Action research - first person

Okay, so here I am. I don't know what I want to do when I graduate, when I grow up, never mind that I'm 35 years old... I don't know if I want to stay in my home town and teach at a local public university, or if I want to try to get into a "Research One" school... The local school appeals to my values, because it is urban and accessible to low-income students... many of the students there are non-traditional adult learners, and many are minority students. And I don't want to be a poster child of brain drain from my area, lured to another state or city... The "Research One" appeals to my intellect, and my vanity... I would have mentors, people who could really push me in my research, and lots of infrastructure and a research-oriented culture... But I'd no doubt be surrounded by a bunch of yuppy white students fresh out of high school... My advisor wants me to go for this - he thinks I deserve support to do my research work and lighter teaching load and etc etc... He says I'm a talented writer... I probably could get federal funding if I was at the right school, with the right colleagues... And maybe I could get it if I was at the "wrong" school, with mediocre colleagues... I just don't know what I want. Guess that is what I need to figure out. It is the roots/wings dilemma, to be sure... Then I think I should chuck it all and go for my MFA in creative writing... Now THAT would be cool!