Just found out that I won't have to transfer my lease - it's up at the end of February! Talk about perfect timing :) Obviously, there are LOTS of details I have to work out for moving and obviously I'm taking a major leap of faith in moving without being accepted to the school yet. However, I feel so strongly that this is the place for me I don't think I could *not* move - whether or not I get into the program. I'm sure I'll find work and I can live cheaply if I have to LOL

Wow. This decision just seems so right and it feels like things are going to kick into high gear pretty soon. I'm not sure what's going to happen with my current contract but I'll probably be outta here sometime in December. It would be *really* cool if they'd let me stay through the end of January - that way I'd be getting paid until I am ready to move. However, it's possible I can get temporary unemployment so I may go that route.

Here's some of the stuff I need to take care of:

Portland

• Place to live (very close to campus)


• Employment (could be full/part time/contract)


• Utilities (including high speed internet access)

Here

• Moving company


• Arrangements to have car & bike shipped (maybe via a train that I can take also?)


• Move my cat to his new home


• Packing (decide what goes and what stays. Get LOTS of boxes)


• Storage facility (need something decent as my darkroom equipment will stay here for now. Also - need to label boxes carefully & map out the storage area in case I need to have something shipped to me)


• Tell my family

School

• 4 Transcripts from all previous schools


• Letters of recommendation (three for my program application and three for the mentorship application)


• Write two personal letters: One for the program director and one for the mentorship director


• Decide which piece of academic writing to include (should I also include my self published book?)


• Contact the foreign language dept & find out where my two semesters of japanese puts me towards the language requirements for an MA