I'm kind of a big deal.

6:30 am: aforementioned call from SSPP (did I mention full funding, no legwork required? Yes, 11frogs, there is a Santa Claus.)
6:35 am: received aforementioned email from Putter-Together, actually sent at 1am from the director's personal email account
7:35 am: call from "$600 in Manhattan" offering admission. Ever the diplomat, I thanked her kindly for the offer but explained that from a strictly financial perspective, I could not possibly decline SSPP's offer. She got a little New York curt with me, but that's just those New Yorkers' way of showing they care.
7:45 am: "$600 from Manhattan" called back to ask me my ethnicity, hoping to be able to get me one of their two minority scholarships for 50% tuition. I told her that it wouldn't affect my decision anyway but in retrospect, I should have asked her to pursue it. It makes me chuckle to imagine her arguing that an Indian deserves a minority scholarship to the medical school. If she could have lined that up, that would have been a feat worthy of my acceptance.
7:47 am: missed a call from "Your Welcome". I left a long, rambling voicemail message in return, praising the director, the program, the students, the town (some of you may know it)... and declined the offer.
8:30 am: Knockout called, and it gave me heart palpitations to see her number on my cell. I know what we need is closure, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Over the phone just seems so harsh. She was very understanding, told me to take as much time as I need to think things through and make sure I make the right decision. I don't deserve her.
8:40 am: OC called and said they hope they can "entice" me to choose their program. Mmm, wonder what that meant.
8:50 am: My student contact from SSPP called to congratulate me and see if I had any questions. These little details make me feel special. It makes a difference.
9:00 am: Arrived at work and was showered with attention, including from the loud, annoying, middle-aged coworker whom I would blog about incessantly if I did this on a regular basis. She then proceeded to spread the news-- typical of her-- completely violating gossip protocol by doing this within earshot of me. But I don't care because she is in a deadend job with a crappy marriage and bratty young son, whereas I am... kind of a big deal.
Thanks, Lucia. It's been real.