As far as my obviously inexperienced self can tell, eventually relocating out of California may be the best plan for finding a solid career position. Again, Alaska's not that bad of a place, and they could definitely use a skilled designer to spruce up their boring snow homes.
But, I see that you're really taking advantage of this downtime, by using it to improve your art skills. I just wish my own school workload wasn't so heavy, so that we could continue working on a certain project, but it's all for the best...
godyousuck
Yah, I talk a lot.