Finding my direction

[Alternate title: fumbling around for a compass.]

I take a moment to ponder. What do I want to do? Is coding really my forte? The security sequence sounds interesting, but is it for me? SOU's master's program has assistantship money but no mentoring in the field I've become so attached to: 3d art, game creation- stuff. My corgi is cute, I hope the video will be good too, and I hope I finish it. This summer wasn't nearly as productive as I hoped it would be when it started. Time off is good, playing games is good too, but only after work has been done. But back to the subject.

Is this masters degree pursuit of a year or two going to be what I want to do, help me get to where I'd like to go? Making video games is a strange, vague, nice-sounding fantasy to me; I don't know what it's really like. Imagining is all I can do and that worries me. But it sounds better than the other stuff I've thought about pursuing. Is 'it sounds better' sufficent to choose a life-changing path?

It's time to leave the rogue valley, maybe to leave Oregon. Rather, it kinda feels like it maybe time. Time to find a city and place with learning available in person as well as from books and the web.
I found relative success in Theatre by the help and door-opening of the faculty here, by proving to them that I got it. Then proving (kinda) to those they introduced me to.

I guess I could take that success and go with it, and keep games as a hobby.

Mom and Dad say 'find a job that makes you happy and has health insurance.'

I'm inclined to be quiet, stationary, an introvert. Sometime I feel the need to break out of that shell, then I go back in for a stretch. It takes a lot of hermiting to build up the break-out energy.

A data point that is solid is the joy of a progressing, well done model. I haven't done many but they've been fun.

Project idea: find an excuse to make something in Zbrush. Just play with it. Maybe make a squirrel for the 2d game Idea, or just make a thingy.

And I ought to exercise more. And Draw too. And scan and post the drawings.

Ok, moving on. This is the part where I make a to-do list for the near and long term, of which I'll follow a little then get distracted playing Braid or something.
-Finish book work like I should have at the start of the summer.
-Finish the puppy, and try Rigging then lighting.
-Maybe ask someone if they'd let me play with their models to do lighting...
-Hike/run.
-Draw.
-Find myself and my center.

-This term, Schedule out and stick to a work schedule. Drop one of the classes if need be. Try them first though.
-Talk to Pete about System Analysis and if it really is worth the time/money to me.
-Stretch.

And here are some websites to look at more:
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/

http://www.gamasutra.com/