Law School First Year Books & Expenses

Hello Friends!!

It's been a long journey, and it's getting longer. In less than three years I've gone from divorced, broke, couch-surfing and unemployed to earning a masters degree on a full-ride scholarship, writing a thesis so influential as to garner both publishing and public speaking invitations, and entrance to law school with a massive scholarship and the support of some of the university's most influential people. And still (now happily) divorced.

But achievement is expensive, even with my scholarship, and I'm doing it all on my own. The school prohibits working more than 20 hours a week during law school year one (L1), and the workload may prove even more prohibitive than that. Scholarships, loans, and what working hours I can reasonably sustain will be enough to live, if frugally, and I'm willing to accept austerity. It's not the first time, after all.

I've created this GoFundMe hoping to find help offsetting some of the expenses associated with starting law school. Specifically, books for the first semester total about $1500, and my computer, faithful as it has been, has reached its tenth birthday, has developed a disturbingly emphysemic groaning as it processes, and has entered that phase of digital dementia in which it no longer has sufficient memory to accept updates to windows. The poor dear has put her time in and deserves a break. In other words, I very badly need a new computer.

I hate asking for money, from anyone, at any time, for any reason, a hatred which I really must learn to mitigate if I'm to succeed in so mercenary a profession. I harbor no expectation that this fund will meet or exceed its stated goal (which, I think, I set at $3000 -- $1500 for books, $1000 for a computer, and $500 for related supplies and to offset GoFundMe's pound of flesh) but every little bit helps. I will judge no one for not contributing, of course -- I know better than most how hard these times have become -- and already I extend my gratitude and admiration for all the emotional support and encouragement I have received from the very many amazing people who populate my life and brought me back from the brink. Still, both Karma and I agree that money is nice, too, and will be tremendously helpful in moving me forward through one of the most rigorous of scholarly pursuits.

As I am, as ever, waxing verbose, I will leave it there, though I welcome any questions or comments and will gladly (and loquaciously) expand on my intended legal path if prompted. That said...

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE HELP ME PAY FOR LAW SCHOOL!!!!!!

(after all, what family/friend group doesn't want a lawyer handy??)

With love,

Josh