Staying Put

First off, thank you for your prayers. I heard back from SNEC today. I didn't get the answer that I was hoping for, but I got the answer God intended. They didn't have to follow up with me, but I've very glad they did. Now I can close the book on it and Mom won't have to start looking into gift certificates for tattoo removal since she saw my art work as a possible "personality conflict." :) There are several incentives to stay where I am--most of them monetary--and the relationship with my boss is actually bearable at the moment. The new question is: where do I want to live now? My lease is up at the end of August and my apartment/town is a bit on the pricey side. Do I stay where I am, do I move to a cheaper apartment, or do I start looking to put down roots in the form of a real estate purchase? I like the idea of a townhouse because then I wouldn't have to worry about taking care of my lawn. Then again, I could get a house for about the same price and it might have better resale prospects. There is also an abundance of foreclosures available. And there is the question of where to move to. Somewhere safe between work and church would be ideal. O'Malley and I are living alone after all. Once I get back from Atlanta next week (GO SOX!), I'll have a lot of thinking to do and will need to start the process if I'm going to buy something.