down on my luck, caught unaware like houdini when the last fist struck

Today began the last semester of my graduate school experience, in less than five months I'll have an MSW and hopefully have some sort of meaningful employment. I already feel better about this semester. I have friends in my classes, and the material seems genuinely interesting ... I know I say that every semester. Today was a good day, but marred by some financial crises. My student loan money, while applied to my account has not come through. The bursar's office claims to have mailed it on the 9th, which makes me nervous. The past checks have come eerily quickly, like I'll get the e-mail and then the check within 24 hours. I've never been one to balance my check book meticulously, but I usually have a pretty good grasp on things ... We'll with my landlord holding my rent check for about two weeks, paying for plane tickets/hotel reservations for my cousin's wedding, doctor bills (why aren't lab fees a covered service? we can pay to treat illness but not to test for it?), car insurance payment (why did I opt for bi-annual billing?), I didn't do the math and now I'm tits up until at least next Thursday when I get paid. I have to wait at least 14 days before the bursar will even investigate my check. And so, even though I've been praised for being mature and responsible my entire life, even though I'll be effing 26 in March, I had to suck it up and borrow money from my parents so I don't bounce checks. Now, my parent's (my mom especially) are not stingy. If I borrow money, they don't make me establish exactly when and how I will pay it back. My mom used to give me cash in college when she would visit. I would try to tell her I didn't need it and she would hold the bill and say "If you don't take it, I'll throw it on the ground," and I'd none too grudgingly accept it. So it was not a problem to get the money, but it made me feel useless and hopeless. I am so afraid of managing my student loan payments on an entry-level social worker salary. 

To distract from my troubles I am finishing my journey through the four seasons of Lost, to be up to speed for the premiere of the fifth series. Watching on dvd has been such a better experience than previously. I can fully appreciate how detailed, rich and human this story is on so many levels (the damn montage's get me every time). I'm glad Rob convinced me to give it a second chance. Looking forward to learning about Claire's fate (and Jin's), and I guess I'll suck it up for all the time travel in store for this series.