Unexpected twists and turns.

Sorry to be consumed by graduate school, but it is my next step in life- and I don't know where I am stepping yet!

I mentioned recently that a prospective advisor at a big, fancy school had asked me during a phone interview what I wanted to do.  And I kind of stammered out a lame response.  So, of course, I thought it through.  I have thought this through before, but in the midst of everything one must do to apply and be competitive for a graduate program, I think I lost my initial focus.  At least, I forgot to think about it.

So, I thought about it again.  I want to work with pelagic fish, if at all possible.  These are fish that live offshore.

Remembering this I search again for prospective mentors doing pelagic research.  I find a few.  I email them.  I wait.

...

Lo and behold, I get a response today, a good one.  About as good of one as can be imagined.  The school is not a big, fancy school, but it is in the South.  And, I see myself there.  I feel myself there.  I kind of feel a weight off my shoulders, as if I am going to go there.

Now, I have no factual evidence to back this feeling up.  No reason or anything else tangible, just a feeling of *sigh*, and shoulders drop, and smile.  And maybe a small tear in an eye, or two.

It might be the one I want, even over the other big, fancy schools.  I see and feel myself there, surely that means something?  We shall see. Choosing this is comfortable, and that makes me feel like a cop out.  No grand adventure, besides the grand adventure of life.  No new place.  No out of comfort zone.  I would be so comfortable here- it's almost home already.  It is a bit over an hour from my heart's home (New Orleans).

So, this is my new dilemma.  New vs. comfort.  Unobtainable & fancy vs. within grasp & within reason.

Ultimately, one must go with their gut.  My gut currently wants to be in the South, but I am going to give equal consideration to all my options.

Or, I will try to anyway.  :)