Santa Cruz

I dig Santa Cruz. I got to town around noon, got completely turned around because (like any good California city), the streets turn the wrong way and into one-way right when one least needs them to. But the breeze was blowing right and people smiled as they pedaled past me..... a good sign.

I toured UCSC today, which took a few hours because the campus is HUGE. I'm amazed because the acreage is twice that of Chico State's, yet the student population is slightly less. Hmmmm. Might explain Chico. I was shuttled past the Anthropology department, but now at least know what direction to look when I want to find the social sciences. Also, I was the only grad student on this tour, and I get the feeling that this will be a recurring theme. So I happen to know that UCSC's undergrad student housing is SWEET. And that there are only 1400 grad students there, and that I should really ask someone else if I want to know what's up with them. Ah well.

Santa Cruz itself is a pretty decent place... reeks of pot smoke and salty sea air. Ritzy shops along Pacific Avenue (that I had no business shopping in yet bought a tutu anyway and rocked it down to the beach -- pics to follow) and open air cafes that obviously partially employed folks seemed to enjoy sitting at. I maneuvered my way down to the infamous Santa Cruz boardwalk, which was contentedly closed for the fall. It was actually really nice, a stroll along the beach and through the empty, shuttered arcade games, sans people. I like the atmosphere, but it all feels a little bit.... I don't know. Disposable income in a small town plus an idyllic environment. Too good to be true?

Great program (Cultural Anthropology PhD plus a sojourn in the Digial and Media Arts Department plus HAVOC, the History of Art and Visual/Oral Communications), pretty cool school, although its in the middle of nowhere. Kinda reminds me of Butte College, except the trees are taller (redwoods!), the hills THROUGH CAMPUS are much steeper, hippies instead of hicks, and instead of overlooking Oroville, there's the Pacific Ocean. Life could be worse. Much so.