And Isn't It Ironic...Don't You Think?

The Army cracks me up...Well, actually it drives me crazy. This morning I found out that I was picked up for promotion to SGT. Cool. Awesome. I'm happy. However, this afternoon I found out that I can't extend to meet my DEROS, which is when my tour in Japan is up. March of '07. My ETS, which is when my Army contract is up, is June '06. So, I would have to extend my contract for like nine months. However, I am in my reenlistment window, which means I can't extend, I either have to get out or reenlist. The shortest reenlistment option is two years. Now, I was supposed to do all of my extending and everything before I even left Germany, however this is where it gets foggy. I was flagged for weight, which meant I couldn't extend. So, I got sent to Japan with my ETS still being June of '06. If I had extended as soon as I wasn't flagged anymore I would be fine also, but then they decided to make the reenlistment window two years out from ETS instead of one year which is the usual case. So, now I have this predicament. You know, I say at least once every day to myself, "I should have listened to my mother." And in this case it is totally more than true. (BTW, stop by and check my mother's blog. The link is at the bottom of the page. *PROMO* PROMO* lol!) Anyway, I'm retarded and I haven't saved any money. Zero. Seriously, I know, I'm dumb. And now I have this college/interior design fire lit under my ass. This is my predicament: I just decided what my next move in life was going to be. I was going to start saving, now that I knew what I was saving for. I was going to get out in March, move to Chicago, get an apartment with my brother, get a job, settle down for about six months, get back in the civilian mind, and start school in the fall. Right now there is a year and a half/ two years before any of this happens. If I get out in June that's eight months too early. I don't have enough money saved up, and I only have two months to get settled for school. It's a lot of rushing, but it could still work. If I reenlist for two years, I get out of the army in OCT '07. I have lots more time to save money, but I wouldn't start design school until the spring of '08, almost three years from now and by that time I'm afraid I'll loose interest and have the army swallow me up and there go all my high speed plans and dreams. I have to really decide soon. I don't know what to do. My plans are all fucked up at this point. That's what is ironic about all this...At one point the Army says, "Guess what. We think you're cool. We think you're it. Tell you what, we're going to promote you for a job well done." Then the next their saying, "So, yeah we think you're cool, but that's about it. You still belong to us and we're gonna fuck up every plan you make." My mom is right, there is no point is making plans because it never works out the way you hoped. You can make the best, but are you ever really happy?