught me NOTHING about presenting information using technology. I will look into getting the class waived but, if not, at least I should be able to get it out of the way easily.

The way it's looking, I will be taking two basic business classes and a writing class this term - and possibly will audit a math class that's a pre-req for Calculus - plus a web design class offered through the Art Institute Online. The CS class I wanted to take was offered at a time that conflicts with a couple of the business classes, so I'll look into taking that next term. Sadly, the fiction writing class I really wanted to take was full, so instead I'm taking a pre-req for several of the other writing classes I'm interested in.

So things are coming together. Now I just need to find me a job that is flexible enough to accomodate my school schedule. I may have a waitressing job lined up, and if not? Perhaps I can be a nanny. Because, you know, I love children. :-P