$$$!!!$$$!!!$$$!!!$$$!!!$$$!!!$$$

A very obtusely worded e-mail arrived in my inbox today and from it I slowly deduced the news that I have won a grant for my dissertation research next year from the National Science Foundation. It is less money than the Fulbright but more social capital, and y'all know how I prize social capital over shekels any old day. 

HOORAY! I HAVE BEEN FUNDED!!! 

ADDENDUM:

On Monday I received word that I have also been granted a Fulbright. The news continues to be excellent though as a friend recently noted, if ATM machines start suddenly spitting out cash at me as I walk by I might start to wonder if that deal with the devil that I made didn't work a little too well.