some nights

So, it's been a while. I know that, and I kept meaning to write, but the more time that went by, the more I felt like I had to have something awesome to come back with.

Well, I don't know if this would technically be considered awesome, but I worked as a volunteer extra on the tv show "Nashville" last week, and it was interesting. I mean, largely boring, but partly cool. It was eight hours to shoot something that will almost definitely be less than three minutes when it airs, but it was cool to get a glimpse into how a show gets made and to meet a few people besides those I work with.

We got there at 7pm and sat around for a good long while waiting for something - anything - to happen. When we finally started filming around 9:30 (maybe?) it was to pretend to be fans of Hayden Panettiere's character during a concert. Lots of swaying, screaming and glowsticks. After hearing the song five times, I thought for sure I'd be singing it for days, but that wasn't the case, so thank god for that. Anyway, after a long break it was back to filming - more screaming, more glowstick-waving - and then finally, around 3am, they let us go. It was way more sitting around than I expected, and I was kicking myself when I had to go to work the next day after spending hours the previous night standing, but I think I'd do it again. Probably. Maybe.

all i wanna do

Yesterday (well, two days ago at this point) the Music City Center opened in Nashville. It's a convention center, which doesn't sound like much, but it's the coolest convention center I've ever seen. Since it just opened, good, non-artist-rendering pictures are a little hard to come by, but google it. It's amazing. And huge. My god is it huge. It's 2.1 million square feet and the green roof (!!) is 4 acres. I mean, the place is massive. This is but one hallway and it's... well... see for yourself...

They also built viewing windows and observation decks, which allow for some pretty kick-ass views of the city. You can see everything from up there. Unfortunately, a good chunk of the view is taken up by the parking garage of the Bridgestone Arena, but what can you do?

Anyway, as cool as the building is, my intention was not really to provide a fact sheet about the Music City Center. So here's the point...

I had a realization last night at the opening that I absolutely moved to the right city. I mean, these people know how to throw a party. No matter what the occasion, they'll put up a stage and throw a concert. With so many musicians around, why not, right? So I'm sitting on a wall after sampling food truck food (There were three streets full of food trucks and I'm sorry, but food just tastes better when it comes from a truck. You know it's true.) and this breeze blows in while I'm listening to Sheryl Crow play. And then they set fireworks off the roof. Clearly they did not have to deal with as strict a fire marshal as the one who told us in high school that using a curling iron while getting ready to go on stage for a school production was a fire hazard. Anyway, where else are you going to get perfect weather, good food, a free Sheryl Crow show, and fireworks in the middle of downtown? Of course, I'll probably be singing a different tune in the middle of summer when it's 100+ degrees out, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Anyway, it was a pretty darn perfect day/night.

All this is to say that I may not have found a real job or new friends yet, but I do believe I've found a home, and that's a pretty good start.

welcome to the future

About a month ago, I moved out of my parents' house in New England and headed down to Tennessee. I want to work in music, which was not happening up north, so I figured I'd give Nashville a try. New York is too fast and LA is too far, so Nashville seemed like it might be a good fit. I expected it to be a bit of a culture shock, but so far it's really not. I guess people are a little bit friendlier, but not as much as I thought they would be. Service is a little bit slower whether I'm out to eat or trying to switch over my license (though the DMV pretty much sucks everywhere, I guess), but that's not the worst thing in the world. I'll just learn to slow down a bit.

The biggest difference I notice between here and home is the music. I find it weirder than I probably should that there's country music playing everywhere from the bars and restaurants to the mall. The mall! Aren't mall crowds supposed to be more Justin Bieber than Eric Church?

And speaking of churches, they're everywhere! I don't know where they could possibly find the people to fill them all, but they must. I swear I could walk two blocks in any direction and hit one, including one that has a banner out front for "Saturday Night." That's it, just "Saturday Night." What happens on Saturday night?? It's either the worst marketing effort ever, or a truly brilliant one. I wonder how many people have showed up just to see what's going to happen.

Anyway, I digress. The point is that for the first time, I'm on my own (with a roommate, but still) in a way that feels real and permanent, and it's terrifying and exhilarating, and I can't wait to make it everything I thought adulthood would be. I've been waiting since I graduated college for my life to start and now, here, I feel like I'm finally on my way.

here we go again

So, I've been trying (and failing) to write a blog for years. I started one in college, but I didn't have a whole lot to say that anyone might care to read. My fears about growing up and getting started in "The Real World" were overwhelming, but hardly entertaining, so after a few posts of "Would it really be so bad if I quit school and traveled the country doing odd jobs for the rest of my life?" (um, yes), I deleted the blog and moved on. Next I tried fiction, but no one was reading and without any feedback, it felt like a waste of time. Then there was a looooooong period of contemplating what to write about next.

Which brings me to now. I miss writing, and since I just relocated (for the fourth time in three years) I feel like I finally have something to say. So here goes...