I have serious thoughts and ideas about going back to college for a degree in copyright law.

I have NO completed degree at this point in my life even though I do have about 5 years of studies from on again/off again attempts when I was younger. I probably can get my G.I. Bill to cough up some bucks and maybe get the Pell Grant (does it still exist?) to help off-set some of the costs.

I am serious. I want to fight the GOOD fight from OUR perspective. I plan to become a champion for the independent musician and consumer who has NEVER had a voice in the debate over our issues.

PLEASE tell me if I would just be wasting energy/barking up the wrong tree. We have blogging and the Internet now. Would I be smarter to just focus my devotion HERE and forget getting suckered into more DEBT via even MORE student loans??? (I still owe $40,000 that I can't afford from my last higher-ed attempt.)

But I really want to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALL!

Being a long time regular here, and then becoming an admin/mod for this site/community has taught me that I really care about our agenda.

Give me your input on what I should do. (Don't worry, as long as leflaw and Dmusic will have me, I will CONTINUE being the best admin/mod/advocate of our issues that I possibly can.)

I will be 38 yrs old on June 18th

Education is never wasted, Shmoo. And your age has nothing to do with it. Most of us just have so many other things going on in our lives by now that it is very hard to wear one more hat. If your most significant others can be supportive, I would say go for it. But hurry--it gets more expensive every time Congress passes another bill!

Shmoo,
I guess I remember what my mom told me about college - it's not so much the destination as it is about the journey. I would dare say I learned more about life and the human condition outside of classes than inside. As far as applicability in the world, a degreed person can sound / look / appear to be more legitimate, so if I were you, I would definitely go back to school! It goes well on the resume too

I agree with ShadowMom. Education is NEVER wasted. The only thing that ends up wasted it time. I regret that I waited until I was 35 to finish my education I had started right out of High School. I returned, and in 3 years had my Associates and Bachelor's degree.

Of course, doing so generated some pretty large student loans. To forego the repayment of these, I continued my education, eventually getting my Masters Degree 4 years later. My only regret is that I waited too long to finish my journey. And it cost me lots of jobs and money that I could have had or made, but didn't because I didn't have a degree.

Getting an education in what you love or desire to do can be extremely rewarding. I say go for it, and continue to fight for "the independent musician and consumer who has NEVER had a voice in the debate over our issues."

Mike:
At least you'll have good company. I'm heading to law school this fall and I'm 40. Gotta go part time, need to keep the job for now. Should take 5 years or so. I compared my prospects with where I'd be in 5 years at my present job, and being a lawyer won out. Been 10 years since my BS, and my brain needs the workout.

In 5 years, the RIAA will probably still be suing customers....we'll look for you to stand up for them.

Go for it shmoo what have you got to loose??????? You only fail when you don't TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I can get the grants and the GI Bill to still kick in to help the costs I will GO FOR IT!