GI Bill money. I need to use it or lose it.

DieselDave

Super Moderator,
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
2,703
Location
FL panhandle
I paid $1,200 when I left the military for $12,000 of tuition (GI Bill). I have 3 years left to use the money and so far I have used $0.00 of it. I am at work over 60 hours a week. Most days I leave for work at eight and get home at eight and on Sat. it's 8-6. I have a bachelors in education already. I have no desire to get a masters for the sake of getting a masters. It needs to be something interesting and challenging. It would probably need to be something on-line. I am into technology (who isn't) aviation and computers. At this point I wish I had kept my $1,200 because I have seen nothing I am willing to stay up until midnight to work on.

Any suggestions?

I'm betting someone here has the answer. Our collective mind is all knowing.

Thanks,
DD
 

Badbeams3

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 28, 2000
Messages
4,389
Well, what would you like to be able to do. If it were me I might learn to fly...just for fun. If I could take several things...how about realestate...get a realitor/abroker liecences. Then you could fly around looking for well placed land for investments in your spare time...get rich...and buy more lights. Learning to fly a helicopter would be cool for this. My goal would be to not have to work so hard...not so many hours. Thats just not much of a life.

Of course, what I really should do is just learn to speel.
 

Greta

Flashaholic
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
Messages
15,999
Location
Arizona
Dave... I'm so disappointed in you... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif ... And the rest of you too! You call yourselves flashaholics?!?!

The obvious answer is to get the $1200 back and buy flashlights!! DUH!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
 

Minjin

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 21, 2002
Messages
1,237
Location
Central PA
I have to get moving and do the same thing. I have 30k from the Navy College Fund sitting still and waiting for me to collect it. Perhaps its time to quit my job and try out the full-time student thing again.

Mark
 

DieselDave

Super Moderator,
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
2,703
Location
FL panhandle
You guys came up with most of the same ideas I have, except for the ukulele which I will ponder. I wish I could get my money back but I don't believe that's an option. In the old days you could use it for flying lessons but they stopped that.
 

avusblue

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 26, 2002
Messages
699
Location
Saint Paul, Minnesota
If I had this "problem", I'd set out to learn a practical and fun craft like welding, auto body, carpentry, electrical, or mechanics. Your local community college / vocational school won't be super expensive. But it sounds like the bigger hurdle is finding the time . . .
 

DieselDave

Super Moderator,
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
2,703
Location
FL panhandle
You are correct. My free time is after 8PM and before 7AM. I use the term, "free time" loosely. My wife would say my free time is 11PM to 7AM because from 8PM until 11PM I am subject to her request and that usually involves kids and chores.
 

keithhr

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 21, 2003
Messages
1,388
Location
bay area California
Dave, sorry you have this problem. I wouldn't kill myself trying to make a decision you don't really have to make. Just be glad you didn't sign a promissory note to pay someone $1200 and now is the payoff time. We all make decisions we regret but it is all water under the bridge so to speak. Don't compound the problem by stressing yourself out trying to not lose the investment you made. It would be more damaging to you to obligate yourself to some grueling schedule that made you miserable.
 

Icebreak

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 14, 2002
Messages
4,998
Location
by the river
Dave -

I think you know a very good answer to what you might like to do in your spare time. Maybe it will just take a couple of your buds to nudge you a little. Without regard to the $1200.00 hundred dollars, I'm sure I know of something you could do that would be useful and enjoyable. Just the doing of it would be educational. You can do it when you please. You may say you don't have the level of skill that it would take but I know better.

There musicians and singers out there with marginal skills but they are good at projecting a feeling and so they do pretty darn well in that line of work.

It has been suggested to you by many others before.

Write that book.

Maybe you could thread together all those short stories you have in a theme or plot.

Maybe you'll only sell one copy (to me) but I'll bet you'll learn a lot and have fun doing it.

Maybe you'll surprise many people, including yourself, and make the best sellers list.
 

DieselDave

Super Moderator,
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
2,703
Location
FL panhandle
Thanks guys, that's pumps me up! I am actually making headway on the book. I just checked and I'm at 12,571 words. I would gauge it at about 40 pages which is far and away more than I have ever done. I have found I make good headway if I will just write a little every night or every other night. If I lay off a week it's tough because I find I need to read the whole thing to get myself back into gear, which takes about 30+ minutes.

Since this is my thread let me stay off topic for a minute.

I went to a change of command last week. A good friend of mine is taking over as Marine Aviation Training Support Group C.O. At the reception I was shocked and thrilled to see the most decorated Marine aviator (retired). He has been retired for about 8 years and lives in North Carolina. This is significant because he is the star of my book. I changed his name a little but it's him in every way. I was lucky to first meet him as a flight student when I was assigned as his driver when he came to speak at a graduation. Super nice guy, took me under his wing and we had a couple of beers together before going to the winging, just him and I , a second Lt. and a bird Col..
I was later stationed at Cherry Point with him and ohhh the stories. This guy is a wild man. He was an enlisted grunt in Korea. Got a commission, flew a zillion combat missions in Vietnam. Flew a bunch of combat missions in Desert Storm even though he was permanently grounded because of 3 ejections. That's ones a great and amazing story all by itself!

Back to my story
I went up to him and started to tell him about the book and the plot when he stopped me and told me a story. He had called a Marine 3 star (names not mentioned on purpose but another great guy and he's in the book as well) and pitched my exact plot 2 months prior. He wasn't pitching it for a book; he really wanted to do it! I was floored because it's a way out there idea and I couldn't imagine anyone really considering it. I started laughing and told him that was my story. He is a great American. He served over 40 years in the Corps and is just as big a wild man now as he was back then.
 

Wolfen

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Messages
1,363
Location
Midwest
There you go, use your money to enroll in internet writing workshops. Even if you pick up a just couple of techniques or ideas that get you through the tough spots it, will be well worth it.
 
Top