FINDING MYSELF IN THE DESERT PART 1: I HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN THE DESERT
I have finally arrived in the fabled Tucson: a land of prickly pear cacti, adobe fortresses and an overwhelming number of resident cool kids whose friendships I’ve yet to procure. However, I arrived on Friday night (the 13th) and already have been “Weclome to Tucson!”-ed by what seems like half this friendly town, thanks to Amber and Diana of Painfully Hip fame (my new amazing roomates with equally amazing wardrobes) and their good friend Abraham, who has already become my good friend.
My mom graciously drove me here from Northern California, via Las Vegas (land of glorious excess) and Sedona (land of my birth)
The trip was lovely and went by too quickly. She stayed one night here and left around noon the next day..we both were trying not to get weepy. Leaving on airplanes is so much easier. You don’t feel the distance at all.
It’s hard for me to get a grasp on it yet, since I havent been here for more than a weekend, but I wonder if because of my personal history and the state’s proximity, I won’t miss California as badly as I did when in New York.
But of course, Buy Gifts for Everyone You’ve Ever Met or Face the Wrath of Baby Jesus Day is fast approaching, so I’ll be back in Sacramento and surrounding areas again in mid-December, which only goes to reinforce the apparent fact that I can only leave California for a month at a time.
But O, Tucson!
I have my own room again for the first time since June! (though no bed, so I’m sleeping on yet another couch, though at least it no longer qualifies as “surfing”, since I’m paying rent), and my funny little bike (though the brakes are still absent so I can’t ride it), and that old familiar settled feeling I havent felt in so long is creeping up quickly.
I have tons of design ideas and not only the time to create them, but a sewing machine, a serger and- dare I say it? THE MOTIVATION. (O god I hope I didn’t jinx it.)
I think this is going to be good.
I love that we end up in places we never expected. I hadn’t been to Arizona in 18 years. I think I’ve finally learned not to try and map my life out. Things that happen unexpectedly always seem to turn out better than forced futures. I know I know, I’ve been planning on moving here since August. But the proposition came from Amber as a complete surprise and I accepted almost without hesitation.
This year has been absolutley insane for me locale-wise, and I’m happy to know that I’ll be here for a while. Of course “a while” is relative.
How about this: I am meant to be here for however long I am here.
Boy does that way of thinking let me off the hook.
Welcome home! For now.