Boston

I know I've said I'm going to be moving to a lot of different places over the years- Berkeley and Greece just to name a few- but this time it seems relatively likely.  I can tell this is the most real so far because honestly, I feel more scared that its true than I have of any of those other "false alarm" moving threats.  Boston, Massachusetts.  I officially was accepted last Tuesday to one out of the seven graduate programs I applied to for admission in Fall 09, and the school is in North Boston.  This meant little more to me than the pure bliss of someone using the word "acceptance" in reference to you  and all your damned hard work (actually, some jumping up and down and  yelping in the parking lot at work did take place), until I realized that both of the schools I really have my heart set on are in Boston.  Boston in that moment became a reality.  So, I did the typical Nancy thing and rode straight over to B&N to purchase a city map.  This only made me more freaked out as I realized that this fabled town really must exist, otherwise why would someone go to all the trouble to make up such ridiculously pretentious street names such as "Cambridge street" or even worse "Bliney Street"?  This puts forth a dilemma.  I pretend to be all tough and disillusioned like everyone else in Redding.  But when I actually come down to it, leaving the West coast (any part of the West coast- no matter how tortuously lame) to move to New England really is scary.  That's a whole different culture out there as far as I can tell from my limited exposure.  Anyway, I went home after the fatal map purchase and wrote down exactly how I was feeling right then and there- no fluff.  Scared and uncertain.  But then a beautiful thing happened.  As I wrote, my heart began to take on a new attitude.  I WANT to do difficult things in my life.  I want (in a way) to be stretched as far as I can be- to learn as much as I can from each day and each experience.  I really think God created some people to stay where they are their whole lives and make an impact there, but that has clearly not been his path for me seeing as I am obsessed with travel and shriveling up living in Redding for want of getting out.  Moving to Boston will be difficult and I really need to respect that.  But, I will go with this newly revived sense of desire and courage.  In other words, let the New England affliction begin, surely its worth it?