We Are All Gypsies.

A friend of mine (dead now) once told me we are gypsies. Like it or not, to make money we have to keep moving. I didn't like what he said. I really thought I could stay in one place, do my art and come home each night, however late.

Well. He was beyond right. Without a theatrical home I am a gypsy. I spent last summer in Seattle and will spend this summer in D.C. Before that I spent 4 summers in San Diego. I've lived in New York and London. I've lived in Las Vegas for a bit off and on, and "on the road." I lived briefly in Denver.. kinda cool and kinda scary! Strange town. Especially at night.

You may think, "What an exciting way to live! You get to travel!" Yeah, I do. I get to mail small boxes of my life to new apartments, buy mustard and pepper and coffee and milk for another new place and figure out the landscape in a short amount of time while I spend 10 hours a day at work.  I don't get to go to Disneyland or the equivalent. (Hmm. What is the equivalent of Disneyland? Why am I using that as a basis of comparison?)

I DID get to Buckingham Palace, but, I'd been there before. Hadn't changed in 25 years. In Philadelphia I saw the beautiful train station.. and a strip club.  In Seattle, oh.. I love Seattle.. I walked and walked and took 3 boat rides in lakes and in the Sound. Yeah, that was nice. I've seen zoos in nearly every city and on one tour went to all the ballparks I could. But, it is not vacation. It is not what you may imagine.

I am in a new place, no base, no husband, no support and I am working. I try and want to eat at "home" because it is cheaper. (This isn't a party.) I make my lunch each day and try to eat what I can cook.

I don't get to spend my one day off wandering around the Statue of Liberty because I need to shop for the week, or see a friend, or just crawl off the bed long enough to get food and crawl back, under the covers.

I love working in my home town. I have my own bed and my own kitchen. I have my internet connection just the way I like it. I have the smells and I know what channel will bring me HGTV.  I have my husband.

Living as a gypsy is part of who I am. I know this. I embrace this. I LOVE the work. I hate the travel. To those of you who are jealous and wish your job took you out of town.. just remember, sometimes you end up in Fresno.

(And you won't have time to tour the almond farms!)

xo

random flowers.

m.