La Jolla?

Well, I've been thinking a lot about the possibility of moving to La Jolla for the next few years (or longer) to attend UC San Diego's MFA program in Creative Writing.  It is a wonderful opportunity, as they will cover my tuition in return for me TA'ing.  Which is a real win-win, because I need teaching experience.  Upon graduating, I'd be pretty set to teach at a community college, the lower division at a university, or any creative writing classes at a university level.

La Jolla looks really nice.  Even the Catholic Church there is beautiful-- it is called "Mary, Star of the Sea."  Here is a picture (click on it to go to their photo gallery and see just how gorgeous the building is, in addition to the church's amazingly poetic name):

Furthermore, La Jolla is supposed to be beautiful, sunny, and full of culture as a whole.  Of course, you might say that any place is full of culture. ... I suppose what I meant to say is that there is an active literary arts scene, a number of diverse museums, cultural centers galore, and, well, the ocean.  Plus, UC San Diego is a Space Grant college, which means they've contributed significant resources to the advancement of space research.  Cool much?

So really, what isn't wonderful about living in a lovely, seaside, sunny town writing poetry, teaching, and philosophizing for two years without paying any tuition for it?

Well, let me tell you.  I don't want to leave my niece and future niece/nephew!  I feel like it is harsh not to mention the rest of my family, so I will say that I would be sad to leave them as well, but they aren't going to forget me!  I want to be part of my babies' lives!

Ugh.  Well, best not to worry until I hear back from the rest of the programs-- 9 more left!  I have receiver four denials so far (UCSD Literature PhD, U Oregon Comp Lit, UC Davis Cultural Studies, UW Geography) and two admittances (UCSD MFA, CalArts MFA).  Wish me luck- even though I don't know what that would look like!